Sample records for l-lysine oxidase activity

  1. Understanding cerebral L-lysine metabolism: the role of L-pipecolate metabolism in Gcdh-deficient mice as a model for glutaric aciduria type I.

    PubMed

    Posset, Roland; Opp, Silvana; Struys, Eduard A; Völkl, Alfred; Mohr, Heribert; Hoffmann, Georg F; Kölker, Stefan; Sauer, Sven W; Okun, Jürgen G

    2015-03-01

    Inherited deficiencies of the L-lysine catabolic pathway cause glutaric aciduria type I and pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy. Dietary modulation of cerebral L-lysine metabolism is thought to be an important therapeutic intervention for these diseases. To better understand cerebral L-lysine degradation, we studied in mice the two known catabolic routes -- pipecolate and saccharopine pathways -- using labeled stable L-lysine and brain peroxisomes purified according to a newly established protocol. Experiments with labeled stable L-lysine show that cerebral L-pipecolate is generated along two pathways: i) a minor proportion retrograde after ε-deamination of L-lysine along the saccharopine pathway, and ii) a major proportion anterograde after α-deamination of L-lysine along the pipecolate pathway. In line with these findings, we observed only little production of saccharopine in the murine brain. L-pipecolate oxidation was only detectable in brain peroxisomes, but L-pipecolate oxidase activity was low (7 ± 2μU/mg protein). In conclusion, L-pipecolate is a major degradation product from L-lysine in murine brain generated by α-deamination of this amino acid.

  2. Role of L-lysine-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase in catabolism of lysine as a nitrogen source for Rhodotorula glutinis.

    PubMed Central

    Kinzel, J J; Winston, M K; Bhattacharjee, J K

    1983-01-01

    Wild-type and saccharopine dehydrogenaseless mutant strains of Rhodotorula glutinis grew in minimal medium containing lysine as the sole nitrogen source and simultaneously accumulated, in the culture supernatant, large amounts of a product identified as alpha-aminoadipic-delta-semialdehyde. The saccharopine dehydrogenase and pipecolic acid oxidase levels remained unchanged in wild-type cells grown in the presence of ammonium or lysine as the nitrogen source. Lysine-alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase activity was demonstrated in ammonium-grown cells. This activity was depressed in cells grown in the presence of lysine as the sole source of nitrogen. PMID:6408065

  3. Purification and properties of fructosyl lysine oxidase from Fusarium oxysporum S-1F4.

    PubMed

    Sakai, Y; Yoshida, N; Isogai, A; Tani, Y; Kato, N

    1995-03-01

    Fructosyl lysine oxidase (FLOD) was examined for its use in the enzymatic measurement of the level of glycated albumin in blood serum. To isolate microorganisms having such an enzyme activity, we used N epsilon-fructosyl N alpha-Z-lysine (epsilon-FL) as a sole nitrogen source in the enrichment culture medium. The isolated fungus, strain S-1F4, showed a high FLOD activity in the cell-free extract and was identified as Fusarium oxysporum. FLOD was purified to an apparent homogeneity on SDS-PAGE. The molecular mass of the subunit was 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE and seemed to exist in a monomeric form. The enzyme had an absorption spectrum characteristic of a flavoprotein and the flavin was found to be covalently bound to the enzyme. The enzyme acted against N epsilon-fructosyl N alpha-Z-lysine and N alpha-fructosyl N epsilon-Z-lysine and showed specificity for fructosyl lysine residues.

  4. Therapeutic modulation of cerebral L-lysine metabolism in a mouse model for glutaric aciduria type I.

    PubMed

    Sauer, Sven W; Opp, Silvana; Hoffmann, Georg F; Koeller, David M; Okun, Jürgen G; Kölker, Stefan

    2011-01-01

    Glutaric aciduria type I, an inherited deficiency of glutaryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase localized in the final common catabolic pathway of L-lysine, L-hydroxylysine and L-tryptophan, leads to accumulation of neurotoxic glutaric and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid, as well as non-toxic glutarylcarnitine. Most untreated patients develop irreversible brain damage during infancy that can be prevented in the majority of cases if metabolic treatment with a low L-lysine diet and L-carnitine supplementation is started in the newborn period. The biochemical effect of this treatment remains uncertain, since cerebral concentrations of neurotoxic metabolites can only be determined by invasive techniques. Therefore, we studied the biochemical effect and mechanism of metabolic treatment in glutaryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase-deficient mice, an animal model with complete loss of glutaryl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase activity, focusing on the tissue-specific changes of neurotoxic metabolites and key enzymes of L-lysine metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that low L-lysine diet, but not L-carnitine supplementation, lowered the concentration of glutaric acid in brain, liver, kidney and serum. L-carnitine supplementation restored the free L-carnitine pool and enhanced the formation of glutarylcarnitine. The effect of low L-lysine diet was amplified by add-on therapy with L-arginine, which we propose to result from competition with L-lysine at system y(+) of the blood-brain barrier and the mitochondrial L-ornithine carriers. L-lysine can be catabolized in the mitochondrial saccharopine or the peroxisomal pipecolate pathway. We detected high activity of mitochondrial 2-aminoadipate semialdehyde synthase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the saccharopine pathway, in the liver, whereas it was absent in the brain. Since we found activity of the subsequent enzymes of L-lysine oxidation, 2-aminoadipate semialdehyde dehydrogenase, 2-aminoadipate aminotransferase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex as well as

  5. Identification in Marinomonas mediterranea of a novel quinoprotein with glycine oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Campillo-Brocal, Jonatan Cristian; Lucas-Elio, Patricia; Sanchez-Amat, Antonio

    2013-08-01

    A novel enzyme with lysine-epsilon oxidase activity was previously described in the marine bacterium Marinomonas mediterranea. This enzyme differs from other l-amino acid oxidases in not being a flavoprotein but containing a quinone cofactor. It is encoded by an operon with two genes lodA and lodB. The first one codes for the oxidase, while the second one encodes a protein required for the expression of the former. Genome sequencing of M. mediterranea has revealed that it contains two additional operons encoding proteins with sequence similarity to LodA. In this study, it is shown that the product of one of such genes, Marme_1655, encodes a protein with glycine oxidase activity. This activity shows important differences in terms of substrate range and sensitivity to inhibitors to other glycine oxidases previously described which are flavoproteins synthesized by Bacillus. The results presented in this study indicate that the products of the genes with different degrees of similarity to lodA detected in bacterial genomes could constitute a reservoir of different oxidases. © 2013 The Authors. Microbiology Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. l-lysine production by Bacillus methanolicus: Genome-based mutational analysis and l-lysine secretion engineering.

    PubMed

    Nærdal, Ingemar; Netzer, Roman; Irla, Marta; Krog, Anne; Heggeset, Tonje Marita Bjerkan; Wendisch, Volker F; Brautaset, Trygve

    2017-02-20

    Bacillus methanolicus is a methylotrophic bacterium with an increasing interest in academic research and for biotechnological applications. This bacterium was previously applied for methanol-based production of l-glutamate, l-lysine and the five-carbon diamine cadaverine by wild type, classical mutant and recombinant strains. The genomes of two different l-lysine secreting B. methanolicus classical mutant strains, NOA2#13A52-8A66 and M168-20, were sequenced. We focused on mutational mapping in genes present in l-lysine and other relevant amino acid biosynthetic pathways, as well as in the primary cell metabolism important for precursor supply. In addition to mutations in the aspartate pathway genes dapG, lysA and hom-1, new mutational target genes like alr, proA, proB1, leuC, odhA and pdhD were identified. Surprisingly, no mutations were found in the putative l-lysine transporter gene lysE MGA3 . Inspection of the wild type B. methanolicus strain PB1 genome sequence identified two homologous putative l-lysine transporter genes, lysE PB1 and lysE2 PB1 . The biological role of these putative l-lysine transporter genes, together with the heterologous l-lysine exporter gene lysE Cg from Corynebacterium glutamicum, were therefore investigated. Our results demonstrated that the titer of secreted l-lysine in B. methanolicus was significantly increased by overexpression of lysE Cg while overexpression of lysE MGA3 , lysE PB1 and lysE2 PB1 had no measurable effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Structural Basis for Recognition of L-lysine, L-ornithine, and L-2,4-diamino Butyric Acid by Lysine Cyclodeaminase.

    PubMed

    Min, Kyungjin; Yoon, Hye-Jin; Matsuura, Atsushi; Kim, Yong Hwan; Lee, Hyung Ho

    2018-04-30

    L-pipecolic acid is a non-protein amino acid commonly found in plants, animals, and microorganisms. It is a well-known precursor to numerous microbial secondary metabolites and pharmaceuticals, including anticancer agents, immunosuppressants, and several antibiotics. Lysine cyclodeaminase (LCD) catalyzes β-deamination of L-lysine into L-pipecolic acid using β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor. Expression of a human homolog of LCD, μ-crystallin, is elevated in prostate cancer patients. To understand the structural features and catalytic mechanisms of LCD, we determined the crystal structures of Streptomyces pristinaespiralis LCD (SpLCD) in (i) a binary complex with NAD + , (ii) a ternary complex with NAD + and L-pipecolic acid, (iii) a ternary complex with NAD + and L-proline, and (iv) a ternary complex with NAD + and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid. The overall structure of SpLCD was similar to that of ornithine cyclodeaminase from Pseudomonas putida . In addition, SpLCD recognized L-lysine, L-ornithine, and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid despite differences in the active site, including differences in hydrogen bonding by Asp236, which corresponds with Asp228 from Pseudomonas putida ornithine cyclodeaminase. The substrate binding pocket of SpLCD allowed substrates smaller than lysine to bind, thus enabling binding to ornithine and L-2,4-diamino butyric acid. Our structural and biochemical data facilitate a detailed understanding of substrate and product recognition, thus providing evidence for a reaction mechanism for SpLCD. The proposed mechanism is unusual in that NAD + is initially converted into NADH and then reverted back into NAD + at a late stage of the reaction.

  8. Quantification of Nε-(2-Furoylmethyl)-L-lysine (furosine), Nε-(Carboxymethyl)-L-lysine (CML), Nε-(Carboxyethyl)-L-lysine (CEL) and total lysine through stable isotope dilution assay and tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Troise, Antonio Dario; Fiore, Alberto; Wiltafsky, Markus; Fogliano, Vincenzo

    2015-12-01

    The control of Maillard reaction (MR) is a key point to ensure processed foods quality. Due to the presence of a primary amino group on its side chain, lysine is particularly prone to chemical modifications with the formation of Amadori products (AP), Nε-(Carboxymethyl)-L-lysine (CML), Nε-(Carboxyethyl)-L-lysine (CEL). A new analytical strategy was proposed which allowed to simultaneously quantify lysine, CML, CEL and the Nε-(2-Furoylmethyl)-L-lysine (furosine), the indirect marker of AP. The procedure is based on stable isotope dilution assay followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. It showed high sensitivity and good reproducibility and repeatability in different foods. The limit of detection and the RSD% were lower than 5 ppb and below 8%, respectively. Results obtained with the new procedure not only improved the knowledge about the reliability of thermal treatment markers, but also defined new insights in the relationship between Maillard reaction products and their precursors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The Crucial Role of Early Mitochondrial Injury in L-Lysine-Induced Acute Pancreatitis

    PubMed Central

    Biczó, György; Hegyi, Péter; Dósa, Sándor; Shalbuyeva, Natalia; Berczi, Sándor; Sinervirta, Riitta; Hracskó, Zsuzsanna; Siska, Andrea; Kukor, Zoltán; Jármay, Katalin; Venglovecz, Viktória; Varga, Ilona S.; Iványi, Béla; Alhonen, Leena; Wittmann, Tibor; Gukovskaya, Anna; Takács, Tamás

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Aims Large doses of intraperitoneally injected basic amino acids, L-arginine, or L-ornithine, induce acute pancreatitis in rodents, although the mechanisms mediating pancreatic toxicity remain unknown. Another basic amino acid, L-lysine, was also shown to cause pancreatic acinar cell injury. The aim of the study was to get insight into the mechanisms through which L-lysine damages the rat exocrine pancreas, in particular to characterize the kinetics of L-lysine-induced mitochondrial injury, as well as the pathologic responses (including alteration of antioxidant systems) characteristic of acute pancreatitis. Results We showed that intraperitoneal administration of 2 g/kg L-lysine induced severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis. L-lysine administration caused early pancreatic mitochondrial damage that preceded the activation of trypsinogen and the proinflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), which are commonly thought to play an important role in the development of acute pancreatitis. Our data demonstrate that L-lysine impairs adenosine triphosphate synthase activity of isolated pancreatic, but not liver, mitochondria. Innovation and Conclusion Taken together, early mitochondrial injury caused by large doses of L-lysine may lead to the development of acute pancreatitis independently of pancreatic trypsinogen and NF-κB activation. PMID:21644850

  10. An economically and environmentally acceptable synthesis of chiral drug intermediate L-pipecolic acid from biomass-derived lysine via artificially engineered microbes.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jie; Huang, Yuding; Mi, Le; Chen, Wujiu; Wang, Dan; Wang, Qinhong

    2018-05-10

    Deficiency in petroleum resources and increasing environmental concerns have pushed a bio-based economy to be built, employing a highly reproducible, metal contaminant free, sustainable and green biomanufacturing method. Here, a chiral drug intermediate L-pipecolic acid has been synthesized from biomass-derived lysine. This artificial bioconversion system involves the coexpression of four functional genes, which encode L-lysine α-oxidase from Scomber japonicus, glucose dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis, Δ 1 -piperideine-2-carboxylase reductase from Pseudomonas putida, and lysine permease from Escherichia coli. Besides, a lysine degradation enzyme has been knocked out to strengthen the process in this microbe. The overexpression of LysP improved the L-pipecolic acid titer about 1.6-folds compared to the control. This engineered microbial factory showed the highest L-pipecolic acid production of 46.7 g/L reported to date and a higher productivity of 2.41 g/L h and a yield of 0.89 g/g. This biotechnological L-pipecolic acid production is a simple, economic, and green technology to replace the presently used chemical synthesis.

  11. Ligand complex structures of l-amino acid oxidase/monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. AIU 813 and its conformational change.

    PubMed

    Im, Dohyun; Matsui, Daisuke; Arakawa, Takatoshi; Isobe, Kimiyasu; Asano, Yasuhisa; Fushinobu, Shinya

    2018-03-01

    l-Amino acid oxidase/monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. AIU 813 (l-AAO/MOG) catalyzes both the oxidative deamination and oxidative decarboxylation of the α-group of l-Lys to produce a keto acid and amide, respectively. l-AAO/MOG exhibits limited specificity for l-amino acid substrates with a basic side chain. We previously determined its ligand-free crystal structure and identified a key residue for maintaining the dual activities. Here, we determined the structures of l-AAO/MOG complexed with l-Lys, l-ornithine, and l-Arg and revealed its substrate recognition. Asp238 is located at the ceiling of a long hydrophobic pocket and forms a strong interaction with the terminal, positively charged group of the substrates. A mutational analysis on the D238A mutant indicated that the interaction is critical for substrate binding but not for catalytic control between the oxidase/monooxygenase activities. The catalytic activities of the D238E mutant unexpectedly increased, while the D238F mutant exhibited altered substrate specificity to long hydrophobic substrates. In the ligand-free structure, there are two channels connecting the active site and solvent, and a short region located at the dimer interface is disordered. In the l-Lys complex structure, a loop region is displaced to plug the channels. Moreover, the disordered region in the ligand-free structure forms a short helix in the substrate complex structures and creates the second binding site for the substrate. It is assumed that the amino acid substrate enters the active site of l-AAO/MOG through this route. The atomic coordinates and structure factors (codes 5YB6, 5YB7, and 5YB8) have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank (http://wwpdb.org/). 1.4.3.2 (l-amino acid oxidase), 1.13.12.2 (lysine 2-monooxygenase).

  12. The Preventive Effect of L-Lysine on Lysozyme Glycation in Type 2 Diabetes.

    PubMed

    Mirmiranpour, Hossein; Khaghani, Shahnaz; Bathaie, S Zahra; Nakhjavani, Manouchehr; Kebriaeezadeh, Abbas; Ebadi, Maryam; Gerayesh-Nejad, Siavash; Zangooei, Mohammad

    2016-01-01

    Lysozyme is a bactericidal enzyme whose structure and functions change in diabetes. Chemical chaperones are small molecules including polyamines (e.g. spermine), amino acids (e.g. L-lysine) and polyols (e.g. glycerol). They can improve protein conformation in several stressful conditions such as glycation. In this study, the authors aimed to observe the effect of L-lysine as a chemical chaperone on structure and function of glycated lysozyme. In this study, in vitro and in vivo effects of L-lysine on lysozyme glycation were investigated. Lysozyme was incubated with glucose and/or L-lysine, followed by an investigation of its structure by electrophoresis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy and also assessment of its bactericidal activity against M. lysodeikticus. In the clinical trial, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were randomly divided into two groups of 25 (test and control). All patients received metformin and glibenclamide for a three months period. The test group was supplemented with 3 g/day of L-lysine. The quantity and activity of lysozyme and other parameters were then measured. Among the test group, L-lysine was found to reduce the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the sera of patients with T2DM and in vitro condition. This chemical chaperone reversed the alteration in lysozyme structure and function due to glycation and resulted in increased lysozyme activity. Structure and function of glycated lysozyme are significantly improved by l-lysine; therefore it can be considered an effective therapeutic supplementation in T2DM, decreasing the risk of infection in these patients.

  13. Screening of Bothrops snake venoms for L-amino acid oxidase activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pessati, M.L.; Fontana, J.D.; Guimaraes, M.F.

    1995-12-31

    Toxins, enzymes, and biologically active peptides are the main components of snake venoms from the genus Bothrops. Following the venom inoculation, the local effects are hemorrhage, edema, and myonecrosis. Nineteen different species of Brazilian Bothrops were screened for protein content and L-amino acid oxidase activity. B. cotiara, formerly found in the South of Brazil, is now threatened with extinction. Its venom contains a highly hemorrhagic fraction and, as expected from the deep yellow color of the corresponding lyophilized powder, a high L-amino acid oxidase (LAO) activity was also characterized. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is its associate coenzyme. B. cotiara venommore » LAO catalyzed the oxidative deamination of several L-amino acids, and the best substrates were methionine, leucine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine, hence, its potential application for the use in biosensors for aspartame determination and for the removal of amino acids from plasma. High levels for LAO were also found in other species than B. cotiara. In addition, the technique of isoelectric focusing (IEF) was employed as a powerful tool to study the iso- or multi-enzyme distribution for LAO activity in the B. cotiara snake venom.« less

  14. Water reuse in the l-lysine fermentation process

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hsiao, T.Y.; Glatz, C.E.

    1996-02-05

    L-Lysine is produced commercially by fermentation. As is typical for fermentation processes, a large amount of liquid waste is generated. To minimize the waste, which is mostly the broth effluent from the cation exchange column used for l-lysine recovery, the authors investigated a strategy of recycling a large fraction of this broth effluent to the subsequent fermentation. This was done on a lab-scale process with Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 21253 as the l-lysine-producing organisms. Broth effluent from a fermentation in a defined medium was able to replace 75% of the water for the subsequent batch; this recycle ratio was maintained formore » 3 sequential batches without affecting cell mass and l-lysine production. Broth effluent was recycled at 50% recycle ratio in a fermentation in a complex medium containing beet molasses. The first recycle batch had an 8% lower final l-lysine level, but 8% higher maximum cell mass. In addition to reducing the volume of liquid waste, this recycle strategy has the additional advantage of utilizing the ammonium desorbed from the ion-exchange column as a nitrogen source in the recycle fermentation. The major problem of recycling the effluent from the complex medium was in the cation-exchange operation, where column capacity was 17% lower for the recycle batch. The loss of column capacity probably results from the buildup of cations competing with l-lysine for binding.« less

  15. One-dimensional poly(L-lysine)-block-poly(L-threonine) assemblies exhibit potent anticancer activity by enhancing membranolysis.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yu-Fon; Shiau, Ai-Li; Chang, Sue-Joan; Fan, Nai-Shin; Wang, Chung-Teng; Wu, Chao-Liang; Jan, Jeng-Shiung

    2017-06-01

    Herein, we report the oncolytic activity of cationic, one-dimensional (1D) fibril assemblies formed from coil-sheet poly(L-lysine)-block-poly(L-threonine) (PLL-b-PLT) block copolypeptides for cancer therapy. The 1D fibril assemblies can efficiently interact with negatively charged cellular and mitochondrial membranes via electrostatic interactions, leading to necrosis via membrane lysis and apoptosis via the mitochondria-lytic effect. The concept is analogous to that of 1D drug carriers that exhibit enhanced cell penetration. In comparison to free PLL chains, PLL-b-PLT fibril assemblies exhibit selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells, low hemolysis activity, enhanced membranolytic activity, and a different apoptosis pathway, which may be due to differences in the peptide-membrane interactions. Antitumor studies using a metastatic LL2 lung carcinoma model indicate that the fibril assemblies significantly inhibited tumor growth, improved survival in tumor-bearing mice and suppressed lung metastasis without obvious body weight loss. An additive efficacy was also observed for treatment with both PLL-b-PLT and cisplatin. These results support the feasibility of using 1D fibril assemblies as potential apoptotic anticancer therapeutics. We report that cationic, one-dimensional (1D) fibril assemblies formed by coil-sheet poly(L-lysine)-block-poly(L-threonine) (PLL-b-PLT) block copolypeptides exhibited potent anticancer activity by enhancing membranolysis. The 1D fibril assemblies can efficiently interact with negatively charged cellular and mitochondrial membranes via electrostatic interactions, leading to necrosis via membrane lysis and apoptosis via mitochondria-lytic effect. Moreover, the fibril assemblies exhibited low hemolytic activity and selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cell, which is advantageous as compared to PLL and most antimicrobial/anticancerous peptides. This study provides a new concept of using cationic, 1D fibril assemblies for cancer therapy

  16. Amperometric L-lysine enzyme electrodes based on carbon nanotube/redox polymer and graphene/carbon nanotube/redox polymer composites.

    PubMed

    Kaçar, Ceren; Erden, Pınar Esra; Kılıç, Esma

    2017-04-01

    Highly sensitive L-lysine enzyme electrodes were constructed by using poly(vinylferrocene)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes-gelatine (PVF/MWCNTs-GEL) and poly(vinylferrocene)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes-gelatine-graphene (PVF/MWCNTs-GEL/GR) composites as sensing interfaces and their performances were evaluated. Lysine oxidase (LO) was immobilized onto the composite modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) by crosslinking using glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin. Effects of pH value, enzyme loading, applied potential, electrode composition, and interfering substances on the amperometric response of the enzyme electrodes were discussed. The analytical characteristics of the enzyme electrodes were also investigated. The linear range, detection limit, and sensitivity of the LO/PVF/MWCNTs-GEL/GCE were 9.9 × 10 -7 -7.0 × 10 -4  M, 1.8 × 10 -7  M (S/N = 3), and 13.51 μA mM -1  cm -2 , respectively. PVF/MWCNTs-GEL/GR-based L-lysine enzyme electrode showed a short response time (<5 s) and a linear detection range from 9.9 × 10 -7 to 7.0 × 10 -4  M with good sensitivity of 17.8 μA mM -1  cm -2 and a low detection limit of 9.2 × 10 -8  M. The PVF/MWCNTs-GEL/GR composite-based L-lysine enzyme electrode exhibited about 1.3-fold higher sensitivity than its MWCNTs-based counterpart and its detection limit was superior to the MWCNTs-based one. In addition, enzyme electrodes were successfully applied to determine L-lysine in pharmaceutical sample and cheese.

  17. A highly active and negatively charged Streptococcus pyogenes lysin with a rare D-alanyl-L-alanine endopeptidase activity protects mice against streptococcal bacteremia.

    PubMed

    Lood, Rolf; Raz, Assaf; Molina, Henrik; Euler, Chad W; Fischetti, Vincent A

    2014-06-01

    Bacteriophage endolysins have shown great efficacy in killing Gram-positive bacteria. PlyC, a group C streptococcal phage lysin, represents the most efficient lysin characterized to date, with a remarkably high specificity against different streptococcal species, including the important pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. However, PlyC is a unique lysin, in terms of both its high activity and structure (two distinct subunits). We sought to discover and characterize a phage lysin active against S. pyogenes with an endolysin architecture distinct from that of PlyC to determine if it relies on the same mechanism of action as PlyC. In this study, we identified and characterized an endolysin, termed PlyPy (phage lysin from S. pyogenes), from a prophage infecting S. pyogenes. By in silico analysis, PlyPy was found to have a molecular mass of 27.8 kDa and a pI of 4.16. It was active against a majority of group A streptococci and displayed high levels of activity as well as binding specificity against group B and C streptococci, while it was less efficient against other streptococcal species. PlyPy showed the highest activity at neutral pH in the presence of calcium and NaCl. Surprisingly, its activity was not affected by the presence of the group A-specific carbohydrate, while the activity of PlyC was partly inhibited. Additionally, PlyPy was active in vivo and could rescue mice from systemic bacteremia. Finally, we developed a novel method to determine the peptidoglycan bond cleaved by lysins and concluded that PlyPy exhibits a rare d-alanyl-l-alanine endopeptidase activity. PlyPy thus represents the first lysin characterized from Streptococcus pyogenes and has a mechanism of action distinct from that of PlyC. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. A Highly Active and Negatively Charged Streptococcus pyogenes Lysin with a Rare d-Alanyl-l-Alanine Endopeptidase Activity Protects Mice against Streptococcal Bacteremia

    PubMed Central

    Lood, Rolf; Raz, Assaf; Molina, Henrik; Euler, Chad W.

    2014-01-01

    Bacteriophage endolysins have shown great efficacy in killing Gram-positive bacteria. PlyC, a group C streptococcal phage lysin, represents the most efficient lysin characterized to date, with a remarkably high specificity against different streptococcal species, including the important pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. However, PlyC is a unique lysin, in terms of both its high activity and structure (two distinct subunits). We sought to discover and characterize a phage lysin active against S. pyogenes with an endolysin architecture distinct from that of PlyC to determine if it relies on the same mechanism of action as PlyC. In this study, we identified and characterized an endolysin, termed PlyPy (phage lysin from S. pyogenes), from a prophage infecting S. pyogenes. By in silico analysis, PlyPy was found to have a molecular mass of 27.8 kDa and a pI of 4.16. It was active against a majority of group A streptococci and displayed high levels of activity as well as binding specificity against group B and C streptococci, while it was less efficient against other streptococcal species. PlyPy showed the highest activity at neutral pH in the presence of calcium and NaCl. Surprisingly, its activity was not affected by the presence of the group A-specific carbohydrate, while the activity of PlyC was partly inhibited. Additionally, PlyPy was active in vivo and could rescue mice from systemic bacteremia. Finally, we developed a novel method to determine the peptidoglycan bond cleaved by lysins and concluded that PlyPy exhibits a rare d-alanyl-l-alanine endopeptidase activity. PlyPy thus represents the first lysin characterized from Streptococcus pyogenes and has a mechanism of action distinct from that of PlyC. PMID:24637688

  19. [Enhanced ε-poly-L-lysine production by improving cellular activity during fermentation].

    PubMed

    Liu, Shengrong; Wu, Qingping; Zhang, Jumei; Yang, Xiaojuan; Cai, Shuzhen

    2015-06-04

    To assess the effect of cellular activity on ε-poly-1-lysine (ε-PL) biosynthesis and thereby to rationally improve the production, we studied the cellular activity, ε-PL formation and other parameters cross flask fermentation by Streptomyces ahygroscopicus. Laser scanning confocal microscopy and a colorimetric method were used to determine cellular activity using BacLight Live/Dead and 5-cyano-2,3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC) as viable stains. To enhance the activity of the cells in the ε-PL production period, yeast extract was added. During ε-PL submerged fermentation in flasks, most cells were active in the growth period (0 - 16 h); cells had metabolic activity in the growth and earlier ε-PL production periods between 0 and 30 h fermentation. Almost no activity was detected after 48 h fermentation when no ε-PL was produced. The improved fermentation achieved 2. 24 g/L ε-PL from 1.04 g/L. Biosynthesis of ε-PL can be boosted by up-regulating cell activity in its production phase.

  20. Expanding lysine industry: industrial biomanufacturing of lysine and its derivatives.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jie; Chen, Peng; Song, Andong; Wang, Dan; Wang, Qinhong

    2018-04-13

    L-Lysine is widely used as a nutrition supplement in feed, food, and beverage industries as well as a chemical intermediate. At present, great efforts are made to further decrease the cost of lysine to make it more competitive in the markets. Furthermore, lysine also shows potential as a feedstock to produce other high-value chemicals for active pharmaceutical ingredients, drugs, or materials. In this review, the current biomanufacturing of lysine is first presented. Second, the production of novel derivatives from lysine is discussed. Some chemicals like L-pipecolic acid, cadaverine, and 5-aminovalerate already have been obtained at a lab scale. Others like 6-aminocaproic acid, valerolactam, and caprolactam could be produced through a biological and chemical coupling pathway or be synthesized by a hypothetical pathway. This review demonstrates an active and expansive lysine industry, and these green biomanufacturing strategies could also be applied to enhance the competitiveness of other amino acid industry.

  1. Dietary L-lysine prevents arterial calcification in adenine-induced uremic rats.

    PubMed

    Shimomura, Akihiro; Matsui, Isao; Hamano, Takayuki; Ishimoto, Takuya; Katou, Yumiko; Takehana, Kenji; Inoue, Kazunori; Kusunoki, Yasuo; Mori, Daisuke; Nakano, Chikako; Obi, Yoshitsugu; Fujii, Naohiko; Takabatake, Yoshitsugu; Nakano, Takayoshi; Tsubakihara, Yoshiharu; Isaka, Yoshitaka; Rakugi, Hiromi

    2014-09-01

    Vascular calcification (VC) is a life-threatening complication of CKD. Severe protein restriction causes a shortage of essential amino acids, and exacerbates VC in rats. Therefore, we investigated the effects of dietary l-lysine, the first-limiting amino acid of cereal grains, on VC. Male Sprague-Dawley rats at age 13 weeks were divided randomly into four groups: low-protein (LP) diet (group LP), LP diet+adenine (group Ade), LP diet+adenine+glycine (group Gly) as a control amino acid group, and LP diet+adenine+l-lysine·HCl (group Lys). At age 18 weeks, group LP had no VC, whereas groups Ade and Gly had comparable levels of severe VC. l-Lysine supplementation almost completely ameliorated VC. Physical parameters and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and phosphate did not differ among groups Ade, Gly, and Lys. Notably, serum calcium in group Lys was slightly but significantly higher than in groups Ade and Gly. Dietary l-lysine strongly suppressed plasma intact parathyroid hormone in adenine rats and supported a proper bone-vascular axis. The conserved orientation of the femoral apatite in group Lys also evidenced the bone-protective effects of l-lysine. Dietary l-lysine elevated plasma alanine, proline, arginine, and homoarginine but not lysine. Analyses in vitro demonstrated that alanine and proline inhibit apoptosis of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, and that arginine and homoarginine attenuate mineral precipitations in a supersaturated calcium/phosphate solution. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of l-lysine ameliorated VC by modifying key pathways that exacerbate VC. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  2. Dietary l-Lysine Prevents Arterial Calcification in Adenine-Induced Uremic Rats

    PubMed Central

    Shimomura, Akihiro; Matsui, Isao; Hamano, Takayuki; Ishimoto, Takuya; Katou, Yumiko; Takehana, Kenji; Inoue, Kazunori; Kusunoki, Yasuo; Mori, Daisuke; Nakano, Chikako; Obi, Yoshitsugu; Fujii, Naohiko; Takabatake, Yoshitsugu; Nakano, Takayoshi; Tsubakihara, Yoshiharu; Rakugi, Hiromi

    2014-01-01

    Vascular calcification (VC) is a life-threatening complication of CKD. Severe protein restriction causes a shortage of essential amino acids, and exacerbates VC in rats. Therefore, we investigated the effects of dietary l-lysine, the first-limiting amino acid of cereal grains, on VC. Male Sprague-Dawley rats at age 13 weeks were divided randomly into four groups: low-protein (LP) diet (group LP), LP diet+adenine (group Ade), LP diet+adenine+glycine (group Gly) as a control amino acid group, and LP diet+adenine+l-lysine·HCl (group Lys). At age 18 weeks, group LP had no VC, whereas groups Ade and Gly had comparable levels of severe VC. l-Lysine supplementation almost completely ameliorated VC. Physical parameters and serum creatinine, urea nitrogen, and phosphate did not differ among groups Ade, Gly, and Lys. Notably, serum calcium in group Lys was slightly but significantly higher than in groups Ade and Gly. Dietary l-lysine strongly suppressed plasma intact parathyroid hormone in adenine rats and supported a proper bone-vascular axis. The conserved orientation of the femoral apatite in group Lys also evidenced the bone-protective effects of l-lysine. Dietary l-lysine elevated plasma alanine, proline, arginine, and homoarginine but not lysine. Analyses in vitro demonstrated that alanine and proline inhibit apoptosis of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells, and that arginine and homoarginine attenuate mineral precipitations in a supersaturated calcium/phosphate solution. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of l-lysine ameliorated VC by modifying key pathways that exacerbate VC. PMID:24652795

  3. Multifactorial modulation of susceptibility to l-lysine in an animal model of glutaric aciduria type I.

    PubMed

    Sauer, Sven W; Opp, Silvana; Komatsuzaki, Shoko; Blank, Anna-Eva; Mittelbronn, Michel; Burgard, Peter; Koeller, D M; Okun, Jürgen G; Kölker, Stefan

    2015-05-01

    Glutaric aciduria type I is an inherited defect in L-lysine, L-hydroxylysine and L-tryptophan degradation caused by deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH). The majority of untreated patients presents with accumulation of neurotoxic metabolites - glutaric acid (GA) and 3-hydroxyglutaric acid (3-OHGA) - and striatal injury. Gcdh(-/-) mice display elevated levels of GA and 3-OH-GA but do not spontaneously develop striatal lesions. L-lysine-enriched diets (appr. 235 mg/d) were suggested to induce a neurological phenotype similar to affected patients. In our hands 93% of mice stressed according to the published protocol remained asymptomatic. To understand the underlying mechanism, we modified their genetic background (F1 C57BL6/Jx129/SvCrl) and increased the daily oral L-lysine supply (235-433 mg). We identified three modulating factors, (1) gender, (2) genetic background, and (3) amount of L-lysine. Male mice displayed higher vulnerability and inbreeding for more than two generations as well as elevating L-lysine supply increased the diet-induced mortality rate (up to 89%). Onset of first symptoms leads to strongly reduced intake of food and, thus, L-lysine suggesting a threshold for toxic metabolite production to induce neurological disease. GA and 3-OH-GA tissue concentrations did not correlate with dietary L-lysine supply but differed between symptomatic and asymptomatic mice. Cerebral activities of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex, and aconitase were decreased. Symptomatic mice did not develop striatal lesions or intracerebral hemorrhages. We found severe spongiosis in the hippocampus of Gcdh(-/-) mice which was independent of dietary L-lysine supply. In conclusion, the L-lysine-induced pathology in Gcdh(-/-) mice depends on genetic and dietary parameters. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Snake Venom L-Amino Acid Oxidases: Trends in Pharmacology and Biochemistry

    PubMed Central

    Izidoro, Luiz Fernando M.; Sobrinho, Juliana C.; Mendes, Mirian M.; Costa, Tássia R.; Grabner, Amy N.; Rodrigues, Veridiana M.; da Silva, Saulo L.; Zanchi, Fernando B.; Zuliani, Juliana P.; Fernandes, Carla F. C.; Calderon, Leonardo A.; Stábeli, Rodrigo G.; Soares, Andreimar M.

    2014-01-01

    L-amino acid oxidases are enzymes found in several organisms, including venoms of snakes, where they contribute to the toxicity of ophidian envenomation. Their toxicity is primarily due to enzymatic activity, but other mechanisms have been proposed recently which require further investigation. L-amino acid oxidases exert biological and pharmacological effects, including actions on platelet aggregation and the induction of apoptosis, hemorrhage, and cytotoxicity. These proteins present a high biotechnological potential for the development of antimicrobial, antitumor, and antiprotozoan agents. This review provides an overview of the biochemical properties and pharmacological effects of snake venom L-amino acid oxidases, their structure/activity relationship, and supposed mechanisms of action described so far. PMID:24738050

  5. Copper nanoclusters as probes for turn-on fluorescence sensing of L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Mingming; Qiao, Juan; Zhang, Shufeng; Qi, Li

    2018-05-15

    Herein, a unique protocol based on copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) probe for turn-on fluorescence sensing of L-lysine was developed. The fluorescent CuNCs with ovalbumin as the stabilizer was prepared by a simple, one-step and green method. When 370 nm was used as the excitation wavelength, the resultant CuNCs exhibited a pale blue fluorescence with the maximum emission at 440 nm. Interestingly, existence of L-lysine evoked the obvious fluorescence intensity increase of CuNCs. The detection limit of the proposed method for L-lysine was 5.5 μM, with a good linear range from 10.0 μM to 1.0 mM (r 2 = 0.999). Moreover, the possible mechanism for enhanced fluorescence intensity of CuNCs by addition of L-lysine was explored and discussed briefly. Further, the as-prepared fluorescent CuNCs was successfully applied in detection of L-lysine in urine. Our results demonstrated that L-lysine could be monitored by the probe, providing new path for construction of CuNCs as fluorescent probes and showing great potential in quantification of L-lysine in real samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Antibacterial and anticancer activity of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) produced by a marine Bacillus subtilis sp.

    PubMed

    El-Sersy, Nermeen A; Abdelwahab, Abeer E; Abouelkhiir, Samia S; Abou-Zeid, Dunja-Manal; Sabry, Soraya A

    2012-10-01

    A marine Bacillus subtilis SDNS was isolated from sea water in Alexandria and identified using 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The bacterium produced a compound active against a number of gram negativeve bacteria. Moreover, the anticancer activity of this bacterium was tested against three different human cell lines (Hela S3, HepG2 and CaCo). The highest inhibition activity was recorded against Hela S3 cell line (77.2%), while almost no activity was recorded towards CaCo cell line. HPLC and TLC analyses supported evidence that Bacillus subtilis SDNS product is ε-poly-L-lysine. To achieve maximum production, Plackett-Burman experimental design was applied. A 1.5 fold increase was observed when Bacillus subtilis SDNS was grown in optimized medium composed of g/l: (NH(4))(2) SO(4), 15; K(2)HPO(4), 0.3; KH(2)PO(4), 2; MgSO(4) · 7 H(2)O, 1; ZnSO(4) · 7 H(2)O, 0; FeSO(4) · 7 H(2)O, 0.03; glucose, 25; yeast extract, 1, pH 6.8. Under optimized culture condition, a product value of 76.3 mg/l could be obtained. According to available literature, this is the first announcement for the production of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) by a member of genus Bacillus. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Short peptides containing L-lysine and epsilon-aminocaproic acid as potential plasmin inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Purwin, M; Bruzgo, I; Markowska, A; Midura-Nowaczek, K

    2009-11-01

    Eight short peptides containing L-lysine and epsilon-aminocaproic acid were obtained and their effect on the amidolytic activities of plasmin, thrombin and trypsin was examined. Tripeptide amide Boc-EACA-L-Lys-EACA-NH2 was the most effective and specific plasmin inhibitor.

  8. Bacillus methanolicus pyruvate carboxylase and homoserine dehydrogenase I and II and their roles for L-lysine production from methanol at 50 degrees C.

    PubMed

    Brautaset, Trygve; Jakobsen, Øyvind M; Degnes, Kristin F; Netzer, Roman; Naerdal, Ingemar; Krog, Anne; Dillingham, Rick; Flickinger, Michael C; Ellingsen, Trond E

    2010-07-01

    We here present the pyc gene encoding pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and the hom-1 and hom-2 genes encoding two active homoserine dehydrogenase (HD) proteins, in methylotrophic Bacillus methanolicus MGA3. In general, both PC and HD are regarded as key targets for improving bacterial L-lysine production; PC plays a role in precursor oxaloacetate (OAA) supply while HD controls an important branch point in the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway. The hom-1 and hom-2 genes were strongly repressed by L-threonine and L-methionine, respectively. Wild-type MGA3 cells secreted 0.4 g/l L-lysine and 59 g/l L-glutamate under optimised fed batch methanol fermentation. The hom-1 mutant M168-20 constructed herein secreted 11 g/l L-lysine and 69 g/l of L-glutamate, while a sixfold higher L-lysine overproduction (65 g/l) of the previously constructed classical B. methanolicus mutant NOA2#13A52-8A66 was accompanied with reduced L-glutamate production (28 g/l) and threefold elevated pyc transcription level. Overproduction of PC and its mutant enzyme P455S in M168-20 had no positive effect on the volumetric L-lysine yield and the L-lysine yield on methanol, and caused significantly reduced volumetric L-glutamate yield and L: -glutamate yield on methanol. Our results demonstrated that hom-1 represents one key target for achieving L-lysine overproduction, PC activity plays an important role in controlling L-glutamate production from methanol, and that OAA precursor supply is not a major bottleneck for L-lysine overproduction by B. methanolicus.

  9. Amperometric L-lysine biosensor based on carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes-SnO2 nanoparticles-graphene composite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaçar, Ceren; Erden, Pınar Esra; Kılıç, Esma

    2017-10-01

    A novel matrix, carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes-tin oxide nanoparticles-graphene-chitosan (c-MWCNTs-SnO2-GR-CS) composite, was prepared for biosensor construction. Lysine oxidase (LOx) enzyme was immobilized covalently on the surface of c-MWCNTs-GR-SnO2-CS composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using N-ethyl-N‧-(3-dimethyaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxyl succinimide (NHS). Effects of electrode composition and buffer pH on biosensor response were investigated to optimize the working conditions. The biosensor exhibited wide linear range (9.9 × 10-7 M-1.6 × 10-4 M), low detection limit (1.5 × 10-7 M), high sensitivity (55.20 μA mM-1 cm-2) and fast amperometric response (<25 s) at +0.70 V vs. Ag/AgCl. With good repeatability and long-term stability, the c-MWCNTs-SnO2-GR-CS based biosensor offered an alternative for L-lysine biosensing. The practical applicability of the biosensor in two dietary supplements has also been addressed.

  10. Overhydroxylation of Lysine of Collagen Increases Uterine Fibroids Proliferation: Roles of Lysyl Hydroxylases, Lysyl Oxidases, and Matrix Metalloproteinases.

    PubMed

    Kamel, Marwa; Wagih, Mohamed; Kilic, Gokhan S; Diaz-Arrastia, Concepcion R; Baraka, Mohamed A; Salama, Salama A

    2017-01-01

    The role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in uterine fibroids (UF) has recently been appreciated. Overhydroxylation of lysine residues and the subsequent formation of hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) cross-links underlie the ECM stiffness and profoundly affect tumor progression. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between ECM of UF, collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes [lysyl hydroxylases (LH) and lysyl oxidases (LOX)], and the development and progression of UF. Our results indicated that hydroxyl lysine (Hyl) and HP cross-links are significantly higher in UF compared to the normal myometrial tissues accompanied by increased expression of LH (LH2b) and LOX. Also, increased resistance to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) proteolytic degradation activity was observed. Furthermore, the extent of collagen cross-links was positively correlated with the expression of myofibroblast marker ( α -SMA), growth-promoting markers (PCNA; pERK1/2; FAK pY397 ; Ki-67; and Cyclin D1), and the size of UF. In conclusion, our study defines the role of overhydroxylation of collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes in modulating UF cell proliferation, differentiation, and resistance to MMP. These effects can establish microenvironment conducive for UF progression and thus represent potential target treatment options of UF.

  11. Overhydroxylation of Lysine of Collagen Increases Uterine Fibroids Proliferation: Roles of Lysyl Hydroxylases, Lysyl Oxidases, and Matrix Metalloproteinases

    PubMed Central

    Kamel, Marwa; Wagih, Mohamed; Diaz-Arrastia, Concepcion R.; Baraka, Mohamed A.

    2017-01-01

    The role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in uterine fibroids (UF) has recently been appreciated. Overhydroxylation of lysine residues and the subsequent formation of hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP) cross-links underlie the ECM stiffness and profoundly affect tumor progression. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between ECM of UF, collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes [lysyl hydroxylases (LH) and lysyl oxidases (LOX)], and the development and progression of UF. Our results indicated that hydroxyl lysine (Hyl) and HP cross-links are significantly higher in UF compared to the normal myometrial tissues accompanied by increased expression of LH (LH2b) and LOX. Also, increased resistance to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) proteolytic degradation activity was observed. Furthermore, the extent of collagen cross-links was positively correlated with the expression of myofibroblast marker (α-SMA), growth-promoting markers (PCNA; pERK1/2; FAKpY397; Ki-67; and Cyclin D1), and the size of UF. In conclusion, our study defines the role of overhydroxylation of collagen and collagen cross-linking enzymes in modulating UF cell proliferation, differentiation, and resistance to MMP. These effects can establish microenvironment conducive for UF progression and thus represent potential target treatment options of UF. PMID:29082249

  12. Changes in N-acetylglutamate are involved in regulating urea synthesis in rats given a low gluten diet supplemented with L-lysine, L-methinone and L-threonine.

    PubMed

    Tujioka, Kazuyo; Tuchiya, Tamami; Shi, Xianglan; Ohsumi, Miho; Hayase, Kazutoshi; Yokogoshi, Hidehiko

    2009-01-01

    We have shown that urinary urea excretion decreased in rats fed a low gluten diet supplemented with dietary limiting amino acids. The purpose of present study was to determine whether the addition of dietary limiting amino acids to a low gluten diet affected the synthesis and degradation of N-acetylglutamate and regulated urea synthesis. Experiments were done on two groups of rats, given diets containing 10% gluten or 10% gluten+0.5% L-lysine, 0.2% L-threonine and 0.2% L-methionine for 10 d. The urinary excretion of urea, and the liver concentration of N-acetylglutamate, and the liver activity of N-acetylglutamate synthetase decreased with the addition of dietary L-lysine, L-threonine and L-methionine. N-Acetylglutamate concentration in the liver was closely correlated with the N-acetylglutamate synthetase activity in the liver and excretion of urea. The greater degradation of N-acetylglutamate was observed in the group fed the 10% gluten+L-lysine, L-threonine and L-methionine. The hepatic concentration of glutamate and plasma concentration of arginine were not related to the N-acetylglutamate concentration in the liver. These results suggest that the addition of limiting amino acids to the low gluten diet controls the synthesis and degradation of N-acetylglutamate in the liver and lowers urea synthesis.

  13. Copolymers of poly-L-lysine with serine and tryptophan form stable DNA vectors: implications for receptor-mediated gene transfer.

    PubMed

    Gómez-Valadés, A G; Molas, M; Vidal-Alabró, A; Bermúdez, J; Bartrons, R; Perales, J C

    2005-01-20

    Inefficient gene transfer and poor stability in physiological medium are important shortcomings for receptor-mediated gene transfer vectors. Here, we evaluate vectors formulated with random copolymers of L-lysine/L-serine (3:1) and L-lysine/L-tryptophan (4:1), focusing on both their biophysical and functional characterization. By means of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we demonstrate that poly-L-lysine (pK), poly-L-lysine-L-tryptophan (pKW) and poly-L-lysine-L-serine (pKS) are able to form compacted, small particles when mixed with plasmid DNA in the absence of salt. Upon dilution in physiological medium, copolymers of both lys/ser and lys/trp do not aggregate, in contrast with poly-L-lysine DNA complexes as determined by scattering, DLS and TEM measurements. Tight packing, as demonstrated by resistance to heparin, SDS and trypsin treatments, is also featured in tryptophan-containing complexes. Successful receptor-mediated endocytosis gene transfer using galactosylated copolymers into cells expressing the asiagloglycoprotein receptor correlated with lack of aggregation. Particles obtained using galactosylated poly-L-lysine-L-tryptophan (Gal-pKW) copolymer demonstrated specific receptor-mediated gene transfer since reporter gene activity dropped in the presence of an excess ligand in the culture medium during transfection. Although copolymers of galactosylated poly-L-lysine-L-serine (Gal-pKS) do not aggregate in the presence of salt, they are not able to internalize in a specific receptor-mediated endocytosis fashion. The introduction of bulky aromatic/hydrophobic (tryptophan) or hydrophillic (serine) moieties into the positively charged vectors allows the compacted particles to disperse into salt-containing medium avoiding salt-induced aggregation. Moreover, tryptophan-containing particles are able to mediate specific gene transfer via receptor-mediated endocytosis.

  14. A thermostable L-aspartate oxidase: a new tool for biotechnological applications.

    PubMed

    Bifulco, Davide; Pollegioni, Loredano; Tessaro, Davide; Servi, Stefano; Molla, Gianluca

    2013-08-01

    L-Amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are homodimeric flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-containing flavoproteins that catalyze the stereospecific oxidative deamination of L-amino acids to α-keto acids, ammonia, and hydrogen peroxide. Unlike the D-selective counterpart, the biotechnological application of LAAOs has not been thoroughly advanced because of the difficulties in their expression as recombinant protein in prokaryotic hosts. In this work, L-aspartate oxidase from the thermophilic archea Sulfolobus tokodaii (StLASPO, specific for L-aspartate and L-asparagine only) was efficiently produced as recombinant protein in E. coli in the active form as holoenzyme. This recombinant flavoenzyme shows the classical properties of FAD-containing oxidases. Indeed, StLASPO shows distinctive features that makes it attractive for biotechnological applications: high thermal stability (it is fully stable up to 80 °C) and high temperature optimum, stable activity in a broad range of pH (7.0-10.0), weak inhibition by the product oxaloacetate and by D-aspartate, and tight binding of the FAD cofactor. This latter property significantly distinguishes StLASPO from the E. coli counterpart. StLASPO represents an appropriate novel biocatalyst for the production of D-aspartate and a well-suited protein scaffold to evolve a LAAO activity by protein engineering.

  15. Stabilization of collagen with EDC/NHS in the presence of L-lysine: a comprehensive study.

    PubMed

    Usha, R; Sreeram, K J; Rajaram, A

    2012-02-01

    This paper reports the effect of L-lysine on the conformational, rheological, and thermal properties of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) cross linked collagen and investigates the influence of l-lysine on the self assembly processes of collagen. In the absence of L-lysine, the rheological characterization of collagen cross linked with EDC/NHS showed an increase in shearing stress with shearing speed indicating that the collagen chains become rigid and the molecules are reluctant to flow. On the other hand, the increase in shearing stress with shearing speed is comparatively much less in the presence of L-lysine indicating a greater flexibility of the collagen molecules. The self assembly processes of collagen treated with EDC/NHS in the absence and presence of L-lysine were characterized using powder XRD, FT-IR, polarizing optical microscopy and kinetic studies. XRD studies show an increase in peak intensity and sharpness in the presence of L-lysine indicating the enhancement of crystallinity of collagen nano-fibrils. FT-IR results suggest that the incorporation of L-lysine in the EDC/NHS cross linking favors the molecular stability of collagen. From the present study, it is possible to conclude that the pre-treatment of collagen with L-lysine enhances EDC/NHS cross linking and can be used for biomaterial applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Expression of Ascorbic Acid Oxidase in Zucchini Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.).

    PubMed

    Lin, L S; Varner, J E

    1991-05-01

    The expression of ascorbic acid oxidase was studied in zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), one of the most abundant natural sources of the enzyme. In the developing fruit, specific activity of ascorbic acid oxidase was highest between 4 and 6 days after anthesis. Protein and mRNA levels followed the same trend as enzyme activity. Highest growth rate of the fruit occurred before 6 days after anthesis. Within a given fruit, ascorbic acid oxidase activity and mRNA level were highest in the epidermis, and lowest in the central placental region. In leaf tissue, ascorbic acid oxidase activity was higher in young leaves, and very low in old leaves. Within a given leaf, enzyme activity was highest in the fast-growing region (approximately the lower third of the blade), and lowest in the slow-growing region (near leaf apex). High expression of ascorbic acid oxidase at a stage when rapid growth is occurring (in both fruits and leaves), and localization of the enzyme in the fruit epidermis, where cells are under greatest tension during rapid growth in girth, suggest that ascorbic acid oxidase might be involved in reorganization of the cell wall to allow for expansion. Based on the known chemistry of dehydroascorbic acid, the end product of the ascorbic acid oxidase-catalyzed reaction, we have proposed several hypotheses to explain how dehydroascorbic acid might cause cell wall "loosening."

  17. Self-degradation of tissue adhesive based on oxidized dextran and poly-L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Matsumura, Kazuaki; Nakajima, Naoki; Sugai, Hajime; Hyon, Suong-Hyu

    2014-11-26

    We have developed a low-toxicity bioadhesive based on oxidized dextran and poly-L-lysine. Here, we report that the mechanical properties and degradation of this novel hydrogel bioadhesive can be controlled by changing the extent of oxidation of the dextran and the type or concentration of the anhydride species in the acylated poly-L-lysine. The dynamic moduli of the hydrogels can be controlled from 120 Pa to 20 kPa, suggesting that they would have mechanical compatibility with various tissues, and could have applications as tissue adhesives. Development of the hydrogel color from clear to brown indicates that the reaction between the dextran aldehyde groups and the poly-L-lysine amino groups may be induced by a Maillard reaction via Schiff base formation. Degradation of the aldehyde dextran may begin by reaction of the amino groups in the poly-L-lysine. The gel degradation can be ascribed to degradation of the aldehyde dextran in the hydrogel, although the aldehyde dextran itself is relatively stable in water. The oxidized dextran and poly-L-lysine, and the degraded hydrogel showed low cytotoxicities. These findings indicate that a hydrogel consisting of oxidized dextran and poly-L-lysine has low toxicity and a well-controlled degradation rate, and has potential clinical applications as a bioadhesive. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Novel L-amino acid oxidase with algicidal activity against toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa synthesized by a bacterium Aquimarina sp.

    PubMed

    Chen, Wen Ming; Sheu, Fu Sian; Sheu, Shih Yi

    2011-09-10

    A brownish yellow pigmented bacterial strain, designated antisso-27, was recently isolated from a water area of saltpan in Southern Taiwan. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicate that strain antisso-27 belongs the genus Aquimarina in the family Flavobacteriacea and its only closest neighbor is Aquimarina spongiae (96.6%). Based on screening for algicidal activity, strain antisso-27 exhibits potent activity against the toxic cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. Both the strain antisso-27 bacterial culture and its culture filtrate show algicidal activity against the toxic cyanobacterium, indicating that an algicidal substance is released from strain antisso-27. The algicidal activity of strain antisso-27 occurs during the late stationary phase of bacterial growth. Strain antisso-27 can synthesize an algicidal protein with a molecular mass of 190 kDa, and its isoelectric point is approximately 9.4. This study explores the nature of this algicidal protein such as L-amino acid oxidase with broad substrate specificity. The enzyme is most active with L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-methionine and L-valine and the hydrogen peroxide generated by its catalysis mediates algicidal activity. This is the first report on an Aquimarina strain algicidal to the toxic M. aeruginosa and the algicidal activity is generated through its enzymatic activity of L-amino acid oxidase. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activities of Amaranthus cruentus L. and Amaranthus hybridus L. Extracts

    PubMed Central

    Nana, Fernand W.; Hilou, Adama; Millogo, Jeanne F.; Nacoulma, Odile G.

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes a preliminary assessment of the nutraceutical value of Amaranthus cruentus (A. cruentus) and Amaranthus hybridus (A. hybridus), two food plant species found in Burkina Faso. Hydroacetonic (HAE), methanolic (ME), and aqueous extracts (AE) from the aerial parts were screened for in vitro antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. Phytochemical analyses revealed the presence of polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, saponins and betalains. Hydroacetonic extracts have shown the most diversity for secondary metabolites. The TLC analyses of flavonoids from HAE extracts showed the presence of rutin and other unidentified compounds. The phenolic compound contents of the HAE, ME and AE extracts were determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu method and ranged from 7.55 to 10.18 mg Gallic acid equivalent GAE/100 mg. Tannins, flavonoids, and flavonols ranged from 2.83 to 10.17 mg tannic acid equivalent (TAE)/100 mg, 0.37 to 7.06 mg quercetin equivalent (QE) /100 mg, and 0.09 to 1.31 mg QE/100 mg, respectively. The betacyanin contents were 40.42 and 6.35 mg Amaranthin Equivalent/100 g aerial parts (dry weight) in A. cruentus and A. hybridus, respectively. Free-radical scavenging activity expressed as IC50 (DPPH method) and iron reducing power (FRAP method) ranged from 56 to 423 µg/mL and from 2.26 to 2.56 mmol AAE/g, respectively. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of extracts of A. cruentus and A. hybridus were 3.18% and 38.22%, respectively. The A. hybridus extract showed the best antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibition activities. The results indicated that the phytochemical contents of the two species justify their traditional uses as nutraceutical food plants. PMID:24281664

  20. Biotin protein ligase from Corynebacterium glutamicum: role for growth and L: -lysine production.

    PubMed

    Peters-Wendisch, P; Stansen, K C; Götker, S; Wendisch, V F

    2012-03-01

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is a biotin auxotrophic Gram-positive bacterium that is used for large-scale production of amino acids, especially of L-glutamate and L-lysine. It is known that biotin limitation triggers L-glutamate production and that L-lysine production can be increased by enhancing the activity of pyruvate carboxylase, one of two biotin-dependent proteins of C. glutamicum. The gene cg0814 (accession number YP_225000) has been annotated to code for putative biotin protein ligase BirA, but the protein has not yet been characterized. A discontinuous enzyme assay of biotin protein ligase activity was established using a 105aa peptide corresponding to the carboxyterminus of the biotin carboxylase/biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit AccBC of the acetyl CoA carboxylase from C. glutamicum as acceptor substrate. Biotinylation of this biotin acceptor peptide was revealed with crude extracts of a strain overexpressing the birA gene and was shown to be ATP dependent. Thus, birA from C. glutamicum codes for a functional biotin protein ligase (EC 6.3.4.15). The gene birA from C. glutamicum was overexpressed and the transcriptome was compared with the control strain revealing no significant gene expression changes of the bio-genes. However, biotin protein ligase overproduction increased the level of the biotin-containing protein pyruvate carboxylase and entailed a significant growth advantage in glucose minimal medium. Moreover, birA overexpression resulted in a twofold higher L-lysine yield on glucose as compared with the control strain.

  1. Comprehensive assessment of the L-lysine production process from fermentation of sugarcane molasses.

    PubMed

    Anaya-Reza, Omar; Lopez-Arenas, Teresa

    2017-07-01

    L-Lysine is an essential amino acid that can be produced by chemical processes from fossil raw materials, as well as by microbial fermentation, the latter being a more efficient and environmentally friendly procedure. In this work, the production process of L-lysine-HCl is studied using a systematic approach based on modeling and simulation, which supports decision making in the early stage of process design. The study considers two analysis stages: first, the dynamic analysis of the fermentation reactor, where the conversion of sugars from sugarcane molasses to L-lysine with a strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum is carried out. In this stage, the operation mode (either batch or fed batch) and operating conditions of the fermentation reactor are defined to reach the maximum technical criteria. Afterwards, the second analysis stage relates to the industrial production process of L-lysine-HCl, where the fermentation reactor, upstream processing, and downstream processing are included. In this stage, the influence of key parameters on the overall process performance is scrutinized through the evaluation of several technical, economic, and environmental criteria, to determine a profitable and sustainable design of the L-lysine production process. The main results show how the operating conditions, process design, and selection of evaluation criteria can influence in the conceptual design. The best plant design shows maximum product yield (0.31 g L-lysine/g glucose) and productivity (1.99 g/L/h), achieving 26.5% return on investment (ROI) with a payback period (PBP) of 3.8 years, decreasing water and energy consumption, and with a low potential environmental impact (PEI) index.

  2. Expression and functional analysis of the lysine decarboxylase and copper amine oxidase genes from the endophytic fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ES026.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiangmei; Wang, Zhangqian; Jan, Saad; Yang, Qian; Wang, Mo

    2017-06-05

    Huperzine A (HupA) isolated from Huperzia serrata is an important compound used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, HupA was reported in various endophytic fungi, with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ES026 previously isolated from H. serrata shown to produce HupA. In this study, we performed next-generation sequencing and de novo RNA sequencing of C. gloeosporioides ES026 to elucidate the molecular functions, biological processes, and biochemical pathways of these unique sequences. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes assignments allowed annotation of lysine decarboxylase (LDC) and copper amine oxidase (CAO) for their conversion of L-lysine to 5-aminopentanal during HupA biosynthesis. Additionally, we constructed a stable, high-yielding HupA-expression system resulting from the overexpression of CgLDC and CgCAO from the HupA-producing endophytic fungus C. gloeosporioides ES026 in Escherichia coli. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed CgLDC and CgCAO expression, and quantitative determination of HupA levels was assessed by liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry, which revealed that elevated expression of CgLDC and CgCAO produced higher yields of HupA than those derived from C. gloeosporioides ES026. These results revealed CgLDC and CgCAO involvement in HupA biosynthesis and their key role in regulating HupA content in C. gloeosporioides ES026.

  3. Highly Stable l-Lysine 6-Dehydrogenase from the Thermophile Geobacillus stearothermophilus Isolated from a Japanese Hot Spring: Characterization, Gene Cloning and Sequencing, and Expression

    PubMed Central

    Heydari, Mojgan; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Nunoura-Kominato, Naoki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

    2004-01-01

    l-Lysine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of l-lysine in the presence of NAD, was found in the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus UTB 1103 and then purified about 3,040-fold from a crude extract of the organism by using four successive column chromatography steps. This is the first report showing the presence of a thermophilic NAD-dependent lysine dehydrogenase. The product of the enzyme catalytic activity was determined to be Δ1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, indicating that the enzyme is l-lysine 6-dehydrogenase (LysDH) (EC 1.4.1.18). The molecular mass of the purified protein was about 260 kDa, and the molecule was determined to be a homohexamer with subunit molecular mass of about 43 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of the enzyme were about 10.1 and 70°C, respectively. No activity was lost at temperatures up to 65°C in the presence of 5 mM l-lysine. The enzyme was relatively selective for l-lysine as the electron donor, and either NAD or NADP could serve as the electron acceptor (NADP exhibited about 22% of the activity of NAD). The Km values for l-lysine, NAD, and NADP at 50°C and pH 10.0 were 0.73, 0.088, and 0.48 mM, respectively. When the gene encoding this LysDH was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, a crude extract of the recombinant cells had about 800-fold-higher enzyme activity than the extract of G. stearothermophilus. The nucleotide sequence of the LysDH gene encoded a peptide containing 385 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 42,239 Da. PMID:14766574

  4. Highly stable L-lysine 6-dehydrogenase from the thermophile Geobacillus stearothermophilus isolated from a Japanese hot spring: characterization, gene cloning and sequencing, and expression.

    PubMed

    Heydari, Mojgan; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Nunoura-Kominato, Naoki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

    2004-02-01

    L-Lysine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-lysine in the presence of NAD, was found in the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus UTB 1103 and then purified about 3,040-fold from a crude extract of the organism by using four successive column chromatography steps. This is the first report showing the presence of a thermophilic NAD-dependent lysine dehydrogenase. The product of the enzyme catalytic activity was determined to be Delta1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, indicating that the enzyme is L-lysine 6-dehydrogenase (LysDH) (EC 1.4.1.18). The molecular mass of the purified protein was about 260 kDa, and the molecule was determined to be a homohexamer with subunit molecular mass of about 43 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of the enzyme were about 10.1 and 70 degrees C, respectively. No activity was lost at temperatures up to 65 degrees C in the presence of 5 mM L-lysine. The enzyme was relatively selective for L-lysine as the electron donor, and either NAD or NADP could serve as the electron acceptor (NADP exhibited about 22% of the activity of NAD). The Km values for L-lysine, NAD, and NADP at 50 degrees C and pH 10.0 were 0.73, 0.088, and 0.48 mM, respectively. When the gene encoding this LysDH was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, a crude extract of the recombinant cells had about 800-fold-higher enzyme activity than the extract of G. stearothermophilus. The nucleotide sequence of the LysDH gene encoded a peptide containing 385 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 42,239 Da.

  5. Size-selective QD@MOF core-shell nanocomposites for the highly sensitive monitoring of oxidase activities.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ke; Li, Nan; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Zhiqi; Dang, Fuquan

    2017-01-15

    In this work, we proposed a novel and facile method to monitor oxidase activities based on size-selective fluorescent quantum dot (QD)@metal-organic framework (MOF) core-shell nanocomposites (CSNCPs). The CSNCPs were synthesized from ZIF-8 and CdTe QDs in aqueous solution in 40min at room temperature with stirring. The prepared CdTe@ZIF-8 CSNCPs , which have excellent water dispersibility and stability, displays distinct fluorescence responses to hole scavengers of different molecular sizes (e.g., H 2 O 2 , substrate, and oxidase) due to the aperture limitation of the ZIF-8 shell. H 2 O 2 can efficiently quench the fluorescence of CdTe@ZIF-8 CSNCPs over a linearity range of 1-100nM with a detection limit of 0.29nM, whereas large molecules such as substrate and oxidase have very little effect on its fluorescence. Therefore, the highly sensitive detection of oxidase activities was achieved by monitoring the fluorescence quenching of CdTe@ZIF-8 CSNCPs by H 2 O 2 produced in the presence of substrate and oxidase, which is proportional to the oxidase activities. The linearity ranges of the uricase and glucose oxidase activity are 0.1-50U/L and 1-100U/L, respectively, and their detection limits are 0.024U/L and 0.26U/L, respectively. Therefore, the current QD@MOF CSNCPs based sensing system is a promising, widely applicable means of monitoring oxidase activities in biochemical research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Role of the Bacillus methanolicus citrate synthase II gene, citY, in regulating the secretion of glutamate in L-lysine-secreting mutants.

    PubMed

    Brautaset, Trygve; Williams, Mark D; Dillingham, Richard D; Kaufmann, Christine; Bennaars, Assumpta; Crabbe, Edward; Flickinger, Michael C

    2003-07-01

    The thermotolerant, restrictive methylotroph Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 (ATCC 53907) can secrete 55 g of glutamate per liter (maximum yield, 0.36 g/g) at 50 degrees C with methanol as a carbon source and a source of ammonia in fed-batch bioreactors. A homoserine dehydrogenase mutant, 13A52-8A66, secreting up to 35 g of L-lysine per liter in fed-batch fermentations had minimal 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity [7.3 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)], threefold-increased pyruvate carboxylase activity [535 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)], and elevated citrate synthase (CS) activity [292 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)] and simultaneously secreted glutamate (20 to 30 g per liter) and L-lysine. The flow of carbon from oxaloacetate is split between transamination to aspartate and formation of citrate. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, the B. methanolicus gene citY encoding a CSII protein with activity at 50 degrees C was cloned from 13A52-8A66 into a CS-deficient Escherichia coli K2-1-4 strain. A citY-deficient B. methanolicus mutant, NCS-L-7, was also isolated from the parent strain of 13A52-8A66 by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, followed by selection with monofluoroacetate disks on glutamate plates. Characterization of these strains confirmed that citY in strain 13A52-8A66 was not altered and that B. methanolicus possessed several forms of CS. Analysis of citY cloned from NCS-L-7 showed that the reduced CS activity resulted from a frameshift mutation. The level of glutamate secreted by NCS-L-7 was reduced sevenfold and the ratio of L-lysine to glutamate secreted was increased 4.5-fold compared to the wild type in fed-batch cultures with glutamate feeding. This indicates that glutamate secretion in L-lysine-overproducing mutants can be altered in favor of increased L-lysine secretion by regulating in vivo CS activity.

  7. Role of the Bacillus methanolicus Citrate Synthase II Gene, citY, in Regulating the Secretion of Glutamate in l-Lysine-Secreting Mutants

    PubMed Central

    Brautaset, Trygve; Williams, Mark D.; Dillingham, Richard D.; Kaufmann, Christine; Bennaars, Assumpta; Crabbe, Edward; Flickinger, Michael C.

    2003-01-01

    The thermotolerant, restrictive methylotroph Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 (ATCC 53907) can secrete 55 g of glutamate per liter (maximum yield, 0.36 g/g) at 50°C with methanol as a carbon source and a source of ammonia in fed-batch bioreactors. A homoserine dehydrogenase mutant, 13A52-8A66, secreting up to 35 g of l-lysine per liter in fed-batch fermentations had minimal 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity [7.3 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1], threefold-increased pyruvate carboxylase activity [535 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1], and elevated citrate synthase (CS) activity [292 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1] and simultaneously secreted glutamate (20 to 30 g per liter) and l-lysine. The flow of carbon from oxaloacetate is split between transamination to aspartate and formation of citrate. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, the B. methanolicus gene citY encoding a CSII protein with activity at 50°C was cloned from 13A52-8A66 into a CS-deficient Escherichia coli K2-1-4 strain. A citY-deficient B. methanolicus mutant, NCS-L-7, was also isolated from the parent strain of 13A52-8A66 by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, followed by selection with monofluoroacetate disks on glutamate plates. Characterization of these strains confirmed that citY in strain 13A52-8A66 was not altered and that B. methanolicus possessed several forms of CS. Analysis of citY cloned from NCS-L-7 showed that the reduced CS activity resulted from a frameshift mutation. The level of glutamate secreted by NCS-L-7 was reduced sevenfold and the ratio of l-lysine to glutamate secreted was increased 4.5-fold compared to the wild type in fed-batch cultures with glutamate feeding. This indicates that glutamate secretion in l-lysine-overproducing mutants can be altered in favor of increased l-lysine secretion by regulating in vivo CS activity. PMID:12839772

  8. (/sup 11/C)clorgyline and (/sup 11/C)-L-deprenyl and their use in measuring functional monoamine oxidase activity in the brain using positron emission tomography

    DOEpatents

    Fowler, J.S.; MacGregor, R.R.; Wolf, A.P.

    1986-04-17

    This invention involves a new strategy for imaging the activity of the enzyme monoamine oxidase in the living body by using /sup 11/C-labeled enzyme inhibitors which bind irreversibly to an enzyme as a result of catalysis. By using positron emission tomography to image the distribution of radioactivity produced by the body penetrating radiation emitted by carbon-11, a map of functionally active monoamine oxidase activity is obtained. Clorgyline and L-deprenyl are suicide enzyme inhibitors and irreversibly inhibit monoamine oxidase. When these inhibitors are labeled with carbon-11 they provide selective probes for monoamine oxidase localization and reactivity in vivo using positron emission tomography. 2 figs.

  9. Antibacterial activity and mechanism of action of ε-poly-L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Ye, Ruosong; Xu, Hengyi; Wan, Cuixiang; Peng, Shanshan; Wang, Lijun; Xu, Hong; Aguilar, Zoraida P; Xiong, Yonghua; Zeng, Zheling; Wei, Hua

    2013-09-13

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL)(2) is widely used as an antibacterial agent because of its broad antimicrobial spectrum. However, the mechanism of ε-PL against pathogens at the molecular level has not been elucidated. This study investigated the antibacterial activity and mechanism of ε-PL against Escherichia coli O157:H7 CMCC44828. Propidium monoazide-PCR test results indicated that the threshold condition of ε-PL for complete membrane lysis of E. coli O157:H7 was 10 μg/mL (90% mortality for 5 μg/mL). Further verification of the destructive effect of ε-PL on cell structure was performed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Results showed a positive correlation between reactive oxygen species (ROS)(3) levels and ε-PL concentration in E. coli O157:H7 cells. Moreover, the mortality of E. coli O157:H7 was reduced when antioxidant N-acetylcysteine was added. Results from real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR)(4) indicated that the expression levels of oxidative stress genes sodA and oxyR were up-regulated 4- and 16-fold, respectively, whereas virulence genes eaeA and espA were down-regulated after ε-PL treatment. Expression of DNA damage response (SOS response)(5) regulon genes recA and lexA were also affected by ε-PL. In conclusion, the antibacterial mechanism of ε-PL against E. coli O157:H7 may be attributed to disturbance on membrane integrity, oxidative stress by ROS, and effects on various gene expressions, such as regulation of oxidative stress, SOS response, and changes in virulence. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Effect of lysine clonixinate on the pharmacokinetics and anticoagulant activity of phenprocoumon.

    PubMed

    Russmann, S; Dilger, K; Trenk, D; Nagyivanyi, P; Jähnchen, E

    2001-11-01

    The effect of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug lysine clonixinate ([2-(3-chloro-o-toluidino)nicotinic acid]-L-lysinate, CAS 55837-30-4) on the pharmacokinetics and anticoagulant activity of phenprocoumon (4-hydroxy-3-(1-phenylpropyl)-coumarin, CAS 435-97-2) was investigated in an open, randomised, two-fold, cross-over study in 12 healthy male volunteers. These subjects received a single dose of 18 mg phenprocoumon without or with concomitant treatment with lysine clonixinate (125 mg five times a day for 3 days before and 13 days after ingestion of a single dose of phenprocoumon). Pharmacokinetic parameters of phenprocoumon following oral administration were: CL/f: 0.779 +/- 0.157 ml/min, half-life of elimination: 147.2 +/- 19.9 h; free fraction in serum: 0.51 +/- 0.20%. These parameters were not significantly altered by concomitant treatment with lysine clonixinate. Prothrombin time increased from 13.3 +/- 1.3 s (at time 0) to 17.7 +/- 2.7 s following phenprocoumon and from 13.3 +/- 1.2 s to 18.0 +/- 2.2 s following combined administration. Prothrombin time returned to the pretreatment values 240 h after administration of phenprocoumon. The integrated effect (AUEC0-288 h) was identical following both treatments (4.303 +/- 461 and 4.303 +/- 312 s x h for phenprocoumon alone and phenprocoumon with lysine clonixinate, respectively). Thus, lysine clonixinate administered in therapeutic doses does not affect the pharmacokinetics and anticoagulant activity of phenproxoumon.

  11. Overexpression of Wild-Type Aspartokinase Increases l-Lysine Production in the Thermotolerant Methylotrophic Bacterium Bacillus methanolicus▿

    PubMed Central

    Jakobsen, Øyvind M.; Brautaset, Trygve; Degnes, Kristin F.; Heggeset, Tonje M. B.; Balzer, Simone; Flickinger, Michael C.; Valla, Svein; Ellingsen, Trond E.

    2009-01-01

    Aspartokinase (AK) controls the carbon flow into the aspartate pathway for the biosynthesis of the amino acids l-methionine, l-threonine, l-isoleucine, and l-lysine. We report here the cloning of four genes (asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; dapG, encoding AKI; and yclM, encoding AKIII) of the aspartate pathway in Bacillus methanolicus MGA3. Together with the known AKII gene lysC, dapG and yclM form a set of three AK genes in this organism. Overexpression of dapG, lysC, and yclM increased l-lysine production in wild-type B. methanolicus strain MGA3 2-, 10-, and 60-fold (corresponding to 11 g/liter), respectively, without negatively affecting the specific growth rate. The production levels of l-methionine (less than 0.5 g/liter) and l-threonine (less than 0.1 g/liter) were low in all recombinant strains. The AK proteins were purified, and biochemical analyses demonstrated that they have similar Vmax values (between 47 and 58 μmol/min/mg protein) and Km values for l-aspartate (between 1.9 and 5.0 mM). AKI and AKII were allosterically inhibited by meso-diaminopimelate (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 0.1 mM) and by l-lysine (IC50, 0.3 mM), respectively. AKIII was inhibited by l-threonine (IC50, 4 mM) and by l-lysine (IC50, 5 mM), and this enzyme was synergistically inhibited in the presence of both of these amino acids at low concentrations. The correlation between the impact on l-lysine production in vivo and the biochemical properties in vitro of the individual AK proteins is discussed. This is the first example of improving l-lysine production by metabolic engineering of B. methanolicus and also the first documentation of considerably increasing l-lysine production by overexpression of a wild-type AK. PMID:19060158

  12. Overexpression of wild-type aspartokinase increases L-lysine production in the thermotolerant methylotrophic bacterium Bacillus methanolicus.

    PubMed

    Jakobsen, Oyvind M; Brautaset, Trygve; Degnes, Kristin F; Heggeset, Tonje M B; Balzer, Simone; Flickinger, Michael C; Valla, Svein; Ellingsen, Trond E

    2009-02-01

    Aspartokinase (AK) controls the carbon flow into the aspartate pathway for the biosynthesis of the amino acids l-methionine, l-threonine, l-isoleucine, and l-lysine. We report here the cloning of four genes (asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; dapG, encoding AKI; and yclM, encoding AKIII) of the aspartate pathway in Bacillus methanolicus MGA3. Together with the known AKII gene lysC, dapG and yclM form a set of three AK genes in this organism. Overexpression of dapG, lysC, and yclM increased l-lysine production in wild-type B. methanolicus strain MGA3 2-, 10-, and 60-fold (corresponding to 11 g/liter), respectively, without negatively affecting the specific growth rate. The production levels of l-methionine (less than 0.5 g/liter) and l-threonine (less than 0.1 g/liter) were low in all recombinant strains. The AK proteins were purified, and biochemical analyses demonstrated that they have similar V(max) values (between 47 and 58 micromol/min/mg protein) and K(m) values for l-aspartate (between 1.9 and 5.0 mM). AKI and AKII were allosterically inhibited by meso-diaminopimelate (50% inhibitory concentration [IC(50)], 0.1 mM) and by l-lysine (IC(50), 0.3 mM), respectively. AKIII was inhibited by l-threonine (IC(50), 4 mM) and by l-lysine (IC(50), 5 mM), and this enzyme was synergistically inhibited in the presence of both of these amino acids at low concentrations. The correlation between the impact on l-lysine production in vivo and the biochemical properties in vitro of the individual AK proteins is discussed. This is the first example of improving l-lysine production by metabolic engineering of B. methanolicus and also the first documentation of considerably increasing l-lysine production by overexpression of a wild-type AK.

  13. High-level conversion of L-lysine into 5-aminovalerate that can be used for nylon 6,5 synthesis.

    PubMed

    Park, Si Jae; Oh, Young Hoon; Noh, Won; Kim, Hye Young; Shin, Jae Ho; Lee, Eun Gyo; Lee, Seungwoon; David, Yokimiko; Baylon, Mary Grace; Song, Bong Keun; Jegal, Jonggeon; Lee, Sang Yup; Lee, Seung Hwan

    2014-10-01

    L-Lysine is a potential feedstock for the production of bio-based precursors for engineering plastics. In this study, we developed a microbial process for high-level conversion of L-lysine into 5-aminovalerate (5AVA) that can be used as a monomer in nylon 6,5 synthesis. Recombinant Escherichia coli WL3110 strain expressing Pseudomonas putida delta-aminovaleramidase (DavA) and lysine 2-monooxygenase (DavB) was grown to high density in fed-batch culture and used as a whole cell catalyst. High-density E. coli WL3110 expressing DavAB, grown to an optical density at 600 nm (OD600 ) of 30, yielded 36.51 g/L 5AVA from 60 g/L L-lysine in 24 h. Doubling the cell density of E. coli WL3110 improved the conversion yield to 47.96 g/L 5AVA from 60 g/L of L-lysine in 24 h. 5AVA production was further improved by doubling the L-lysine concentration from 60 to 120 g/L. The highest 5AVA titer (90.59 g/L; molar yield 0.942) was obtained from 120 g/L L-lysine by E. coli WL3110 cells grown to OD600 of 60. Finally, nylon 6,5 was synthesized by bulk polymerization of ϵ-caprolactam and δ-valerolactam prepared from microbially synthesized 5AVA. The hybrid system demonstrated here has promising possibilities for application in the development of industrial bio-nylon production processes. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Myelin basic protein stimulates plasminogen activation via tissue plasminogen activator following binding to independent l-lysine-containing domains.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez-Gronow, Mario; Fiedler, Jenny L; Farias Gomez, Cristian; Wang, Fang; Ray, Rupa; Ferrell, Paul D; Pizzo, Salvatore V

    2017-08-26

    Myelin basic protein (MBP) is a key component of myelin, the specialized lipid membrane that encases the axons of all neurons. Both plasminogen (Pg) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) bind to MBP with high affinity. We investigated the kinetics and mechanisms involved in this process using immobilized MBP and found that Pg activation by t-PA is significantly stimulated by MBP. This mechanism involves the binding of t-PA via a lysine-dependent mechanism to the Lys 91 residue of the MBP NH 2 -terminal region Asp 82 -Pro 99 , and the binding of Pg via a lysine-dependent mechanism to the Lys 122 residue of the MBP COOH-terminal region Leu 109 -Gly 126 . In this context, MBP mimics fibrin and because MBP is a plasmin substrate, our results suggest direct participation of the Pg activation system on MBP physiology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. An evolutionary analysis identifies a conserved pentapeptide stretch containing the two essential lysine residues for rice L-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase catalytic activity

    PubMed Central

    Basak, Papri; Maitra-Majee, Susmita; Das, Jayanta Kumar; Mukherjee, Abhishek; Ghosh Dastidar, Shubhra; Pal Choudhury, Pabitra

    2017-01-01

    A molecular evolutionary analysis of a well conserved protein helps to determine the essential amino acids in the core catalytic region. Based on the chemical properties of amino acid residues, phylogenetic analysis of a total of 172 homologous sequences of a highly conserved enzyme, L-myo-inositol 1-phosphate synthase or MIPS from evolutionarily diverse organisms was performed. This study revealed the presence of six phylogenetically conserved blocks, out of which four embrace the catalytic core of the functional protein. Further, specific amino acid modifications targeting the lysine residues, known to be important for MIPS catalysis, were performed at the catalytic site of a MIPS from monocotyledonous model plant, Oryza sativa (OsMIPS1). Following this study, OsMIPS mutants with deletion or replacement of lysine residues in the conserved blocks were made. Based on the enzyme kinetics performed on the deletion/replacement mutants, phylogenetic and structural comparison with the already established crystal structures from non-plant sources, an evolutionarily conserved peptide stretch was identified at the active pocket which contains the two most important lysine residues essential for catalytic activity. PMID:28950028

  16. Biocompatibility selenium nanoparticles with an intrinsic oxidase-like activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Leilei; Huang, Kaixun; Liu, Hongmei

    2016-03-01

    Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are considered to be the new selenium supplement forms with high biological activity and low toxicity; however, the molecular mechanism by which SeNPs exert the biological function is unclear. Here, we reported that biocompatibility SeNPs possessed intrinsic oxidase-like activity. Using Na2SeO3 as a precursor and glutathione as a reductant, biocompatibility SeNPs were synthesized by the wet chemical reduction method in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The results of structure characterization revealed that synthesized SeNPs were amorphous red elementary selenium with spherical morphology, and ranged in size from 25 to 70 nm size with a narrow distribution (41.4 ± 6.7 nm). The oxidase-like activity of the as-synthesized SeNPs was tested with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as a substrate. The results indicated that SeNPs could catalyze the oxidization of TMB by dissolved oxygen. These SeNPs showed an optimum catalytic activity at pH 4 and 30 °C, and the oxidase-like activity was higher as the concentration of SeNPs increased and the size of SeNPs decreased. The Michaelis constant ( K m) values and maximal reaction velocity ( V max) of the SeNPs for TMB oxidation were 0.0083 mol/L and 3.042 μmol/L min, respectively.

  17. Lysine Methylation of Nuclear Co-repressor Receptor Interacting Protein 140

    PubMed Central

    Huq, MD Mostaqul; Ha, Sung Gil; Barcelona, Helene; Wei, Li-Na

    2009-01-01

    Receptor interacting protein 140 (RIP140) undergoes extensive posttranslational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation, acetylation, arginine methylation, and pyridoxylation. PTMs affect its sub-cellular distribution, protein-protein interaction, and biological activity in adipocyte differentiation. Arginine methylation on Arg240, Arg650, and Arg948 suppresses the repressive activity of RIP140. Here we find that endogenous RIP140 in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells is also modified by lysine methylation. Three lysine residues, Lys591, Lys653, and Lys757 are mapped as potential methylation sites by mass spectrometry. Site-directed mutagenesis study shows that lysine methylation enhances its gene repressive activity. Mutation of lysine methylation sites enhances arginine methylation, while mutation on arginine methylation sites has little effect on its lysine methylation, suggesting a relationship between lysine methylation and arginine methylation. Kinetic analysis of PTMs of endogenous RIP140 in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells demonstrates sequential modifications on RIP140, initiated from constitutive lysine methylation, followed by increased arginine methylation later in differentiation. This study reveals a potential hierarchy of modifications, at least for lysine and arginine methylation, which bi-directionally regulate the functionality of a non-histone protein. PMID:19216533

  18. Synthesis and characterization of arginine-glycine-aspartic peptides conjugated poly(lactic acid-co-L-lysine) diblock copolymer.

    PubMed

    Yu, Hui; Guo, Xiaojuan; Qi, Xueliang; Liu, Peifeng; Shen, Xinyuan; Duan, Yourong

    2008-03-01

    A biodegradable Copolymer of poly(lactic acid-co-lysine)(PLA-PLL) was synthesized by a modified method and novel Arginine-Glycine-Aspartic (RGD) peptides were chemical conjugated to the primary epsilon-amine groups of lysine components in four steps: I to prepare the monomer of 3-(Nepsilon-benzoxycarbonyl-L-lysine)-6-L-methyl-2,5-morpholinedione; II to prepare diblock copolymer poly(lactic acid-co-(Z)-L-lysine) (PLA-PLL(Z)) by ring-opening polymerization of monomer and L,L-lactide with stannous octoate as initiator; III to prepare diblock copolymer PLA-PLL by deprotected the copolymer PLA-PLL(Z) in HBr/HoAc solution; IV the reaction between RGD and the primary epsilon-amine groups of the PLA-PLL. The structure of PLA-PLL-RGD and its precursors were conformed by FTIR-Raman and 1H NMR. Low weight average molecular weight (9,200 g/mol) of the PLA-PLL was obtained and its PDI is 1.33 determined by GPC. The PLA-PLL contained 2.1 mol% lysine groups as determined by 1H NMR using the lysine protecting group's phenyl protons. Therefore, the novel RGD-grafted diblock copolymer is expected to find application in drug carriers for tumor therapy or non-viral DNA carriers for gene therapy.

  19. Antibacterial activity and mechanism of action of ε-poly-L-lysine

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ye, Ruosong; Xu, Hengyi; Wan, Cuixiang

    Highlights: •Antibacterial activity and mechanism of ε-PL against E. coli O157:H7 was investigated. •Critical inhibitory factors toward the growth of E. coli O157:H7 by ε-PL was analyzed. •Cell membrane integrity and cell morphology of E. coli O157:H7 was affected by ε-PL. •A positive correlation between reactive oxygen species levels and ε-PL concentration in E. coli O157:H7 cells. •ε-PL induced the expression of different genes related to oxidative/redox stress, SOS response, virulence. -- Abstract: ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is widely used as an antibacterial agent because of its broad antimicrobial spectrum. However, the mechanism of ε-PL against pathogens at the molecular level hasmore » not been elucidated. This study investigated the antibacterial activity and mechanism of ε-PL against Escherichia coli O157:H7 CMCC44828. Propidium monoazide-PCR test results indicated that the threshold condition of ε-PL for complete membrane lysis of E. coli O157:H7 was 10 μg/mL (90% mortality for 5 μg/mL). Further verification of the destructive effect of ε-PL on cell structure was performed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Results showed a positive correlation between reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and ε-PL concentration in E. coli O157:H7 cells. Moreover, the mortality of E. coli O157:H7 was reduced when antioxidant N-acetylcysteine was added. Results from real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) indicated that the expression levels of oxidative stress genes sodA and oxyR were up-regulated 4- and 16-fold, respectively, whereas virulence genes eaeA and espA were down-regulated after ε-PL treatment. Expression of DNA damage response (SOS response) regulon genes recA and lexA were also affected by ε-PL. In conclusion, the antibacterial mechanism of ε-PL against E. coli O157:H7 may be attributed to disturbance on membrane integrity, oxidative stress by ROS, and effects on various gene expressions, such as regulation

  20. Rational modification of Corynebacterium glutamicum dihydrodipicolinate reductase to switch the nucleotide-cofactor specificity for increasing l-lysine production.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jian-Zhong; Yang, Han-Kun; Liu, Li-Ming; Wang, Ying-Yu; Zhang, Wei-Guo

    2018-03-25

    l-lysine is an important amino acid in animals and humans and NADPH is a vital cofactor for maximizing the efficiency of l-lysine fermentation. Dihydrodipicolinate reductase (DHDPR), an NAD(P)H-dependent enzyme, shows a variance in nucleotide-cofactor affinity in bacteria. In this study, we rationally engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum DHDPR (CgDHDPR) to switch its nucleotide-cofactor specificity resulting in an increase in final titer (from 82.6 to 117.3 g L -1 ), carbon yield (from 0.35 to 0.44 g [g glucose] -1 ) and productivity (from 2.07 to 2.93 g L -1  hr -1 ) of l-lysine in JL-6 ΔdapB::Ec-dapB C115G,G116C in fed-batch fermentation. To do this, we comparatively analyzed the characteristics of CgDHDPR and Escherichia coli DHDPR (EcDHDPR), indicating that hetero-expression of NADH-dependent EcDHDPR increased l-lysine production. Subsequently, we rationally modified the conserved structure of cofactor-binding motif, and results indicated that introducing the mutation K11A or R13A in CgDHDPR and introducing the mutation R16A or R39A in EcDHDPR modifies the nucleotide-cofactor affinity of DHDPR. Lastly, the effects of these mutated DHDPRs on l-lysine production were investigated. The highest increase (26.2%) in l-lysine production was observed for JL-6 ΔdapB::Ec-dapB C115G,G116C , followed by JL-6 Cg-dapB C37G,G38C (21.4%) and JL-6 ΔdapB::Ec-dapB C46G,G47C (15.2%). This is the first report of a rational modification of DHDPR that enhances the l-lysine production and yield through the modulation of nucleotide-cofactor specificity. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Transitional metaplasia in intestinal epithelium of rats submitted to intestinal cystoplasty and treatment with L -lysine.

    PubMed

    Santos, Alessandra Marques Dos; Coelho, Joao Paulo Ferreira; Juanes, Camila de Carvalho; Azevedo, Rafael Barbosa de; Diniz, Clara Araujo; Jamacaru, Francisco Vagnaldo Fechine; Dornelas, Conceição Aparecida

    2017-04-01

    To evaluated the effects of L-lysine on the intestinal and urothelial epithelia in cystoplasty in rats. Twenty-eight 9-week-old rats were assigned to 4 groups: Group A (n=8) cystoplasty followed by administration of L-lysine (150 mg/kg body weight by gavage) for 30 weeks; Group B (n=8) cystoplasty + water for 30 weeks; Group C (n=6) L-lysine for 30 weeks; Group D (n=6) water for 30 weeks. On histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin, mild to moderate hyperplasia transitional was observed in at the site of anastomosis in all animals submitted to cystoplasty (Groups A and B), but "transitional metaplasia" of the intestinal glandular epithelium was more accentuated in Group A (p=0.045). No inflammatory cells, dysplasia or abnormalities were observed. Staining with Alcian blue revealed a substantial reduction of goblet cells and mucins in the colon segment (Groups A and B). The administration of L-lysine to rats accelerated the development of transitional metaplasia in the epithelium of the colon segment in cystoplasty.

  2. Synthesis of pro-prodrugs L-lysine based for 5-aminosalicylic acid and 6-mercaptopurine colon specific release.

    PubMed

    Trombino, Sonia; Cassano, Roberta; Cilea, Alessia; Ferrarelli, Teresa; Muzzalupo, Rita; Picci, Nevio

    2011-11-28

    The aim of this work is to design, prepare and characterize L-lysine based prodrugs capable of targeting 6-mercaptopurine to the colon, an anti-tumor and immunosuppressant drug, and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), drug of choice for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). More specifically, Nɛ-feruloyl-S-(6-purinyl)-L-lysine and Nɛ-acryloyl-S-(6-purinyl)-L-lysine were synthesized and then characterized by FT-IR, (1)H-NMR and GC/MS spectroscopies. The ability of feruloyl derivative in inhibiting lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomal membranes, induced in vitro by tert-butyl hydroperoxide as source of free radicals, was evaluated. Moreover, Nɛ-acryloyl-S-(6-purinyl)-L-lysine, polymerizable prodrug, was used to microspheres realization for 5-ASA release. These lasts, obtained by emulsion inverse technique, were characterized by light scattering and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The microspheres equilibrium swelling degree was evaluated and showed good swelling behaviour in simulating colonic fluids. Results confirm the possibility that the application range of L-lysine prodrug can be extended to the treatment of intestinal diseases whose conventional therapy envisages medications with serious side effects that, thanks to this new strategy, can be minimized in an optimal way. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Inheritance of polyphenol oxidase activity in wheat breeding lines derived from matings of low polyphenol oxidase parents

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in grain plays a major role in time-dependent discoloration of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) products, especially fresh noodles. Breeding wheat cultivars with low or nil PPO activity can reduce the undesirable product darkening. The low PPO line PI 117635 was crossed to two...

  4. Piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of DL-alanine and L-lysine amino-acid polymer nanofibres

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Matos Gomes, Etelvina; Viseu, Teresa; Belsley, Michael; Almeida, Bernardo; Costa, Maria Margarida R.; Rodrigues, Vitor H.; Isakov, Dmitry

    2018-04-01

    The piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of electrospun polyethylene oxide nanofibres embedded with polar amino acids DL-alanine and L-lysine hemihydrate are reported. A high pyroelectric coefficient of 150 μC m‑2 K‑1 was measured for L-lysine hemihydrate and piezoelectric current densities up to 7 μA m‑2 were obtained for the nanofibres. The study reveals a potential for polymer amino-acid nanofibres to be used as biocompatible energy harvesters for autonomous circuit applications like in implantable electronics.

  5. Enzymatic production of α-ketoglutaric acid from l-glutamic acid via l-glutamate oxidase.

    PubMed

    Niu, Panqing; Dong, Xiaoxiang; Wang, Yuancai; Liu, Liming

    2014-06-10

    In this study, a novel strategy for α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) production from l-glutamic acid using recombinant l-glutamate oxidase (LGOX) was developed. First, by analyzing the molecular structure characteristics of l-glutamic acid and α-KG, LGOX was found to be the best catalyst for oxidizing the amino group of l-glutamic acid to a ketonic group without the need for exogenous cofactor. Then the LGOX gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) in a soluble and active form, and the recombinant LGOX activity reached to a maximum value of 0.59U/mL at pH 6.5, 30°C. Finally, the maximum α-KG concentration reached 104.7g/L from 110g/L l-glutamic acid in 24h, under the following optimum conditions: 1.5U/mL LGOX, 250U/mL catalase, 3mM MnCl2, 30°C, and pH 6.5. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Localization of the lysine epsilon-aminotransferase (lat) and delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase (pcbAB) genes from Streptomyces clavuligerus and production of lysine epsilon-aminotransferase activity in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed Central

    Tobin, M B; Kovacevic, S; Madduri, K; Hoskins, J A; Skatrud, P L; Vining, L C; Stuttard, C; Miller, J R

    1991-01-01

    Lysine epsilon-aminotransferase (LAT) in the beta-lactam-producing actinomycetes is considered to be the first step in the antibiotic biosynthetic pathway. Cloning of restriction fragments from Streptomyces clavuligerus, a beta-lactam producer, into Streptomyces lividans, a nonproducer that lacks LAT activity, led to the production of LAT in the host. DNA sequencing of restriction fragments containing the putative lat gene revealed a single open reading frame encoding a polypeptide with an approximately Mr 49,000. Expression of this coding sequence in Escherichia coli led to the production of LAT activity. Hence, LAT activity in S. clavuligerus is derived from a single polypeptide. A second open reading frame began immediately downstream from lat. Comparison of this partial sequence with the sequences of delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D valine (ACV) synthetases from Penicillium chrysogenum and Cephalosporium acremonium and with nonribosomal peptide synthetases (gramicidin S and tyrocidine synthetases) found similarities among the open reading frames. Since mapping of the putative N and C termini of S. clavuligerus pcbAB suggests that the coding region occupies approximately 12 kbp and codes for a polypeptide related in size to the fungal ACV synthetases, the molecular characterization of the beta-lactam biosynthetic cluster between pcbC and cefE (approximately 25 kbp) is nearly complete. Images PMID:1917855

  7. Phenol oxidase activity in secondary transformed peat-moorsh soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Styła, K.; Szajdak, L.

    2009-04-01

    et al. (2000). In peat the highest activities of phenol oxidase was observed in the combinations marked as Shelterbelt and whereas the lowest - in Zbechy, Bridge and Hirudo. Activities of this enzyme in peat ranged from 15.35 to 38.33 μmol h-1g d.m soil. Increased activities of phenol oxidase have been recorded on the depth 50-100cm - catotelm (21.74-38.33 μmol h-1g d.m soil) in comparison with the depth 0-50cm - acrotelm (15.35-28.32 μmol h-1g d.m soil). References Freeman, C., Ostle N.J., Fener, N., Kang H. 2004. A regulatory role for phenol oxidase during decomposition in peatlands. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 36, 1663-1667. Matocha Ch.J., Haszler G.R., Grove J.H. 2004. Nitrogen fertilization suppresses soil phenol oxidase enzyme activity in no-tillage systems. Soil Science, 169/10, 708-714. Perucci P., Casucci C., Dumontet S. 2000. An improved method to evaluate the o-diphenol oxidase activity of soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 32, 1927-1933. Sokolowska Z., Szajdak L., Matyka-Sarzyńska D. 2005. Impact of the degree of secondary transformation on amid-base properties of organic compounds in mucks. Geoderma, 127, 80-90. Szajdak L., Szczepański M., Bogacz A. 2007. Impact of secondary transformation of peat-moorsh soils on the decrease of nitrogen and carbon compounds in ground water. Agronomy Research, 5/2, 189-200.

  8. Crystal structure of human lysyl oxidase-like 2 (hLOXL2) in a precursor state.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xi; Wang, Qifan; Wu, Jianping; Wang, Jiawei; Shi, Yigong; Liu, Minhao

    2018-04-10

    Lysyl oxidases (LOXs), a type of copper- and lysyl tyrosylquinone (LTQ) -dependent amine oxidase, catalyze the oxidative deamination of lysine residues of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as elastins and collagens and generate aldehyde groups. The oxidative deamination of lysine represents the foundational step for the cross-linking of elastin and collagen and thus is crucial for ECM modeling. Despite their physiological significance, the structure of this important family of enzymes remains elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of human lysyl oxidase-like 2 (hLOXL2) at 2.4-Å resolution. Unexpectedly, the copper-binding site of hLOXL2 is occupied by zinc, which blocks LTQ generation and the enzymatic activity of hLOXL2 in our in vitro assay. Biochemical analysis confirms that copper loading robustly activates hLOXL2 and supports LTQ formation. Furthermore, the LTQ precursor residues in the structure are distanced by 16.6 Å, corroborating the notion that the present structure may represent a precursor state and that pronounced conformational rearrangements would be required for protein activation. The structure presented here establishes an important foundation for understanding the structure-function relationship of LOX proteins and will facilitate LOX-targeting drug discovery. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  9. Quantitation of immunoadsorbed flavoprotein oxidases by luminol-mediated chemiluminescence.

    PubMed

    Hinkkanen, A; Maly, F E; Decker, K

    1983-04-01

    The detection of the flavoenzymes 6-hydroxy-L-nicotine oxidase and 6-hydroxy-D-nicotine oxidase at the sub-femtomol level was achieved by coupling the reaction of the immunoadsorbed proteins to the peroxidase-catalysed oxidation of luminol. The H2O2-producing oxidases retained their full activity when bound to the respective immobilized antibodies. This fact allowed the concentration of the enzymes from very dilute solutions and the quantitative assay of their activities in the microU range. Due to strict stereoselectivity and the absence of immunological cross-reactivity, the two flavoproteins could be determined in the same solution. This method was used to measure the 6-hydroxy-D-nicotine oxidase and 6-hydroxy-L-nicotine oxidase activities in Escherichia coli RR1 and different Arthrobacter strains cultured under non-inducing conditions. The same activity ratio of 6-hydroxy-L-nicotine oxidase/6-hydroxy-D-nicotine oxidase as in D L-nicotine-induced cells of A. oxidans was observed in non-induced wild type and in riboflavin-requiring (rf-) mutant cells of this aerob.

  10. Influence of Tridax procumbens on lysyl oxidase activity and wound healing.

    PubMed

    Udupa, S L; Udupa, A L; Kulkarni, D R

    1991-08-01

    The effects of an indigenous drug, Tridax procumbens L. (Compositae), on developing granulation tissue in rats were studied. Subcutaneously harvested granuloma tissue formed on dead space wound was removed at 4 day intervals up to 32 days of wounding. Lysyl oxidase activity, protein content, specific activity, and breaking strength were all increased in drug-treated animals as compared to controls. A fall in the lysyl oxidase activity was observed in drug-treated animals after day 8. The drug may be having a dual role: one a stimulatory (direct) effect in the initial phase of wound healing and the other a depressant (indirect) effect in the later stage.

  11. Reversible Lysine Acetylation Regulates Activity of Human Glycine N-Acyltransferase-like 2 (hGLYATL2)

    PubMed Central

    Waluk, Dominik P.; Sucharski, Filip; Sipos, Laszlo; Silberring, Jerzy; Hunt, Mary C.

    2012-01-01

    Lysine acetylation is a major post-translational modification of proteins and regulates many physiological processes such as metabolism, cell migration, aging, and inflammation. Proteomic studies have identified numerous lysine-acetylated proteins in human and mouse models (Kim, S. C., Sprung, R., Chen, Y., Xu, Y., Ball, H., Pei, J., Cheng, T., Kho, Y., Xiao, H., Xiao, L., Grishin, N. V., White, M., Yang, X. J., and Zhao, Y. (2006) Mol. Cell 23, 607–618). One family of proteins identified in this study was the murine glycine N-acyltransferase (GLYAT) enzymes, which are acetylated on lysine 19. Lysine 19 is a conserved residue in human glycine N-acyltransferase-like 2 (hGLYATL2) and in several other species, showing that this residue may be important for enzyme function. Mutation of lysine 19 in recombinant hGLYATL2 to glutamine (K19Q) and arginine (K19R) resulted in a 50–80% lower production of N-oleoyl glycine and N-arachidonoylglycine, indicating that lysine 19 is important for enzyme function. LC/MS/MS confirmed that Lys-19 is not acetylated in wild-type hGLYATL2, indicating that Lys-19 requires to be deacetylated for full activity. The hGLYATL2 enzyme conjugates medium- and long-chain saturated and unsaturated acyl-CoA esters to glycine, resulting in the production of N-oleoyl glycine and also N-arachidonoyl glycine. N-Oleoyl glycine and N-arachidonoyl glycine are structurally and functionally related to endocannabinoids and have been identified as signaling molecules that regulate functions like the perception of pain and body temperature and also have anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, acetylation of lysine(s) in hGLYATL2 regulates the enzyme activity, thus linking post-translational modification of proteins with the production of biological signaling molecules, the N-acyl glycines. PMID:22408254

  12. A novel chimeric phage lysin with high in vitro and in vivo bactericidal activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

    PubMed

    Díez-Martínez, Roberto; De Paz, Héctor D; García-Fernández, Esther; Bustamante, Noemí; Euler, Chad W; Fischetti, Vincent A; Menendez, Margarita; García, Pedro

    2015-01-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is becoming increasingly antibiotic resistant worldwide and new antimicrobials are urgently needed. Our aim was new chimeric phage endolysins, or lysins, with improved bactericidal activity by swapping the structural components of two pneumococcal phage lysozymes: Cpl-1 (the best lysin tested to date) and Cpl-7S. The bactericidal effects of four new chimeric lysins were checked against several bacteria. The purified enzymes were added at different concentrations to resuspended bacteria and viable cells were measured after 1 h. Killing capacity of the most active lysin, Cpl-711, was tested in a mouse bacteraemia model, following mouse survival after injecting different amounts (25-500 μg) of enzyme. The capacity of Cpl-711 to reduce pneumococcal biofilm formation was also studied. The chimera Cpl-711 substantially improved the killing activity of the parental phage lysozymes, Cpl-1 and Cpl-7S, against pneumococcal bacteria, including multiresistant strains. Specifically, 5 μg/mL Cpl-711 killed ≥7.5 log of pneumococcal R6 strain. Cpl-711 also reduced pneumococcal biofilm formation and killed 4 log of the bacterial population at 1 μg/mL. Mice challenged intraperitoneally with D39_IU pneumococcal strain were protected by treatment with a single intraperitoneal injection of Cpl-711 1 h later, resulting in about 50% greater protection than with Cpl-1. Domain swapping among phage lysins allows the construction of new chimeric enzymes with high bactericidal activity and a different substrate range. Cpl-711, the most powerful endolysin against pneumococci, offers a promising therapeutic perspective for the treatment of multiresistant pneumococcal infections. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Genome Shuffling and Gentamicin-Resistance to Improve ε-Poly-L-Lysine Productivity of Streptomyces albulus W-156.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liang; Chen, Xusheng; Wu, Guangyao; Zeng, Xin; Ren, Xidong; Li, Shu; Tang, Lei; Mao, Zhonggui

    2016-12-01

    Genome shuffling has been a recently effective method for screening the desirable phenotypes of industrial strains. Here, we combined genome shuffling and gentamicin resistance to improve the production of ε-poly-L-lysine in Streptomyces albulus W-156. Five starting mutants with higher ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) productivities were firstly obtained by atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis. After three rounds of genome shuffling with increasing concentration of gentamicin for selection, S. albulus AG3-28, was finally got with a production of 3.43 g/L in shaking flask. In a 5-L fermenter, AG3-28 exhibited a higher ε-PL productivity (56.5 g/L) than the initial strain W-156 (37.5 g/L). Key enzyme activities in primary and secondary metabolic pathways were analyzed, and the transcription levels of hrdD and pls were determined by quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Increase of key enzyme activities and the upregulation of the gene transcriptional levels demonstrated that ε-PL synthetic pathway in AG3-28 was obviously strengthened, which might be responsible for the high productivity. Moreover, hyper-yield strain AG3-28 was found to produce a slightly lower ε-PL polymerization degree than the parent strain. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis reflects the genetic diversity among the derivates after genome shuffling.

  14. Bladder carcinogenesis in rats subjected to ureterosigmoidostomy and treated with L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Dornelas, Conceição Aparecida; Santos, Alessandra Marques Dos; Correia, Antonio Lucas Oliveira; Juanes, Camila de Carvalho; Coelho, João Paulo Ferreira; Cunha, Bianca Lopes; Maciel, André Vinicius Vieira; Jamacaru, Francisco Vagnaldo Fechine

    2016-01-01

    to evaluate the effect of L-lysine in the bladder and intestinal epithelia in rats submitted to vesicosigmoidostomy. we divided forty Wistar rats into four groups: group I - control group (Sham); group II - submitted to vesicosigmoidostomy and treated with L-lysine 150mg/kg; group III - submitted only to vesicosigmoidostomy; and group IV - received L-lysine 150mg/kg. After eight weeks the animals were sacrificed. in the bladders of all operated animals we observed simple, papillary and nodular hyperplasia of transitional cells, transitional cell papillomas and squamous metaplasia. As for the occurrence of aberrant crypt foci in the colons of operated animals, we did not observe statistically significant differences in any of the distal, proximal and medium fragments, or in all fragments together (p=1.0000). Although statistically there was no promotion of carcinogenesis in the epithelia of rats treated with L-lysine in the observed time, it was clear the histogenesis of bladder carcinogenesis in its initial phase in all operated rats, this being probably associated with chronic infection and tiny bladder stones. o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o efeito da L-lisina nos epitélios vesical e intestinal de ratas submetidas à vesicossigmoidostomia. quarenta ratas Wistar, foram divididas em quatro grupos: grupo I- grupo controle (Sham); grupo II- submetido à vesicossigmoidostomia e tratado com L-lisina 150mg/kg; grupo III- submetido apenas à vesicossigmoidostomia; e grupo IV- recebeu L-lisina 150mg/kg. Após oito semanas os animais foram sacrificados. na bexiga de todos os animais operados observou-se hiperplasia simples, papilar e nodular de células transicionais, papiloma de células transicionais e metaplasia escamosa. Quanto à ocorrência de focos de criptas aberrantes nos colos dos animais operados, não foi evidenciado diferença estatística significante em nenhum dos fragmentos distal, proximal e médio, e todos juntos (P=1,0000). apesar de

  15. The METTL20 Homologue from Agrobacterium tumefaciens Is a Dual Specificity Protein-lysine Methyltransferase That Targets Ribosomal Protein L7/L12 and the β Subunit of Electron Transfer Flavoprotein (ETFβ)*

    PubMed Central

    Małecki, Jędrzej; Dahl, Helge-André; Moen, Anders; Davydova, Erna; Falnes, Pål Ø.

    2016-01-01

    Human METTL20 is a mitochondrial, lysine-specific methyltransferase that methylates the β-subunit of electron transfer flavoprotein (ETFβ). Interestingly, putative METTL20 orthologues are found in a subset of α-proteobacteria, including Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Using an activity-based approach, we identified in bacterial extracts two substrates of recombinant METTL20 from A. tumefaciens (AtMETTL20), namely ETFβ and the ribosomal protein RpL7/L12. We show that AtMETTL20, analogous to the human enzyme, methylates ETFβ on Lys-193 and Lys-196 both in vitro and in vivo. ETF plays a key role in mediating electron transfer from various dehydrogenases, and we found that its electron transferring ability was diminished by AtMETTL20-mediated methylation of ETFβ. Somewhat surprisingly, AtMETTL20 also catalyzed monomethylation of RpL7/L12 on Lys-86, a common modification also found in many bacteria that lack METTL20. Thus, we here identify AtMETTL20 as the first enzyme catalyzing RpL7/L12 methylation. In summary, here we have identified and characterized a novel bacterial lysine-specific methyltransferase with unprecedented dual substrate specificity within the seven β-strand class of lysine-specific methyltransferases, as it targets two apparently unrelated substrates, ETFβ and RpL7/L12. Moreover, the present work establishes METTL20-mediated methylation of ETFβ as the first lysine methylation event occurring in both bacteria and humans. PMID:26929405

  16. ε-Poly-l-Lysine Peptide Chain Length Regulated by the Linkers Connecting the Transmembrane Domains of ε-Poly-l-Lysine Synthetase

    PubMed Central

    Kito, Naoko; Kita, Akihiro; Imokawa, Yuuki; Yamanaka, Kazuya; Maruyama, Chitose; Katano, Hajime

    2014-01-01

    ε-Poly-l-lysine (ε-PL), consisting of 25 to 35 l-lysine residues with linkages between the α-carboxyl groups and ε-amino groups, is produced by Streptomyces albulus NBRC14147. ε-PL synthetase (Pls) is a membrane protein with six transmembrane domains (TM1 to TM6) as well as both an adenylation domain and a thiolation domain, characteristic of the nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Pls directly generates ε-PL chain length diversity (25- to 35-mer), but the processes that control the chain length of ε-PL during the polymerization reaction are still not fully understood. Here, we report on the identification of Pls amino acid residues involved in the regulation of the ε-PL chain length. From approximately 12,000 variants generated by random mutagenesis, we found 8 Pls variants that produced shorter chains of ε-PL. These variants have one or more mutations in two linker regions connecting the TM1 and TM2 domains and the TM3 and TM4 domains. In the Pls catalytic mechanism, the growing chain of ε-PL is not tethered to the enzyme, implying that the enzyme must hold the growing chain until the polymerization reaction is complete. Our findings reveal that the linker regions are important contributors to grasp the growing chain of ε-PL. PMID:24907331

  17. ε-Poly-L-lysine peptide chain length regulated by the linkers connecting the transmembrane domains of ε-Poly-L-lysine synthetase.

    PubMed

    Hamano, Yoshimitsu; Kito, Naoko; Kita, Akihiro; Imokawa, Yuuki; Yamanaka, Kazuya; Maruyama, Chitose; Katano, Hajime

    2014-08-01

    ε-Poly-l-lysine (ε-PL), consisting of 25 to 35 l-lysine residues with linkages between the α-carboxyl groups and ε-amino groups, is produced by Streptomyces albulus NBRC14147. ε-PL synthetase (Pls) is a membrane protein with six transmembrane domains (TM1 to TM6) as well as both an adenylation domain and a thiolation domain, characteristic of the nonribosomal peptide synthetases. Pls directly generates ε-PL chain length diversity (25- to 35-mer), but the processes that control the chain length of ε-PL during the polymerization reaction are still not fully understood. Here, we report on the identification of Pls amino acid residues involved in the regulation of the ε-PL chain length. From approximately 12,000 variants generated by random mutagenesis, we found 8 Pls variants that produced shorter chains of ε-PL. These variants have one or more mutations in two linker regions connecting the TM1 and TM2 domains and the TM3 and TM4 domains. In the Pls catalytic mechanism, the growing chain of ε-PL is not tethered to the enzyme, implying that the enzyme must hold the growing chain until the polymerization reaction is complete. Our findings reveal that the linker regions are important contributors to grasp the growing chain of ε-PL. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Polyphenol oxidase activity and differential accumulation of polyphenolics in seed coats of pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) characterize postharvest color changes.

    PubMed

    Marles, M A Susan; Vandenberg, Albert; Bett, Kirstin E

    2008-08-27

    Postharvest darkening of pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was evaluated in a population of recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between CDC Pintium (a regular-darkening line) and 1533-15 (a slow-darkening line). Flavonoid metabolite concentrations, polyphenol oxidase activity, lignin concentration, and seed coat anatomy characteristics were assessed for cosegregation with the darkening phenotype. Significantly lower kaempferol concentrations (p = 0.00001) together with differences in polyphenol oxidase activity (p = 0.0045) were two of the key findings associated with these recombinant inbred lines. In addition, two different assays (thioglycolic acid and Klason lignin) to quantify lignin together with an assessment of extractable condensed tannin were used to estimate the contribution of these polymers to changes in the seed coat tissue. This is the first report of precise biochemical characterization of polyphenolics that associate with postharvest darkening in legumes.

  19. l-Lysine based lipidated biphenyls as agents with anti-biofilm and anti-inflammatory properties that also inhibit intracellular bacteria.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Chandradhish; Sarkar, Paramita; Samaddar, Sandip; Uppu, Divakara S S M; Haldar, Jayanta

    2017-07-25

    l-Lysines were conjugated to lipidated biphenyls using simple synthetic chemistry to obtain selective membrane-active antibacterial agents that inhibit cell-wall biosynthesis. The most selective compound bore promising activity against biofilm-related infections and intracellular bacteria, and also suppressed the stimulation of TNF-α induced by lipoteichoic acid. Belligerent to resistance development, it was active in a murine model of MRSA infection.

  20. In vitro antioxidant, lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of fractions from Cienfuegosia digitata Cav., Sida alba L. and Sida acuta Burn f. (Malvaceae).

    PubMed

    Konaté, K; Souza, A; Coulibaly, A Y; Meda, N T R; Kiendrebeogo, M; Lamien-Meda, A; Millogo-Rasolodimby, J; Lamidi, M; Nacoulma, O G

    2010-11-15

    In this study polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, lipoxygenase (LOX) and Xanthine Oxidase (XO) inhibitory effects of n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of aqueous acetone extracts from S. alba L., S. acuta Burn f and Cienfuegosia digitata Cav. were investigated. The total phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols and total tannins were determined by spectrophotometric methods using Folin-ciocalteu, AlCl3 reagents and tannic acid, respectively. The antioxidant potential was evaluated using three methods: inhibition of free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydramzyl (DPPH), ABTS radical cation decolorization assay and Iron (III) to iron (II) reduction activity (FRAP). For enzymatic activity, lipoxygenase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities were used. This study shows a relationship between polyphenol contents, antioxidant and enzymatic activities. Present results showed that ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions elicit the highest polyphenol content, antioxidant and enzymatic activities.

  1. Biodistribution and catabolism of 18F-labelled isopeptide N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Hultsch, C; Bergmann, R; Pawelke, B; Pietzsch, J; Wuest, F; Johannsen, B; Henle, T

    2005-12-01

    Isopeptide bonds between the epsilon-amino group of lysine and the gamma-carboxamide group of glutamine are formed during strong heating of pure proteins or, more important, by enzymatic reaction mediated by transglutaminases. Despite the wide use of a microbial transglutaminase in food biotechnology, up to now little is known about the metabolic fate of the isopeptide N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine. In the present study, N-succinimidyl-4-[(18)F]fluorobenzoate was used to modify N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine at each of its two alpha-amino groups, resulting in the 4-[(18)F]fluorobenzoylated derivatives, for which biodistribution, catabolism, and elimination were investigated in male Wistar rats. A significant different biochemical behavior of the two labelled isopeptides was observed in terms of in vitro stability, in vivo metabolism as well as biodistribution. The results suggest that the metabolic fate of isopeptides is likely to be dependent on how they are reabsorbed - free or peptide bound.

  2. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni

    PubMed Central

    Falkenberg, Shollie M.; Briggs, Robert E.; Tatum, Fred M.; Sacco, Randy E.

    2017-01-01

    Bovine NK-lysins, which are functionally and structurally similar to human granulysin and porcine NK-lysin, are predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Although antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin has been assessed for several bacterial pathogens, not all the important bacterial pathogens that are involved in the bovine respiratory disease complex have been studied. Therefore the objective of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni. Four, 30-mer peptides corresponding to the functional region of NK-lysin helices 2 and 3 were synthesized and assessed for antibacterial activity on four bovine pneumonic H. somni isolates. Although there were some differences in the efficiency of bactericidal activity among the NK-lysin peptides at lower concentrations (2–5 μM), all four peptides effectively killed most H. somni isolates at higher concentrations (10–30 μM) as determined by a bacterial killing assay. Confocal microscopic and flow cytometric analysis of Live/Dead Baclight stained H. somni (which were preincubated with NK-lysin peptides) were consistent with the killing assay findings and suggest NK-lysin peptides are bactericidal for H. somni. Among the four peptides, NK2A-derived peptide consistently showed the highest antimicrobial activity against all four H. somni isolates. Electron microscopic examination of H. somni following incubation with NK-lysin revealed extensive cell membrane damage, protrusions of outer membranes, and cytoplasmic content leakage. Taken together, the findings from this study clearly demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of all four bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides against bovine H. somni isolates. PMID:28827826

  3. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni.

    PubMed

    Dassanayake, Rohana P; Falkenberg, Shollie M; Briggs, Robert E; Tatum, Fred M; Sacco, Randy E

    2017-01-01

    Bovine NK-lysins, which are functionally and structurally similar to human granulysin and porcine NK-lysin, are predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Although antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin has been assessed for several bacterial pathogens, not all the important bacterial pathogens that are involved in the bovine respiratory disease complex have been studied. Therefore the objective of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni. Four, 30-mer peptides corresponding to the functional region of NK-lysin helices 2 and 3 were synthesized and assessed for antibacterial activity on four bovine pneumonic H. somni isolates. Although there were some differences in the efficiency of bactericidal activity among the NK-lysin peptides at lower concentrations (2-5 μM), all four peptides effectively killed most H. somni isolates at higher concentrations (10-30 μM) as determined by a bacterial killing assay. Confocal microscopic and flow cytometric analysis of Live/Dead Baclight stained H. somni (which were preincubated with NK-lysin peptides) were consistent with the killing assay findings and suggest NK-lysin peptides are bactericidal for H. somni. Among the four peptides, NK2A-derived peptide consistently showed the highest antimicrobial activity against all four H. somni isolates. Electron microscopic examination of H. somni following incubation with NK-lysin revealed extensive cell membrane damage, protrusions of outer membranes, and cytoplasmic content leakage. Taken together, the findings from this study clearly demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of all four bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides against bovine H. somni isolates.

  4. Antiproliferative activity of king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase.

    PubMed

    Li Lee, Mui; Chung, Ivy; Yee Fung, Shin; Kanthimathi, M S; Hong Tan, Nget

    2014-04-01

    King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO), a heat-stable enzyme, is an extremely potent antiproliferative agent against cancer cells when compared with LAAO isolated from other snake venoms. King cobra venom LAAO was shown to exhibit very strong antiproliferative activities against MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) and A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) cells, with an IC50 value of 0.04±0.00 and 0.05±0.00 μg/mL, respectively, after 72-hr treatment. In comparison, its cytotoxicity was about 3-4 times lower when tested against human non-tumourigenic breast (184B5) and lung (NL 20) cells, suggesting selective antitumour activity. Furthermore, its potency in MCF-7 and A549 cell lines was greater than the effects of doxorubicin, a clinically established cancer chemotherapeutic agent, which showed an IC50 value of 0.18±0.03 and 0.63±0.21 μg/mL, respectively, against the two cell lines. The selective cytotoxic action of the LAAO was confirmed by phycoerythrin (PE) annexin V/7-amino-actinomycin (AAD) apoptotic assay, in which a significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed in LAAO-treated tumour cells than in their non-tumourigenic counterparts. The ability of LAAO to induce apoptosis in tumour cells was further demonstrated using caspase-3/7 and DNA fragmentation assays. We also determined that this enzyme may target oxidative stress in its killing of tumour cells, as its cytotoxicity was significantly reduced in the presence of catalase (a H2O2 scavenger). In view of its heat stability and selective and potent cytotoxic action on cancer cells, king cobra venom LAAO can be potentially developed for treating solid tumours. © 2013 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

  5. Analysis and Manipulation of Aspartate Pathway Genes for l-Lysine Overproduction from Methanol by Bacillus methanolicus▿

    PubMed Central

    Nærdal, Ingemar; Netzer, Roman; Ellingsen, Trond E.; Brautaset, Trygve

    2011-01-01

    We investigated the regulation and roles of six aspartate pathway genes in l-lysine overproduction in Bacillus methanolicus: dapG, encoding aspartokinase I (AKI); lysC, encoding AKII; yclM, encoding AKIII; asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; and lysA, encoding meso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase. Analysis of the wild-type strain revealed that in vivo lysC transcription was repressed 5-fold by l-lysine and induced 2-fold by dl-methionine added to the growth medium. Surprisingly, yclM transcription was repressed 5-fold by dl-methionine, while the dapG, asd, dapA, and lysA genes were not significantly repressed by any of the aspartate pathway amino acids. We show that the l-lysine-overproducing classical B. methanolicus mutant NOA2#13A52-8A66 has—in addition to a hom-1 mutation—chromosomal mutations in the dapG coding region and in the lysA promoter region. No mutations were found in its dapA, lysC, asd, and yclM genes. The mutant dapG gene product had abolished feedback inhibition by meso-diaminopimelate in vitro, and the lysA mutation was accompanied by an elevated (6-fold) lysA transcription level in vivo. Moreover, yclM transcription was increased 16-fold in mutant strain NOA2#13A52-8A66 compared to the wild-type strain. Overexpression of wild-type and mutant aspartate pathway genes demonstrated that all six genes are important for l-lysine overproduction as tested in shake flasks, and the effects were dependent on the genetic background tested. Coupled overexpression of up to three genes resulted in additive (above 80-fold) increased l-lysine production levels. PMID:21724876

  6. Analysis and manipulation of aspartate pathway genes for L-lysine overproduction from methanol by Bacillus methanolicus.

    PubMed

    Nærdal, Ingemar; Netzer, Roman; Ellingsen, Trond E; Brautaset, Trygve

    2011-09-01

    We investigated the regulation and roles of six aspartate pathway genes in L-lysine overproduction in Bacillus methanolicus: dapG, encoding aspartokinase I (AKI); lysC, encoding AKII; yclM, encoding AKIII; asd, encoding aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase; dapA, encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase; and lysA, encoding meso-diaminopimelate decarboxylase. Analysis of the wild-type strain revealed that in vivo lysC transcription was repressed 5-fold by L-lysine and induced 2-fold by dl-methionine added to the growth medium. Surprisingly, yclM transcription was repressed 5-fold by dl-methionine, while the dapG, asd, dapA, and lysA genes were not significantly repressed by any of the aspartate pathway amino acids. We show that the L-lysine-overproducing classical B. methanolicus mutant NOA2#13A52-8A66 has-in addition to a hom-1 mutation-chromosomal mutations in the dapG coding region and in the lysA promoter region. No mutations were found in its dapA, lysC, asd, and yclM genes. The mutant dapG gene product had abolished feedback inhibition by meso-diaminopimelate in vitro, and the lysA mutation was accompanied by an elevated (6-fold) lysA transcription level in vivo. Moreover, yclM transcription was increased 16-fold in mutant strain NOA2#13A52-8A66 compared to the wild-type strain. Overexpression of wild-type and mutant aspartate pathway genes demonstrated that all six genes are important for L-lysine overproduction as tested in shake flasks, and the effects were dependent on the genetic background tested. Coupled overexpression of up to three genes resulted in additive (above 80-fold) increased L-lysine production levels.

  7. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on Mycoplasma bovis

    PubMed Central

    Falkenberg, Shollie M.; Register, Karen B.; Samorodnitsky, Daniel; Nicholson, Eric M.; Reinhardt, Timothy A.

    2018-01-01

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a diverse group of molecules which play an important role in the innate immune response. Bovine NK-lysins, a type of AMP, have been predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides demonstrate antimicrobial activity against various bacterial pathogens, including several involved in bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in cattle; however, such studies are yet to be performed with one important contributor to the BRDC, Mycoplasma bovis. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess the antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on M. bovis. Thirty-mer synthetic peptides corresponding to the functional region helices 2 and 3 of bovine NK-lysins NK1, NK2A, NK2B, and NK2C were evaluated for killing activity on M. bovis isolates. Among four peptides, NK2A and NK2C showed the highest antimicrobial activity against the M. bovis isolates tested. All four NK-lysin peptides induced rapid plasma membrane depolarization in M. bovis at two concentrations tested. However, based on propidium iodide uptake, only NK2A and NK2C appeared capable of causing structural damage to M. bovis plasma membrane. Confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and transmission electron microscopy further suggested NK-lysin-induced damage to the plasma membrane. Taken together, the findings in this study suggest that plasma membrane depolarization alone was insufficient to induce lethality, but disruption/permeabilization of the M. bovis plasma membrane was the cause of lethality. PMID:29771981

  8. NADPH Oxidase versus Mitochondria-Derived ROS in Glucose-Induced Apoptosis of Pericytes in Early Diabetic Retinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Mustapha, Nik M.; Tarr, Joanna M.; Kohner, Eva M.; Chibber, Rakesh

    2010-01-01

    Objectives. Using apocynin (inhibitor of NADPH oxidase), and Mitoquinol 10 nitrate (MitoQ; mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant), we addressed the importance of mitochondria versus NADPH oxidase-derived ROS in glucose-induced apoptosis of pericytes. Methods. NADPH oxidase was localised using Western blot analysis and cytochrome C reduction assay. Apoptosis was detected by measuring caspase-3 activity. Intracellular glucose concentration, ROS formation and Nε-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) content were measured using Amplex Red assay kit, dihydroethidium (DHE), and competitive immunoabsorbant enzyme-linked assay (ELISA), respectively. Results. NADPH oxidase was localised in the cytoplasm of pericytes suggesting ROS production within intracellular compartments. High glucose (25 mM) significantly increased apoptosis, intracellular glucose concentration, and CML content. Apoptosis was associated with increased gp91phox expression, activity of NADPH oxidase, and intracellular ROS production. Apocynin and not MitoQ significantly blunted the generation of ROS, formation of intracellular CML and apoptosis. Conclusions. NADPH oxidase and not mitochondria-derived ROS is responsible for the accelerated apoptosis of pericytes in diabetic retinopathy. PMID:20652059

  9. Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antitumor activity of epsilon-poly-L-lysine and citral, alone or in combination.

    PubMed

    Shi, Ce; Zhao, Xingchen; Liu, Zonghui; Meng, Rizeng; Chen, Xiangrong; Guo, Na

    2016-01-01

    Food safety is an important worldwide public health concern, and microbial contamination in foods not only leads to food deterioration and shelf life reduction but also results in economic losses and disease. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of epsilon-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) and citral combination against Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) strains. The preliminary antioxidant and antitumor activities were also studied. Synergism is a positive interaction created when two compounds combine and exert an inhibitory effect that is greater than the sum of their individual effects. The synergistic antimicrobial effect of ε-PL and citral was studied using the checkerboard method against E. coli O157:H7. The minimal inhibitory concentration, time-kill, and scanning electron microscope assays were used to determine the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL and citral alone or in combination; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-scavenging assay and western blotting were used in antioxidant activity assays; cell viability assay was carried out to finish preliminary antitumor test. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of ε-PL and citral resisted to the five E. coli O157:H7 strains were 2-4 µg/mL and 0.5-1 µg/mL, and the fractional inhibitory concentration indices were 0.25-0.375. The results of time-kill assay revealed that a stronger bactericidal effect in a laboratory medium might be exerted in the combination against E. coli O157:H7 than that in a food model. The compounds alone or in combination exhibited a potential 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity, and the expression of superoxide dismutase 1 and glutathione peroxidase 1 protein increased. The preliminary antitumor activity effect of the combination was better than ε-PL or citral alone. These findings indicated that the combination of ε-PL and citral could not only be used as a promising naturally sourced food preservative but also be used in the pharmaceutical industry.

  10. Polyphenol oxidase activity from three sicilian artichoke [ Cynara cardunculus L. Var. scolymus L. (Fiori)] cultivars: studies and technological application on minimally processed production.

    PubMed

    Todaro, Aldo; Peluso, Orazio; Catalano, Anna Eghle; Mauromicale, Giovanni; Spagna, Giovanni

    2010-02-10

    Several papers helped with the development of more methods to control browning, or study thermal polyphenol oxidase (PPO) inactivation, but did not provide any solutions to technological process problems and food process improvement. Artichokes [ Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus L. (Fiori)] are susceptible to browning; this alteration could affect and reduce the suitability for its use, fresh or processed. Within this study, the catecholase and cresolase activities of PPO from three different Sicilian artichokes cultivar were characterized with regard to substrate specificity and enzyme kinetics, optimum pH and temperature, temperature and pH stability, and inhibitor test; all of the results were used for technological purposes, particularly to optimize minimally processed productions (ready-to-eat and cook-chilled artichokes).

  11. Immobilization of Pichia pastoris cells containing alcohol oxidase activity

    PubMed Central

    Maleknia, S; Ahmadi, H; Norouzian, D

    2011-01-01

    Background and Objectives The attempts were made to describe the development of a whole cell immobilization of P. pastoris by entrapping the cells in polyacrylamide gel beads. The alcohol oxidase activity of the whole cell Pichia pastoris was evaluated in comparison with yeast biomass production. Materials and Methods Methylotrophic yeast P. pastoris was obtained from Collection of Standard Microorganisms, Department of Bacterial Vaccines, Pasteur Institute of Iran (CSMPI). Stock culture was maintained on YPD agar plates. Alcohol oxidase was strongly induced by addition of 0.5% methanol as the carbon source. The cells were harvested by centrifugation then permeabilized. Finally the cells were immobilized in polyacrylamide gel beads. The activity of alcohol oxidase was determined by method of Tane et al. Results At the end of the logarithmic phase of cell culture, the alcohol oxidase activity of the whole cell P. Pastoris reached the highest level. In comparison, the alcohol oxidase activity was measured in an immobilized P. pastoris when entrapped in polyacrylamide gel beads. The alcohol oxidase activity of cells was induced by addition of 0.5% methanol as the carbon source. The cells were permeabilized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and immobilized. CTAB was also found to increase the gel permeability. Alcohol oxidase activity of immobilized cells was then quantitated by ABTS/POD spectrophotometric method at OD 420. There was a 14% increase in alcohol oxidase activity in immobilized cells as compared with free cells. By addition of 2-butanol as a substrate, the relative activity of alcohol oxidase was significantly higher as compared with other substrates added to the reaction media. Conclusion Immobilization of cells could eliminate lengthy and expensive procedures of enzyme separation and purification, protect and stabilize enzyme activity, and perform easy separation of the enzyme from the reaction media. PMID:22530090

  12. The structure, vibrational spectra and nonlinear optical properties of the L-lysine × tartaric acid complex—Theoretical studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Drozd, M.; Marchewka, M. K.

    2006-05-01

    The room temperature X-ray studies of L-lysine × tartaric acid complex are not unambiguous. The disorder of three atoms of carbon in L-lysine molecule is observed. These X-ray studies are ambiguous. The theoretical geometry study performed by DFT methods explain the most doubts which are connected with crystallographic measurements. The theoretical vibrational frequencies and potential energy distribution (PED) of L-lysine × tartaric acid were calculated by B3LYP method. The calculated frequencies were compared with experimental measured IR spectra. The complete assignment of the bands has been made on the basis of the calculated PED. The restricted Hartee-Fock (RHF) methods were used for calculation of the hyperpolarizability for investigated compound. The theoretical results are compared with experimental value of β.

  13. Lysine acetyltransferase inhibitors: structure-activity relationships and potential therapeutic implications.

    PubMed

    Fiorentino, Francesco; Mai, Antonello; Rotili, Dante

    2018-05-01

    Lysine acetylation is a post-translational modification of both histone and nonhistone proteins that is catalyzed by lysine acetyltransferases and plays a key role in numerous biological contexts. The dysregulation of this enzyme activity is implicated in many human pathologies such as cancer, neurological and inflammatory disorders. Many lysine acetyltransferase inhibitors (KATi) have been developed so far, but there is still the need for new, more potent, metabolically stable and selective KATi as chemical tools for studying KAT biology and/or as potential therapeutic agents. This review will examine the features of KAT enzymes and related diseases, with particular emphasis on KATi (bisubstrate analogs, natural compounds and synthetic derivatives), analyzing their mechanism of action, structure-activity relationships, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties and potential future applications.

  14. Current rectification with poly-l-lysine-coated quartz nanopipettes.

    PubMed

    Umehara, Senkei; Pourmand, Nader; Webb, Chris D; Davis, Ronald W; Yasuda, Kenji; Karhanek, Miloslav

    2006-11-01

    Ion current rectification with quartz nanopipette electrodes was investigated through the control of the surface charge. The presence and absence of a positively charged poly-l-lysine (PLL) coating resulted in the rectified current with opposite polarity. The results agreed with the theories developed for current-rectifying conical nanopores, suggesting the similar underlying mechanism among asymmetric nanostructure in general. This surface condition dependence can be used as the fundamental principle of multi-purpose real-time in vivo biosensors.

  15. A new methodology for the determination of enzyme activity based on carbon nanotubes and glucose oxidase.

    PubMed

    Yeşiller, Gülden; Sezgintürk, Mustafa Kemal

    2015-11-10

    In this research, a novel enzyme activity analysis methodology is introduced as a new perspective for this area. The activity of elastase enzyme, which is a digestive enzyme mostly of found in the digestive system of vertebrates, was determined by an electrochemical device composed of carbon nanotubes and a second enzyme, glucose oxidase, which was used as a signal generator enzyme. In this novel methodology, a complex bioactive layer was constructed by using carbon nanotubes, glucose oxidase and a supporting protein, gelatin on a solid, conductive substrate. The activity of elastase was determined by monitoring the hydrolysis rate of elastase enzyme in the bioactive layer. As a result of this hydrolysis of elastase, glucose oxidase was dissociated from the bioactive layer, and following this the electrochemical signal due to glucose oxidase was decreased. The progressive elastase-catalyzed digestion of the bioactive layer containing glucose oxidase decreased the layer's enzymatic efficiency, resulting in a decrease of the glucose oxidation current as a function of the enzyme activity. The ratio of the decrease was correlated to elastase activity level. In this study, optimization experiments of bioactive components and characterization of the resulting new electrochemical device were carried out. A linear calibration range from 0.0303U/mL to 0.0729U/mL of elastase was reported. Real sample analyses were also carried out by the new electrochemical device. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Downregulation of Rubisco Activity by Non-enzymatic Acetylation of RbcL.

    PubMed

    Gao, Xiang; Hong, Hui; Li, Wei-Chao; Yang, Lili; Huang, Jirong; Xiao, You-Li; Chen, Xiao-Ya; Chen, Gen-Yun

    2016-07-06

    Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is assimilated by the most abundant but sluggish enzyme, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Here we show that acetylation of lysine residues of the Rubisco large subunit (RbcL), including Lys201 and Lys334 in the active sites, may be an important mechanism in the regulation of Rubisco activities. It is well known that Lys201 reacts with CO2 for carbamylation, a prerequisite for both carboxylase and oxygenase activities of Rubisco, and Lys334 contacts with ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP). The acetylation level of RbcL in plants is lower during the day and higher at night, inversely correlating with the Rubisco carboxylation activity. A search of the chloroplast proteome database did not reveal a canonical acetyltransferase; instead, we found that a plant-derived metabolite, 7-acetoxy-4-methylcoumarin (AMC), can non-enzymatically acetylate both native Rubisco and synthesized RbcL peptides spanning Lys334 or Lys201. Furthermore, lysine residues were modified by synthesized 4-methylumbelliferone esters with different electro- and stereo-substitutes, resulting in varied Rubisco activities. 1-Chloroethyl 4-methylcoumarin-7-yl carbonate (ClMC) could transfer the chloroethyl carbamate group to lysine residues of RbcL and completely inactivate Rubisco, whereas bis(4-methylcoumarin-7-yl) carbonate (BMC) improved Rubisco activity through increasing the level of Lys201 carbamylation. Our findings indicate that RbcL acetylation negatively regulates Rubisco activity, and metabolic derivatives can be designed to dissect and improve CO2 fixation efficiency of plants through lysine modification. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Platform engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum with reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity for improved production of L-lysine, L-valine, and 2-ketoisovalerate.

    PubMed

    Buchholz, Jens; Schwentner, Andreas; Brunnenkan, Britta; Gabris, Christina; Grimm, Simon; Gerstmeir, Robert; Takors, Ralf; Eikmanns, Bernhard J; Blombach, Bastian

    2013-09-01

    Exchange of the native Corynebacterium glutamicum promoter of the aceE gene, encoding the E1p subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), with mutated dapA promoter variants led to a series of C. glutamicum strains with gradually reduced growth rates and PDHC activities. Upon overexpression of the l-valine biosynthetic genes ilvBNCE, all strains produced l-valine. Among these strains, C. glutamicum aceE A16 (pJC4 ilvBNCE) showed the highest biomass and product yields, and thus it was further improved by additional deletion of the pqo and ppc genes, encoding pyruvate:quinone oxidoreductase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, respectively. In fed-batch fermentations at high cell densities, C. glutamicum aceE A16 Δpqo Δppc (pJC4 ilvBNCE) produced up to 738 mM (i.e., 86.5 g/liter) l-valine with an overall yield (YP/S) of 0.36 mol per mol of glucose and a volumetric productivity (QP) of 13.6 mM per h [1.6 g/(liter × h)]. Additional inactivation of the transaminase B gene (ilvE) and overexpression of ilvBNCD instead of ilvBNCE transformed the l-valine-producing strain into a 2-ketoisovalerate producer, excreting up to 303 mM (35 g/liter) 2-ketoisovalerate with a YP/S of 0.24 mol per mol of glucose and a QP of 6.9 mM per h [0.8 g/(liter × h)]. The replacement of the aceE promoter by the dapA-A16 promoter in the two C. glutamicum l-lysine producers DM1800 and DM1933 improved the production by 100% and 44%, respectively. These results demonstrate that C. glutamicum strains with reduced PDHC activity are an excellent platform for the production of pyruvate-derived products.

  18. Platform Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum with Reduced Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Activity for Improved Production of l-Lysine, l-Valine, and 2-Ketoisovalerate

    PubMed Central

    Buchholz, Jens; Schwentner, Andreas; Brunnenkan, Britta; Gabris, Christina; Grimm, Simon; Gerstmeir, Robert; Takors, Ralf; Eikmanns, Bernhard J.

    2013-01-01

    Exchange of the native Corynebacterium glutamicum promoter of the aceE gene, encoding the E1p subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), with mutated dapA promoter variants led to a series of C. glutamicum strains with gradually reduced growth rates and PDHC activities. Upon overexpression of the l-valine biosynthetic genes ilvBNCE, all strains produced l-valine. Among these strains, C. glutamicum aceE A16 (pJC4 ilvBNCE) showed the highest biomass and product yields, and thus it was further improved by additional deletion of the pqo and ppc genes, encoding pyruvate:quinone oxidoreductase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, respectively. In fed-batch fermentations at high cell densities, C. glutamicum aceE A16 Δpqo Δppc (pJC4 ilvBNCE) produced up to 738 mM (i.e., 86.5 g/liter) l-valine with an overall yield (YP/S) of 0.36 mol per mol of glucose and a volumetric productivity (QP) of 13.6 mM per h [1.6 g/(liter × h)]. Additional inactivation of the transaminase B gene (ilvE) and overexpression of ilvBNCD instead of ilvBNCE transformed the l-valine-producing strain into a 2-ketoisovalerate producer, excreting up to 303 mM (35 g/liter) 2-ketoisovalerate with a YP/S of 0.24 mol per mol of glucose and a QP of 6.9 mM per h [0.8 g/(liter × h)]. The replacement of the aceE promoter by the dapA-A16 promoter in the two C. glutamicum l-lysine producers DM1800 and DM1933 improved the production by 100% and 44%, respectively. These results demonstrate that C. glutamicum strains with reduced PDHC activity are an excellent platform for the production of pyruvate-derived products. PMID:23835179

  19. Thermostable and highly specific L-aspartate oxidase from Thermococcus litoralis DSM 5473: cloning, overexpression, and enzymological properties.

    PubMed

    Washio, Tsubasa; Oikawa, Tadao

    2018-01-01

    We successfully expressed the L-aspartate oxidase homolog gene (accession no: OCC_06611) of Thermococcus litoralis DSM 5473 in the soluble fraction of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) using a pET21b vector with 6X His tag at its C-terminus. The gene product (Tl-LASPO) showed L-aspartate oxidase activity in the presence of FAD in vitro, and this report is the first that details an L-aspartate oxidase derived from a Thermococcus species. The homologs of Tl-LASPO existed mainly in archaea, especially in the genus of Thermococcus, Pyrococcus, Sulfolobus, and Halobacteria. The quaternary structure of Tl-LASPO was homotrimeric with a subunit molecular mass of 52 kDa. The enzyme activity of Tl-LASPO increased with temperature up to 70 °C. Tl-LASPO was active from pH 6.0 to 9.0, and its highest activity was at pH 8.0. Tl-LASPO was stable at 80 °C for 1 h. The highest k cat /K m value was observed in assays at 70 °C. Tl-LASPO was highly specific for L-aspartic acid. Tl-LASPO utilized fumaric acid, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, and ferricyanide in addition to FAD as a cofactor under anaerobic conditions. The absorption spectrum of holo-Tl-LASPO exhibited maxima at 380 and 450 nm. The FAD dissociation constant, K d , of the FAD-Tl-LASPO complex was determined to be 5.9 × 10 -9 M.

  20. Urate oxidase is imported into peroxisomes recognizing the C-terminal SKL motif of proteins.

    PubMed

    Miura, S; Oda, T; Funai, T; Ito, M; Okada, Y; Ichiyama, A

    1994-07-01

    Rat liver urate oxidase synthesized from cDNA through coupled transcription and translation was incubated at 26 degrees C for 60 min with purified peroxisomes from rat liver. Urate oxidase was efficiently imported into the peroxisomes, as determined by resistance to externally added proteinase K. The amount of imported urate oxidase increased with time and the import was temperature dependent. A synthetic peptide composed of the C-terminal 10 amino acid residues of acyl-CoA oxidase (the C-terminal tripeptide is Ser-Lys-Leu) inhibited the import of urate oxidase, whereas other peptides, in which the C-terminal Ser-Lys-Leu (SKL) sequence was deleted or mutated, were not effective. Two mutant urate oxidase proteins in which the C-terminal Ser-Arg-Leu (SRL) sequence was deleted or mutated to Ser-Glu-Leu (SEL) were not imported into peroxisomes. With substitution of a lysine residue for arginine in the SRL tripeptide at the C-terminus the import activity was retained. These results show that urate oxidase is important into peroxisomes via a common pathway with acyl-CoA oxidase, and that the C-terminal SRL sequence functions as a peroxisomal-targeting signal.

  1. Current Rectification with Poly-l-Lysine-Coated Quartz Nanopipettes

    PubMed Central

    Umehara, Senkei; Pourmand, Nader; Webb, Chris D.; Davis, Ronald W.; Yasuda, Kenji; Karhanek, Miloslav

    2010-01-01

    Ion current rectification with quartz nanopipette electrodes was investigated through the control of the surface charge. The presence and absence of a positively charged poly-l-lysine (PLL) coating resulted in the rectified current with opposite polarity. The results agreed with the theories developed for current-rectifying conical nanopores, suggesting the similar underlying mechanism among asymmetric nanostructure in general. This surface condition dependence can be used as the fundamental principle of multi-purpose real-time in vivo biosensors. PMID:17090078

  2. In vitro assessment of anticholinesterase and NADH oxidase inhibitory activities of an edible fern, Diplazium esculentum.

    PubMed

    Roy, Subhrajyoti; Dutta, Somit; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar

    2015-07-01

    Diplazium esculentum is the most commonly consumed edible fern throughout Asia and Oceania. Several studies have been performed so far to determine different functional properties of this plant, but there have been no reports on the anticholinesterase and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase inhibitory activities of this plant. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the anticholinesterase and NADH oxidase inhibitory activities of 70% methanolic extract of D. esculentum. The D. esculentum extract was investigated for its acetylcholinesterase and NADH oxidase inhibitory activities as well as its free radical scavenging and total antioxidant activities in the linoleic acid system. The free radical scavenging activity of the extract was determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) method. The total antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated by ferric thiocyanate (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) methods. The D. esculentum extract inhibited acetylcholinesterase and NADH oxidase in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 272.97±19.38 and 265.81±21.20 μg/mL, respectively. The extract also showed a potent DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 402.88±12.70 μg/mL. Moreover, the extract showed 27.41% and 33.22% of total antioxidant activities determined by FTC and TBA methods, respectively. Results indicated that 70% methanolic extract of D. esculentum effectively inhibited the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and NADH oxidase and acted as a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger. These in vitro assays indicate that this plant extract is a significant source of natural antioxidants, which may be helpful in preventing the progression of various neurodegenerative disorders associated with oxidative stress.

  3. Antimicrobial Activity of ε-Poly-l-lysine after Forming a Water-Insoluble Complex with an Anionic Surfactant.

    PubMed

    Ushimaru, Kazunori; Hamano, Yoshimitsu; Katano, Hajime

    2017-04-10

    ε-Poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) is one of the few homopoly(amino-acid)s occurring in nature. ε-PL, which possesses multiple amino groups, is highly soluble in water, where it forms the antimicrobial polycationic chain (PL n+ ). Although the high water-solubility is advantageous for the use of ε-PL as a food preservative, it has limited the applicability of ε-PL as a biopolymer plastic. Here, we report on the preparation and availability of a water-insoluble complex formed with PL n+ and an anionic surfactant, bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (BEHS - , is also commercialized as AOT) anion. The PL n+ /BEHS - -complex, which is soluble in organic solvents, was successfully used as a coating material for a cellulose acetate membrane to create a water-resistant antimicrobial membrane. In addition, the thermoplastic PL n+ /BEHS - -complex was able to be uniformly mixed with polypropylene by heating, resulting in materials exhibiting antimicrobial activities.

  4. In-Gel Determination of L-Amino Acid Oxidase Activity Based on the Visualization of Prussian Blue-Forming Reaction

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Ning; Zhao, Chuntian

    2013-01-01

    L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO) is attracting increasing attention due to its important functions. Diverse detection methods with their own properties have been developed for characterization of LAAO. In the present study, a simple, rapid, sensitive, cost-effective and reproducible method for quantitative in-gel determination of LAAO activity based on the visualization of Prussian blue-forming reaction is described. Coupled with SDS-PAGE, this Prussian blue agar assay can be directly used to determine the numbers and approximate molecular weights of LAAO in one step, allowing straightforward application for purification and sequence identification of LAAO from diverse samples. PMID:23383337

  5. Immunomodulatory activity of chicken NK-lysin peptides

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Chicken NK-lysin (cNK-lysin), the chicken homologue of human granulysin, is a cationic amphiphilic antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. We have previously demonstrated that cNK-lysin and cNK-2, which is a synthetic peptide incorporating core alpha-helic...

  6. Polyphenol oxidase activity and antioxidant properties of Yomra apple (Malus communis L.) from Turkey.

    PubMed

    Can, Zehra; Dincer, Barbaros; Sahin, Huseyin; Baltas, Nimet; Yildiz, Oktay; Kolayli, Sevgi

    2014-12-01

    In this study, firstly, antioxidant and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) properties of Yomra apple were investigated. Seventeen phenolic constituents were measured by reverse phase-high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Total phenolic compounds (TPCs), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activities were performed to measure antioxidant capacity. Some kinetic parameters (Km, Vmax), and inhibition behaviors against five different substrates were measured in the crude extract. Catechin and chlorogenic acid were found as the major components in the methanolic extract, while ferulic acid, caffeic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, quercetin and p-coumaric acid were small quantities. Km values ranged from 0.70 to 10.10 mM in the substrates, and also 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propanoic acid (HPPA) and L-DOPA showed the highest affinity. The inhibition constant of Ki were ranged from 0.05 to 14.90 mM against sodium metabisulphite, ascorbic acid, sodium azide and benzoic acid, while ascorbic acid and sodium metabisulphite were the best inhibitors.

  7. Development of poly-l-lysine-coated calcium-alginate microspheres encapsulating fluorescein-labeled dextrans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Charron, Luc; Harmer, Andrea; Lilge, Lothar

    2005-09-01

    A technique to produce fluorescent cell phantom standards based on calcium alginate microspheres with encapsulated fluorescein-labeled dextrans is presented. An electrostatic ionotropic gelation method is used to create the microspheres which are then exposed to an encapsulation method using poly-l-lysine to trap the dextrans inside. Both procedures were examined in detail to find the optimal parameters producing cell phantoms meeting our requirements. Size distributions favoring 10-20 microns microspheres were obtained by varying the high voltage and needle size parameters. Typical size distributions of the samples were centered at 150 μm diameter. Neither the molecular weight nor the charge of the dextrans had a significant effect on their retention in the microspheres, though anionic dextrans were chosen to help in future capillary electrophoresis work. Increasing the exposure time of the microspheres to the poly-l-lysine solution decreased the leakage rates of fluorescein-labeled dextrans.

  8. Stabilization of collagen nanofibers with l-lysine improves the ability of carbodiimide cross-linked amniotic membranes to preserve limbal epithelial progenitor cells

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Jui-Yang; Wang, Pei-Ran; Luo, Li-Jyuan; Chen, Si-Tan

    2014-01-01

    To overcome the drawbacks associated with limited cross-linking efficiency of carbodiimide modified amniotic membrane, this study investigated the use of l-lysine as an additional amino acid bridge to enhance the stability of a nanofibrous tissue matrix for a limbal epithelial cell culture platform. Results of ninhydrin assays and zeta potential measurements showed that the amount of positively charged amino acid residues incorporated into the tissue collagen chains is highly correlated with the l-lysine-pretreated concentration. The cross-linked structure and hydrophilicity of amniotic membrane scaffolding materials affected by the lysine molecular bridging effects were determined. With an increase in the l-lysine-pretreated concentration from 1 to 30 mM, the cross-linking density was significantly increased and water content was markedly decreased. The variations in resistance to thermal denaturation and enzymatic degradation were in accordance with the number of cross-links per unit mass of amniotic membrane, indicating l-lysine-modulated stabilization of collagen molecules. It was also noteworthy that the carbodiimide cross-linked tissue samples prepared using a relatively high l-lysine-pretreated concentration (ie, 30 mM) appeared to have decreased light transmittance and biocompatibility, probably due to the influence of a large nanofiber size and a high charge density. The rise in stemness gene and protein expression levels was dependent on improved cross-link formation, suggesting the crucial role of amino acid bridges in constructing suitable scaffolds to preserve limbal progenitor cells. It is concluded that mild to moderate pretreatment conditions (ie, 3–10 mM l-lysine) can provide a useful strategy to assist in the development of carbodiimide cross-linked amniotic membrane as a stable stem cell niche for corneal epithelial tissue engineering. PMID:25395849

  9. Enhancement of ε-poly-lysine production in ε-poly-lysine-tolerant Streptomyces sp. by genome shuffling.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yong-Peng; Ren, Xi-Dong; Wang, Liang; Chen, Xu-Sheng; Mao, Zhong-Gui; Tang, Lei

    2015-09-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) has been widely used as food additive. However, the self-inhibition of ε-PL on cell growth limits the accumulation of ε-PL in the wild-type strain. Here, we screened ε-PL-tolerant strain of Streptomyces sp. with higher ε-PL productivity by genome shuffling and studied the mechanism for the improvement. The initial mutant library was constructed by diethyl sulfate mutagenesis. After four rounds of protoplast fusion, a shuffled strain F4-22 with 3.11 g/L ε-PL productivity in shake flask, 1.81-fold in comparison with that of parent strain, was obtained. The higher aspartokinase activity was induced in F4-22 whereas no obvious changes have been found in ε-PL synthetic and degrading enzymes which indicated that the upstream reregulation of the precursor lysine synthesis rather than lysine polymerization or ε-PL degradation in shuffled strain accounted for the higher productivity. The activities of key enzymes in the central metabolic pathway were also enhanced in F4-22 which resulted in increased vigor of the strain and in delayed strain lysis during fermentation. These improved properties of shuffled strain led to the success of combining general two-stage fermentation into one-stage one in 5-L bioreactor with 32.7 % more ε-PL production than that of parent strain. The strategy used in this study provided a novel strain breeding approach of producers which suffered from ε-PL-like self-inhibition of the metabolites.

  10. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on bovine respiratory pathogen Histophilus somni

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Bovine NK-lysins, which are functionally and structurally similar to human granulysin and porcine NK-lysin, are predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Although antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin has been assessed for several bacterial pathogens, not all t...

  11. Enhancement of ε-poly-L-lysine synthesis in Streptomyces by exogenous glutathione.

    PubMed

    Yan, Peng; Sun, Haoben; Lu, Pengqi; Liu, Haili; Tang, Lei

    2018-01-01

    Our previous work indicated that the vigor of Streptomyces decreased at the later stage of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) fermentation. In this study, we observed that the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo increased sharply after 24 h, and the addition of an antioxidant glutathione (GSH) before this increase in ROS stimulated ε-PL synthesis in shake-flask fermentation. The enhancement of ε-PL production by GSH was further verified in batch and fed-batch fermentations. On a 5-l fermenter scale, the highest increasement was 68.8% in batch fermentation and the highest ε-PL level was 46.5 g l - 1 in fed-batch fermentation. The RT-qPCR analysis showed that the transcriptional level of the catalase gene was down-regulated, and the decrease in cell activity was alleviated by the addition of GSH. The results revealed that exogenous antioxidant might maintain the cell vigor by reducing the excess ROS which provided a novel approach to regulate ε-PL synthesis.

  12. Bioinspired Star-Shaped Poly(l-lysine) Polypeptides: Efficient Polymeric Nanocarriers for the Delivery of DNA to Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    PubMed

    Walsh, David P; Murphy, Robert D; Panarella, Angela; Raftery, Rosanne M; Cavanagh, Brenton; Simpson, Jeremy C; O'Brien, Fergal J; Heise, Andreas; Cryan, Sally-Ann

    2018-05-07

    The field of tissue engineering is increasingly recognizing that gene therapy can be employed for modulating in vivo cellular response thereby guiding tissue regeneration. However, the field lacks a versatile and biocompatible gene delivery platform capable of efficiently delivering transgenes to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a cell type often refractory to transfection. Herein, we describe the extensive and systematic exploration of three architectural variations of star-shaped poly(l-lysine) polypeptide (star-PLL) with varying number and length of poly(l-lysine) arms as potential nonviral gene delivery vectors for MSCs. We demonstrate that star-PLL vectors are capable of self-assembling with pDNA to form stable, cationic nanomedicines. Utilizing high content screening, live cell imaging, and mechanistic uptake studies we confirm the intracellular delivery of pDNA by star-PLLs to MSCs is a rapid process, which likely proceeds via a clathrin-independent mechanism. We identify a star-PLL composition with 64 poly(l-lysine) arms and five l-lysine subunits per arm as a particularly efficient vector that is capable of delivering both reporter genes and the therapeutic transgenes bone morphogenetic protein-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor to MSCs. This composition facilitated a 1000-fold increase in transgene expression in MSCs compared to its linear analogue, linear poly(l-lysine). Furthermore, it demonstrated comparable transgene expression to the widely used vector polyethylenimine using a lower pDNA dose with significantly less cytotoxicity. Overall, this study illustrates the ability of the star-PLL vectors to facilitate efficient, nontoxic nucleic acid delivery to MSCs thereby functioning as an innovative nanomedicine platform for tissue engineering applications.

  13. In Situ Enzymatically Generated Photoswitchable Oxidase Mimetics and Their Application for Colorimetric Detection of Glucose Oxidase.

    PubMed

    Cao, Gen-Xia; Wu, Xiu-Ming; Dong, Yu-Ming; Li, Zai-Jun; Wang, Guang-Li

    2016-07-09

    In this study, a simple and amplified colorimetric assay is developed for the detection of the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase (GOx) based on in situ formation of a photoswitchable oxidase mimetic of PO₄(3-)-capped CdS quantum dots (QDs). GOx catalyzes the oxidation of 1-thio-β-d-glucose to give 1-thio-β-d-gluconic acid which spontaneously hydrolyzes to β-d-gluconic acid and H₂S; the generated H₂S instantly reacts with Cd(2+) in the presence of Na₃PO₄ to give PO₄(3-)-stabilized CdS QDs in situ. Under visible-light (λ ≥ 400 nm) stimulation, the PO₄(3-)-capped CdS QDs are a new style of oxidase mimic derived by producing some active species, such as h⁺, (•)OH, O₂(•-) and a little H₂O₂, which can oxidize the typical substrate (3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzydine (TMB)) with a color change. Based on the GOx-triggered growth of the oxidase mimetics of PO₄(3-)-capped CdS QDs in situ, we developed a simple and amplified colorimetric assay to probe the enzymatic activity of GOx. The proposed method allowed the detection of the enzymatic activity of GOx over the range from 25 μg/L to 50 mg/L with a low detection limit of 6.6 μg/L. We believe the PO₄(3-)-capped CdS QDs generated in situ with photo-stimulated enzyme-mimicking activity may find wide potential applications in biosensors.

  14. Glycosylation site-targeted PEGylation of glucose oxidase retains native enzymatic activity.

    PubMed

    Ritter, Dustin W; Roberts, Jason R; McShane, Michael J

    2013-04-10

    Targeted PEGylation of glucose oxidase at its glycosylation sites was investigated to determine the effect on enzymatic activity, as well as the bioconjugate's potential in an optical biosensing assay. Methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-hydrazide (4.5kDa) was covalently coupled to periodate-oxidized glycosylation sites of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger. The bioconjugate was characterized using gel electrophoresis, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and dynamic light scattering. Gel electrophoresis data showed that the PEGylation protocol resulted in a drastic increase (ca. 100kDa) in the apparent molecular mass of the protein subunit, with complete conversion to the bioconjugate; liquid chromatography data corroborated this large increase in molecular size. Mass spectrometry data proved that the extent of PEGylation was six poly(ethylene glycol) chains per glucose oxidase dimer. Dynamic light scattering data indicated the absence of higher-order oligomers in the PEGylated GOx sample. To assess stability, enzymatic activity assays were performed in triplicate at multiple time points over the course of 29 days in the absence of glucose, as well as before and after exposure to 5% w/v glucose for 24h. At a confidence level of 95%, the bioconjugate's performance was statistically equivalent to native glucose oxidase in terms of activity retention over the 29 day time period, as well as following the 24h glucose exposure. Finally, the bioconjugate was entrapped within a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel containing an oxygen-sensitive phosphor, and the construct was shown to respond approximately linearly with a 220±73% signal change (n=4, 95% confidence interval) over the physiologically-relevant glucose range (i.e., 0-400mg/dL); to our knowledge, this represents the first demonstration of PEGylated glucose oxidase incorporated into an optical biosensing assay. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Effect of contraceptive steroids on monoamine oxidase activity

    PubMed Central

    Southgate, Jennifer; Collins, G. G. S.; Pryse-Davies, J.; Sandler, M.

    1969-01-01

    Cyclical variations in monoamine oxidase activity during the human menstrual cycle, specific to the endometrium and modified in women undergoing contraceptive steroid treatment, may reflect changes in hormonal environment. Treatment of rats with individual constituents of the contraceptive pill causes analogous changes: oestrogens inhibit and progestogens potentiate uterine monoamine oxidase activity. ImagesFig. 2Fig. 3

  16. Increase of rutin antioxidant activity by generating Maillard reaction products with lysine.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Ru; Zhang, Bian-Ling; He, Ting; Yi, Ting; Yang, Ji-Ping; He, Bin

    2016-06-01

    Rutin exists in medicinal herbs, fruits, vegetables, and a number of plant-derived sources. Dietary sources containing rutin are considered beneficial because of their potential protective roles in multiple diseases related to oxidative stresses. In the present study, the change and antioxidation activity of rutin in Maillard reaction with lysine through a heating process were investigated. There is release of glucose and rhamnose that interact with lysine to give Maillard reaction products (MRPs), while rutin is converted to less-polar quercetin and a small quantity of isoquercitrin. Because of their high cell-membrane permeability, the rutin-lysine MRPs increase the free radical-scavenging activity in HepG2 cells, showing cellular antioxidant activity against Cu(2+)-induced oxidative stress higher than that of rutin. Furthermore, the MRPs significantly increased the Cu/Zn SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity and Cu/Zn SOD gene expression of HepG2 cells, consequently enhancing antioxidation activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Antibacterial Activity of a Novel Peptide-Modified Lysin Against Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Hang; Wang, Mengyue; Yu, Junping; Wei, Hongping

    2015-01-01

    The global emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a growing threat to public health worldwide. Natural bacteriophage lysins are promising alternatives in the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens, but not Gram-negative ones, like Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, due to the barriers posed by their outer membranes. Recently, modifying a natural lysin with an antimicrobial peptide was found able to break the barriers, and to kill Gram-negative pathogens. Herein, a new peptide-modified lysin (PlyA) was constructed by fusing the cecropin A peptide residues 1–8 (KWKLFKKI) with the OBPgp279 lysin and its antibacterial activity was studied. PlyA showed good and broad antibacterial activities against logarithmic phase A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa, but much reduced activities against the cells in stationary phase. Addition of outer membrane permeabilizers (EDTA and citric acid) could enhance the antibacterial activity of PlyA against stationary phase cells. Finally, no antibacterial activity of PlyA could be observed in some bio-matrices, such as culture media, milk, and sera. In conclusion, we reported here a novel peptide-modified lysin with significant antibacterial activity against both logarithmic (without OMPs) and stationary phase (with OMPs) A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa cells in buffer, but further optimization is needed to achieve broad activity in diverse bio-matrices. PMID:26733995

  18. Arginine and Lysine Transporters Are Essential for Trypanosoma brucei.

    PubMed

    Mathieu, Christoph; Macêdo, Juan P; Hürlimann, Daniel; Wirdnam, Corina; Haindrich, Alexander C; Suter Grotemeyer, Marianne; González-Salgado, Amaia; Schmidt, Remo S; Inbar, Ehud; Mäser, Pascal; Bütikofer, Peter; Zilberstein, Dan; Rentsch, Doris

    2017-01-01

    For Trypanosoma brucei arginine and lysine are essential amino acids and therefore have to be imported from the host. Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants identified cationic amino acid transporters among members of the T. brucei AAAP (amino acid/auxin permease) family. TbAAT5-3 showed high affinity arginine uptake (Km 3.6 ± 0.4 μM) and high selectivity for L-arginine. L-arginine transport was reduced by a 10-times excess of L-arginine, homo-arginine, canavanine or arginine-β-naphthylamide, while lysine was inhibitory only at 100-times excess, and histidine or ornithine did not reduce arginine uptake rates significantly. TbAAT16-1 is a high affinity (Km 4.3 ± 0.5 μM) and highly selective L-lysine transporter and of the compounds tested, only L-lysine and thialysine were competing for L-lysine uptake. TbAAT5-3 and TbAAT16-1 are expressed in both procyclic and bloodstream form T. brucei and cMyc-tagged proteins indicate localization at the plasma membrane. RNAi-mediated down-regulation of TbAAT5 and TbAAT16 in bloodstream form trypanosomes resulted in growth arrest, demonstrating that TbAAT5-mediated arginine and TbAAT16-mediated lysine transport are essential for T. brucei. Growth of induced RNAi lines could partially be rescued by supplementing a surplus of arginine or lysine, respectively, while addition of both amino acids was less efficient. Single and double RNAi lines indicate that additional low affinity uptake systems for arginine and lysine are present in T. brucei.

  19. Arginine and Lysine Transporters Are Essential for Trypanosoma brucei

    PubMed Central

    Hürlimann, Daniel; Wirdnam, Corina; Haindrich, Alexander C.; Suter Grotemeyer, Marianne; González-Salgado, Amaia; Schmidt, Remo S.; Inbar, Ehud; Mäser, Pascal; Bütikofer, Peter; Zilberstein, Dan; Rentsch, Doris

    2017-01-01

    For Trypanosoma brucei arginine and lysine are essential amino acids and therefore have to be imported from the host. Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants identified cationic amino acid transporters among members of the T. brucei AAAP (amino acid/auxin permease) family. TbAAT5-3 showed high affinity arginine uptake (Km 3.6 ± 0.4 μM) and high selectivity for L-arginine. L-arginine transport was reduced by a 10-times excess of L-arginine, homo-arginine, canavanine or arginine-β-naphthylamide, while lysine was inhibitory only at 100-times excess, and histidine or ornithine did not reduce arginine uptake rates significantly. TbAAT16-1 is a high affinity (Km 4.3 ± 0.5 μM) and highly selective L-lysine transporter and of the compounds tested, only L-lysine and thialysine were competing for L-lysine uptake. TbAAT5-3 and TbAAT16-1 are expressed in both procyclic and bloodstream form T. brucei and cMyc-tagged proteins indicate localization at the plasma membrane. RNAi-mediated down-regulation of TbAAT5 and TbAAT16 in bloodstream form trypanosomes resulted in growth arrest, demonstrating that TbAAT5-mediated arginine and TbAAT16-mediated lysine transport are essential for T. brucei. Growth of induced RNAi lines could partially be rescued by supplementing a surplus of arginine or lysine, respectively, while addition of both amino acids was less efficient. Single and double RNAi lines indicate that additional low affinity uptake systems for arginine and lysine are present in T. brucei. PMID:28045943

  20. Poly(L-lysine) Interfaces via Dual Click Reactions on Surface-Bound Custom-Designed Dithiol Adsorbates.

    PubMed

    Shakiba, Amin; Jamison, Andrew C; Lee, T Randall

    2015-06-09

    Surfaces modified with poly(L-lysine) can be used to immobilize selected biomolecules electrostatically. This report describes the preparation of a set of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) from three different azide-terminated adsorbates as platforms for performing controlled surface attachments and as a means of determining the parameters that afford stable poly(L-lysine)-modified SAM surfaces having controlled packing densities. A maleimide-terminated alkyne linker was "clicked" to the azide-terminated surfaces via a copper-catalyzed cycloaddition reaction to produce the attachment sites for the polypeptides. A thiol-Michael addition was then used to immobilize cysteine-terminated poly(L-lysine) moieties on the gold surface, avoiding adsorbate self-reactions with this two-step procedure. Each step in this process was analyzed by ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, polarization modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, and contact angle goniometry to determine which adsorbate structure most effectively produced the targeted polypeptide interface. Additionally, a series of mixed SAMs using an azidoalkanethiol in combination with a normal alkanethiol having an equivalent alkyl chain were prepared to provide data to determine how dilution of the azide reactive site on the SAM surface influences the initial click reaction. Overall, the collected data demonstrate the advantages of an appropriately designed bidentate absorbate and its potential to form effective platforms for biomolecule surface attachment via click reactions.

  1. Extracellular cholesterol oxidase production by Streptomyces aegyptia, in vitro anticancer activities against rhabdomyosarcoma, breast cancer cell-lines and in vivo apoptosis.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; Soliman, Hoda M; El-Shweihy, Nancy M

    2018-02-09

    In recent years, microbial cholesterol oxidases have gained great attention due to its widespread use in medical applications for serum cholesterol determination. Streptomyces aegyptia strain NEAE-102 exhibited high level of extracellular cholesterol oxidase production using a minimum medium containing cholesterol as the sole source of carbon. Fifteen variables were screened using Plackett-Burman design for the enhanced cholesterol oxidase production. The most significant variables affecting enzyme production were further optimized by using the face-centered central composite design. The statistical optimization resulted in an overall 4.97-fold increase (15.631 UmL -1 ) in cholesterol oxidase production in the optimized medium as compared with the unoptimized medium before applying Plackett Burman design (3.1 UmL -1 ). The purified cholesterol oxidase was evaluated for its in vitro anticancer activities against five human cancer cell lines. The selectivity index values on rhabdomyosarcoma and breast cancer cell lines were 3.26 and 2.56; respectively. The in vivo anticancer activity of cholesterol oxidase was evaluated against Ehrlich solid tumor model. Compared with control mice, tumors growth was significantly inhibited in the mice injected with cholesterol oxidase alone, doxorubicin alone and cholesterol oxidase/doxorubicin combination by 60.97%, 72.99% and 97.04%; respectively. These results demonstrated that cholesterol oxidase can be used as a promising natural anticancer drug.

  2. Construction and enzymatic degradation of multilayered poly-l-lysine/DNA films.

    PubMed

    Ren, Kefeng; Ji, Jian; Shen, Jiacong

    2006-03-01

    The layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of poly-l-lysine (PLL) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was used to construct the enzymatic biodegradable multilayered films. The LbL build up of DNA multilayers was monitored by UV-vis spectrometry, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM, UV-vis spectrometry and fluorescence spectrometry measurements indicated that 90% of DNA within the films was released almost linearly under 5 U mL(-1)alpha-chymotrypsin in PBS at 37 degrees C in 35 h. TEM and zeta potential experiments revealed that the released DNA molecules were condensed into the slight positive complexes with size from 20 to several hundred nanometers. The well-structured, easy processed enzymatic biodegradable multilayered film may have great potential for gene applications in tissue engineering, medical implants, etc.

  3. Deciphering the role of NADPH oxidase in complex interactions between maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes and cereal aphids.

    PubMed

    Sytykiewicz, Hubert

    2016-07-22

    Plant NADPH oxidases (NOXs) encompass a group of membrane-bound enzymes participating in formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under physiological conditions as well as in response to environmental stressors. The purpose of the survey was to unveil the role of NADPH oxidase in pro-oxidative responses of maize (Zea mays L.) seedling leaves exposed to cereal aphids' infestation. The impact of apteral females of bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) and grain aphid (Sitobion avenae F.) feeding on expression levels of all four NADPH oxidase genes (rbohA, rbohB, rbohC, rbohD) and total activity of NOX enzyme in maize plants were investigated. In addition, inhibitory effect of diphenylene iodonium (DPI) pre-treatment on NOX activity and hydrogen peroxide content in aphid-stressed maize seedlings was studied. Leaf infestation biotests were accomplished on 14-day-old seedlings representing two aphid-resistant varieties (Ambrozja and Waza) and two aphid-susceptible ones (Tasty Sweet and Złota Karłowa). Insects' attack led to profound upregulation of rbohA and rbohD genes in tested host plants, lower elevations were noted in level of rbohB mRNA, whereas abundance of rbohC transcript was not significantly altered. It was uncovered aphid-induced enhancement of NOX activity in examined plants. Higher increases in expression of all investigated rboh genes and activity of NADPH oxidase occurred in tissues of more resistant maize cultivars than in susceptible ones. Furthermore, DPI treatment resulted in strong reduction of NOX activity and H2O2 accumulation in aphid-infested Z. mays plants, thus evidencing circumstantial role of the enzyme in insect-elicited ROS generation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Interfacial electrostatics of poly(vinylamine hydrochloride), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly-l-lysine, and poly-l-arginine interacting with lipid bilayers.

    PubMed

    McGeachy, A C; Dalchand, N; Caudill, E R; Li, T; Doğangün, M; Olenick, L L; Chang, H; Pedersen, J A; Geiger, F M

    2018-04-25

    Charge densities of cationic polymers adsorbed to lipid bilayers are estimated from second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements. The systems surveyed included poly(vinylamine hydrochloride) (PVAm), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), poly-l-lysine (PLL), and poly-l-arginine (PLR), as well as polyalcohol controls. Upon accounting for the number of positive charges associated with each polyelectrolyte, the binding constants and apparent free energies of adsorption as estimated from SHG data are comparable despite differences in molecular masses and molecular structure, with ΔGads values of -61 ± 2, -58 ± 2, -57 ± 1, -52 ± 2, -52 ± 1 kJ mol-1 for PDADMAC400, PDADMAC100, PVAm, PLL, and PLR, respectively. Moreover, we find charge densities for polymer adlayers of approximately 0.3 C m-2 for poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) while those of poly(vinylamine) hydrochloride, poly-l-lysine, and poly-l-arginine are approximately 0.2 C m-2. Time-dependent studies indicate that polycation adsorption to supported lipid bilayers is only partially reversible for most of the polymers explored. Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) does not demonstrate reversible binding even over long timescales (>8 hours).

  5. PROLINE OXIDASES IN HANSENULA SUBPELLICULOSA

    PubMed Central

    Ling, Chung-Mei; Hedrick, L. R.

    1964-01-01

    Ling, Chung-Mei (Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago), and L. R. Hedrick. Proline oxidases in Hansenula subpelliculosa. J. Bacteriol. 87:1462–1470. 1964—Cells of Hansenula subpelliculosa can use l-proline as a carbon and a nitrogen source after a 6- to 8-hr induction period. However, they cannot use l-glutamate as both nitrogen and carbon sources unless the induction period is of several days' duration. Two l-proline oxidases were demonstrated in the mitochondrial preparation of this yeast. One forms the product Δ′-pyrroline-2-carboxylic acid (P2C), which is in equilibrium with α-keto-δ-amino-valeric acid; the other forms the product Δ′-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C), which is in equilibrium with glutamic-γ-semialdehyde. The first-mentioned enzyme is induced when l-proline is the carbon source; the second appears to be constitutive, and is probably associated with the use of l-proline as a nitrogen source. The P2C-forming enzyme is specific for the l isomer of proline, and is inactive against l-hydroxyproline. The enzyme activity is at its peak when the mitochondria are prepared from logarithmically grown cells, and is rapidly reduced after cells reach the stationary phase of growth. Kinetic studies with varying concentrations of substrate indicate a Michaelis-Menten constant of 2.45 × 10−2m. Paper chromatographic studies, chemical tests with H2O2, sensitivity to freezing, and spectral measurements indicate that proline oxidase from H. subpelliculosa mitochondria forms a product from l-proline which is like, if not identical to, P2C formed by the action of sheep kidney d-proline oxidase upon dl-proline. The soluble portion of the cell extract contains NAD+ enzymes which use either P2C (α-keto-δ-amino-valeric acid) or P5C (glutamic-γ-semialdehyde) as substrates. No glutamic dehydrogenase activity could be detected when l-glutamic acid and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) cofactor were added to the supernatant solution with the

  6. CotA, a Multicopper Oxidase from Bacillus pumilus WH4, Exhibits Manganese-Oxidase Activity

    PubMed Central

    Su, Jianmei; Bao, Peng; Bai, Tenglong; Deng, Lin; Wu, Hui; Liu, Fan; He, Jin

    2013-01-01

    Multicopper oxidases (MCOs) are a family of enzymes that use copper ions as cofactors to oxidize various substrates. Previous research has demonstrated that several MCOs such as MnxG, MofA and MoxA can act as putative Mn(II) oxidases. Meanwhile, the endospore coat protein CotA from Bacillus species has been confirmed as a typical MCO. To study the relationship between CotA and the Mn(II) oxidation, the cotA gene from a highly active Mn(II)-oxidizing strain Bacillus pumilus WH4 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli strain M15. The purified CotA contained approximately four copper atoms per molecule and showed spectroscopic properties typical of blue copper oxidases. Importantly, apart from the laccase activities, the CotA also displayed substantial Mn(II)-oxidase activities both in liquid culture system and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum Mn(II) oxidase activity was obtained at 53°C in HEPES buffer (pH 8.0) supplemented with 0.8 mM CuCl2. Besides, the addition of o-phenanthroline and EDTA both led to a complete suppression of Mn(II)-oxidizing activity. The specific activity of purified CotA towards Mn(II) was 0.27 U/mg. The Km, Vmax and kcat values towards Mn(II) were 14.85±1.17 mM, 3.01×10−6±0.21 M·min−1 and 0.32±0.02 s−1, respectively. Moreover, the Mn(II)-oxidizing activity of the recombinant E. coli strain M15-pQE-cotA was significantly increased when cultured both in Mn-containing K liquid medium and on agar plates. After 7-day liquid cultivation, M15-pQE-cotA resulted in 18.2% removal of Mn(II) from the medium. Furthermore, the biogenic Mn oxides were clearly observed on the cell surfaces of M15-pQE-cotA by scanning electron microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first report that provides the direct observation of Mn(II) oxidation with the heterologously expressed protein CotA, Therefore, this novel finding not only establishes the foundation for in-depth study of Mn(II) oxidation mechanisms, but also offers a

  7. Construction of Mutant Glucose Oxidases with Increased Dye-Mediated Dehydrogenase Activity

    PubMed Central

    Horaguchi, Yohei; Saito, Shoko; Kojima, Katsuhiro; Tsugawa, Wakako; Ferri, Stefano; Sode, Koji

    2012-01-01

    Mutagenesis studies on glucose oxidases (GOxs) were conducted to construct GOxs with reduced oxidase activity and increased dehydrogenase activity. We focused on two representative GOxs, of which crystal structures have already been reported—Penicillium amagasakiense GOx (PDB ID; 1gpe) and Aspergillus niger GOx (PDB ID; 1cf3). We constructed oxygen-interacting structural models for GOxs, and predicted the residues responsible for oxidative half reaction with oxygen on the basis of the crystal structure of cholesterol oxidase as well as on the fact that both enzymes are members of the glucose/methanol/choline (GMC) oxidoreductase family. Rational amino acid substitution resulted in the construction of an engineered GOx with drastically decreased oxidase activity and increased dehydrogenase activity, which was higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. As a result, the dehydrogenase/oxidase ratio of the engineered enzyme was more than 11-fold greater than that of the wild-type enzyme. These results indicate that alteration of the dehydrogenase/oxidase activity ratio of GOxs is possible by introducing a mutation into the putative functional residues responsible for oxidative half reaction with oxygen of these enzymes, resulting in a further increased dehydrogenase activity. This is the first study reporting the alteration of GOx electron acceptor preference from oxygen to an artificial electron acceptor. PMID:23203056

  8. Oxygen activation in flavoprotein oxidases: the importance of being positive.

    PubMed

    Gadda, Giovanni

    2012-04-03

    The oxidation of flavin hydroquinones by O(2) in solution is slow, with second-order rate constants of ~250 M(-1) s(-1). This is due to the obligatory, single-electron transfer that initiates the reaction being thermodynamically unfavored and poorly catalyzed. Notwithstanding considerations of O(2) accessibility to the reaction site, its desolvation and geometry and other factors that can also contribute to further rate acceleration, flavoprotein oxidases must activate O(2) for reaction with flavin hydroquinones to be able to achieve the 100-1000-fold rate enhancements typically observed. Protein positive charges have been identified in glucose oxidase, monomeric sarcosine oxidase, N-methyltryptophan oxidase and fructosamine oxidase that electrostatically stabilize the transition state for the initial single electron transfer that generates the O(2)(-•)/flavin semiquinone radical pair. In choline oxidase despite the presence of three histidines in the active site, the trimethylammonium group of the reaction product provides such an electrostatic stabilization. A nonpolar site proximal to the flavin C(4a) atom in choline oxidase has also been identified, which contributes to the geometry and desolvation of the O(2) reaction site. The relevance of O(2) activation by product charges to other flavoprotein oxidases, such as for example those catalyzing amine oxidations, is discussed in this review. A nonpolar site close to the flavin C(4a) atom and a positive charge is identified through structural analysis in several flavoprotein oxidases. Mutagenesis has disclosed nonpolar sites in O(2)-reducing enzymes that utilize copper/TPQ or iron. It is predicted that classes of O(2)-reducing enzymes utilizing other cofactors also contain a similar catalytic motif.

  9. Cytotoxic, Anti-Proliferative and Apoptosis Activity of l-Amino Acid Oxidase from Malaysian Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus (CP-LAAO) Venom on Human Colon Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Zainal Abidin, Syafiq Asnawi; Rajadurai, Pathmanathan; Hoque Chowdhury, Md Ezharul; Othman, Iekhsan; Naidu, Rakesh

    2018-06-08

    The aim of this study is to investigate the potential anti-cancer activity of l-amino acid oxidase (CP-LAAO) purified from the venom of Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus on SW480 and SW620 human colon cancer cells. Mass spectrometry guided purification was able to identify and purify CP-LAAO. Amino acid variations identified from the partial protein sequence of CP-LAAO may suggest novel variants of these proteins. The activity of the purified CP-LAAO was confirmed with o-phenyldiamine (OPD)-based spectrophotometric assay. CP-LAAO demonstrated time- and dose-dependent cytotoxic activity and the EC 50 value was determined at 13 µg/mL for both SW480 and SW620 cells. Significant increase of caspase-3 activity, reduction of Bcl-2 levels, as well as morphological changes consistent with apoptosis were demonstrated by CP-LAAO. Overall, these data provide evidence on the potential anti-cancer activity of CP-LAAO from the venom of Malaysian C. purpureomaculatus for therapeutic intervention of human colon cancer.

  10. Activation of neuronal Kv7/KCNQ/M-channels by the opener QO58-lysine and its anti-nociceptive effects on inflammatory pain in rodents.

    PubMed

    Teng, Bo-Chuan; Song, Yan; Zhang, Fan; Ma, Tian-Yang; Qi, Jin-Long; Zhang, Hai-Lin; Li, Gang; Wang, KeWei

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the activation of neuronal Kv7/KCNQ channels by a novel modified Kv7 opener QO58-lysine and to test the anti-nociceptive effects of QO58-lysine on inflammatory pain in rodent models. Assays including whole-cell patch clamp recordings, HPLC, and in vivo pain behavioral evaluations were employed. QO58-lysine caused instant activation of Kv7.2/7.3 currents, and increasing the dose of QO58-lysine resulted in a dose-dependent activation of Kv7.2/Kv7.3 currents with an EC50 of 1.2±0.2 μmol/L. QO58-lysine caused a leftward shift of the voltage-dependent activation of Kv7.2/Kv7.3 to a hyperpolarized potential at V1/2=-54.4±2.5 mV from V1/2=-26.0±0.6 mV. The half-life in plasma (t1/2) was derived as 2.9, 2.7, and 3.0 h for doses of 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities for the three doses (12.5, 25, and 50 mg/kg) of QO58-lysine (po) were determined as 13.7%, 24.3%, and 39.3%, respectively. QO58-lysine caused a concentration-dependent reduction in the licking times during phase II pain induced by the injection of formalin into the mouse hindpaw. In the Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain model in rats, oral or intraperitoneal administration of QO58-lysine resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the paw withdrawal threshold, and the anti-nociceptive effect on mechanical allodynia could be reversed by the channel-specific blocker XE991 (3 mg/kg). Taken together, our findings show that a modified QO58 compound (QO58-lysine) can specifically activate Kv7.2/7.3/M-channels. Oral or intraperitoneal administration of QO58-lysine, which has improved bioavailability and a half-life of approximately 3 h in plasma, can reverse inflammatory pain in rodent animal models.

  11. Lysine production from methanol at 50 degrees C using Bacillus methanolicus: Modeling volume control, lysine concentration, and productivity using a three-phase continuous simulation.

    PubMed

    Lee, G H; Hur, W; Bremmon, C E; Flickinger, M C

    1996-03-20

    A simulation was developed based on experimental data obtained in a 14-L reactor to predict the growth and L-lysine accumulation kinetics, and change in volume of a large-scale (250-m(3)) Bacillus methanolicus methanol-based process. Homoserine auxotrophs of B. methanolicus MGA3 are unique methylotrophs because of the ability to secrete lysine during aerobic growth and threonine starvation at 50 degrees C. Dissolved methanol (100 mM), pH, dissolved oxygen tension (0.063 atm), and threonine levels were controlled to obtain threonine-limited conditions and high-cell density (25 g dry cell weight/L) in a 14-L reactor. As a fed-batch process, the additions of neat methanol (fed on demand), threonine, and other nutrients cause the volume of the fermentation to increase and the final lysine concentration to decrease. In addition, water produced as a result of methanol metabolism contributes to the increase in the volume of the reactor. A three-phase approach was used to predict the rate of change of culture volume based on carbon dioxide production and methanol consumption. This model was used for the evaluation of volume control strategies to optimize lysine productivity. A constant volume reactor process with variable feeding and continuous removal of broth and cells (VF(cstr)) resulted in higher lysine productivity than a fed-batch process without volume control. This model predicts the variation in productivity of lysine with changes in growth and in specific lysine productivity. Simple modifications of the model allows one to investigate other high-lysine-secreting strains with different growth and lysine productivity characteristics. Strain NOA2#13A5-2 which secretes lysine and other end-products were modeled using both growth and non-growth-associated lysine productivity. A modified version of this model was used to simulate the change in culture volume of another L-lysine producing mutant (NOA2#13A52-8A66) with reduced secretion of end-products. The modified

  12. Green Emission of Tb-doped Mg-Al Layered Double Hydroxide Response to L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yufeng; Bao, Yao; Wang, Xiaoqing

    2016-05-01

    The paper describes a study on the green emission of a Tb-doped Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (Tb-LDH) response to L-lysine (Lys). Fluorescent study was found that the Tb-LDH exhibited strong green emission due to (5)D4-(7)FJ (J = 5, 6) transition of Tb(3+), and the green emission almost quenched while the Tb-LDH was exposed to 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mol·L(-1) Lys solution, respectively. Meanwhile the emission attributed to Lys markedly increased as the Tb-LDH was exposed to 0.01 and 0.05 mol·L(-1) Lys solution, then decreased as the concentration of Lys solution further increased to 0.5 from 0.05 mol·L(-1). The green emission of Tb-LDH optimal response to Lys happened at 0.05 mol·L(-1) of Lys solution. XRD results revealed that no reflections ascribed to Lys appeared in the composites of Tb-LDH and Lys. IR spectra suggested that the IR spectra of Tb-LDH obviously changed after it was exposed to Lys solution. These results indicated that the green emission of Tb-LDH response to Lys was possibly owing to interaction between the Tb-LDH and Lys. Moreover, this interaction between the Tb-LDH and Lys may be resulted from absorption. The green emission of Tb-LDH response to Lys would be potential application in detecting L-lysine.

  13. Comparative Activity-Based Flavin-Dependent Oxidase Profiling.

    PubMed

    Krysiak, Joanna; Breinbauer, Rolf

    2017-01-01

    Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) has become a powerful chemoproteomic technology allowing for the dissection of complex ligand-protein interactions in their native cellular environment. One of the biggest challenges for ABPP is the extension of the proteome coverage. In this chapter a new ABPP strategy dedicated to monoamine oxidases (MAO) is presented. These enzymes are representative examples of flavin-dependent oxidases, playing a crucial role in the regulation of nervous system signaling.

  14. Characterization of polyphenol oxidase from blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.).

    PubMed

    Siddiq, M; Dolan, K D

    2017-03-01

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was extracted and characterized from high-bush blueberries. PPO showed an optimum activity at pH 6.1-6.3 and 35°C, with the enzyme showing significant activity over a wide temperature range (25-60°C). Catechol was the most readily oxidized substrate followed by 4-methylcatechol, DL-DOPA, and dopamine. Blueberry PPO showed a K m of 15mM and V max of 2.57 ΔA 420 nm/min×10 -1 , determined with catechol. PPO was completely inactivated in 20min at 85°C, however, after 30minat 75°C it showed about 10% residual activity. Thermal treatment at 55 and 65°C for 30min resulted in the partial inactivation of PPO. Ascorbic acid, sodium diethyldithiocarbamic acid, L-cysteine, and sodium metabisulfite were effective inhibitors of PPO at 1.0mM. Benzoic acid and cinnamic acid series inhibitors showed relatively weak inhibition of PPO (21.8-27.6%), even at as high as 2.0mM concentration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Low cytotoxic tissue adhesive based on oxidized dextran and epsilon-poly-L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Hyon, Suong-Hyu; Nakajima, Naoki; Sugai, Hajime; Matsumura, Kazuaki

    2014-08-01

    A novel adhesive hydrogel consisting of dextran and epsilon-poly(L-lysine) (dextran-PL) with multiple biomedical applications was developed. Periodate oxidation in aqueous media almost stoichiometrically introduces aldehyde groups in dextran molecules, and aldehyde dextran can react with the primary amino groups in epsilon-PL (ɛ-PL) at neutral pH to form a hydrogel. The gelation time of the hydrogel can be easily controlled by the extent of oxidation in dextran and of the acylation in ɛ-PL by anhydrides. The shear adhesion strength of dextran-PL was 10 times higher than that of fibrin glue, when wet collagen sheets were selected as test specimens. The cytotoxicity of aldehyde dextran and ɛ-PL were 1000 times lower than that of glutaraldehyde and poly(allylamine). The considerably low cytotoxicity of aldehyde dextran could be ascribed to its low reactivity with amine species when compared with glutaraldehyde. In contrast, a high reactivity of amino groups in ɛ-PL was observed when compared with glycine, L-lysine, and gelatin, which could be explained by their poor dissociation at neutral pH, thus leading to low cytotoxicity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Lysyl oxidase: properties, specificity, and biological roles inside and outside of the cell.

    PubMed

    Kagan, Herbert M; Li, Wande

    2003-03-01

    Lysyl oxidase (LO) plays a critical role in the formation and repair of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by oxidizing lysine residues in elastin and collagen, thereby initiating the formation of covalent crosslinkages which stabilize these fibrous proteins. Its catalytic activity depends upon both its copper cofactor and a unique carbonyl cofactor and has been shown to extend to a variety of basic globular proteins, including histone H1. Although the three-dimensional structure of LO has yet to be determined, the present treatise offers hypotheses based upon its primary sequence, which may underlie the prominent electrostatic component of its unusual substrate specificity as well as the catalysis-suppressing function of the propeptide domain of prolysyl oxidase. Recent studies have demonstrated that LO appears to function within the cell in a manner, which strongly modifies cellular activity. Newly discovered LO-like proteins also likely play unique roles in biology. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Investigation into the Emerging Role of the Basic Amino Acid L-Lysine in Enhancing Solubility and Permeability of BCS Class II and BCS Class IV Drugs.

    PubMed

    Abdelkader, Hamdy; Fathalla, Zeinab

    2018-06-18

    The search for a simple and scalable approach that can improve the two key biopharmaceutical processes (solubility and permeability) for BCS Class II and BCS Class IV has still been unmet need. In this study, L-lysine was investigated as a potential excipient to tackle problems with solubility and permeability. Bendazac (Class II); quercetin and rutin (Class IV) were employed. Drugs-lysine complexes in 1:1 M ratios were prepared by co-precipitation and co-grinding; characterized for solubility, partition coefficient, DSC, FTIR, SEM, dissolution rate and permeability. Chemical stability of quercetin-lysine and rutin-lysine was studied by assessing antioxidant capacity using Trolox and CUPRAC assays. Drugs-lysine salt/complexes were confirmed. Solubility enhancement factors ranged from 68- to 433-fold increases and dissolution rates were also significantly enhanced by up to 6-times, compared with drugs alone. With the exception of rutin-lysine, P app for bendazac-lysine and quercetin-lysine enhanced by 2.3- to 4-fold. P app for quercetin (Class IV) benefited more than bendazac (Class II) when complexed with lysine. This study warrants the use of L-lysine as a promising excipient for enhanced solubility and permeability of Class II and Class IV, providing that the solubility of the drug is ensured at 'the door step' of absorption sites.

  18. African Swine Fever Virus pB119L Protein Is a Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide-Linked Sulfhydryl Oxidase

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez, Irene; Redrejo-Rodríguez, Modesto; Rodríguez, Javier M.; Alejo, Alí; Salas, José; Salas, María L.

    2006-01-01

    Protein pB119L of African swine fever virus belongs to the Erv1p/Alrp family of sulfhydryl oxidases and has been described as a late nonstructural protein required for correct virus assembly. To further our knowledge of the function of protein pB119L during the virus life cycle, we have investigated whether this protein possesses sulfhydryl oxidase activity, using a purified recombinant protein. We show that the purified protein contains bound flavin adenine dinucleotide and is capable of catalyzing the formation of disulfide bonds both in a protein substrate and in the small molecule dithiothreitol, the catalytic activity being comparable to that of the Erv1p protein. Furthermore, protein pB119L contains the cysteines of its active-site motif CXXC, predominantly in an oxidized state, and forms noncovalently bound dimers in infected cells. We also show in coimmunoprecipitation experiments that protein pB119L interacts with the viral protein pA151R, which contains a CXXC motif similar to that present in thioredoxins. Protein pA151R, in turn, was found to interact with the viral structural protein pE248R, which contains disulfide bridges and belongs to a class of myristoylated proteins related to vaccinia virus L1R, one of the substrates of the redox pathway encoded by this virus. These results suggest the existence in African swine fever virus of a system for the formation of disulfide bonds constituted at least by proteins pB119L and pA151R and identify protein pE248R as a possible final substrate of this pathway. PMID:16537584

  19. African swine fever virus pB119L protein is a flavin adenine dinucleotide-linked sulfhydryl oxidase.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez, Irene; Redrejo-Rodríguez, Modesto; Rodríguez, Javier M; Alejo, Alí; Salas, José; Salas, María L

    2006-04-01

    Protein pB119L of African swine fever virus belongs to the Erv1p/Alrp family of sulfhydryl oxidases and has been described as a late nonstructural protein required for correct virus assembly. To further our knowledge of the function of protein pB119L during the virus life cycle, we have investigated whether this protein possesses sulfhydryl oxidase activity, using a purified recombinant protein. We show that the purified protein contains bound flavin adenine dinucleotide and is capable of catalyzing the formation of disulfide bonds both in a protein substrate and in the small molecule dithiothreitol, the catalytic activity being comparable to that of the Erv1p protein. Furthermore, protein pB119L contains the cysteines of its active-site motif CXXC, predominantly in an oxidized state, and forms noncovalently bound dimers in infected cells. We also show in coimmunoprecipitation experiments that protein pB119L interacts with the viral protein pA151R, which contains a CXXC motif similar to that present in thioredoxins. Protein pA151R, in turn, was found to interact with the viral structural protein pE248R, which contains disulfide bridges and belongs to a class of myristoylated proteins related to vaccinia virus L1R, one of the substrates of the redox pathway encoded by this virus. These results suggest the existence in African swine fever virus of a system for the formation of disulfide bonds constituted at least by proteins pB119L and pA151R and identify protein pE248R as a possible final substrate of this pathway.

  20. In vitro effects of acetylcholinesterase reactivators on monoamine oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Fišar, Zdeněk; Hroudová, Jana; Korábečný, Jan; Musílek, Kamil; Kuča, Kamil

    2011-03-05

    Administration of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivators (oximes) is usually used in order to counteract the poisoning effects of nerve agents. The possibility was suggested that oximes may show some therapeutic and/or adverse effects through their action in central nervous system. There are no sufficient data about interaction of oximes with monoaminergic neurotransmitter's systems in the brain. Oxime-type AChE reactivators pralidoxime, obidoxime, trimedoxime, methoxime and HI-6 were tested for their potential to affect the activity of monoamine oxidase of type A (MAO-A) and type B (MAO-B) in crude mitochondrial fraction of pig brains. The compounds were found to inhibit fully MAO-A with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 0.375 mmol/l (pralidoxime), 1.53 mmol/l (HI-6), 2.31 mmol/l (methoxime), 2.42 mmol/l (obidoxime) and 4.98 mmol/l (trimedoxime). Activity of MAO-B was fully inhibited by HI-6 and pralidoxime only with IC(50) 4.81 mmol/l and 11.01 mmol/l, respectively. Methoxime, obidoxime and trimedoxime displayed non-monotonic concentration dependent effect on MAO-B activity. Because oximes concentrations effective for MAO inhibition could not be achieved in vivo at the cerebral level, we suppose that oximes investigated do not interfere with brain MAO at therapeutically relevant concentrations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Inhibitors of enzymes catalyzing modifications to histone lysine residues: structure, function and activity.

    PubMed

    Lillico, Ryan; Stesco, Nicholas; Khorshid Amhad, Tina; Cortes, Claudia; Namaka, Mike P; Lakowski, Ted M

    2016-05-01

    Gene expression is partly controlled by epigenetic mechanisms including histone-modifying enzymes. Some diseases are caused by changes in gene expression that can be mitigated by inhibiting histone-modifying enzymes. This review covers the enzyme inhibitors targeting histone lysine modifications. We summarize the enzymatic mechanisms of histone lysine acetylation, deacetylation, methylation and demethylation and discuss the biochemical roles of these modifications in gene expression and in disease. We discuss inhibitors of lysine acetylation, deacetylation, methylation and demethylation defining their structure-activity relationships and their potential mechanisms. We show that there are potentially indiscriminant off-target effects on gene expression even with the use of selective epigenetic enzyme inhibitors.

  2. KDM1 Class Flavin-Dependent Protein Lysine Demethylases

    PubMed Central

    Burg, Jonathan M.; Link, Jennifer E.; Morgan, Brittany S.; Heller, Frederick J.; Hargrove, Amanda E.; McCafferty, Dewey G.

    2015-01-01

    Flavin-dependent, lysine-specific protein demethylases (KDM1s) are a subfamily of amine oxidases that catalyze the selective posttranslational oxidative demethylation of methyllysine side chains within protein and peptide substrates. KDM1s participate in the widespread epigenetic regulation of both normal and disease state transcriptional programs. Their activities are central to various cellular functions, such as hematopoietic and neuronal differentiation, cancer proliferation and metastasis, and viral lytic replication and establishment of latency. Interestingly, KDM1s function as catalytic subunits within complexes with coregulatory molecules that modulate enzymatic activity of the demethylases and coordinate their access to specific substrates at distinct sites within the cell and chromatin. Although several classes of KDM1 -selective small molecule inhibitors have been recently developed, these pan-active site inhibition strategies lack the ability to selectively discriminate between KDM1 activity in specific, and occasionally opposing, functional contexts within these complexes. Here we review the discovery of this class of demethylases, their structures, chemical mechanisms, and specificity. Additionally, we review inhibition of this class of enzymes as well as emerging interactions with coregulatory molecules that regulate demethylase activity in highly specific functional contexts of biological and potential therapeutic importance. PMID:25787087

  3. Racemic resolution of some DL-amino acids using Aspergillus fumigatus L-amino acid oxidase.

    PubMed

    Singh, Susmita; Gogoi, Binod K; Bezbaruah, Rajib L

    2011-07-01

    The ability of Aspergillus fumigatus L-amino acid oxidase (L-aao) to cause the resolution of racemic mixtures of DL-amino acids was investigated with DL-alanine, DL-phenylalanine, DL-tyrosine, and DL-aspartic acid. A chiral column, Crownpak CR+ was used for the analysis of the amino acids. The enzyme was able to cause the resolution of the three DL-amino acids resulting in the production of optically pure D-alanine (100% resolution), D-phenylalanine (80.2%), and D-tyrosine (84.1%), respectively. The optically pure D-amino acids have many uses and thus can be exploited industrially. This is the first report of the use of A. fumigatus L: -amino acid oxidase for racemic resolution of DL-amino acids.

  4. Transcriptome and Gene Ontology (GO) Enrichment Analysis Reveals Genes Involved in Biotin Metabolism That Affect L-Lysine Production in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hong-Il; Kim, Jong-Hyeon; Park, Young-Jin

    2016-03-09

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is widely used for amino acid production. In the present study, 543 genes showed a significant change in their mRNA expression levels in L-lysine-producing C. glutamicum ATCC21300 than that in the wild-type C. glutamicum ATCC13032. Among these 543 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 28 genes were up- or downregulated. In addition, 454 DEGs were functionally enriched and categorized based on BLAST sequence homologies and gene ontology (GO) annotations using the Blast2GO software. Interestingly, NCgl0071 (bioB, encoding biotin synthase) was expressed at levels ~20-fold higher in the L-lysine-producing ATCC21300 strain than that in the wild-type ATCC13032 strain. Five other genes involved in biotin metabolism or transport--NCgl2515 (bioA, encoding adenosylmethionine-8-amino-7-oxononanoate aminotransferase), NCgl2516 (bioD, encoding dithiobiotin synthetase), NCgl1883, NCgl1884, and NCgl1885--were also expressed at significantly higher levels in the L-lysine-producing ATCC21300 strain than that in the wild-type ATCC13032 strain, which we determined using both next-generation RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. When we disrupted the bioB gene in C. glutamicum ATCC21300, L-lysine production decreased by approximately 76%, and the three genes involved in biotin transport (NCgl1883, NCgl1884, and NCgl1885) were significantly downregulated. These results will be helpful to improve our understanding of C. glutamicum for industrial amino acid production.

  5. Variations of L- and D-amino acid levels in the brain of wild-type and mutant mice lacking D-amino acid oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Du, Siqi; Wang, Yadi; Weatherly, Choyce A; Holden, Kylie; Armstrong, Daniel W

    2018-05-01

    D-amino acids are now recognized to be widely present in organisms and play essential roles in biological processes. Some D-amino acids are metabolized by D-amino acid oxidase (DAO), while D-Asp and D-Glu are metabolized by D-aspartate oxidase (DDO). In this study, levels of 22 amino acids and the enantiomeric compositions of the 19 chiral proteogenic entities have been determined in the whole brain of wild-type ddY mice (ddY/DAO +/+ ), mutant mice lacking DAO activity (ddY/DAO -/- ), and the heterozygous mice (ddY/DAO +/- ) using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). No significant differences were observed for L-amino acid levels among the three strains except for L-Trp which was markedly elevated in the DAO +/- and DAO -/- mice. The question arises as to whether this is an unknown effect of DAO inactivity. The three highest levels of L-amino acids were L-Glu, L-Asp, and L-Gln in all the three strains. The lowest L-amino acid level was L-Cys in ddY/DAO +/- and ddY/DAO -/- mice, while L-Trp showed the lowest level in ddY/DAO +/+ mice. The highest concentration of D-amino acid was found to be D-Ser, which also had the highest % D value (~ 25%). D-Glu had the lowest % D value (~ 0.01%) in all the three strains. Significant differences of D-Leu, D-Ala, D-Ser, D-Arg, and D-Ile were observed in ddY/DAO +/- and ddY/DAO -/- mice compared to ddY/DAO +/+ mice. This work provides the most complete baseline analysis of L- and D-amino acids in the brains of ddY/DAO +/+ , ddY/DAO +/- , and ddY/DAO -/- mice yet reported. It also provides the most effective and efficient analytical approach for measuring these analytes in biological samples. This study provides fundamental information on the role of DAO in the brain and may be relevant for future development involving novel drugs for DAO regulation.

  6. Electrochemical l-Lactic Acid Sensor Based on Immobilized ZnO Nanorods with Lactate Oxidase

    PubMed Central

    Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Ali Shah, Syed Muhammad Usman; Khun, Kimleang; Willander, Magnus

    2012-01-01

    In this work, fabrication of gold coated glass substrate, growth of ZnO nanorods and potentiometric response of lactic acid are explained. The biosensor was developed by immobilizing the lactate oxidase on the ZnO nanorods in combination with glutaraldehyde as a cross linker for lactate oxidase enzyme. The potentiometric technique was applied for the measuring the output (EMF) response of l-lactic acid biosensor. We noticed that the present biosensor has wide linear detection range of concentration from 1 × 10−4–1 × 100 mM with acceptable sensitivity about 41.33 ± 1.58 mV/decade. In addition, the proposed biosensor showed fast response time less than 10 s, a good selectivity towards l-lactic acid in presence of common interfering substances such as ascorbic acid, urea, glucose, galactose, magnesium ions and calcium ions. The present biosensor based on immobilized ZnO nanorods with lactate oxidase sustained its stability for more than three weeks. PMID:22736960

  7. Electrochemical L-lactic acid sensor based on immobilized ZnO nanorods with lactate oxidase.

    PubMed

    Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Shah, Syed Muhammad Usman Ali; Khun, Kimleang; Willander, Magnus

    2012-01-01

    In this work, fabrication of gold coated glass substrate, growth of ZnO nanorods and potentiometric response of lactic acid are explained. The biosensor was developed by immobilizing the lactate oxidase on the ZnO nanorods in combination with glutaraldehyde as a cross linker for lactate oxidase enzyme. The potentiometric technique was applied for the measuring the output (EMF) response of l-lactic acid biosensor. We noticed that the present biosensor has wide linear detection range of concentration from 1 × 10(-4)-1 × 10(0) mM with acceptable sensitivity about 41.33 ± 1.58 mV/decade. In addition, the proposed biosensor showed fast response time less than 10 s, a good selectivity towards l-lactic acid in presence of common interfering substances such as ascorbic acid, urea, glucose, galactose, magnesium ions and calcium ions. The present biosensor based on immobilized ZnO nanorods with lactate oxidase sustained its stability for more than three weeks.

  8. Aurone synthase is a catechol oxidase with hydroxylase activity and provides insights into the mechanism of plant polyphenol oxidases

    PubMed Central

    Molitor, Christian; Mauracher, Stephan Gerhard

    2016-01-01

    Tyrosinases and catechol oxidases belong to the family of polyphenol oxidases (PPOs). Tyrosinases catalyze the o-hydroxylation and oxidation of phenolic compounds, whereas catechol oxidases were so far defined to lack the hydroxylation activity and catalyze solely the oxidation of o-diphenolic compounds. Aurone synthase from Coreopsis grandiflora (AUS1) is a specialized plant PPO involved in the anabolic pathway of aurones. We present, to our knowledge, the first crystal structures of a latent plant PPO, its mature active and inactive form, caused by a sulfation of a copper binding histidine. Analysis of the latent proenzyme’s interface between the shielding C-terminal domain and the main core provides insights into its activation mechanisms. As AUS1 did not accept common tyrosinase substrates (tyrosine and tyramine), the enzyme is classified as a catechol oxidase. However, AUS1 showed hydroxylase activity toward its natural substrate (isoliquiritigenin), revealing that the hydroxylase activity is not correlated with the acceptance of common tyrosinase substrates. Therefore, we propose that the hydroxylase reaction is a general functionality of PPOs. Molecular dynamics simulations of docked substrate–enzyme complexes were performed, and a key residue was identified that influences the plant PPO’s acceptance or rejection of tyramine. Based on the evidenced hydroxylase activity and the interactions of specific residues with the substrates during the molecular dynamics simulations, a novel catalytic reaction mechanism for plant PPOs is proposed. The presented results strongly suggest that the physiological role of plant catechol oxidases were previously underestimated, as they might hydroxylate their—so far unknown—natural substrates in vivo. PMID:26976571

  9. Effect of mitoguazone on polyamine oxidase activity in rat liver.

    PubMed

    Ferioli, Maria Elena; Berselli, Debora; Caimi, Samuela

    2004-12-01

    Mitoguazone is a known inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis through competitive inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. A recent renewed interest in mitoguazone as an antineoplastic agent prompted us to investigate the effect of the drug on polyamine catabolism in rat liver, since the organ plays an important role in detoxification mechanisms. Thus, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of in vivo mitoguazone administration on polyamine catabolic enzymes. In particular, our interest was directed to the changes in polyamine oxidase activity, since this enzyme has been recently confirmed to exert important functions that until now were underestimated. Mitoguazone administration induced hepatic polyamine oxidase activity starting at 4 h after administration, and the enzyme returned to basal levels 96 h after treatment. The changes in enzyme activity were accompanied by changes in putrescine concentrations, which increased starting at 4 h until 72 h after treatment. We also evaluated the activity of the newly identified spermine oxidase, which was not significantly changed by mitoguazone treatment. Therefore, we hypothesized that the enzyme involved in mitoguazone response of the liver is the polyamine oxidase, which acts on acetylated polyamines as substrate.

  10. Involvement of abscisic acid in regulating antioxidative defense systems and IAA-oxidase activity and improving adventitious rooting in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] seedlings under cadmium stress.

    PubMed

    Li, Shi-Weng; Leng, Yan; Feng, Lin; Zeng, Xiao-Ying

    2014-01-01

    In vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and Cd on antioxidative defense systems and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) oxidase during adventitious rooting in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] seedlings. The exogenous ABA significantly enhanced the number and fresh weight of the adventitious roots. CdCl2 strongly inhibited adventitious rooting. Pretreatment with 10 μM ABA clearly alleviated the inhibitory effect of Cd on rooting. ABA significantly reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as the levels of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (ASA) during adventitious rooting. ABA strongly increased IAA-oxidase activity during the induction (0-12 h) and expression (after 48 h) phases and increased the phenols levels. Cd treatment significantly reduced the activities of SOD, APX, POD, and IAA oxidase, as well as GSH level. Cd strongly increased ASA levels. ABA pretreatment counteracted Cd-induced alterations of certain antioxidants and antioxidative enzymes, e.g., remarkably rescued APX and POD activities, reduced the elevated SOD and CAT activities and ASA levels, and recovered the reduced GSH levels, caused by Cd stress. Thus, the physiological effects of the combination of ABA and Cd treatments were opposite of those obtained with Cd treatment alone, suggesting that ABA involved in the regulation of antioxidative defense systems and the alleviation of wounding- and Cd-induced oxidative stress.

  11. Cloning of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) synthetase gene from a newly isolated ε-PL-producing Streptomyces albulus NK660 and its heterologous expression in Streptomyces lividans

    PubMed Central

    Geng, Weitao; Yang, Chao; Gu, Yanyan; Liu, Ruihua; Guo, Wenbin; Wang, Xiaomeng; Song, Cunjiang; Wang, Shufang

    2014-01-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL), showing a wide range of antimicrobial activity, is now industrially produced as a food additive by a fermentation process. A new strain capable of producing ε-PL was isolated from a soil sample collected from Gutian, Fujian Province, China. Based on its morphological and biochemical features and phylogenetic similarity with 16S rRNA gene, the strain was identified as Streptomyces albulus and named NK660. The yield of ε-PL in 30 l fed-batch fermentation with pH control was 4.2 g l−1 when using glycerol as the carbon source. The structure of ε-PL was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Previous studies have shown that the antimicrobial activity of ε-PL is dependent on its molecular size. In this study, the polymerization degree of the ε-PL produced by strain NK660 ranged from 19 to 33 L-lysine monomers, with the main component consisting of 24–30 L-lysine monomers, which implied that the ε-PL might have higher antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, the ε-PL synthetase gene (pls) was cloned from strain NK660 by genome walking. The pls gene with its native promoter was heterologously expressed in Streptomyces lividans ZX7, and the recombinant strain was capable of synthesizing ε-PL. Here, we demonstrated for the first time heterologous expression of the pls gene in S. lividans. The heterologous expression of pls gene in S. lividans will open new avenues for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of ε-PL synthesis. PMID:24423427

  12. Adipogenesis-related increase of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase and monoamine oxidase in human adipocytes.

    PubMed

    Bour, Sandy; Daviaud, Danièle; Gres, Sandra; Lefort, Corinne; Prévot, Danielle; Zorzano, Antonio; Wabitsch, Martin; Saulnier-Blache, Jean-Sébastien; Valet, Philippe; Carpéné, Christian

    2007-08-01

    A strong induction of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) has previously been reported during murine preadipocyte lineage differentiation but it remains unknown whether this emergence also occurs during adipogenesis in man. Our aim was to compare SSAO and monoamine oxidase (MAO) expression during in vitro differentiation of human preadipocytes and in adipose and stroma-vascular fractions of human fat depots. A human preadipocyte cell strain from a patient with Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome was first used to follow amine oxidase expression during in vitro differentiation. Then, human preadipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissues were cultured under conditions promoting ex vivo adipose differentiation and tested for MAO and SSAO expression. Lastly, human adipose tissue was separated into mature adipocyte and stroma-vascular fractions for analyses of MAO and SSAO at mRNA, protein and activity levels. Both SSAO and MAO were increased from undifferentiated preadipocytes to lipid-laden cells in all the models: 3T3-F442A and 3T3-L1 murine lineages, human SGBS cell strain or human preadipocytes in primary culture. In human subcutaneous adipose tissue, the adipocyte-enriched fraction exhibited seven-fold higher amine oxidase activity and contained three- to seven-fold higher levels of mRNAs encoded by MAO-A, MAO-B, AOC3 and AOC2 genes than the stroma-vascular fraction. MAO-A and AOC3 genes accounted for the majority of their respective MAO and SSAO activities in human adipose tissue. Most of the SSAO and MAO found in adipose tissue originated from mature adipocytes. Although the mechanism and role of adipogenesis-related increase in amine oxidase expression remain to be established, the resulting elevated levels of amine oxidase activities found in human adipocytes may be of potential interest for therapeutic intervention in obesity.

  13. NADPH Oxidase Activation Contributes to Heavy Ion Irradiation–Induced Cell Death

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yupei; Liu, Qing; Zhao, Weiping; Zhou, Xin; Miao, Guoying; Sun, Chao

    2017-01-01

    Increased oxidative stress plays an important role in heavy ion radiation–induced cell death. The mechanism involved in the generation of elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) is not fully illustrated. Here we show that NADPH oxidase activation is closely related to heavy ion radiation–induced cell death via excessive ROS generation. Cell death and cellular ROS can be greatly reduced in irradiated cancer cells with the preincubation of diphenyleneiodium, an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase. Most of the NADPH oxidase (NOX) family proteins (NOX1, NOX2, NOX3, NOX4, and NOX5) showed increased expression after heavy ion irradiation. Meanwhile, the cytoplasmic subunit p47phox was translocated to the cell membrane and localized with NOX2 to form reactive NADPH oxidase. Our data suggest for the first time that ROS generation, as mediated by NADPH oxidase activation, could be an important contributor to heavy ion irradiation–induced cell death. PMID:28473742

  14. Determination of Monoamine Oxidase A and B Activity in Long-Term Treated Patients With Parkinson Disease.

    PubMed

    Müller, Thomas; Riederer, Peter; Grünblatt, Edna

    Biogenic amines and monoamine oxidase inhibitors influence peripheral monoamine oxidase enzyme activity in chronic levodopa/dopa decarboxylase inhibitor-treated patients with Parkinson disease. Rasagiline is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B. Safinamide blocks this isoenzyme in a reversible fashion. The aim of this study was to determine monoamine oxidase A (plasma) and B (platelets) enzyme activity in long-term levodopa-treated patients without and with additional oral intake of 50- or 100-mg safinamide or 1-mg rasagiline or first-time intake of rasagiline. Monoamine oxidase A enzyme activity did not differ between all groups. Patients on rasagiline or safinamide showed lower monoamine oxidase-B enzyme activity compared with patients without monoamine oxidase B inhibitor intake. No impact of the number of previous oral levodopa intakes was found. Rasagiline and safinamide did not essentially differ in terms of inhibition of monoamine oxidase B despite their different pharmacology regarding reversibility of monoamine oxidase B inhibition. In view of the observed, considerable heterogeneity of enzyme activities, we suggest to determine activities of monoamine oxidase A and B to reduce the risk for tyramine-induced hypertension and the serotonergic syndrome during chronic therapy with rasagiline or safinamide.

  15. Mechanism of Flavoprotein l-6-Hydroxynicotine Oxidase: pH and Solvent Isotope Effects and Identification of Key Active Site Residues.

    PubMed

    Fitzpatrick, Paul F; Chadegani, Fatemeh; Zhang, Shengnan; Dougherty, Vi

    2017-02-14

    The flavoenzyme l-6-hydroxynicotine oxidase is a member of the monoamine oxidase family that catalyzes the oxidation of (S)-6-hydroxynicotine to 6-hydroxypseudooxynicotine during microbial catabolism of nicotine. While the enzyme has long been understood to catalyze oxidation of the carbon-carbon bond, it has recently been shown to catalyze oxidation of a carbon-nitrogen bond [Fitzpatrick, P. F., et al. (2016) Biochemistry 55, 697-703]. The effects of pH and mutagenesis of active site residues have now been utilized to study the mechanism and roles of active site residues. Asn166 and Tyr311 bind the substrate, while Lys287 forms a water-mediated hydrogen bond with flavin N5. The N166A and Y311F mutations result in ∼30- and ∼4-fold decreases in k cat /K m and k red for (S)-6-hydroxynicotine, respectively, with larger effects on the k cat /K m value for (S)-6-hydroxynornicotine. The K287M mutation results in ∼10-fold decreases in these parameters and a 6000-fold decrease in the k cat /K m value for oxygen. The shapes of the pH profiles are not altered by the N166A and Y311F mutations. There is no solvent isotope effect on the k cat /K m value for amines. The results are consistent with a model in which both the charged and neutral forms of the amine can bind, with the former rapidly losing a proton to a hydrogen bond network of water and amino acids in the active site prior to the transfer of hydride to the flavin.

  16. Xanthine Oxidase Induces Foam Cell Formation through LOX-1 and NLRP3 Activation.

    PubMed

    Dai, Yao; Cao, Yongxiang; Zhang, Zhigao; Vallurupalli, Srikanth; Mehta, Jawahar L

    2017-02-01

    Xanthine oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of xanthine to uric acid. This process generates excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play an important role in atherogenesis. Recent studies show that LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), a component of the inflammasome, may be involved in the formation of foam cells, a hallmark of atherosclerosis. This study was designed to study the role of various scavenger receptors and NLRP3 inflammasome in xanthine oxidase and uric acid-induced foam cell formation. Human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and THP-1 macrophages were treated with xanthine oxidase or uric acid. Xanthine oxidase treatment (of both VSMCs and THP-1 cells) resulted in foam cell formation in concert with generation of ROS and expression of cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) and oxidized low density lipoprotein (lectin-like) receptor 1 (LOX-1), but not of scavenger receptor A (SRA). Uric acid treatment resulted in foam cell formation, ROS generation and expression of CD36, but not of LOX-1 or SRA. Further, treatment of cells with xanthine oxidase, but not uric acid, activated NLRP3 and its downstream pro-inflammatory signals- caspase-1, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18. Blockade of LOX-1 or NLRP3 inflammasome with specific siRNAs reduced xanthine oxidase-induced foam cell formation, ROS generation and activation of NLRP3 and downstream signals. Xanthine oxidase induces foam cell formation in large part through activation of LOX-1 - NLRP3 pathway in both VSMCs and THP-1 cells, but uric acid-induced foam cell formation is exclusively through CD36 pathway. Further, LOX-1 activation is upstream of NLRP3 activation. Graphical Abstract Steps in the formation of foam cells in response to xanthine oxidase and uric acid. Xanthine oxidase stimulates LOX-1 expression on the cell membrane of macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and increases generation of ROS, which activate NLRP3 inflammasome and downstream pro

  17. [Experimental rationale for the parameters of a rapid method for oxidase activity determination].

    PubMed

    Butorina, N N

    2010-01-01

    Experimental rationale is provided for the parameters of a rapid (1-2-min) test to concurrently determine the oxidase activity of all bacteria grown on the membrane filter after water filtration. Oxidase reagents that are the aqueous solutions of tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride and demethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride have been first ascertained to exert no effect on the viability and enzymatic activity of bacteria after one-hour contact. An algorithm has been improved for the rapid oxidase activity test: the allowable time for bacteria to contact oxidase reagents and procedures for minimizing the effect on bacterial biochemical activity following the contact. An accelerated method based on lactose medium with tergitol 7 and Endo agar has been devised to determine coliform bacteria, by applying the rapid oxidase test: the time of a final response is 18-24 hours. The method has been included into GOST 52426-2005.

  18. Structures and Mechanism of the Monoamine Oxidase Family

    PubMed Central

    Gaweska, Helena; Fitzpatrick, Paul F.

    2011-01-01

    Members of the monoamine oxidase family of flavoproteins catalyze the oxidation of primary and secondary amines, polyamines, amino acids, and methylated lysine side chains in proteins. The enzymes have similar overall structures, with conserved FAD-binding domains and varied substrate-binding sites. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed for the catalytic reactions of these enzymes. The present review compares the structures of different members of the family and the various mechanistic proposals. PMID:22022344

  19. Activation of HIV Transcription by the Viral Tat Protein Requires a Demethylation Step Mediated by Lysine-specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1)

    PubMed Central

    Sakane, Naoki; Kwon, Hye-Sook; Pagans, Sara; Kaehlcke, Katrin; Mizusawa, Yasuhiro; Kamada, Masafumi; Lassen, Kara G.; Chan, Jonathan; Greene, Warner C.; Schnoelzer, Martina; Ott, Melanie

    2011-01-01

    The essential transactivator function of the HIV Tat protein is regulated by multiple posttranslational modifications. Although individual modifications are well characterized, their crosstalk and dynamics of occurrence during the HIV transcription cycle remain unclear. We examine interactions between two critical modifications within the RNA-binding domain of Tat: monomethylation of lysine 51 (K51) mediated by Set7/9/KMT7, an early event in the Tat transactivation cycle that strengthens the interaction of Tat with TAR RNA, and acetylation of lysine 50 (K50) mediated by p300/KAT3B, a later process that dissociates the complex formed by Tat, TAR RNA and the cyclin T1 subunit of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb). We find K51 monomethylation inhibited in synthetic Tat peptides carrying an acetyl group at K50 while acetylation can occur in methylated peptides, albeit at a reduced rate. To examine whether Tat is subject to sequential monomethylation and acetylation in cells, we performed mass spectrometry on immunoprecipitated Tat proteins and generated new modification-specific Tat antibodies against monomethylated/acetylated Tat. No bimodified Tat protein was detected in cells pointing to a demethylation step during the Tat transactivation cycle. We identify lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1/KDM1) as a Tat K51-specific demethylase, which is required for the activation of HIV transcription in latently infected T cells. LSD1/KDM1 and its cofactor CoREST associates with the HIV promoter in vivo and activate Tat transcriptional activity in a K51-dependent manner. In addition, small hairpin RNAs directed against LSD1/KDM1 or inhibition of its activity with the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine suppresses the activation of HIV transcription in latently infected T cells. Our data support the model that a LSD1/KDM1/CoREST complex, normally known as a transcriptional suppressor, acts as a novel activator of HIV transcription through demethylation

  20. Purification and characterization of polyphenol oxidase from banana (Musa sapientum L.) pulp.

    PubMed

    Yang, C P; Fujita, S; Ashrafuzzaman, M; Nakamura, N; Hayashi, N

    2000-07-01

    Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.1, PPO) in the pulp of banana (Musa sapientum L.) was purified to 636-fold with a recovery of 3.0%, using dopamine as substrate. The purified enzyme exhibited a clear single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be about 41000 and 42000 by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE, respectively. The enzyme quickly oxidized dopamine, and its K(m) value for dopamine was 2.8 mM. The optimum pH was at 6.5, and the enzyme activity was stable in the range of pH 5-11 at 5 degrees C for 48 h. The enzyme had an optimum temperature of 30 degrees C and was stable even after a heat treatment at 70 degrees C for 30 min. The enzyme activity was completely inhibited by L-ascorbic acid, cysteine, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, and potassium cyanide. Under a low buffer capacity, the enzyme was also strongly inhibited by citric acid and acetic acid at 10 mM.

  1. Enhanced ε-poly-L-lysine production by inducing double antibiotic-resistant mutations in Streptomyces albulus.

    PubMed

    Wang, Liang; Chen, Xusheng; Wu, Guangyao; Li, Shu; Zeng, Xin; Ren, Xidong; Tang, Lei; Mao, Zhonggui

    2017-02-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL), as a food additive, has been widely used in many countries. However, its production still needs to be improved. We successfully enhanced ε-PL production of Streptomyces albulus FEEL-1 by introducing mutations related to antibiotics, such as streptomycin, gentamicin, and rifampin. Single- and double-resistant mutants (S-88 and SG-31) were finally screened with the improved ε-PL productions of 2.81 and 3.83 g/L, 1.75- to 2.39-fold compared with that of initial strain FEEL-1. Then, the performances of mutants S-88 and SG-31 were compared with the parent strain FEEL-1 in a 5-L bioreactor under the optimal condition for ε-PL production. After 174-h fed-batch fermentation, the ε-PL production and productivity of hyper-strain SG-31 reached the maximum of 59.50 g/L and 8.21 g/L/day, respectively, which was 138 and 105% higher than that of FEEL-1. Analysis of streptomycin-resistant mutants demonstrated that a point mutation occurred in rpsL gene (encoding the ribosomal protein S12). These single and double mutants displayed remarkable increases of the activities and transcriptional levels of key enzymes in ε-PL biosynthesis pathway, which may be responsible for the enhanced mycelia viability, respiratory activity, and ε-PL productions of SG-31. These results showed that the new breeding method, called ribosome engineering, could be a novel and effective breeding strategy for the evolution of ε-PL-producing strains.

  2. NADPH oxidase activation in neutrophils: Role of the Phosphorylation of its subunits.

    PubMed

    Belambri, Sahra A; Rolas, Loïc; Raad, Houssam; Hurtado-Nedelec, Margarita; Dang, Pham My-Chan; El-Benna, Jamel

    2018-05-14

    Neutrophils are key cells of innate immunity and during inflammation. Upon activation, they produce large amounts of superoxide anion (O 2 -. ) and ensuing reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill phagocytized microbes. The enzyme responsible for O 2 -. production is called the phagocyte NADPH oxidase. This is a multicomponent enzyme system that becomes active after assembly of four cytosolic proteins (p47 phox , p67 phox , p40 phox and Rac2) with the transmembrane proteins (p22 phox and gp91 phox , which form the cytochrome b 558 ). gp91 phox represents the catalytic subunit of the NADPH oxidase and is also called NOX2. NADPH oxidase-derived ROS are essential for microbial killing and innate immunity; however, excessive ROS production induces tissue injury and prolonged inflammatory reactions that contribute to inflammatory diseases. Thus, NADPH oxidase activation must be tightly regulated in time and space in order to limit ROS production. NADPH oxidase activation is regulated by several processes such as phosphorylation of its components, exchange of GDP/GTP on Rac2 and binding of p47 phox and p40 phox to phospholipids. This review aims to provide new insights into the role of the phosphorylation of the NADPH oxidase components, i.e., gp91 phox , p22 phox , p47 phox , p67 phox and p40 phox , in the activation of this enzyme. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  3. Ancient Regulatory Role of Lysine Acetylation in Central Metabolism

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nakayasu, Ernesto S.; Burnet, Meagan C.; Walukiewicz, Hanna E.

    ABSTRACT Lysine acetylation is a common protein post-translational modification in bacteria and eukaryotes. Unlike phosphorylation, whose functional role in signaling has been established, it is unclear what regulatory mechanism acetylation plays and whether it is conserved across evolution. By performing a proteomic analysis of 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria, we discovered conserved acetylation sites on catalytically essential lysine residues that are invariant throughout evolution. Lysine acetylation removes the residue’s charge and changes the shape of the pocket required for substrate or cofactor binding. Two-thirds of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes are acetylated at these critical sites. Our data suggestmore » that acetylation may play a direct role in metabolic regulation by switching off enzyme activity. We propose that protein acetylation is an ancient and widespread mechanism of protein activity regulation. IMPORTANCEPost-translational modifications can regulate the activity and localization of proteins inside the cell. Similar to phosphorylation, lysine acetylation is present in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes and modifies hundreds to thousands of proteins in cells. However, how lysine acetylation regulates protein function and whether such a mechanism is evolutionarily conserved is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated evolutionary and functional aspects of lysine acetylation by searching for acetylated lysines in a comprehensive proteomic data set from 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria. We found that lysine acetylation occurs in evolutionarily conserved lysine residues in catalytic sites of enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism. Moreover, this modification inhibits enzymatic activity. Our observations suggest that lysine acetylation is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of controlling central metabolic activity by directly blocking enzyme active sites.« less

  4. Ancient Regulatory Role of Lysine Acetylation in Central Metabolism

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nakayasu, Ernesto S.; Burnet, Meagan C.; Walukiewicz, Hanna E.

    ABSTRACT Lysine acetylation is a common protein post-translational modification in bacteria and eukaryotes. Unlike phosphorylation, whose functional role in signaling has been established, it is unclear what regulatory mechanism acetylation plays and whether it is conserved across evolution. By performing a proteomic analysis of 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria, we discovered conserved acetylation sites on catalytically essential lysine residues that are invariant throughout evolution. Lysine acetylation removes the residue’s charge and changes the shape of the pocket required for substrate or cofactor binding. Two-thirds of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes are acetylated at these critical sites. Our data suggestmore » that acetylation may play a direct role in metabolic regulation by switching off enzyme activity. We propose that protein acetylation is an ancient and widespread mechanism of protein activity regulation. IMPORTANCE Post-translational modifications can regulate the activity and localization of proteins inside the cell. Similar to phosphorylation, lysine acetylation is present in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes and modifies hundreds to thousands of proteins in cells. However, how lysine acetylation regulates protein function and whether such a mechanism is evolutionarily conserved is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated evolutionary and functional aspects of lysine acetylation by searching for acetylated lysines in a comprehensive proteomic data set from 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria. We found that lysine acetylation occurs in evolutionarily conserved lysine residues in catalytic sites of enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism. Moreover, this modification inhibits enzymatic activity. Our observations suggest that lysine acetylation is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of controlling central metabolic activity by directly blocking enzyme active sites.« less

  5. Ancient Regulatory Role of Lysine Acetylation in Central Metabolism

    DOE PAGES

    Nakayasu, Ernesto S.; Burnet, Meagan C.; Walukiewicz, Hanna E.; ...

    2017-11-28

    ABSTRACT Lysine acetylation is a common protein post-translational modification in bacteria and eukaryotes. Unlike phosphorylation, whose functional role in signaling has been established, it is unclear what regulatory mechanism acetylation plays and whether it is conserved across evolution. By performing a proteomic analysis of 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria, we discovered conserved acetylation sites on catalytically essential lysine residues that are invariant throughout evolution. Lysine acetylation removes the residue’s charge and changes the shape of the pocket required for substrate or cofactor binding. Two-thirds of glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes are acetylated at these critical sites. Our data suggestmore » that acetylation may play a direct role in metabolic regulation by switching off enzyme activity. We propose that protein acetylation is an ancient and widespread mechanism of protein activity regulation. IMPORTANCE Post-translational modifications can regulate the activity and localization of proteins inside the cell. Similar to phosphorylation, lysine acetylation is present in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes and modifies hundreds to thousands of proteins in cells. However, how lysine acetylation regulates protein function and whether such a mechanism is evolutionarily conserved is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated evolutionary and functional aspects of lysine acetylation by searching for acetylated lysines in a comprehensive proteomic data set from 48 phylogenetically distant bacteria. We found that lysine acetylation occurs in evolutionarily conserved lysine residues in catalytic sites of enzymes involved in central carbon metabolism. Moreover, this modification inhibits enzymatic activity. Our observations suggest that lysine acetylation is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of controlling central metabolic activity by directly blocking enzyme active sites.« less

  6. Cytokinin oxidase from Phaseolus vulgaris callus tissues. Enhanced in vitro activity of the enzyme in the presence of copper-imidazole complexes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chatfield, J.M.; Armstrong, D.J.

    1987-07-01

    The effects of metal ions on cytokinin oxidase activity extracted from callus tissues of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Great Northern have been examined using an assay based on the oxidation of N/sup 6/-(..delta../sup 2/-isopentenyl)-adenine-2,8-/sup 3/H (i/sup 6/ Ade) to adenine (Ade). The addition of cupric ions to reaction mixtures containing imidazole buffer markedly enhanced cytokinin oxidase activity. In the presence of optimal concentrations of copper and imidazole, cytokinin oxidase activity was stimulated more than 20-fold. The effect was enzyme dependent, specific for copper, and observed only in the presence of imidazole. The substrate specificity of the copper-imidazole enhanced reaction, asmore » judged by substrate competition tests, was the same as that observed in the absence of copper and imidazole. Similarly, in tests involving DEAE-cellulose chromatography, elution profiles of cytokinin oxidase activity determined using a copper-imidazole enhanced assay were identical to those obtained using an assay without copper and imidazole. On the basis of these results, the addition of copper and imidazole to reaction mixtures used to assay for cytokinin oxidase activity is judged to provide a reliable and specific assay of greatly enhanced sensitivity for the enzyme. The mechanism by which copper and imidazole enhance cytokinin oxidase activity is not certain, but the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme was not inhibited by anaerobic conditions when these reagents were present. This observation suggests that copper-imidazole complexes are substituting for oxygen in the reaction mechanism by which cytokinin oxidase effects cleavage of the N/sup 6/-side chain of i/sup 6/ Ade.« less

  7. Small Molecule Ligands of Methyl-Lysine Binding Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Herold, J. Martin; Wigle, Tim J.; Norris, Jacqueline L.; Lam, Robert; Korboukh, Victoria K.; Gao, Cen; Ingerman, Lindsey A.; Kireev, Dmitri B.; Senisterra, Guillermo; Vedadi, Masoud; Tripathy, Ashutosh; Brown, Peter J.; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H.; Jin, Jian; Janzen, William P.; Frye, Stephen V.

    2011-01-01

    Proteins which bind methylated lysines (“readers” of the histone code) are important components in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and can also modulate other proteins that contain methyl-lysine such as p53 and Rb. Recognition of methyl-lysine marks by MBT domains leads to compaction of chromatin and a repressed transcriptional state. Antagonists of MBT domains would serve as probes to interrogate the functional role of these proteins and initiate the chemical biology of methyl-lysine readers as a target class. Small molecule MBT antagonists were designed based on the structure of histone peptide-MBT complexes and their interaction with MBT domains determined using a chemiluminescent assay and ITC. The ligands discovered antagonize native histone peptide binding, exhibiting 5-fold stronger binding affinity to L3MBTL1 than its preferred histone peptide. The first co-crystal structure of a small molecule bound to L3MBTL1 was determined and provides new insights into binding requirements for further ligand design. PMID:21417280

  8. Distribution in microbial genomes of genes similar to lodA and goxA which encode a novel family of quinoproteins with amino acid oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Campillo-Brocal, Jonatan C; Chacón-Verdú, María Dolores; Lucas-Elío, Patricia; Sánchez-Amat, Antonio

    2015-03-24

    L-Amino acid oxidases (LAOs) have been generally described as flavoproteins that oxidize amino acids releasing the corresponding ketoacid, ammonium and hydrogen peroxide. The generation of hydrogen peroxide gives to these enzymes antimicrobial characteristics. They are involved in processes such as biofilm development and microbial competition. LAOs are of great biotechnological interest in different applications such as the design of biosensors, biotransformations and biomedicine. The marine bacterium Marinomonas mediterranea synthesizes LodA, the first known LAO that contains a quinone cofactor. LodA is encoded in an operon that contains a second gene coding for LodB, a protein required for the post-translational modification generating the cofactor. Recently, GoxA, a quinoprotein with sequence similarity to LodA but with a different enzymatic activity (glycine oxidase instead of lysine-ε-oxidase) has been described. The aim of this work has been to study the distribution of genes similar to lodA and/or goxA in sequenced microbial genomes and to get insight into the evolution of this novel family of proteins through phylogenetic analysis. Genes encoding LodA-like proteins have been detected in several bacterial classes. However, they are absent in Archaea and detected only in a small group of fungi of the class Agaromycetes. The vast majority of the genes detected are in a genome region with a nearby lodB-like gene suggesting a specific interaction between both partner proteins. Sequence alignment of the LodA-like proteins allowed the detection of several conserved residues. All of them showed a Cys and a Trp that aligned with the residues that are forming part of the cysteine tryptophilquinone (CTQ) cofactor in LodA. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that LodA-like proteins can be clustered in different groups. Interestingly, LodA and GoxA are in different groups, indicating that those groups are related to the enzymatic activity of the proteins detected. Genome

  9. Development of amperometric lysine biosensors based on Au nanoparticles/multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polymers modified Au electrodes.

    PubMed

    Chauhan, Nidhi; Singh, Anamika; Narang, Jagriti; Dahiya, Swati; Pundir, C S

    2012-11-07

    The construction of two amperometric l-lysine biosensors is described in this study. The construction comprises the covalent immobilization of lysine oxidase (LOx) onto nanocomposite composed of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (c-MWCNT), decorated on (i) polyaniline (PANI) and (ii) poly 1,2 diaminobenzene (DAB), electrodeposited on Au electrodes. The biosensors were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies. The optimum response (current) was observed within 2 s at pH 7.0 and 25 °C for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/PANI/Au, and 4 s at pH 7.0 and 30 °C for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/DAB/Au electrodes. There was a linear relationship between current and lysine concentration ranging from 5.0 to 600 μM for LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/PANI/Au with a detection limit of 5.0 μM, and 20 to 600 μM for the LOx/AuNPs/c-MWCNT/DAB/Au electrode with a detection limit of 20 μM. The PANI modified electrode was in good agreement with the standard HPLC method, with a better correlation (r = 0.992) compared to the DAB modified electrode (r = 0.986). These observations revealed that the PANI modified Au electrode was better than the DAB modified electrode, and hence it was employed for the determination of lysine in milk, pharmaceutical tablets and sera. The PANI modified electrode showed a half life of 120 days, compared to that of 90 days for the DAB modified electrode, after their 100 uses, when stored at 4 °C.

  10. Rat striatal monoamine oxidase-B inhibition by l-deprenyl and rasagiline: its relationship to 2-phenylethylamine-induced stereotypy and Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Youdim, M B H; Tipton, K F

    2002-03-01

    Rats were injected intraperitoneally with varying doses of l-deprenyl (selegiline) followed 2h later by 30 mg kg(-1) 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), administered in the same way, and the stereotypic behavioural response elicited was assessed. l-Deprenyl alone at doses of up to 5 mg kg(-1) caused no significant behavioural response. Administration of PEA without prior l-deprenyl treatment resulted in only a modest increase in stereotypic behaviour and this was not significantly enhanced by the prior administration 1 mg kg(-1) l-deprenyl. When the administered dose of l-deprenyl was increased to 2.5 or 5 mgkg(-1), however, the stereotypic behavioural response to PEA was greatly potentiated and in the latter case persisted for 60 min. A dose of 2.5 mg kg(-1) l-deprenyl and 1 mg kg(-1) rasagiline was shown to result in over 90% inhibition of the monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B from rat liver and striatum, whereas the inhibition of MAO-A was about 60 and 40% in liver and striatum, respectively. The recovery of MAO-B activity in rat striatum and liver following a single i.p. injection of 5 mg kg(-1) l-deprenyl gave first-order rate constants of 1.80 and 7.15 h(-1), respectively, which corresponded to half-lives of 9.23 and 2.33 days. Similar results were obtained with rasagiline. The corresponding indices of stereotypic response to PEA (30 mg kg(-1); i.p.) during recovery from the single dose of l-deprenyl were initially high, but had started to decline by the third day after l-deprenyl treatment and was not significant after day 4. At that time, less than 20% of the striatal monoamine oxidase-B activity had been regained, whereas the recovery of the liver enzyme was about 65%. These data are discussed in terms of the suggested involvement of PEA potentiation in the anti-parkinsonian actions of l-deprenyl and rasagiline and the duration of the 'wash-out' period used in studies on the effects of l-deprenyl on patients with Parkinson's disease. The longer duration of the recovery of

  11. Lysine and Glutamic Acids as the End Products of Multi-response of Optimized Fermented Medium by Mucor mucedo KP736529.

    PubMed

    El-Hersh, Mohammed S; Saber, WesamEldin I A; El-Fadaly, Husain A; Mahmoud, Mohammed K

    Amino acids are important for living organisms, they acting as crucial for metabolic activities and energy generation, wherein the deficiency in these amino acids cause various physiological defects. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of some nutritional factors on the amino acids production by Mucor mucedo KP736529 during fermentation intervals. Mucor mucedo KP736529 was selected according to proteolytic activity. Corn steep liquor and olive cake were used in the fermented medium during Placket-Burman and central composite design to maximize the production of lysine and glutamic acids. During the screening by Plackett-Burman design, olive cake and Corn Steep Liquor (CSL) had potential importance for the higher production of amino acids. The individual fractionation of total amino acids showed both lysine and glutamic as the major amino acids associated with the fermentation process. Moreover, the Central Composite Design (CCD) has been adopted to explain the interaction between olive cake and CSL on the production of lysine and glutamic acids. The model recorded significant F-value, with high values of R 2, adjusted R 2 and predicted R 2 for both lysine and glutamic, indicating the validity of the data. Solving equation for maximum production of lysine recorded theoretical levels of olive cake and CSL, being 2.58 and 1.83 g L -1, respectively, with predicting value of lysine at 1.470 μg mL -1, whereas the predicting value of glutamic acid reached 0.805 mg mL -1 at levels of 2.49 and 1.93 g L -1 from olive cake and CSL, respectively. The desirability function (D) showed the actual responses being 1.473±0.009 and 0.801±0.004 μg mL -1 for lysine and glutamic acids, respectively. The model showed adequate validity to be applied in a large-scale production of both lysine and glutamic acids.

  12. Lysine-containing cationic liposomes activate the NLRP3 inflammasome: Effect of a spacer between the head group and the hydrophobic moieties of the lipids.

    PubMed

    Li, Tianshu; He, Jieyan; Horvath, Gabor; Próchnicki, Tomasz; Latz, Eicke; Takeoka, Shinji

    2018-02-01

    Cationic lipids containing lysine head groups and ditetradecyl, dihexadecyl or dioctadecyl glutamate hydrophobic moieties with/without propyl, pentyl or heptyl spacers were applied for the preparation of cationic liposomes using a simple bath type-sonicator. The size distribution, zeta potential, cellular internalization, and cytotoxicity of the liposomes were characterized, and the innate immune stimulation, e.g., the NLRP3 inflammasome activation of human macrophages and THP-1 cells, was evaluated by the detection of IL-1β release. Comparatively, L3C14 and L5C14 liposomes, made from the lipids bearing lysine head groups, ditetradecyl hydrophobic chains and propyl or pentyl spacers, respectively, were the most potent to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome. The possible mechanism includes endocytosis of the cationic liposomes and subsequent lysosome rupture without significant inducement of reactive oxygen species production. In summary, we first disclosed the structural effect of cationic liposomes on the NLRP3 inflammasome activation, which gives an insight into the application of nanoparticles for improved immune response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Gibberellin metabolism in Vitis vinifera L. during bloom and fruit-set: functional characterization and evolution of grapevine gibberellin oxidases

    PubMed Central

    Giacomelli, Lisa

    2013-01-01

    Gibberellins (GAs) are involved in the regulation of flowering and fruit-set in grapes (Vitis vinifera L.), but the molecular mechanisms behind this process are mostly unknown. In this work, the family of grapevine GA oxidases involved in the biosynthesis and deactivation of GAs was characterized. Six putative GA 20-oxidase (GA20ox), three GA 3-oxidase (GA3ox), and eight GA 2-oxidase (GA2ox) proteins, the latter further divided into five C19-GA 2ox and three C20-GA2ox proteins, were identified. Phylogenetic analyses suggest a common origin of the GA3ox and C19-GA2ox groups and challenge previous evolutionary models. In vitro analysis revealed that all GA3ox and GA20ox enzymes prefer substrates of the non-13-hydroxylation pathway. In addition, ectopic expression of GA2ox genes in Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed the activity of their encoded proteins in vivo. The results show that bioactive GA1 accumulates in opening grapevine flowers, whereas at later developmental stages only GA4 is detected in the setting fruit. By studying the expression pattern of the grapevine GA oxidase genes in different organs, and at different stages of flowering and fruit-set, it is proposed that the pool of bioactive GAs is controlled by a fine regulation of the abundance and localization of GA oxidase transcripts. PMID:24006417

  14. Enhancement of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) production by a novel producer Bacillus cereus using metabolic precursors and glucose feeding.

    PubMed

    Chheda, Anuj H; Vernekar, Madhavi R

    2015-10-01

    Epsilon poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a homo-biopolymer with approximately 25-30 L-lysine residues. It is a promising natural biopolymer widely used in food and pharmaceutical industry. The present work reports enhanced production of ε-PL with a novel producer Bacillus cereus using amino acids and TCA cycle intermediates in the fermentation medium. Among the various amino acids and TCA cycle intermediates tested 2 mM L-aspartic acid and 5 mM citric acid gave ε-PL yield of 145.5 and 230 mg/L, respectively. A combination of citric acid after 24 h and L-aspartic acid after 36 h improved ε-PL yield from 85 mg/L (control) to 335 mg/L. Glucose feeding strategy along with metabolic precursors was employed which further enhanced ε-PL yield to 565 mg/L. Thus, more than sixfold increase in ε-PL yield was achieved suggesting the potential of Bacillus cereus as a novel ε-PL producer.

  15. NADPH OXIDASE: STRUCTURE AND ACTIVATION MECHANISMS (REVIEW). NOTE I.

    PubMed

    Filip-Ciubotaru, Florina; Manciuc, Carmen; Stoleriu, Gabriela; Foia, Liliana

    2016-01-01

    NADPH oxidase (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase), with its generically termed NOX isoforms, is the major source of ROS (reactive oxigen species) in biological systems. ROS are small oxygen-derived molecules with an important role in various biological processes (physiological or pathological). If under physiological conditions some processes are beneficial and necessary for life, under pathophysiological conditions they are noxious, harmful. NADPH oxidases are present in phagocytes and in a wide variety of nonphagocytic cells. The enzyme generates superoxide by transferring electrons from NADPH inside the cell across the membrane and coupling them to molecular oxygen to produce superoxide anion, a reactive free-radical. Structurally, NADPH oxidase is a multicomponent enzyme which includes two integral membrane proteins, glycoprotein gp9 1 Phox and adaptor protein p22(phox), which together form the heterodimeric flavocytochrome b558 that constitutes the core of the enzyme. During the resting state, the multidomain regulatory subunits p40P(phox), p47(phox), p67(Phox) are located in the cytosol organized as a complex. The activation of phagocytic NADPH oxidase occurs through a complex series of protein interactions.

  16. Crystal Structure of Ll-Diaminopimelate Aminotransferase From 'Arabidopsis Thaliana': a Recently-Discovered Enzyme in the Biosynthesis of L-Lysine By Plants And 'Chlamydia'

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Watanabe, N.; Cherney, M.M.; van Belkum, M.J.

    2007-07-13

    The essential biosynthetic pathway to l-Lysine in bacteria and plants is an attractive target for the development of new antibiotics or herbicides because it is absent in humans, who must acquire this amino acid in their diet. Plants use a shortcut of a bacterial pathway to l-Lysine in which the pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme ll-diaminopimelate aminotransferase (LL-DAP-AT) transforms l-tetrahydrodipicolinic acid (L-THDP) directly to LL-DAP. In addition, LL-DAP-AT was recently found in Chlamydia sp., suggesting that inhibitors of this enzyme may also be effective against such organisms. In order to understand the mechanism of this enzyme and to assist in the designmore » of inhibitors, the three-dimensional crystal structure of LL-DAP-AT was determined at 1.95 Angstroms resolution. The cDNA sequence of LL-DAP-AT from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtDAP-AT) was optimized for expression in bacteria and cloned in Escherichia coli without its leader sequence but with a C-terminal hexahistidine affinity tag to aid protein purification. The structure of AtDAP-AT was determined using the multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) method with a seleno-methionine derivative. AtDAP-AT is active as a homodimer with each subunit having PLP in the active site. It belongs to the family of type I fold PLP-dependent enzymes. Comparison of the active site residues of AtDAP-AT and aspartate aminotransferases revealed that the PLP binding residues in AtDAP-AT are well conserved in both enzymes. However, Glu97* and Asn309* in the active site of AtDAP-AT are not found at similar positions in aspartate aminotransferases, suggesting that specific substrate recognition may require these residues from the other monomer. A malate-bound structure of AtDAP-AT allowed LL-DAP and L-glutamate to be modeled into the active site. These initial three-dimensional structures of LL-DAP-AT provide insight into its substrate specificity and catalytic mechanism.« less

  17. Activation of Polyphenol Oxidase in Dormant Wild Oat Caryopses by a Seed-Decay Isolate of Fusarium avenaceum

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Incubation of dormant wild oat (Avena fatua L., isoline M73) caryopses for 1 to 3 days with Fusarium avenaceum seed-decay isolate F.a.1 induced activity of the plant defense enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Both extracts and leachates obtained from F.a.1-treated caryopses had decreased abundance of ...

  18. Amine oxidase from lentil seedlings: energetic domains and effect of temperature on activity.

    PubMed

    Moosavi-Nejad, S Z; Rezaei-Tavirani, M; Padiglia, A; Floris, G; Moosavi-Movahedi, A A

    2001-07-01

    Copper/TPQ amine oxidases from mammalian and plant sources have shown many differences in substrate specificity and molecular properties. In this work the activity of lentil seedling amine oxidase was followed at various temperatures in 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7, using benzylamine as substrate. The discontinuous Arrhenius plot of lentil amine oxidase showed two distinct phases with a jump between them. Thermal denaturation of the enzyme, using differential scanning calorimetry under the same experimental conditions, showed a transition at the same temperature ranges in the absence of substrate, indicating the occurrence of conformational changes, with an enthalpy change of about 175.9 kJ/mole. The temperature-induced changes of the activity of lentil amine oxidase are compared with those of bovine serum amine oxidase (taken from the literature).

  19. Novel morphology of calcium carbonate controlled by poly(L-lysine).

    PubMed

    Yao, Yuan; Dong, Wenyong; Zhu, Shenmin; Yu, Xinhai; Yan, Deyue

    2009-11-17

    The novel calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) morphology, twin-sphere with an equatorial girdle, has been obtained under the control of poly(L-lysine) (PLys) through gas-diffusion method. The effect of the concentration of calcium cation and PLys, the reaction time, and the initial pH value are investigated, and various interesting morphologies, including twin-sphere, discus-like, hexagonal plate, and hallow structure are observed by using scanning electronic microscopy. Laser microscopic Raman spectroscopy studies indicated that all these CaCO(3) are vaterite. A possible mechanism is suggested to explain the formation of the twin-sphere based morphologies according to the results. It is proven that alkaline polypeptides can control the mineralization of CaCO(3) precisely as the reported acidic polypeptides and double hydrophilic block copolymers.

  20. [Activation of the alternative oxidase of Yarrowia lipolytica by adenosine 5'-monophosphate].

    PubMed

    Medentsev, A G; Arinbasarova, A Iu; Smirnova, N M; Akimenko, V K

    2004-01-01

    The study of the effect of nucleoside phosphates on the activity of cyanide-resistant oxidase in the mitochondria and the submitochondrial particles of Yarrowia lipolytica showed that adenosine monophosphate (5'-AMP, AMP) did not stimulate the respiration of the intact mitochondria. The incubation of the mitochondria at room temperature (25 degrees C) for 3-5 h or their treatment with ultrasound, phospholipase A, and detergent Triton X-100 at a low temperature inactivated the cyanide-resistant alternative oxidase. The inactivated alternative oxidase could be reactivated by AMP. The reactivating effect of AMP was enhanced by azolectin. Some other nucleoside phosphates also showed reactivating ability in the following descending order. AMP = GMP > GDP > GTP > XMP > IMP. The apparent reaction rate constant Km for AMP upon the reactivation of the alternative oxidase of mitochondria treated with Triton X-100 or incubated at 25 degrees C was 12.5 and 20 microM, respectively. The Km for AMP upon the reactivation of the alternative oxidase of submitochondrial particles was 15 microM. During the incubation of yeast cells under conditions promoting the development of alternative oxidase, the content of adenine nucleotides (AMP, ADP, and ATP) in the cells and their respiration tended to decrease. The subsequent addition of cyanide to the cells activated their respiration, diminished the intracellular content of ATP three times, and augmented the content of AMP five times. These data suggest that the stimulation of cell respiration by cyanide may be due to the activation of alternative oxidase by AMP.

  1. Radiolabelling of isopeptide N epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine by conjugation with N-succinimidyl-4-[18F]fluorobenzoate.

    PubMed

    Wüst, F; Hultsch, C; Bergmann, R; Johannsen, B; Henle, T

    2003-07-01

    The isopeptide N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine 4 was labelled with 18F via N-succinimidyl-4-[18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB). A modified approach for the convenient synthesis of [18F]SFB was used, and [18F]SFB could be obtained in decay-corrected radiochemical yields of 44-53% (n = 20) and radiochemical purity >95% within 40 min after EOB. For labelling N(epsilon)-(gamma-glutamyl)-L-lysine with [18F]SFB the effects of isopeptide concentration, temperature, and pH were studied to determine the optimum reaction conditions. The coupling reaction was shown to be temperature and pH independent while being strongly affected by the isopeptide concentration. Using the optimized labelling conditions, in a typical experiment 1.3GBq of [18F]SFB could be converted into 447MBq (46%, decay-corrected) of [18F]fluorobenzoylated isopeptide within 45 min, including HPLC purification.

  2. Conformational dynamics of L-lysine, L-arginine, L-ornithine binding protein reveals ligand-dependent plasticity.

    PubMed

    Silva, Daniel-Adriano; Domínguez-Ramírez, Lenin; Rojo-Domínguez, Arturo; Sosa-Peinado, Alejandro

    2011-07-01

    The molecular basis of multiple ligand binding affinity for amino acids in periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) and in the homologous domain for class C G-protein coupled receptors is an unsolved question. Here, using unrestrained molecular dynamic simulations, we studied the ligand binding mechanism present in the L-lysine, L-arginine, L-ornithine binding protein. We developed an analysis based on dihedral angles for the description of the conformational changes upon ligand binding. This analysis has an excellent correlation with each of the two main movements described by principal component analysis (PCA) and it's more convenient than RMSD measurements to describe the differences in the conformational ensembles observed. Furthermore, an analysis of hydrogen bonds showed specific interactions for each ligand studied as well as the ligand interaction with the aromatic residues Tyr-14 and Phe-52. Using uncharged histidine tautomers, these interactions are not observed. On the basis of these results, we propose a model in which hydrogen bond interactions place the ligand in the correct orientation to induce a cation-π interaction with Tyr-14 and Phe-52 thereby stabilizing the closed state. Our results also show that this protein adopts slightly different closed conformations to make available specific hydrogen bond interactions for each ligand thus, allowing a single mechanism to attain multiple ligand specificity. These results shed light on the experimental evidence for ligand-dependent conformational plasticity not explained by the previous crystallographic data. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. Identification of a Catalase-Phenol Oxidase in Betalain Biosynthesis in Red Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus)

    PubMed Central

    Teng, Xiao-Lu; Chen, Ning; Xiao, Xing-Guo

    2016-01-01

    Betalains are a group of nitrogen-containing pigments that color plants in most families of Caryophyllales. Their biosynthesis has long been proposed to begin with hydroxylation of L-tyrosine to L-DOPA through monophenolase activity of tyrosinase, but biochemical evidence in vivo remains lacking. Here we report that a Group 4 catalase, catalase-phenol oxidase (named as AcCATPO), was identified, purified and characterized from leaves of Amaranthus cruentus, a betalain plant. The purified enzyme appeared to be a homotrimeric protein composed of subunits of about 58 kDa, and demonstrated not only the catalase activity toward H2O2, but also the monophenolase activity toward L-tyrosine and diphenolase activity toward L-DOPA. Its catalase and phenol oxidase activities were inhibited by common classic catalase and tyrosinase inhibitors, respectively. All its peptide fragments identified by nano-LC-MS/MS were targeted to catalases, and matched with a cDNA-encoded polypeptide which contains both classic catalase and phenol oxidase active sites. These sites were also present in catalases of non-betalain plants analyzed. AcCATPO transcript abundance was positively correlated with the ratio of betaxanthin to betacyanin in both green and red leaf sectors of A. tricolor. These data shows that the fourth group catalase, catalase-phenol oxidase, is present in plant, and might be involved in betaxanthin biosynthesis. PMID:26779247

  4. Leptin Induces Oxidative Stress Through Activation of NADPH Oxidase in Renal Tubular Cells: Antioxidant Effect of L-Carnitine.

    PubMed

    Blanca, Antonio J; Ruiz-Armenta, María V; Zambrano, Sonia; Salsoso, Rocío; Miguel-Carrasco, José L; Fortuño, Ana; Revilla, Elisa; Mate, Alfonso; Vázquez, Carmen M

    2016-10-01

    Leptin is a protein involved in the regulation of food intake and in the immune and inflammatory responses, among other functions. Evidences demonstrate that obesity is directly associated with high levels of leptin, suggesting that leptin may directly link obesity with the elevated cardiovascular and renal risk associated with increased body weight. Adverse effects of leptin include oxidative stress mediated by activation of NADPH oxidase. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of L-carnitine (LC) in rat renal epithelial cells (NRK-52E) exposed to leptin in order to generate a state of oxidative stress characteristic of obesity. Leptin increased superoxide anion (O2 (•) -) generation from NADPH oxidase (via PI3 K/Akt pathway), NOX2 expression and nitrotyrosine levels. On the other hand, NOX4 expression and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) levels diminished after leptin treatment. Furthermore, the expression of antioxidant enzymes, catalase, and superoxide dismutase, was altered by leptin, and an increase in the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory factors was also found in leptin-treated cells. LC restored all changes induced by leptin to those levels found in untreated cells. In conclusion, stimulation of NRK-52E cells with leptin induced a state of oxidative stress and inflammation that could be reversed by preincubation with LC. Interestingly, LC induced an upregulation of NOX4 and restored the release of its product, hydrogen peroxide, which suggests a protective role of NOX4 against leptin-induced renal damage. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2281-2288, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Ribosomal L1 domain and lysine-rich region are essential for CSIG/ RSL1D1 to regulate proliferation and senescence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ma, Liwei; Zhao, Wenting; Zheng, Quanhui

    2016-01-15

    The expression change of cellular senescence-associated genes is underlying the genetic foundation of cellular senescence. Using a suppressive subtractive hybridization system, we identified CSIG (cellular senescence-inhibited gene protein; RSL1D1) as a novel senescence-associated gene. CSIG is implicated in various process including cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and tumor metastasis. We previously showed that CSIG plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and cellular senescence progression through inhibiting PTEN, however, which domain or region of CSIG contributes to this function? To clarify this question, we investigated the functional importance of ribosomal L1 domain and lysine (Lys) -rich region of CSIG. Themore » data showed that expression of CSIG potently reduced PTEN expression, increased cell proliferation rates, and reduced the senescent phenotype (lower SA-β-gal activity). By contrast, neither the expression of CSIG N- terminal (NT) fragment containing the ribosomal L1 domain nor C-terminal (CT) fragment containing Lys-rich region could significantly altered the levels of PTEN; instead of promoting cell proliferation and delaying cellular senescence, expression of CSIG-NT or CSIG-CT inhibited cell proliferation and accelerated cell senescence (increased SA-β-gal activity) compared to either CSIG over-expressing or control (empty vector transfected) cells. The further immunofluorescence analysis showed that CSIG-CT and CSIG-NT truncated proteins exhibited different subcellular distribution with that of wild-type CSIG. Conclusively, both ribosomal L1 domain and Lys-rich region of CSIG are critical for CSIG to act as a regulator of cell proliferation and cellular senescence. - Highlights: • The ribosomal L1 domain and lysine-rich region of CSIG were expressed. • They are critical for CSIG to regulate proliferation and senescence. • CSIG and its domains exhibit different subcellular distribution.« less

  6. The Sugar Model: Catalytic Flow Reactor Dynamics of Pyruvaldehyde Synthesis from Triose Catalyzed by Poly-L-Lysine Contained in a Dialyzer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weber, Arthur L.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    The formation of pyruvaldehyde from triose sugars was catalyzed by poly-L-lysine contained in a small dialyzer (100 MWCO) suspended in a much larger triose substrate reservoir. The polylysine confined in the dialyzer functioned as a catalytic flow reactor that constantly brought in triose from the substrate reservoir by diffusion to offset the drop in triose concentration within the reactor caused by its conversion to pyruvaldehyde. A 400 mM solution of poly-L-lysine contained in a 0.35 ml dialyzer placed in a 120 ml solution of triose substrate (pH 5.5, 40 C) generated pyruvaldehyde 11 -times faster than an a control reaction without the catalytic dialyzer. However, since the catalytic dialyzer's volume was 343-times smaller than the control reaction, the synthetic intensity (rate/volume) of pyruvaldehyde synthesis within the catalytic dialyzer was 3400-times greater than that of the control reaction and substrate solution. A similar result was obtained using a dialyzer with a 500 MWCO value. Acting as a catalytic flow reactor the polylysine catalytic dialyzer synthesized about 3.5 molecules of pyruvaldehyde per lysine residue in 7 days -- an amount of triose equal to twice the weight of the catalyst. At 7 days the catalytic activity of polylysine was 16% of its initial value, a result indicating catalyst-poisoning caused by reaction of pyruvaldehyde with the e-amino groups of polylysine. The dialyzer method of catalyst containment was selected it provides a simple, flexible, and easily manipulated experimental system for studying the dynamics and evolutionary development of confined autocatalytic processes related to the origin of life under anaerobic conditions.

  7. The Antimicrobial Mechanism of Action of Epsilon-Poly-l-Lysine

    PubMed Central

    Hyldgaard, Morten; Mygind, Tina; Vad, Brian S.; Stenvang, Marcel; Otzen, Daniel E.

    2014-01-01

    Epsilon-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural antimicrobial cationic peptide which is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) as a food preservative. Although its antimicrobial activity is well documented, its mechanism of action is only vaguely described. The aim of this study was to clarify ε-PL's mechanism of action using Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua as model organisms. We examined ε-PL's effect on cell morphology and membrane integrity and used an array of E. coli deletion mutants to study how specific outer membrane components affected the action of ε-PL. We furthermore studied its interaction with lipid bilayers using membrane models. In vitro cell studies indicated that divalent cations and the heptose I and II phosphate groups in the lipopolysaccharide layer of E. coli are critical for ε-PL's binding efficiency. ε-PL removed the lipopolysaccharide layer and affected cell morphology of E. coli, while L. innocua underwent minor morphological changes. Propidium iodide staining showed that ε-PL permeabilized the cytoplasmic membrane in both species, indicating the membrane as the site of attack. We compared the interaction with neutral or negatively charged membrane systems and showed that the interaction with ε-PL relied on negative charges on the membrane. Suspended membrane vesicles were disrupted by ε-PL, and a detergent-like disruption of E. coli membrane was confirmed by atomic force microscopy imaging of supported lipid bilayers. We hypothesize that ε-PL destabilizes membranes in a carpet-like mechanism by interacting with negatively charged phospholipid head groups, which displace divalent cations and enforce a negative curvature folding on membranes that leads to formation of vesicles/micelles. PMID:25304506

  8. The antimicrobial mechanism of action of epsilon-poly-l-lysine.

    PubMed

    Hyldgaard, Morten; Mygind, Tina; Vad, Brian S; Stenvang, Marcel; Otzen, Daniel E; Meyer, Rikke L

    2014-12-01

    Epsilon-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural antimicrobial cationic peptide which is generally regarded as safe (GRAS) as a food preservative. Although its antimicrobial activity is well documented, its mechanism of action is only vaguely described. The aim of this study was to clarify ε-PL's mechanism of action using Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua as model organisms. We examined ε-PL's effect on cell morphology and membrane integrity and used an array of E. coli deletion mutants to study how specific outer membrane components affected the action of ε-PL. We furthermore studied its interaction with lipid bilayers using membrane models. In vitro cell studies indicated that divalent cations and the heptose I and II phosphate groups in the lipopolysaccharide layer of E. coli are critical for ε-PL's binding efficiency. ε-PL removed the lipopolysaccharide layer and affected cell morphology of E. coli, while L. innocua underwent minor morphological changes. Propidium iodide staining showed that ε-PL permeabilized the cytoplasmic membrane in both species, indicating the membrane as the site of attack. We compared the interaction with neutral or negatively charged membrane systems and showed that the interaction with ε-PL relied on negative charges on the membrane. Suspended membrane vesicles were disrupted by ε-PL, and a detergent-like disruption of E. coli membrane was confirmed by atomic force microscopy imaging of supported lipid bilayers. We hypothesize that ε-PL destabilizes membranes in a carpet-like mechanism by interacting with negatively charged phospholipid head groups, which displace divalent cations and enforce a negative curvature folding on membranes that leads to formation of vesicles/micelles. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Evaluation of Fluorine-18-Labeled α1(I)-N-Telopeptide Analogs as Substrate-Based Radiotracers for PET Imaging of Melanoma-Associated Lysyl Oxidase.

    PubMed

    Kuchar, Manuela; Neuber, Christin; Belter, Birgit; Bergmann, Ralf; Lenk, Jens; Wodtke, Robert; Kniess, Torsten; Steinbach, Jörg; Pietzsch, Jens; Löser, Reik

    2018-01-01

    Accumulating evidence suggests an unequivocal role of lysyl oxidases as key players of tumor progression and metastasis, which renders this enzyme family highly attractive for targeted non-invasive functional imaging of tumors. Considering their function in matrix remodeling, malignant melanoma appears as particularly interesting neoplasia in this respect. For the development of radiotracers that enable PET imaging of the melanoma-associated lysyl oxidase activity, substrates derived from the type I collagen α1 N-telopeptide were labeled with fluorine-18 using N -succinimidyl 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzoate ([ 18 F]SFB) as prosthetic reagent. With regards to potential crosslinking to tumor-associated collagen in vivo , their interaction with triple-helical type I collagen was studied by SPR. A mouse model of human melanoma was established on the basis of the A375 cell line, for which the expression of the oncologically relevant lysyl oxidase isoforms LOX and LOXL2 was demonstrated in Western blot and immunohistochemical experiments. The radiopharmacological profiles of the peptidic radiotracers were evaluated in normal rats and A375 melanoma-bearing mice by ex vivo metabolite analysis, whole-body biodistribution studies and dynamic PET imaging. Out of three 18 F-labeled telopeptide analogs, the one with the most favorable substrate properties has shown favorable tumor uptake and tumor-to-muscle ratio. Lysyl oxidase-mediated tumor uptake was proven by pharmacological inhibition using β-aminopropionitrile and by employing negative-control analogs of impeded or abolished targeting capability. The latter were obtained by substituting the lysine residue by ornithine and norleucine, respectively. Comparing the tumor uptake of the lysine-containing peptide with that of the non-functional analogs indicate the feasibility of lysyl oxidase imaging in melanoma using substrate-based radiotracers.

  10. Evaluation of Fluorine-18-Labeled α1(I)-N-Telopeptide Analogs as Substrate-Based Radiotracers for PET Imaging of Melanoma-Associated Lysyl Oxidase

    PubMed Central

    Kuchar, Manuela; Neuber, Christin; Belter, Birgit; Bergmann, Ralf; Lenk, Jens; Wodtke, Robert; Kniess, Torsten; Steinbach, Jörg; Pietzsch, Jens; Löser, Reik

    2018-01-01

    Accumulating evidence suggests an unequivocal role of lysyl oxidases as key players of tumor progression and metastasis, which renders this enzyme family highly attractive for targeted non-invasive functional imaging of tumors. Considering their function in matrix remodeling, malignant melanoma appears as particularly interesting neoplasia in this respect. For the development of radiotracers that enable PET imaging of the melanoma-associated lysyl oxidase activity, substrates derived from the type I collagen α1 N-telopeptide were labeled with fluorine-18 using N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate ([18F]SFB) as prosthetic reagent. With regards to potential crosslinking to tumor-associated collagen in vivo, their interaction with triple-helical type I collagen was studied by SPR. A mouse model of human melanoma was established on the basis of the A375 cell line, for which the expression of the oncologically relevant lysyl oxidase isoforms LOX and LOXL2 was demonstrated in Western blot and immunohistochemical experiments. The radiopharmacological profiles of the peptidic radiotracers were evaluated in normal rats and A375 melanoma-bearing mice by ex vivo metabolite analysis, whole-body biodistribution studies and dynamic PET imaging. Out of three 18F-labeled telopeptide analogs, the one with the most favorable substrate properties has shown favorable tumor uptake and tumor-to-muscle ratio. Lysyl oxidase-mediated tumor uptake was proven by pharmacological inhibition using β-aminopropionitrile and by employing negative-control analogs of impeded or abolished targeting capability. The latter were obtained by substituting the lysine residue by ornithine and norleucine, respectively. Comparing the tumor uptake of the lysine-containing peptide with that of the non-functional analogs indicate the feasibility of lysyl oxidase imaging in melanoma using substrate-based radiotracers.

  11. Calcium mobilization and Rac1 activation are required for VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) stimulation of NADPH oxidase activity.

    PubMed Central

    Cook-Mills, Joan M; Johnson, Jacob D; Deem, Tracy L; Ochi, Atsuo; Wang, Lei; Zheng, Yi

    2004-01-01

    VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation in atherosclerosis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and transplantation. VCAM-1 activates endothelial cell NADPH oxidase, and this oxidase activity is required for VCAM-1-dependent lymphocyte migration. We reported previously that a mouse microvascular endothelial cell line promotes lymphocyte migration that is dependent on VCAM-1, but not on other known adhesion molecules. Here we have investigated the signalling mechanisms underlying VCAM-1 function. Lymphocyte binding to VCAM-1 on the endothelial cell surface activated an endothelial cell calcium flux that could be inhibited with anti-alpha4-integrin and mimicked by anti-VCAM-1-coated beads. VCAM-1 stimulation of calcium responses could be blocked by an inhibitor of intracellular calcium mobilization, a calcium channel inhibitor or a calcium chelator, resulting in the inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity. Addition of ionomycin overcame the calcium channel blocker suppression of VCAM-1-stimulated NADPH oxidase activity, but could not reverse the inhibitory effect imposed by intracellular calcium blockage, indicating that both intracellular and extracellular calcium mobilization are required for VCAM-1-mediated activation of NADPH oxidase. Furthermore, VCAM-1 specifically activated the Rho-family GTPase Rac1, and VCAM-1 activation of NADPH oxidase was blocked by a dominant negative Rac1. Thus VCAM-1 stimulates the mobilization of intracellular and extracellular calcium and Rac1 activity that are required for the activation of NADPH oxidase. PMID:14594451

  12. Lysine Fermentation: History and Genome Breeding.

    PubMed

    Ikeda, Masato

    Lysine fermentation by Corynebacterium glutamicum was developed in 1958 by Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd. (current Kyowa Hakko Bio Co. Ltd.) and is the second oldest amino acid fermentation process after glutamate fermentation. The fundamental mechanism of lysine production, discovered in the early stages of the process's history, gave birth to the concept known as "metabolic regulatory fermentation," which is now widely applied to metabolite production. After the development of rational metabolic engineering, research on lysine production first highlighted the need for engineering of the central metabolism from the viewpoints of precursor supply and NADPH regeneration. Furthermore, the existence of active export systems for amino acids was first demonstrated for lysine in C. glutamicum, and this discovery has resulted in the current recognition of such exporters as an important consideration in metabolite production. Lysine fermentation is also notable as the first process to which genomics was successfully applied to improve amino acid production. The first global "genome breeding" strategy was developed using a lysine producer as a model; this has since led to new lysine producers that are more efficient than classical industrial producers. These advances in strain development technology, combined with recent systems-level approaches, have almost achieved the optimization of entire cellular systems as cell factories for lysine production. In parallel, the continuous improvement of the process has resulted not only in fermentation processes with reduced load on downstream processing but also in commercialization of various product forms according to their intended uses. Nowadays lysine fermentation underpins a giant lysine demand of more than 2 million metric tons per year.

  13. X-ray studies on crystalline complexes involving amino acids and peptides. XXXII. Effect of chirality on ionisation state, stoichiometry and aggregation in the complexes of oxalic acid with DL- and L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Venkatraman, J; Prabu, M M; Vijayan, M

    1997-08-01

    Crystals of the oxalic acid complex of DL-lysine (triclinic P1; a = 5.540(1), b = 10.764(2), c = 12.056(2) A, alpha = 77.8(1), beta = 80.6(1), gamma = 75.6(1).; R = 4.7% for 2023 observed reflections) contain lysine and semioxalate ions in the 1:1 ratio, whereas the ratio of lysine and semioxalate/oxalate ions is 2:3 in the crystals of the L-lysine complex (monoclinic P2(1); alpha = 4.906(1), b = 20.145(4), c = 12.455(1) A, beta = 92.5(1).; R = 4.4% for 1494 observed reflections). The amino acid molecule in the L-lysine complex has an unusual ionisation state with positively charged alpha- and side-chain amino groups and a neutral carboxyl group. The unlike molecules aggregate into separate alternating layers in the DL-lysine complex in a manner similar to that observed in several of the amino acid complexes. The L-lysine complex exhibits a new aggregation pattern which cannot be easily explained in terms of planar features, thus emphasizing the fundamental dependence of aggregation on molecular characteristics. Despite the differences in stoichiometry, ionisation state and long-range aggregation patterns, the basic element of aggregation in the two complexes exhibits considerable similarity.

  14. Lysine 362 in cytochrome c oxidase regulates opening of the K-channel via changes in pKA and conformation.

    PubMed

    Woelke, Anna Lena; Galstyan, Gegham; Knapp, Ernst-Walter

    2014-12-01

    The metabolism of aerobic life uses the conversion of molecular oxygen to water as an energy source. This reaction is catalyzed by cytochrome e oxidase (CeO) consuming four electrons and four protons, which move along specific routes. While all four electrons are transferred via the same cofactors to the binuclear reaction center (BNC), the protons take two different routes in the A-type CeO, i.e., two of the four chemical protons consumed in the reaction arrive via the D-channel in the oxidative first half starting after oxygen binding. The other two chemical protons enter via the K-channel in the reductive second half of the reaction cycle. To date, the mechanism behind these separate proton transport pathways has not been understood. In this study, we propose a model that can explain the reaction-step specific opening and closing of the K-channel by conformational and pKA changes of its central lysine 362. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal an upward movement of Lys362 towards the BNC, which had already been supposed by several experimental studies. Redox state-dependent pKA calculations provide evidence that Lys362 may protonate transiently, thereby opening the K-channel only in the reductive second half of the reaction cycle. From our results, we develop a model that assigns a key role to Lys362 in the proton gating between the two proton input channels of the A-type CeO.

  15. Improved safety and efficacy of 213Bi-DOTATATE-targeted alpha therapy of somatostatin receptor-expressing neuroendocrine tumors in mice pre-treated with L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Chan, Ho Sze; Konijnenberg, Mark W; Daniels, Tamara; Nysus, Monique; Makvandi, Mehran; de Blois, Erik; Breeman, Wouter A; Atcher, Robert W; de Jong, Marion; Norenberg, Jeffrey P

    2016-12-01

    Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) offers advantages over current β-emitting conjugates for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) of neuroendocrine tumors. PRRT with 177 Lu-DOTATATE or 90 Y-DOTATOC has shown dose-limiting nephrotoxicity due to radiopeptide retention in the proximal tubules. Pharmacological protection can reduce renal uptake of radiopeptides, e.g., positively charged amino acids, to saturate in the proximal tubules, thereby enabling higher radioactivity to be safely administered. The aim of this preclinical study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of 213 Bi-DOTATATE with and without renal protection using L-lysine in mice. Tumor uptake and kinetics as a function of injected mass of peptide (range 0.03-3 nmol) were investigated using 111 In-DOTATATE. These results allowed estimation of the mean radiation absorbed tumor dose for 213 Bi-DOTATATE. Pharmacokinetics and dosimetry of 213 Bi-DOTATATE was determined in mice, in combination with renal protection. A dose escalation study with 213 Bi-DOTATATE was performed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) with and without pre-administration of L-lysine as for renal protection. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) served as renal biomarker to determine kidney injury. The maximum mean radiation absorbed tumor dose occurred at 0.03 nmol and the minimum at 3 nmol. Similar mean radiation absorbed tumor doses were determined for 0.1 and 0.3 nmol with a mean radiation absorbed dose of approximately 0.5 Gy/MBq 213 Bi-DOTATATE. The optimal mass of injected peptide was found to be 0.3 nmol. Tumor uptake was similar for 111 In-DOTATATE and 213 Bi-DOTATATE at 0.3 nmol peptide. Lysine reduced the renal uptake of 213 Bi-DOTATATE by 50% with no effect on the tumor uptake. The MTD was <13.0 ± 1.6 MBq in absence of L-lysine and 21.7 ± 1.9 MBq with L-lysine renal protection, both imparting an LD 50 mean renal radiation absorbed dose of 20 Gy. A correlation was found between the

  16. Boosting Anaplerotic Reactions by Pyruvate Kinase Gene Deletion and Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase Desensitization for Glutamic Acid and Lysine Production in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Yokota, Atsushi; Sawada, Kazunori; Wada, Masaru

    In the 1980s, Shiio and coworkers demonstrated using random mutagenesis that the following three phenotypes were effective for boosting lysine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum: (1) low-activity-level citrate synthase (CS L ), (2) phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) resistant to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid (PEPC R ), and (3) pyruvate kinase (PYK) deficiency. Here, we reevaluated these phenotypes and their interrelationship in lysine production using recombinant DNA techniques.The pyk deletion and PEPC R (D299N in ppc) independently showed marginal effects on lysine production, but both phenotypes synergistically increased lysine yield, demonstrating the importance of PEPC as an anaplerotic enzyme in lysine production. Similar effects were also found for glutamic acid production. CS L (S252C in gltA) further increased lysine yield. Thus, using molecular techniques, the combination of these three phenotypes was reconfirmed to be effective for lysine production. However, a simple CS L mutant showed instabilities in growth and lysine yield.Surprisingly, the pyk deletion was found to increase biomass production in wild-type C. glutamicum ATCC13032 under biotin-sufficient conditions. The mutant showed a 37% increase in growth (based on OD 660 ) compared with the ATCC13032 strain in a complex medium containing 100 g/L glucose. Metabolome analysis revealed the intracellular accumulation of excess precursor metabolites. Thus, their conversion into biomass was considered to relieve the metabolic distortion in the pyk-deleted mutant. Detailed physiological studies of various pyk-deleted mutants also suggested that malate:quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) is important to control both the intracellular oxaloacetic acid (OAA) level and respiration rate. These findings may facilitate the rational use of C. glutamicum in fermentation industries.

  17. The histone lysine demethylase Kdm6b is required for activity-dependent preconditioning of hippocampal neuronal survival

    PubMed Central

    Wijayatunge, Ranjula; Chen, Liang-Fu; Cha, Young May; Zannas, Anthony S.; Frank, Christopher L.; West, Anne E.

    2014-01-01

    Enzymes that regulate histone lysine methylation play important roles in neuronal differentiation, but little is known about their contributions to activity-regulated gene transcription in differentiated neurons. We characterized activity-regulated expression of lysine demethylases and lysine methyltransferases in the hippocampus of adult male mice following pilocarpine-induced seizure. Pilocarpine drove a 20-fold increase in mRNA encoding the histone H3 lysine27-specific demethylase Kdm6b selectively in granule neurons of the dentate gyrus, and this induction was recapitulated in cultured hippocampal neurons by bicuculline and 4-aminopyridine (Bic+4AP) stimulation of synaptic activity. Because activity-regulated gene expression is highly correlated with neuronal survival, we tested the requirement for Kdm6b expression in Bic+4AP induced preconditioning of neuronal survival. Prior exposure to Bic+4AP promoted neuronal survival in control neurons upon growth factor withdrawal, however this effect was ablated when we knocked down Kdm6b expression. Loss of Kdm6b did not disrupt activity-induced expression of most genes, including that of a gene set previously established to promote neuronal survival in this assay. However using bioinformatic analysis of RNA sequencing data, we discovered that Kdm6b knockdown neurons showed impaired inducibility of a discrete set of genes annotated for their function in inflammation. These data reveal a novel function for Kdm6b in activity-regulated neuronal survival, and they suggest that activity- and Kdm6b-dependent regulation of inflammatory gene pathways may serve as an adaptive pro-survival response to increased neuronal activity. PMID:24983519

  18. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study on polymerization of L-lysine on electrode surface and its application for immobilization and detection of suspension cells.

    PubMed

    Huang, Baozhen; Jia, Ningming; Chen, Lina; Tan, Liang; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2014-07-15

    Poly-L-lysine (PLL), which has been employed as a conductive polymer in the construction of some electrochemical sensors, can be prepared using L-lysine by cyclic voltammetry (CV) with a wide potential range. However, the presented explanation and description about its polymerization mechanism seems oversimplified because the self-reaction of electrode and the electrolysis of solvent at high potential are ignored. This work presents an intensive investigation on the relevant reactions during the process of PLL-polymerization using CV, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. At a higher positive potential, the transfer from lysine molecules to cation radicals and the polymerization reaction on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) could be achieved, accompanied by the activation of GCE, the formation of oxygen-containing functional groups, and the generation of oxygen derived from the oxidation of water. The adsorbed oxygen had a seriously negative effect on the formation of PLL unless it suffered reduction at a lower negative potential. The charge transfer through the electrochemical polymerized PLL film was seriously hindered by the immobilization of suspension cells due to the electrostatic interaction. The charge-transfer resistance difference (ΔR(ct)) was increased with the enhancement of the cell number (N(cells)) and the 1/ΔR(ct) value displayed a linear response with 1/N(cells) in the range of 5.0 × 10(2)-1.0 × 10(5) cells with a detection limit of 180 cells estimated at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. A sensitive electrochemical sensor for the quantitative detection of suspension cells was developed.

  19. Evidence for Pipecolate Oxidase in Mediating Protection Against Hydrogen Peroxide Stress.

    PubMed

    Natarajan, Sathish Kumar; Muthukrishnan, Ezhumalai; Khalimonchuk, Oleh; Mott, Justin L; Becker, Donald F

    2017-07-01

    Pipecolate, an intermediate of the lysine catabolic pathway, is oxidized to Δ 1 -piperideine-6-carboxylate (P6C) by the flavoenzyme l-pipecolate oxidase (PIPOX). P6C spontaneously hydrolyzes to generate α-aminoadipate semialdehyde, which is then converted into α-aminoadipate acid by α-aminoadipatesemialdehyde dehydrogenase. l-pipecolate was previously reported to protect mammalian cells against oxidative stress. Here, we examined whether PIPOX is involved in the mechanism of pipecolate stress protection. Knockdown of PIPOX by small interference RNA abolished pipecolate protection against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in HEK293 cells suggesting a critical role for PIPOX. Subcellular fractionation analysis showed that PIPOX is localized in the mitochondria of HEK293 cells consistent with its role in lysine catabolism. Signaling pathways potentially involved in pipecolate protection were explored by treating cells with small molecule inhibitors. Inhibition of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 kinase complexes or inhibition of Akt kinase alone blocked pipecolate protection suggesting the involvement of these signaling pathways. Phosphorylation of the Akt downstream target, forkhead transcription factor O3 (FoxO3), was also significantly increased in cells treated with pipecolate, further implicating Akt in the protective mechanism and revealing FoxO3 inhibition as a potentially key step. The results presented here demonstrate that pipecolate metabolism can influence cell signaling during oxidative stress to promote cell survival and suggest that the mechanism of pipecolate protection parallels that of proline, which is also metabolized in the mitochondria. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1678-1688, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. IRON REGULATES XANTHINE OXIDASE ACTIVITY IN THE LUNG

    EPA Science Inventory

    The iron chelator deferoxamine has been reported to inhibit both xanthine oxidase (XO) and xanthine dehydrogenase activity, but the relationship of this effect to the availability of iron in the cellular and tissue environment remains unexplored. XO and total xanthine oxidoreduct...

  1. Regulation of the nitric oxide oxidase activity of myeloperoxidase by pharmacological agents.

    PubMed

    Maiocchi, Sophie L; Morris, Jonathan C; Rees, Martin D; Thomas, Shane R

    2017-07-01

    The leukocyte-derived heme enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is released extracellularly during inflammation and impairs nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability by directly oxidizing NO or producing NO-consuming substrate radicals. Here, structurally diverse pharmacological agents with activities as MPO substrates/inhibitors or antioxidants were screened for their effects on MPO NO oxidase activity in human plasma and physiological model systems containing endogenous MPO substrates/antioxidants (tyrosine, urate, ascorbate). Hydrazide-based irreversible/reversible MPO inhibitors (4-ABAH, isoniazid) or the sickle cell anaemia drug, hydroxyurea, all promoted MPO NO oxidase activity. This involved the capacity of NO to antagonize MPO inhibition by hydrazide-derived radicals and/or the ability of drug-derived radicals to stimulate MPO turnover thereby increasing NO consumption by MPO redox intermediates or NO-consuming radicals. In contrast, the mechanism-based irreversible MPO inhibitor 2-thioxanthine, potently inhibited MPO turnover and NO consumption. Although the phenolics acetaminophen and resveratrol initially increased MPO turnover and NO consumption, they limited the overall extent of NO loss by rapidly depleting H 2 O 2 and promoting the formation of ascorbyl radicals, which inefficiently consume NO. The vitamin E analogue trolox inhibited MPO NO oxidase activity in ascorbate-depleted fluids by scavenging NO-consuming tyrosyl and urate radicals. Tempol and related nitroxides decreased NO consumption in ascorbate-replete fluids by scavenging MPO-derived ascorbyl radicals. Indoles or apocynin yielded marginal effects. Kinetic analyses rationalized differences in drug activities and identified criteria for the improved inhibition of MPO NO oxidase activity. This study reveals that widely used agents have important implications for MPO NO oxidase activity under physiological conditions, highlighting new pharmacological strategies for preserving NO bioavailability during

  2. Identification and characterization of L-lysine decarboxylase from Huperzia serrata and its role in the metabolic pathway of lycopodium alkaloid.

    PubMed

    Xu, Baofu; Lei, Lei; Zhu, Xiaocen; Zhou, Yiqing; Xiao, Youli

    2017-04-01

    Lysine decarboxylation is the first biosynthetic step of Huperzine A (HupA). Six cDNAs encoding lysine decarboxylases (LDCs) were cloned from Huperzia serrata by degenerate PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). One HsLDC isoform was functionally characterized as lysine decarboxylase. The HsLDC exhibited greatest catalytic efficiency (k cat /K m , 2.11 s -1  mM -1 ) toward L-lysine in vitro among all reported plant-LDCs. Moreover, transient expression of the HsLDC in tobacco leaves specifically increased cadaverine content from zero to 0.75 mg per gram of dry mass. Additionally, a convenient and reliable method used to detect the two catalytic products was developed. With the novel method, the enzymatic products of HsLDC and HsCAO, namely cadaverine and 5-aminopentanal, respectively, were detected simultaneously both in assay with purified enzymes and in transgenic tobacco leaves. This work not only provides direct evidence of the first two-step in biosynthetic pathway of HupA in Huperzia serrata and paves the way for further elucidation of the pathway, but also enables engineering heterologous production of HupA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Effects of nitrogen additions on soil hydrolase and oxidase activities in Pinus elliottii plantations.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Chuang; Zou, Hong Tao; Zhang, Xin Yu; Kou, Liang; Yang, Yang; Sun, Xiao Min; Li, Sheng Gong; Wang, Hui Min

    2016-11-18

    We evaluated responses of hydrolase and oxidase activities in a subtropical Pinus elliottii plantation through a nitrogen (N) addition field experiment (dosage level: 0, 40, 120 kg N·hm -2 ·a -1 ). The results showed that N additions significantly decreased the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus related hydrolase and oxidase activities. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) and peroxidase (PER) activities were decreased by 16.5%-51.1% due to N additions, and the decrease was more remarkable in the higher N addition treatment. The activities of α-1,4-glucosidase (aG), β-1,4-xylosidase (BX), acid phosphatase (AP) and phenol oxidase (PPO) were decreased by 14.5%-38.6% by N additions, however, there was no significant difference among the different N addition treatments. Soil enzyme activities varied obviously in different seasons. The activities of BG, NAG, BX, CBH, AP and PPO were in the order of March > June > October, and aG and PER activities were in the order of October > March > June. Most of the soil hydrolase and oxidase activities were positively correlated with soil pH, but negatively with NO 3 - -N content. It indicated that N additions inhibited soil hydrolase and oxidase activities by reducing soil pH and increasing soil nitrification. N additions inhibited the soil organic matter mineralization and turnover in the subtropical area, and the effects were obvious with the increasing dosage of N additions.

  4. Genome sequence of thermotolerant Bacillus methanolicus: features and regulation related to methylotrophy and production of L-lysine and L-glutamate from methanol.

    PubMed

    Heggeset, Tonje M B; Krog, Anne; Balzer, Simone; Wentzel, Alexander; Ellingsen, Trond E; Brautaset, Trygve

    2012-08-01

    Bacillus methanolicus can utilize methanol as its sole carbon and energy source, and the scientific interest in this thermotolerant bacterium has focused largely on exploring its potential as a biocatalyst for the conversion of methanol into L-lysine and L-glutamate. We present here the genome sequences of the important B. methanolicus model strain MGA3 (ATCC 53907) and the alternative wild-type strain PB1 (NCIMB13113). The physiological diversity of these two strains was demonstrated by a comparative fed-batch methanol cultivation displaying highly different methanol consumption and respiration profiles, as well as major differences in their L-glutamate production levels (406 mmol liter(-1) and 11 mmol liter(-1), respectively). Both genomes are small (ca 3.4 Mbp) compared to those of other related bacilli, and MGA3 has two plasmids (pBM19 and pBM69), while PB1 has only one (pBM20). In particular, we focus here on genes representing biochemical pathways for methanol oxidation and concomitant formaldehyde assimilation and dissimilation, the important phosphoenol pyruvate/pyruvate anaplerotic node, the tricarboxylic acid cycle including the glyoxylate pathway, and the biosynthetic pathways for L-lysine and L-glutamate. Several unique findings were made, including the discovery of three different methanol dehydrogenase genes in each of the two B. methanolicus strains, and the genomic analyses were accompanied by gene expression studies. Our results provide new insight into a number of peculiar physiological and metabolic traits of B. methanolicus and open up possibilities for system-level metabolic engineering of this bacterium for the production of amino acids and other useful compounds from methanol.

  5. Genome Sequence of Thermotolerant Bacillus methanolicus: Features and Regulation Related to Methylotrophy and Production of l-Lysine and l-Glutamate from Methanol

    PubMed Central

    Heggeset, Tonje M. B.; Krog, Anne; Balzer, Simone; Wentzel, Alexander; Ellingsen, Trond E.

    2012-01-01

    Bacillus methanolicus can utilize methanol as its sole carbon and energy source, and the scientific interest in this thermotolerant bacterium has focused largely on exploring its potential as a biocatalyst for the conversion of methanol into l-lysine and l-glutamate. We present here the genome sequences of the important B. methanolicus model strain MGA3 (ATCC 53907) and the alternative wild-type strain PB1 (NCIMB13113). The physiological diversity of these two strains was demonstrated by a comparative fed-batch methanol cultivation displaying highly different methanol consumption and respiration profiles, as well as major differences in their l-glutamate production levels (406 mmol liter−1 and 11 mmol liter−1, respectively). Both genomes are small (ca 3.4 Mbp) compared to those of other related bacilli, and MGA3 has two plasmids (pBM19 and pBM69), while PB1 has only one (pBM20). In particular, we focus here on genes representing biochemical pathways for methanol oxidation and concomitant formaldehyde assimilation and dissimilation, the important phosphoenol pyruvate/pyruvate anaplerotic node, the tricarboxylic acid cycle including the glyoxylate pathway, and the biosynthetic pathways for l-lysine and l-glutamate. Several unique findings were made, including the discovery of three different methanol dehydrogenase genes in each of the two B. methanolicus strains, and the genomic analyses were accompanied by gene expression studies. Our results provide new insight into a number of peculiar physiological and metabolic traits of B. methanolicus and open up possibilities for system-level metabolic engineering of this bacterium for the production of amino acids and other useful compounds from methanol. PMID:22610424

  6. Recovery of choline oxidase activity by in vitro recombination of individual segments.

    PubMed

    Heinze, Birgit; Hoven, Nina; O'Connell, Timothy; Maurer, Karl-Heinz; Bartsch, Sebastian; Bornscheuer, Uwe T

    2008-11-01

    Initial attempts to express a choline oxidase from Arthrobacter pascens (APChO-syn) in Escherichia coli starting from a synthetic gene only led to inactive protein. However, activity was regained by the systematic exchange of individual segments of the gene with segments from a choline oxidase-encoding gene from Arthrobacter globiformis yielding a functional chimeric enzyme. Next, a sequence alignment of the exchanged segment with other choline oxidases revealed a mutation in the APChO-syn, showing that residue 200 was a threonine instead of an asparagine, which is, thus, crucial for confering enzyme activity and, hence, provides an explanation for the initial lack of activity. The active recombinant APChO-syn-T200N variant was biochemically characterized showing an optimum at pH 8.0 and at 37 degrees C. Furthermore, the substrate specificity was examined using N,N-dimethylethanolamine, N-methylethanolamine and 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol.

  7. Recent advances in Parkinson's disease therapy: use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Henchcliffe, Claire; Schumacher, H Christian; Burgut, F Tuna

    2005-11-01

    Monoamine oxidase inhibitors inhibit dopamine metabolism and are therefore effective in treating Parkinson's disease, a condition associated with progressive striatal dopamine deficiency secondary to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Selegiline is currently the most widely used monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor for Parkinson's disease, but has a low and variable bioavailability, and is metabolized to L-methamphetamine and L-amphetamine that carry a risk for potential neurotoxicity. There are two new approaches that circumvent these potential disadvantages. First, selegiline orally disintegrating tablets provide a novel delivery form of selegiline, avoiding first pass metabolism by rapid absorption through the oral mucosa, thus leading to significantly lower plasma concentrations of L-metamphetamine and L-amphetamine. Selegiline orally disintegrating tablets prove to be clinically effective and safe in patients with moderately advanced Parkinson's disease. Second, rasagiline is a new monoamine oxidase inhibitor, without known neurotoxic metabolites. In large clinical trials, rasagiline proves effective as monotherapy in early Parkinson's disease, as well as adjunctive therapy to levodopa in advanced disease. Clinical data suggest, in addition, a disease-modifying effect of rasagiline that may correlate with neuroprotective activity of monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors in animal models of Parkinson's disease.

  8. A novel domain of amino-Nogo-A protects HT22 cells exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation by inhibiting NADPH oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Guo, Fan; Wang, Huiwen; Li, Liya; Zhou, Heng; Wei, Haidong; Jin, Weilin; Wang, Qiang; Xiong, Lize

    2013-04-01

    This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of the M9 region (residues 290-562) of amino-Nogo-A fused to the human immunodeficiency virus trans-activator TAT in an in vitro model of ischemia-reperfusion induced by oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in HT22 hippocampal neurons, and to investigate the role of NADPH oxidase in this protection. Transduction of TAT-M9 was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining and western blot. The biologic activity of TAT-M9 was assessed by its effects against OGD-induced HT22 cell damage, compared with a mutant M9 fusion protein or vehicle. Cellular viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were assessed. Neuronal apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was determined by western blotting. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and NADPH oxidase activity were also measured in the presence or absence of an inhibitor or activator of NADPH oxidase. Our results confirmed the delivery of the protein into HT22 cells by immunofluorescence and western blot. Addition of 0.4 μmol/L TAT-M9 to the culture medium effectively improved neuronal cell viability and reduced LDH release induced by OGD. The fusion protein also protected HT22 cells from apoptosis, suppressed overexpression of Bax, and inhibited the reduction in Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, TAT-M9, as well as apocynin, decreased NADPH oxidase activity and ROS content. The protective effects of the TAT-M9 were reversed by TBCA, an agonist of NADPH oxidase. In conclusion, TAT-M9 could be successfully transduced into HT22 cells, and protected HT22 cells against OGD damage by inhibiting NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative stress. These findings suggest that the TAT-M9 protein may be an efficient therapeutic agent for neuroprotection.

  9. Effect of ionic detergents, nonionic detergents, and chaotropic agents on polyphenol oxidase activity from dormant saffron (Crocus sativus L.) corms.

    PubMed

    Saeidian, Shahriar; Keyhani, Ezzatollah; Keyhani, Jacqueline

    2007-05-02

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO; EC 1.14.18.1) catalyzes the hydroxylation of monophenols to o-diphenols (cresolase activity) and the oxidation of o-diphenols to o-quinones (catecholase activity), leading to browning in plants and produce. Further interest in the enzyme has been triggered by the active role that it plays in plant defense systems. PPO can be found in latent forms and is activated in vitro by various agents including urea, detergents, and proteases. The activation of PPO from several sources by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) has been extensively investigated, but reports on the effect of other detergents or on the differential effect of detergents on each of PPO's activities are scarce. In addition, investigations on the enzyme in other plant parts besides fruits and vegetables are also scarce. Here, the effect of various detergents and chaotropic agents on PPO from dormant saffron (Crocus sativus L.) corm extract was investigated. SDS and sarkosyl activated the cresolase activity, while only SDS activated the catecholase activity. All other detergents tested, in milli- or micromolar concentrations, inhibited the cresolase activity but barely affected the catecholase activity. In contrast, urea and guanidine-HCl drastically inhibited the catecholase activity but moderately inhibited the cresolase activity. The same effects were obtained on the partially purified enzyme. Results identified a PPO, present in dormant corms, which was activated only by anionic detergents and was inhibited by other reputed activating agents such as urea. Results also emphasized the differences in structure and accessibility of the active sites for cresolase and catecholase activities.

  10. Partial purification and characterization of polyphenol oxidase from banana (Musa sapientum L.) peel.

    PubMed

    Yang, C P; Fujita, S; Kohno, K; Kusubayashi, A; Ashrafuzzaman, M; Hayashi, N

    2001-03-01

    Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.1, o-diphenol: oxygen oxidoreductase, PPO) of banana (Musa sapientum L.) peel was partially purified about 460-fold with a recovery of 2.2% using dopamine as substrate. The enzyme showed a single peak on Toyopearl HW55-S chromatography. However, two bands were detected by staining with Coomassie brilliant blue on PAGE: one was very clear, and the other was faint. Molecular weight for purified PPO was estimated to be about 41 000 by gel filtration. The enzyme quickly oxidized dopamine, and its Km value (Michaelis constant) for dopamine was 3.9 mM. Optimum pH was 6.5 and the PPO activity was quite stable in the range of pH 5-11 for 48 h. The enzyme had an optimum temperature at 30 degrees C and was stable up to 60 degrees C after heat treatment for 30 min. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, potassium cyanide, L-ascorbic acid, and cysteine at 1 mM. Under a low buffer capacity, the enzyme was also strongly inhibited by citric acid and acetic acid at 10 mM.

  11. A lysinated thiophene-based semiconductor as a multifunctional neural bioorganic interface.

    PubMed

    Bonetti, Simone; Pistone, Assunta; Brucale, Marco; Karges, Saskia; Favaretto, Laura; Zambianchi, Massimo; Posati, Tamara; Sagnella, Anna; Caprini, Marco; Toffanin, Stefano; Zamboni, Roberto; Camaioni, Nadia; Muccini, Michele; Melucci, Manuela; Benfenati, Valentina

    2015-06-03

    Lysinated molecular organic semiconductors are introduced as valuable multifunctional platforms for neural cells growth and interfacing. Cast films of quaterthiophene (T4) semiconductor covalently modified with lysine-end moieties (T4Lys) are fabricated and their stability, morphology, optical/electrical, and biocompatibility properties are characterized. T4Lys films exhibit fluorescence and electronic transport as generally observed for unsubstituted oligothiophenes combined to humidity-activated ionic conduction promoted by the charged lysine-end moieties. The Lys insertion in T4 enables adhesion of primary culture of rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG), which is not achievable by plating cells on T4. Notably, on T4Lys, the number on adhering neurons/area is higher and displays a twofold longer neurite length than neurons plated on glass coated with poly-l-lysine. Finally, by whole-cell patch-clamp, it is shown that the biofunctionality of neurons cultured on T4Lys is preserved. The present study introduces an innovative concept for organic material neural interface that combines optical and iono-electronic functionalities with improved biocompatibility and neuron affinity promoted by Lys linkage and the softness of organic semiconductors. Lysinated organic semiconductors could set the scene for the fabrication of simplified bioorganic devices geometry for cells bidirectional communication or optoelectronic control of neural cells biofunctionality. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Monolayers of derivatized poly(l-lysine)-grafted poly(ethylene glycol) on metal oxides as a class of biomolecular interfaces

    PubMed Central

    Ruiz-Taylor, L. A.; Martin, T. L.; Zaugg, F. G.; Witte, K.; Indermuhle, P.; Nock, S.; Wagner, P.

    2001-01-01

    We report on the design and characterization of a class of biomolecular interfaces based on derivatized poly(l-lysine)-grafted poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers adsorbed on negatively charged surfaces. As a model system, we synthesized biotin-derivatized poly(l-lysine)-grafted poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers, PLL-g-[(PEGm)(1−x) (PEG-biotin)x], where x varies from 0 to 1. Monolayers were produced on titanium dioxide substrates and characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The specific biorecognition properties of these biotinylated surfaces were investigated with the use of radiolabeled streptavidin alone and within complex protein mixtures. The PLL-g-PEG-biotin monolayers specifically capture streptavidin, even from a complex protein mixture, while still preventing nonspecific adsorption of other proteins. This streptavidin layer can subsequently capture biotinylated proteins. Finally, with the use of microfluidic networks and protein arraying, we demonstrate the potential of this class of biomolecular interfaces for applications based on protein patterning. PMID:11158560

  13. Acetanilide and bromoacetyl-lysine derivatives as activators for human histone deacetylase 8.

    PubMed

    Mukhtar, Yusif M; Huang, Yajun; Liu, Jiajia; Chen, Di; Zheng, Weiping

    2017-06-01

    In the current study, seven compounds (i.e. 1-7) were found to be novel activators for the N ε -acetyl-lysine deacetylation reaction catalyzed by human histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8). When assessed with the commercially available HDAC8 peptide substrate Fluor-de-Lys®-HDAC8 that harbors the unnatural 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC) residue immediately C-terminal to the N ε -acetyl-lysine residue to be deacetylated, our compounds exhibited comparable activation potency to that of TM-2-51, the strongest HDAC8 activator reported in the current literature. However, when assessed with an AMC-less peptide substrate derived from the native HDAC8 non-histone substrate protein Zinc finger protein ZNF318, while our compounds were all found to be able to activate HDAC8 deacetylation reaction, TM-2-51 was found not to be able to. Our compounds also seemed to be largely selective for HDAC8 over other classical HDACs. Moreover, treatment with the strongest activator among our compounds (i.e. 7) was found to decrease the K M of the above AMC-less HDAC8 substrate, while nearly maintaining the k cat of the HDAC8-catalyzed deacetylation on this substrate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Ultrafine carbon particles promote rotenone-induced dopamine neuronal loss through activating microglial NADPH oxidase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Yinxi; Liu, Dan; Zhang, Huifeng

    Background: Atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFPs) and pesticide rotenone were considered as potential environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether and how UFPs alone and in combination with rotenone affect the pathogenesis of PD remains largely unknown. Methods: Ultrafine carbon black (ufCB, a surrogate of UFPs) and rotenone were used individually or in combination to determine their roles in chronic dopaminergic (DA) loss in neuron-glia, and neuron-enriched, mix-glia cultures. Immunochemistry using antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase was performed to detect DA neuronal loss. Measurement of extracellular superoxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed to examine activation of NADPHmore » oxidase. Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidase and MAC-1 receptor in microglia were employed to examine their role in DA neuronal loss triggered by ufCB and rotenone. Results: In rodent midbrain neuron-glia cultures, ufCB and rotenone alone caused neuronal death in a dose-dependent manner. In particularly, ufCB at doses of 50 and 100 μg/cm{sup 2} induced significant loss of DA neurons. More importantly, nontoxic doses of ufCB (10 μg/cm{sup 2}) and rotenone (2 nM) induced synergistic toxicity to DA neurons. Microglial activation was essential in this process. Furthermore, superoxide production from microglial NADPH oxidase was critical in ufCB/rotenone-induced neurotoxicity. Studies in mix-glia cultures showed that ufCB treatment activated microglial NADPH oxidase to induce superoxide production. Firstly, ufCB enhanced the expression of NADPH oxidase subunits (gp91{sup phox}, p47{sup phox} and p40{sup phox}); secondly, ufCB was recognized by microglial surface MAC-1 receptor and consequently promoted rotenone-induced p47{sup phox} and p67{sup phox} translocation assembling active NADPH oxidase. Conclusion: ufCB and rotenone worked in synergy to activate NADPH oxidase in microglia, leading to

  15. An innovative method for immobilizing sucrose isomerase on ε-poly-L-lysine modified mesoporous TiO2.

    PubMed

    Wu, Lingtian; Liu, Yi; Chi, Bo; Xu, Zheng; Feng, Xiaohai; Li, Sha; Xu, Hong

    2015-11-15

    Sucrose isomerase (SIase) is the key enzyme in the enzymatic synthesis of isomaltulose. Mesoporous titanium dioxide (M-TiO2) and ε-poly-L-lysine-functionalized M-TiO2 (EPL-M-TiO2) were prepared as carriers for immobilizing SIase. SIase was effectively immobilized on EPL-M-TiO2 (SI-EPL-M-TiO2) with an enzyme activity of 39.41 U/g, and the enzymatic activity recovery rate up to 93.26%. The optimal pH and temperature of immobilized SIase were 6.0 and 30° C, respectively. SI-EPL-M-TiO2 was more stable in pH and thermal tests than SIase immobilized on M-TiO2 and free SIase. K(m) of SI-EPL-M-TiO2 was 204.92 mmol/L, and vmax was 45.7 μmol/L/s. Batch catalysis reaction of sucrose by SI-EPL-M-TiO2 was performed under the optimal conditions. The half-life period of SI-EPL-M-TiO2 under continuous reaction was 114 h, and the conversion rate of sucrose after 16 batches consistently remained at around 95%, which indicates that SI-EPL-M-TiO2 has good operational stability. Thus, SI-EPL-M-TiO2 can be used as a biocatalyst in food industries. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  16. Polyamine oxidase activity in rats treated with mitoguazone: specific and permanent decrease in thymus.

    PubMed

    Ferioli, M E; Armanni, A

    2003-01-01

    To extend the knowledge on the role of polyamine oxidase in thymus physiology, we evaluated the in vivo effect of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway inhibitor mitoguazone. The drug markedly and permanently decreased the enzyme activity in the organ, in which the level of putrescine also decreased at the later times observed. A byproduct of the reaction catalyzed by polyamine oxidase is hydrogen peroxide, a well known inducer of apoptosis. The decrease in polyamine oxidase activity, with the consequent decrease in hydrogen peroxide production, is correlated with a positive effect on thymus physiology. Since mitoguazone has been successfully employed in patients with AIDS-related diseases, in which the reconstitution of the immune function is a favorable prognostic index, we hypothesized that mitoguazone may have the thymus as target organ, and that the decrease in polyamine oxidase activity may have a role in the positive effect of the drug.

  17. Evaluation of cellular uptake and gene transfer efficiency of pegylated poly-L-lysine compacted DNA: implications for cancer gene therapy.

    PubMed

    Walsh, M; Tangney, M; O'Neill, M J; Larkin, J O; Soden, D M; McKenna, S L; Darcy, R; O'Sullivan, G C; O'Driscoll, C M

    2006-01-01

    Recent success in phase I/II clinical trials (Konstan, M. W.; Davis, P. B.; Wagener, J. S.; Hilliard, K. A.; Stern, R. C.; Milgram, L. J.; Kowalczyk, T. H.; Hyatt, S. L.; Fink, T. L.; Gedeon, C. R.; Oette, S. M.; Payne, J. M.; Muhammad, O.; Ziady, A. G.; Moen, R. C.; Cooper, M. J. Hum. Gene Ther. 2004, 15 (12), 1255-69) has highlighted pegylated poly-L-lysine (C1K30-PEG) as a nonviral gene delivery agent capable of achieving clinically significant gene transfer levels in vivo. This study investigates the potential of a C1K30-PEG gene delivery system for cancer gene therapy and evaluates its mode of cellular entry with the purpose of developing an optimally formulated prototype for tumor cell transfection. C1K30-PEG complexes have a neutral charge and form rod-like and toroid-like nanoparticles. Comparison of the transfection efficiency achieved by C1K30-PEG with other cationic lipid and polymeric vectors demonstrates that C1K30-PEG transfects cells more efficiently than unpegylated poly-L-lysine and compares well to commercially available vectors. In vivo gene delivery by C1K30-PEG nanoparticles to a growing subcutaneous murine tumor was also demonstrated. To determine potential barriers to C1K30-PEG gene delivery, the entry mechanism and intracellular fate of rhodamine labeled complexes were investigated. Using cellular markers to delineate the pathway taken by the complexes upon cellular entry, only minor colocalization was observed with EEA-1, a marker of early endosomes. No colocalization was observed between the complexes and the transferrin receptor, which is a marker for clathrin-coated pits. In addition, complexes were not observed to enter late endosomes/lysosomes. Cellular entry of the complexes was completely inhibited by the macropinocytosis inhibitor, amiloride, indicating that the complexes enter cells via macropinosomes. Such mechanistic studies are an essential step to support future rational design of pegylated poly-L-lysine vectors to improve the

  18. Plasma amine oxidase activities in Norrie disease patients with an X-chromosomal deletion affecting monoamine oxidase.

    PubMed

    Murphy, D L; Sims, K B; Karoum, F; Garrick, N A; de la Chapelle, A; Sankila, E M; Norio, R; Breakefield, X O

    1991-01-01

    Two individuals with an X-chromosomal deletion were recently found to lack the genes encoding monoamine oxidase type A (MAO-A) and MAO-B. This abnormality was associated with almost total (90%) reductions in the oxidatively deaminated urinary metabolites of the MAO-A substrate, norepinephrine, and with marked (100-fold) increases in an MAO-B substrate, phenylethylamine, confirming systemic functional consequences of the genetic enzyme deficiency. However, urinary concentrations of the deaminated metabolites of dopamine and serotonin (5-HT) were essentially normal. To investigate other deaminating systems besides MAO-A and MAO-B that might produce these metabolites of dopamine and 5-HT, we examined plasma amine oxidase (AO) activity in these two patients and two additional patients with the same X-chromosomal deletion. Normal plasma AO activity was found in all four Norrie disease-deletion patients, in four patients with classic Norrie disease without a chromosomal deletion, and in family members of patients from both groups. Marked plasma amine metabolite abnormalities and essentially absent platelet MAO-B activity were found in all four Norrie disease-deletion patients, but in none of the other subjects in the two comparison groups. These results indicate that plasma AO is encoded by gene(s) independent of those for MAO-A and MAO-B, and raise the possibility that plasma AO, and perhaps the closely related tissue AO, benzylamine oxidase, as well as other atypical AOs or MAOs encoded independently from MAO-A and MAO-B may contribute to the oxidative deamination of dopamine and 5-HT in humans.

  19. Structure-Based Alteration of Substrate Specificity and Catalytic Activity of Sulfite Oxidase from Sulfite Oxidation to Nitrate Reduction

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Qiu, James A.; Wilson, Heather L.; Rajagopalan, K.V.

    Eukaryotic sulfite oxidase is a dimeric protein that contains the molybdenum cofactor and catalyzes the metabolically essential conversion of sulfite to sulfate as the terminal step in the metabolism of cysteine and methionine. Nitrate reductase is an evolutionarily related molybdoprotein in lower organisms that is essential for growth on nitrate. In this study, we describe human and chicken sulfite oxidase variants in which the active site has been modified to alter substrate specificity and activity from sulfite oxidation to nitrate reduction. On the basis of sequence alignments and the known crystal structure of chicken sulfite oxidase, two residues are conservedmore » in nitrate reductases that align with residues in the active site of sulfite oxidase. On the basis of the crystal structure of yeast nitrate reductase, both positions were mutated in human sulfite oxidase and chicken sulfite oxidase. The resulting double-mutant variants demonstrated a marked decrease in sulfite oxidase activity but gained nitrate reductase activity. An additional methionine residue in the active site was proposed to be important in nitrate catalysis, and therefore, the triple variant was also produced. The nitrate reducing ability of the human sulfite oxidase triple mutant was nearly 3-fold greater than that of the double mutant. To obtain detailed structural data for the active site of these variants, we introduced the analogous mutations into chicken sulfite oxidase to perform crystallographic analysis. The crystal structures of the Mo domains of the double and triple mutants were determined to 2.4 and 2.1 {angstrom} resolution, respectively.« less

  20. Growth hormone and drug metabolism. Acute effects on microsomal mixed-function oxidase activities in rat liver.

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, J T; Spelsberg, T C

    1976-01-01

    Adult male rats were subjected either to sham operation or to hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy and maintained for a total of 10 days before treatment with growth hormone. Results of the early effects of growth hormone on the activities of the mixed-function oxidases in rat liver over a 96h period after growth-hormone treatment are presented. 2. Hypophysectomy and adrenalectomy result in decreased body and liver weight and decreased drug metabolism (mixed-function oxidases). Concentrations of electron-transport-system components are also decreased. 3. In the hypophysectomized/adrenalectomized rats, growth hormone decreases the activities of the liver mixed-function oxidases and the cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome c reductases, as well as decreasing the concentration of cytochrome P-450 compared with that of control rats. Similar but less dramatic results are obtained with sham-operated rats. 4. It is concluded that whereas growth hormone enhances liver growth, including induction of many enzyme activities, it results in a decrease in mixed-function oxidase activity. Apparently, mixed-function oxidase activity decreases in liver when growth (mitogenesis) increases. PMID:938458

  1. Terminal oxidase diversity and function in "Metallosphaera yellowstonensis": gene expression and protein modeling suggest mechanisms of Fe(II) oxidation in the sulfolobales.

    PubMed

    Kozubal, M A; Dlakic, M; Macur, R E; Inskeep, W P

    2011-03-01

    "Metallosphaera yellowstonensis" is a thermoacidophilic archaeon isolated from Yellowstone National Park that is capable of autotrophic growth using Fe(II), elemental S, or pyrite as electron donors. Analysis of the draft genome sequence from M. yellowstonensis strain MK1 revealed seven different copies of heme copper oxidases (subunit I) in a total of five different terminal oxidase complexes, including doxBCEF, foxABCDEFGHIJ, soxABC, and the soxM supercomplex, as well as a novel hypothetical two-protein doxB-like polyferredoxin complex. Other genes found in M. yellowstonensis with possible roles in S and or Fe cycling include a thiosulfate oxidase (tqoAB), a sulfite oxidase (som), a cbsA cytochrome b(558/566), several small blue copper proteins, and a novel gene sequence coding for a putative multicopper oxidase (Mco). Results from gene expression studies, including reverse transcriptase (RT) quantitative PCR (qPCR) of cultures grown autotrophically on either Fe(II), pyrite, or elemental S showed that the fox gene cluster and mco are highly expressed under conditions where Fe(II) is an electron donor. Metagenome sequence and gene expression studies of Fe-oxide mats confirmed the importance of fox genes (e.g., foxA and foxC) and mco under Fe(II)-oxidizing conditions. Protein modeling of FoxC suggests a novel lysine-lysine or lysine-arginine heme B binding domain, indicating that it is likely the cytochrome component of a heterodimer complex with foxG as a ferredoxin subunit. Analysis of mco shows that it encodes a novel multicopper blue protein with two plastocyanin type I copper domains that may play a role in the transfer of electrons within the Fox protein complex. An understanding of metabolic pathways involved in aerobic iron and sulfur oxidation in Sulfolobales has broad implications for understanding the evolution and niche diversification of these thermophiles as well as practical applications in fields such as bioleaching of trace metals from pyritic ores.

  2. Alpha-helix to beta-sheet transition in long-chain poly-l-lysine: Formation of alpha-helical fibrils by poly-l-lysine.

    PubMed

    Cieślik-Boczula, Katarzyna

    2017-06-01

    The temperature-induced α-helix to β-sheet transition in long-chain poly-l-lysine (PLL), accompanied by the gauche-to-trans isomerization of CH 2 groups in the hydrocarbon side chains of Lys amino acid residues, and formation of β-sheet as well as α-helix fibrillar aggregates of PLL have been studied using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In a low-temperature alkaline water solution or in a methanol-rich water mixture, the secondary structure of PLL is represented by α-helical conformations with unordered and gauche-rich hydrocarbon side chains. Under these conditions, PLL molecules aggregate into α-helical fibrils. PLLs dominated by extended antiparallel β-sheet structures with highly ordered trans-rich hydrocarbon side chains are formed in a high-temperature range at alkaline pD and aggregate into fibrillar, protofibrillar, and spherical forms. Presented data support the idea that fibrillar aggregation is a varied phenomenon possible in repetitive structural elements with not only a β-sheet-rich conformation, but also an α-helical-rich conformation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  3. Hypouricaemic action of mangiferin results from metabolite norathyriol via inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Niu, Yanfen; Liu, Jia; Liu, Hai-Yang; Gao, Li-Hui; Feng, Guo-Hua; Liu, Xu; Li, Ling

    2016-09-01

    Context Mangiferin has been reported to possess a potential hypouricaemic effect. However, the pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed that its oral bioavailability was only 1.2%, suggesting that mangiferin metabolites might exert the action. Objective The hypouricaemic effect and the xanthine oxidase inhibition of mangiferin and norathyriol, a mangiferin metabolite, were investigated. Inhibition of norathyriol analogues (compounds 3-9) toward xanthine oxidase was also evaluated. Materials and methods For a dose-dependent study, mangiferin (1.5-6.0 mg/kg) and norathyriol (0.92-3.7 mg/kg) were administered intragastrically to mice twice daily for five times. For a time-course study, mice received mangiferin and norathyriol both at a single dose of 7.1 μmol/kg. In vitro, inhibition of test compounds (2.4-2.4 mM) against xanthine oxidase activity was evaluated by the spectrophotometrical method. The inhibition type was identified from Lineweaver-Burk plots. Results Norathyriol (0.92, 1.85 and 3.7 mg/kg) dose dependently decreased the serum urate levels by 27.0, 33.6 and 37.4%, respectively. The action was more potent than that of mangiferin at the low dose, but was equivalent at the higher doses. Additionally, the hypouricaemic action of them exhibited a time dependence. In vitro, norathyriol markedly inhibited the xanthine oxidase activities, with the IC50 value of 44.6 μM, but mangiferin did not. The kinetic studies showed that norathyriol was an uncompetitive inhibitor by Lineweaver-Burk plots. The structure-activity relationships exhibited that three hydroxyl groups in norathyriol at the C-1, C-3 and C-6 positions were essential for maintaining xanthine oxidase inhibition. Discussion and conclusion Norathyriol was responsible for the hypouricaemic effect of mangiferin via inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity.

  4. Medium optimization for ε-poly-L-lysine production by Streptomyces diastatochromogenes using response surface methodology.

    PubMed

    Guo, F; Zheng, H; Cheng, Y; Song, S; Zheng, Z; Jia, S

    2018-02-01

    Poly-ε-L-lysine is a natural homo-polyamide of L-lysine with excellent antimicrobial properties, which can be used as a novel preservative and has a wide range of applications. In this paper, the fermentation medium for ε-PL production by Streptomyces diastatochromogenes 6#-7 was optimized by Response Surface Methodology. The results of Plackett-Burman design showed that glucose, yeast extract and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 were the major influencing factors in ε-PL production of S. diastatochromogenes 6#-7. The optimal concentrations of glucose, yeast extract and (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 were determined to be 60, 7·5 and 7·5 g l -1 according to Box-Behnken experiment and regression analysis, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the ε-PL yield in shake-flask fermentation was 0·948 ± 0·030 g l -1 , which was in good agreement with the predicted value of 0·970 g l -1 . The yield was improved by 43·1% from that with the initial medium. In 5 l jar-fermenter the ε-PL yield reached 25·5 g l -1 , which was increased by 56·4% from the original medium. In addition, the fermentation time was reduced from 174 to 120 h. Medium optimization is a very practical and valuable tool for fermentation industry to improve product yield and minimize by-products as well as reduce overall manufacturing costs. The response surface methodology is not new, but it is still a very effective method in medium optimization research. This study used ε-polylysine fermentation as an example to demonstrate how the product yield can be significantly increased by medium optimization through surface response methodology. Similar approach can be used in other microbial fermentations such as in pharmaceutical, food, agricultural and energy industries. As an example, ε-polylysine is one of a few newly approved natural food-grade antimicrobials for food and beverages preservations. Yield improvement is economically beneficial to not only ε-polylysine manufacturers but also to their users and

  5. OPHIDIAN L-AMINO ACID OXIDASE. THE NATURE OF THE ENZYME-SUBSTRATE COMPLEXES.

    PubMed

    ZELLER, E A; RAMACHANDER, G; FLEISHER, G A; ISHIMARU, T; ZELLER, V

    1965-04-01

    1. To investigate the kinetics of ophidian l-amino acid oxidase, V and K(m) were determined for phenylalanines that were substituted in every ring position with groups of various size and reactivity, and for a few ring-substituted tryptophans and histidines. The venom of one representative from each of three major classes of poisonous snakes, Naja melanoleuca, Vipera russelli and Crotalus adamanteus, served as a source of the ophidian l-amino acid oxidase. Both crude and crystalline enzyme from the venom of C. adamanteus were tested. 2. The introduction of a benzene ring into glycine and alanine caused some increase of V and a very marked depression of K(m). 3. With the exception of fluorine, residues in the ortho position of phenylalanine led to a decrease of V. The rates induced by various substitutions follow the pattern: meta >/= para >/= ortho. Within the halogen series, the effects become more pronounced with increasing atomic number. 4. Ring substitution in heterocyclic amino acids also affected the V values markedly. For methyl-substituted tryptophans the pattern was: 5-methyl >/= 6-methyl >/= 4-methyl. In a few instances ring substitution accounts for a considerable elevation of V, as shown for beta-quinol-4-ylalanine and its 6-methoxy derivative. 5. The kinetic constants appear to be unaffected by relatively high concentrations of the corresponding d-amino acids. 6. A general principle that permits a uniform interpretation of a vast body of information is suggested. It is based on the assumption that most substrates form not only eutopic but also dystopic complexes with the enzyme. The latter, in contrast with the former, do not permit the formation of reaction products. K values for eutopic and dystopic complexes are computed. Similar concepts have been presented to elucidate the action of alpha-chymotrypsin (Hein & Niemann, 1962) and of monoamine oxidase.

  6. Finding New Enzymes from Bacterial Physiology: A Successful Approach Illustrated by the Detection of Novel Oxidases in Marinomonas mediterranea

    PubMed Central

    Sanchez-Amat, Antonio; Solano, Francisco; Lucas-Elío, Patricia

    2010-01-01

    The identification and study of marine microorganisms with unique physiological traits can be a very powerful tool discovering novel enzymes of possible biotechnological interest. This approach can complement the enormous amount of data concerning gene diversity in marine environments offered by metagenomic analysis, and can help to place the activities associated with those sequences in the context of microbial cellular metabolism and physiology. Accordingly, the detection and isolation of microorganisms that may be a good source of enzymes is of great importance. Marinomonas mediterranea, for example, has proven to be one such useful microorganism. This Gram-negative marine bacterium was first selected because of the unusually high amounts of melanins synthesized in media containing the amino acid l-tyrosine. The study of its molecular biology has allowed the cloning of several genes encoding oxidases of biotechnological interest, particularly in white and red biotechnology. Characterization of the operon encoding the tyrosinase responsible for melanin synthesis revealed that a second gene in that operon encodes a protein, PpoB2, which is involved in copper transfer to tyrosinase. This finding made PpoB2 the first protein in the COG5486 group to which a physiological role has been assigned. Another enzyme of interest described in M. mediterranea is a multicopper oxidase encoding a membrane-associated enzyme that shows oxidative activity on a wide range of substrates typical of both laccases and tyrosinases. Finally, an enzyme very specific for l-lysine, which oxidises this amino acid in epsilon position and that has received a new EC number (1.4.3.20), has also been described for M. mediterranea. Overall, the studies carried out on this bacterium illustrate the power of exploring the physiology of selected microorganisms to discover novel enzymes of biotechnological relevance. PMID:20411113

  7. Minimizing the effects of oxygen interference on l-lactate sensors by a single amino acid mutation in Aerococcus viridansl-lactate oxidase.

    PubMed

    Hiraka, Kentaro; Kojima, Katsuhiro; Lin, Chi-En; Tsugawa, Wakako; Asano, Ryutaro; La Belle, Jeffrey T; Sode, Koji

    2018-04-30

    l-lactate biosensors employing l-lactate oxidase (LOx) have been developed mainly to measure l-lactate concentration for clinical diagnostics, sports medicine, and the food industry. Some l-lactate biosensors employ artificial electron mediators, but these can negatively impact the detection of l-lactate by competing with the primary electron acceptor: molecular oxygen. In this paper, a strategic approach to engineering an AvLOx that minimizes the effects of oxygen interference on sensor strips was reported. First, we predicted an oxygen access pathway in Aerococcus viridans LOx (AvLOx) based on its crystal structure. This was subsequently blocked by a bulky amino acid substitution. The resulting Ala96Leu mutant showed a drastic reduction in oxidase activity using molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor and a small increase in dehydrogenase activity employing an artificial electron acceptor. Secondly, the Ala96Leu mutant was immobilized on a screen-printed carbon electrode using glutaraldehyde cross-linking method. Amperometric analysis was performed with potassium ferricyanide as an electron mediator under argon or atmospheric conditions. Under argon condition, the response current increased linearly from 0.05 to 0.5mM l-lactate for both wild-type and Ala96Leu. However, under atmospheric conditions, the response of wild-type AvLOx electrode was suppressed by 9-12% due to oxygen interference. The Ala96Leu mutant maintained 56-69% of the response current at the same l-lactate level and minimized the relative bias error to -19% from -49% of wild-type. This study provided significant insight into the enzymatic reaction mechanism of AvLOx and presented a novel approach to minimize oxygen interference in sensor applications, which will enable accurate detection of l-lactate concentrations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Pyruvate kinase deletion as an effective phenotype to enhance lysine production in Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032: Redirecting the carbon flow to a precursor metabolite.

    PubMed

    Yanase, Masaki; Aikoh, Tohru; Sawada, Kazunori; Ogura, Kotaro; Hagiwara, Takuya; Imai, Keita; Wada, Masaru; Yokota, Atsushi

    2016-08-01

    Various attempts have been made to enhance lysine production in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Pyruvate kinase (PYK) defect is one of the strategies used to enhance the supply of oxaloacetic acid (OAA), a precursor metabolite for lysine biosynthesis. However, inconsistent effects of this mutation have been reported: positive effects of PYK defect in mutants having phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) desensitized to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid, while negative effects in simple PYK gene (pyk) knockout mutants. To address these discrepancies, the effects of pyk deletion on lysine yield were investigated with or without the D299N mutation in ppc rendering PEPC desensitization. C. glutamicum ATCC13032 mutant strain P with a feedback inhibition-desensitized aspartokinase was used as the parent strain, producing 9.36 g/L lysine from 100 g/L glucose in a jar fermentor culture. Under these conditions, while the simple mutant D2 with pyk deletion or R2 with the PEPC-desensitization mutation showed marginally increased lysine yield (∼1.1-fold, not significant), the mutant DR2 strain having both mutations showed synergistically increased lysine productivity (1.38-fold, 12.9 g/L). Therefore, the pyk deletion is effective under a PEPC-desensitized background, which ensures enhanced supply of OAA, thus clarifying the discrepancies. A citrate synthase defective mutation (S252C in gltA) further increased the lysine yield in strain DR2 (1.68-fold, 15.7 g/L). Thus, these three mutations coordinately enhanced the lysine yield. Both the malate:quinone oxidoreductase activity and respiration rate were significantly reduced in strains D2 and DR2. Overall, these results provide valuable knowledge for engineering the anaplerotic reaction to increase lysine yield in C. glutamicum. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Control efficiency and expressions of resistance genes in tomato plants treated with ε-poly-l-lysine against Botrytis cinerea.

    PubMed

    Sun, Guangzheng; Wang, Han; Shi, Beibei; Shangguan, Nini; Wang, Yang; Ma, Qing

    2017-11-01

    The antifungal properties and the induction of resistance by ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) were examined to reveal its potential in protecting tomato plants against Botrytis cinerea. As presented herein, ε-PL at 1200mg/L was found to have optimal in vitro antifungal activities, achieving an inhibition rate of 94.96%. In first-year field tests, ε-PL (1200mg/L) had a control effect of up to 79.07% against tomato grey mould. Similar results were obtained in the second year. In greenhouse experiments, ε-PL was observed to effectively reduce leaf infection, with an observed control rate at 89.22%. To define the molecular-genetic mechanisms, we compared the gene expression under four different conditions: sterile water sprayed plants (Control), Botrytis-infected plants (Inf), ε-PL-treated plants (ε-PL) and ε-PL-treated+infected plants (ε-PL+Inf). Quantitative PCR analysis at 36h after inoculation revealed that ε-PL+Inf plants exhibited significant expression and priming of several key Botrytis-induced genes in tomato. The results indicate that ε-PL promoted plant capacity of tomato to activate defense mechanisms upon pathogen attack. In total, these findings revealed that ε-PL should be an excellent biocontrol agent candidate that combined direct antifungal activity against B. cinerea and plant resistance capacity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Resveratrol protects vascular endothelial cells from high glucose-induced apoptosis through inhibition of NADPH oxidase activation-driven oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Chen, Feng; Qian, Li-Hua; Deng, Bo; Liu, Zhi-Min; Zhao, Ying; Le, Ying-Ying

    2013-09-01

    Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress has been implicated in diabetic vascular complications in which NADPH oxidase is a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenol, which has vasoprotective effects in diabetic animal models and inhibits high glucose (HG)-induced oxidative stress in endothelial cells. We aimed to examine whether HG-induced NADPH oxidase activation and ROS production contribute to glucotoxicity to endothelial cells and the effect of resveratrol on glucotoxicity. Using a murine brain microvascular endothelial cell line bEnd3, we found that NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin) and resveratrol both inhibited HG-induced endothelial cell apoptosis. HG-induced elevation of NADPH oxidase activity and production of ROS were inhibited by apocynin, suggesting that HG induces endothelial cell apoptosis through NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS production. Mechanistic studies revealed that HG upregulated NADPH oxidase subunit Nox1 but not Nox2, Nox4, and p22(phox) expression through NF-κB activation, which resulted in elevation of NADPH oxidase activity and consequent ROS production. Resveratrol prevented HG-induced endothelial cell apoptosis through inhibiting HG-induced NF-κB activation, NADPH oxidase activity elevation, and ROS production. HG induces endothelial cell apoptosis through NF-κB/NADPH oxidase/ROS pathway, which was inhibited by resveratrol. Our findings provide new potential therapeutic targets against brain vascular complications of diabetes. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Identification and statistical optimization of fermentation conditions for a newly isolated extracellular cholesterol oxidase-producing Streptomyces cavourensis strain NEAE-42.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; El-Shweihy, Nancy M; El-Ewasy, Sara M

    2016-09-20

    Due to broad range of clinical and industrial applications of cholesterol oxidase, isolation and screening of bacterial strains producing extracellular form of cholesterol oxidase is of great importance. One hundred and thirty actinomycete isolates were screened for their cholesterol oxidase activity. Among them, a potential culture, strain NEAE-42 is displayed the highest extracellular cholesterol oxidase activity. It was selected and identified as Streptomyces cavourensis strain NEAE-42. The optimization of different process parameters for cholesterol oxidase production by Streptomyces cavourensis strain NEAE-42 using Plackett-Burman experimental design and response surface methodology was carried out. Fifteen variables were screened using Plackett-Burman experimental design. Cholesterol, initial pH and (NH4)2SO4 were the most significant positive independent variables affecting cholesterol oxidase production. Central composite design was chosen to elucidate the optimal concentrations of the selected process variables on cholesterol oxidase production. It was found that, cholesterol oxidase production by Streptomyces cavourensis strain NEAE-42 after optimization process was 20.521U/mL which is higher than result obtained from the basal medium before screening process using Plackett-Burman (3.31 U/mL) with a fold of increase 6.19. The cholesterol oxidase level production obtained in this study (20.521U/mL) by the statistical method is higher than many of the reported values.

  12. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on Mycoplasma bovis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a diverse group of molecules which play an important role in the innate immune response. Bovine NK-lysins, a type of AMP, have been predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides demonstrate antimicrobia...

  13. Attenuation of NADPH oxidase activation and glomerular filtration barrier remodeling with statin treatment.

    PubMed

    Whaley-Connell, Adam; Habibi, Javad; Nistala, Ravi; Cooper, Shawna A; Karuparthi, Poorna R; Hayden, Melvin R; Rehmer, Nathan; DeMarco, Vincent G; Andresen, Bradley T; Wei, Yongzhong; Ferrario, Carlos; Sowers, James R

    2008-02-01

    Activation of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase by angiotensin II is integral to the formation of oxidative stress in the vasculature and the kidney. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibition is associated with reductions of oxidative stress in the vasculature and kidney and associated decreases in albuminuria. Effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibition on oxidative stress in the kidney and filtration barrier integrity are poorly understood. To investigate, we used transgenic TG(mRen2)27 (Ren2) rats, which harbor the mouse renin transgene and renin-angiotensin system activation, and an immortalized murine podocyte cell line. We treated young, male Ren2 and Sprague-Dawley rats with rosuvastatin (20 mg/kg IP) or placebo for 21 days. Compared with controls, we observed increases in systolic blood pressure, albuminuria, renal NADPH oxidase activity, and 3-nitrotryosine staining, with reductions in the rosuvastatin-treated Ren2. Structural changes on light and transmission electron microscopy, consistent with periarteriolar fibrosis and podocyte foot-process effacement, were attenuated with statin treatment. Nephrin expression was diminished in the Ren2 kidney and trended to normalize with statin treatment. Angiotensin II-dependent increases in podocyte NADPH oxidase activity and subunit expression (NOX2, NOX4, Rac, and p22(phox)) and reactive oxygen species generation were decreased after in vitro statin treatment. These data support a role for increased NADPH oxidase activity and subunit expression with resultant reactive oxygen species formation in the kidney and podocyte. Furthermore, statin attenuation of NADPH oxidase activation and reactive oxygen species formation in the kidney/podocyte seems to play roles in the abrogation of oxidative stress-induced filtration barrier injury and consequent albuminuria.

  14. MipLAAO, a new L-amino acid oxidase from the redtail coral snake Micrurus mipartitus

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    L-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are ubiquitous enzymes in nature. Bioactivities described for these enzymes include apoptosis induction, edema formation, induction or inhibition of platelet aggregation, as well as antiviral, antiparasite, and antibacterial actions. With over 80 species, Micrurus snakes are the representatives of the Elapidae family in the New World. Although LAAOs in Micrurus venoms have been predicted by venom gland transcriptomic studies and detected in proteomic studies, no enzymes of this kind have been previously purified from their venoms. Earlier proteomic studies revealed that the venom of M. mipartitus from Colombia contains ∼4% of LAAO. This enzyme, here named MipLAAO, was isolated and biochemically and functionally characterized. The enzyme is found in monomeric form, with an isotope-averaged molecular mass of 59,100.6 Da, as determined by MALDI-TOF. Its oxidase activity shows substrate preference for hydrophobic amino acids, being optimal at pH 8.0. By nucleotide sequencing of venom gland cDNA of mRNA transcripts obtained from a single snake, six isoforms of MipLAAO with minor variations among them were retrieved. The deduced sequences present a mature chain of 483 amino acids, with a predicted pI of 8.9, and theoretical masses between 55,010.9 and 55,121.0 Da. The difference with experimentally observed mass is likely due to glycosylation, in agreement with the finding of three putative N-glycosylation sites in its amino acid sequence. A phylogenetic analysis of MmipLAAO placed this new enzyme within the clade of homologous proteins from elapid snakes, characterized by the conserved Serine at position 223, in contrast to LAAOs from viperids. MmipLAAO showed a potent bactericidal effect on S. aureus (MIC: 2 µg/mL), but not on E. coli. The former activity could be of interest to future studies assessing its potential as antimicrobial agent. PMID:29900074

  15. MipLAAO, a new L-amino acid oxidase from the redtail coral snake Micrurus mipartitus.

    PubMed

    Rey-Suárez, Paola; Acosta, Cristian; Torres, Uday; Saldarriaga-Córdoba, Mónica; Lomonte, Bruno; Núñez, Vitelbina

    2018-01-01

    L-amino acid oxidases (LAAOs) are ubiquitous enzymes in nature. Bioactivities described for these enzymes include apoptosis induction, edema formation, induction or inhibition of platelet aggregation, as well as antiviral, antiparasite, and antibacterial actions. With over 80 species, Micrurus snakes are the representatives of the Elapidae family in the New World. Although LAAOs in Micrurus venoms have been predicted by venom gland transcriptomic studies and detected in proteomic studies, no enzymes of this kind have been previously purified from their venoms. Earlier proteomic studies revealed that the venom of M. mipartitus from Colombia contains ∼4% of LAAO. This enzyme, here named MipLAAO, was isolated and biochemically and functionally characterized. The enzyme is found in monomeric form, with an isotope-averaged molecular mass of 59,100.6 Da, as determined by MALDI-TOF. Its oxidase activity shows substrate preference for hydrophobic amino acids, being optimal at pH 8.0. By nucleotide sequencing of venom gland cDNA of mRNA transcripts obtained from a single snake, six isoforms of MipLAAO with minor variations among them were retrieved. The deduced sequences present a mature chain of 483 amino acids, with a predicted pI of 8.9, and theoretical masses between 55,010.9 and 55,121.0 Da. The difference with experimentally observed mass is likely due to glycosylation, in agreement with the finding of three putative N-glycosylation sites in its amino acid sequence. A phylogenetic analysis of MmipLAAO placed this new enzyme within the clade of homologous proteins from elapid snakes, characterized by the conserved Serine at position 223, in contrast to LAAOs from viperids. MmipLAAO showed a potent bactericidal effect on S. aureus (MIC: 2 µg/mL), but not on E. coli . The former activity could be of interest to future studies assessing its potential as antimicrobial agent.

  16. pH Dependence of a Mammalian Polyamine Oxidase: Insights into Substrate Specificity and the Role of Lysine 315†

    PubMed Central

    Pozzi, Michelle Henderson; Gawandi, Vijay; Fitzpatrick, Paul F.

    2009-01-01

    Mammalian polyamine oxidases (PAO) catalyze the oxidation of N1-acetylspermine and N1-acetylspermidine to produce N-acetyl-3-aminopropanaldehyde and spermidine or putrescine. Structurally, PAO is a member of the monoamine oxidase family of flavoproteins. The effects of pH on kinetic parameters of mouse PAO have been determined to provide insight into the protonation state of the polyamine required for catalysis and the roles of ionizable residues in the active site in amine oxidation. For N1-acetylspermine, N1-acetylspermidine, and spermine, the kcat/Kamine-pH profiles are bell-shaped. In each case the profile agrees with that expected if the productive form of the substrate has a single positively charged nitrogen. The pKi-pH profiles for a series of polyamine analogs are most consistent with the nitrogen at the site of oxidation being neutral and one other nitrogen being positively charged in the reactive form of the substrate. With N1-acetylspermine as substrate, the value of kred, the limiting rate constant for flavin reduction, is pH dependent, decreasing below a pKa value of 7.3, again consistent with the requirement for an uncharged nitrogen for substrate oxidation. Lys315 in PAO corresponds to a conserved active site residue found throughout the monoamine oxidase family. Mutation of Lys315 to methionine has no effect on the kcat/Kamine profile for spermine, the kred value with N1-acetylspermine is only 1.8-fold lower in the mutant protein, and the pKa in the kred-pH profile with N1-acetylspermine shifts to 7.8. These results rule out Lys315 as a source of a pKa in the kcat/Kamine or kcat/kred profiles. They also establish that this residue does not play a critical role in amine oxidation by PAO. PMID:19199575

  17. N6-Trimethyl-lysine metabolism. 3-Hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine and carnitine biosynthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Hoppel, C L; Cox, R A; Novak, R F

    1980-01-01

    Rats injected with N6-[Me-3H]trimethyl-lysine excrete in the urine five radioactively labelled metabolites. Two of these identified metabolites are carnitine and 4-trimethylammoniobutyrate. A third metabolite, identified as 5-trimethylammoniopentanoate, is not an intermediate in the biosynthesis of carnitine; the fourth and major metabolite, N2-acetyl-N6-trimethyl-lysine, is not a precursor of carnitine. The remaining metabolite (3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine) is converted into trimethylammoniobutyrate and carnitine by rat liver slices and into trimethylammoniobutyrate by rat kidney slices. In rat liver and kidney-slice experiments, radioactivity from DL-N6-trimethyl-[1-14C]lysine and DL-N6-trimethyl-[2-14C]lysine was incorporated into N2-acetyl-N6-trimethyl-lysine and 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine, but not into trimethylammoniobutyrate or carnitine. A procedure was devised to purify milligram quantities of 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine from the urine of rats injected chronically with N6-trimethyl-lysine (100 mg/kg body wt. per day). The structure of 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine was confirmed chemically and by nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectrometry [Novak, Swift & Hoppel (1980) Biochem. J. 188, 521--527]. The sequence for carnitine biosynthesis in liver is: N6-trimethyl-lysine leads to 3-hydryxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine leads to leads to 4-trimethylammoniobutyrate leads to carnitine. PMID:6772168

  18. Characterization and purification of polyphenol oxidase from artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.).

    PubMed

    Dogan, Serap; Turan, Yusuf; Ertürk, Hatibe; Arslan, Oktay

    2005-02-09

    In this study, the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) of artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) was first purified by a combination of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) precipitation, dialysis, and a Sepharose 4B-L-tyrosine-p-aminobenzoic acid affinity column. At the end of purification, 43-fold purification was achieved. The purified enzyme migrated as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that PPO had a 57 kDa molecular mass. Second, the contents of total phenolic and protein of artichoke head extracts were determined. The total phenolic content of artichoke head was determined spectrophotometrically according to the Folin-Ciocalteu procedure and was found to be 425 mg 100 g(-1) on a fresh weight basis. Protein content was determined according to Bradford method. Third, the effects of substrate specificity, pH, temperature, and heat inactivation were investigated on the activity of PPO purified from artichoke. The enzyme showed activity to 4-methylcatechol, pyrogallol, catechol, and L-dopa. No activity was detected toward L-tyrosine, resorsinol, and p-cresol. According to V(max)/K(m) values, 4-methylcatechol (1393 EU min(-1) mM(-1)) was the best substrate, followed by pyrogallol (1220 EU min(-1) mM(-1)), catechol (697 EU min(-1) mM(-1)), and L-dopa (102 EU min(-1) mM(-1)). The optimum pH values for PPO were 5.0, 8.0, and 7.0 using 4-methylcatechol, pyrogallol, and catechol as substrate, respectively. It was found that optimum temperatures were dependent on the substrates studied. The enzyme activity decreased due to heat denaturation of the enzyme with increasing temperature and inactivation time for 4-methylcatechol and pyrogallol substrates. However, all inactivation experiments for catechol showed that the activity of artichoke PPO increased with mild heating, reached a maximum, and then decreased with time. Finally, inhibition of artichoke PPO was investigated with inhibitors such as L-cysteine, EDTA, ascorbic

  19. Renalase prevents AKI independent of amine oxidase activity.

    PubMed

    Wang, Ling; Velazquez, Heino; Moeckel, Gilbert; Chang, John; Ham, Ahrom; Lee, H Thomas; Safirstein, Robert; Desir, Gary V

    2014-06-01

    AKI is characterized by increased catecholamine levels and hypertension. Renalase, a secretory flavoprotein that oxidizes catecholamines, attenuates ischemic injury and the associated increase in catecholamine levels in mice. However, whether the amine oxidase activity of renalase is involved in preventing ischemic injury is debated. In this study, recombinant renalase protected human proximal tubular (HK-2) cells against cisplatin- and hydrogen peroxide-induced necrosis. Similarly, genetic depletion of renalase in mice (renalase knockout) exacerbated kidney injury in animals subjected to cisplatin-induced AKI. Interestingly, compared with the intact renalase protein, a 20-amino acid peptide (RP-220), which is conserved in all known renalase isoforms, but lacks detectable oxidase activity, was equally effective at protecting HK-2 cells against toxic injury and preventing ischemic injury in wild-type mice. Furthermore, in vitro treatment with RP-220 or recombinant renalase rapidly activated Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases and downregulated c-Jun N-terminal kinase. In summary, renalase promotes cell survival and protects against renal injury in mice through the activation of intracellular signaling cascades, independent of its ability to metabolize catecholamines, and we have identified the region of renalase required for these effects. Renalase and related peptides show potential as therapeutic agents for the prevention and treatment of AKI. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  20. Human IgG is produced in a pro-form that requires clipping of C-terminal lysines for maximal complement activation

    PubMed Central

    van den Bremer, Ewald TJ; Beurskens, Frank J; Voorhorst, Marleen; Engelberts, Patrick J; de Jong, Rob N; van der Boom, Burt G; Cook, Erika M; Lindorfer, Margaret A; Taylor, Ronald P; van Berkel, Patrick HC; Parren, Paul WHI

    2015-01-01

    Human IgG is produced with C-terminal lysines that are cleaved off in circulation. The function of this modification was unknown and generally thought not to affect antibody function. We recently reported that efficient C1q binding and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) requires IgG hexamerization at the cell surface. Here we demonstrate that C-terminal lysines may interfere with this process, leading to suboptimal C1q binding and CDC of cells opsonized with C-terminal lysine-containing IgG. After we removed these lysines with a carboxypeptidase, maximal complement activation was observed. Interestingly, IgG1 mutants containing either a negative C-terminal charge or multiple positive charges lost CDC almost completely; however, CDC was fully restored by mixing C-terminal mutants of opposite charge. Our data indicate a novel post-translational control mechanism of human IgG: human IgG molecules are produced in a pro-form in which charged C-termini interfere with IgG hexamer formation, C1q binding and CDC. To allow maximal complement activation, C-terminal lysine processing is required to release the antibody's full cytotoxic potential. PMID:26037225

  1. Exercise training decreases NADPH oxidase activity and restores skeletal muscle mass in heart failure rats.

    PubMed

    Cunha, Telma F; Bechara, Luiz R G; Bacurau, Aline V N; Jannig, Paulo R; Voltarelli, Vanessa A; Dourado, Paulo M; Vasconcelos, Andrea R; Scavone, Cristóforo; Ferreira, Júlio C B; Brum, Patricia C

    2017-04-01

    We have recently demonstrated that NADPH oxidase hyperactivity, NF-κB activation, and increased p38 phosphorylation lead to atrophy of glycolytic muscle in heart failure (HF). Aerobic exercise training (AET) is an efficient strategy to counteract skeletal muscle atrophy in this syndrome. Therefore, we tested whether AET would regulate muscle redox balance and protein degradation by decreasing NADPH oxidase hyperactivity and reestablishing NF-κB signaling, p38 phosphorylation, and proteasome activity in plantaris muscle of myocardial infarcted-induced HF (MI) rats. Thirty-two male Wistar rats underwent MI or fictitious surgery (SHAM) and were randomly assigned into untrained (UNT) and trained (T; 8 wk of AET on treadmill) groups. AET prevented HF signals and skeletal muscle atrophy in MI-T, which showed an improved exercise tolerance, attenuated cardiac dysfunction and increased plantaris fiber cross-sectional area. To verify the role of inflammation and redox imbalance in triggering protein degradation, circulating TNF-α levels, NADPH oxidase profile, NF-κB signaling, p38 protein levels, and proteasome activity were assessed. MI-T showed a reduced TNF-α levels, NADPH oxidase activity, and Nox2 mRNA expression toward SHAM-UNT levels. The rescue of NADPH oxidase activity induced by AET in MI rats was paralleled by reducing nuclear binding activity of the NF-κB, p38 phosphorylation, atrogin-1, mRNA levels, and 26S chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity. Taken together our data provide evidence for AET improving plantaris redox homeostasis in HF associated with a decreased NADPH oxidase, redox-sensitive proteins activation, and proteasome hyperactivity further preventing atrophy. These data reinforce the role of AET as an efficient therapy for muscle wasting in HF. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study demonstrates, for the first time, the contribution of aerobic exercise training (AET) in decreasing muscle NADPH oxidase activity associated with reduced reactive oxygen

  2. Interrupted reperfusion reduces the activation of NADPH oxidase after cerebral I/R injury.

    PubMed

    Shen, Jia; Bai, Xiao-Yin; Qin, Yuan; Jin, Wei-Wei; Zhou, Jing-Yin; Zhou, Ji-Ping; Yan, Ying-Gang; Wang, Qiong; Bruce, Iain C; Chen, Jiang-Hua; Xia, Qiang

    2011-06-15

    Interrupted reperfusion reduces ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study was designed to determine whether NADPH oxidase participates in the neural protection against global I/R injury after interrupted reperfusion. Mice were randomly divided into five groups: sham (sham-operated), I/R (20-min global I/R), RR (I/R+interrupted reperfusion), Apo (I/R+apocynin administration), and RR+Apo. Behavioral tests (pole test, beam walking, and Morris water maze) and Nissl staining were undertaken in all five groups; superoxide levels, expression of gp91(phox) and p47(phox), p47(phox) translocation, and Rac1 activation were measured in the sham, I/R, and RR groups. The motor coordination, bradykinesia, and spatial learning and memory, as well as the neuron survival rates, were better in the RR, Apo, and RR+Apo groups than in the I/R group. The NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide levels, p47(phox) and gp91(phox) expression, p47(phox) translocation, and Rac1 activation were lower in the RR group than in the I/R group. In conclusion, the neural protective effect of interrupted reperfusion is at least partly mediated by decreasing the expression and assembly of NADPH oxidase and the levels of NADPH oxidase-derived superoxide. The most striking reduction Rac1-GTP in the RR group suggests that interrupted reperfusion also acts on the activation of assembled NADPH oxidase by reducing the availability of Rac1-GTP. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Auxin-activated NADH oxidase activity of soybean plasma membranes is distinct from the constitutive plasma membrane NADH oxidase and exhibits prion-like properties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morre, D. James; Morre, Dorothy M.; Ternes, Philipp

    2003-01-01

    The hormone-stimulated and growth-related cell surface hydroquinone (NADH) oxidase activity of etiolated hypocotyls of soybeans oscillates with a period of about 24 min or 60 times per 24-h day. Plasma membranes of soybean hypocotyls contain two such NADH oxidase activities that have been resolved by purification on concanavalin A columns. One in the apparent molecular weight range of 14-17 kDa is stimulated by the auxin herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The other is larger and unaffected by 2,4-D. The 2,4-D-stimulated activity absolutely requires 2,4-D for activity and exhibits a period length of about 24 min. Also exhibiting 24-min oscillations is the rate of cell enlargement induced by the addition of 2,4-D or the natural auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Immediately following 2,4-D or IAA addition, a very complex pattern of oscillations is frequently observed. However, after several hours a dominant 24-min period emerges at the expense of the constitutive activity. A recruitment process analogous to that exhibited by prions is postulated to explain this behavior.

  4. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of extracts and flavonoids of the leaves of Blumea balsamifera.

    PubMed

    Nessa, Fazilatun; Ismail, Zhari; Mohamed, Nornisah

    2010-12-01

    Blumea balsamifera DC (Compositae) leaves have been recommended for use as a folk medicine in the treatment of various diseases related to urolithiasis in southeast Asia. Phytochemical studies of this plant revealed it contains four classes of flavonoids (e.g., flavonols, flavones, flavanones, and dihydroflavonol derivatives). In view of the broad pharmacological activity of flavonoids, this study was carried out to determine the xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory and enzymatically produced superoxide radical scavenging activity of different organic extracts and that of the isolated flavonoids from B. balsamifera leaves. The inhibitory activity of XO was assayed spectrophotometrically at 295 nm. The superoxide radicals scavenging activity was assessed by NBT reduction method, spectrophotometrically at 560 nm. A dose response curve was plotted for determining IC₅₀ values. The methanol extract (IC₅₀ = 0.111 mg/mL) showed higher XO inhibitory activity than the chloroform (0.138 mg/mL) and pet-ether extracts (0.516 mg/mL). IC₅₀ values of scavenging of superoxide radicals for extracts decreased in the order of: methanol (0.063 mg/mL) > chloroform (0.092 mg/mL) > pet-ether (0.321 mg/mL). The XO inhibitory activity of the isolated flavonoids and reference compounds tested decreased in the order of: allopurinol > luteolin > quercetin > tamarixetin > 5,7,3',5'-tetrahydroxyflavanone > rhamnetin > luteolin-7-methyl ether > blumeatin > dihydroquercetin-4'-methyl ether > dihydroquercetin-7,4'-dimethyl ether > L-ascorbic acid. The results indicated that the flavone derivatives were more active than the flavonol derivatives. The flavanone derivatives were moderately active and the dihydroflavonol derivatives were the least. The higher flavonoid content of extracts contributed to their higher XO inhibitory activity.

  5. C-terminal Lysine-Linked Magainin 2 with Increased Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria.

    PubMed

    Lorenzón, Esteban N; Santos-Filho, Norival A; Ramos, Matheus A S; Bauab, Tais M; Camargo, Ilana L B C; Cilli, Eduardo M

    2016-01-01

    Due to the growing problem of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, the development of novel antimicrobial agents is a very important challenge. Dimerization of cationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs) is a potential strategy for enhancing antimicrobial activity. Here, we studied the effects of magainin 2 (MG2) dimerization on its structure and biological activity. Lysine and glutamic acid were used to synthesize the C- and N-terminal dimers of MG2, respectively, in order to evaluate the impact of linker position used to obtain the dimers. Both MG2 and its dimeric versions showed a random coil structure in aqueous solution. However, in the presence of a structure-inducing solvent or a membrane mimetic, all peptides acquired helical structure. N-terminal dimerization did not affect the biological activity of the peptide. On the other hand, the C-terminal dimer, (MG2)2K, showed antimicrobial activity 8-16 times higher than that of MG2, and the time required to kill Escherichia coli was lower. The enhanced antimicrobial activity was related to membrane permeabilization. (MG2)2K was also more active against multidrug-resistant bacteria of clinical origin. Overall, the results presented here demonstrate that C-terminal lysine-linked dimerization improve the activity of MG2, and (MG2)2K can be considered as a potential antimicrobial agent.

  6. Activation of monoamine oxidase isotypes by prolonged intake of aluminum in rat brain.

    PubMed

    Huh, Jae-Wan; Choi, Myung-Min; Lee, Jang Han; Yang, Seung-Ju; Kim, Mi Jung; Choi, Jene; Lee, Kwan Ho; Lee, Jong Eun; Cho, Sung-Woo

    2005-10-01

    Rats were fed 100 microM aluminum maltolate for one year in their drinking water. Brain aluminum contents have increased 4.2-fold in the aluminum-treated group, whereas no significant changes in the body weight, brain weight, and brain protein content were observed. Long-term aluminum feeding induced apoptosis as assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling method and showed activatory effects on the catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of monoamine oxidase-A and monoamine oxidase-B up to 1.9- and 3.8-fold, respectively. The expression level of monoamine oxidase isotypes on the Western blot remained unchanged between the two groups, suggesting a change in post-translational regulation of the activities of monoamine oxidase isotypes by long-term aluminum feeding.

  7. Biofortification of rice with the essential amino acid lysine: molecular characterization, nutritional evaluation, and field performance

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Qing-qing; Zhang, Chang-quan; Chan, Man-ling; Zhao, Dong-sheng; Chen, Jin-zhu; Wang, Qing; Li, Qian-feng; Yu, Heng-xiu; Gu, Ming-hong; Sun, Samuel Sai-ming; Liu, Qiao-quan

    2016-01-01

    Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a major staple crop worldwide, has limited levels of the essential amino acid lysine. We previously produced engineered rice with increased lysine content by expressing bacterial aspartate kinase and dihydrodipicolinate synthase and inhibiting rice lysine ketoglutarate reductase/saccharopine dehydrogenase activity. However, the grain quality, field performance, and integration patterns of the transgenes in these lysine-enriched lines remain unclear. In the present study, we selected several elite transgenic lines with endosperm-specific or constitutive regulation of the above key enzymes but lacking the selectable marker gene. All target transgenes were integrated into the intragenic region in the rice genome. Two pyramid transgenic lines (High Free Lysine; HFL1 and HFL2) with free lysine levels in seeds up to 25-fold that of wild type were obtained via a combination of the above two transgenic events. We observed a dramatic increase in total free amino acids and a slight increase in total protein content in both pyramid lines. Moreover, the general physicochemical properties were improved in pyramid transgenic rice, but the starch composition was not affected. Field trials indicated that the growth of HFL transgenic rice was normal, except for a slight difference in plant height and grain colour. Taken together, these findings will be useful for the potential commercialization of high-lysine transgenic rice. PMID:27252467

  8. Development of Microtiter Plate Culture Method for Rapid Screening of ε-Poly-L-Lysine-Producing Strains.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yong-Juan; Chen, Xu-Sheng; Zhao, Jun-Jie; Pan, Long; Mao, Zhong-Gui

    2017-12-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) produced by Streptomyces albulus possesses a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and is widely used as a food preservative. To extensively screen ε-PL-overproducing strain, we developed an integrated high-throughput screening assay using ribosome engineering technology. The production protocol was scaled down to 24- and 48-deep-well microtiter plates (MTPs). The microplate reader assay was used to monitor ε-PL production. A good correlation was observed between the fermentation results obtained in both 24-(48)-deep-well MTPs and conventional Erlenmeyer flasks. Using this protocol, the production of ε-PL in an entire MTP was determined in <5 min without compromising on accuracy. The high-yielding strain selected through this protocol was also tested in Erlenmeyer flasks. The result showed that the ε-PL production of the high-yielding mutants was nearly 45% higher than that of the parent stain. Thus, development of this protocol is expected to accelerate the selection of ε-PL-overproducing strains.

  9. Effect of l-lysine-assisted surface grafting for nano-hydroxyapatite on mechanical properties and in vitro bioactivity of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid).

    PubMed

    Liuyun, Jiang; Lixin, Jiang; Chengdong, Xiong; Lijuan, Xu; Ye, Li

    2016-01-01

    It is promising and challenging to study surface modification for nano-hydroxyapatite to improve the dispersion and enhance the mechanical properties and bioactivity of poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid). In this paper, we designed an effective new surface grafting with the assist of l-lysine for nano-hydroxyapatite, and the nano-hydroxyapatite surface grafted with the assist of l-lysine (g-nano-hydroxyapatite) was incorporated into poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) to develop a series of g-nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) nano-composites. The surface modification reaction for nano-hydroxyapatite, the mechanical properties, and in vitro human osteoblast-like cell (MG-63) response were characterized and investigated by Fourier transformation infrared, thermal gravimetric analysis, dispersion test, electromechanical universal tester, differential scanning calorimeter measurements, and in vitro cells culture experiment. The results showed that the grafting amount on the surface of nano-hydroxyapatite was enhanced with the increase of l-lysine, and the dispersion of nano-hydroxyapatite was improved more, so that it brought about better promotion crystallization and more excellent mechanical enhancement effect for poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid), comparing with the unmodified nano-hydroxyapatite. Moreover, the cells' attachment and proliferation results confirmed that the incorporation of the g-nano-hydroxyapatite into poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) exhibited better biocompatibility than poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid). The above results indicated that the new surface grafting with the assist of l-lysine for nano-hydroxyapatite was an ideal novel surface modification method, which brought about better mechanical enhancement effect and in vitro bioactivity for poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) with adding higher g-nano-hydroxyapatite content, suggesting it had a great potential to be used as bone fracture internal fixation materials

  10. Synergistic effect of the combined bio-fungicides ε-poly-l-lysine and chitooligosaccharide in controlling grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) in tomatoes.

    PubMed

    Sun, Guangzheng; Yang, Qichao; Zhang, Ancheng; Guo, Jia; Liu, Xinjie; Wang, Yang; Ma, Qing

    2018-07-02

    The antifungal properties and the induction of resistance by ε-poly-l-lysine (ε-PL) and chitooligosaccharide (COS) were examined to find an alternative to synthetic fungicides currently used in the control of the devastating fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of grey mould disease of tomatoes. As presented herein, this combined treatment (200 mg/L ε-PL + 400 mg/L COS) was found to have optimal in vitro antifungal activities, achieving an inhibition rate of 90.22%. In vivo assays with these combined bio-fungicides, under greenhouse conditions using susceptible tomato plants, demonstrated good protection against severe grey mould. In field tests, the combined bio-fungicides had a control effect of up to 66.67% against tomato grey mould. To elucidate the mechanisms of the combined bio-fungicide-induced resistance in the tomato, plants were subjected to three treatments: 1) inoculation with B. cinerea after spraying with 200 mg/L ε-PL alone, 2) inoculation with the combined bio-fungicides, and 3) inoculation with 400 mg/L COS alone. Compared to the control (sterile water), increases in salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) levels and increased phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were observed. Catalase (CAT) activity and abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) levels decreased, particularly in the combined bio-fungicide-treated plants. Altogether, these findings reveal that the combined bio-fungicides (200 mg/L ε-PL + 400 mg/L COS) should be an excellent biocontrol agent candidate that combines direct antifungal activity against B. cinerea with plant resistance. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Expression of novel rice gibberellin 2-oxidase gene is under homeostatic regulation by biologically active gibberellins.

    PubMed

    Sakai, Miho; Sakamoto, Tomoaki; Saito, Tamio; Matsuoka, Makoto; Tanaka, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Masatomo

    2003-04-01

    We have cloned two genes for gibberellin (GA) 2-oxidase from rice ( Oryza sativa L.). Expression of OsGA2ox2 was not observed. The other gene, OsGA2ox3, was expressed in every tissue examined and was enhanced by the application of biologically active GA. Recombinant OsGA2ox3 protein catalyzed the metabolism of GA(1) to GA(8) and GA(20) to GA(29)-catabolite. These results indicate that OsGA2ox3 is involved in the homeostatic regulation of the endogenous level of biologically active GA in rice.

  12. A novel L-amino acid oxidase from Trichoderma harzianum ETS 323 associated with antagonism of Rhizoctonia solani.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chia-Ann; Cheng, Chi-Hua; Lo, Chaur-Tsuen; Liu, Shu-Ying; Lee, Jeng-Woei; Peng, Kou-Cheng

    2011-05-11

    Trichoderma spp. are used as biocontrol agents against phytopathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani, but their biocontrol mechanisms are poorly understood. A novel L-amino oxidase (Th-LAAO) was identified from the extracellular proteins of Trichoderma harzianum ETS 323. Here, we show a FAD-binding glycoprotein with the best substrate specificity constant for L-phenylalanine. Although the amino acid sequence of Th-LAAO revealed limited homology (16-24%) to other LAAO members, a highly conserved FAD-binding motif was identified in the N-terminus. Th-LAAO was shown to be a homodimeric protein, but the monomeric form was predominant when grown in the presence of deactivated Rhizoctonia solani. Furthermore, in vitro assays demonstrated that Th-LAAO had an antagonistic effect against Rhizoctonia solani and a stimulatory one on hyphal density and sporulation in T. harzianum ETS 323. These findings further our understanding of T. harzianum as a biocontrol agent and provide insight into the biological function of l-amino acid oxidase.

  13. Phenol contents, oxidase activities, and the resistance of coffee to the leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella.

    PubMed

    Ramiro, Daniel Alves; Guerreiro-Filho, Oliveiro; Mazzafera, Paulo

    2006-09-01

    We examined the role of phenolic compounds, and the enzymes peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase, in the expression of resistance of coffee plants to Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae). The concentrations of total soluble phenols and chlorogenic acid (5-caffeoylquinic acid), and the activities of the oxidative enzymes peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), were estimated in leaves of Coffea arabica, C. racemosa, and progenies of crosses between these species, which have different levels of resistance, before and after attack by this insect. The results indicate that phenols do not play a central role in resistance to the coffee leaf miner. Differences were detected between the parental species in terms of total soluble phenol concentrations and activities of the oxidative enzymes. However, resistant and susceptible hybrid plants did not differ in any of these characteristics. Significant induction of chlorogenic acid and PPO was only found in C. racemosa, the parental donator of the resistance genes against L. coffeella. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis also showed qualitative similarity between hybrids and the susceptible C. arabica. These results suggest that the phenolic content and activities of POD and PPO in response to the attack by the leaf miner may not be a strong evidence of their participation in direct defensive mechanisms.

  14. Phosphatidic acid as a second messenger in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Effects on activation of NADPH oxidase.

    PubMed Central

    Agwu, D E; McPhail, L C; Sozzani, S; Bass, D A; McCall, C E

    1991-01-01

    Receptor-mediated agonists, such as FMLP, induce an early, phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated accumulation of phosphatidic acid (PA) which may play a role in the activation of NADPH oxidase in human PMN. We have determined the effect of changes in PA production on O2 consumption in intact PMN and the level of NADPH oxidase activity measured in a cell-free assay. Pretreatment of cells with various concentrations of propranolol enhanced (less than or equal to 200 microM) or inhibited (greater than 300 microM) PLD-induced production of PA (mass and radiolabel) in a manner that correlated with enhancement or inhibition of O2 consumption in PMN stimulated with 1 microM FMLP in the absence of cytochalasin B. The concentration-dependent effects of propranolol on FMLP-induced NADPH oxidase activation was confirmed by direct assay of the enzyme in subcellular fractions. In PA extracted from cells pretreated with 200 microM propranolol before stimulation with 1 microM FMLP, phospholipase A1 (PLA1)-digestion for 90 min, followed by quantitation of residual PA, showed that a minimum of 44% of PA in control (undigested) sample was diacyl-PA; alkylacyl-PA remained undigested by PLA1. Propranolol was also observed to have a concentration-dependent enhancement of mass of 1,2-DG formed in PMN stimulated with FMLP. DG levels reached a maximum at 300 microM propranolol and remained unchanged up to 500 microM propranolol. However, in contrast to PA levels, the level of DG produced did not correlate with NADPH oxidase activation. Exogenously added didecanoyl-PA activated NADPH oxidase in a concentration-dependent manner (1-300 microM) in a reconstitution assay using membrane and cytosolic fractions from unstimulated PMN. In addition, PA synergized with SDS for oxidase activation. Taken together, these results indicate that PA plays a second messenger role in the activation of NADPH oxidase in human PMN and that regulation of phospholipase D is a key step in the activation pathway. Images

  15. Physiological consequences of starvation in Pseudomonas putida: degradation of intracellular protein and loss of activity of the inducible enzymes of L-arginine catabolism.

    PubMed

    Fan, C L; Rodwell, V W

    1975-12-01

    We investigated the degradation of radioisotopically labeled intracellular protein in starved, intact cells of Pseudomonas putida P2 (ATCC 25571) and the regulation of this process. Intracellular protein isotopically labeled with L-[4,5-3H]leucine during log-phase growth at 30 C is degraded at rates of 1 to 2%/h in log-phase cells and 7 to 9%/h in starved cells. Rifampin, chloramphenicol, and tosyllysine chloromethylketone lower the rate of protein degradation by starved cells. Addition to starved cells of a nutrient upon which the culture is induced for growth rapidly lowers the rate of protein degradation from 7 to 9%/h to less than 1.5%/h. A nutrient that is oxidized but that cannot immediately support growth also lowers the rate of starvation-induced protein degradation. Proteolytic activity of cell extracts requires a divalent metal ion and may be inhibited up to 60% by tosyllysine chloromethylketone or p-toluenesulfonyl fluoride. Rifampin and chloramphenicol have no effect. In contrast to intact cells, extracts of growing or starving cells degrade protein at equivalent rates. We also investigated the stabilities of the inducible transport system and of four inducible intracellular enzymes of L-arginine catabolism. These include: the membrane-associated, L-arginine-specific transport system; L-arginine oxidase (oxidase); alpha-ketoarginine decarboxylase (decarboxylase); gamma-guanidinobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase ( dehydrogenase); and gamma-guanidinobutyrate amidinohydrolase (hydrolase). In starved cells, the rates of loss of activities were: transport and dehydrogenase activities, stable; oxidase and decarboxylase activities, 20 to 30%/h; hydrolase activity, 5 to 8%/h. Chloramphenicol decreases the rate of loss of oxidase, decarboxylase, and hydrolase activity, whereas p-toluenesulfonyl fluoride lowers the rate of loss of decarboxylase but not of oxidase or hydrolase activity. Addition to starved cells of a nutrient for which they are already induced for

  16. Harvesting and contamination control of microalgae Chlorella ellipsoidea using the bio-polymeric flocculant α-poly-l-lysine.

    PubMed

    Noh, Won; Kim, Jungmin; Lee, Sang-Jun; Ryu, Byung-Gon; Kang, Chang-Min

    2018-02-01

    Microalgae have been extensively studied for the production of various products. However, to date, microalgal biomass has not become economically feasible, mainly due to different issues such as contamination from various sources that occurs during downstream processes, and which leads to low quality biomass with limited application. In this study, to overcome contamination by flocculants and other microorganisms, the cationic biopolymer α-Poly-l-lysine (α-PLL) was applied. The cationic amine moiety and polymeric chain of α-PLL rendered microalgal harvesting efficient. With increasing α-PLL chain length, efficient dose- and time-dependent harvesting was achieved. In addition to efficient flocculation performance, biomass harvested using α-PLL showed suppressed biological contamination through the inherent antimicrobial activity of α-PLL. Thus, it is possible to upgrade the quality and storability of produced microalgal biomass using α-PLL-induced flocculation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Reconstituted high-density lipoprotein suppresses leukocyte NADPH oxidase activation by disrupting lipid rafts.

    PubMed

    Peshavariya, Hitesh; Dusting, Gregory J; Di Bartolo, Belinda; Rye, Kerry-Anne; Barter, Philip J; Jiang, Fan

    2009-08-01

    Reconstituted discoidal high-density lipoprotein (rHDL) has potent vascular protective actions. Native HDL suppresses cellular generation of reactive oxygen species, whereas this antioxidant effect of rHDL is less clear. This study examined the effects of rHDL on NADPH oxidase, a major source of cellular superoxide generation, in both leukocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Superoxide was measured with lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. Expression of NADPH oxidase sub-units was determined by real-time PCR. Pre-treatment of HL-60 cells with rHDL (10 and 25 microM) for 1 h significantly reduced phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated superoxide production. Treatment with rHDL for up to 24 h did not change the mRNA expression of NADPH oxidase sub-units. In HL-60 cells, depletion of cholesterol from the plasma membrane by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin mimicked the effect of rHDL, whereas cholesterol repletion blunted the effects of rHDL. Treatment with rHDL induced disruption of the lipid raft structures and blunted PMA-induced redistribution of p47phox into lipid rafts. In contrast, treatment of endothelial cells with rHDL for up to 18 h had no effect on either basal or tumour necrosis factor-alpha-stimulated NADPH oxidase activity, but markedly suppressed the cytokine-induced expression of proinflammatory adhesion molecules. The results suggest that rHDL inhibits NADPH oxidase activation in leukocytes, probably by interrupting the assembly of NADPH oxidase sub-units at the lipid rafts. This effect may contribute to the vascular protective actions of rHDL against inflammation-mediated oxidative damage.

  18. The catalytic effect of L- and D-histidine on alanine and lysine peptide formation.

    PubMed

    Fitz, Daniel; Jakschitz, Thomas; Rode, Bernd M

    2008-12-01

    A starting phase of chemical evolution on our ancient Earth around 4 billion years ago was the formation of amino acids and their combination to peptides and proteins. The salt-induced peptide formation (SIPF) reaction has been shown to be appropriate for this condensation reaction under moderate and plausible primitive Earth conditions, forming short peptides from amino acids in aqueous solution containing sodium chloride and Cu(II) ions. In this paper we report results about the formation of dialanine and dilysine from their monomers in this reaction. The catalytic influence of l- and d-histidine dramatically increases dialanine yields when starting from lower alanine concentrations, but also dilysine formation is markedly boosted by these catalysts. Attention is paid to measurable preferences for one enantiomeric form of alanine and lysine in the SIPF reaction. Alanine, especially, shows stereospecific behaviour, mostly in favour of the l-form.

  19. New nitrosoureas and their spin-labeled derivatives influence dopa-oxidase activity of tyrosinase.

    PubMed

    Rachkova, M; Raikova, E; Raikov, Z

    1991-06-01

    Tyrosinase is a key enzyme in melanine biosynthesis. The modulating effect of cytostatic agents on DOPA-oxidase activity of tyrosinase could be linked with the drug treatment of melanoma tumors. Two groups of nitrosoureas which influence DOPA-oxidase activity of tyrosinase were studied: new nitrosoureas and their spin-labeled derivatives synthesized in our laboratory. Using Burnett's spectrophotometric method (Burnett et al., 1967) the following effects were established: inhibition by CCNU, inhibition and the activating effects of the other investigated nitrosoureas depend on their physicochemical half-life. The predominant activating effect of the spin-labeled derivatives is due to the nitroxyl radical present in these compounds.

  20. Purification and characterization of polyphenol oxidase from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.).

    PubMed

    Rahman, Andi Nur Faidah; Ohta, Mayumi; Nakatani, Kazuya; Hayashi, Nobuyuki; Fujita, Shuji

    2012-04-11

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) of cauliflower was purified to 282-fold with a recovery rate of 8.1%, using phloroglucinol as a substrate. The enzyme appeared as a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The estimated molecular weight of the enzyme was 60 and 54 kDa by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration, respectively. The purified enzyme, called phloroglucinol oxidase (PhO), oxidized phloroglucinol (K(m) = 3.3 mM) and phloroglucinolcarboxylic acid. The enzyme also had peroxidase (POD) activity. At the final step, the activity of purified cauliflower POD was 110-fold with a recovery rate of 3.2%. The PhO and POD showed the highest activity at pH 8.0 and 4.0 and were stable in the pH range of 3.0-11.0 and 5.0-8.0 at 5 °C for 20 h, respectively. The optimum temperature was 55 °C for PhO and 20 °C for POD. The most effective inhibitor for PhO was sodium diethyldithiocarbamate at 10 mM (IC(50) = 0.64 and K(i) = 0.15 mM), and the most effective inhibitor for POD was potassium cyanide at 1.0 mM (IC(50) = 0.03 and K(i) = 29 μM).

  1. The behavior of MC3T3-E1 cells on chitosan/poly-L-lysine composite films: effect of nanotopography, surface chemistry, and wettability.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Zhenhuan; Zhang, Ling; Kong, Lijun; Wang, Aijun; Gong, Yandao; Zhang, Xiufang

    2009-05-01

    In the present work, a series of composite films were produced from chitosan/poly-L-lysine blend solutions. The surface topography, chemistry, and wettability of composite films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and contact angle assay, respectively. For all composite films, blending with poly-L-lysine induced changes in surface chemistry and wettability. Interestingly, it was also found that increasing poly-L-lysine weight fraction in blend solutions could result in different nanoscaled surface topographic features, which displayed particle-, granule-, or fiber-dominant morphologies. MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were cultured on all composite films to evaluate the effects of surface nanotopography, chemistry, and wettability on cell behavior. The observations indicated that MC3T3-E1 cell behavior was affected by surface topography, chemistry, and wettability simultaneously and that cells showed strong responses to surface topography. On fiber-dominant surface, cells fully spread with obvious cytoskeleton organization and exhibited significantly higher level of adhesion and proliferation compared with particle- or granule-dominant surfaces. Furthermore, fiber-dominant surface also induced greater expression of mature osteogenic marker osteocalcin and higher mineralization based on RT-PCR and von Kossa staining. The results suggest that topographic modification of chitosan substratum at the nanoscale may be exploited in regulating cell behavior for its applications in tissue engineering.

  2. Coordination chemistry controls the thiol oxidase activity of the B12-trafficking protein CblC

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhu; Shanmuganathan, Aranganathan; Ruetz, Markus; Yamada, Kazuhiro; Lesniak, Nicholas A.; Kräutler, Bernhard; Brunold, Thomas C.; Koutmos, Markos; Banerjee, Ruma

    2017-01-01

    The cobalamin or B12 cofactor supports sulfur and one-carbon metabolism and the catabolism of odd-chain fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids, and cholesterol. CblC is a B12-processing enzyme involved in an early cytoplasmic step in the cofactor-trafficking pathway. It catalyzes the glutathione (GSH)-dependent dealkylation of alkylcobalamins and the reductive decyanation of cyanocobalamin. CblC from Caenorhabditis elegans (ceCblC) also exhibits a robust thiol oxidase activity, converting reduced GSH to oxidized GSSG with concomitant scrubbing of ambient dissolved O2. The mechanism of thiol oxidation catalyzed by ceCblC is not known. In this study, we demonstrate that novel coordination chemistry accessible to ceCblC-bound cobalamin supports its thiol oxidase activity via a glutathionyl-cobalamin intermediate. Deglutathionylation of glutathionyl-cobalamin by a second molecule of GSH yields GSSG. The crystal structure of ceCblC provides insights into how architectural differences at the α- and β-faces of cobalamin promote the thiol oxidase activity of ceCblC but mute it in wild-type human CblC. The R161G and R161Q mutations in human CblC unmask its latent thiol oxidase activity and are correlated with increased cellular oxidative stress disease. In summary, we have uncovered key architectural features in the cobalamin-binding pocket that support unusual cob(II)alamin coordination chemistry and enable the thiol oxidase activity of ceCblC. PMID:28442570

  3. Impact of ion binding on poly-L-lysine (un)folding energy landscape and kinetics.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Kan; Asher, Sanford A

    2012-06-21

    We utilize T-jump UV resonance Raman spectroscopy (UVRR) to study the impact of ion binding on the equilibrium energy landscape and on (un)folding kinetics of poly-L-lysine (PLL). We observe that the relaxation rates of the folded conformations (including π-helix (bulge), pure α-helix, and turns) of PLL are slower than those of short alanine-based peptides. The PLL pure α-helix folding time is similar to that of short alanine-based peptides. We for the first time have directly observed that turn conformations are α-helix and π-helix (bulge) unfolding intermediates. ClO(4)(-) binding to the Lys side chain -NH(3)(+) groups and the peptide backbone slows the α-helix unfolding rate compared to that in pure water, but little impacts the folding rate, resulting in an increased α-helix stability. ClO(4)(-) binding significantly increases the PLL unfolding activation barrier but little impacts the folding barrier. Thus, the PLL folding coordinate(s) differs from the unfolding coordinate(s). The-π helix (bulge) unfolding and folding coordinates do not directly go through the α-helix energy well. Our results clearly demonstrate that PLL (un)folding is not a two-state process.

  4. Effect of a single polymorphism in the Japanese quail NK-lysin gene on antimicrobial activity.

    PubMed

    Ishige, Taichiro; Hara, Hiromi; Hirano, Takashi; Kono, Tomohiro; Hanzawa, Kei

    2016-01-01

    NK-lysins are cationic peptides that play important roles in host protection, and are an important constituent of innate immunity. We identified nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the NK-lysin open reading frame (ORF) from 32 Japanese quails in six strains: A, B, ND, K, P, and Y. The G to A substitution at nucleotide position 272 in the ORF resulted in a Gly (G) to Asp (D) amino acid substitution (Cj31G and Cj31D alleles). The Cj31D allele was detected in P (frequency 0.76) and Y (frequency 0.03) strains. We compared the antimicrobial activities of four synthetic peptides from the helix 2-loop-helix 3 region of avian NK-lysins against Escherichia coli: Cj31G and Cj31D from quail and Gg29N and Gg29D from chicken. The antimicrobial activities of the four peptides decreased in the following order: Gg29N > Cj31G > Gg29D > Cj31D (P < 0.05). Although there were no differences in the predicted secondary structure of the Cj31G and Cj31D, the net charge of the Cj31G was higher than that of Cj31D. These data indicated that the antimicrobial activity of CjNKL is influenced by net charge, similar to that which has been observed in chicken. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  5. Heterogeneous Antibody-Based Activity Assay for Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) on a Histone Peptide Substrate.

    PubMed

    Schmitt, Martin L; Ladwein, Kathrin I; Carlino, Luca; Schulz-Fincke, Johannes; Willmann, Dominica; Metzger, Eric; Schilcher, Pierre; Imhof, Axel; Schüle, Roland; Sippl, Wolfgang; Jung, Manfred

    2014-07-01

    Posttranslational modifications of histone tails are very important for epigenetic gene regulation. The lysine-specific demethylase LSD1 (KDM1A/AOF2) demethylates in vitro predominantly mono- and dimethylated lysine 4 on histone 3 (H3K4) and is a promising target for drug discovery. We report a heterogeneous antibody-based assay, using dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluorescent immunoassay (DELFIA) for the detection of LSD1 activity. We used a biotinylated histone 3 peptide (amino acids 1-21) with monomethylated lysine 4 (H3K4me) as the substrate for the detection of LSD1 activity with antibody-mediated quantitation of the demethylated product. We have successfully used the assay to measure the potency of reference inhibitors. The advantage of the heterogeneous format is shown with cumarin-based LSD1 inhibitor candidates that we have identified using virtual screening. They had shown good potency in an established LSD1 screening assay. The new heterogeneous assay identified them as false positives, which was verified using mass spectrometry. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

  6. [Purification, characterization and application of ε-poly-L. lysine- degrading enzyme from Streptomyces sp. M-Z18 ].

    PubMed

    Liu, Qingrui; Chen, Xusheng; Zeng, Xin; Han, Dai; Mao, Zhonggui

    2014-09-04

    [OBJECTIVE] The ε-poly-L-lysine-degrading enzyme (Pld) derived from Streptomyces sp. M-Z18 was purified and characterized. Furthermore, Pld was used to produce the low polymerization of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL). [METHODS] Pld was purified to electrophoretical homogeneity through HiTrapTM Butyl HP hydrophobic chromatography after pretreated by ultrasonic and NaSCN dissolving. Subsequently, enzymatic characteristics, kinetic parameters and the time profile of ε-PL degradation by the purified Pld were studied. Meanwhile, we examined the effect of ε-PL with different degrees of polymerization on the minimal inhibitory concentration of bacteria and fungi. [RESULTS] Pld was purified to homogeneity with a final fold of 80.4 and an overall yield of 59.3%. The optimal temperature and pH for the purified Pld were 370C and 7. 0, respectively. Moreover, the Km with L-lysyl-p-nitroanilide as substrate was calculated to be 0. 621 mmol/L, and the Vmax was 701. 16 nmol/min.mg. Pld was stable in the range of pH 7. 0 - 10. 0, and temperature up to 500 C, respectively. Time profile of ε-PL degradation by the purified Pld indicated that Pld catalyzed endo-type degradation of ε- PL. The experiments of minimal inhibitory showed that ε-PL with high degree of polymerization (30 - 35) had a superior antibacterial effect on bacteria and the low degree of polymerization ε-PL (8 -20) had a better antibacterial effect on yeasts. However, ε-PL with various degrees of polymerization had a poor antibacterial effect on mould. [ CONCLUSION] The present result showed that an endo-type Pld from ε-PL-producing strain was purified. Meanwhile, it is proved that ε-PL with different degrees of polymerization have exhibited significant different antibacterial effects on microorganism.

  7. Nonhistone Lysine Methylation in the Regulation of Cancer Pathways.

    PubMed

    Carlson, Scott M; Gozani, Or

    2016-11-01

    Proteins are regulated by an incredible array of posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Methylation of lysine residues on histone proteins is a PTM with well-established roles in regulating chromatin and epigenetic processes. The recent discovery that hundreds and likely thousands of nonhistone proteins are also methylated at lysine has opened a tremendous new area of research. Major cellular pathways involved in cancer, such as growth signaling and the DNA damage response, are regulated by lysine methylation. Although the field has developed quickly in recent years many fundamental questions remain to be addressed. We review the history and molecular functions of lysine methylation. We then discuss the enzymes that catalyze methylation of lysine residues, the enzymes that remove lysine methylation, and the cancer pathways known to be regulated by lysine methylation. The rest of the article focuses on two open questions that we suggest as a roadmap for future research. First is understanding the large number of candidate methyltransferase and demethylation enzymes whose enzymatic activity is not yet defined and which are potentially associated with cancer through genetic studies. Second is investigating the biological processes and cancer mechanisms potentially regulated by the multitude of lysine methylation sites that have been recently discovered. Copyright © 2016 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

  8. Improving Glyphosate Oxidation Activity of Glycine Oxidase from Bacillus cereus by Directed Evolution

    PubMed Central

    Zhan, Tao; Zhang, Kai; Chen, Yangyan; Lin, Yongjun; Wu, Gaobing; Zhang, Lili; Yao, Pei; Shao, Zongze; Liu, Ziduo

    2013-01-01

    Glyphosate, a broad spectrum herbicide widely used in agriculture all over the world, inhibits 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase in the shikimate pathway, and glycine oxidase (GO) has been reported to be able to catalyze the oxidative deamination of various amines and cleave the C-N bond in glyphosate. Here, in an effort to improve the catalytic activity of the glycine oxidase that was cloned from a glyphosate-degrading marine strain of Bacillus cereus (BceGO), we used a bacteriophage T7 lysis-based method for high-throughput screening of oxidase activity and engineered the gene encoding BceGO by directed evolution. Six mutants exhibiting enhanced activity toward glyphosate were screened from two rounds of error-prone PCR combined with site directed mutagenesis, and the beneficial mutations of the six evolved variants were recombined by DNA shuffling. Four recombinants were generated and, when compared with the wild-type BceGO, the most active mutant B3S1 showed the highest activity, exhibiting a 160-fold increase in substrate affinity, a 326-fold enhancement in catalytic efficiency against glyphosate, with little difference between their pH and temperature stabilities. The role of these mutations was explored through structure modeling and molecular docking, revealing that the Arg51 mutation is near the active site and could be an important residue contributing to the stabilization of glyphosate binding, while the role of the remaining mutations is unclear. These results provide insight into the application of directed evolution in optimizing glycine oxidase function and have laid a foundation for the development of glyphosate-tolerant crops. PMID:24223901

  9. Hypoglycemic neuronal death is triggered by glucose reperfusion and activation of neuronal NADPH oxidase

    PubMed Central

    Suh, Sang Won; Gum, Elizabeth T.; Hamby, Aaron M.; Chan, Pak H.; Swanson, Raymond A.

    2007-01-01

    Hypoglycemic coma and brain injury are potential complications of insulin therapy. Certain neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex are uniquely vulnerable to hypoglycemic cell death, and oxidative stress is a key event in this cell death process. Here we show that hypoglycemia-induced oxidative stress and neuronal death are attributable primarily to the activation of neuronal NADPH oxidase during glucose reperfusion. Superoxide production and neuronal death were blocked by the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin in both cell culture and in vivo models of insulin-induced hypoglycemia. Superoxide production and neuronal death were also blocked in studies using mice or cultured neurons deficient in the p47phox subunit of NADPH oxidase. Chelation of zinc with calcium disodium EDTA blocked both the assembly of the neuronal NADPH oxidase complex and superoxide production. Inhibition of the hexose monophosphate shunt, which utilizes glucose to regenerate NADPH, also prevented superoxide formation and neuronal death, suggesting a mechanism linking glucose reperfusion to superoxide formation. Moreover, the degree of superoxide production and neuronal death increased with increasing glucose concentrations during the reperfusion period. These results suggest that high blood glucose concentrations following hypoglycemic coma can initiate neuronal death by a mechanism involving extracellular zinc release and activation of neuronal NADPH oxidase. PMID:17404617

  10. Dexamethasone but not indomethacin inhibits human phagocyte nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase activity by down-regulating expression of genes encoding oxidase components.

    PubMed

    Condino-Neto, A; Whitney, C; Newburger, P E

    1998-11-01

    We investigated the effects of dexamethasone or indomethacin on the NADPH oxidase activity, cytochrome b558 content, and expression of genes encoding the components gp91-phox and p47-phox of the NADPH oxidase system in the human monocytic THP-1 cell line, differentiated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, alone or in combination, for up to 7 days. IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, alone or in combination, caused a significant up-regulation of the NADPH oxidase system as reflected by an enhancement of the PMA-stimulated superoxide release, cytochrome b558 content, and expression of gp91-phox and p47-phox genes on both days 2 and 7 of cell culture. Noteworthy was the tremendous synergism between IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha for all studied parameters. Dexamethasone down-regulated the NADPH oxidase system of cytokine-differentiated THP-1 cells as assessed by an inhibition on the PMA-stimulated superoxide release, cytochrome b558 content, and expression of the gp91-phox and p47-phox genes. The nuclear run-on assays indicated that dexamethasone down-regulated the NADPH oxidase system at least in part by inhibiting the transcription of gp91-phox and p47-phox genes. Indomethacin inhibited only the PMA-stimulated superoxide release of THP-1 cells differentiated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha during 7 days. None of the other parameters was affected by indomethacin. We conclude that dexamethasone down-regulates the NADPH oxidase system at least in part by inhibiting the expression of genes encoding the gp91-phox and p47-phox components of the NADPH oxidase system.

  11. Synthesis of Lysine Methyltransferase Inhibitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, Tao; Hui, Chunngai

    2015-07-01

    Lysine methyltransferase which catalyze methylation of histone and nonhistone proteins, play a crucial role in diverse biological processes and has emerged as a promising target for the development of various human diseases, including cancer, inflammation, and psychiatric disorders. However, inhibiting Lysine methyltransferases selectively has presented many challenges to medicinal chemists. During the past decade, lysine methyltransferase inhibitors covering many different structural classes have been designed and developed. In this review, we describe the development of selective, small-molecule inhibitors of lysine methyltransferases with an emphasis on their discovery and chemical synthesis. We highlight the current state of lysine methyltransferase inhibitors and discuss future directions and opportunities for lysine methyltransferase inhibitor discovery.

  12. Electron spin resonance characterization of vascular xanthine and NAD(P)H oxidase activity in patients with coronary artery disease: relation to endothelium-dependent vasodilation.

    PubMed

    Spiekermann, Stephan; Landmesser, Ulf; Dikalov, Sergey; Bredt, Martin; Gamez, Graciela; Tatge, Helma; Reepschläger, Nina; Hornig, Burkhard; Drexler, Helmut; Harrison, David G

    2003-03-18

    Increased inactivation of nitric oxide by superoxide (O2*-) contributes to endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary disease (CAD). We therefore characterized the vascular activities of xanthine oxidase and NAD(P)H oxidase, 2 major O2*--producing enzyme systems, and their relationship with flow-dependent, endothelium-mediated vasodilation (FDD) in patients with CAD. Xanthine- and NAD(P)H-mediated O*.- formation was determined in coronary arteries from 10 patients with CAD and 10 controls by using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, activity of endothelium-bound xanthine oxidase in vivo and FDD of the radial artery were determined in 21 patients with CAD and 10 controls. FDD was measured before and after infusion of the antioxidant vitamin C (25 mg/min i.a.) to determine the portion of FDD inhibited by radicals. In coronary arteries from patients with CAD, xanthine- and NAD(P)H-mediated O2*- formation was increased compared with controls (xanthine: 12+/-2 versus 7+/-1 nmol O2*-/ microg protein; NADH: 11+/-1 versus 7+/-1 nmol O2*-/ microg protein; and NADPH: 12+/-2 versus 9+/-1 nmol O2*-/ microg protein; each P<0.05). Endothelium-bound xanthine oxidase activity was increased by >200% in patients with CAD (25+/-4 versus 9+/-1 nmol O2*-/ microL plasma per min; P<0.05) and correlated inversely with FDD (r=-0.55; P<0.05) and positively with the effect of vitamin C on FDD (r=0.54; P<0.05). The present study represents the first electron spin resonance measurements of xanthine and NAD(P)H oxidase activity in human coronary arteries and supports the concept that increased activities of both enzymes contribute to increased vascular oxidant stress in patients with CAD. Furthermore, the present study suggests that increased xanthine oxidase activity contributes to endothelial dysfunction in patients with CAD and may thereby promote the atherosclerotic process.

  13. Neural crest specification and migration independently require NSD3-related lysine methyltransferase activity

    PubMed Central

    Jacques-Fricke, Bridget T.; Gammill, Laura S.

    2014-01-01

    Neural crest precursors express genes that cause them to become migratory, multipotent cells, distinguishing them from adjacent stationary neural progenitors in the neurepithelium. Histone methylation spatiotemporally regulates neural crest gene expression; however, the protein methyltransferases active in neural crest precursors are unknown. Moreover, the regulation of methylation during the dynamic process of neural crest migration is unclear. Here we show that the lysine methyltransferase NSD3 is abundantly and specifically expressed in premigratory and migratory neural crest cells. NSD3 expression commences before up-regulation of neural crest genes, and NSD3 is necessary for expression of the neural plate border gene Msx1, as well as the key neural crest transcription factors Sox10, Snail2, Sox9, and FoxD3, but not gene expression generally. Nevertheless, only Sox10 histone H3 lysine 36 dimethylation requires NSD3, revealing unexpected complexity in NSD3-dependent neural crest gene regulation. In addition, by temporally limiting expression of a dominant negative to migratory stages, we identify a novel, direct requirement for NSD3-related methyltransferase activity in neural crest migration. These results identify NSD3 as the first protein methyltransferase essential for neural crest gene expression during specification and show that NSD3-related methyltransferase activity independently regulates migration. PMID:25318671

  14. Molecular dynamics simulation of coarse-grained poly(L-lysine) dendrimers.

    PubMed

    Rahimi, Ali; Amjad-Iranagh, Sepideh; Modarress, Hamid

    2016-03-01

    Poly(L-lysine) (PLL) dendrimer are amino acid based macromolecules and can be used as drug delivery agents. Their branched structure allows them to be functionalized by various groups to encapsulate drug agents into their structure. In this work, at first, an attempt was made on all-atom simulation of PLL dendrimer of different generations. Based on all-atom results, a course-grained model of this dendrimer was designed and its parameters were determined, to be used for simulation of three generations of PLL dendrimer, at two pHs. Similar to the all-atom, the coarse-grained results indicated that by increasing the generation, the dendrimer becomes more spherical. At pH 7, the dendrimer had larger size, whereas at pH 12, due to back folding of branching chains, they had the tendency to penetrate into the inner layers. The calculated radial probability and radial distribution functions confirm that at pH 7, the PLL dendrimer has more cavities and as a result it can encapsulate more water molecules into its inner structure. By calculating the moment of inertia and the aspect ratio, the formation of spherical structure for PLL dendrimer was confirmed.

  15. Study of poly-L-lysine conformations in aqueous methanol solution by using polarized Raman techniques.

    PubMed Central

    Shepherd, I W

    1976-01-01

    Raman polarization measurements of the amide I band are reported in ionized poly-L-lysine dissolved in aqueous methanol. The observed changes with methanol concentration, attributed to changes in coil conformation and to the helix-coil transition, represent a novel method of measuring polymer conformation. Polarization measurements as a function of temperature yield values of the energy differences between rotational isomeric states in the coil. deltaH, of 8.8 +/- 0.7, 10.4 +/- 1.1 and 10.8 +/- 1.5 kJ/mol at methanol concentrations (v/v) of 85, 80 and 70% respectively. The stabilization energy of the helix is estimated at 9.3 kJ/mol. PMID:949317

  16. NADPH Oxidase Signaling Pathway Mediates Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Induced Inhibition of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

    PubMed

    Qiao, Haowen; Zhou, Yu; Qin, Xingping; Cheng, Jing; He, Yun; Jiang, Yugang

    2018-01-01

    Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have blossomed into an effective approach with great potential for the treatment of liver fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying antifibrosis mechanisms by which the BMSC inhibit activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in vivo and in vitro. To study the effect of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) on activated HSCs, we used HSCs and the coculture systems to evaluate the inhibition of activated HSCs from the aspects of the apoptosis of activated HSCs. In addition, activation of NADPH oxidase pathway and the changes in liver histopathology were tested by using the carbon tetrachloride- (CCl 4 -) induced liver fibrosis in mice. Introduction of hBM-MSCs significantly inhibited the proliferation of activated HSCs by inducing the apoptosis process of activated HSCs. The effect of hBM-MSCs reduced the signaling pathway of NADPH oxidase in activated HSCs. Besides, the signaling pathway of NADPH oxidase mediated hBM-MSC upregulation of the expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ and downregulation of the expression of α 1(I) collagen and alpha-smooth muscle actin ( α -SMA) in activated HSCs. Moreover, the hBM-MSC-induced decrease in the signaling pathway of NADPH oxidase was accompanied by the decrease of the activated HSC number and liver fibrosis in a mouse model of CCl 4 -induced liver fibrosis. The hBM-MSCs act as a promising drug source against liver fibrosis development with respect to hepatopathy as a therapeutic target.

  17. Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Plays a Vital Role in Regulation of Rice Seed Vigor via Altering NADPH Oxidase Activity

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Jian; Zhou, Jun; Xing, Da

    2012-01-01

    Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) has been reported to be important in normal plant growth and stress responses. In this study, it was verified that PI3K played a vital role in rice seed germination through regulating NADPH oxidase activity. Suppression of PI3K activity by inhibitors wortmannin or LY294002 could abate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, which resulted in disturbance to the seed germination. And then, the signal cascades that PI3K promoted the ROS liberation was also evaluated. Diphenylene iodonium (DPI), an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, suppressed most of ROS generation in rice seed germination, which suggested that NADPH oxidase was the main source of ROS in this process. Pharmacological experiment and RT-PCR demonstrated that PI3K promoted the expression of Os rboh9. Moreover, functional analysis by native PAGE and the measurement of the 2, 3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazo-lium-5- carboxanilide (XTT) formazan concentration both showed that PI3K promoted the activity of NADPH oxidase. Furthermore, the western blot analysis of OsRac-1 demonstrated that the translocation of Rac-1 from cytoplasm to plasma membrane, which was known as a key factor in the assembly of NADPH oxidase, was suppressed by treatment with PI3K inhibitors, resulting in the decreased activity of NADPH oxidase. Taken together, these data favored the novel conclusion that PI3K regulated NADPH oxidase activity through modulating the recruitment of Rac-1 to plasma membrane and accelerated the process of rice seed germination. PMID:22448275

  18. Activation of NADPH oxidase mediates increased endoplasmic reticulum stress and left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction in rabbits.

    PubMed

    Li, Bao; Tian, Jing; Sun, Yi; Xu, Tao-Rui; Chi, Rui-Fang; Zhang, Xiao-Li; Hu, Xin-Ling; Zhang, Yue-An; Qin, Fu-Zhong; Zhang, Wei-Fang

    2015-05-01

    Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide 3-phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are increased after myocardial infarction (MI). In this study, we proposed to test whether activation of the NADPH oxidase in the remote non-infarcted myocardium mediates ER stress and left ventricular (LV) remodeling after MI. Rabbits with MI or sham operation were randomly assigned to orally receive an NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin or placebo for 30 days. The agents were administered beginning at 1 week after surgery. MI rabbits exhibited decreases in LV fractional shortening, LV ejection fraction and the first derivative of the LV pressure rise, which were abolished by apocynin treatment. NADPH oxidase Nox2 protein and mRNA expressions were increased in the remote non-infarcted myocardium after MI. Immunolabeling further revealed that Nox2 was increased in cardiac myocytes in the remote myocardium. The apocynin treatment prevented increases in the Nox2 expression, NADPH oxidase activity, oxidative stress, myocyte apoptosis and GRP78, CHOP and cleaved caspase 12 protein expression in the remote myocardium. The apocynin treatment also attenuated increases in myocyte diameter and cardiac fibrosis. In cultured H9C2 cardiomyocytes exposed to angiotensin II, an important stimulus for post-MI remodeling, Nox2 knockdown with siRNA significantly inhibited angiotensin II-induced NADPH oxidase activation, reactive oxygen species and GRP78 and CHOP protein expression. We conclude that NADPH oxidase inhibition attenuates increased ER stress in the remote non-infarcted myocardium and LV remodeling late after MI in rabbits. These findings suggest that the activation of NADPH oxidase in the remote non-infarcted myocardium mediates increased ER stress, contributing to myocyte apoptosis and LV remodeling after MI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Boosting the oxidase mimicking activity of nanoceria by fluoride capping: rivaling protein enzymes and ultrasensitive F- detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Biwu; Huang, Zhicheng; Liu, Juewen

    2016-07-01

    Nanomaterial-based enzyme mimics (nanozymes) are currently a new forefront of chemical research. However, the application of nanozymes is limited by their low catalytic activity and low turnover numbers. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) are among the few with oxidase activity. Herein, we report an interesting finding addressing their limitations. The oxidase activity of nanoceria is improved by over 100-fold by fluoride capping, making it more close to real oxidases. The turnover number reached 700 in 15 min, drastically improved from ~15 turnovers for the naked particles. The mechanism is attributed to surface charge modulation and facilitated electron transfer by F- capping based on ζ-potential and free radical measurements. Ultrasensitive sensing of fluoride was achieved with a detection limit of 0.64 μM F- in water and in toothpastes, while no other tested anions can achieve the activity enhancement.Nanomaterial-based enzyme mimics (nanozymes) are currently a new forefront of chemical research. However, the application of nanozymes is limited by their low catalytic activity and low turnover numbers. Cerium dioxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) are among the few with oxidase activity. Herein, we report an interesting finding addressing their limitations. The oxidase activity of nanoceria is improved by over 100-fold by fluoride capping, making it more close to real oxidases. The turnover number reached 700 in 15 min, drastically improved from ~15 turnovers for the naked particles. The mechanism is attributed to surface charge modulation and facilitated electron transfer by F- capping based on ζ-potential and free radical measurements. Ultrasensitive sensing of fluoride was achieved with a detection limit of 0.64 μM F- in water and in toothpastes, while no other tested anions can achieve the activity enhancement. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Methods, TMB oxidation kinetics and control experiments. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr02730j

  20. SIRT2 and lysine fatty acylation regulate the transforming activity of K-Ras4a

    PubMed Central

    Wisner, Stephanie A; Chen, Xiao; Spiegelman, Nicole A; Linder, Maurine E

    2017-01-01

    Ras proteins play vital roles in numerous biological processes and Ras mutations are found in many human tumors. Understanding how Ras proteins are regulated is important for elucidating cell signaling pathways and identifying new targets for treating human diseases. Here we report that one of the K-Ras splice variants, K-Ras4a, is subject to lysine fatty acylation, a previously under-studied protein post-translational modification. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), one of the mammalian nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent lysine deacylases, catalyzes the removal of fatty acylation from K-Ras4a. We further demonstrate that SIRT2-mediated lysine defatty-acylation promotes endomembrane localization of K-Ras4a, enhances its interaction with A-Raf, and thus promotes cellular transformation. Our study identifies lysine fatty acylation as a previously unknown regulatory mechanism for the Ras family of GTPases that is distinct from cysteine fatty acylation. These findings highlight the biological significance of lysine fatty acylation and sirtuin-catalyzed protein lysine defatty-acylation. PMID:29239724

  1. Molecular Interface of S100A8 with Cytochrome b558 and NADPH Oxidase Activation

    PubMed Central

    Berthier, Sylvie; Hograindleur, Marc-André; Paclet, Marie-Hélène; Polack, Benoît; Morel, Françoise

    2012-01-01

    S100A8 and S100A9 are two calcium binding Myeloid Related Proteins, and important mediators of inflammatory diseases. They were recently introduced as partners for phagocyte NADPH oxidase regulation. However, the precise mechanism of their interaction remains elusive. We had for aim (i) to evaluate the impact of S100 proteins on NADPH oxidase activity; (ii) to characterize molecular interaction of either S100A8, S100A9, or S100A8/S100A9 heterocomplex with cytochrome b 558; and (iii) to determine the S100A8 consensus site involved in cytochrome b 558/S100 interface. Recombinant full length or S100A9-A8 truncated chimera proteins and ExoS-S100 fusion proteins were expressed in E. coli and in P. aeruginosa respectively. Our results showed that S100A8 is the functional partner for NADPH oxidase activation contrary to S100A9, however, the loading with calcium and a combination with phosphorylated S100A9 are essential in vivo. Endogenous S100A9 and S100A8 colocalize in differentiated and PMA stimulated PLB985 cells, with Nox2/gp91phox and p22phox. Recombinant S100A8, loaded with calcium and fused with the first 129 or 54 N-terminal amino acid residues of the P. aeruginosa ExoS toxin, induced a similar oxidase activation in vitro, to the one observed with S100A8 in the presence of S100A9 in vivo. This suggests that S100A8 is the essential component of the S100A9/S100A8 heterocomplex for oxidase activation. In this context, recombinant full-length rS100A9-A8 and rS100A9-A8 truncated 90 chimera proteins as opposed to rS100A9-A8 truncated 86 and rS100A9-A8 truncated 57 chimeras, activate the NADPH oxidase function of purified cytochrome b 558 suggesting that the C-terminal region of S100A8 is directly involved in the molecular interface with the hemoprotein. The data point to four strategic 87HEES90 amino acid residues of the S100A8 C-terminal sequence that are involved directly in the molecular interaction with cytochrome b558 and then in the phagocyte NADPH oxidase

  2. GENETIC CONTROL IN GUINEA PIGS OF IMMUNE RESPONSE TO CONJUGATES OF HAPTENS AND POLY-L-LYSINE.

    PubMed

    LEVINE, B B; BENACERRAF, B

    1965-01-29

    Random-bred Hartley strain guinea pigs which do not respond immunologically to conjugates of hapten and poly-L-lysine mere mated with heterozygous guinea pigs which do. These responders were considered heterozygous for this trait since their mating resulted in at least one nonresponder offspring. Of 31 offspring from 10 breeding pairs (nonresponder x heterozygous responder) 14 were responders. There was no evidence that this trait is sex-linked. This finding confirms the view that, in guinea pigs, development of an immune response to the aforementioned conjugates is a genetically transmitted autosomal, unigenic Mendelian dominant trait.

  3. L-Lysine suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation and autophagy in skeletal muscles of senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8.

    PubMed

    Sato, Tomonori; Ito, Yoshiaki; Nagasawa, Takashi

    2017-02-01

    Sarcopenia is a condition of the loss of muscle mass that is associated with aging and that increases the risk for bedridden state, thereby warranting studies of interventions that attenuate sarcopenia. Here the effects of 2-month dietary L-lysine (Lys) supplementation (1.5-3.0 %) on myofibrillar protein degradation and major proteolytic systems were investigated in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8). At 36 weeks of age, skeletal muscle and lean body mass was reduced in SAMP8 when compared with control senescence-accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1). The myofibrillar protein degradation, which was evaluated by the release of 3-methylhistidine, was stimulated in SAMP8, and the autophagy activity, which was evaluated by light chain 3-II, was stimulated in the skeletal muscle of SAMP8. The activation of ubiquitin-proteasome system was not observed in the muscles of SAMP8. However, myofibrillar protein degradation and autophagic activity in skeletal muscles of SAMP8 were suppressed by dietary intake of 3.0 % Lys. The present data indicate that myofibrillar protein degradation by bulk autophagy is stimulated in the skeletal muscles of SAMP8 and that dietary Lys supplementation attenuates sarcopenia in SAMP8 by suppressing autophagic proteolysis.

  4. Season-controlled changes in biochemical constituents and oxidase enzyme activities in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).

    PubMed

    Sen, Supatra; Mukherji, S

    2009-07-01

    Season-controlled changes in biochemical constituents viz. carotenoids (carotene and xanthophyll) and pectic substances along with IAA-oxidase and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities were estimated/assayed in leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (tomato) in two developmental stages--pre-flowering (35 days after sowing) and post-flowering (75 days after sowing) in three different seasons--summer rainy and winter Carotenoid content along with pectic substances were highest in winter and declined significantly in summer followed by rainy i.e. winter > summer > rainy. Carotenoid content was significantly higher in the pre-flowering as compared to post-flowering in all three seasons while pectic substances increased in the post-flowering as compared to pre-flowering throughout the annual cycle. IAA oxidase and PPO enzyme activities were enhanced in rainy and decreased sharply in summer and winter i.e. rainy > summer > winter. Both the enzymes exhibited higher activity in the post-flowering stage as compared to pre-flowering in all three seasons. These results indicate winter to be the most favourable season for tomato plants while rainy season environmental conditions prove to be unfavourable (stressful) with diminished content of carotenoid and pectic substances and low activities of IAA oxidase and PPO, ultimately leading to poor growth and productivity.

  5. Structure–function characterization reveals new catalytic diversity in the galactose oxidase and glyoxal oxidase family

    PubMed Central

    Yin, DeLu (Tyler); Urresti, Saioa; Lafond, Mickael; Johnston, Esther M.; Derikvand, Fatemeh; Ciano, Luisa; Berrin, Jean-Guy; Henrissat, Bernard; Walton, Paul H.; Davies, Gideon J.; Brumer, Harry

    2015-01-01

    Alcohol oxidases, including carbohydrate oxidases, have a long history of research that has generated fundamental biological understanding and biotechnological applications. Despite a long history of study, the galactose 6-oxidase/glyoxal oxidase family of mononuclear copper-radical oxidases, Auxiliary Activity Family 5 (AA5), is currently represented by only very few characterized members. Here we report the recombinant production and detailed structure–function analyses of two homologues from the phytopathogenic fungi Colletotrichum graminicola and C. gloeosporioides, CgrAlcOx and CglAlcOx, respectively, to explore the wider biocatalytic potential in AA5. EPR spectroscopy and crystallographic analysis confirm a common active-site structure vis-à-vis the archetypal galactose 6-oxidase from Fusarium graminearum. Strikingly, however, CgrAlcOx and CglAlcOx are essentially incapable of oxidizing galactose and galactosides, but instead efficiently catalyse the oxidation of diverse aliphatic alcohols. The results highlight the significant potential of prospecting the evolutionary diversity of AA5 to reveal novel enzyme specificities, thereby informing both biology and applications. PMID:26680532

  6. Cytochrome c oxidase loses catalytic activity and structural integrity during the aging process in Drosophila melanogaster

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ren, Jian-Ching; Rebrin, Igor; Klichko, Vladimir

    2010-10-08

    Research highlights: {yields} Cytochrome c oxidase loses catalytic activity during the aging process. {yields} Abundance of seven nuclear-encoded subunits of cytochrome c oxidase decreased with age in Drosophila. {yields} Cytochrome c oxidase is specific intra-mitochondrial site of age-related deterioration. -- Abstract: The hypothesis, that structural deterioration of cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is a causal factor in the age-related decline in mitochondrial respiratory activity and an increase in H{sub 2}O{sub 2} generation, was tested in Drosophila melanogaster. CcO activity and the levels of seven different nuclear DNA-encoded CcO subunits were determined at three different stages of adult life, namely, young-, middle-,more » and old-age. CcO activity declined progressively with age by 33%. Western blot analysis, using antibodies specific to Drosophila CcO subunits IV, Va, Vb, VIb, VIc, VIIc, and VIII, indicated that the abundance these polypeptides decreased, ranging from 11% to 40%, during aging. These and previous results suggest that CcO is a specific intra-mitochondrial site of age-related deterioration, which may have a broad impact on mitochondrial physiology.« less

  7. SIRPα controls the activity of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase by restricting the expression of gp91(phox).

    PubMed

    van Beek, Ellen M; Zarate, Julian Alvarez; van Bruggen, Robin; Schornagel, Karin; Tool, Anton T J; Matozaki, Takashi; Kraal, Georg; Roos, Dirk; van den Berg, Timo K

    2012-10-25

    The phagocyte NADPH oxidase mediates oxidative microbial killing in granulocytes and macrophages. However, because the reactive oxygen species produced by the NADPH oxidase can also be toxic to the host, it is essential to control its activity. Little is known about the endogenous mechanism(s) that limits NADPH oxidase activity. Here, we demonstrate that the myeloid-inhibitory receptor SIRPα acts as a negative regulator of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase. Phagocytes isolated from SIRPα mutant mice were shown to have an enhanced respiratory burst. Furthermore, overexpression of SIRPα in human myeloid cells prevented respiratory burst activation. The inhibitory effect required interactions between SIRPα and its natural ligand, CD47, as well as signaling through the SIRPα cytoplasmic immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs. Suppression of the respiratory burst by SIRPα was caused by a selective repression of gp91(phox) expression, the catalytic component of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase complex. Thus, SIRPα can limit gp91(phox) expression during myeloid development, thereby controlling the magnitude of the respiratory burst in phagocytes. Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Expression of the Bovine NK-Lysin Gene Family and Activity against Respiratory Pathogens.

    PubMed

    Chen, Junfeng; Yang, Chingyuan; Tizioto, Polyana C; Huang, Huan; Lee, Mi O K; Payne, Harold R; Lawhon, Sara D; Schroeder, Friedhelm; Taylor, Jeremy F; Womack, James E

    2016-01-01

    Unlike the genomes of many mammals that have a single NK-lysin gene, the cattle genome contains a family of four genes, one of which is expressed preferentially in the lung. In this study, we compared the expression of the four bovine NK-lysin genes in healthy animals to animals challenged with pathogens known to be associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). The expression of several NK-lysins, especially NK2C, was elevated in challenged relative to control animals. The effects of synthetic peptides corresponding to functional region helices 2 and 3 of each gene product were tested on both model membranes and bio-membranes. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated that these peptides adopted a more helical secondary structure upon binding to an anionic model membrane and liposome leakage assays suggested that these peptides disrupt membranes. Bacterial killing assays further confirmed the antimicrobial effects of these peptides on BRD-associated bacteria, including both Pasteurella multocida and Mannhemia haemolytica and an ultrastructural examination of NK-lysin-treated P. multocida cells by transmission electron microscopy revealed the lysis of target membranes. These studies demonstrate that the expanded bovine NK-lysin gene family is potentially important in host defense against pathogens involved in bovine respiratory disease.

  9. [Enhanced ε-poly-L-lysine production through pH regulation and organic nitrogen addition in fed-batch fermentation].

    PubMed

    Sun, Qixing; Chen, Xusheng; Ren, Xidong; Zheng, Gencheng; Mao, Zhonggui

    2015-05-01

    During the production of ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) in fed-batch fermentation, the decline of ε-PL synthesis often occurs at middle or late phase of the fermentation. To solve the problem, we adopted two strategies, namely pH shift and feeding yeast extract, to improve the productivity of ε-PL. ε-PL productivity in fermentation by pH shift and feeding yeast extract achieved 4.62 g/(L x d) and 5.16 g/(L x d), which were increased by 27.3% and 42.2% compared with the control ε-PL fed-batch fermentation, respectively. Meanwhile, ε-PL production enhanced 36.95 g/L and 41.32 g/L in 192 h with these two strategies, increased by 27.4% and 42.48% compared to the control, respectively. ε-PL production could be improved at middle or late phase of fed-batch fermentation by pH shift or feeding yeast extract.

  10. Molecular Insights of p47phox Phosphorylation Dynamics in the Regulation of NADPH Oxidase Activation and Superoxide Production*

    PubMed Central

    Meijles, Daniel N.; Fan, Lampson M.; Howlin, Brendan J.; Li, Jian-Mei

    2014-01-01

    Phagocyte superoxide production by a multicomponent NADPH oxidase is important in host defense against microbial invasion. However inappropriate NADPH oxidase activation causes inflammation. Endothelial cells express NADPH oxidase and endothelial oxidative stress due to prolonged NADPH oxidase activation predisposes many diseases. Discovering the mechanism of NADPH oxidase activation is essential for developing novel treatment of these diseases. The p47phox is a key regulatory subunit of NADPH oxidase; however, due to the lack of full protein structural information, the mechanistic insight of p47phox phosphorylation in NADPH oxidase activation remains incomplete. Based on crystal structures of three functional domains, we generated a computational structural model of the full p47phox protein. Using a combination of in silico phosphorylation, molecular dynamics simulation and protein/protein docking, we discovered that the C-terminal tail of p47phox is critical for stabilizing its autoinhibited structure. Ser-379 phosphorylation disrupts H-bonds that link the C-terminal tail to the autoinhibitory region (AIR) and the tandem Src homology 3 (SH3) domains, allowing the AIR to undergo phosphorylation to expose the SH3 pocket for p22phox binding. These findings were confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis and gene transfection of p47phox−/− coronary microvascular cells. Compared with wild-type p47phox cDNA transfected cells, the single mutation of S379A completely blocked p47phox membrane translocation, binding to p22phox and endothelial O2⨪ production in response to acute stimulation of PKC. p47phox C-terminal tail plays a key role in stabilizing intramolecular interactions at rest. Ser-379 phosphorylation is a molecular switch which initiates p47phox conformational changes and NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production by cells. PMID:24970888

  11. L-valine, an antialgal amino acid from Streptomyces jiujiangensis JXJ 0074(T).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Bing-Huo; Chen, Wei; Li, Han-Quan; Yang, Jian-Yuan; Zha, Dai-Ming; Duan, Yan-Qing; N Hozzein, Wael; Xiao, Min; Gao, Rui; Li, Wen-Jun

    2016-05-01

    An antialgal compound was isolated from the cultured broth of Streptomyces jiujiangensis JXJ 0074(T) by using bioassay methods. Based on the data of (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, ESI-MS, and thin layer chromatography, the active compound was identified as L-valine, which showed antialgal activity mainly against Microcystis. L-valine exhibited greater antialgal activities than both L-lysine and copper sulfate (CuSO4) did on Microcystis aeruginosa lawn. However, M. aeruginosa recovered growth earlier with higher growth rate in L-valine treatment than in L-lysine treatment. L-valine dissipated completely within 2 days, much quicker than L-lysine (6 days), which resulted in the lysing of more than 80 % M. aeruginosa cells and the release of amount of intracellular microcystin-LR (MC-LR) within 2 days. As a resultant, the extracellular MC-LR content was more than twice of the control from day 1 to 5. Exposure to L-valine significantly promoted the synthesis of MC-LR. L-lysine also promoted the release and synthesis of MC-LR with much lesser efficiency than L-valine. L-valine could damage Microcystis severely, causing perforation and collapse of M. aeruginosa cells and decrease of the chlorophyll. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in L-valine-treated cells of M. aeruginosa initially increased with 32.94 ± 3.37 % higher than the control after 36 h and then decreased quickly. However, the increase rate of superoxide anion radical (O2 (-)) was much higher than that of SOD, which resulted in serious lipid peroxidation and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA). To our knowledge, this is the first report showing L-valine active against cyanobacteria.

  12. SIRT1 inhibits NADPH oxidase activation and protects endothelial function in the rat aorta: implications for vascular aging.

    PubMed

    Zarzuelo, María José; López-Sepúlveda, Rocío; Sánchez, Manuel; Romero, Miguel; Gómez-Guzmán, Manuel; Ungvary, Zoltan; Pérez-Vizcaíno, Francisco; Jiménez, Rosario; Duarte, Juan

    2013-05-01

    Vascular aging is characterized by up-regulation of NADPH oxidase, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. Previous studies demonstrate that the activity of the evolutionarily conserved NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase SIRT1 declines with age and that pharmacological activators of SIRT1 confer significant anti-aging cardiovascular effects. To determine whether dysregulation of SIRT1 promotes NADPH oxidase-dependent production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and impairs endothelial function we assessed the effects of three structurally different inhibitors of SIRT1 (nicotinamide, sirtinol, EX527) in aorta segments isolated from young Wistar rats. Inhibition of SIRT1 induced endothelial dysfunction, as shown by the significantly reduced relaxation to the endothelium-dependent vasodilators acetylcholine and the calcium ionophore A23187. Endothelial dysfunction induced by SIRT1 inhibition was prevented by treatment of the vessels with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin or superoxide dismutase. Inhibition of SIRT1 significantly increased vascular superoxide production, enhanced NADPH oxidase activity, and mRNA expression of its subunits p22(phox) and NOX4, which were prevented by resveratrol. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) activation mimicked the effects of resveratrol while PPARα inhibition prevented the effects of this SIRT1 activator. SIRT1 co-precipitated with PPARα and nicotinamide increased the acetylation of the PPARα coactivator PGC-1α, which was suppressed by resveratrol. In conclusion, impaired activity of SIRT1 induces endothelial dysfunction and up-regulates NADPH oxidase-derived ROS production in the vascular wall, mimicking the vascular aging phenotype. Moreover, a new mechanism for controlling endothelial function after SIRT1 activation involves a decreased PGC-1α acetylation and the subsequent PPARα activation, resulting in both decreased NADPH oxidase-driven ROS production and NO inactivation. Copyright © 2013

  13. Cell-free NADPH oxidase activation assays: "in vitro veritas".

    PubMed

    Pick, Edgar

    2014-01-01

    The superoxide (O2 (∙-))-generating NADPH oxidase complex of phagocytes comprises a membrane-imbedded heterodimeric flavocytochrome, known as cytochrome b 558 (consisting of Nox2 and p22 (phox) ) and four cytosolic regulatory proteins, p47 (phox) , p67 (phox) , p40 (phox) , and the small GTPase Rac. Under physiological conditions, in the resting phagocyte, O2 (∙-) generation is initiated by engagement of membrane receptors by a variety of stimuli, followed by specific signal transduction sequences leading to the translocation of the cytosolic components to the membrane and their association with the cytochrome. A consequent conformational change in Nox2 initiates the electron "flow" along a redox gradient, from NADPH to oxygen, leading to the one-electron reduction of molecular oxygen to O2 (∙-). Methodological difficulties in the dissection of this complex mechanism led to the design "cell-free" systems (also known as "broken cells" or in vitro systems). In these, membrane receptor stimulation and all or part of the signal transduction sequence are missing, the accent being placed on the actual process of "NADPH oxidase assembly," thus on the formation of the complex between cytochrome b 558 and the cytosolic components and the resulting O2 (∙-) generation. Cell-free assays consist of a mixture of the individual components of the NADPH oxidase complex, derived from resting phagocytes or in the form of purified recombinant proteins, exposed in vitro to an activating agent (distinct from and unrelated to whole cell stimulants), in the presence of NADPH and oxygen. Activation is commonly quantified by measuring the primary product of the reaction, O2 (∙-), trapped immediately after its generation by an appropriate acceptor in a kinetic assay, permitting the calculation of the linear rate of O2 (∙-) production, but numerous variations exist, based on the assessment of reaction products or the consumption of substrates. Cell-free assays played a paramount

  14. Expression analysis of polyphenol oxidase isozymes by active staining method and tissue browning of head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Noda, Takahiro; Iimure, Kazuhiko; Okamoto, Shunsuke; Saito, Akira

    2017-08-01

    Browning of plant tissue is generally considered attributable to enzymatic oxidation by polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Electrophoresis followed by activity staining has been used as an effective procedure to visually detect and isolate isozymes; however, it has not been applied for examination of various PPO isozymes in lettuce. Our study demonstrated that different lettuce PPO isozymes could be detected at different pH in active staining, and multiple isozymes were detected only under alkaline conditions. As a result, we concluded that activity staining with approximately pH 8 enabled to detect various PPO isozymes in lettuce. By expression analysis of the PPO isozymes after wounding, PPO isozymes that correlated with time-course of tissue browning were detected. The wound-induced PPO may play a key role in enzymatic browning.

  15. Seizure activity results in calcium- and mitochondria-independent ROS production via NADPH and xanthine oxidase activation

    PubMed Central

    Kovac, S; Domijan, A-M; Walker, M C; Abramov, A Y

    2014-01-01

    Seizure activity has been proposed to result in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which then contribute to seizure-induced neuronal damage and eventually cell death. Although the mechanisms of seizure-induced ROS generation are unclear, mitochondria and cellular calcium overload have been proposed to have a crucial role. We aim to determine the sources of seizure-induced ROS and their contribution to seizure-induced cell death. Using live cell imaging techniques in glioneuronal cultures, we show that prolonged seizure-like activity increases ROS production in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner. Unexpectedly, however, mitochondria did not contribute to ROS production during seizure-like activity. ROS were generated primarily by NADPH oxidase and later by xanthine oxidase (XO) activity in a calcium-independent manner. This calcium-independent neuronal ROS production was accompanied by an increase in intracellular [Na+] through NMDA receptor activation. Inhibition of NADPH or XO markedly reduced seizure-like activity-induced neuronal apoptosis. These findings demonstrate a critical role for ROS in seizure-induced neuronal cell death and identify novel therapeutic targets. PMID:25275601

  16. Comparison of brain mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase activity with cyanide LD(50) yields insight into the efficacy of prophylactics.

    PubMed

    Marziaz, Mandy L; Frazier, Kathryn; Guidry, Paul B; Ruiz, Robyn A; Petrikovics, Ilona; Haines, Donovan C

    2013-01-01

    Cyanide inhibits cytochrome c oxidase, the terminal oxidase of the mitochondrial respiratory pathway, therefore inhibiting the cell oxygen utilization and resulting in the condition of histotoxic anoxia. The enzyme rhodanese detoxifies cyanide by utilizing sulfur donors to convert cyanide to thiocyanate, and new and improved sulfur donors are actively sought as researchers seek to improve cyanide prophylactics. We have determined brain cytochrome c oxidase activity as a marker for cyanide exposure for mice pre-treated with various cyanide poisoning prophylactics, including sulfur donors thiosulfate (TS) and thiotaurine (TT3). Brain mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation, the outer mitochondrial membrane was disrupted by a maltoside detergent, and the decrease in absorbance at 550 nm as horse heart ferrocytochrome c (generated by the dithiothreitol reduction of ferricytochrome c) was oxidized was monitored. Overall, the TS control prophylactic treatment provided significant protection of the cytochrome c oxidase activity. The TT3-treated mice showed reduced cytochrome c oxidase activity even in the absence of cyanide. In both treatment series, addition of exogenous Rh did not significantly enhance the prevention of cytochrome c oxidase inhibition, but the addition of sodium nitrite did. These findings can lead to a better understanding of the protection mechanism by various cyanide antidotal systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Differences in Monoamine Oxidase Activity in the Brain of Wistar and August Rats with High and Low Locomotor Activity: A Cytochemical Study.

    PubMed

    Sergutina, A V; Rakhmanova, V I

    2016-06-01

    Monoamine oxidase activity was quantitatively assessed by cytochemical method in brain structures (layers III and V of the sensorimotor cortex, caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens, hippocampal CA3 field) of rats of August line and Wistar population with high and low locomotor activity in the open fi eld test. Monoamine oxidase activity (substrate tryptamine) predominated in the nucleus accumbens of Wistar rats with high motor activity in comparison with rats with low locomotor activity. In August rats, enzyme activity (substrates tryptamine and serotonin) predominated in the hippocampus of animals with high motor activity. Comparison of August rats with low locomotor activity and Wistar rats with high motor activity (i.e. animals demonstrating maximum differences in motor function) revealed significantly higher activity of the enzyme (substrates tryptamine and serotonin) in the hippocampus of Wistar rats. The study demonstrates clear-cut morphochemical specificity of monoaminergic metabolism based on the differences in the cytochemical parameter "monoamine oxidase activity", in the studied brain structures, responsible for the formation and realization of goal-directed behavior in Wistar and August rats.

  18. The xanthine oxidase activity in different of secondary transformed peat-moorsh soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Styła, Katarzyna; Wojciech Szajdak, Lech

    2010-05-01

    The investigations were carried out on the transect of peatland 4.5 km long, located in the Agroecological Landscape Park host D. Chlapowski in Turew (40 km South-West of Poznań, West Polish Lowland). The sites investigation were located along Wyskoć ditch. The following material was taken from four chosen sites marked as Zbęchy, Bridge, Shelterbelt and Hirudo in two layers: acrotelm (0-50 cm) and catotelm (50-100 cm). The object of this study was to characterize the biochemical properties by the determination of the xanthine oxidase activity in two layers (acrotelm and catotelm) of the four different peat-moorsh soils used as meadow. The xanthine oxidase activity was determined spectrophotometrically by measuring uric acid formation at λmax=290 nm with xanthine as substrate. In peat-moorsh soil the highest activities of xanthine oxidasewas observed in the Shelterbelt and whereas the lowest - in Zbęchy, Bridge and Hirudo. Activities of this enzyme in peat-moorsh soil ranged from 5.96 to 19.51 μmol h-1g d.m soil. Increased activities of xanthine oxidase have been recorded on the depth 50-100 cm - catotelm (from 11.71 to 19.51 μmol h-1g d.m soil) in comparison with the depth 0-50 cm - acrotelm (from 5.96 to 14.64 μmol h-1g d.m soil). This work was supported by a grant No. N N305 3204 36 founded by Polish Ministry of Education.

  19. Lysine-Grafted MCM-41 Silica as an Antibacterial Biomaterial.

    PubMed

    Villegas, María F; Garcia-Uriostegui, Lorena; Rodríguez, Ofelia; Izquierdo-Barba, Isabel; Salinas, Antonio J; Toriz, Guillermo; Vallet-Regí, María; Delgado, Ezequiel

    2017-09-26

    This paper proposes a facile strategy for the zwitterionization of bioceramics that is based on the direct incorporation of l-lysine amino acid via the ε-amino group onto mesoporous MCM-41 materials. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies of lysine-grafted MCM-41 (MCM-LYS) simultaneously showed bands at 3080 and 1540 cm -1 and bands at 1625 and 1415 cm -1 corresponding to -NH 3+ /COO - pairs, which demonstrate the incorporation of the amino acid on the material surface keeping its zwitterionic character. Both elemental and thermogravimetric analyses showed that the amount of grafted lysine was 8 wt. % based on the bioceramic total weight. Moreover, MCM-LYS exhibited a reduction of adhesion of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria in 33% and 50%, respectively at physiological pH, as compared with pristine MCM-41. Biofilm studies onto surfaces showed that lysine functionalization elicited a reduction of the area covered by S. aureus biofilm from 42% to only 5% (88%). This research shows a simple and effective approach to chemically modify bioceramics using single amino acids that provides zwitterionic functionality, which is useful to develop new biomaterials that are able to resist bacterial adhesion.

  20. Lysine-Grafted MCM-41 Silica as an Antibacterial Biomaterial

    PubMed Central

    Villegas, María F.; Garcia-Uriostegui, Lorena; Rodríguez, Ofelia; Izquierdo-Barba, Isabel; Salinas, Antonio J.; Toriz, Guillermo; Vallet-Regí, María; Delgado, Ezequiel

    2017-01-01

    This paper proposes a facile strategy for the zwitterionization of bioceramics that is based on the direct incorporation of l-lysine amino acid via the ε-amino group onto mesoporous MCM-41 materials. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies of lysine-grafted MCM-41 (MCM-LYS) simultaneously showed bands at 3080 and 1540 cm−1 and bands at 1625 and 1415 cm−1 corresponding to -NH3+/COO− pairs, which demonstrate the incorporation of the amino acid on the material surface keeping its zwitterionic character. Both elemental and thermogravimetric analyses showed that the amount of grafted lysine was 8 wt. % based on the bioceramic total weight. Moreover, MCM-LYS exhibited a reduction of adhesion of S. aureus and E. coli bacteria in 33% and 50%, respectively at physiological pH, as compared with pristine MCM-41. Biofilm studies onto surfaces showed that lysine functionalization elicited a reduction of the area covered by S. aureus biofilm from 42% to only 5% (88%). This research shows a simple and effective approach to chemically modify bioceramics using single amino acids that provides zwitterionic functionality, which is useful to develop new biomaterials that are able to resist bacterial adhesion. PMID:28952559

  1. Histone Deacetylase 3 (HDAC3)-dependent Reversible Lysine Acetylation of Cardiac Myosin Heavy Chain Isoforms Modulates Their Enzymatic and Motor Activity*

    PubMed Central

    Samant, Sadhana A.; Pillai, Vinodkumar B.; Sundaresan, Nagalingam R.; Shroff, Sanjeev G.; Gupta, Mahesh P.

    2015-01-01

    Reversible lysine acetylation is a widespread post-translational modification controlling the activity of proteins in different subcellular compartments. We previously demonstrated that a class II histone deacetylase (HDAC), HDAC4, and a histone acetyltransferase, p300/CREB-binding protein-associated factor, associate with cardiac sarcomeres and that a class I and II HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A, enhances contractile activity of myofilaments. In this study we show that a class I HDAC, HDAC3, is also present at cardiac sarcomeres. By immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analyses, we found that HDAC3 was localized to A-band of sarcomeres and capable of deacetylating myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. The motor domains of both cardiac α- and β-MHC isoforms were found to be reversibly acetylated. Biomechanical studies revealed that lysine acetylation significantly decreased the Km for the actin-activated ATPase activity of MHC isoforms. By in vitro motility assay, we found that lysine acetylation increased the actin-sliding velocity of α-myosin by 20% and β-myosin by 36% compared with their respective non-acetylated isoforms. Moreover, myosin acetylation was found to be sensitive to cardiac stress. During induction of hypertrophy, myosin isoform acetylation increased progressively with duration of stress stimuli independently of isoform shift, suggesting that lysine acetylation of myosin could be an early response of myofilaments to increase contractile performance of the heart. These studies provide the first evidence for localization of HDAC3 at myofilaments and uncover a novel mechanism modulating the motor activity of cardiac MHC isoforms. PMID:25911107

  2. The interaction of methanol dehydrogenase and cytochrome cL in the acidophilic methylotroph Acetobacter methanolicus.

    PubMed Central

    Chan, H T; Anthony, C

    1991-01-01

    The quinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) of Acetobacter methanolicus has an alpha 2 beta 2 structure. By contrast with other MDHs, the beta-subunit (approx. 8.5 kDa) does not contain the five lysine residues previously proposed to be involved in ionic interactions with the electron acceptor cytochrome cL. That electrostatic interactions are involved was confirmed by the demonstration that methanol:cytochrome cL oxidoreductase activity was inhibited by high ionic strength (I), the strength of interaction being inversely related to the square root of I. Specific modifiers of arginine residues on MDH inhibited this reaction but not the dye-linked MDH activity. Modification of lysine residues on MDH that altered its charge had no effect on the dye-linked activity but inhibited reaction with cytochrome cL. When the charge was retained on modification of lysine residues, little effect on either activity was observed. Cross-linking experiments confirmed that lysine residues on the alpha-subunit, but not the beta-subunit, are involved in the 'docking' process between the proteins. Images Fig. 4. PMID:1660263

  3. Pore Diameter Dependence and Segmental Dynamics of Poly-Z-L-lysine and Poly-L-alanine Confined in 1D Nanocylindrical Geometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tuncel, Eylul; Suzuki, Yasuhito; Iossifidis, Agathaggelos; Steinhart, Martin; Butt, Hans-Jurgen; Floudas, George; Duran, Hatice

    Structure formation, thermodynamic stability, phase and dynamic behaviors of polypeptides are strongly affected by confinement. Since understanding the changes in these behaviors will allow their rational design as functional devices with tunable properties, herein we investigated Poly-Z-L-lysine (PZLL) and Poly-L-alanine (PAla) homopolypeptides confined in nanoporous alumina containing aligned cylindrical nanopores as a function of pore size by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction, Dielectric spectroscopy(DS). Bulk PZLL exhibits a glass transition temperature (Tg) at about 301K while PZLL nanorods showed slightly lower Tg (294K). The dynamic investigation by DS also revealed a decrease (4K) in Tg between bulk and PZLL nanorods. DS is a very sensitive probe of the local and global secondary structure relaxation through the large dipole to study effect of confinement. The results revealed that the local segmental dynamics, associated with broken hydrogen bonds, and segmental dynamics speed-up on confinement.

  4. Economic process to co-produce poly(ε-l-lysine) and poly(l-diaminopropionic acid) by a pH and dissolved oxygen control strategy.

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhaoxian; Feng, Xiaohai; Sun, Zhuzhen; Cao, Changhong; Li, Sha; Xu, Zheng; Xu, Zongqi; Bo, Fangfang; Xu, Hong

    2015-01-01

    This study tended to apply biorefinery of indigenous microbes to the fermentation of target-product generation through a novel control strategy. A novel strategy for co-producing two valuable homopoly(amino acid)s, poly(ε-l-lysine) (ε-PL) and poly(l-diaminopropionic acid) (PDAP), was developed by controlling pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations in Streptomyces albulus PD-1 fermentation. The production of ε-PL and PDAP got 29.4 and 9.6gL(-1), respectively, via fed-batch cultivation in a 5L bioreactor. What is more, the highest production yield (21.8%) of similar production systems was achieved by using this novel strategy. To consider the economic-feasibility, large-scale production in a 1t fermentor was also implemented, which would increase the gross profit of 54,243.5USD from one fed-batch bioprocess. This type of fermentation, which produces multiple commercial products from a unified process is attractive, because it will improve the utilization rate of raw materials, enhance production value and enrich product variety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. The neurochemical and behavioral effects of the novel cholinesterase–monoamine oxidase inhibitor, ladostigil, in response to L-dopa and L-tryptophan, in rats

    PubMed Central

    Sagi, Yotam; Driguès, Noam; Youdim, Moussa B H

    2005-01-01

    The novel drugs, ladostigil (TV3326) and TV3279, are R and S isomers, respectively, derived from a combination of the carbamate cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor, rivastigmine, and the pharmacophore of the monoamine oxidase (MAO) B inhibitor, rasagiline. They were developed for the treatment of comorbidity of dementia with Parkinsonism. In the present study, we determined the effects of these drugs on both aminergic neurotransmitter levels and motor behavioral activity in naïve and in L-dopa- or L-tryptophan-induced rats. Chronic treatment of rats with ladostigil (52 mg kg−1 for 21 days) inhibited hippocampal and striatal MAO A and B activities by >90%, increased striatal levels of dopamine and serotonin, and inhibited striatal ChE activity by ∼50%. Chronic TV3279 (26 mg kg−1 for 21 days) similarly inhibited ∼50% of striatal ChE activity, but did not affect MAO activity or amine levels. In sharp contrast to the inductive effect of the MAO A/B inhibitor, tranylcypromine (TCP), on stereotyped hyperactivity in response to L-dopa (50 mg kg−1) or L-tryptophan (100 mg kg−1), ladostigil completely inhibited these behavioral hyperactivity syndromes. Accordingly, acute rivastigmine (2 mg kg−1) and chronic TV3279 abolished the ability of TCP to initiate L-dopa-induced hyperactivity, while scopolamine (0.5 mg kg−1) reversed the inhibitory effect of chronic ladostigil on L-dopa-induced hyperactivity, suggesting that ladostigil may attenuate successive locomotion by activating central cholinergic muscarinic receptors. Finally, while chronic ladostigil administration to naïve rats resulted in preserved spontaneous motor behavior, acute treatment with ladostigil decreased motor performance, compared to control animals. In contrast, chronic as well as acute treatments with TV3279 reduced spontaneous motor activity. Thus, the aminergic potentiation by ladostigil may counteract its cholinergic inhibitory effect on spontaneous motor behavior

  6. Mutation at a strictly conserved, active site tyrosine in the copper amine oxidase leads to uncontrolled oxygenase activity.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhi-Wei; Datta, Saumen; Dubois, Jennifer L; Klinman, Judith P; Mathews, F Scott

    2010-08-31

    The copper amine oxidases carry out two copper-dependent processes: production of their own redox-active cofactor (2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone, TPQ) and the subsequent oxidative deamination of substrate amines. Because the same active site pocket must facilitate both reactions, individual active site residues may serve multiple roles. We have examined the roles of a strictly conserved active site tyrosine Y305 in the copper amine oxidase from Hansenula polymorpha kinetically, spetroscopically (Dubois and Klinman (2006) Biochemistry 45, 3178), and, in the present work, structurally. While the Y305A enzyme is almost identical to the wild type, a novel, highly oxygenated species replaces TPQ in the Y305F active sites. This new structure not only provides the first direct detection of peroxy intermediates in cofactor biogenesis but also indicates the critical control of oxidation chemistry that can be conferred by a single active site residue.

  7. Study on the activity of non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitor by 3D-QSAR modeling and molecular docking

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Peizhen; Tian, Yueli; Zhai, Honglin; Deng, Fangfang; Xie, Meihong; Zhang, Xiaoyun

    2013-11-01

    Non-purine derivatives have been shown to be promising novel drug candidates as xanthine oxidase inhibitors. Based on three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (3D-QSAR) methods including comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA), two 3D-QSAR models for a series of non-purine xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors were established, and their reliability was supported by statistical parameters. Combined 3D-QSAR modeling and the results of molecular docking between non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitors and XO, the main factors that influenced activity of inhibitors were investigated, and the obtained results could explain known experimental facts. Furthermore, several new potential inhibitors with higher activity predicted were designed, which based on our analyses, and were supported by the simulation of molecular docking. This study provided some useful information for the development of non-purine xanthine oxidase inhibitors with novel structures.

  8. RhoA/ROCK downregulates FPR2-mediated NADPH oxidase activation in mouse bone marrow granulocytes.

    PubMed

    Filina, Julia V; Gabdoulkhakova, Aida G; Safronova, Valentina G

    2014-10-01

    Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) express the high and low affinity receptors to formylated peptides (mFPR1 and mFPR2 in mice, accordingly). RhoA/ROCK (Rho activated kinase) pathway is crucial for cell motility and oxidase activity regulated via FPRs. There are contradictory data on RhoA-mediated regulation of NADPH oxidase activity in phagocytes. We have shown divergent Rho GTPases signaling via mFPR1 and mFPR2 to NADPH oxidase in PMNs from inflammatory site. The present study was aimed to find out the role of RhoA/ROCK in the respiratory burst activated via mFPR1 and mFPR2 in the bone marrow PMNs. Different kinetics of RhoA activation were detected with 0.1μM fMLF and 1μM WKYMVM operating via mFPR1 and mFPR2, accordingly. RhoA was translocated in fMLF-activated cells towards the cell center and juxtamembrane space versus uniform allocation in the resting cells. Specific inhibition of RhoA by CT04, Rho inhibitor I, weakly depressed the respiratory burst induced via mFPR1, but significantly increased the one induced via mFPR2. Inhibition of ROCK, the main effector of RhoA, by Y27632 led to the same effect on the respiratory burst. Regulation of mFPR2-induced respiratory response by ROCK was impossible under the cytoskeleton disruption by cytochalasin D, whereas it persisted in the case of mFPR1 activation. Thus we suggest RhoA to be one of the regulatory and signal transduction components in the respiratory burst through FPRs in the mouse bone marrow PMNs. Both mFPR1 and mFPR2 binding with a ligand trigger the activation of RhoA. FPR1 signaling through RhoA/ROCK increases NADPH-oxidase activity. But in FPR2 action RhoA/ROCK together with cytoskeleton-linked systems down-regulates NADPH-oxidase. This mechanism could restrain the reactive oxygen species dependent damage of own tissues during the chemotaxis of PMNs and in the resting cells. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Effect of short peptides containing lysine and epsilon-aminocaproic acid on fibrinolytic activity of plasmin and topoisomerase II action on supercoiled DNA.

    PubMed

    Midura-Nowaczek, Krystyna; Purwin, Maciej; Markowska, Agnieszka; Drozdowska, Danuta; Bruzgo, Magdalena

    2013-01-01

    Effects of eight short peptides containing lysine and epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) on prolongation of the clot lysis time, as well as hemolytic and antibacterial activities were investigated. Interaction with plasmids pBR322 and pUC19 with the use of ethidium bromide assay and determination of influence on the activity of topoisomerase I and II were also tested. Examined compounds inhibited fibrinolytic activity of plasmin and five of them were more active than EACA. Amides of dipeptides were most active antifibrinolytics (IC50 < 0.2 mM). According to the obtained data, the significant inhibition of fibrinolytic activity of plasmin was not associated with hemolytic effects. Examined compounds did not show antibacterial activity (MIC > 512 mg/L). DNA binding effects determined with the use of ethidium bromide were weak for all peptides and similar to those observed with EACA. Six compounds inhibited topoisomerase II action on supercoiled DNA.

  10. Effects of phenylated compounds of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on diamine oxidase activity from rat small intestine.

    PubMed

    Balaña-Fouce, R; Pulido, T G; Escudero, D O; Sanz-Sanchez, F

    1986-01-01

    Two phenylated compounds of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), potentially inhibitors of diamine oxidase activity, have been synthesized: phenylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and diphenylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). Their inhibitory capacity was tested: while PGBG was able to reduce the enzyme activity by 50% at 1.3 microM, DPGBG was only able to reduce diamine oxidase activity by less than 2% at a concentration 1000-fold higher. The inhibition of PGBG was non-competitive and the Ki calculated by a Dixon plot was estimated as 1.7 microM.

  11. Metal-Chelate Affinity Precipitation with Thermo-Responsive Polymer for Purification of ε-Poly-L-Lysine.

    PubMed

    Li, Sipeng; Ding, Zhaoyang; Liu, Jifu; Cao, Xuejun

    2017-12-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a natural preservative for food processing industry. A thermo-responsive polymer, attached with Cu 2+ or Ni 2+ , was prepared for metal-chelate affinity precipitation for purification of ε-PL. The low critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of these polymers were close to the room temperature (31.0-35.0 °C). The optimal adsorption conditions were as follows: pH 4.0, 0 mol/L NaCl, ligand density 75.00 μmol/g, and 120 min. The ligand Cu 2+ showed a stronger affinity interaction with ε-PL and the highest adsorption amount reached 251.93 mg/g polymer. The elution recovery of ε-PL could be 98.42% with 0.50 mol/L imidazole (pH = 8.0) as the eluent. The method could purify ε-PL from fermentation broth and the final product was proved as electrophoretic pure by SDS-PAGE. Moreover, these affinity polymers could be recycled after the purification of ε-PL and the recoveries were above 95.00%. Graphical Abstract Scheme for affinity precipitation of ε-PL.

  12. Trimethyltin-Induced Microglial Activation via NADPH Oxidase and MAPKs Pathway in BV-2 Microglial Cells.

    PubMed

    Kim, Da Jung; Kim, Yong Sik

    2015-01-01

    Trimethyltin (TMT) is known as a potent neurotoxicant that causes neuronal cell death and neuroinflammation, particularly in the hippocampus. Microglial activation is one of the prominent pathological features of TMT neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how microglial activation occurs in TMT intoxication. In this study, we aimed to investigate the signaling pathways in TMT-induced microglial activation using BV-2 murine microglial cells. Our results revealed that TMT generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases the expression of CD11b and nuclear factor-κB- (NF-κB-) mediated nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α in BV-2 cells. We also observed that NF-κB activation was controlled by p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, TMT-induced ROS generation occurred via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in BV-2 cells. Interestingly, treatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin significantly suppressed p38 and JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB activation and ultimately the production of proinflammatory mediators upon TMT exposure. These findings indicate that NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation activated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which then stimulated NF-κB to release proinflammatory mediators in the TMT-treated BV-2 cells.

  13. Trimethyltin-Induced Microglial Activation via NADPH Oxidase and MAPKs Pathway in BV-2 Microglial Cells

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Da Jung; Kim, Yong Sik

    2015-01-01

    Trimethyltin (TMT) is known as a potent neurotoxicant that causes neuronal cell death and neuroinflammation, particularly in the hippocampus. Microglial activation is one of the prominent pathological features of TMT neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how microglial activation occurs in TMT intoxication. In this study, we aimed to investigate the signaling pathways in TMT-induced microglial activation using BV-2 murine microglial cells. Our results revealed that TMT generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases the expression of CD11b and nuclear factor-κB- (NF-κB-) mediated nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α in BV-2 cells. We also observed that NF-κB activation was controlled by p38 and JNK phosphorylation. Moreover, TMT-induced ROS generation occurred via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in BV-2 cells. Interestingly, treatment with the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin significantly suppressed p38 and JNK phosphorylation and NF-κB activation and ultimately the production of proinflammatory mediators upon TMT exposure. These findings indicate that NADPH oxidase-dependent ROS generation activated p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which then stimulated NF-κB to release proinflammatory mediators in the TMT-treated BV-2 cells. PMID:26221064

  14. Specificity determinants for lysine incorporation in Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan as revealed by the structure of a MurE enzyme ternary complex.

    PubMed

    Ruane, Karen M; Lloyd, Adrian J; Fülöp, Vilmos; Dowson, Christopher G; Barreteau, Hélène; Boniface, Audrey; Dementin, Sébastien; Blanot, Didier; Mengin-Lecreulx, Dominique; Gobec, Stanislav; Dessen, Andréa; Roper, David I

    2013-11-15

    Formation of the peptidoglycan stem pentapeptide requires the insertion of both L and D amino acids by the ATP-dependent ligase enzymes MurC, -D, -E, and -F. The stereochemical control of the third position amino acid in the pentapeptide is crucial to maintain the fidelity of later biosynthetic steps contributing to cell morphology, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenesis. Here we determined the x-ray crystal structure of Staphylococcus aureus MurE UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanyl-D-glutamate:meso-2,6-diaminopimelate ligase (MurE) (E.C. 6.3.2.7) at 1.8 Å resolution in the presence of ADP and the reaction product, UDP-MurNAc-L-Ala-γ-D-Glu-L-Lys. This structure provides for the first time a molecular understanding of how this Gram-positive enzyme discriminates between L-lysine and D,L-diaminopimelic acid, the predominant amino acid that replaces L-lysine in Gram-negative peptidoglycan. Despite the presence of a consensus sequence previously implicated in the selection of the third position residue in the stem pentapeptide in S. aureus MurE, the structure shows that only part of this sequence is involved in the selection of L-lysine. Instead, other parts of the protein contribute substrate-selecting residues, resulting in a lysine-binding pocket based on charge characteristics. Despite the absolute specificity for L-lysine, S. aureus MurE binds this substrate relatively poorly. In vivo analysis and metabolomic data reveal that this is compensated for by high cytoplasmic L-lysine concentrations. Therefore, both metabolic and structural constraints maintain the structural integrity of the staphylococcal peptidoglycan. This study provides a novel focus for S. aureus-directed antimicrobials based on dual targeting of essential amino acid biogenesis and its linkage to cell wall assembly.

  15. Specificity Determinants for Lysine Incorporation in Staphylococcus aureus Peptidoglycan as Revealed by the Structure of a MurE Enzyme Ternary Complex*

    PubMed Central

    Ruane, Karen M.; Lloyd, Adrian J.; Fülöp, Vilmos; Dowson, Christopher G.; Barreteau, Hélène; Boniface, Audrey; Dementin, Sébastien; Blanot, Didier; Mengin-Lecreulx, Dominique; Gobec, Stanislav; Dessen, Andréa; Roper, David I.

    2013-01-01

    Formation of the peptidoglycan stem pentapeptide requires the insertion of both l and d amino acids by the ATP-dependent ligase enzymes MurC, -D, -E, and -F. The stereochemical control of the third position amino acid in the pentapeptide is crucial to maintain the fidelity of later biosynthetic steps contributing to cell morphology, antibiotic resistance, and pathogenesis. Here we determined the x-ray crystal structure of Staphylococcus aureus MurE UDP-N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanyl-d-glutamate:meso-2,6-diaminopimelate ligase (MurE) (E.C. 6.3.2.7) at 1.8 Å resolution in the presence of ADP and the reaction product, UDP-MurNAc-l-Ala-γ-d-Glu-l-Lys. This structure provides for the first time a molecular understanding of how this Gram-positive enzyme discriminates between l-lysine and d,l-diaminopimelic acid, the predominant amino acid that replaces l-lysine in Gram-negative peptidoglycan. Despite the presence of a consensus sequence previously implicated in the selection of the third position residue in the stem pentapeptide in S. aureus MurE, the structure shows that only part of this sequence is involved in the selection of l-lysine. Instead, other parts of the protein contribute substrate-selecting residues, resulting in a lysine-binding pocket based on charge characteristics. Despite the absolute specificity for l-lysine, S. aureus MurE binds this substrate relatively poorly. In vivo analysis and metabolomic data reveal that this is compensated for by high cytoplasmic l-lysine concentrations. Therefore, both metabolic and structural constraints maintain the structural integrity of the staphylococcal peptidoglycan. This study provides a novel focus for S. aureus-directed antimicrobials based on dual targeting of essential amino acid biogenesis and its linkage to cell wall assembly. PMID:24064214

  16. Priming of the neutrophil NADPH oxidase activation: role of p47phox phosphorylation and NOX2 mobilization to the plasma membrane.

    PubMed

    El-Benna, Jamel; Dang, Pham My-Chan; Gougerot-Pocidalo, Marie-Anne

    2008-07-01

    Neutrophils play an essential role in host defense against microbial pathogens and in the inflammatory reaction. Upon activation, neutrophils produce superoxide anion (O*2), which generates other reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical (OH*) and hypochlorous acid (HOCl), together with microbicidal peptides and proteases. The enzyme responsible for O2* production is called the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase or respiratory burst oxidase. This multicomponent enzyme system is composed of two trans-membrane proteins (p22phox and gp91phox/NOX2, which form the cytochrome b558), three cytosolic proteins (p47phox, p67phox, p40phox) and a GTPase (Rac1 or Rac2), which assemble at membrane sites upon cell activation. NADPH oxidase activation in phagocytes can be induced by a large number of soluble and particulate factors. Three major events accompany NAPDH oxidase activation: (1) protein phosphorylation, (2) GTPase activation, and (3) translocation of cytosolic components to the plasma membrane to form the active enzyme. Actually, the neutrophil NADPH oxidase exists in different states: resting, primed, activated, or inactivated. The resting state is found in circulating blood neutrophils. The primed state can be induced by neutrophil adhesion, pro-inflammatory cytokines, lipopolysaccharide, and other agents and has been characterized as a "ready to go" state, which results in a faster and higher response upon exposure to a second stimulus. The active state is found at the inflammatory or infection site. Activation is induced by the pathogen itself or by pathogen-derived formylated peptides and other agents. Finally, inactivation of NADPH oxidase is induced by anti-inflammatory agents to limit inflammation. Priming is a "double-edged sword" process as it contributes to a rapid and efficient elimination of the pathogens but can also induce the generation of large quantities of toxic ROS by hyperactivation of

  17. Lysine acetylation sites in bovine foamy virus transactivator BTas are important for its DNA binding activity.

    PubMed

    Chang, Rui; Tan, Juan; Xu, Fengwen; Han, Hongqi; Geng, Yunqi; Li, Yue; Qiao, Wentao

    2011-09-15

    Cellular acetylation signaling is important for viral gene regulation, particularly during the transactivation of retroviruses. The regulatory protein of bovine foamy virus (BFV), BTas, is a transactivator that augments viral gene transcription from both the long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter and the internal promoter (IP). In this study, we report that the histone acetyltransferase (HAT), p300, specifically acetylates BTas both in vivo and in vitro. Further studies demonstrated that BTas acetylation markedly enhances its transactivation activity. Mutagenesis analysis identified three lysines at positions 66, 109 and 110 in BTas that are acetylated by p300. The K110R mutant lost its binding to BFV promoter as well as its ability to activate BFV promoter. The acetylation of K66 and K109 may contribute to increased BTas binding ability. These results suggest that the p300-acetylated lysines of BTas are important for transactivation of BFV promoters and therefore have an important role in BFV replication. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The arachidonic acid-binding protein S100A8/A9 promotes NADPH oxidase activation by interaction with p67phox and Rac-2.

    PubMed

    Kerkhoff, Claus; Nacken, Wolfgang; Benedyk, Malgorzata; Dagher, Marie Claire; Sopalla, Claudia; Doussiere, Jacques

    2005-03-01

    The Ca2+- and arachidonic acid-binding S100A8/A9 protein complex was recently identified by in vitro studies as a novel partner of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase. The present study demonstrated its functional relevance by the impaired oxidase activity in neutrophil-like NB4 cells, after specific blockage of S100A9 expression, and bone marrow polymorphonuclear neutrophils from S100A9-/- mice. The impaired oxidase activation could also be mimicked in a cell-free system by pretreatment of neutrophil cytosol with an S100A9-specific antibody. Further analyses gave insights into the molecular mechanisms by which S100A8/A9 promoted NADPH oxidase activation. In vitro analysis of oxidase activation as well as protein-protein interaction studies revealed that S100A8 is the privileged interaction partner for the NADPH oxidase complex since it bound to p67phox and Rac, whereas S100A9 did interact with neither p67phox nor p47phox. Moreover, S100A8/A9 transferred the cofactor arachidonic acid to NADPH oxidase as shown by the impotence of a mutant S100A8/A9 complex unable to bind arachidonic acid to enhance NADPH oxidase activity. It is concluded that S100A8/A9 plays an important role in phagocyte NADPH oxidase activation.

  19. Efficient production of ε-poly-L-lysine by Streptomyces ahygroscopicus using one-stage pH control fed-batch fermentation coupled with nutrient feeding.

    PubMed

    Liu, Sheng-Rong; Wu, Qing-Ping; Zhang, Ju-Mei; Mo, Shu-Ping

    2015-03-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is a homopolymer of L-lysine molecules connected between the ε amino and alpha carboxyl groups. This polymer is currently used as a natural preservative in food. Insufficient biomass is a major problem in ε-PL fermentation. Here, to improve cell growth and ε-PL productivity, various nitrogen-rich nutrients were supplemented into flask cultures after 16 h cultivation, marking the onset of ε-PL biosynthesis. Yeast extract, soybean powder, corn powder, and beef extract significantly improved cell growth. In terms of ε-PL productivity, yeast extract at 0.5% (w/v) gave the maximum yield (2.24 g/l), 115.4% higher than the control (1.04 g/l), followed by soybean powder (1.86 g/l) at 1% (w/v) and corn powder (1.72 g/l) at 1% (w/v). However, supplementation with beef extract inhibited ε-PL production. The optimal time for supplementation for all nutrients examined was at 16 h cultivation. The kinetics of yeast-extract-supplemented cultures showed enhanced cell growth and production duration. Thus, the most commonly used two-stage pH control fed-batch fermentation method was modified by omitting the pH 5.0-controlled period, and coupling the procedure with nutrient feeding in the pH 3.9-controlled phase. Using this process, by continuously feeding 0.5 g/h of yeast extract, soybean powder, or corn powder into cultures in a 30 L fermenter, the final ε-PL titer reached 28.2 g/l, 23.7 g/l, and 21.4 g/l, respectively, 91.8%, 61.2%, and 45.6% higher than that of the control (14.7 g/l). This describes a promising option for the mass production of ε-PL.

  20. Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency.

    PubMed

    Rupar, C A; Gillett, J; Gordon, B A; Ramsay, D A; Johnson, J L; Garrett, R M; Rajagopalan, K V; Jung, J H; Bacheyie, G S; Sellers, A R

    1996-12-01

    Isolated sulfite oxidase (SO) deficiency is an autosomal recessively inherited inborn error of sulfur metabolism. In this report of a ninth patient the clinical history, laboratory results, neuropathological findings and a mutation in the sulfite oxidase gene are described. The data from this patient and previously published patients with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency and molybdenum cofactor deficiency are summarized to characterize this rare disorder. The patient presented neonatally with intractable seizures and did not progress developmentally beyond the neonatal stage. Dislocated lenses were apparent at 2 months. There was increased urine excretion of sulfite and S-sulfocysteine and a decreased concentration of plasma cystine. A lactic acidemia was present for 6 months. Liver sulfite oxidase activity was not detectable but xanthine dehydrogenase activity was normal. The boy died of respiratory failure at 32 months. Neuropathological findings of cortical necrosis and extensive cavitating leukoencephalopathy were reminiscent of those seen in severe perinatal asphyxia suggesting an etiology of energy deficiency. A point mutation that resulted in a truncated protein missing the molybdenum-binding site has been identified.

  1. Simultaneous Detection of Dopamine and Uric Acid Using a Poly(l-lysine)/Graphene Oxide Modified Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Yuehua; Lei, Wu; Xu, Yujuan; Xia, Xifeng; Hao, Qingli

    2016-01-01

    A novel, simple and selective electrochemical method was investigated for the simultaneous detection of dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) on a poly(l-lysine)/graphene oxide (GO) modified glassy carbon electrode (PLL/GO/GCE) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The electrochemically prepared PLL/GO sensory platform toward the oxidation of UA and DA exhibited several advantages, including high effective surface area, more active sites and enhanced electrochemical activity. Compared to the PLL-modified GCE (PLL/GCE), GO-modified GCE and bare GCE, the PLL/GO/GCE exhibited an increase in the anodic potential difference and a remarkable enhancement in the current responses for both UA and DA. For the simultaneous detection of DA and UA, the detection limits of 0.021 and 0.074 μM were obtained, while 0.031 and 0.018 μM were obtained as the detection limits for the selective detection of UA and DA, using DPV in the linear concentration ranges of 0.5 to 20.0 and 0.5 to 35 μM, respectively. In addition, the PLL/GO/GCE demonstrated good reproducibility, long-term stability, excellent selectivity and negligible interference of ascorbic acid (AA). The proposed modified electrode was successfully implemented in the simultaneous detection of DA and UA in human blood serum, urine and dopamine hydrochloride injection with satisfactory results. PMID:28335305

  2. Preparation of poly-L-lysine functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and their influence on viability of cancer cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khmara, I.; Koneracka, M.; Kubovcikova, M.; Zavisova, V.; Antal, I.; Csach, K.; Kopcansky, P.; Vidlickova, I.; Csaderova, L.; Pastorekova, S.; Zatovicova, M.

    2017-04-01

    This study was aimed at development of biocompatible amino-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles as carriers of specific antibodies able to detect and/or target cancer cells. Poly-L-lysine (PLL)-modified magnetic nanoparticle samples with different PLL/Fe3O4 content were prepared and tested to define the optimal PLL/Fe3O4 weight ratio. The samples were characterized for particle size and morphology (SEM, TEM and DLS), and surface properties (zeta potential measurements). The optimal PLL/Fe3O4 weight ratio of 1.0 based on both zeta potential and DLS measurements was in agreement with the UV/VIS measurements. Magnetic nanoparticles with the optimal PLL content were conjugated with antibody specific for the cancer biomarker carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), which is induced by hypoxia, a physiologic stress present in solid tumors and linked with aggressive tumor behavior. CA IX is localized on the cell surface with the antibody-binding epitope facing the extracellular space and is therefore suitable for antibody-based targeting of tumor cells. Here we showed that PLL/Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles exhibit cytotoxic activities in a cell type-dependent manner and bind to cells expressing CA IX when conjugated with the CA IX-specific antibody. These data support further investigations of the CA IX antibody-conjugated, magnetic field-guided/activated nanoparticles as tools in anticancer strategies.

  3. [Monoamine oxidase activity in rat pineal gland: comparison with brain areas, alteration during aging].

    PubMed

    Razygraev, A V; Taborskaya, K I; Volovik, K Yu; Bunina, A A; Petrosyan, M A

    Using benzylamine as a substrate, the amine oxidase activity was determined in the pineal gland of adult rats and compared with the same activity in brain areas and pituitary. Two groups of rats aged 6-8 and 14-15 months were also compared on the basis of this activity. Benzylamine deaminating activity in the pineal gland was significantly higher than in the area preoptica medialis, the corpus mamillare, the tuberculum olfactorium, and the hypophysis, and lower than in the eminentia mediana. The significant increase of the activity in the pineal gland in animals of age from 6-8 to 14-15-months was revealed. Benzylamine deaminating activity in the pineal gland was totally inhibited by 0,002 mM R deprenyl, indicating the B type monoamine oxidase (MAO B) activity. Age-associated increase of MAO B activity in the pineal gland accompanied by decrease of glutathione peroxidase activity, reported earlier, can promote the oxidative damage in the pineal gland during aging.

  4. 4-Hydroxyanisole: the most suitable monophenolic substrate for determining spectrophotometrically the monophenolase activity of polyphenol oxidase from fruits and vegetables.

    PubMed

    Espín, J C; Tudela, J; García-Cánovas, F

    1998-05-15

    A continuous spectrophotometric method for determining the monophenolase activity of polyphenol oxidase from several plant sources is described. This assay method is based on the coupling reaction between 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone and the quinone product of the oxidation of 4-hydroxyanisole in the presence of polyphenol oxidase. 4-Hydroxyanisole proved to be the best monophenol assayed to measure the monophenolase activity of polyphenol oxidase from apple, artichoke, avocado, medlar, pear, and strawberry. Kinetic constants of 4-hydroxyanisole were compared to those of p-hydroxyphenyl propionic acid, a very sensitive monophenol previously reported to assay the monophenolase activity of polyphenol oxidase from apple, pear, and mushroom. The high values of the maximum steady state rate obtained for 4-hydroxyanisole suggest the existence of high catalytic constant toward this monophenol. These kinetic values were supported by nuclear magnetic resonance assays which predicted the highest reactivity of 4-hydroxyanisole. Therefore nuclear magnetic resonance assays proved to be a valuable and useful tool to predict the best monophenolic substrate for plant polyphenol oxidases. The 3-methyl-2-benzothiazlolinone-adduct for 4-hydroxyanisole was stable, with high molar absorptivity at the optimum pHs of the polyphenol oxidases assayed. All this together makes the use of 4-hydroxyanisol as monophenolic substrate and 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone as coupling reagent the most sensitive and precise assay method up to date reported in the literature to determine the monophenolas activity of polyphenol oxidase from fruits and vegetables.

  5. Novel therapy for pyridoxine dependent epilepsy due to ALDH7A1 genetic defect: L-arginine supplementation alternative to lysine-restricted diet.

    PubMed

    Mercimek-Mahmutoglu, Saadet; Cordeiro, Dawn; Cruz, Vivian; Hyland, Keith; Struys, Eduard A; Kyriakopoulou, Lianna; Mamak, Eva

    2014-11-01

    Pyridoxine dependent epilepsy (PDE) due to mutations in the ALDH7A1 gene (PDE-ALDH7A1) is caused by α-aminoadipic-semialdehyde-dehydrogenase enzyme deficiency in the lysine pathway resulting in the accumulation of α-aminoadipic acid semialdehyde (α-AASA). Classical presentation is neonatal intractable seizures with a dramatic response to pyridoxine. Pyridoxine therapy does not prevent developmental delays in the majority of the patients. We hypothesized that L-arginine supplementation will decrease accumulation of α-AASA by competitive inhibition of lysine transport into the central nervous system and improve neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive functions in PDE-ALDH7A1. A 12-year-old male with PDE-ALDH7A1 was treated with l-arginine supplementation as an innovative therapy. Treatment outcome was monitored by cerebral-spinal-fluid (CSF) α-AASA measurements at baseline, 6th and 12th months of therapy. Neuropsychological assessments were performed at baseline and 12th months of therapy. L-arginine therapy was well tolerated without side effects. CSF α-AASA was decreased 57% at 12th months of therapy. Neuropsychological assessments revealed improvements in general abilities index from 108 to 116 and improvements in verbal and motor functioning at 12th months of therapy. The short-term treatment outcome of this novel L-arginine supplementation therapy for PDE-ALDH7A1 was successful for biochemical and neurocognitive improvements. Copyright © 2014 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Impacts on the metabolome of down-regulating polyphenol oxidase in transgenic potato tubers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Tubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Estima) genetically modified (GM) to reduce polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and enzymatic discolouration were assessed for changes in the metabolome using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) and Gas Chromatography (GC)-MS. Metabolome changes ...

  7. 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase reaction mechanism and putative post-translational activities of the ACCO protein

    PubMed Central

    Dilley, David R.; Wang, Zhenyong; Kadirjan-Kalbach, Deena K.; Ververidis, Fillipos; Beaudry, Randolph; Padmanabhan, Kallaithe

    2013-01-01

    1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (ACCO) catalyses the final step in ethylene biosynthesis converting ACC to ethylene, cyanide, CO2, dehydroascorbate and water with inputs of Fe(II), ascorbate, bicarbonate (as activators) and oxygen. Cyanide activates ACCO. A ‘nest’ comprising several positively charged amino acid residues from the C-terminal α-helix 11 along with Lys158 and Arg299 are proposed as binding sites for ascorbate and bicarbonate to coordinately activate the ACCO reaction. The binding sites for ACC, bicarbonate and ascorbic acid for Malus domestica ACCO1 include Arg175, Arg244, Ser246, Lys158, Lys292, Arg299 and Phe300. Glutamate 297, Phe300 and Glu301 in α-helix 11 are also important for the ACCO reaction. Our proposed reaction pathway incorporates cyanide as an ACCO/Fe(II) ligand after reaction turnover. The cyanide ligand is likely displaced upon binding of ACC and ascorbate to provide a binding site for oxygen. We propose that ACCO may be involved in the ethylene signal transduction pathway not directly linked to the ACCO reaction. ACC oxidase has significant homology with Lycopersicon esculentum cysteine protease LeCp, which functions as a protease and as a regulator of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (Acs2) gene expression. ACC oxidase may play a similar role in signal transduction after post-translational processing. ACC oxidase becomes inactivated by fragmentation and apparently has intrinsic protease and transpeptidase activity. ACC oxidase contains several amino acid sequence motifs for putative protein–protein interactions, phosphokinases and cysteine protease. ACC oxidase is subject to autophosphorylaton in vitro and promotes phosphorylation of some apple fruit proteins in a ripening-dependent manner. PMID:24244837

  8. Are colorimetric assays appropriate for measuring phenol oxidase activity in peat soils?

    Treesearch

    Magdalena M. Wiedermann; Evan S. Kane; Timothy J. Veverica; Erik A. Lilleskov

    2017-01-01

    The activity of extracellular phenol oxidases is believed to play a critical role in decomposition processes in peatlands. The water logged, acidic conditions, and recalcitrant litter from the peatland vegetation, lead to exceptionally high phenolics in the peat. In order to quantify the activity of oxidative enzymes involved in the modification and break down of...

  9. Quantitative Collection and Enzymatic Activity of Glucose Oxidase Nanotubes Fabricated by Templated Layer-by-Layer Assembly.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shouwei; Demoustier-Champagne, Sophie; Jonas, Alain M

    2015-08-10

    We report on the fabrication of enzyme nanotubes in nanoporous polycarbonate membranes via the layer-by-layer (LbL) alternate assembly of polyethylenimine (PEI) and glucose oxidase (GOX), followed by dissolution of the sacrificial template in CH2Cl2, collection, and final dispersion in water. An adjuvant-assisted filtration methodology is exploited to extract quantitatively the nanotubes without loss of activity and morphology. Different water-soluble CH2Cl2-insoluble adjuvants are tested for maximal enzyme activity and nanotube stability; whereas NaCl disrupts the tubes by screening electrostatic interactions, the high osmotic pressure created by fructose also contributes to loosening the nanotubular structures. These issues are solved when using neutral, high molar mass dextran. The enzymatic activity of intact free nanotubes in water is then quantitatively compared to membrane-embedded nanotubes, showing that the liberated nanotubes have a higher catalytic activity in proportion to their larger exposed surface. Our study thus discloses a robust and general methodology for the fabrication and quantitative collection of enzymatic nanotubes and shows that LbL assembly provides access to efficient enzyme carriers for use as catalytic swarming agents.

  10. Differences in activity of cytochrome C oxidase in brain between sleep and wakefulness.

    PubMed

    Nikonova, Elena V; Vijayasarathy, Camasamudram; Zhang, Lin; Cater, Jacqueline R; Galante, Raymond J; Ward, Stephen E; Avadhani, Narayan G; Pack, Allan I

    2005-01-01

    Increased mRNA level of subunit 1 cytochrome c oxidase (COXI) during wakefulness and after short-term sleep deprivation has been described in brain. We hypothesized that this might contribute to increased activity of cytochrome oxidase (COX) enzyme during wakefulness, as part of the mechanisms to provide sufficient amounts of adenosine triphosphate to meet increased neuronal energy demands. COX activity was measured in isolated mitochondria from different brain regions in groups of rats with 3 hours of spontaneous sleep, 3 hours of spontaneous wake, and 3 hours of sleep deprivation. The group with 3 hours of spontaneous wake was added to delineate the circadian component of changes in the enzyme activity. Northern blot analysis was performed to examine the mRNA levels of 2 subunits of the enzyme COXI and COXIV, encoded by mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, respectively. Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Animal Biology, and Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology, University of Pennsylvania. 2-month-old male Fischer rats (N = 21) implanted for polygraphic recording. For COX activity, there was a main effect by analysis of variance of experimental group (P < .0001) with significant increases in COX activity in wake and sleep-deprived groups as compared to the sleep group. A main effect of brain region was also significant (P < .001). There was no difference between brain regions in the degree of increase in enzyme activity in wakefulness. Both COXI and COXIV mRNA were increased with wakefulness as compared to sleep. There is an increase in COX activity after both 3 hours of spontaneous wake and 3 hours of sleep deprivation as compared with 3 hours of spontaneous sleep in diverse brain regions, which could be, in part, explained by the increased levels of bigenomic transcripts of the enzyme. This likely contributes to increased adenosine triphosphate production during wakefulness. ADP, adenosine diphosphate; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; COXI, cytochrome c

  11. Ag-doped CdO nanocatalysts: Preparation, characterization and catechol oxidase activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Kemary, Maged; El-Mehasseb, Ibrahim; El-Shamy, Hany

    2018-06-01

    Silver doped cadmium oxide (Ag/CdO) nanoparticles with an average size of 41 nm have been successfully synthesized via thermal decomposition and liquid impregnation technique. The structural characterization has been performed by using several spectroscopic techniques, e.g., X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR). The catechol oxidase has been studied by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and fourier-transform infrared as well as the mechanism has been assured by cyclic voltammetry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results indicate that the oxidation does not occur in the presence of unsupported cadmium oxide particles by silver and in the same time, the catechol oxidase activity of silver doped CdO nanoparticles were improved by about three orders of magnitude than silver ions.

  12. Lysine Acetylation of CREBH Regulates Fasting-Induced Hepatic Lipid Metabolism

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Hyunbae; Mendez, Roberto; Chen, Xuequn; Fang, Deyu

    2015-01-01

    Cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 3-like 3, hepatocyte specific (CREBH), is a hepatic transcription factor that functions as a key regulator of energy homeostasis. Here, we defined a regulatory CREBH posttranslational modification process, namely, lysine-specific acetylation, and its functional involvement in fasting-induced hepatic lipid metabolism. Fasting induces CREBH acetylation in mouse livers in a time-dependent manner, and this event is critical for CREBH transcriptional activity in regulating hepatic lipid homeostasis. The histone acetyltransferase PCAF-mediated acetylation and the deacetylase sirtuin-1-mediated deacetylation coexist to maintain CREBH acetylation states under fasting conditions. Site-directed mutagenesis and functional analyses revealed that the lysine (K) residue at position 294 (K294) within the bZIP domain of the CREBH protein is the site where fasting-induced acetylation/deacetylation occurs. Introduction of the acetylation-deficient (K294R) or acetylation-mimicking (K294Q) mutation inhibited or enhanced CREBH transcriptional activity, respectively. Importantly, CREBH acetylation at lysine 294 was required for the interaction and synergy between CREBH and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) in activating their target genes upon fasting or glucagon stimulation. Introduction of the CREBH lysine 294 mutation in the liver leads to hepatic steatosis and hyperlipidemia in animals under prolonged fasting. In summary, our study reveals a molecular mechanism by which fasting or glucagon stimulation modulates lipid homeostasis through acetylation of CREBH. PMID:26438600

  13. Biological activities and medicinal properties of Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp.

    PubMed Central

    Pal, Dilipkumar; Mishra, Pragya; Sachan, Neetu; Ghosh, Ashoke K.

    2011-01-01

    Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp. (Sanskrit: Adhaki, Hindi: Arhar, English: Pigeon pea, Bengali: Tur) (family: Fabaceae) is the most important grain legume crop of rain-fed agriculture in semi-arid tropics. It is both a food crop and a cover/forage crop with high levels of proteins and important amino acids like methionine, lysine and tryptophan. During the last few decades extensive studies have been carried out regarding the chemistry of C. cajan and considerable progress has been achieved regarding its biological activities and medicinal applications. This review article gives an overview on the biological activities of the compounds isolated, pharmacological actions and clinical studies of C. cajan extracts apart from its general details. PMID:22247887

  14. Elucidation of the factors affecting the oxidative activity of Acremonium sp. HI-25 ascorbate oxidase by an electrochemical approach

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Murata, Kenichi; Nakamura, Nobuhumi; Ohno, Hiroyuki

    Steady-state kinetics of Acremonium sp. HI-25 ascorbate oxidase toward p-hydroquinone derivatives have been examined by using an electrochemical analysis based on the theory of steady-state bioelectrocatalysis. The electrochemical technique has enabled one to examine the influence of electronic and chemical properties of substrates on the activity. It was proven that the oxidative activity of ascorbate oxidase was dominated by the highly selective substrate-binding affinity based on electrostatic interaction beyond the one-electron redox potential difference between ascorbate oxidase's type 1 copper site and substrate.

  15. Utilization of quercetin and quercetin glycosides from onion (Allium cepa L.) solid waste as an antioxidant, urease and xanthine oxidase inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Nile, Shivraj Hariram; Nile, Arti Shivraj; Keum, Young Soo; Sharma, Kavita

    2017-11-15

    This study aimed to determine the flavonol glycosides from onion solid waste (OSW) using HPLC analysis, with antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. We found considerable amount of quercetin-4'-O-monoglucoside (QMG: 254.85), quercetin-3,4'-O-diglucoside (QDG: 162.34), quercetin (Q: 60.44), and isorhamnetin-3-glucoside (IMG: 23.92) (mg/100g) dry weight (DW) of OSW. For OSW, the methanol and ethanol showed the strongest antioxidant activities, followed by ethyl acetate, chloroform, and n-hexane extracts. Among the flavonols, Q and QDG possessed higher antioxidant activities. OSW and flavonol glycosides displayed significant enzyme inhibitory activity, with IC 50 values ranging from 12.5±0.11 to 32.5±0.28 for OSW, 8.2±0.07 to 16.8±0.02 for flavonol glycosides, and 4.2±0.05μg/mL for thiourea (positive control) towards urease; while 15.2±0.8 to 35.8±0.2 (μg/mL) for OSW, 10.5±0.06 to 20.8±0.05 (μg/mL) for flavonol glycosides, and 6.5±0.05μg/mL for allopurinol (positive control) towards xanthine oxidase, respectively. The OSW and flavonol glycosides may thus be considered as potential antioxidant and antigout agents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Characterization of polyphenol oxidase from Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) fruit.

    PubMed

    Bravo, Karent; Osorio, Edison

    2016-04-15

    Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana) is an exotic fruit highly valued, however it is a very rich source of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). In this study, Cape gooseberry PPO was isolated and biochemically characterized. The enzyme was extracted and purified using acetone and aqueous two-phase systems. The data indicated that PPO had the highest substrate affinity for chlorogenic acid, 4-methylcatechol and catechol. Chlorogenic acid was the most suitable substrate (Km=0.56±0.07 mM and Vmax=53.15±2.03 UPPO mL(-1) min(-1)). The optimal pH values were 5.5 for catechol and 4-methylcatechol and 5.0 for chlorogenic acid. Optimal temperatures were 40°C for catechol, 25°C for 4-methylcatechol and 20°C for chlorogenic acid. In inhibition tests, the most potent inhibitor was found to be ascorbic acid followed by L-cysteine and quercetin. This study shows possible treatments that can be implemented during the processing of Cape gooseberry fruits to prevent browning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Inhibition of chrysin on xanthine oxidase activity and its inhibition mechanism.

    PubMed

    Lin, Suyun; Zhang, Guowen; Liao, Yijing; Pan, Junhui

    2015-11-01

    Chrysin, a bioactive flavonoid, was investigated for its potential to inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), a key enzyme catalyzing xanthine to uric acid and finally causing gout. The kinetic analysis showed that chrysin possessed a strong inhibition on XO ability in a reversible competitive manner with IC50 value of (1.26±0.04)×10(-6)molL(-1). The results of fluorescence titrations indicated that chrysin bound to XO with high affinity, and the interaction was predominately driven by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. Analysis of circular dichroism demonstrated that chrysin induced the conformational change of XO with increases in α-helix and β-sheet and reductions in β-turn and random coil structures. Molecular simulation revealed that chrysin interacted with the amino acid residues Leu648, Phe649, Glu802, Leu873, Ser876, Glu879, Arg880, Phe1009, Thr1010, Val1011 and Phe1013 located within the active cavity of XO. The mechanism of chrysin on XO activity may be the insertion of chrysin into the active site occupying the catalytic center of XO to avoid the entrance of xanthine and causing conformational changes in XO. Furthermore, the interaction assays indicated that chrysin and its structural analog apigenin exhibited an additive effect on inhibition of XO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The Helicase Activity of Hyperthermophilic Archaeal MCM is Enhanced at High Temperatures by Lysine Methylation.

    PubMed

    Xia, Yisui; Niu, Yanling; Cui, Jiamin; Fu, Yang; Chen, Xiaojiang S; Lou, Huiqiang; Cao, Qinhong

    2015-01-01

    Lysine methylation and methyltransferases are widespread in the third domain of life, archaea. Nevertheless, the effects of methylation on archaeal proteins wait to be defined. Here, we report that recombinant sisMCM, an archaeal homolog of Mcm2-7 eukaryotic replicative helicase, is methylated by aKMT4 in vitro. Mono-methylation of these lysine residues occurs coincidently in the endogenous sisMCM protein purified from the hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus islandicus cells as indicated by mass spectra. The helicase activity of mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) is stimulated by methylation, particularly at temperatures over 70°C. The methylated MCM shows optimal DNA unwinding activity after heat-treatment between 76 and 82°C, which correlates well with the typical growth temperatures of hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus. After methylation, the half life of MCM helicase is dramatically extended at 80°C. The methylated sites are located on the accessible protein surface, which might modulate the intra- and inter- molecular interactions through changing the hydrophobicity and surface charge. Furthermore, the methylation-mimic mutants of MCM show heat resistance helicase activity comparable to the methylated MCM. These data provide the biochemical evidence that posttranslational modifications such as methylation may enhance kinetic stability of proteins under the elevated growth temperatures of hyperthermophilic archaea.

  19. The Helicase Activity of Hyperthermophilic Archaeal MCM is Enhanced at High Temperatures by Lysine Methylation

    PubMed Central

    Xia, Yisui; Niu, Yanling; Cui, Jiamin; Fu, Yang; Chen, Xiaojiang S.; Lou, Huiqiang; Cao, Qinhong

    2015-01-01

    Lysine methylation and methyltransferases are widespread in the third domain of life, archaea. Nevertheless, the effects of methylation on archaeal proteins wait to be defined. Here, we report that recombinant sisMCM, an archaeal homolog of Mcm2-7 eukaryotic replicative helicase, is methylated by aKMT4 in vitro. Mono-methylation of these lysine residues occurs coincidently in the endogenous sisMCM protein purified from the hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus islandicus cells as indicated by mass spectra. The helicase activity of mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) is stimulated by methylation, particularly at temperatures over 70°C. The methylated MCM shows optimal DNA unwinding activity after heat-treatment between 76 and 82°C, which correlates well with the typical growth temperatures of hyperthermophilic Sulfolobus. After methylation, the half life of MCM helicase is dramatically extended at 80°C. The methylated sites are located on the accessible protein surface, which might modulate the intra- and inter- molecular interactions through changing the hydrophobicity and surface charge. Furthermore, the methylation-mimic mutants of MCM show heat resistance helicase activity comparable to the methylated MCM. These data provide the biochemical evidence that posttranslational modifications such as methylation may enhance kinetic stability of proteins under the elevated growth temperatures of hyperthermophilic archaea. PMID:26617586

  20. A supramolecular nanoparticle system based on β-cyclodextrin-conjugated poly-l-lysine and hyaluronic acid for co-delivery of gene and chemotherapy agent targeting hepatocellular carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Qingqing; Cui, Mangmang; Bai, Yang; Liu, Yuanyuan; Liu, Di; Song, Tianqiang

    2017-07-01

    A novel supramolecular nanoparticle system with core-shell structure was designed based on β-cyclodextrin-conjugated poly-l-lysine (PLCD) and hyaluronic acid for co-delivery of gene and chemotherapy agent targeting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). PLCD was synthesized by the conjugation of monoaldehyde activated β-cyclodextrin with poly-l-lysine via Shiff's base reaction. Doxorubicin, as a model therapeutic drug, was included into the hydrophobic cavity of β-cyclodextrin in PLCD through host-guest interaction. OligoRNA, as a model gene, was further condensed into the inclusion complexes by electrostatic interaction to form oligoRNA and doxorubicin co-loaded supramolecular nanoparticle system. Hyaluronic acid, which is often over-expressed by HCC cells, was coated on the surface of the above nanoparticles to construct HCC-targeted nanoparticle system. These nanoparticles had regular spherical shape with classic "core-shell" structure, and their size and zeta potential were 195.8nm and -22.7mV, respectively. The nanoparticles could effectively deliver doxorubicin and oligoRNA into HCC cells via CD44 receptor-mediated endocytosis and significantly inhibit the cell proliferation. In the nude mice bearing MHCC-97H tumor, the nanoparticles could be efficiently accumulated in the tumor, suggesting their strong hepatoma-targeting capability. These findings demonstrated that this novel supramolecular nanoparticle system had a promising potential for combining gene therapy and chemotherapy to treat HCC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity in tobacco particulate matter: Are harman and norharman the only physiologically relevant inhibitors?

    PubMed

    Truman, Penelope; Grounds, Peter; Brennan, Katharine A

    2017-03-01

    Monoamine oxidase inhibition is significant in smokers, but it is still unclear how the inhibition that is seen in the brains and bodies of smokers is brought about. Our aim was to test the contribution of the harman and norharman in tobacco smoke to MAO-A inhibition from tobacco smoke preparations, as part of a re-examination of harman and norharman as the cause of the inhibition of MAO-A inhibition in the brain. Tobacco smoke particulate matter and cigarette smoke particulate matter were prepared and the amounts of harman and norharman measured. The results were compared with the total monoamine oxidase-A inhibitory activity. At a nicotine concentration of 0.6μM (a "physiological" concentration in blood) the total monoamine oxidase-A inhibitory activity measured in these samples was sufficient to inhibit the enzyme by approximately 10%. Of this inhibitory activity, only a small proportion of the total was found to be due to harman and norharman. These results show that harman and norharman provide only a moderate contribution to the total monoamine oxidase-A inhibitory activity of tobacco smoke, perhaps under 10%. This suggests that other inhibitors (either known or unknown) may be more significant contributors to total inhibitory activity than has yet been established, and deserve closer examination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Vascular oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure: role of xanthine-oxidase and extracellular superoxide dismutase.

    PubMed

    Landmesser, Ulf; Spiekermann, Stephan; Dikalov, Sergey; Tatge, Helma; Wilke, Ragna; Kohler, Christoph; Harrison, David G; Hornig, Burkhard; Drexler, Helmut

    2002-12-10

    Impaired flow-dependent, endothelium-mediated vasodilation (FDD) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) results, at least in part, from accelerated degradation of nitric oxide by oxygen radicals. The mechanisms leading to increased vascular radical formation, however, remain unclear. Therefore, we determined endothelium-bound activities of extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD), a major vascular antioxidant enzyme, and xanthine-oxidase, a potent radical producing enzyme, and their relation to FDD in patients with CHF. ecSOD and xanthine-oxidase activities, released from endothelium into plasma by heparin bolus injection, were determined in 14 patients with CHF and 10 control subjects. FDD of the radial artery was measured using high-resolution ultrasound and was assessed before and after administration of the antioxidant vitamin C (25 mg/min; IA). In patients with CHF, endothelium-bound ecSOD activity was substantially reduced (5.0+/-0.7 versus 14.4+/-2.6 U x mL(-1) x min(-1); P<0.01) and closely related to FDD (r=0.61). Endothelium-bound xanthine-oxidase activity was increased by >200% (38+/-10 versus 12+/-4 nmol O2*- x microL(-1); P<0.05) and inversely related to FDD (r=-0.35) in patients with CHF. In patients with low ecSOD and high xanthine-oxidase activity, a greater benefit of vitamin C on FDD was observed, ie, the portion of FDD inhibited by radicals correlated negatively with ecSOD (r=-0.71) but positively with xanthine-oxidase (r=0.75). These results demonstrate that both increased xanthine-oxidase and reduced ecSOD activity are closely associated with increased vascular oxidative stress in patients with CHF. This loss of vascular oxidative balance likely represents a novel mechanism contributing to endothelial dysfunction in CHF.

  3. Specific gene transfer mediated by galactosylated poly-L-lysine into hepatoma cells.

    PubMed

    Han, J; Il Yeom, Y

    2000-07-20

    Plasmid DNA/galactosylated poly-L-lysine(GalPLL) complex was used to transfer luciferase reporter gene in vitro into human hepatoma cells by a receptor-mediated endocytosis process. DNA was combined with galPLL via charge interaction (DNA:GalPLL:fusogenic peptide, 1:0.4:5, w/w/w) and the resulting complex was characterized by dynamic light scattering, gel retardation assay and zeta potential analyzer to determine the particle size, electrostatic charge interaction, and apparent surface charge. The complex was tested for the efficiency of gene transfer in cultured human hepatoblastoma cell line Hep G2 and fibroblast cells NIH/3T3 in vitro. The mean diameter of the complex (DNA:GalPLL=1:0.4, w/w) was 256+/-34.8 nm, and at this ratio, it was positively charged (zeta potential of this complex was 10.1 mV). Hep G2 cells, which express a galactose specific membrane lectin, were efficiently and selectively transfected with the RSV Luc/GalPLL complex in a sugar-dependent manner. NIH/3T3 cells, which do not express the galactose-specific membrane lectin, showed only a marginal level of gene expression. The transfection efficiency of GalPLL-conjugated DNA complex into Hep G2 cells was greatly enhanced in the presence of fusogenic peptide that can disrupt endosomes, where the GalPLL-DNA complex is entrapped with the fusogenic peptide. With the fusogenic peptide KALA, the luciferase activity in Hep G2 cells was ten-fold higher than that of cells transfected in the absence of the fusogenic peptide. Our gene transfer formulation may find potential application for the gene therapy of liver diseases.

  4. Allosteric modulation of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activities in vitro by imidazoline receptor ligands

    PubMed Central

    Holt, Andrew; Wieland, Barbara; Baker, Glen B

    2004-01-01

    Evidence indicates that imidazoline I2 binding sites (I2BSs) are present on monoamine oxidase (MAO) and on soluble (plasma) semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase enzymes. The binding site on MAO has been described as a modulatory site, although no effects on activity are thought to have been observed as a result of ligands binding to these sites. We examined the effects in vitro of several imidazoline binding site ligands on activities of bovine plasma amine oxidase (BPAO) and porcine kidney diamine oxidase (PKDAO) in a spectrophotometric protocol. While both enzymes were inhibited at high concentrations of all ligands, clonidine, cirazoline and oxymetazoline were seen, at lower concentrations, to increase activity of BPAO versus benzylamine, but not of PKDAO versus putrescine. This effect was substrate dependent, with mixed or biphasic inhibition of spermidine, methylamine, p-tyramine and β-phenylethylamine oxidation observed at cirazoline concentrations that increased benzylamine oxidation. With benzylamine as substrate, clonidine decreased KM (EC50 8.82 μM, Emax 75.1% of control) and increased Vmax (EC50 164.6 μM, Emax 154.1% of control). Cirazoline decreased Vmax (EC50 2.15 μM, Emax 91.4% of control), then decreased KM (EC50 5.63 μM, Emax 42.6% of control) and increased Vmax (EC50 49.0 μM, Emax 114.4% of decreased Vmax value). Data for clonidine fitted a mathematical model for two-site nonessential activation plus linear intersecting noncompetitive inhibition. Data for cirazoline were consistent with involvement of a fourth site. These results reveal an ability of imidazoline ligands to modulate BPAO kinetics allosterically. The derived mechanism may have functional significance with respect to modulation of MAO by I2BS ligands. PMID:15451775

  5. In vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory and in vivo hypouricemic activity of herbal coded formulation (Gouticin).

    PubMed

    Akram, Muhammad; Usmanghani, Khan; Ahmed, Iqbal; Azhar, Iqbal; Hamid, Abdul

    2014-05-01

    Currently, natural products have been used in treating gouty arthritis and are recognized as xanthine oxidase inhibitors. Current study was designed to evaluate in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory potential of Gouticin and its ingredients extracts and in vivo hypouricemic activity of gouticin tablet 500 mg twice daily. Ethanol extracts of Gouticin and its ingredients were evaluated in vitro, at 200, 100, 50, 25 μ g/ml concentrations for xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. IC(50) values of Gouticin and its ingredients were estimated. Further, in vivo therapeutic effect of Gouticin was investigated in comparison with allopathic medicine (Allopurinol) to treat gout. Total patients were 200 that were divided into test and control group. Herbal coded medicine (Gouticin) was given to test group and allopathic medicine allopurinol was administered to control group. In vitro, Gouticin has the highest percent inhibition at 96% followed by Allopurinol with 93% inhibition. In vivo study, mean serum uric acid level of patients was 4.62 mg/dl and 5.21mg/dl by use of Gouticin and Allopurinol at end of therapy. The study showed that herbal coded formulation gouticin and its ingredients are potential sources of natural xanthine oxidase inhibitors. Gouticin 500 mg twice daily is more effective than the allopurinol 300mg once daily in the management of gout.

  6. THE PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF HIGHLY PURIFIED ASCORBIC ACID OXIDASE

    PubMed Central

    Powers, Wendell H.; Lewis, Stanley; Dawson, Charles R.

    1944-01-01

    1. A method is described for the preparation of a highly purified ascorbic acid oxidase containing 0.24 per cent copper. 2. Using comparable activity measurements, this oxidase is about one and a half times as active on a dry weight basis as the hitherto most highly purified preparation described by Lovett-Janison and Nelson. The latter contained 0.15 per cent copper. 3. The oxidase activity is proportional to the copper content and the proportionality factor is the same as that reported by Lovett-Janison and Nelson. 4. When dialyzed free of salt, the blue concentrated oxidase solutions precipitate a dark green-blue protein which carries the activity. This may be prevented by keeping the concentrated solutions about 0.1 M in Na2HPO4. 5. When highly diluted for activity measurements the oxidase rapidly loses activity (irreversibly) previous to the measurement, unless the dilution is made with a dilute inert protein (gelatin) solution. Therefore activity values obtained using such gelatin-stabilized dilute solutions of the oxidase run considerably higher than values obtained by the Lovett-Janison and Nelson technique. 6. The effect of pH and substrate concentration on the activity of the purified oxidase in the presence and absence of inert protein was studied. PMID:19873382

  7. Impact of phloretin and phloridzin on the formation of Maillard reaction products in aqueous models composed of glucose and L-lysine or its derivatives.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jinyu; Peng, Xiaofang; Ng, Kwan-Ming; Che, Chi-Ming; Wang, Mingfu

    2012-02-01

    In the present study, the effects of phloretin and phloridzin on the formation of Maillard reaction products in a lysine-glucose model with different reactant ratios were systematically investigated. In terms of the formation of Maillard-type volatiles, phloretin and phloridzin treatmen could significantly reduce their generation, where the effects depend on the ratio of lysine to glucose used in the model systems. Phloretin and phloridzin could also affect the colour development of Maillard reactions; especially phloretin, which could significantly promote the formation of brown products in the system with the lowest ratio of lysine to glucose. Based on the carbon module labelling (CAMOLA) technique and HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS analysis, it was found that phloretin and phloridzin could actively participate in the Maillard reaction and directly react with different reactive carbonyl species. The effect of phloretin and phloridzin treatment in both N(α)-acetyllysine-glucose (AC-glu), and N-acetyl-gly-lys methyl ester acetate salt-glucose (AG-glu) model systems, which are close to the Maillard reactions occurring in real food, where the free amino groups of lysine residues were considered as the reactive site, were further investigated. Similar impacts on the formation of Maillard-type volatiles and brown products as in the lysine-glucose models were observed which can also be explained by the capability of phloretin and phloridzin to quench sugar fragments formed in these model reactions.

  8. A mitochondrial CO2-adenylyl cyclase-cAMP signalosome controls yeast normoxic cytochrome c oxidase activity

    PubMed Central

    Hess, Kenneth C.; Liu, Jingjing; Manfredi, Giovanni; Mühlschlegel, Fritz A.; Buck, Jochen; Levin, Lonny R.; Barrientos, Antoni

    2014-01-01

    Mitochondria, the major source of cellular energy in the form of ATP, respond to changes in substrate availability and bioenergetic demands by employing rapid, short-term, metabolic adaptation mechanisms, such as phosphorylation-dependent protein regulation. In mammalian cells, an intramitochondrial CO2-adenylyl cyclase (AC)-cyclic AMP (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) pathway regulates aerobic energy production. One target of this pathway involves phosphorylation of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) subunit 4-isoform 1 (COX4i1), which modulates COX allosteric regulation by ATP. However, the role of the CO2-sAC-cAMP-PKA signalosome in regulating COX activity and mitochondrial metabolism and its evolutionary conservation remain to be fully established. We show that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, normoxic COX activity measured in the presence of ATP is 55% lower than in the presence of ADP. Moreover, the adenylyl cyclase Cyr1 activity is present in mitochondria, and it contributes to the ATP-mediated regulation of COX through the normoxic subunit Cox5a, homologue of human COX4i1, in a bicarbonate-sensitive manner. Furthermore, we have identified 2 phosphorylation targets in Cox5a (T65 and S43) that modulate its allosteric regulation by ATP. These residues are not conserved in the Cox5b-containing hypoxic enzyme, which is not regulated by ATP. We conclude that across evolution, a CO2-sAC-cAMP-PKA axis regulates normoxic COX activity.—Hess, K. C., Liu, J., Manfredi, G., Mühlschlegel, F. A., Buck, J., Levin, L. R., Barrientos, A. A mitochondrial CO2-adenylyl cyclase-cAMP signalosome controls yeast normoxic cytochrome c oxidase activity. PMID:25002117

  9. Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) Protein Regulates Long-chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase by Deacetylating Conserved Lysines Near the Active Site

    PubMed Central

    Bharathi, Sivakama S.; Zhang, Yuxun; Mohsen, Al-Walid; Uppala, Radha; Balasubramani, Manimalha; Schreiber, Emanuel; Uechi, Guy; Beck, Megan E.; Rardin, Matthew J.; Vockley, Jerry; Verdin, Eric; Gibson, Bradford W.; Hirschey, Matthew D.; Goetzman, Eric S.

    2013-01-01

    Long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD) is a key mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation enzyme. We previously demonstrated increased LCAD lysine acetylation in SIRT3 knockout mice concomitant with reduced LCAD activity and reduced fatty acid oxidation. To study the effects of acetylation on LCAD and determine sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) target sites, we chemically acetylated recombinant LCAD. Acetylation impeded substrate binding and reduced catalytic efficiency. Deacetylation with recombinant SIRT3 partially restored activity. Residues Lys-318 and Lys-322 were identified as SIRT3-targeted lysines. Arginine substitutions at Lys-318 and Lys-322 prevented the acetylation-induced activity loss. Lys-318 and Lys-322 flank residues Arg-317 and Phe-320, which are conserved among all acyl-CoA dehydrogenases and coordinate the enzyme-bound FAD cofactor in the active site. We propose that acetylation at Lys-318/Lys-322 causes a conformational change which reduces hydride transfer from substrate to FAD. Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9, two related enzymes with lysines at positions equivalent to Lys-318/Lys-322, were also efficiently deacetylated by SIRT3 following chemical acetylation. These results suggest that acetylation/deacetylation at Lys-318/Lys-322 is a mode of regulating fatty acid oxidation. The same mechanism may regulate other acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. PMID:24121500

  10. RKIP phosphorylation–dependent ERK1 activation stimulates adipogenic lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes overexpressing LC3

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hahm, Jong Ryeal; Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University School of Medicine, JinJu, 527-27; Ahmed, Mahmoud

    3T3-L1 preadipocytes undergo adipogenesis in response to treatment with dexamethaxone, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, and insulin (DMI) through activation of several adipogenic transcription factors. Many autophagy-related proteins are also highly activated in the earlier stages of adipogenesis, and the LC3 conjugation system is required for formation of lipid droplets. Here, we investigated the effect of overexpression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LC3 fusion protein on adipogenesis. Overexpression of GFP-LC3 in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes using poly-L-lysine-assisted adenoviral GFP-LC3 transduction was sufficient to produce intracellular lipid droplets. Indeed, GFP-LC3 overexpression stimulated expression of some adipogenic transcription factors (e.g., C/EBPα or β, PPARγ, SREBP2). In particular, SREBP2 wasmore » highly activated in preadipocytes transfected with adenoviral GFP-LC3. Also, phosphorylation of Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) at serine 153, consequently stimulating extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK)1 activity, was significantly increased during adipogenesis induced by either poly-L-lysine-assisted adenoviral GFP-LC3 transduction or culture in the presence of dexamethasone, 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine, and insulin. Furthermore, RKIP knockdown promoted ERK1 and PPARγ activation, and significantly increased the intracellular accumulation of triacylglycerides in DMI-induced adipogenesis. In conclusion, GFP-LC3 overexpression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes stimulates adipocyte differentiation via direct modulation of RKIP-dependent ERK1 activity. - Highlights: • Overexpression of GFP-LC3 in 3T3-L1 cells produces intracellular lipid droplets. • SREBP2 is highly activated in preadipocytes transfected with adenoviral GFP-LC3. • RKIP phosphorylation at serine 153 is significantly increased during adipogenesis. • RKIP knockdown promotes ERK1 and PPARγ activation during adipogenesis. • RKIP-dependent ERK1 activation increases

  11. A lysine-to-arginine mutation on NEDD8 markedly reduces the activity of cullin RING E3 ligase through the impairment of neddylation cascades

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sui, Yiyan; Liu, Yaobin; Xu, Guoqiang, E-mail: gux2002@suda.edu.cn

    2015-06-12

    Neural-precursor-cell-expressed developmentally down-regulated 8 (NEDD8) is a ubiquitin-like modifier, which forms covalent conjugates on lysines of its substrates. This post-translational modification, neddylation, plays important roles in tumor cell proliferation and viability. Ubiquitin can form diverse polyubiquitin chains, on its seven lysines, which play important functions in various biological processes. However, the roles of lysines in NEDD8 have not been explored. Here, we generated nine NEDD8 point mutants, each with one lysine replaced by an arginine, to study the putative function of lysines in NEDD8. Our experiments discover that Lys27 in NEDD8 is a critical residue for protein neddylation. Replacement ofmore » this residue with arginine almost completely eliminates the conjugation of NEDD8 to its substrates. Furthermore, we find that the K27R mutant impairs NEDD8 conjugation to the E2 enzyme, which normally forms thioester bonds for further transferring NEDD8 to its ligases and substrates. Therefore, this mutation completely inhibits global protein neddylation, including neddylation of cullin family proteins, resulting in decreased activity of cullin-RING E3 ligases. This work sheds new light on the roles of NEDD8 lysines on neddylation cascades and provides a dominant negative mutant for the study of neddylation and its biological functions. - Highlights: • Lys27 in NEDD8 is critical for protein neddylation. • NEDD8 K27R mutant impairs the NEDD8 conjugation. • NEDD8 K27R mutant significantly reduces the activity of cullin-RING E3 ligases.« less

  12. A Prenylated p47phox-p67phox-Rac1 Chimera Is a Quintessential NADPH Oxidase Activator

    PubMed Central

    Mizrahi, Ariel; Berdichevsky, Yevgeny; Casey, Patrick J.; Pick, Edgar

    2010-01-01

    The superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase complex of resting phagocytes includes cytochrome b559, a membrane-associated heterodimer composed of two subunits (Nox2 and p22phox), and four cytosolic proteins (p47phox, p67phox, Rac, and p40phox). Upon stimulation, the cytosolic components translocate to the membrane, as the result of a series of interactions among the cytosolic components and among the cytosolic components and cytochrome b559 and its phospholipid environment. We described the construction of a tripartite chimera (trimera) consisting of strategic domains of p47phox, p67phox, and Rac1, in which interactions among cytosolic components were replaced by fusion (Berdichevsky, Y., Mizrahi, A., Ugolev, Y., Molshanski-Mor, S., and Pick, E. (2007) J. Biol. Chem. 282, 22122–22139). We now fused green fluorescent protein (GFP) to the N terminus of the trimera and found the following. 1) The GFP-p47phox-p67phox-Rac1 trimera activates the oxidase in amphiphile-dependent and -independent (anionic phospholipid-enriched membrane) cell-free systems. 2) Geranylgeranylation of the GFP-trimera makes it a potent oxidase activator in unmodified (native) membranes and in the absence of amphiphile. 3) Prenylated GFP-trimera binds spontaneously to native membranes (as assessed by gel filtration and in-line fluorometry), forming a tight complex capable of NADPH-dependent, activator-independent superoxide production at rates similar to those measured in canonical cell-free systems. 4) Prenylation of the GFP-trimera supersedes completely the dependence of oxidase activation on the p47phox phox homology domain and, partially, on the Rac1 polybasic domain, but the requirement for Trp193 in p47phox persists. Prenylated GFP-p47phox-p67phox-Rac1 trimera acts as a quintessential single molecule oxidase activator of potential use in high throughput screening of inhibitors. PMID:20529851

  13. Global Proteomics Analysis of Protein Lysine Methylation.

    PubMed

    Cao, Xing-Jun; Garcia, Benjamin A

    2016-11-01

    Lysine methylation is a common protein post-translational modification dynamically mediated by protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs) and protein lysine demethylases (PKDMs). Beyond histone proteins, lysine methylation on non-histone proteins plays a substantial role in a variety of functions in cells and is closely associated with diseases such as cancer. A large body of evidence indicates that the dysregulation of some PKMTs leads to tumorigenesis via their non-histone substrates. However, most studies on other PKMTs have made slow progress owing to the lack of approaches for extensive screening of lysine methylation sites. However, recently, there has been a series of publications to perform large-scale analysis of protein lysine methylation. In this unit, we introduce a protocol for the global analysis of protein lysine methylation in cells by means of immunoaffinity enrichment and mass spectrometry. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  14. Correlation Between Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors and Anticonvulsants

    PubMed Central

    Dwivedi, Chandradhar; Misra, Radhey S.; Chaudhari, Anshumali; Parmar, Surendra S.

    1980-01-01

    Monoamine oxidase inhibitory and anticonvulsant properties of 2-substituted styryl-6-bromo-3-(4-ethylbenzoate/4 benzhydrazide)-4-quinazoles are studied. All styryl quinazolone esters except compound number 9 exhibited monoamine oxidase inhibitory properties during oxidative deamination of kynuramine. Corresponding hydrazides were found to have relatively higher activity. All these quinazolones were able to protect against pentylenetetrazol induced seizures. These observations in general do not prove that monoamine oxidase inhibitory properties represent the biochemical basis for the anticonvulsant activity of these compounds. PMID:7420438

  15. Poly-L-lysine/hydroxyapatite/carbon nanotube hybrid nanocomposite applied for piezoelectric immunoassay of carbohydrate antigen 19-9.

    PubMed

    Ding, Yanjun; Liu, Jia; Jin, Xiaoyong; Lu, Haixia; Shen, Guoli; Yu, Ruqin

    2008-02-01

    Hybrid composites are of special scientific interest for biochemical applications wherein the abilities to modulate the morphology and property of the hybrid material are important. In this paper, the formation of poly-L-lysine/hydroxyapatite/carbon nanotube (PLL/HA/CNT) hybrid nanoparticles is described and a general design strategy for an immunosensing platform has been proposed on the basis of PLL/HA/CNT nanocomposite adsorption of antibodies. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) used as a model transducer and the detection performances of the resulting immunosensor were investigated by use of the immuno-system of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), an important indicator in the diagnosis of clinical cancers. The hybrid nanocomposite was characterized by the transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectrum measurements. The frequency response characteristics for the processes of immobilization and immunoreaction of anchored anti-CA19-9 antibodies were studied in detail. It was found that the developed sensing interface has some advantages such as the activation-free immobilization and the high antigen-binding activities of antibodies. The as-prepared immunosensor can allow for the determination of CA19-9 in the concentration range of around 12.5-270.0 U ml(-1). Such an interface design with the hybrid nanocomposite should be tailored as a new alternative used for biosensor design.

  16. Purification, characterization and amino acid content of cholesterol oxidase produced by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102.

    PubMed

    El-Naggar, Noura El-Ahmady; Deraz, Sahar F; Soliman, Hoda M; El-Deeb, Nehal M; El-Shweihy, Nancy M

    2017-03-29

    There is an increasing demand on cholesterol oxidase for its various industrial and clinical applications. The current research was focused on extracellular cholesterol oxidase production under submerged fermentation by a local isolate previously identified as Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102. The crude enzyme extract was purified by two purification steps, protein precipitation using ammonium sulfate followed by ion exchange chromatography using DEAE Sepharose CL-6B. The kinetic parameters of purified cholesterol oxidase from Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102 were studied. The best conditions for maximum cholesterol oxidase activity were found to be 105 min of incubation time, an initial pH of 7 and temperature of 37 °C. The optimum substrate concentration was found to be 0.4 mM. The higher thermal stability behavior of cholesterol oxidase was at 50 °C. Around 63.86% of the initial activity was retained by the enzyme after 20 min of incubation at 50 °C. The apparent molecular weight of the purified enzyme as sized by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacryalamide gel electrophoresis was approximately 46 KDa. On DEAE Sepharose CL-6B column cholesterol oxidase was purified to homogeneity with final specific activity of 16.08 U/mg protein and 3.14-fold enhancement. The amino acid analysis of the purified enzyme produced by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102 illustrated that, cholesterol oxidase is composed of 361 residues with glutamic acid as the most represented amino acid with concentration of 11.49 μg/mL. Taking into account the extracellular production, wide pH tolerance, thermal stability and shelf life, cholesterol oxidase produced by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102 suggested that the enzyme could be industrially useful.

  17. Why copper is preferred over iron for oxygen activation and reduction in haem-copper oxidases.

    PubMed

    Bhagi-Damodaran, Ambika; Michael, Matthew A; Zhu, Qianhong; Reed, Julian; Sandoval, Braddock A; Mirts, Evan N; Chakraborty, Saumen; Moënne-Loccoz, Pierre; Zhang, Yong; Lu, Yi

    2017-03-01

    Haem-copper oxidase (HCO) catalyses the natural reduction of oxygen to water using a haem-copper centre. Despite decades of research on HCOs, the role of non-haem metal and the reason for nature's choice of copper over other metals such as iron remains unclear. Here, we use a biosynthetic model of HCO in myoglobin that selectively binds different non-haem metals to demonstrate 30-fold and 11-fold enhancements in the oxidase activity of Cu- and Fe-bound HCO mimics, respectively, as compared with Zn-bound mimics. Detailed electrochemical, kinetic and vibrational spectroscopic studies, in tandem with theoretical density functional theory calculations, demonstrate that the non-haem metal not only donates electrons to oxygen but also activates it for efficient O-O bond cleavage. Furthermore, the higher redox potential of copper and the enhanced weakening of the O-O bond from the higher electron density in the d orbital of copper are central to its higher oxidase activity over iron. This work resolves a long-standing question in bioenergetics, and renders a chemical-biological basis for the design of future oxygen-reduction catalysts.

  18. Tuning a Protein-Labeling Reaction to Achieve Highly Site Selective Lysine Conjugation.

    PubMed

    Pham, Grace H; Ou, Weijia; Bursulaya, Badry; DiDonato, Michael; Herath, Ananda; Jin, Yunho; Hao, Xueshi; Loren, Jon; Spraggon, Glen; Brock, Ansgar; Uno, Tetsuo; Geierstanger, Bernhard H; Cellitti, Susan E

    2018-04-16

    Activated esters are widely used to label proteins at lysine side chains and N termini. These reagents are useful for labeling virtually any protein, but robust reactivity toward primary amines generally precludes site-selective modification. In a unique case, fluorophenyl esters are shown to preferentially label human kappa antibodies at a single lysine (Lys188) within the light-chain constant domain. Neighboring residues His189 and Asp151 contribute to the accelerated rate of labeling at Lys188 relative to the ≈40 other lysine sites. Enriched Lys188 labeling can be enhanced from 50-70 % to >95 % by any of these approaches: lowering reaction temperature, applying flow chemistry, or mutagenesis of specific residues in the surrounding protein environment. Our results demonstrated that activated esters with fluoro-substituted aromatic leaving groups, including a fluoronaphthyl ester, can be generally useful reagents for site-selective lysine labeling of antibodies and other immunoglobulin-type proteins. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Thermal stability of L-ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid oxidase in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica).

    PubMed

    Munyaka, Ann Wambui; Makule, Edna Edward; Oey, Indrawati; Van Loey, Ann; Hendrickx, Marc

    2010-05-01

    The thermal stability of vitamin C (including l-ascorbic acid [l-AA] and dehydroascorbic acid [DHAA]) in crushed broccoli was evaluated in the temperature range of 30 to 90 degrees C whereas that of ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO) was evaluated in the temperature range of 20 to 95 degrees C. Thermal treatments (for 15 min) of crushed broccoli at 30 to 60 degrees C resulted in conversion of l-AA to DHAA whereas treatments at 70 to 90 degrees C retained vitamin C as l-AA. These observations indicated that enzymes (for example, AAO) could play a major role in the initial phase (that is, oxidation of l-AA to DHAA) of vitamin C degradation in broccoli. Consequently, a study to evaluate the temperature-time conditions that could result in AAO inactivation in broccoli was carried out. In this study, higher AAO activity was observed in broccoli florets than stalks. During thermal treatments for 10 min, AAO in broccoli florets and stalks was stable until around 50 degrees C. A 10-min thermal treatment at 80 degrees C almost completely inactivated AAO in broccoli. AAO inactivation followed 1st order kinetics in the temperature range of 55 to 65 degrees C. Based on this study, a thermal treatment above 70 degrees C is recommended for crushed vegetable products to prevent oxidation of l-AA to DHAA, the onset of vitamin C degradation. The results reported in this study are applicable for both domestic and industrial processing of vegetables into products such as juices, soups, and purees. In this report, we have demonstrated that processing crushed broccoli in a temperature range of 30 to 60 degrees C could result in the conversion of l-ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic (DHAA), a very important reaction in regard to vitamin C degradation because DHAA could be easily converted to other compounds that do not have the biological activity of vitamin C.

  20. Combined antibacterial activity of phage lytic proteins holin and lysin from Streptococcus suis bacteriophage SMP.

    PubMed

    Shi, Yibo; Li, Ning; Yan, Yaxian; Wang, Hengan; Li, Yan; Lu, Chengping; Sun, Jianhe

    2012-07-01

    Development of novel antibacterial agents is required to control infection with multidrug-resistant Streptococcus suis. HolSMP and LySMP, the holin and lysin of S. suis serotype 2 bacteriophage, named SMP, are responsible for lysis of host cells and release of progeny phage. HolSMP and LySMP expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) exerted efficient activity at 37 °C, pH 5.2, with addition of 0.8 % β-mercaptoethanol. Lytic spectra of purified HolSMP, LySMP or HolSMP + LySMP mixture were investigated. HolSMP, exhibiting a narrow lytic spectrum, was effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, which were insensitive to LySMP. Moreover, HolSMP was identified as a promising antibacterial agent which was able to extend the spectrum of LySMP. The data suggest that combined use of holin and lysin could be a candidate strategy for resolution of drug resistance.

  1. Crystal growth, thermal and optical studies of semiorganic nonlinear optical material: L-lysine hydrochloride dihydrate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kalaiselvi, D.; Mohan Kumar, R.; Jayavel, R.

    2008-07-01

    Single crystals of L-lysine hydrochloride dihydrate (LLHCD), a nonlinear optical material, have been grown by slow cooling technique from its aqueous solution. LLHCD was found to be highly soluble in water. The grown crystals have been subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction to confirm the structure and to estimate the lattice parameters. The vibrational structure of the molecule is elucidated from FTIR spectra. Thermal analysis revealed the thermal stability of the grown crystals. The optical transmittance spectrum shows that the material possesses good optical transparency in the entire visible region with a UV cut-off wavelength at 228 nm. The mechanicalmore » properties of the grown crystal have been studied using Vicker's microhardness test. The laser damage threshold of 52.25 MW/cm{sup 2} has been measured by irradiating Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm)« less

  2. Localization of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid oxidase, and glutathione in roots of Cucurbita maxima L.

    PubMed

    Liso, Rosalia; De Tullio, Mario C; Ciraci, Samantha; Balestrini, Raffaella; La Rocca, Nicoletta; Bruno, Leonardo; Chiappetta, Adriana; Bitonti, Maria Beatrice; Bonfante, Paola; Arrigoni, Oreste

    2004-12-01

    To understand the function of ascorbic acid (ASC) in root development, the distribution of ASC, ASC oxidase, and glutathione (GSH) were investigated in cells and tissues of the root apex of Cucubita maxima. ASC was regularly distributed in the cytosol of almost all root cells, with the exception of quiescent centre (QC) cells. ASC also occurred at the surface of the nuclear membrane and correspondingly in the nucleoli. No ASC could be observed in vacuoles. ASC oxidase was detected by immunolocalization mainly in cell walls and vacuoles. This enzyme was particularly abundant in the QC and in differentiating vascular tissues and was absent in lateral root primordia. Administration of the ASC precursor L-galactono-gamma-lactone markedly increased ASC content in all root cells, including the QC. Root treatment with the ASC oxidized product, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), also increased ASC content, but caused ASC accumulation only in peripheral tissues, where DHA was apparently reduced at the expense of GSH. The different pattern of distribution of ASC in different tissues and cell compartments reflects its possible role in cell metabolism and root morphogenesis.

  3. Absence of diamine oxidase activity from rabbit and rat lungs.

    PubMed Central

    Rao, S B; Rao, K S; Mehendale, H M

    1986-01-01

    To study the presence of diamine oxidase (DAO) activity in any tissue with putrescine as the substrate, it is necessary to use inhibitors to block all pathways that could further metabolize gamma-aminobutyraldehyde, which is the product of enzyme reaction. It is also necessary to inhibit any enzyme that may convert putrescine into higher polyamines. By this approach it was observed that lung tissue of both rat and rabbit exhibited no DAO activity. DAO activity was observed in the rat and rabbit intestine, the former showing 3 times as much activity as the latter. The other potential pathways of putrescine metabolism are of no consequence in the rat and rabbit intestine and lungs. PMID:3087348

  4. Inhibition of Human Vascular NADPH Oxidase by Apocynin Derived Oligophenols

    PubMed Central

    Mora-Pale, Mauricio; Weïwer, Michel; Yu, Jingjing; Linhardt, Robert J.; Dordick, Jonathan S.

    2009-01-01

    Enzymatic oxidation of apocynin, which may mimic in vivo metabolism, affords a large number of oligomers (apocynin oxidation products, AOP) that inhibit vascular NADPH oxidase. In vitro studies of NADPH oxidase activity were performed to identify active inhibitors, resulting in a trimer hydroxylated quinone (IIIHyQ) that inhibited NADPH oxidase with an IC50 = 31 nM. Apocynin itself possessed minimal inhibitory activity. NADPH oxidase is believed to be inhibited through prevention of the interaction between two NADPH oxidase subunits, p47phox and p22phox. To that end, while apocynin was unable to block the interaction of his-tagged p47phox with a surface immobilized biotinalyted p22phox peptide, the IIIHyQ product strongly interfered with this interaction (apparent IC50 = 1.6 μM). These results provide evidence that peroxidase-catalyzed AOP, which consist of oligomeric phenols and quinones, inhibit critical interactions that are involved in the assembly and activation of human vascular NADPH oxidase. PMID:19523836

  5. Investigation of Lysine-Functionalized Dendrimers as Dichlorvos Detoxification Agents.

    PubMed

    Durán-Lara, Esteban F; Marple, Jennifer L; Giesen, Joseph A; Fang, Yunlan; Jordan, Jacobs H; Godbey, W Terrence; Marican, Adolfo; Santos, Leonardo S; Grayson, Scott M

    2015-11-09

    Lysine-containing polymers have seen broad application due to their amines' inherent ability to bind to a range of biologically relevant molecules. The synthesis of multiple generations of polyester dendrimers bearing lysine groups on their periphery is described in this report. Their hydrolytic stabilities with respect to pH and time, their toxicity to a range of cell lines, and their possible application as nano-detoxification agents of organophosphate compounds are all investigated. These zeroth-, first-, and second-generation water-soluble dendrimers have been designed to bear exactly 4, 8, and 16 lysine groups, respectively, on their dendritic periphery. Such monodisperse bioactive polymers show potential for a range of applications including drug delivery, gene delivery, heavy metal binding, and the sequestration of organic toxins. These monodisperse bioactive dendrimers were synthesized using an aliphatic ester dendritic core (prepared from pentaerythritol) and protected amino acid moieties. This library of lysine-conjugated dendrimers showed the ability to efficiently capture the pesticide dichlorvos, confirming the potential of dendrimer-based antidotes to maintain acetylcholinesterase activity in response to poisoning events.

  6. Target-specific cellular uptake of PLGA nanoparticles coated with poly(L-lysine)-poly(ethylene glycol)-folate conjugate.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sun Hwa; Jeong, Ji Hoon; Chun, Ki Woo; Park, Tae Gwan

    2005-09-13

    Poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles with anionic surface charge were surface coated with cationic di-block copolymer, poly(L-lysine)-poly(ethylene glycol)-folate (PLL-PEG-FOL) conjugate, for enhancing their site-specific intracellular delivery against folate receptor overexpressing cancer cells. The PLGA nanoparticles coated with the conjugate were characterized in terms of size, surface charge, and change in surface composition by XPS. By employing the flow cytometry method and confocal image analysis, the extent of cellular uptake was comparatively evaluated under various conditions. PLL-PEG-FOL coated PLGA nanoparticles demonstrated far greater extent of cellular uptake to KB cells, suggesting that they were mainly taken up by folate receptor-mediated endocytosis. The enhanced cellular uptake was also observed even in the presence of serum proteins, possibly due to the densely seeded PEG chains. The PLL-PEG-FOL coated PLGA nanoparticles could be potentially applied for cancer cell targeted delivery of various therapeutic agents.

  7. NADPH Oxidases in Vascular Pathology

    PubMed Central

    Konior, Anna; Schramm, Agata; Czesnikiewicz-Guzik, Marta

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a critical role in vascular disease. While there are many possible sources of ROS, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases play a central role. They are a source of “kindling radicals,” which affect other enzymes, such as nitric oxide synthase endothelial nitric oxide synthase or xanthine oxidase. This is important, as risk factors for atherosclerosis (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking) regulate the expression and activity of NADPH oxidases in the vessel wall. Recent Advances: There are seven isoforms in mammals: Nox1, Nox2, Nox3, Nox4, Nox5, Duox1 and Duox2. Nox1, Nox2, Nox4, and Nox5 are expressed in endothelium, vascular smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, or perivascular adipocytes. Other homologues have not been found or are expressed at very low levels; their roles have not been established. Nox1/Nox2 promote the development of endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, and inflammation. Nox4 may have a role in protecting the vasculature during stress; however, when its activity is increased, it may be detrimental. Calcium-dependent Nox5 has been implicated in oxidative damage in human atherosclerosis. Critical Issues: NADPH oxidase-derived ROS play a role in vascular pathology as well as in the maintenance of normal physiological vascular function. We also discuss recently elucidated mechanisms such as the role of NADPH oxidases in vascular protection, vascular inflammation, pulmonary hypertension, tumor angiogenesis, and central nervous system regulation of vascular function and hypertension. Future Directions: Understanding the role of individual oxidases and interactions between homologues in vascular disease is critical for efficient pharmacological regulation of vascular NADPH oxidases in both the laboratory and clinical practice. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 2794–2814. PMID:24180474

  8. Relationship between 4-hydroxyanisole toxicity and dopa oxidase activity for three melanoma cell lines.

    PubMed

    Rodriguez-Vicente, J; Vicente-Ortega, V; Canteras-Jordana, M; Calderon-Rubiales, F

    1997-10-01

    We studied the response of mouse B16F10 and SK-MEL-28 and SK-MEL-1 human melanoma cell lines to treatment with 4-hydroxyanisole (4-HA), and attempted to relate the response to the dopa oxidase levels and the morphological characteristics of each cell line. Clear dose-response curves were observed after 24 h of treatment in each cell line, the 4-HA being more toxic to the B16F10 cells, with an ID50 value of 215 microM. This was much lower than that observed for the SK-MEL-28 and SK-MEL-1 cell lines (ID50 of 5.98 mM and 7.17 mM, respectively). There was a direct relationship between toxicity levels and dopa oxidase activity, since the highest specific activity was obtained for B16F10 (15.9 mU), while lower activity was registered for SK-MEL-28 (4.59 mU) and SK-MEL-1 (1.24 mU), which also showed lower 4-HA toxicity. Morphologically, we observed the typical characteristics of cellular injury, with swelling and dilation of the internal membranes and organelles, an increased number of vacuoles, and an increased number of abnormal multilamellar melanosomes or thick clumps of irregularly distributed melanin. On the other hand, we observed that the two cell lines with the lowest dopa oxidase activity contained more mature fully melanized melanosomes than B16F10, pointing to possible alterations in the melanosome transference mechanism and lower enzymatic activity in the mature melanosomes of these two human cell lines.

  9. Uncovering human METTL12 as a mitochondrial methyltransferase that modulates citrate synthase activity through metabolite-sensitive lysine methylation.

    PubMed

    Małecki, Jędrzej; Jakobsson, Magnus E; Ho, Angela Y Y; Moen, Anders; Rustan, Arild C; Falnes, Pål Ø

    2017-10-27

    Lysine methylation is an important and much-studied posttranslational modification of nuclear and cytosolic proteins but is present also in mitochondria. However, the responsible mitochondrial lysine-specific methyltransferases (KMTs) remain largely elusive. Here, we investigated METTL12, a mitochondrial human S -adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methyltransferase and found it to methylate a single protein in mitochondrial extracts, identified as citrate synthase (CS). Using several in vitro and in vivo approaches, we demonstrated that METTL12 methylates CS on Lys-395, which is localized in the CS active site. Interestingly, the METTL12-mediated methylation inhibited CS activity and was blocked by the CS substrate oxaloacetate. Moreover, METTL12 was strongly inhibited by the reaction product S -adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy). In summary, we have uncovered a novel human mitochondrial KMT that introduces a methyl modification into a metabolic enzyme and whose activity can be modulated by metabolic cues. Based on the established naming nomenclature for similar enzymes, we suggest that METTL12 be renamed CS-KMT (gene name CSKMT ). © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  10. Genetic Mapping of a new family of Seed-Expressed Polyphenol Oxidase genes in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic activity is a major cause in time-dependent discoloration in wheat dough products. The PPO-A1 and PPO-D1 genes have been shown to contribute to wheat kernel PPO activity. However it has been shown that wheat contains multiple PPO genes. Recently a novel PPO gene...

  11. Monoamine Oxidase-A Inhibition and Associated Antioxidant Activity in Plant Extracts with Potential Antidepressant Actions

    PubMed Central

    Guillén, Hugo

    2018-01-01

    Monoamine oxidase (MAO) catalyzes the oxidative deamination of amines and neurotransmitters and is involved in mood disorders, depression, oxidative stress, and adverse pharmacological reactions. This work studies the inhibition of human MAO-A by Hypericum perforatum, Peganum harmala, and Lepidium meyenii, which are reported to improve and affect mood and mental conditions. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity associated with the inhibition of MAO is determined in plant extracts for the first time. H. perforatum inhibited human MAO-A, and extracts from flowers gave the highest inhibition (IC50 of 63.6 μg/mL). Plant extracts were analyzed by HPLC-DAD-MS and contained pseudohypericin, hypericin, hyperforin, adhyperforin, hyperfirin, and flavonoids. Hyperforin did not inhibit human MAO-A and hypericin was a poor inhibitor of this isoenzyme. Quercetin and flavonoids significantly contributed to MAO-A inhibition. P. harmala seed extracts highly inhibited MAO-A (IC50 of 49.9 μg/L), being a thousand times more potent than H. perforatum extracts owing to its content of β-carboline alkaloids (harmaline and harmine). L. meyenii root (maca) extracts did not inhibit MAO-A. These plants may exert protective actions related to antioxidant effects. Results in this work show that P. harmala and H. perforatum extracts exhibit antioxidant activity associated with the inhibition of MAO (i.e., lower production of H2O2). PMID:29568754

  12. Novel strategy for phenyllactic acid biosynthesis from phenylalanine by whole cell recombinant Escherichia coli coexpressing L-phenylalanine oxidase and L-lactate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianzhi; Li, Xi

    2018-01-01

    To enhance the efficiency of phenyllactic acid (PLA) production from L-phenylalanine (L-Phe) by introducing a novel artificial pathway into Escherichia coli RESULTS: The production of PLA from L-Phe by recombinant E. coli (ldh-lpox) coexpressing L-phenylalanine oxidase and L-lactate dehydrogenase was studied. The new PLA synthesis pathway was confirmed to be efficient in recombinant E. coli. Subsequently, two different biocatalyst processes were carried out and optimized for PLA production. In the whole cell biosynthesis process at high cell density using collected recombinant cells as catalyst, at optimal conditions (L-Phe 6 g/l, pH 7.5, 35 °C, CDW 24.5 g/l and 200 rpm), the recombinant E. coli (ldh-lpox) produced 1.62 g PLA/l with a conversion of 28% from L-Phe. Similarly, during the two-temperature-stage fermentation process in flasks using IPTG-induced cells, the temperature in the second stage was increased to 35 °C to benefit the biocatalyst process, and comparable phenyllactic acid production of 1.47 g/l was obtained from 12 g L-Phe/l. Recombinant E. coli (ldh-lpox) was efficient in PLA production realizing a high titer of several folds compared with studies using L-Phe as substrate.

  13. HDAC inhibitors induce global changes in histone lysine and arginine methylation and alter expression of lysine demethylases.

    PubMed

    Lillico, Ryan; Sobral, Marina Gomez; Stesco, Nicholas; Lakowski, Ted M

    2016-02-05

    Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are cancer treatments that inhibit the removal of the epigenetic modification acetyllysine on histones, resulting in altered gene expression. Such changes in expression may influence other histone epigenetic modifications. We describe a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to quantify lysine acetylation and methylation and arginine methylation on histones extracted from cultured cells treated with HDAC inhibitors. The HDAC inhibitors vorinostat, mocetinostat and entinostat induced 400-600% hyperacetylation in HEK 293 and K562 cells. All HDAC inhibitors decreased histone methylarginines in HEK 293 cells but entinostat produced dose dependent reductions in asymmetric dimethylarginine, not observed in K562 cells. Vorinostat produced increases in histone lysine methylation and decreased expression of some lysine demethylases (KDM), measured by quantitative PCR. Entinostat had variable effects on lysine methylation and decreased expression of some KDM while increasing expression of others. Mocetinostat produced dose dependent increases in histone lysine methylation by LC-MS/MS. This was corroborated with a multiplex colorimetric assay showing increases in histone H3 lysine 4, 9, 27, 36 and 79 methylation. Increases in lysine methylation were correlated with dose dependent decreases in the expression of seven KDM. Mocetinostat functions as an HDAC inhibitor and a de facto KDM inhibitor. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Monoamine Oxidase and Dopamine β-Hydroxylase Inhibitors from the Fruits of Gardenia jasminoides

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Ji Ho; Kim, Gun Hee; Hwang, Keum Hee

    2012-01-01

    This research was designed to determine what components of Gardenia jasminoides play a major role in inhibiting the enzymes related antidepressant activity of this plant. In our previous research, the ethyl acetate fraction of G. jasminosides fruits inhibited the activities of both monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A) and monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B), and oral administration of the ethanolic extract slightly increased serotonin concentrations in the brain tissues of rats and decreased MAO-B activity. In addition, we found through in vitro screening test that the ethyl acetate fraction showed modest inhibitory activity on dopamine-β hydroxylase (DBH). The bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of five bio-active compounds, protocatechuic acid (1), geniposide (2), 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide (3), 3,5-d-ihydroxy-1,7-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) heptanes (4), and ursolic acid (5), from the ethyl acetate fraction of G. jasminoides fruits. The isolated compounds showed different inhibitory potentials against MAO-A, -B, and DBH. Protocatechuic acid showed potent inhibition against MAO-B (IC50 300 μmol/L) and DBH (334 μmol/L), exhibiting weak MAO-A inhibition (2.41 mmol/L). Two iridoid glycosides, geniposide (223 μmol/L) and 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide (127μmol/L), were selective MAO-B inhibitor. Especially, 6'-O-trans-p-coumaroylgeniposide exhibited more selective MAO-B inhibition than deprenyl, well-known MAO-B inhibitor for the treatment of early-stage Parkinson’s disease. The inhibitory activity of 3,5-di-hydroxy-1,7-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) heptane was strong for MAO-B (196 μmol/L), modest for MAO-A (400 μmol/L), and weak for DBH (941 μmol/L). Ursolic acid exhibited significant inhibition of DBH (214 μmol/L), weak inhibition of MAO-B (780 μmol/L), and no inhibition against MAO-A. Consequently, G. jasminoides fruits are considerable for development of biofunctional food materials for the combination treatment of depression and neurodegenerative disorders

  15. Amine oxidases as important agents of pathological processes of rhabdomyolysis in rats.

    PubMed

    Gudkova, O O; Latyshko, N V; Shandrenko, S G

    2016-01-01

    In this study we have tested an idea on the important role of amine oxidases (semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase, diamine oxidase, polyamine oxidase) as an additional source of oxidative/carbonyl stress under glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis, since the enhanced formation of reactive oxygen species and reactive carbonyl species in a variety of tissues is linked to various diseases. In our experiments we used the sensitive fluorescent method devised for estimation of amine oxidases activity in the rat kidney and thymus as targeted organs under rhabdomyolysis. We have found in vivo the multiple rises in activity of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase, diamine oxidase, polyamine oxidase (2-4.5 times) in the corresponding cell fractions, whole cells or their lysates at the 3-6th day after glycerol injection. Aberrant antioxidant activities depended on rhabdomyolysis stage and had organ specificity. Additional treatment of animals with metal chelator ‘Unithiol’ adjusted only the activity of antioxidant enzymes but not amine oxidases in both organs. Furthermore the in vitro experiment showed that Fenton reaction (hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron) products alone had no effect on semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activity in rat liver cell fraction whereas supplementation with methylglyoxal resulted in its significant 2.5-fold enhancement. Combined action of the both agents had additive effect on semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase activity. We can assume that biogenic amine and polyamine catabolism by amine oxidases is upregulated by oxidative and carbonyl stress factors directly under rhabdomyolysis progression, and the increase in catabolic products concentration contributes to tissue damage in glycerol-induced acute renal failure and apoptosis stimulation in thymus.

  16. Putting together a plasma membrane NADH oxidase: a tale of three laboratories.

    PubMed

    Löw, Hans; Crane, Frederick L; Morré, D James

    2012-11-01

    The observation that high cellular concentrations of NADH were associated with low adenylate cyclase activity led to a search for the mechanism of the effect. Since cyclase is in the plasma membrane, we considered the membrane might have a site for NADH action, and that NADH might be oxidized at that site. A test for NADH oxidase showed very low activity, which could be increased by adding growth factors. The plasma membrane oxidase was not inhibited by inhibitors of mitochondrial NADH oxidase such as cyanide, rotenone or antimycin. Stimulation of the plasma membrane oxidase by iso-proterenol or triiodothyronine was different from lack of stimulation in endoplasmic reticulum. After 25 years of research, three components of a trans membrane NADH oxidase have been discovered. Flavoprotein NADH coenzyme Q reductases (NADH cytochrome b reductase) on the inside, coenzyme Q in the middle, and a coenzyme Q oxidase on the outside as a terminal oxidase. The external oxidase segment is a copper protein with unique properties in timekeeping, protein disulfide isomerase and endogenous NADH oxidase activity, which affords a mechanism for control of cell growth by the overall NADH oxidase and the remarkable inhibition of oxidase activity and growth of cancer cells by a wide range of anti-tumor drugs. A second trans plasma membrane electron transport system has been found in voltage dependent anion channel (VDAC), which has NADH ferricyanide reductase activity. This activity must be considered in relation to ferricyanide stimulation of growth and increased VDAC antibodies in patients with autism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Druggability of methyl-lysine binding sites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santiago, C.; Nguyen, K.; Schapira, M.

    2011-12-01

    Structural modules that specifically recognize—or read—methylated or acetylated lysine residues on histone peptides are important components of chromatin-mediated signaling and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms is associated with disease conditions, and antagonists of acetyl-lysine binding bromodomains are efficacious in animal models of cancer and inflammation, but little is known regarding the druggability of methyl-lysine binding modules. We conducted a systematic structural analysis of readers of methyl marks and derived a predictive druggability landscape of methyl-lysine binding modules. We show that these target classes are generally less druggable than bromodomains, but that some proteins stand as notable exceptions.

  18. Beyond histones - the expanding roles of protein lysine methylation.

    PubMed

    Wu, Zhouran; Connolly, Justin; Biggar, Kyle K

    2017-09-01

    A robust signaling network is essential for cell survival. At the molecular level, this is often mediated by as many as 200 different types of post-translational modifications (PTMs) that are made to proteins. These include well-documented examples such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation and methylation. Of these modifications, non-histone protein lysine methylation has only recently emerged as a prevalent modification occurring on numerous proteins, thus extending its role well beyond the histone code. To date, this modification has been found to regulate protein activity, protein-protein interactions and interplay with other PTMs. As a result, lysine methylation is now known to be a coordinator of protein function and is a key driver in several cellular signaling events. Recent advances in mass spectrometry have also allowed the characterization of a growing number of lysine methylation events on an increasing number of proteins. As a result, we are now beginning to recognize lysine methylation as a dynamic event that is involved in a number of biological processes, including DNA damage repair, cell growth, metabolism and signal transduction among others. In light of current research advances, the stage is now set to study the extent of lysine methylation that exists within the entire proteome, its dynamics, and its association with physiological and pathological processes. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  19. Novel α-Oxoamide Advanced-Glycation Endproducts within the N6-Carboxymethyl Lysine and N6-Carboxyethyl Lysine Reaction Cascades.

    PubMed

    Baldensperger, Tim; Jost, Tobias; Zipprich, Alexander; Glomb, Marcus A

    2018-02-28

    The highly reactive α-dicarbonyl compounds glyoxal and methylglyoxal are major precursors of posttranslational protein modifications in vivo. Model incubations of N 2 -t-Boc-lysine and either glyoxal or methylglyoxal were used to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the N 6 -carboxymethyl lysine and N 6 -carboxyethyl lysine reaction cascades. After independent synthesis of the authentic reference standards, we were able to detect N 6 -glyoxylyl lysine and N 6 -pyruvoyl lysine for the first time by HPLC-MS 2 analyses. These two novel amide advanced-glycation endproducts were exclusively formed under aerated conditions, suggesting that they were potent markers for oxidative stress. Analogous to the well-known Strecker degradation pathway, leading from amino acids to Strecker acids, the oxidation of an enaminol intermediate is suggested to be the key mechanistic step. A highly sensitive workup for the determination of AGEs in tissues was developed. In support of our hypothesis, the levels of N 6 -glyoxylyl lysine and N 6 -pyruvoyl lysine in rat livers indeed correlated with liver cirrhosis and aging.

  20. Inhibition and oxygen activation in copper amine oxidases.

    PubMed

    Shepard, Eric M; Dooley, David M

    2015-05-19

    Copper-containing amine oxidases (CuAOs) use both copper and 2,4,5-trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone (TPQ) to catalyze the oxidative deamination of primary amines. The CuAO active site is highly conserved and comprised of TPQ and a mononuclear type II copper center that exhibits five-coordinate, distorted square pyramidal coordination geometry with histidine ligands and equatorially and axially bound water in the oxidized, resting state. The active site is buried within the protein, and CuAOs from various sources display remarkable diversity with respect to the composition of the active site channel and cofactor accessibility. Structural and mechanistic factors that influence substrate preference and inhibitor sensitivity and selectivity have been defined. This Account summarizes the strategies used to design selective CuAO inhibitors based on active site channel characteristics, leading to either enhanced steric fits or the trapping of reactive electrophilic products. These findings provide a framework to support the future development of candidate molecules aimed at minimizing the negative side effects associated with drugs containing amine functionalities. This is vital given the existence of human diamine oxidase and vascular adhesion protein-1, which have distinct amine substrate preferences and are associated with different metabolic processes. Inhibition of these enzymes by antifungal or antiprotozoal agents, as well as classic monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, may contribute to the adverse side effects associated with drug treatment. These observations provide a rationale for the limited clinical value associated with certain amine-containing pharmaceuticals and emphasize the need for more selective AO inhibitors. This Account also discusses the novel roles of copper and TPQ in the chemistry of O2 activation and substrate oxidation. Reduced CuAOs exist in a redox equilibrium between the Cu(II)-TPQAMQ (aminoquinol) and Cu(I)-TPQSQ (semiquinone). Elucidating

  1. Isolation and bioelectrochemical characterization of novel fungal sources with oxidasic activity applied in situ for the cathodic oxygen reduction in microbial fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Morant, Kyriale Vasconcelos; da Silva, Paulo Henrique; de Campos-Takaki, Galba Maria; Hernández, Camilo Enrique La Rotta

    2014-11-01

    Brazilian filamentous fungi Rhizopus sp. (SIS-31), Aspergillus sp. (SIS-18) and Penicillium sp. (SIS-21), sources of oxidases were isolated from Caatinga's soils and applied during the in situ cathodic oxygen reduction in fuel cells. All strains were cultivated in submerged cultures using an optimized saline medium enriched with 10 g L(-1) of glucose, 3.0 g L(-1) of peptone and 0.0005 g L(-1) of CuSO4 as enzyme inducer. Parameters of oxidase activity, glucose consumption and microbial growth were evaluated. In-cell experiments evaluated by chronoamperometry were performed and two different electrode compositions were also compared. Maximum current densities of 125.7, 98.7 and 11.5 μA cm(-2) were observed before 24 h and coulombic efficiencies of 56.5, 46.5 and 23.8% were obtained for SIS-31, SIS-21 and SIS-18, respectively. Conversely, maximum power outputs of 328.73, 288.80 and 197.77 mW m(-3) were observed for SIS-18, SIS-21 and SIS-31, respectively. This work provides the primary experimental evidences that fungi isolated from the Caatinga region in Brazil can serve as efficient biocatalysts during the oxygen reduction in air-cathodes to improve electricity generation in MFCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Cellular mechanism of resistance of human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells against apoptosis-induction by Russell's Viper venom L-amino acid oxidase (Rusvinoxidase).

    PubMed

    Mukherjee, Ashis K; Saviola, Anthony J; Mackessy, Stephen P

    2018-04-24

    The present study highlights the cellular mechanism of resistance in human adenocarcinoma (Colo-205) cells against apoptosis induction by Rusvinoxidase, an L-amino acid oxidase purified from Russell's Viper venom (RVV). The significantly lower cytotoxicity as well as apoptotic activity of Rusvinoxidase towards Colo-205 cells (compared to MCF-7 breast cancer cells) is correlated with lower depletion of cellular glutathione content and increased down-regulation of catalase activity of Colo-205 cells following Rusvinoxidase treatment. Exposure to Rusvinoxidase subsequently diminished reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and failed to impair mitochondrial membrane potential, resulting in apoptosis induction resistance in Colo-205 cells. Further, higher expression levels of caspase 8, compared to caspase 9, indicate that Rusvinoxidase preferentially triggers the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis in Colo-205 cells. A time-dependent lower ratio of the relative expression of Bax and Bcl-xL (pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins) in Colo-205 cells, compared to our previous study on MCF-7 cells, unambiguously supports a higher cellular resistance mechanism in Colo-205 cells against Rusvinoxidase-induced apoptosis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Sildenafil Promotes eNOS Activation and Inhibits NADPH Oxidase in the Transgenic Sickle Cell Mouse Penis

    PubMed Central

    Musicki, Biljana; Bivalacqua, Trinity J.; Champion, Hunter C.; Burnett, Arthur L.

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Sickle cell disease (SCD)-associated vasculopathy in the penis is characterized by aberrant nitric oxide and phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 signaling, and by increased oxidative stress. Preliminary clinical trials show that continuous treatment with PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil unassociated with sexual activity decreases priapic activity in patients with SCD. However, the mechanism of its vasculoprotective effect in the penis remains unclear. Aims We evaluated whether continuous administration of PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil promotes eNOS function at posttranslational levels and decreases superoxide-producing enzyme NADPH oxidase activity in the sickle cell mouse penis. Methods SCD transgenic mice were used as an animal model of SCD. WT mice served as controls. Mice received treatment with the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil (100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 3 weeks. eNOS phosphorylation on Ser-1177 (positive regulatory site), eNOS interactions with heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) (positive regulator), phosphorylated AKT (upstream mediator of eNOS phosphorylation on Ser-1177), an NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit gp91(phox), and a marker of oxidative stress (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal [HNE]) were measured by Western blot. Main Outcome Measures Effect of continuous sildenafil treatment on eNOS posttranslational activation, NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit, and oxidative stress in the penis of the sickle cell mouse. Results Continuous treatment with sildenafil reversed (P < 0.05) the abnormalities in protein expressions of P-eNOS (Ser-1177), eNOS/HSP90 interaction, P-AKT, protein expression of gp91(phox), and 4-HNE, in the sickle cell mouse penis. Sildenafil treatment of WT mice did not affect any of these parameters. Conclusion Our findings that sildenafil enhances eNOS activation and inhibits NADPH oxidase function in the sickle cell mouse penis offers a vasculoprotective molecular basis for the therapeutic effect of sildenafil in the penis in association with SCD. PMID:24251665

  4. Sildenafil promotes eNOS activation and inhibits NADPH oxidase in the transgenic sickle cell mouse penis.

    PubMed

    Musicki, Biljana; Bivalacqua, Trinity J; Champion, Hunter C; Burnett, Arthur L

    2014-02-01

    Sickle cell disease (SCD)-associated vasculopathy in the penis is characterized by aberrant nitric oxide and phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 signaling, and by increased oxidative stress. Preliminary clinical trials show that continuous treatment with PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil unassociated with sexual activity decreases priapic activity in patients with SCD. However, the mechanism of its vasculoprotective effect in the penis remains unclear. We evaluated whether continuous administration of PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil promotes eNOS function at posttranslational levels and decreases superoxide-producing enzyme NADPH oxidase activity in the sickle cell mouse penis. SCD transgenic mice were used as an animal model of SCD. WT mice served as controls. Mice received treatment with the PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil (100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 3 weeks. eNOS phosphorylation on Ser-1177 (positive regulatory site), eNOS interactions with heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) (positive regulator), phosphorylated AKT (upstream mediator of eNOS phosphorylation on Ser-1177), an NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit gp91(phox), and a marker of oxidative stress (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal [HNE]) were measured by Western blot. Effect of continuous sildenafil treatment on eNOS posttranslational activation, NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit, and oxidative stress in the penis of the sickle cell mouse. Continuous treatment with sildenafil reversed (P < 0.05) the abnormalities in protein expressions of P-eNOS (Ser-1177), eNOS/HSP90 interaction, P-AKT, protein expression of gp91(phox), and 4-HNE, in the sickle cell mouse penis. Sildenafil treatment of WT mice did not affect any of these parameters. Our findings that sildenafil enhances eNOS activation and inhibits NADPH oxidase function in the sickle cell mouse penis offers a vasculoprotective molecular basis for the therapeutic effect of sildenafil in the penis in association with SCD. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

  5. Thermodynamics for the interaction of epsilon-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine and bovine colostral anti-dinitrophenyl immunoglobulin G2.

    PubMed Central

    Mukkur, T K

    1978-01-01

    The effect of varying the temperature over a wide range (4--60 degrees C) on the binding of epsilon-dinitrophenyl-L-lysine to bovine colostral anti-dinitrophenyl immunoglobulin G2 yielded a non-linear van't Hoff plot. The extent of curvature was indicative of a large positive heat-capacity change, and the thermodynamic parameters, calculated by using a non-linear least squares computer procedure, revealed an enthalpy--entropy-compensation mechanism for hapten-antibody binding. The enthalpy factor was found to be the primary contributor for the complex-formation at low temperatures, but at increasing temperatures the entropy factor assumed greater importance. At physiological temperature (39 degrees C), the entropy factor was the major contributor to the free energy of reaction. PMID:687378

  6. Acidic pH shock induced overproduction of ε-poly-L-lysine in fed-batch fermentation by Streptomyces sp. M-Z18 from agro-industrial by-products.

    PubMed

    Ren, Xi-Dong; Chen, Xu-Sheng; Zeng, Xin; Wang, Liang; Tang, Lei; Mao, Zhong-Gui

    2015-06-01

    ε-Poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) is produced by Streptomyces as a secondary metabolite with wide industrial applications, but its production still needs to be further enhanced. Environmental stress is an important approach for the promotion of secondary metabolites production by Streptomyces. In this study, the effect of acidic pH shock on enhancing ε-PL production by Streptomyces sp. M-Z18 was investigated in a 5-L fermenter. Based on the evaluation of acidic pH shock on mycelia metabolic activity and shock parameters optimization, an integrated pH-shock strategy was developed as follows: pre-acid-shock adaption at pH 5.0 to alleviate the damage caused by the followed pH shock, and then acidic pH shock at 3.0 for 12 h (including pH decline from 4.0 to 3.0) to positively regulate mycelia metabolic activity, finally restoring pH to 4.0 to provide optimal condition for ε-PL production. After 192 h of fed-batch fermentation, the maximum ε-PL production and productivity reached 54.70 g/L and 6.84 g/L/day, respectively, which were 52.50 % higher than those of control without pH shock. These results demonstrated that acidic pH shock is an efficient approach for improving ε-PL production. The information obtained should be useful for ε-PL production by other Streptomyces.

  7. [Effect of the lysine guanidination on proteomic analysis].

    PubMed

    Zheng, Hao; Mao, Jiawei; Pan, Yanbo; Liu, Zhongshan; Liu, Zheyi; Ye, Mingliang; Zou, Hanfa

    2014-04-01

    The guanidination of lysine side chain was paid great attention in recent years. It plays an important role in qualitative and quantitative proteomics. In this study, based on the results of separated peptides extracted from HeLa cells before and after the guanidination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), the effect of the guanidination of three different kinds of peptides was systematically analyzed. It was found that the selectivity of the guanidination of the lysine side chain was as high as 96.8%. The ratio of identified peptides with lysine at C-term to all peptides increased from 51.7% to 57.3% and more new peptides were identified, while the ratio of peptides with lysine in the middle or without lysine changed little. Further study on the ratio of b and y ions indicated that there were more y ions of peptides with lysine at C-term after the guanidination. The results proved that the selective conversion of lysine to homoarginine by the guanidination could increase the sensitivity and selectivity of mass spectrum. The increased basicity and ability to sequester proton of lysine produced more y ions fragmentation information, which contributed to more identified peptides. It concluded that the lysine guanidination can improve the coverage of proteomic analysis.

  8. Global analysis of lysine acetylation in strawberry leaves.

    PubMed

    Fang, Xianping; Chen, Wenyue; Zhao, Yun; Ruan, Songlin; Zhang, Hengmu; Yan, Chengqi; Jin, Liang; Cao, Lingling; Zhu, Jun; Ma, Huasheng; Cheng, Zhongyi

    2015-01-01

    Protein lysine acetylation is a reversible and dynamic post-translational modification. It plays an important role in regulating diverse cellular processes including chromatin dynamic, metabolic pathways, and transcription in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although studies of lysine acetylome in plants have been reported, the throughput was not high enough, hindering the deep understanding of lysine acetylation in plant physiology and pathology. In this study, taking advantages of anti-acetyllysine-based enrichment and high-sensitive-mass spectrometer, we applied an integrated proteomic approach to comprehensively investigate lysine acetylome in strawberry. In total, we identified 1392 acetylation sites in 684 proteins, representing the largest dataset of acetylome in plants to date. To reveal the functional impacts of lysine acetylation in strawberry, intensive bioinformatic analysis was performed. The results significantly expanded our current understanding of plant acetylome and demonstrated that lysine acetylation is involved in multiple cellular metabolism and cellular processes. More interestingly, nearly 50% of all acetylated proteins identified in this work were localized in chloroplast and the vital role of lysine acetylation in photosynthesis was also revealed. Taken together, this study not only established the most extensive lysine acetylome in plants to date, but also systematically suggests the significant and unique roles of lysine acetylation in plants.

  9. Metabolic Availability of the Limiting Amino Acids Lysine and Tryptophan in Cooked White African Cornmeal Assessed in Healthy Young Men Using the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation Technique.

    PubMed

    Rafii, Mahroukh; Elango, Rajavel; Ball, Ronald O; Pencharz, Paul B; Courtney-Martin, Glenda

    2018-06-01

    Maize is a staple food in many regions of the world, particularly in Africa and Latin America. However, maize protein is limiting in the indispensable amino acids lysine and tryptophan, making its protein of poor quality. The main objective of this study was to determine the protein quality of white African cornmeal by determining the metabolic availability (MA) of lysine and tryptophan. To determine the MA of lysine, 4 amounts of l-lysine (10, 13, 16, and 18 mg · kg-1 · d-1 totaling 28.6%, 37.1%, 45.7%, and 51.4% of the mean lysine requirement of 35 mg · kg-1 · d-1, respectively) were studied in 6 healthy young men in a repeated-measures design. To determine the MA of tryptophan, 4 amounts of l-tryptophan (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mg · kg-1 · d-1 totaling 12.5%, 25.0%, 37.5%, and 50.0% of the mean tryptophan requirement of 4 mg · kg-1 · d-1, respectively) were studied in 7 healthy young men in a repeated-measures design. The MAs of lysine and tryptophan were estimated by comparing the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) response with varying intakes of lysine and tryptophan in cooked white cornmeal compared with the IAAO response to l-lysine and l-tryptophan intakes in the reference protein (crystalline amino acid mixture patterned after egg protein) with the use of the slope ratio method. The MAs of lysine and tryptophan from African cooked white cornmeal were 71% and 80%, respectively. Our study provides a robust estimate of the availability of lysine and tryptophan in African white maize to healthy young men. This estimate provides a basis for postproduction fortification or supplementation of maize-based diets. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02402179.

  10. Grouping of multicopper oxidases in Lentinula edodes by sequence similarities and expression patterns.

    PubMed

    Sakamoto, Yuichi; Nakade, Keiko; Yoshida, Kentaro; Natsume, Satoshi; Miyazaki, Kazuhiro; Sato, Shiho; van Peer, Arend F; Konno, Naotake

    2015-12-01

    The edible white rot fungus Lentinula edodes possesses a variety of lignin degrading enzymes such as manganese peroxidases and laccases. Laccases belong to the multicopper oxidases, which have a wide range of catalytic activities including polyphenol degradation and synthesis, lignin degradation, and melanin formation. The exact number of laccases in L. edodes is unknown, as are their complete properties and biological functions. We analyzed the draft genome sequence of L. edodes D703PP-9 and identified 13 multicopper oxidase-encoding genes; 11 laccases in sensu stricto, of which three are new, and two ferroxidases. lcc8, a laccase previously reported in L. edodes, was not identified in D703PP-9 genome. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 13 multicopper oxidases can be classified into laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1, laccase sensu stricto subfamily 2 and ferroxidases. From sequence similarities and expression patterns, laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 can be divided into two subgroups. Laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 group A members are mainly secreted from mycelia, while laccase sensu stricto subfamily 1 group B members are expressed mainly in fruiting bodies during growth or after harvesting but are lowly expressed in mycelia. Laccase sensu stricto subfamily 2 members are mainly expressed in mycelia, and two ferroxidases are mainly expressed in the fruiting body during growth or after harvesting, and are expressed at very low levels in mycelium. Our data suggests that L. edodes laccases in same group share expression patterns and would have common biological functions.

  11. Topological dispositions of lysine. alpha. 380 and lysine. gamma. 486 in the acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dwyer, B.P.

    1991-04-23

    The locations have been determined, with respect to the plasma membrane, of lysine {alpha}380 and lysine {gamma}486 in the {alpha} subunit and the {gamma} subunit, respectively, of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica. Immunoadsorbents were constructed that recognize the carboxy terminus of the peptide GVKYIAE released by proteolytic digestion from positions 378-384 in the amino acid sequence of the {alpha} subunit of the acetylcholine receptor and the carboxy terminus of the peptide KYVP released by proteolytic digestion from positions 486-489 in the amino acid sequence of the {gamma} subunit. They were used to isolate these peptides from proteolytic digestsmore » of polypeptides from the acetylcholine receptor. Sealed vesicles containing the native acetylcholine receptor were labeled with pyridoxal phosphate and sodium ({sup 3}H)-borohydride. The effect of saponin on the incorporation of pyridoxamine phosphate into lysine {alpha}380 and lysine {gamma}486 from the acetylcholine receptor in these vesicles was assessed with the immunoadsorbents. The conclusions that follow from these results are that lysine {alpha}380 is on the inside surface of a vesicle and lysine {gamma}486 is on the outside surface. Because a majority (85%) of the total binding sites for {alpha}-bungarotoxin bind the toxin in the absence of saponin, the majority of the vesicles are right side out with the inside of the vesicle corresponding to the cytoplasmic surface and the outside of the vesicle corresponding to the extracytoplasmic, synaptic surface. Because lysine {alpha}380 and lysine {gamma}486 lie on opposite sides of the membrane, a membrane-spanning segment must be located between the two positions occupied by these two amino acids in the common sequence of a polypeptide of the acetylcholine receptor.« less

  12. Antioxidant activities of Vaccinium uliginosum L. extract and its active components.

    PubMed

    Kim, Young-Hee; Bang, Chae-Young; Won, Eun-Kyung; Kim, Jong-Pyung; Choung, Se-Young

    2009-08-01

    Vaccinium uliginosum L. (also known as bog bilberry) is a low-growing deciduous shrub classified in the Ericaceae family of plants, which includes numerous Vaccinium berries, blueberries, and cranberries. Berries of the Ericaceae family are known to contain organic acids, vitamins, glycosides, and anthocyanins and have been reported to have antioxidant activity. In order to identify the antioxidative principles of V. uliginosum, we separated water extracts into polyphenol, anthocyanin-rich (pigment), and sugar/acid fractions by using ethyl acetate, acidic methanol (MeOH), and 0.01 N HCl. Antioxidant activities were assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radical assays. The crude extract and fractions containing polyphenol and pigment exhibited the greatest antioxidant activities with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of 85.8 microg/mL, 33.2 microg/mL, and 16.7 microg/mL, respectively, for the DPPH assay and 48.1 microg/mL, 83.8 microg/mL, and 51.9 microg/mL for the nonenzymatic superoxide radical assay. The fractions containing polyphenol, pigment, and sugar/acid significantly inhibited xanthine oxidase. To investigate the functional compounds from the active fractions, we purified the polyphenol fraction and separated the compounds by using chromatographic techniques. The crude extract was dissolved in MeOH and further purified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using MeOH-water (35:65 vol/vol) (with 0.04% trifluoroacetic acid) to obtain VU-EA-1 (16.6 mg), VU-EA-2 (8.5 mg), VU-EA-3 (19.8 mg), VU-EA-4 (12.8 mg), VU-EA-5 (6.5 mg), and VU-EA-6 (23.5 mg). The MeOH-washed fraction from the HPLC was concentrated and purified by reversed-phase HPLC using MeOH-water (50:50 vol/vol) to give VU-EA-10 (12.4 mg). Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH, superoxide radical, and hydroxyl radical assays. The isolated compounds exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant activity with IC(50) values of

  13. Mechanisms of Oxidase and Superoxide Dismutation-like Activities of Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Palladium, and Their Alloys: A General Way to the Activation of Molecular Oxygen.

    PubMed

    Shen, Xiaomei; Liu, Wenqi; Gao, Xuejiao; Lu, Zhanghui; Wu, Xiaochun; Gao, Xingfa

    2015-12-23

    Metal and alloy nanomaterials have intriguing oxidase- and superoxide dismutation-like (SOD-like) activities. However, origins of these activities remain to be studied. Using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigate mechanisms of oxidase- and SOD-like properties for metals Au, Ag, Pd and Pt and alloys Au4-xMx (x = 1, 2, 3; M = Ag, Pd, Pt). We find that the simple reaction-dissociation of O2-supported on metal surfaces can profoundly account for the oxidase-like activities of the metals. The activation (Eact) and reaction energies (Er) calculated by DFT can be used to effectively predict the activity. As verification, the calculated activity orders for series of metal and alloy nanomaterials are in excellent agreement with those obtained by experiments. Briefly, the activity is critically dependent on two factors, metal compositions and exposed facets. On the basis of these results, an energy-based model is proposed to account for the activation of molecular oxygen. As for SOD-like activities, the mechanisms mainly consist of protonation of O2(•-) and adsorption and rearrangement of HO2(•) on metal surfaces. Our results provide atomistic-level insights into the oxidase- and SOD-like activities of metals and pave a way to the rational design of mimetic enzymes based on metal nanomaterials. Especially, the O2 dissociative adsorption mechanism will serve as a general way to the activation of molecular oxygen by nanosurfaces and help understand the catalytic role of nanomaterials as pro-oxidants and antioxidants.

  14. Interaction of anesthetic molecules with α-helix and polyproline II extended helix of long-chain poly-L-lysine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cieślik-Boczula, Katarzyna; Rospenk, Maria

    2018-01-01

    The effect of halothane, enflurane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane molecules, as volatile anesthetics, on the α-helices and polyproline II extended helices (PPII) of long-chain poly-L-lysine (PLL) were studied using Fourier-transform infrared and vibrational circular dichroism spectroscopy. Uncharged and charged α-helices, as well as charged extended PPII helices, were subjected to anesthetic actions in solvents with different pD values or methanol to water ratios. A crucial factor responsible for hindering the anesthetic-PLL interactions is shown to be the ionization of amino groups of the PLL side chains. The α-helix to β-sheet transition was triggered only for the uncharged α-helical structures of PLL by the nonpolar anesthetics under study.

  15. Advanced oxidation protein products induce inflammatory response in fibroblast-like synoviocytes through NADPH oxidase -dependent activation of NF-κB.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Shuai; Zhong, Zhao-Ming; Qin, Shuai; Chen, Guo-Xian; Wu, Qian; Zeng, Ji-Huan; Ye, Wen-Bin; Li, Wei; Yuan, Kai; Yao, Ling; Chen, Jian-Ting

    2013-01-01

    Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), a marker of oxidative stress, are prevalent in many kinds of disorders. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), mainly resulting from the dysfunction of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), is related to oxidative stress. Although the increased levels of AOPPs in RA patients were reported, the effect of AOPPs on FLSs function still remains unclear. Therefore, our study aims to investigate whether AOPPs have an effect on the inflammatory response of FLSs in vitro. FLSs obtained from both knees of rats were treated with or without AOPPs-modified rat serum albumin (AOPPs-RSA) in vitro. The mRNA and protein expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin(IL)-1β, matrix metalloproteinases(MMP)-3, MMP-13 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was detected by fluorescent microscope and fluorescence microplate reader. Immunoprecipitation, Co-Immunoprecipitation and western blot were performed to examine the activity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). Exposure of FLSs to AOPPs upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MMP-3, MMP-13 and VEGF in a concentration dependent manner. AOPPs treatment triggered ROS production in FLSs, which was significantly abolished by ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), NADPH oxidase inhibitors diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) and apocynin. Challenged AOPPs induced phosphorylation of p47(phox), triggered an interaction between p47(phox), p22(phox) and gp91(phox), and significantly upregulated expression of NADPH oxidase subunits p47(phox), p22(phox) and gp91(phox). IκB degradation and nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 induced by AOPPs were significantly blocked by SOD, NAC, DPI and apocynin. These data indicate that

  16. [Involvement of hydrogen peroxide in the regulation of coexpression of alternative oxidase and rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase in tomato leaves and calluses].

    PubMed

    Eprintsev, A T; Mal'tseva, E V; Shatskikh, A S; Popov, V N

    2011-01-01

    The involvement of active oxygen forms in the regulation of the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain components, which are not related to energy storing, has been in vitro and in vivo studied in Lycopersicum esculentum L. The highest level of transcription of genes encoding alternative oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase has been observed in green tomato leaves. It has been shown that even low H2O2 concentrations activate both aoxlalpha and ndb1 genes, encoding alternative oxidase and external mitochondrial rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase, respectively. According to our results, in the case of an oxidative stress, alternative oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase are coexpressed in tomato plant tissues, and active oxygen forms serve as the secondary messengers of their coexpression.

  17. A novel proteolytic processing of prolysyl oxidase

    PubMed Central

    Atsawasuwan, Phimon; Mochida, Yoshiyuki; Katafuchi, Michitsuna; Tokutomi, Kentaro; Mocanu, Viorel; Parker, Carol E.; Yamauchi, Mitsuo

    2012-01-01

    Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an amine oxidase that is critical for the stability of connective tissues. The secreted proLOX is enzymatically quiescent and is activated through proteolytic cleavage between residue Gly162 and Asp163 (residue numbers according to the mouse LOX) by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-1 gene products. Here we report a novel processing of proLOX identified in vitro and in vivo. Two forms of mature LOX were identified and characterized by their immunoreactivity to specific antibodies, amine oxidase activity and mass spectrometry. One form was identified as a well characterized BMP-1 processed LOX protein. Another was found to be a truncated form of LOX (tLOX) resulting from the cleavage at the carboxy terminus of Arg192. The tLOX still appeared to retain amine oxidase activity. The results from the proLOX gene deletion and mutation experiments indicated that the processing occurs independent of the cleavage of proLOX by BMP-1 gene products and likely requires the presence of LOX propeptide. These results indicate that proLOX could be processed by two different mechanisms producing two forms of active LOX. PMID:21591931

  18. A novel proteolytic processing of prolysyl oxidase.

    PubMed

    Atsawasuwan, Phimon; Mochida, Yoshiyuki; Katafuchi, Michitsuna; Tokutomi, Kentaro; Mocanu, Viorel; Parker, Carol E; Yamauchi, Mitsuo

    2011-01-01

    Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is an amine oxidase that is critical for the stability of connective tissues. The secreted proLOX is enzymatically quiescent and is activated through proteolytic cleavage between residues Gly(162) and Asp(163) (residue numbers according to the mouse LOX) by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-1 gene products. Here we report a novel processing of proLOX identified in vitro and in vivo. Two forms of mature LOX were identified and characterized by their immunoreactivity to specific antibodies, amine oxidase activity, and mass spectrometry. One form was identified as a well-characterized BMP-1 processed LOX protein. Another was found to be a truncated form of LOX resulting from the cleavage at the carboxy terminus of Arg(192). The truncated form of LOX still appeared to retain amine oxidase activity. The results from the proLOX gene deletion and mutation experiments indicated that the processing occurs independent of the cleavage of proLOX by BMP-1 gene products and likely requires the presence of LOX propeptide. These results indicate that proLOX could be processed by two different mechanisms producing two forms of active LOX.

  19. Improvement of exopolysaccharide production in Lactobacillus casei LC2W by overexpression of NADH oxidase gene.

    PubMed

    Li, Nan; Wang, Yuanlong; Zhu, Ping; Liu, Zhenmin; Guo, Benheng; Ren, Jing

    2015-02-01

    Lactobacillus casei LC2W is an exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing strain with probiotic effects. To investigate the regulation mechanism of EPS biosynthesis and to improve EPS production through cofactor engineering, a H₂O-forming NADH oxidase gene was cloned from Streptococcus mutans and overexpressed in L. casei LC2W under the control of constitutive promoter P₂₃. The recombinant strain LC-nox exhibited 0.854 U/mL of NADH oxidase activity, which was elevated by almost 20-fold in comparison with that of wild-type strain. As a result, overexpression of NADH oxidase resulted in a reduction in growth rate. In addition, lactate production was decreased by 22% in recombinant strain. It was proposed that more carbon source was saved and used for the biosynthesis of EPS, the production of which was reached at 219.4 mg/L, increased by 46% compared to that of wild-type strain. This work provided a novel and convenient genetic approach to manipulate metabolic flux and to increase EPS production. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report which correlates cofactor engineering with EPS production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  20. Expression and Characterization of Glucose Oxidase from Aspergillus niger in Yarrowia lipolytica.

    PubMed

    Khadivi Derakshan, Fatemeh; Darvishi, Farshad; Dezfulian, Mehrouz; Madzak, Catherine

    2017-08-01

    Glucose oxidase (GOX) is currently used in clinical, pharmaceutical, food and chemical industries. The aim of this study was expression and characterization of Aspergillus niger glucose oxidase gene in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. For the first time, the GOX gene of A. niger was successfully expressed in Y. lipolytica using a mono-integrative vector containing strong hybrid promoter and secretion signal. The highest total glucose oxidase activity was 370 U/L after 7 days of cultivation. An innovative method was used to cell wall disruption in current study, and it could be recommended to use for efficiently cell wall disruption of Y. lipolytica. Optimum pH and temperature for recombinant GOX activity were 5.5 and 37 °C, respectively. A single band with a molecular weight of 80 kDa similar to the native and pure form of A. niger GOX was observed for the recombinant GOX in SDS-PAGE analysis. Y. lipolytica is a suitable and efficient eukaryotic expression system to production of recombinant GOX in compered with other yeast expression systems and could be used to production of pure form of GOX for industrial applications.

  1. Following glucose oxidase activity by chemiluminescence and chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) processes involving enzyme-DNAzyme conjugates.

    PubMed

    Niazov, Angelica; Freeman, Ronit; Girsh, Julia; Willner, Itamar

    2011-01-01

    A hybrid consisting of glucose oxidase-functionalized with hemin/G-quadruplex units is used for the chemiluminescence detection of glucose. The glucose oxidase-mediated oxidation of glucose yields gluconic acid and H(2)O(2). The latter in the presence of luminol acts as substrate for the hemin/G-quadruplex-catalyzed generation of chemiluminescence. The glucose oxidase/hemin G-quadruplex hybrid was immobilized on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The light generated by the hybrid, in the presence of glucose, activated a chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer process to the QDs, resulting in the luminescence of the QDs. The intensities of the luminescence of the QDs at different concentrations of glucose provided an optical means to detect glucose.

  2. Lysine Deacetylases and Regulated Glycolysis in Macrophages.

    PubMed

    Shakespear, Melanie R; Iyer, Abishek; Cheng, Catherine Youting; Das Gupta, Kaustav; Singhal, Amit; Fairlie, David P; Sweet, Matthew J

    2018-06-01

    Regulated cellular metabolism has emerged as a fundamental process controlling macrophage functions, but there is still much to uncover about the precise signaling mechanisms involved. Lysine acetylation regulates the activity, stability, and/or localization of metabolic enzymes, as well as inflammatory responses, in macrophages. Two protein families, the classical zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) and the NAD-dependent HDACs (sirtuins, SIRTs), mediate lysine deacetylation. We describe here mechanisms by which classical HDACs and SIRTs directly regulate specific glycolytic enzymes, as well as evidence that links these protein deacetylases to the regulation of glycolysis-related genes. In these contexts, we discuss HDACs and SIRTs as key control points for regulating immunometabolism and inflammatory outputs from macrophages. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Characterization of three bioenergetically active respiratory terminal oxidases in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803.

    PubMed

    Pils, D; Schmetterer, G

    2001-09-25

    Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 contains three respiratory terminal oxidases (RTOs): cytochrome c oxidase (Cox), quinol oxidase (Cyd), and alternate RTO (ARTO). Mutants lacking combinations of the RTOs were used to characterize these key enzymes of respiration. Pentachlorophenol and 2-heptyl-4-hydroxy-quinoline-N-oxide inhibited Cyd completely, but had little effect on electron transport to the other RTOs. KCN inhibited all three RTOs but the in vivo K(I) for Cox and Cyd was quite different (7 vs. 27 microM), as was their affinity for oxygen (K(M) 1.0 vs. 0.35 microM). ARTO has a very low respiratory activity. However, when uptake of 3-O-methylglucose, an active H+ co-transport, was used to monitor energization of the cytoplasmic membrane, ARTO was similarly effective as the other RTOs. As removal of the gene for cytochrome c(553) had the same effects as removal of ARTO genes, we propose that the ARTO might be a second Cox. The possible functions, localization and regulation of the RTOs are discussed.

  4. The use of glucose oxidase and catalase for the enzymatic reduction of the potential ethanol content in wine.

    PubMed

    Röcker, Jessica; Schmitt, Matthias; Pasch, Ludwig; Ebert, Kristin; Grossmann, Manfred

    2016-11-01

    Due to the increase of sugar levels in wine grapes as one of the impacts of climate change, alcohol reduction in wines becomes a major focus of interest. This study combines the use of glucose oxidase and catalase activities with the aim of rapid conversion of glucose into non-fermentable gluconic acid. The H2O2 hydrolysing activity of purified catalase is necessary in order to stabilize glucose oxidase activity. After establishing the adequate enzyme ratio, the procedure was applied in large-scale trials (16L- and 220L-scale) of which one was conducted in a winery under industrial wine making conditions. Both enzyme activity and wine flavour were clearly influenced by the obligatory aeration in the different trials. With the enzyme treatment an alcohol reduction of 2%vol. was achieved after 30h of aeration. However the enzyme treated wines were significantly more acidic and less typical. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. N6-Trimethyl-lysine metabolism. Structural identification of the metabolite 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine

    PubMed Central

    Novak, Raymond F.; Swift, Terrence J.; Hoppel, Charles L.

    1980-01-01

    1H and 13C nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectroscopy and functional-group analysis were used to determine the molecular structure of an isolated metabolite (IIb) of trimethyl-lysine as 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine, an important intermediate in the conversion of trimethyl-lysine into trimethylammoniobutyrate and carnitine [Hoppel, Cox & Novak (1980) Biochem. J. 188, 509–519]. Functional-group analysis revealed the presence of a primary amine and reaction of metabolite (IIb) with periodate yielded 4-N-trimethylammoniobutyrate as a product, showing 2,3-substitution on the molecule and suggesting that the 3-substitution on the molecule may be an alcohol ([unk]CH–OH), amine ([unk]CH[unk]–NH2) or carbonyl ([unk]C=O) functional group. 1H integration ratios, 1H and 13C chemical-shift data and 1H and 13C signal multiplicities from the sample (IIb) were used to complete the identification of metabolite (IIb) as 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine. For example, the proton multiplet at δ 4.2p.p.m. and doublet at δ 4.1p.p.m., positions representative of amine or alcohol substitution on methylene carbon atoms, integration ratios of 1:1:2:9:4 and a positive ninhydrin test suggest 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine as the molecular structure for metabolite (IIb). 13C chemical-shift data obtained from the sample (IIb) and compared with several model compounds (trimethylammoniohexanoate, trimethyl-lysine and 3-hydroxylysine) resulted in generation of the spectrum of the metabolite and allowed independent identification of metabolite (IIb) as 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine. The 1H spectrum of erythro- and threo-3-hydroxylysine are presented for comparison, and the 1H and 13C n.m.r. spectra of the erythro-isomer support this analysis. PMID:6772169

  6. Malonylome Analysis Reveals the Involvement of Lysine Malonylation in Metabolism and Photosynthesis in Cyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yanyan; Yang, Mingkun; Lin, Xiaohuang; Liu, Xin; Huang, Hui; Ge, Feng

    2017-05-05

    As a recently validated reversible post translational modification, lysine malonylation regulates diverse cellular processes from bacteria to mammals, but its existence and function in photosynthetic organisms remain unknown. Cyanobacteria are the most ancient group of photosynthetic prokaryotes and contribute about 50% of the total primary production on Earth. Previously, we reported the lysine acetylome in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (Synechocystis). Here we performed the first proteomic survey of lysine malonylation in Synechocystis using highly accurate tandem mass spectrometry in combination with affinity purification. We identified 598 lysine malonylation sites on 339 proteins with high confidence in total. A bioinformatic analysis suggested that these malonylated proteins may play various functions and were distributed in diverse subcellular compartments. Among them, many malonylated proteins were involved in cellular metabolism. The functional significance of lysine malonylation in the metabolic enzyme activity of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) was determined by site-specific mutagenesis and biochemical studies. Interestingly, 27 proteins involved in photosynthesis were found to be malonylated for the first time, suggesting that lysine malonylation may be involved in photosynthesis. Thus our results provide the first lysine malonylome in a photosynthetic organism and suggest a previously unexplored role of lysine malonylation in the regulation of metabolic processes and photosynthesis in Synechocystis as well as in other photosynthetic organisms.

  7. Global profiling of lysine reactivity and ligandability in the human proteome

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hacker, Stephan M.; Backus, Keriann M.; Lazear, Michael R.; Forli, Stefano; Correia, Bruno E.; Cravatt, Benjamin F.

    2017-12-01

    Nucleophilic amino acids make important contributions to protein function, including performing key roles in catalysis and serving as sites for post-translational modification. Electrophilic groups that target amino-acid nucleophiles have been used to create covalent ligands and drugs, but have, so far, been mainly limited to cysteine and serine. Here, we report a chemical proteomic platform for the global and quantitative analysis of lysine residues in native biological systems. We have quantified, in total, more than 9,000 lysines in human cell proteomes and have identified several hundred residues with heightened reactivity that are enriched at protein functional sites and can frequently be targeted by electrophilic small molecules. We have also discovered lysine-reactive fragment electrophiles that inhibit enzymes by active site and allosteric mechanisms, as well as disrupt protein-protein interactions in transcriptional regulatory complexes, emphasizing the broad potential and diverse functional consequences of liganding lysine residues throughout the human proteome.

  8. Global profiling of lysine reactivity and ligandability in the human proteome.

    PubMed

    Hacker, Stephan M; Backus, Keriann M; Lazear, Michael R; Forli, Stefano; Correia, Bruno E; Cravatt, Benjamin F

    2017-12-01

    Nucleophilic amino acids make important contributions to protein function, including performing key roles in catalysis and serving as sites for post-translational modification. Electrophilic groups that target amino-acid nucleophiles have been used to create covalent ligands and drugs, but have, so far, been mainly limited to cysteine and serine. Here, we report a chemical proteomic platform for the global and quantitative analysis of lysine residues in native biological systems. We have quantified, in total, more than 9,000 lysines in human cell proteomes and have identified several hundred residues with heightened reactivity that are enriched at protein functional sites and can frequently be targeted by electrophilic small molecules. We have also discovered lysine-reactive fragment electrophiles that inhibit enzymes by active site and allosteric mechanisms, as well as disrupt protein-protein interactions in transcriptional regulatory complexes, emphasizing the broad potential and diverse functional consequences of liganding lysine residues throughout the human proteome.

  9. Cyanobacterial Lactate Oxidases Serve as Essential Partners in N2 Fixation and Evolved into Photorespiratory Glycolate Oxidases in Plants[w

    PubMed Central

    Hackenberg, Claudia; Kern, Ramona; Hüge, Jan; Stal, Lucas J.; Tsuji, Yoshinori; Kopka, Joachim; Shiraiwa, Yoshihiro; Bauwe, Hermann; Hagemann, Martin

    2011-01-01

    Glycolate oxidase (GOX) is an essential enzyme involved in photorespiratory metabolism in plants. In cyanobacteria and green algae, the corresponding reaction is catalyzed by glycolate dehydrogenases (GlcD). The genomes of N2-fixing cyanobacteria, such as Nostoc PCC 7120 and green algae, appear to harbor genes for both GlcD and GOX proteins. The GOX-like proteins from Nostoc (No-LOX) and from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii showed high l-lactate oxidase (LOX) and low GOX activities, whereas glycolate was the preferred substrate of the phylogenetically related At-GOX2 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Changing the active site of No-LOX to that of At-GOX2 by site-specific mutagenesis reversed the LOX/GOX activity ratio of No-LOX. Despite its low GOX activity, No-LOX overexpression decreased the accumulation of toxic glycolate in a cyanobacterial photorespiratory mutant and restored its ability to grow in air. A LOX-deficient Nostoc mutant grew normally in nitrate-containing medium but died under N2-fixing conditions. Cultivation under low oxygen rescued this lethal phenotype, indicating that N2 fixation was more sensitive to O2 in the Δlox Nostoc mutant than in the wild type. We propose that LOX primarily serves as an O2-scavenging enzyme to protect nitrogenase in extant N2-fixing cyanobacteria, whereas in plants it has evolved into GOX, responsible for glycolate oxidation during photorespiration. PMID:21828292

  10. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2-knockout mice show reduced enzyme activity, airway hyporeactivity, and lung pathology

    PubMed Central

    Hüttemann, Maik; Lee, Icksoo; Gao, Xiufeng; Pecina, Petr; Pecinova, Alena; Liu, Jenney; Aras, Siddhesh; Sommer, Natascha; Sanderson, Thomas H.; Tost, Monica; Neff, Frauke; Aguilar-Pimentel, Juan Antonio; Becker, Lore; Naton, Beatrix; Rathkolb, Birgit; Rozman, Jan; Favor, Jack; Hans, Wolfgang; Prehn, Cornelia; Puk, Oliver; Schrewe, Anja; Sun, Minxuan; Höfler, Heinz; Adamski, Jerzy; Bekeredjian, Raffi; Graw, Jochen; Adler, Thure; Busch, Dirk H.; Klingenspor, Martin; Klopstock, Thomas; Ollert, Markus; Wolf, Eckhard; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Hrabě de Angelis, Martin; Weissmann, Norbert; Doan, Jeffrey W.; Bassett, David J. P.; Grossman, Lawrence I.

    2012-01-01

    and thus reduced airway responsiveness; long-term lung pathology develops in the knockout mice due to impairment of energy-costly lung maintenance processes; and therefore, we propose mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation as a novel target for the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as asthma.—Hüttemann, M., Lee, I., Gao, X., Pecina, P., Pecinova, A., Liu, J., Aras, S., Sommer, N., Sanderson, T. H., Tost, M., Neff, F., Aguilar-Pimentel, J. A., Becker, L., Naton, B., Rathkolb, B., Rozman, J., Favor, J., Hans, W., Prehn, C., Puk, O., Schrewe, A., Sun, M., Höfler, H., Adamski, J., Bekeredjian, R., Graw, J., Adler, T., Busch, D. H., Klingenspor, M., Klopstock, T., Ollert, M., Wolf, E., Fuchs, H., Gailus-Durner, V., Hrabě de Angelis, M., Weissmann, N., Doan, J. W., Bassett, D. J. P., Grossman, L. I. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4 isoform 2-knockout mice show reduced enzyme activity, airway hyporeactivity, and lung pathology. PMID:22730437

  11. Extra virgin olive oil rich in polyphenols modulates VEGF-induced angiogenic responses by preventing NADPH oxidase activity and expression.

    PubMed

    Calabriso, Nadia; Massaro, Marika; Scoditti, Egeria; D'Amore, Simona; Gnoni, Antonio; Pellegrino, Mariangela; Storelli, Carlo; De Caterina, Raffaele; Palasciano, Giuseppe; Carluccio, Maria Annunziata

    2016-02-01

    Previous studies have shown the antiinflammatory, antioxidant and antiangiogenic properties by pure olive oil polyphenols; however, the effects of olive oil phenolic fraction on the inflammatory angiogenesis are unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of the phenolic fraction (olive oil polyphenolic extract, OOPE) from extra virgin olive oil and related circulating metabolites on the VEGF-induced angiogenic responses and NADPH oxidase activity and expression in human cultured endothelial cells. We found that OOPE (1-10 μg/ml), at concentrations achievable nutritionally, significantly reduced, in a concentration-dependent manner, the VEGF-induced cell migration, invasiveness and tube-like structure formation through the inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9. OOPE significantly (P<0.05) reduced VEGF-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species by modulating NADPH oxidase activity, p47phox membrane translocation and the expression of Nox2 and Nox4. Moreover, the treatment of endothelial cells with serum obtained 4 h after acute intake of extra virgin olive oil, with high polyphenol content, decreased VEGF-induced NADPH oxidase activity and Nox4 expression, as well as, MMP-9 expression, as compared with fasting control serum. Overall, native polyphenols and serum metabolites of extra virgin olive oil rich in polyphenols are able to lower the VEGF-induced angiogenic responses by preventing endothelial NADPH oxidase activity and decreasing the expression of selective NADPH oxidase subunits. Our results provide an alternative mechanism by which the consumption of olive oil rich in polyphenols may account for a reduction of oxidative stress inflammatory-related sequelae associated with chronic degenerative diseases. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. NADPH oxidase activity and reactive oxygen species production in brain and kidney of adult male hypertensive Ren-2 transgenic rats.

    PubMed

    Vokurková, M; Rauchová, H; Řezáčová, L; Vaněčková, I; Zicha, J

    2015-01-01

    Hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) play an important role in brain control of blood pressure (BP). One of the important mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension is the elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. The aim of our present study was to investigate NADPH oxidase-mediated superoxide (O(2)(-)) production and to search for the signs of lipid peroxidation in hypothalamus and medulla oblongata as well as in renal medulla and cortex of hypertensive male rats transgenic for the murine Ren-2 renin gene (Ren-2 TGR) and their age-matched normotensive controls - Hannover Sprague Dawley rats (HanSD). We found no difference in the activity of NADPH oxidase measured as a lucigenin-mediated O(2)(-) production in the hypothalamus and medulla oblongata. However, we observed significantly elevated NADPH oxidase in both renal cortex and medulla of Ren-2 TGR compared with HanSD. Losartan (LOS) treatment (10 mg/kg body weight/day) for 2 months (Ren-2 TGR+LOS) did not change NADPH oxidase-dependent O(2)(-) production in the kidney. We detected significantly elevated indirect markers of lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in Ren-2 TGR, while they were significantly decreased in Ren-2 TGR+LOS. In conclusion, the present study shows increased NADPH oxidase activities in renal cortex and medulla with significantly increased TBARS in renal cortex. No significant changes of NADPH oxidase and markers of lipid peroxidation were detected in the studied brain regions.

  13. NADPH oxidases: novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.

    PubMed

    Gao, Hui-Ming; Zhou, Hui; Hong, Jau-Shyong

    2012-06-01

    Oxidative stress is a key pathologic factor in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases (AD, PD). The failure of free-radical-scavenging antioxidants in clinical trials pinpoints an urgent need to identify and to block major sources of oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases. As a major superoxide-producing enzyme complex in activated phagocytes, phagocyte NADPH oxidase (PHOX) is essential for host defense. However, recent preclinical evidence has underscored a pivotal role of overactivated PHOX in chronic neuroinflammation and progressive neurodegeneration. Deficiency in PHOX subunits mitigates neuronal damage induced by diverse insults/stresses relevant to neurodegenerative diseases. More importantly, suppression of PHOX activity correlates with reduced neuronal impairment in models of neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery of PHOX and non-phagocyte NADPH oxidases in astroglia and neurons further reinforces the crucial role of NADPH oxidases in oxidative stress-mediated chronic neurodegeneration. Thus, proper modulation of NADPH oxidase activity might hold therapeutic potential for currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Genetic mapping of new seed-expressed polyphenol oxidase genes in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    PubMed

    Beecher, Brian S; Carter, Arron H; See, Deven R

    2012-05-01

    Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymatic activity is a major cause in time-dependent discoloration in wheat dough products. The PPO-A1 and PPO-D1 genes have been shown to contribute to wheat kernel PPO activity. Recently a novel PPO gene family consisting of the PPO-A2, PPO-B2, and PPO-D2 genes has been identified and shown to be expressed in wheat kernels. In this study, the sequences of these five kernel PPO genes were determined for the spring wheat cultivars Louise and Penawawa. The two cultivars were found to be polymorphic at each of the PPO loci. Three novel alleles were isolated from Louise. The Louise X Penawawa mapping population was used to genetically map all five PPO genes. All map to the long arm of homeologous group 2 chromosomes. PPO-A2 was found to be located 8.9 cM proximal to PPO-A1 on the long arm of chromosome 2A. Similarly, PPO-D1 and PPO-D2 were separated by 10.7 cM on the long arm of chromosome 2D. PPO-B2 mapped to the long arm of chromosome 2B and was the site of a novel QTL for polyphenol oxidase activity. Five other PPO QTL were identified in this study. One QTL corresponds to the previously described PPO-D1 locus, one QTL corresponds to the PPO-D2 locus, whereas the remaining three are located on chromosome 2B.

  15. Secreted fungal sulfhydryl oxidases: sequence analysis and characterisation of a representative flavin-dependent enzyme from Aspergillus oryzae.

    PubMed

    Faccio, Greta; Kruus, Kristiina; Buchert, Johanna; Saloheimo, Markku

    2010-08-20

    Sulfhydryl oxidases are flavin-dependent enzymes that catalyse the formation of de novo disulfide bonds from free thiol groups, with the reduction of molecular oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. Sulfhydryl oxidases have been investigated in the food industry to remove the burnt flavour of ultraheat-treated milk and are currently studied as potential crosslinking enzymes, aiming at strengthening wheat dough and improving the overall bread quality. In the present study, potential sulfhydryl oxidases were identified in the publicly available fungal genome sequences and their sequence characteristics were studied. A representative sulfhydryl oxidase from Aspergillus oryzae, AoSOX1, was expressed in the fungus Trichoderma reesei. AoSOX1 was produced in relatively good yields and was purified and biochemically characterised. The enzyme catalysed the oxidation of thiol-containing compounds like glutathione, D/L-cysteine, beta-mercaptoethanol and DTT. The enzyme had a melting temperature of 57°C, a pH optimum of 7.5 and its enzymatic activity was completely inhibited in the presence of 1 mM ZnSO4. Eighteen potentially secreted sulfhydryl oxidases were detected in the publicly available fungal genomes analysed and a novel proline-tryptophan dipeptide in the characteristic motif CXXC, where X is any amino acid, was found. A representative protein, AoSOX1 from A. oryzae, was produced in T. reesei in an active form and had the characteristics of sulfhydryl oxidases. Further testing of the activity on thiol groups within larger peptides and on protein level will be needed to assess the application potential of this enzyme.

  16. NADPH oxidase/ROS-dependent PYK2 activation is involved in TNF-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in rat heart-derived H9c2 cells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, Chuen-Mao, E-mail: chuenmao@mail.cgu.edu.tw; Heart Failure Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Keelung, Keelung, Taiwan; Lee, I-Ta

    TNF-α plays a mediator role in the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure contributing to cardiac remodeling and peripheral vascular disturbances. The implication of TNF-α in inflammatory responses has been shown to be mediated through up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). However, the detailed mechanisms of TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression in rat embryonic-heart derived H9c2 cells are largely not defined. We demonstrated that in H9c2 cells, TNF-α induced MMP-9 mRNA and protein expression associated with an increase in the secretion of pro-MMP-9. TNF-α-mediated responses were attenuated by pretreatment with the inhibitor of ROS (N-acetyl-L-cysteine, NAC), NADPH oxidase [apocynin (APO) or diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI)],more » MEK1/2 (U0126), p38 MAPK (SB202190), JNK1/2 (SP600125), NF-κB (Bay11-7082), or PYK2 (PF-431396) and transfection with siRNA of TNFR1, p47{sup phox}, p42, p38, JNK1, p65, or PYK2. Moreover, TNF-α markedly induced NADPH oxidase-derived ROS generation in these cells. TNF-α-enhanced p42/p44 MAPK, p38 MAPK, JNK1/2, and NF-κB (p65) phosphorylation and in vivo binding of p65 to the MMP-9 promoter were inhibited by U0126, SB202190, SP600125, NAC, DPI, or APO. In addition, TNF-α-mediated PYK2 phosphorylation was inhibited by NAC, DPI, or APO. PYK2 inhibition could reduce TNF-α-stimulated MAPKs and NF-κB activation. Thus, in H9c2 cells, we are the first to show that TNF-α-induced MMP-9 expression is mediated through a TNFR1/NADPH oxidase/ROS/PYK2/MAPKs/NF-κB cascade. We demonstrated that NADPH oxidase-derived ROS generation is involved in TNF-α-induced PYK2 activation in these cells. Understanding the regulation of MMP-9 expression and NADPH oxidase activation by TNF-α on H9c2 cells may provide potential therapeutic targets of chronic heart failure. - Highlights: • TNF-α induces MMP-9 secretion and expression via a TNFR1-dependent pathway. • TNF-α induces ROS/PYK2-dependent MMP-9 expression in H9c2 cells. • TNF

  17. Global Analysis of Protein Lysine Succinylation Profiles and Their Overlap with Lysine Acetylation in the Marine Bacterium Vibrio parahemolyticus.

    PubMed

    Pan, Jianyi; Chen, Ran; Li, Chuchu; Li, Weiyan; Ye, Zhicang

    2015-10-02

    Protein lysine acylation, including acetylation and succinylation, has been found to be a major post-translational modification (PTM) and is associated with the regulation of cellular processes that are widespread in bacteria. Vibrio parahemolyticus is a model marine bacterium that causes seafood-borne illness in humans worldwide. The lysine acetylation of V. parahemolyticus has been extensively characterized in our previous work, and here, we report the first global analysis of lysine succinylation and the overlap between the two types of acylation in this bacterium. Using high-accuracy nano liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry combined with affinity purification, we identified 1931 lysine succinylated peptides matched on 642 proteins, with the quantity of the succinyl-proteins accounting for 13.3% of the total proteins in cells. Bioinformatics analysis results showed that these succinylated proteins are involved in almost every cellular process, particularly in protein biosynthesis and metabolism, and are distributed in diverse subcellular compartments. Moreover, several sequence motifs were identified, including succinyl-lysine flanked by a lysine or arginine residue at the -8, -7, or +7 position and without these residues at the -1 or +2 position, and these motifs differ from those found in other bacteria and eukaryotic cells. Furthermore, a total of 517 succinyl-lysine sites (26.7%) on 288 proteins (44.9%) were also found to be acetylated, suggesting extensive overlap between succinylation and acetylation in this bacterium. This systematic analysis provides a promising starting point for further investigations of the physiologic and pathogenic roles of lysine succinylation and acetylation in V. parahemolyticus.

  18. Lysine succinylation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isocitrate lyase (ICL) fine-tunes the microbial resistance to antibiotics.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Mingliang; Xie, Longxiang; Yang, Zhaozhen; Zhou, Jiahai; Xie, Jianping

    2017-04-01

    Lysine succinylation (Ksucc) is a newly identified protein posttranslational modification (PTM), which may play an important role in cellular physiology. However, the role of lysine succinylation in antibiotic resistance remains elusive. Isocitrate lyase (ICL) is crucial for broad-spectrum antibiotics tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). We previously found that MtbICL (Rv0467) has at least three succinylated lysine residues, namely K189, K322, and K334.To explore the effect of succinylation on the activity of MtbICL, mutants' mimicry of the lysine succinylation were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. ICL-K189E mutant strain is more sensitive than the wild-type to rifampicin and streptomycin, but not isoniazid. For the in vitro activity of the purified isocitrate lyase, only K189E mutant showed significantly decreased activity. Crystal structure analysis showed that Lys189 Glu dramatically increased the pKa of Glu188 and decreased the pKa of Lys190, whereas had negligible effect on other residues within 5 Å as well as disruption of the electrostatic interaction between Lys189 and Glu182, which might prevent the closure of the active site loop and cause severe reduction of the enzyme activity. Considering the genetic, biochemical, and crystallographical evidences together, the succinylation of specific ICL residue can fine-tune the bacterial resistance to selected antibiotics. The decreased enzymatic activity resulting from the succinylation-changed electrostatic interaction might underlie this phenotype. This study provided the first insight into the link between lysine succinylation and antibiotic resistance.

  19. Acetylome Profiling Reveals Extensive Lysine Acetylation of the Fatty Acid Metabolism Pathway in the Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhuo; Luo, Ling; Chen, Runfa; Hu, Hanhua; Pan, Yufang; Jiang, Haibo; Wan, Xia; Jin, Hu; Gong, Yangmin

    2018-03-01

    N ε -lysine acetylation represents a highly dynamic and reversibly regulated post-translational modification widespread in almost all organisms, and plays important roles for regulation of protein function in diverse metabolic pathways. However, little is known about the role of lysine acetylation in photosynthetic eukaryotic microalgae. We integrated proteomic approaches to comprehensively characterize the lysine acetylome in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum In total, 2324 acetylation sites from 1220 acetylated proteins were identified, representing the largest data set of the lysine acetylome in plants to date. Almost all enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis were found to be lysine acetylated. Six putative lysine acetylation sites were identified in a plastid-localized long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase. Site-directed mutagenesis and site-specific incorporation of N-acetyllysine in acyl-CoA synthetase show that acetylation at K407 and K425 increases its enzyme activity. Moreover, the nonenzymatically catalyzed overall hyperacetylation of acyl-CoA synthetase by acetyl-phosphate can be effectively deacetylated and reversed by a sirtuin-type NAD + -dependent deacetylase with subcellular localization of both the plastid and nucleus in Phaeodactylum This work indicates the regulation of acyl-CoA synthetase activity by site-specific lysine acetylation and highlights the potential regulation of fatty acid metabolism by lysine actetylation in the plastid of the diatom Phaeodactylum . © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  20. Arginase Inhibition Suppresses Native Low-Density Lipoprotein-Stimulated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation by NADPH Oxidase Inactivation.

    PubMed

    Koo, Bon Hyeock; Yi, Bong Gu; Wang, Wi Kwang; Ko, In Young; Hoe, Kwang Lae; Kwon, Young Guen; Won, Moo Ho; Kim, Young Myeong; Lim, Hyun Kyo; Ryoo, Sungwoo

    2018-05-01

    Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation induced by native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL) stimulation is dependent on superoxide production from activated NADPH oxidase. The present study aimed to investigate whether the novel arginase inhibitor limonin could suppress nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation and to examine related mechanisms. Isolated VSMCs from rat aortas were treated with nLDL, and cell proliferation was measured by WST-1 and BrdU assays. NADPH oxidase activation was evaluated by lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence, and phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC) βII and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was determined by western blot analysis. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed using MitoSOX-red, and intracellular L-arginine concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the presence or absence of limonin. Limonin inhibited arginase I and II activity in the uncompetitive mode, and prevented nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation in a p21Waf1/Cip1-dependent manner without affecting arginase protein levels. Limonin blocked PKCβII phosphorylation, but not ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and translocation of p47phox to the membrane was decreased, as was superoxide production in nLDL-stimulated VSMCs. Moreover, mitochondrial ROS generation was increased by nLDL stimulation and blocked by preincubation with limonin. Mitochondrial ROS production was responsible for the phosphorylation of PKCβII. HPLC analysis showed that arginase inhibition with limonin increases intracellular L-arginine concentrations, but decreases polyamine concentrations. L-Arginine treatment prevented PKCβII phosphorylation without affecting ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Increased L-arginine levels following limonin-dependent arginase inhibition prohibited NADPH oxidase activation in a PKCβII-dependent manner, and blocked nLDL-stimulated VSMC proliferation. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018.

  1. Arginase Inhibition Suppresses Native Low-Density Lipoprotein-Stimulated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation by NADPH Oxidase Inactivation

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Wi-Kwang; Ko, In-Young; Hoe, Kwang-Lae; Kwon, Young-Guen; Won, Moo-Ho; Kim, Young-Myeong

    2018-01-01

    Purpose Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation induced by native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL) stimulation is dependent on superoxide production from activated NADPH oxidase. The present study aimed to investigate whether the novel arginase inhibitor limonin could suppress nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation and to examine related mechanisms. Materials and Methods Isolated VSMCs from rat aortas were treated with nLDL, and cell proliferation was measured by WST-1 and BrdU assays. NADPH oxidase activation was evaluated by lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence, and phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC) βII and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was determined by western blot analysis. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was assessed using MitoSOX-red, and intracellular L-arginine concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the presence or absence of limonin. Results Limonin inhibited arginase I and II activity in the uncompetitive mode, and prevented nLDL-induced VSMC proliferation in a p21Waf1/Cip1-dependent manner without affecting arginase protein levels. Limonin blocked PKCβII phosphorylation, but not ERK1/2 phosphorylation, and translocation of p47phox to the membrane was decreased, as was superoxide production in nLDL-stimulated VSMCs. Moreover, mitochondrial ROS generation was increased by nLDL stimulation and blocked by preincubation with limonin. Mitochondrial ROS production was responsible for the phosphorylation of PKCβII. HPLC analysis showed that arginase inhibition with limonin increases intracellular L-arginine concentrations, but decreases polyamine concentrations. L-Arginine treatment prevented PKCβII phosphorylation without affecting ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Conclusion Increased L-arginine levels following limonin-dependent arginase inhibition prohibited NADPH oxidase activation in a PKCβII-dependent manner, and blocked nLDL-stimulated VSMC proliferation. PMID

  2. Preferential inhibition of the plasma membrane NADH oxidase (NOX) activity by diphenyleneiodonium chloride with NADPH as donor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morre, D. James

    2002-01-01

    The cell-surface NADH oxidase (NOX) protein of plant and animal cells will utilize both NADH and NADPH as reduced electron donors for activity. The two activities are distinguished by a differential inhibition by the redox inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). Using both plasma membranes and cells, activity with NADPH as donor was markedly inhibited by DPI at submicromolar concentrations, whereas with NADH as donor, DPI was much less effective or had no effect on the activity. The possibility of the inhibition being the result of two different enzymes was eliminated by the use of a recombinant NOX protein. The findings support the concept that NOX proteins serve as terminal oxidases for plasma membrane electron transport involving cytosolic reduced pyridine nucleotides as the natural electron donors and with molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor.

  3. Improvement of ε-poly-L-lysine production through seed stage development based on in situ pH monitoring.

    PubMed

    Sun, Qi-Xing; Chen, Xu-Sheng; Ren, Xi-Dong; Mao, Zhong-Gui

    2015-01-01

    Nissin, natamycin, and ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) are three safe, microbial-produced food preservatives used today in the food industry. However, current industrial production of ε-PL is only performed in several countries. In order to realize large-scale ε-PL production by fermentation, the effects of seed stage on cell growth and ε-PL production were investigated by monitoring of pH in situ in a 5-L laboratory-scale fermenter. A significant increase in ε-PL production in fed-batch fermentation by Streptomyces sp. M-Z18 was achieved, at 48.9 g/L, through the optimization of several factors associated with seed stage, including spore pretreatment, inoculum age, and inoculum level. Compared with conventional fermentation approaches using 24-h-old shake-flask seed broth as inoculum, the maximum ε-PL concentration and productivity were enhanced by 32.3 and 36.6 %, respectively. The effect of optimized inoculum conditions on ε-PL production on a large scale was evaluated using a 50-L pilot-scale fermenter, attaining a maximum ε-PL production of 36.22 g/L in fed-batch fermentation, constituting the first report of ε-PL production at pilot scale. These results will be helpful for efficient ε-PL production by Streptomyces at pilot and plant scales.

  4. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and cytochrome oxidase activity in Fasciola gigantica cercaria by phytoconstituents.

    PubMed

    Sunita, Kumari; Habib, Maria; Kumar, P; Singh, Vinay Kumar; Husain, Syed Akhtar; Singh, D K

    2016-02-01

    Fasciolosis is an important cattle and human disease caused by Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. One of the possible methods to control this problem is to interrupt the life cycle of Fasciola by killing its larva (redia and cercaria) in host snail. Molecular identification of cercaria larva of F. gigantica was done by comparing the nucleotide sequencing with adult F. gigantica. It was noted that nucleotide sequencing of cercaria larva and adult F. gigantica were 99% same. Every month during the year 2011-2012, in vivo treatment with 60% of 4 h LC50 of phyto cercaricides citral, ferulic acid, umbelliferone, azadirachtin and allicin caused significant inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and cytochrome oxidase activity in the treated cercaria larva of F. gigantica. Whereas, activity of both enzymes were not significantly altered in the nervous tissues of vector snail Lymnaea acuminata exposed to same treatments. Maximum reduction in AChE (1.35% of control in month of June) and cytochrome oxidase (3.71% of control in the month of July) activity were noted in the cercaria exposed to 60% of 4 h LC50 of azadirachtin and allicin, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Histone Lysine Methylation and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jeong-Hoon; Lee, Jang Ho; Lee, Im-Soon; Lee, Sung Bae; Cho, Kyoung Sang

    2017-06-30

    Methylation of several lysine residues of histones is a crucial mechanism for relatively long-term regulation of genomic activity. Recent molecular biological studies have demonstrated that the function of histone methylation is more diverse and complex than previously thought. Moreover, studies using newly available genomics techniques, such as exome sequencing, have identified an increasing number of histone lysine methylation-related genes as intellectual disability-associated genes, which highlights the importance of accurate control of histone methylation during neurogenesis. However, given the functional diversity and complexity of histone methylation within the cell, the study of the molecular basis of histone methylation-related neurodevelopmental disorders is currently still in its infancy. Here, we review the latest studies that revealed the pathological implications of alterations in histone methylation status in the context of various neurodevelopmental disorders and propose possible therapeutic application of epigenetic compounds regulating histone methylation status for the treatment of these diseases.

  6. Inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase activities by analogues of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and their cellular uptake during lymphocyte activation.

    PubMed Central

    Jänne, J; Morris, D R

    1984-01-01

    Several congeners of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) were tested for their ability to inhibit eukaryotic putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) and intestinal diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6). All the compounds tested, namely methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), dimethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and the di-N"-methyl derivative of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), were strong inhibitors of both yeast and mouse liver adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity in vitro. The enzyme from both sources was most powerfully inhibited by ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). All the diguanidines likewise inhibited diamine oxidase activity in vitro. The maximum intracellular concentrations of the ethyl and dimethylated analogues achieved in activated lymphocytes were only about one-fifth of that of the parent compound. However, both derivatives appeared to utilize the polyamine-carrier system, as indicated by competition experiments with spermidine. PMID:6426466

  7. Inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase activities by analogues of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and their cellular uptake during lymphocyte activation.

    PubMed

    Jänne, J; Morris, D R

    1984-03-15

    Several congeners of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) were tested for their ability to inhibit eukaryotic putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.50) and intestinal diamine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6). All the compounds tested, namely methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), dimethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and the di-N"-methyl derivative of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), were strong inhibitors of both yeast and mouse liver adenosylmethionine decarboxylase activity in vitro. The enzyme from both sources was most powerfully inhibited by ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone). All the diguanidines likewise inhibited diamine oxidase activity in vitro. The maximum intracellular concentrations of the ethyl and dimethylated analogues achieved in activated lymphocytes were only about one-fifth of that of the parent compound. However, both derivatives appeared to utilize the polyamine-carrier system, as indicated by competition experiments with spermidine.

  8. Crystal structure of LysK, an enzyme catalyzing the last step of lysine biosynthesis in Thermus thermophilus, in complex with lysine: Insight into the mechanism for recognition of the amino-group carrier protein, LysW.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Satomi; Cho, Su-Hee; Yoshida, Ayako; Hasebe, Fumihito; Tomita, Takeo; Kuzuyama, Tomohisa; Nishiyama, Makoto

    2017-09-16

    LysK is an M20 peptidase family enzyme that hydrolyzes the isopeptide bond between the carrier protein LysW and lysine in order to release lysine, which is the last step of lysine biosynthesis in Thermus thermophilus. In the present study, we determined the crystal structure of LysK in complex with lysine at a resolution of 2.4 Å. The α-amino group of the bound lysine was oriented toward the catalytic center, which was composed of the residues coordinating divalent metal ions for the hydrolysis of the isopeptide bond. An 11 Å-long path was observed from the active site binding lysine to the protein surface, which may be responsible for recognizing the C-terminal extension domain of LysW with the conserved EDWGE sequence. A positively-charged surface region was detected around the exit of the path, similar to other lysine biosynthetic enzymes using LysW as the carrier protein. Mutational studies of the surface residues provided a plausible model for the electrostatic interaction with LysW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Development of 2-(Substituted Benzylamino)-4-Methyl-1, 3-Thiazole-5-Carboxylic Acid Derivatives as Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors and Free Radical Scavengers.

    PubMed

    Ali, Md Rahmat; Kumar, Suresh; Afzal, Obaid; Shalmali, Nishtha; Sharma, Manju; Bawa, Sandhya

    2016-04-01

    A series of 2-(substituted benzylamino)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylic acid was designed and synthesized as structural analogue of febuxostat. A methylene amine spacer was incorporated between the phenyl ring and thiazole ring in contrast to febuxostat in which the phenyl ring was directly linked with the thiazole moiety. The purpose of incorporating methylene amine was to provide a heteroatom which is expected to favour hydrogen bonding within the active site residues of the enzyme xanthine oxidase. The structure of all the compounds was established by the combined use of FT-IR, NMR and MS spectral data. All the compounds were screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit the enzyme xanthine oxidase as per the reported procedure along with DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Compounds 5j, 5k and 5l demonstrated satisfactory potent xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities with IC50 values, 3.6, 8.1 and 9.9 μm, respectively, whereas compounds 5k, 5n and 5p demonstrated moderate antioxidant activities having IC50 15.3, 17.6 and 19.6 μm, respectively, along with xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity. Compound 5k showed moderate xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity as compared with febuxostat along with antioxidant activity. All the compounds were also studied for their binding affinity in active site of enzyme (PDB ID-1N5X). © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  10. Following Glucose Oxidase Activity by Chemiluminescence and Chemiluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (CRET) Processes Involving Enzyme-DNAzyme Conjugates

    PubMed Central

    Niazov, Angelica; Freeman, Ronit; Girsh, Julia; Willner, Itamar

    2011-01-01

    A hybrid consisting of glucose oxidase-functionalized with hemin/G-quadruplex units is used for the chemiluminescence detection of glucose. The glucose oxidase-mediated oxidation of glucose yields gluconic acid and H2O2. The latter in the presence of luminol acts as substrate for the hemin/G-quadruplex-catalyzed generation of chemiluminescence. The glucose oxidase/hemin G-quadruplex hybrid was immobilized on CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The light generated by the hybrid, in the presence of glucose, activated a chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer process to the QDs, resulting in the luminescence of the QDs. The intensities of the luminescence of the QDs at different concentrations of glucose provided an optical means to detect glucose. PMID:22346648

  11. Dithiocarbamates are teratogenic to developing zebrafish through inhibition of lysyl oxidase activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boxtel, Antonius L. van, E-mail: thijs.van.boxtel@ivm.vu.n; Kamstra, Jorke H.; Fluitsma, Donna M.

    2010-04-15

    Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are a class of compounds that are extensively used in agriculture as pesticides. As such, humans and wildlife are undoubtedly exposed to these chemicals. Although DTCs are thought to be relatively safe due to their short half lives, it is well established that they are teratogenic to vertebrates, especially to fish. In zebrafish, these teratogenic effects are characterized by distorted notochord development and shortened anterior to posterior axis. DTCs are known copper (Cu) chelators but this does not fully explain the observed teratogenic effects. We show here that DTCs cause malformations in zebrafish that highly resemble teratogenic effectsmore » observed by direct inhibition of a group of cuproenzymes termed lysyl oxidases (LOX). Additionally, we demonstrate that partial knockdown of three LOX genes, lox, loxl1 and loxl5b, sensitizes the developing embryo to DTC exposure. Finally, we show that DTCs directly inhibit zebrafish LOX activity in an ex vivo amine oxidase assay. Taken together, these results provide the first evidence that DTC induced teratogenic effects are, at least in part, caused by direct inhibition of LOX activity.« less

  12. Antimicrobial activity of bovine NK-lysin-derived peptides on Mycoplasma bovis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a diverse group of molecules which play an important role in the innate immune response in various organisms, including cattle. Bovine NK-lysins, a type of AMP, have been predominantly found in the granules of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells. Collective results...

  13. Transcriptional regulation by the Set7 lysine methyltransferase

    PubMed Central

    Keating, Samuel; El-Osta, Assam

    2013-01-01

    Posttranslational histone modifications define chromatin structure and function. In recent years, a number of studies have characterized many of the enzymatic activities and diverse regulatory components required for monomethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me1) and the expression of specific genes. The challenge now is to understand how this specific chemical modification is written and the Set7 methyltransferase has emerged as a key regulatory enzyme mediating methylation of lysine residues of histone and non-histone proteins. In this review, we comprehensively explore the regulatory proteins modified by Set7 and highlight mechanisms of specific co-recruitment of the enzyme to activating promoters. With a focus on signaling and transcriptional control in disease we discuss recent experimental data emphasizing specific components of diverse regulatory complexes that mediate chromatin modification and reinterpretation of Set7-mediated gene expression. PMID:23478572

  14. Characterization and crystal structure of lysine insensitive Corynebacterium glutamicum dihydrodipicolinate synthase (cDHDPS) protein

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rice, E.A.; Bannon, G.A.; Glenn, K.C.

    2008-11-21

    The lysine insensitive Corynebacterium glutamicum dihydrodipicolinate synthase enzyme (cDHDPS) was recently successfully introduced into maize plants to enhance the level of lysine in the grain. To better understand lysine insensitivity of the cDHDPS, we expressed, purified, kinetically characterized the protein, and solved its X-ray crystal structure. The cDHDPS enzyme has a fold and overall structure that is highly similar to other DHDPS proteins. A noteworthy feature of the active site is the evidence that the catalytic lysine residue forms a Schiff base adduct with pyruvate. Analyses of the cDHDPS structure in the vicinity of the putative binding site for S-lysinemore » revealed that the allosteric binding site in the Escherichia coli DHDPS protein does not exist in cDHDPS due to three non-conservative amino acids substitutions, and this is likely why cDHDPS is not feedback inhibited by lysine.« less

  15. Treatment with polyamine oxidase inhibitor reduces microglial activation and limits vascular injury in ischemic retinopathy

    PubMed Central

    Patel, C.; Xu, Z.; Shosha, E.; Xing, J.; Lucas, R.; Caldwell, R.W.; Caldwell, R.B.; Narayanan, S.P.

    2016-01-01

    Retinal vascular injury is a major cause of vision impairment in ischemic retinopathies. Insults such as hyperoxia, oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to this pathology. Previously, we showed that hyperoxia-induced retinal neurodegeneration is associated with increased polyamine oxidation. Here, we are studying the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced injury and death of retinal vascular endothelial cells. Newborn C57BL6/J mice were exposed to hyperoxia (70% O2) from postnatal day (P) 7 to 12 and were treated with the polyamine oxidase inhibitor MDL 72527 or vehicle starting at P6. Mice were sacrificed after different durations of hyperoxia and their retinas were analyzed to determine the effects on vascular injury, microglial cell activation, and inflammatory cytokine profiling. The results of this analysis showed that MDL 72527 treatment significantly reduced hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and enhanced vascular sprouting as compared with the vehicle controls. These protective effects were correlated with significant decreases in microglial activation as well as levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In order to model the effects of polyamine oxidation in causing microglial activation in vitro, studies were performed using rat brain microvascular endothelial cells treated with conditioned-medium from rat retinal microglia stimulated with hydrogen peroxide. Conditioned-medium from activated microglial cultures induced cell stress signals and cell death in microvascular endothelial cells. These studies demonstrate the involvement of polyamine oxidases in hyperoxia-induced retinal vascular injury and retinal inflammation in ischemic retinopathy, through mechanisms involving cross-talk between endothelial cells and resident retinal microglia. PMID:27239699

  16. Simple, high-yield purification of xanthine oxidase from bovine milk.

    PubMed

    Ozer, N; Müftüoglu, M; Ataman, D; Ercan, A; Ogüs, I H

    1999-05-13

    Xanthine oxidase, a commercially important enzyme with a wide area of application, was extracted from fresh milk, without added preservatives, using toluene and heat. The short purification procedure, with high yield, consisted of extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and DEAE-Sepharose (fast flow) column chromatography. Xanthine oxidase was eluted as a single activity peak from the column using a buffer gradient. The purification fold, specific activity and yield for the purified xanthine oxidase were 328, 10.161 U/mg and 69%, respectively. The enzyme was concentrated by ultrafiltration, although 31% of the activity was lost during concentration, no change in specific activity was observed. Activity and protein gave coincident staining bands on native polyacrylamide gels. The intensity and the number of bands were dependent on the oxidative state(s) of the enzyme; reduction by 2-mercaptoethanol decreased the intensity of the slow-moving bands and increased the intensity of the fastest-moving band. Following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), two major bands (molecular masses of 152 and 131 kDa) were observed, accounting for > or = 95% of xanthine oxidase. Native- and SDS-PAGE showed that the purified xanthine oxidase becomes a heterodimer due to endogenous proteases.

  17. A Proteomic Approach to Analyze the Aspirin-mediated Lysine Acetylome*

    PubMed Central

    Tatham, Michael H.; Cole, Christian; Scullion, Paul; Wilkie, Ross; Westwood, Nicholas J.; Stark, Lesley A.; Hay, Ronald T.

    2017-01-01

    Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid is widely used to control pain, inflammation and fever. Important to this function is its ability to irreversibly acetylate cyclooxygenases at active site serines. Aspirin has the potential to acetylate other amino acid side-chains, leading to the possibility that aspirin-mediated lysine acetylation could explain some of its as-yet unexplained drug actions or side-effects. Using isotopically labeled aspirin-d3, in combination with acetylated lysine purification and LC-MS/MS, we identified over 12000 sites of lysine acetylation from cultured human cells. Although aspirin amplifies endogenous acetylation signals at the majority of detectable endogenous sites, cells tolerate aspirin mediated acetylation very well unless cellular deacetylases are inhibited. Although most endogenous acetylations are amplified by orders of magnitude, lysine acetylation site occupancies remain very low even after high doses of aspirin. This work shows that while aspirin has enormous potential to alter protein function, in the majority of cases aspirin-mediated acetylations do not accumulate to levels likely to elicit biological effects. These findings are consistent with an emerging model for cellular acetylation whereby stoichiometry correlates with biological relevance, and deacetylases act to minimize the biological consequences of nonspecific chemical acetylations. PMID:27913581

  18. Changes in antioxidant and biochemical activities in castor oil-coated Capsicum annuum L. during postharvest storage.

    PubMed

    Panigrahi, Jitendriya; Patel, Mansi; Patel, Niyati; Gheewala, Bhumi; Gantait, Saikat

    2018-06-01

    This study, for the first time, evaluates the efficiency of castor oil when used as an external coating on Capsicum annuum L., to increase postharvest storage-life at 4 ± 1 °C. The castor oil-coated fruits were successfully stored for 36 days, while the non-coated fruits could only sustain for 18 days. Throughout the storage period (at 9-day intervals), different antioxidants and biochemical assays (allied with storage) such as titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, ferrous ion chelating activity, reducing power, DPPH scavenging activity, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content, total sugar estimation, and enzymatic study of polyphenol oxidase and pectate lyase, were assessed. During storage, the castor oil-coated fruits showed a substantial decrease in titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total phenolic content, including antioxidant activities such as reducing power and DPPH activity; however, an increase in ferrous ion chelating activity, total soluble sugar content, polyphenol oxidase activity and initial pectate lyase activity was observed, in contrast to that of the non-coated fruits. The application of castor oil proved to be effective in delaying the ripening process of fruits during storage.

  19. Evaluation of antioxidant and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of different solvent extracts of leaves of Citrullus colocynthis

    PubMed Central

    Nessa, Fazilatun; Khan, Saeed A.

    2014-01-01

    Background: Citrullus colocynthis is a folk medicinal plan of United Arab Emirates. Several studies on this plant reported and focused on the biological and toxicological profile of fruits pulp. The present study focused on the antioxidant potency of leaf extract of this plant. Aim: To evaluate the antioxidant and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activities of C. colocynthis by chemical method. Materials and Methods: Four different solvent extracts (methanol-CCM, methanol: water (1:1)-CCMW, chloroform-CCC and hexane-CCH) of leaves of C. colocynthis were investigated for their free radical scavenging activity using DPPH radical as a substrate, lipid peroxidation (LPO) inhibitory activity using a model system consisting of β-carotene-linoleic acid, superoxide radical scavenging activity (enzymatically/nonenzymatically) and XO inhibitory activity. A dose response curve was plotted for determining SC50 and IC50 values for expressing the results of free radical scavenging activity and XO inhibitory activities respectively. Results: The high polyphenolic content of CCM and CCMW extract showed highest antioxidant activity irrespective the method used for this investigation. The overall results decreased in the order of: CCM > CCMW > CCC > CCH. CCH extract was inactive towards chemically generated superoxide radical and poor DPPH radical scavengers. The results of LPO inhibitory activities of leaves extract (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL) also decreased in the order of: CCM > CCMW > CCC > CCH. Overall 1.0 mg/mL leaves extract showed highest antioxidant potency amongst the studied concentration. Conclusion: CCMW and CCM extract of C. colocynthis exhibited promising antioxidants and XO inhibitory activities. PMID:25002802

  20. Stability of glucose oxidase and catalase adsorbed on variously activated 13X zeolite.

    PubMed

    Pifferi, P G; Vaccari, A; Ricci, G; Poli, G; Ruggeri, O

    1982-10-01

    The use of 13X zeolite (0.1-0.4-mm granules), treated with 2N and 0.01N HCI, 0.01M citric acid, 0.1M citric-phosphate buffer (pH 3.6), and in untreated form to adsorb glucose oxidase of fungal origin and microbial catalase was examined. Physicochemical analysis of the support demonstrated that its crystalline structure, greatly altered by the HCl and buffer, could be partially maintained with citric acid. The specific adsorption of the enzymes increased with decreasing pH and proved to be considerable for all the supports. The stability with storage at 25 degrees C is strictly correlated with the titrable acidity of the activated zeolite expressed as meq NaOH/g and with pH value of the activation solution. It proved to be lower than 55 h for both enzymes if adsorbed on zeolite treated with 2N HCl, and 15-fold and 30-fold higher for glucose oxidase and catalase adsorbed, respectively, on zeolite treated with the 0.1M citric-phosphate buffer and 0.01M citric acid. The specific adsorption of glucose oxidase and catalase was, respectively, 1840 U/g at pH 3.0 and 6910 U/g at pH 5.0. Their half-life at 25 degrees C with storage at pH 3.5 for the former and at pH 5.0 for the latter was 800 and 1560 h vs. 40 and 110 h for the corresponding free enzymes.

  1. Transcriptomic and biochemical evidence for the role of lysine biosynthesis against linoleic acid hydroperoxide-induced stress in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    O'Doherty, P J; Lyons, V; Tun, N M; Rogers, P J; Bailey, T D; Wu, M J

    2014-12-01

    Amino acid biosynthesis forms part of an integrated stress response against oxidants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and higher eukaryotes. Here we show an essential protective role of the l-lysine biosynthesis pathway in response to the oxidative stress condition induced by the lipid oxidant-linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LoaOOH), by means of transcriptomic profiling and phenotypic analysis, and using the deletion mutant dal80∆ and lysine auxotroph lys1∆. A comprehensive up-regulation of lysine biosynthetic genes (LYS1, LYS2, LYS4, LYS9, LYS12, LYS20 and LYS21) was revealed in dal80Δ following the oxidant challenge. The lysine auxotroph (lys1∆) exhibited a significant decrease in growth compared with that of BY4743 upon exposure to LoaOOH, albeit with the sufficient provision of lysine in the medium. Furthermore, the growth of wild type BY4743 exposed to LoaOOH was also greatly reduced in lysine-deficient conditions, despite a full complement of lysine biosynthetic genes. Amino acid analysis of LoaOOH-treated yeast showed that the level of cellular lysine remained unchanged throughout oxidant challenge, suggesting that the induced lysine biosynthesis leads to a steady-state metabolism as compared to the untreated yeast cells. Together, these findings demonstrate that lysine availability and its biosynthesis pathway play an important role in protecting the cell from lipid peroxide-induced oxidative stress, which is directly related to understanding environmental stress and industrial yeast management in brewing, wine making and baking.

  2. Stability of spermine oxidase to thermal and chemical denaturation: comparison with bovine serum amine oxidase.

    PubMed

    Cervelli, Manuela; Leonetti, Alessia; Cervoni, Laura; Ohkubo, Shinji; Xhani, Marla; Stano, Pasquale; Federico, Rodolfo; Polticelli, Fabio; Mariottini, Paolo; Agostinelli, Enzo

    2016-10-01

    Spermine oxidase (SMOX) is a flavin-containing enzyme that specifically oxidizes spermine to produce spermidine, 3-aminopropanaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. While no crystal structure is available for any mammalian SMOX, X-ray crystallography showed that the yeast Fms1 polyamine oxidase has a dimeric structure. Based on this scenario, we have investigated the quaternary structure of the SMOX protein by native gel electrophoresis, which revealed a composite gel band pattern, suggesting the formation of protein complexes. All high-order protein complexes are sensitive to reducing conditions, showing that disulfide bonds were responsible for protein complexes formation. The major gel band other than the SMOX monomer is the covalent SMOX homodimer, which was disassembled by increasing the reducing conditions, while being resistant to other denaturing conditions. Homodimeric and monomeric SMOXs are catalytically active, as revealed after gel staining for enzymatic activity. An engineered SMOX mutant deprived of all but two cysteine residues was prepared and characterized experimentally, resulting in a monomeric species. High-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry of SMOX was compared with that of bovine serum amine oxidase, to analyse their thermal stability. Furthermore, enzymatic activity assays and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to gain insight into the unfolding process.

  3. Calcineurin Aβ regulates NADPH oxidase (Nox) expression and activity via nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in response to high glucose.

    PubMed

    Williams, Clintoria R; Gooch, Jennifer L

    2014-02-21

    Hypertrophy is an adaptive response that enables organs to appropriately meet increased functional demands. Previously, we reported that calcineurin (Cn) is required for glomerular and whole kidney hypertrophy in diabetic rodents (Gooch, J. L., Barnes, J. L., Garcia, S., and Abboud, H. E. (2003). Calcineurin is activated in diabetes and is required for glomerular hypertrophy and ECM accumulation. Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. 284, F144-F154; Reddy, R. N., Knotts, T. L., Roberts, B. R., Molkentin, J. D., Price, S. R., and Gooch, J. L. (2011). Calcineurin Aβ is required for hypertrophy but not matrix expansion in the diabetic kidney. J. Cell Mol. Med. 15, 414-422). Because studies have also implicated the reactive oxygen species-generating enzymes NADPH oxidases (Nox) in diabetic kidney responses, we tested the hypothesis that Nox and Cn cooperate in a common signaling pathway. First, we examined the role of the two main isoforms of Cn in hypertrophic signaling. Using primary kidney cells lacking a catalytic subunit of Cn (CnAα(-/-) or CnAβ(-/-)), we found that high glucose selectively activates CnAβ, whereas CnAα is constitutively active. Furthermore, CnAβ but not CnAα mediates hypertrophy. Next, we found that chronic reactive oxygen species generation in response to high glucose is attenuated in CnAβ(-/-) cells, suggesting that Cn is upstream of Nox. Consistent with this, loss of CnAβ reduces basal expression and blocks high glucose induction of Nox2 and Nox4. Inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), a CnAβ-regulated transcription factor, decreases Nox2 and Nox4 expression, whereas NFAT overexpression increases Nox2 and Nox4, indicating that the CnAβ/NFAT pathway modulates Nox. These data reveal that the CnAβ/NFAT pathway regulates Nox and plays an important role in high glucose-mediated hypertrophic responses in the kidney.

  4. Olanzapine, but not clozapine, increases glutamate release in the prefrontal cortex of freely moving mice by inhibiting D-aspartate oxidase activity

    PubMed Central

    Sacchi, Silvia; Novellis, Vito De; Paolone, Giovanna; Nuzzo, Tommaso; Iannotta, Monica; Belardo, Carmela; Squillace, Marta; Bolognesi, Paolo; Rosini, Elena; Motta, Zoraide; Frassineti, Martina; Bertolino, Alessandro; Pollegioni, Loredano; Morari, Michele; Maione, Sabatino; Errico, Francesco; Usiello, Alessandro

    2017-01-01

    D-aspartate levels in the brain are regulated by the catabolic enzyme D-aspartate oxidase (DDO). D-aspartate activates NMDA receptors, and influences brain connectivity and behaviors relevant to schizophrenia in animal models. In addition, recent evidence reported a significant reduction of D-aspartate levels in the post-mortem brain of schizophrenia-affected patients, associated to higher DDO activity. In the present work, microdialysis experiments in freely moving mice revealed that exogenously administered D-aspartate efficiently cross the blood brain barrier and stimulates L-glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Consistently, D-aspartate was able to evoke L-glutamate release in a preparation of cortical synaptosomes through presynaptic stimulation of NMDA, mGlu5 and AMPA/kainate receptors. In support of a potential therapeutic relevance of D-aspartate metabolism in schizophrenia, in vitro enzymatic assays revealed that the second-generation antipsychotic olanzapine, differently to clozapine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, bupropion, fluoxetine and amitriptyline, inhibits the human DDO activity. In line with in vitro evidence, chronic systemic administration of olanzapine induces a significant extracellular release of D-aspartate and L-glutamate in the PFC of freely moving mice, which is suppressed in Ddo knockout animals. These results suggest that the second-generation antipsychotic olanzapine, through the inhibition of DDO activity, increases L-glutamate release in the PFC of treated mice. PMID:28393897

  5. [Effect of Kaixinsan on monoamine oxidase activity].

    PubMed

    Wang, Shi; Dong, Xian-Zhe; Tan, Xiao; Wang, Yu-Ning; Liu, Ping

    2016-05-01

    To observe the effect of antidepressant medicine prescription, Kaixinsan (KXS) on monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, and explore the mechanism of KXS in elevating the levels of monoamine neurotransmitter from the perspective of metabolism, in vitro enzyme reaction system and C6 neuroglial cells, the effect of KXS at different concentrations on MAO-A and MAO-B activity was observed. In animal studies, the effect of KXS at different concentrations on MAO-A and MAO-B activities of brain mitochondrialin normal rats and solitary chronic unpredictable moderate stress (CMS) model rats after intragastric administration for 1, 2, 3 weeks. Results showed that 10 g•L⁻¹ KXS could significantly reduce the activity of MAO-A and MAO-B in enzyme reaction system; and in C6 cells, KXS within 0.625-10 g•L⁻¹ concentration range had no significant effect on the activity of MAO-A, but had obvious inhibitory effect on the activity of MAO-B in a dose dependent manner. KXS had no significant effect on the activity of MAO-A and MAO-B in brains of normal rats after action for 1, 2, 3 weeks. After 2 and 3 weeks treatment with 338 mg•kg⁻¹ dose KXS, MAO-A activity in the brain of CMS rats was decreased as compared with the model group (P<0.05), while KXS had no significant effect on MAO-B activity after 1, 2, 3 weeks of treatment. The results indicated that KXS had certain effect on in vitro MAO-A and MAO-B activity, had no effect on brain MAO-A and MAO-B activity in vivo in normal rats, and had certain inhibitory effect on MAO-A activity in brains of CMS rats. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  6. Direct electrochemistry and intramolecular electron transfer of ascorbate oxidase confined on L-cysteine self-assembled gold electrode.

    PubMed

    Patil, Bhushan; Kobayashi, Yoshiki; Fujikawa, Shigenori; Okajima, Takeyoshi; Mao, Lanqun; Ohsaka, Takeo

    2014-02-01

    A direct electrochemistry and intramolecular electron transfer of multicopper oxidases are of a great importance for the fabrication of these enzyme-based bioelectrochemical-devices. Ascorbate oxidase from Acremonium sp. (ASOM) has been successfully immobilized via a chemisorptive interaction on the l-cysteine self-assembled monolayer modified gold electrode (cys-SAM/AuE). Thermodynamics and kinetics of adsorption of ASOM on the cys-SAM/AuE were studied using cyclic voltammetry. A well-defined redox wave centered at 166±3mV (vs. Ag│AgCl│KCl(sat.)) was observed in 5.0mM phosphate buffer solution (pH7.0) at the fabricated ASOM electrode, abbreviated as ASOM/cys-SAM/AuE, confirming a direct electrochemistry, i.e., a direct electron transfer (DET) between ASOM and cys-SAM/AuE. The direct electrochemistry of ASOM was further confirmed by taking into account the chemical oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) by O2 via an intramolecular electron transfer in the ASOM as well as the electrocatalytic oxidation of AA at the ASOM/cys-SAM/AuE. Thermodynamics and kinetics of the adsorption of ASOM on the cys-SAM/AuE have been elaborated along with its direct electron transfer at the modified electrodes on the basis of its intramolecular electron transfer and electrocatalytic activity towards ascorbic acid oxidation and O2 reduction. ASOM saturated surface area was obtained as 2.41×10(-11)molcm(-2) with the apparent adsorption coefficient of 1.63×10(6)Lmol(-1). The ASOM confined on the cys-SAM/AuE possesses its essential enzymatic function. © 2013.

  7. Identification of the alternative terminal oxidase of higher plant mitochondria

    PubMed Central

    Elthon, Thomas E.; McIntosh, Lee

    1987-01-01

    In addition to cytochrome oxidase, plant mitochondria have a second terminal oxidase called the alternative oxidase. The alternative oxidase is of great interest in that energy is not conserved when electrons flow through it. The potential energy of the system is thus lost as heat, and, in plants with high levels of the alternative oxidase, this results in thermogenesis. We have purified the alternative oxidase from mitochondria of the thermogenic spadix of Sauromatum guttatum and have identified its polypeptide constituents by using polyclonal antibodies. A 166-fold purification was achieved through a combination of cation-exchange (carboxymethyl-Sepharose) and hydrophobic-interaction (phenyl-Sepharose) chromatography. Polyclonal antibodies raised to the CM-Sepharose fractions readily immunoprecipitated alternative oxidase activity and immunoprecipitated four of the proteins that copurify with the activity. These proteins have apparent molecular masses of 37, 36, 35.5, and 35 kDa. Polyclonal antibodies raised individually to the 37-, 36-, and 35.5- plus 35-kDa proteins cross-reacted with all of these proteins, indicating the presence of common antigenic sites. The 37-kDa protein appears to be constitutive in Sauromatum, whereas expression of the 36- and 35-kDa proteins was correlated with presence of alternative pathway activity. The 35.5-kDa protein appears with loss of alternative pathway activity during senescence, indicating that this protein may be a degradation product of the 36-kDa protein. Binding of anti-36-kDa protein antibodies to total mitochondrial protein blots of five plant species indicated that similar proteins were always present when alternative pathway activity was observed. Images PMID:16593898

  8. Emerging roles of lysine methylation on non-histone proteins.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xi; Huang, Yaling; Shi, Xiaobing

    2015-11-01

    Lysine methylation is a common posttranslational modification (PTM) of histones that is important for the epigenetic regulation of transcription and chromatin in eukaryotes. Increasing evidence demonstrates that in addition to histones, lysine methylation also occurs on various non-histone proteins, especially transcription- and chromatin-regulating proteins. In this review, we will briefly describe the histone lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) that have a broad spectrum of non-histone substrates. We will use p53 and nuclear receptors, especially estrogen receptor alpha, as examples to discuss the dynamic nature of non-histone protein lysine methylation, the writers, erasers, and readers of these modifications, and the crosstalk between lysine methylation and other PTMs in regulating the functions of the modified proteins. Understanding the roles of lysine methylation in normal cells and during development will shed light on the complex biology of diseases associated with the dysregulation of lysine methylation on both histones and non-histone proteins.

  9. Activation of gibberellin 2-oxidase 6 decreases active gibberellin levels and creates a dominant semi-dwarf phenotype in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

    PubMed

    Huang, Jian; Tang, Ding; Shen, Yi; Qin, Baoxiang; Hong, Lilan; You, Aiqing; Li, Ming; Wang, Xin; Yu, Hengxiu; Gu, Minghong; Cheng, Zhukuan

    2010-01-01

    Gibberellin (GA) 2-oxidase plays a key role in the GA catabolic pathway through 2beta-hydroxylation. In the present study, we isolated a CaMV 35S-enhancer activation tagged mutant, H032. This mutant exhibited a dominant dwarf and GA-deficient phenotype, with a final stature that was less than half of its wild-type counterpart. The endogenous bioactive GAs are markedly decreased in the H032 mutant, and application of bioactive GAs (GA(3) or GA(4)) can reverse the dwarf phenotype. The integrated T-DNA was detected 12.8 kb upstream of the OsGA2ox6 in the H032 genome by TAIL-PCR. An increased level of OsGA2ox6 mRNA was detected at a high level in the H032 mutant, which might be due to the enhancer role of the CaMV 35S promoter. RNAi and ectopic expression analysis of OsGA2ox6 indicated that the dwarf trait and the decreased levels of bioactive GAs in the H032 mutant were a result of the up-regulation of the OsGA2ox6 gene. BLASTP analysis revealed that OsGA2ox6 belongs to the class III of GA 2-oxidases, which is a novel type of GA2ox that uses C20-GAs (GA(12) and/or GA(53)) as the substrates. Interestingly, we found that a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol, positively regulated the OsGA2ox6 gene. Unlike the over-expression of OsGA2ox1, which led to a high rate of seed abortion, the H032 mutant retained normal flowering and seed production. These results indicate that OsGA2ox6 mainly affects plant stature, and the dominant dwarf trait of the H032 mutant can be used as an efficient dwarf resource in rice breeding. Copyright 2010 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology and the Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. WHSC1L1-mediated EGFR mono-methylation enhances the cytoplasmic and nuclear oncogenic activity of EGFR in head and neck cancer

    PubMed Central

    Saloura, Vassiliki; Vougiouklakis, Theodore; Zewde, Makda; Deng, Xiaolan; Kiyotani, Kazuma; Park, Jae-Hyun; Matsuo, Yo; Lingen, Mark; Suzuki, Takehiro; Dohmae, Naoshi; Hamamoto, Ryuji; Nakamura, Yusuke

    2017-01-01

    While multiple post-translational modifications have been reported to regulate the function of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), the effect of protein methylation on its function has not been well characterized. In this study, we show that WHSC1L1 mono-methylates lysine 721 in the tyrosine kinase domain of EGFR, and that this methylation leads to enhanced activation of its downstream ERK cascade without EGF stimulation. We also show that EGFR K721 mono-methylation not only affects the function of cytoplasmic EGFR, but also that of nuclear EGFR. WHSC1L1-mediated methylation of EGFR in the nucleus enhanced its interaction with PCNA in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) cells and resulted in enhanced DNA synthesis and cell cycle progression. Overall, our study demonstrates the multifaceted oncogenic function of the protein lysine methyltransferase WHSC1L1 in SCCHN, which is mediated through direct non-histone methylation of the EGFR protein with effects both in its cytoplasmic and nuclear functions. PMID:28102297

  11. Biotinylation of lysine method identifies acetylated histone H3 lysine 79 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a substrate for Sir2.

    PubMed

    Bheda, Poonam; Swatkoski, Stephen; Fiedler, Katherine L; Boeke, Jef D; Cotter, Robert J; Wolberger, Cynthia

    2012-04-17

    Although the biological roles of many members of the sirtuin family of lysine deacetylases have been well characterized, a broader understanding of their role in biology is limited by the challenges in identifying new substrates. We present here an in vitro method that combines biotinylation and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify substrates deacetylated by sirtuins. The method permits labeling of deacetylated residues with amine-reactive biotin on the ε-nitrogen of lysine. The biotin can be utilized to purify the substrate and identify the deacetylated lysine by MS. The biotinyl-lysine method was used to compare deacetylation of chemically acetylated histones by the yeast sirtuins, Sir2 and Hst2. Intriguingly, Sir2 preferentially deacetylates histone H3 lysine 79 as compared to Hst2. Although acetylation of K79 was not previously reported in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we demonstrate that a minor population of this residue is indeed acetylated in vivo and show that Sir2, and not Hst2, regulates the acetylation state of H3 lysine 79. The in vitro biotinyl-lysine method combined with chemical acetylation made it possible to identify this previously unknown, low-abundance histone acetyl modification in vivo. This method has further potential to identify novel sirtuin deacetylation substrates in whole cell extracts, enabling large-scale screens for new deacetylase substrates.

  12. Cytotoxicity of polyamines to Amoeba proteus: role of polyamine oxidase.

    PubMed

    Schenkel, E; Dubois, J G; Helson-Cambier, M; Hanocq, M

    1996-02-01

    It has been shown that oxidation of polyamines by polyamine oxidases can produce toxic compounds (H2O2, aldehydes, ammonia) and that the polyamine oxidase-polyamine system is implicated, in vitro, in the death of several parasites. Using Amoeba proteus as an in vitro model, we studied the cytotoxicity to these cells of spermine, spermidine, their acetyl derivatives, and their hypothetical precursors. Spermine and N1-acetylspermine were more toxic than emetine, an amoebicidal reference drug. Spermine presented a short-term toxicity, but a 48-h contact time was necessary for the high toxicity of spermidine. The uptake by Amoeba cells of the different polyamines tested was demonstrated. On the other hand, a high polyamine oxidase activity was identified in Amoeba proteus crude extract. Spermine (theoretical 100%) and N1-acetylspermine (64%) were the best substrates at pH 9.5, while spermidine, its acetyl derivatives, and putrescine were very poorly oxidized by this enzyme (3-20%). Spermine oxidase activity was inhibited by phenylhydrazine (nil) and isoniazid (approximately 50%). Mepacrine did not inhibit the enzyme activity at pH 8. Neither monoamine nor diamine oxidase activity (approximately 10%) was found. It must be emphasized that spermine, the best enzyme substrate, is the most toxic polyamine. This finding suggests that knowledge of polyamine oxidase specificity can be used to modulate the cytotoxicity of polyamine derivatives. Amoeba proteus was revealed as a simple model for investigation of the connection between cytotoxicity and enzyme activity.

  13. Aminoadipate semialdehyde synthase mRNA knockdown reduces the lysine requirement of a mouse hepatic cell line

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    a-Aminoadipate d-semialdehyde synthase (AASS) is the bifunctional enzyme containing the lysine a-ketoglutarate reductase (LKR) and saccharopine dehydrogenase activities responsible for the first two steps in the irreversible catabolism of lysine. A rare disease in humans, familial hyperlysinemia, c...

  14. The First Mammalian Aldehyde Oxidase Crystal Structure

    PubMed Central

    Coelho, Catarina; Mahro, Martin; Trincão, José; Carvalho, Alexandra T. P.; Ramos, Maria João; Terao, Mineko; Garattini, Enrico; Leimkühler, Silke; Romão, Maria João

    2012-01-01

    Aldehyde oxidases (AOXs) are homodimeric proteins belonging to the xanthine oxidase family of molybdenum-containing enzymes. Each 150-kDa monomer contains a FAD redox cofactor, two spectroscopically distinct [2Fe-2S] clusters, and a molybdenum cofactor located within the protein active site. AOXs are characterized by broad range substrate specificity, oxidizing different aldehydes and aromatic N-heterocycles. Despite increasing recognition of its role in the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics, the physiological function of the protein is still largely unknown. We have crystallized and solved the crystal structure of mouse liver aldehyde oxidase 3 to 2.9 Å. This is the first mammalian AOX whose structure has been solved. The structure provides important insights into the protein active center and further evidence on the catalytic differences characterizing AOX and xanthine oxidoreductase. The mouse liver aldehyde oxidase 3 three-dimensional structure combined with kinetic, mutagenesis data, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies make a decisive contribution to understand the molecular basis of its rather broad substrate specificity. PMID:23019336

  15. Comparative pharmacokinetics of cefuroxime lysine after single intravenous, intraperitoneal, and intramuscular administration to rats.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Long-shan; Yin, Ran; Wei, Bin-bin; Li, Qing; Jiang, Zhen-yuan; Chen, Xiao-hui; Bi, Kai-shun

    2012-11-01

    To compare the pharmacokinetic parameters of cefuroxime lysine, a new second-generation of cephalosporin antibiotics, after intravenous (IV), intraperitoneal (IP), or intramuscular (IM) administration. Twelve male and 12 virgin female Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing from 200 to 250 g, were divided into three groups (n=4 for each gender in each group). The rats were administered a single dose (67.5 mg/kg) of cefuroxime lysine via IV bolus or IP or IM injection. Blood samples were collected and analyzed with a validated UFLC-MS/MS method. The concentration-time data were then calculated by compartmental and non-compartmental pharmacokinetic methods using DAS software. After IV, IP or IM administration, the plasma cefuroxime lysine disposition was best described by a tri-compartmental, bi-compartmental or mono-compartmental open model, respectively, with first-order elimination. The plasma concentration profiles were similar through the 3 administration routes. The distribution process was rapid after IV administration [t(1/2(d)), 0.10 ± 0.11 h vs 1.36 ± 0.65 and 1.25 ± 1.01 h]. The AUMC(0-∞) is markedly larger, and mean residence time (MRT) is greatly longer after IP administration than that in IV, or IM routes (AUMC(0-∞): 55.33 ± 20.34 vs 16.84 ± 4.85 and 36.17 ± 13.24 mg·h(2)/L; MRT: 0.93 ± 0.10 h vs 0.37 ± 0.07 h and 0.65 ± 0.05 h). The C(max) after IM injection was significantly higher than that in IP injection (73.51 ± 12.46 vs 49.09 ± 7.06 mg/L). The AUC(0-∞) in male rats were significantly higher than that in female rats after IM administration (66.38 ± 16.5 vs 44.23 ± 6.37 mg·h/L). There was no significantly sex-related difference in other pharmacokinetic parameters of cefuroxime lysine between male and female rats. Cefuroxime lysine shows quick absorption after IV injection, a long retension after IP injection, and a high C(max) after IM injection. After IM administration the AUC(0-∞) in male rats was significantly larger than that in

  16. Hierarchical CNFs/MnCo2O4.5 nanofibers as a highly active oxidase mimetic and its application in biosensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Mu; Lu, Xiaofeng; Nie, Guangdi; Chi, Maoqiang; Wang, Ce

    2017-12-01

    Recently, much attention has been paid on the nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes due to their tunable catalytic activity, high stability and low cost compared to the natural enzymes. Different from the peroxidase mimics which have been studied for several decades, nanomaterials with oxidase-like property are burgeoning in the recent years. In this paper, hierarchical carbon nanofibers (CNFs)/MnCo2O4.5 nanofibers as efficient oxidase mimics are reported. The products are synthesized by an electrospinning technique and an electrochemcial deposition process in which the CNFs are used as the working electrode where MnCo2O4.5 nanosheets deposit on. The resulting binary metal oxide-based nanocomposites exhibit a good oxidase-like activity toward the oxidations of 3,3‧,5,5‧tetramethylbenzi-dine (TMB), 2,2‧-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium (ABTS) salt and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) without exogenous addition of H2O2. The system of CNFs/MnCo2O4.5-TMB can be used as a candidate to detect sulfite and ascorbic acid via a colorimetric method with a high sensitivity. This work provides the efficient utilization and potential applications of binary metal oxide-based nanocomposites with oxidase activities in biosensors and other biotechnologies.

  17. Targeting NADPH oxidases in vascular pharmacology

    PubMed Central

    Schramm, Agata; Matusik, Paweł; Osmenda, Grzegorz; Guzik, Tomasz J

    2012-01-01

    Oxidative stress is a molecular dysregulation in reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. It is characterized by a loss of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Large clinical trials such as HOPE and HPS have not shown a clinical benefit of antioxidant vitamin C or vitamin E treatment, putting into question the role of oxidative stress in cardiovascular disease. A change in the understanding of the molecular nature of oxidative stress has been driven by the results of these trials. Oxidative stress is no longer perceived as a simple imbalance between the production and scavenging of ROS, but as a dysfunction of enzymes involved in ROS production. NADPH oxidases are at the center of these events, underlying the dysfunction of other oxidases including eNOS uncoupling, xanthine oxidase and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus NADPH oxidases are important therapeutic targets. Indeed, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) as well as drugs interfering with the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibit NADPH oxidase activation and expression. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, AT1 receptor antagonists (sartans) and aliskiren, as well as spironolactone or eplerenone, have been discussed. Molecular aspects of NADPH oxidase regulation must be considered, while thinking about novel pharmacological targeting of this family of enzymes consisting of several homologs Nox1, Nox2, Nox3, Nox4 and Nox5 in humans. In order to properly design trials of antioxidant therapies, we must develop reliable techniques for the assessment of local and systemic oxidative stress. Classical antioxidants could be combined with novel oxidase inhibitors. In this review, we discuss NADPH oxidase inhibitors such as VAS2870, VAS3947, GK-136901, S17834 or plumbagin. Therefore, our efforts must focus on generating small molecular weight inhibitors of NADPH oxidases, allowing the

  18. Contribution of the net charge to the regulatory effects of amino acids and epsilon-poly(L-lysine) on the gelatinization behavior of potato starch granules.

    PubMed

    Ito, Azusa; Hattori, Makoto; Yoshida, Tadashi; Takahashi, Koji

    2006-01-01

    The effects of lysine (Lys), monosodium glutamate (GluNa), glycine, alanine and epsilon-poly(L-lysine) (PL) with different degrees of polymerization on the gelatinization behavior of potato starch granules were investigated by DSC, viscosity and swelling measurements, microscopic observation, and measurement of the retained amino acid amount to clarify the contribution of the net charge to their regulatory effects on the gelatinization behavior. The amino acids and PL each contributed to an increase in the gelatinization temperature, and a decrease in the peak viscosity and swelling. These effects strongly depended on the absolute value of their net charge. The disappearance of a negative or positive net charge by adjusting the pH value weakened the contribution. The swelling index and size of the potato starch granules changed according to replacement of the swelling medium. The amino acids and PL were easily retained by the swollen potato starch granules according to replacement of the outer solution of the starch granules.

  19. Identification of a Third Mn(II) Oxidase Enzyme in Pseudomonas putida GB-1

    PubMed Central

    Smesrud, Logan; Tebo, Bradley M.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT The oxidation of soluble Mn(II) to insoluble Mn(IV) is a widespread bacterial activity found in a diverse array of microbes. In the Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterium Pseudomonas putida GB-1, two Mn(II) oxidase genes, named mnxG and mcoA, were previously identified; each encodes a multicopper oxidase (MCO)-type enzyme. Expression of these two genes is positively regulated by the response regulator MnxR. Preliminary investigation into putative additional regulatory pathways suggested that the flagellar regulators FleN and FleQ also regulate Mn(II) oxidase activity; however, it also revealed the presence of a third, previously uncharacterized Mn(II) oxidase activity in P. putida GB-1. A strain from which both of the Mn(II) oxidase genes and fleQ were deleted exhibited low levels of Mn(II) oxidase activity. The enzyme responsible was genetically and biochemically identified as an animal heme peroxidase (AHP) with domain and sequence similarity to the previously identified Mn(II) oxidase MopA. In the ΔfleQ strain, P. putida GB-1 MopA is overexpressed and secreted from the cell, where it actively oxidizes Mn. Thus, deletion of fleQ unmasked a third Mn(II) oxidase activity in this strain. These results provide an example of an Mn(II)-oxidizing bacterium utilizing both MCO and AHP enzymes. IMPORTANCE The identity of the Mn(II) oxidase enzyme in Pseudomonas putida GB-1 has been a long-standing question in the field of bacterial Mn(II) oxidation. In the current work, we demonstrate that P. putida GB-1 employs both the multicopper oxidase- and animal heme peroxidase-mediated pathways for the oxidation of Mn(II), rendering this model organism relevant to the study of both types of Mn(II) oxidase enzymes. The presence of three oxidase enzymes in P. putida GB-1 deepens the mystery of why microorganisms oxidize Mn(II) while providing the field with the tools necessary to address this question. The initial identification of MopA as a Mn(II) oxidase in this strain required the

  20. Role of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor on renal NAD(P)H oxidase, oxidative stress and inflammation in nitric oxide inhibition induced-hypertension.

    PubMed

    Rincón, J; Correia, D; Arcaya, J L; Finol, E; Fernández, A; Pérez, M; Yaguas, K; Talavera, E; Chávez, M; Summer, R; Romero, F

    2015-03-01

    Activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), renal oxidative stress and inflammation are constantly present in experimental hypertension. Nitric oxide (NO) inhibition with N(w)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) has previously been reported to produce hypertension, increased expression of Angiotensin II (Ang II) and renal dysfunction. The use of Losartan, an Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist has proven to be effective reducing hypertension and renal damage; however, the mechanism by which AT1R blockade reduced kidney injury and normalizes blood pressure in this experimental model is still complete unknown. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that AT1R activation promotes renal NAD(P)H oxidase up-regulation, oxidative stress and cytokine production during L-NAME induced-hypertension. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were distributed in three groups: L-NAME, receiving 70 mg/100ml of L-NAME, L-NAME+Los, receiving 70 mg/100ml of L-NAME and 40 mg/kg/day of Losartan; and Controls, receiving water instead of L-NAME or L-NAME and Losartan. After two weeks, L-NAME induced high blood pressure, renal overexpression of AT1R, NAD(P)H oxidase sub-units gp91, p22 and p47, increased levels of oxidative stress, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-17 (IL-17). Also, we found increased renal accumulation of lymphocytes and macrophages. Losartan treatment abolished the renal expression of gp91, p22, p47, oxidative stress and reduced NF-κB activation and IL-6 expression. These findings indicate that NO induced-hypertension is associated with up-regulation of NADPH oxidase, oxidative stress production and overexpression of key inflammatory mediators. These events are associated with up-regulation of AT1R, as evidenced by their reversal with AT1R blocker treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Pacific oyster polyamine oxidase: a protein missing link in invertebrate evolution.

    PubMed

    Cervelli, Manuela; Polticelli, Fabio; Angelucci, Emanuela; Di Muzio, Elena; Stano, Pasquale; Mariottini, Paolo

    2015-05-01

    Polyamine oxidases catalyse the oxidation of polyamines and acetylpolyamines and are responsible for the polyamine interconversion metabolism in animal cells. Polyamine oxidases from yeast can oxidize spermine, N(1)-acetylspermine, and N(1)-acetylspermidine, while in vertebrates two different enzymes, namely spermine oxidase and acetylpolyamine oxidase, specifically catalyse the oxidation of spermine, and N(1)-acetylspermine/N(1)-acetylspermidine, respectively. In this work we proved that the specialized vertebrate spermine and acetylpolyamine oxidases have arisen from an ancestor invertebrate polyamine oxidase with lower specificity for polyamine substrates, as demonstrated by the enzymatic activity of the mollusc polyamine oxidase characterized here. This is the first report of an invertebrate polyamine oxidase, the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (CgiPAO), overexpressed as a recombinant protein. This enzyme was biochemically characterized and demonstrated to be able to oxidase both N(1)-acetylspermine and spermine, albeit with different efficiency. Circular dichroism analysis gave an estimation of the secondary structure content and modelling of the three-dimensional structure of this protein and docking studies highlighted active site features. The availability of this pluripotent enzyme can have applications in crystallographic studies and pharmaceutical biotechnologies, including anticancer therapy as a source of hydrogen peroxide able to induce cancer cell death.

  2. Platinum Nanoparticles: Efficient and Stable Catechol Oxidase Mimetics.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yi; Wu, Haohao; Chong, Yu; Wamer, Wayne G; Xia, Qingsu; Cai, Lining; Nie, Zhihong; Fu, Peter P; Yin, Jun-Jie

    2015-09-09

    Although enzyme-like nanomaterials have been extensively investigated over the past decade, most research has focused on the peroxidase-like, catalase-like, or SOD-like activity of these nanomaterials. Identifying nanomaterials having oxidase-like activities has received less attention. In this study, we demonstrate that platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) exhibit catechol oxidase-like activity, oxidizing polyphenols into the corresponding o-quinones. Four unique approaches are employed to demonstrate the catechol oxidase-like activity exerted by Pt NPs. First, UV-vis spectroscopy is used to monitor the oxidation of polyphenols catalyzed by Pt NPs. Second, the oxidized products of polyphenols are identified by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) separation followed by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) identification. Third, electron spin resonance (ESR) oximetry techniques are used to confirm the O2 consumption during the oxidation reaction. Fourth, the intermediate products of semiquinone radicals formed during the oxidation of polyphenols are determined by ESR using spin stabilization. These results indicate Pt NPs possess catechol oxidase-like activity. Because polyphenols and related bioactive substances have been explored as potent antioxidants that could be useful for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, and Pt NPs have been widely used in the chemical industry and medical science, it is essential to understand the potential effects of Pt NPs for altering or influencing the antioxidant activity of polyphenols.

  3. Report: Bioconversion of agriculture waste to lysine with UV mutated strain of brevibacterium flavum and its biological evaluation in broiler chicks.

    PubMed

    Tabassum, Alia; Hashmi, Abu Saeed; Masood, Faiza; Iqbal, Muhammad Aamir; Tayyab, Muhammad; Nawab, Amber; Nadeem, Asif; Sadeghi, Zahra; Mahmood, Adeel

    2015-07-01

    Lysine executes imperative structural and functional roles in body and its supplementation in diet beneficial to prevent the escalating threat of protein deficiency. The physical mutagenesis offers new fascinating avenues of research for overproduction of lysine through surplus carbohydrate containing agriculture waste especially in developing countries. The current study was aimed to investigate the potential of UV mutated strain of Brevibacterium flavum at 254 nm for lysine production. The physical and nutritional parameters were optimized and maximum lysine production was observed with molasses (4% substrate water ratio). Moreover, supplementation of culture medium with metal cations (i.e. 0.4% CaSO₄, 0.3% NaCl, 0.3% KH₂PO₄, 0.4% MgSO₄, and 0.2% (NH₄) ₂SO₄w/v) together with 0.75% v/v corn steep liquor significantly enhanced the lysine production up to 26.71 ± 0.31 g/L. Though, concentrations of urea, ammonium nitrate and yeast sludge did not exhibit any profound effect on lysine production. Biological evaluation of lysine enriched biomass in terms of weight gain and feed conversion ratio reflected non-significant difference for experimental and control (+ve) groups. Conclusively, lysine produced in the form of biomass was compatible to market lysine in its effectiveness and have potential to utilize at commercial scale.

  4. Current status of NADPH oxidase research in cardiovascular pharmacology.

    PubMed

    Rodiño-Janeiro, Bruno K; Paradela-Dobarro, Beatriz; Castiñeiras-Landeira, María Isabel; Raposeiras-Roubín, Sergio; González-Juanatey, José R; Alvarez, Ezequiel

    2013-01-01

    The implications of reactive oxygen species in cardiovascular disease have been known for some decades. Rationally, therapeutic antioxidant strategies combating oxidative stress have been developed, but the results of clinical trials have not been as good as expected. Therefore, to move forward in the design of new therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease based on prevention of production of reactive oxygen species, steps must be taken on two fronts, ie, comprehension of reduction-oxidation signaling pathways and the pathophysiologic roles of reactive oxygen species, and development of new, less toxic, and more selective nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitors, to clarify both the role of each NADPH oxidase isoform and their utility in clinical practice. In this review, we analyze the value of NADPH oxidase as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease and the old and new pharmacologic agents or strategies to prevent NADPH oxidase activity. Some inhibitors and different direct or indirect approaches are available. Regarding direct NADPH oxidase inhibition, the specificity of NADPH oxidase is the focus of current investigations, whereas the chemical structure-activity relationship studies of known inhibitors have provided pharmacophore models with which to search for new molecules. From a general point of view, small-molecule inhibitors are preferred because of their hydrosolubility and oral bioavailability. However, other possibilities are not closed, with peptide inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies against NADPH oxidase isoforms continuing to be under investigation as well as the ongoing search for naturally occurring compounds. Likewise, some different approaches include inhibition of assembly of the NADPH oxidase complex, subcellular translocation, post-transductional modifications, calcium entry/release, electron transfer, and genetic expression. High-throughput screens for any of these activities could provide new

  5. Current status of NADPH oxidase research in cardiovascular pharmacology

    PubMed Central

    Rodiño-Janeiro, Bruno K; Paradela-Dobarro, Beatriz; Castiñeiras-Landeira, María Isabel; Raposeiras-Roubín, Sergio; González-Juanatey, José R; Álvarez, Ezequiel

    2013-01-01

    The implications of reactive oxygen species in cardiovascular disease have been known for some decades. Rationally, therapeutic antioxidant strategies combating oxidative stress have been developed, but the results of clinical trials have not been as good as expected. Therefore, to move forward in the design of new therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease based on prevention of production of reactive oxygen species, steps must be taken on two fronts, ie, comprehension of reduction-oxidation signaling pathways and the pathophysiologic roles of reactive oxygen species, and development of new, less toxic, and more selective nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase inhibitors, to clarify both the role of each NADPH oxidase isoform and their utility in clinical practice. In this review, we analyze the value of NADPH oxidase as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease and the old and new pharmacologic agents or strategies to prevent NADPH oxidase activity. Some inhibitors and different direct or indirect approaches are available. Regarding direct NADPH oxidase inhibition, the specificity of NADPH oxidase is the focus of current investigations, whereas the chemical structure-activity relationship studies of known inhibitors have provided pharmacophore models with which to search for new molecules. From a general point of view, small-molecule inhibitors are preferred because of their hydrosolubility and oral bioavailability. However, other possibilities are not closed, with peptide inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies against NADPH oxidase isoforms continuing to be under investigation as well as the ongoing search for naturally occurring compounds. Likewise, some different approaches include inhibition of assembly of the NADPH oxidase complex, subcellular translocation, post-transductional modifications, calcium entry/release, electron transfer, and genetic expression. High-throughput screens for any of these activities could provide new

  6. Expression cloning of a gibberellin 20-oxidase, a multifunctional enzyme involved in gibberellin biosynthesis.

    PubMed Central

    Lange, T; Hedden, P; Graebe, J E

    1994-01-01

    In the biosynthetic pathway to the gibberellins (GAs), carbon-20 is removed by oxidation to give the C19-GAs, which include the biologically active plant hormones. We report the isolation of a cDNA clone encoding a GA 20-oxidase [gibberellin, 2-oxoglutarate:oxygen oxidoreductase (20-hydroxylating, oxidizing) EC 1.14.11.-] by screening a cDNA library from developing cotyledons of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) for expression of this enzyme. When mRNA from either the cotyledons or the endosperm was translated in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte lysates, the products contained GA12 20-oxidase activity. A polyclonal antiserum was raised against the amino acid sequence of a peptide released by tryptic digestion of purified GA 20-oxidase from the endosperm. A cDNA expression library in lambda gt11 was prepared from cotyledon mRNA and screened with the antiserum. The identity of positive clones was confirmed by the demonstration of GA12 20-oxidase activity in single bacteriophage plaques. Recombinant protein from a selected clone catalyzed the three-step conversions of GA12 to GA25 and of GA53 to GA17, as well as the formation of the C19-GAs, GA1, GA9, and GA20, from their respective aldehyde precursors, GA23, GA24, and GA19. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert contains an open reading frame of 1158 nt encoding a protein of 386 amino acid residues. The predicted M(r) (43,321) and pI (5.3) are similar to those determined experimentally for the native GA 20-oxidase. Furthermore, the derived amino acid sequence includes sequences obtained from the N terminus and two tryptic peptides from the native enzyme. It also contains regions that are highly conserved in a group of non-heme Fe-containing dioxygenases. Images PMID:8078921

  7. Physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties of starch films incorporated with ε-poly-L-lysine.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Liming; Li, Ruichao; Dong, Feng; Tian, Aiying; Li, Zhengjun; Dai, Yujie

    2015-01-01

    Starch/ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL) composite films were prepared by combining 4% (w/v) gelatinized cornstarch and varying the level of ε-PL. The physical, mechanical and antimicrobial properties of these films were investigated. Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) showed that the carbonyl group stretching vibration band of the ε-PL molecule shifted from 1646 cm(-1) to 1673 cm(-1) in the composite films. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that there were sharp endothermal peaks at 215-230 °C for the composite films. These results indicated that there was an intense interaction between the two components. The films incorporated with ε-PL showed a higher tensile strength (TS) and elongation-at-break (E) than those of the starch film alone. These composite films exhibited effective inhibition against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, films containing 2% (w/w) ε-PL effectively suppressed the growth of the tested microbes (P<0.05). The starch/ε-PL films showed a low inhibitory effect on Aspergillus niger. This antimicrobial trend of the composite films was in agreement with the results of free ε-PL. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A Method to Determine Lysine Acetylation Stoichiometries

    DOE PAGES

    Nakayasu, Ernesto S.; Wu, Si; Sydor, Michael A.; ...

    2014-01-01

    Lysine acetylation is a common protein posttranslational modification that regulates a variety of biological processes. A major bottleneck to fully understanding the functional aspects of lysine acetylation is the difficulty in measuring the proportion of lysine residues that are acetylated. Here we describe a mass spectrometry method using a combination of isotope labeling and detection of a diagnostic fragment ion to determine the stoichiometry of protein lysine acetylation. Using this technique, we determined the modification occupancy for ~750 acetylated peptides from mammalian cell lysates. Furthermore, the acetylation on N-terminal tail of histone H4 was cross-validated by treating cells with sodiummore » butyrate, a potent deacetylase inhibitor, and comparing changes in stoichiometry levels measured by our method with immunoblotting measurements. Of note we observe that acetylation stoichiometry is high in nuclear proteins, but very low in mitochondrial and cytosolic proteins. In summary, our method opens new opportunities to study in detail the relationship of lysine acetylation levels of proteins with their biological functions.« less

  9. Global Profiling of Protein Lysine Malonylation in Escherichia coli Reveals Its Role in Energy Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Qian, Lili; Nie, Litong; Chen, Ming; Liu, Ping; Zhu, Jun; Zhai, Linhui; Tao, Sheng-Ce; Cheng, Zhongyi; Zhao, Yingming; Tan, Minjia

    2016-06-03

    Protein lysine malonylation is a recently identified post-translational modification (PTM), which is evolutionarily conserved from bacteria to mammals. Although analysis of lysine malonylome in mammalians suggested that this modification was related to energy metabolism, the substrates and biological roles of malonylation in prokaryotes are still poorly understood. In this study, we performed qualitative and quantitative analyses to globally identify lysine malonylation substrates in Escherichia coli. We identified 1745 malonylation sites in 594 proteins in E. coli, representing the first and largest malonylome data set in prokaryotes up to date. Bioinformatic analyses showed that lysine malonylation was significantly enriched in protein translation, energy metabolism pathways and fatty acid biosynthesis, implying the potential roles of protein malonylation in bacterial physiology. Quantitative proteomics by fatty acid synthase inhibition in both auxotrophic and prototrophic E. coli strains revealed that lysine malonylation is closely associated with E. coli fatty acid metabolism. Protein structural analysis and mutagenesis experiment suggested malonylation could impact enzymatic activity of citrate synthase, a key enzyme in citric acid (TCA) cycle. Further comparative analysis among lysine malonylome, succinylome and acetylome data showed that these three modifications could participate in some similar enriched metabolism pathways, but they could also possibly play distinct roles such as in fatty acid synthesis. These data expanded our knowledge of lysine malonylation in prokaryotes, providing a resource for functional study of lysine malonylation in bacteria.

  10. Growth, structural, optical, piezoelectric and etching analysis of L-lysine p-nitrophenolate monohydrate single crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alexandar, A.; Lakshmanan, A.; Sakthy Priya, S.; Surendran, P.; Rameshkumar, P.

    2017-09-01

    Nonlinear optical single crystals of L-lysine p-nitrophenolate monohydrate (LLPNP) were grown in aqueous solution by the slow evaporation solution technique (SEST). The grown crystals were subjected to powder X-ray diffraction analysis, (PXRD) and it was found that the title compound was crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with noncentrosymmetric space group of P212121. The vibrational frequencies of various functional groups present in the crystal were analyzed using the FTIR spectrum with a wavenumber range between 450 cm-1 and 4000 cm-1. The microhardness analysis of the sample revealed that the crystal belongs to the soft material category. Piezoelectric analysis was performed to measure the value of the piezoelectric (d33) coefficient. Blue light emission of the material was confirmed using the photoluminescence spectrum. Thermal stability of the grown crystal was analyzed using a melting point apparatus and it was found that the LLPNP is stable upto 175∘C. Etching analysis was performed at various durations, in order to identify the surface properties of the LLPNP crystal.

  11. AT₁ receptor and NAD(P)H oxidase mediate angiotensin II-stimulated antioxidant enzymes and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity in the rat hypothalamus.

    PubMed

    Silva, José; Pastorello, Mariella; Arzola, Jorge; Zavala, Lida E; De Jesús, Sara; Varela, Maider; Matos, María Gabriela; del Rosario Garrido, María; Israel, Anita

    2010-12-01

    Angiotensin II (AngII) regulates blood pressure and water and electrolyte metabolism through the stimulation of NAD(P)H oxidase and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as O₂⁻, which is metabolised by superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. We assessed the role of AT₁ and AT₂ receptors, NAD(P)H oxidase and protein kinase C (PKC) in Ang II-induced sodium and water excretion and their capacity to stimulate antioxidant enzymes in the rat hypothalamus, a brain structure known to express a high density of AngII receptors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were intracerebroventricularly (ICV) injected with AngII and urinary sodium and water excretion was assessed. Urine sodium concentration was determined using flame photometry. After decapitation the hypothalamus was microdissected under stereomicroscopic control. Superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity were determined spectrophotometrically and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) activation was analysed by Western blot. AngII-ICV resulted in antidiuresis and natriuresis. ICV administration of losartan, PD123319, apocynin and chelerythrine blunted natriuresis. In hypothalamus, AngII increased catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutation peroxidase activity and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. These actions were prevented by losartan, apocynin and chelerythrine, and increased by PD123319. AT₁ and AT₂ receptors, NAD(P)H oxidase and PKC pathway are involved in the regulation of hydromineral metabolism and antioxidant enzyme activity induced by AngII.

  12. SPERMINE OXIDASE: AN AMINE OXIDASE WITH SPECIFICITY FOR SPERMINE AND SPERMIDINE

    PubMed Central

    Hirsch, James G.

    1953-01-01

    Sheep serum and bovine serum contain an enzyme which brings about a rapid oxidative deamination of certain biological amines. This enzyme differs from previously described amine oxidases in several regards and especially in its substrate specificity. Studies thus far indicate that only spermine and the closely related compound spermidine serve as substrates for the enzyme in sheep serum. For this reason, the enzyme has been named spermine oxidase. Spermine oxidase is active in a variety of fluids of various ionic strength and buffer composition. The reaction takes place between pH 6.0 and pH 8.0 with an optimal rate in the vicinity of neutrality. Under certain conditions, the rate of oxygen consumption during the initial phase of the reaction is independent of the concentration of substrate. The diminution in rate observed during the latter phase of the enzymatic attack appears to be due to an alteration in the kinetics at low concentrations of substrate, or to competitive inhibition by a product of the reaction. Carbonyl reagents almost completely block the action of spermine oxidase, while certain amines and the cyanide ion bring about partial inhibition. Thiol reagents and sequestering compounds do not alter the course of the oxidative process. In the presence of low concentrations of mercuric chloride, the sheep serum-spermine system consumes approximately twice as much oxygen as controls containing no mercuric ion. The mechanism by which the mercuric ion stimulates additional oxygen uptake is obscure. PMID:13052805

  13. Inhibition of arsenic induced-rat liver injury by grape seed exact through suppression of NADPH oxidase and TGF-{beta}/Smad activation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pan Xinjuan; Dai Yujie; Li Xing

    2011-08-01

    Chronic arsenic exposure induces oxidative damage to liver leading to liver fibrosis. We aimed to define the effect of grape seed extract (GSE), an antioxidant dietary supplement, on arsenic-induced liver injury. First, Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a low level of arsenic in drinking water (30 ppm) with or without GSE (100 mg/kg, every other day by oral gavage) for 12 months and the effect of GSE on arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity was examined. The results from this study revealed that GSE co-treatment significantly attenuated arsenic-induced low antioxidant defense, oxidative damage, proinflammatory cytokines and fibrogenic genes. Moreover, GSE reduced arsenic-stimulated Smad2/3more » phosphorylation and protein levels of NADPH oxidase subunits (Nox2, Nox4 and p47phox). Next, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying GSE inhibition of arsenic toxicity using cultured rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). From the in vitro study, we found that GSE dose-dependently reduced arsenic-stimulated ROS production and NADPH oxidase activities. Both NADPH oxidases flavoprotein inhibitor DPI and Nox4 siRNA blocked arsenic-induced ROS production, whereas Nox4 overexpression suppressed the inhibitory effects of GSE on arsenic-induced ROS production and NADPH oxidase activities, as well as expression of TGF-{beta}1, type I procollagen (Coll-I) and {alpha}-smooth muscle actin ({alpha}-SMA) mRNA. We also observed that GSE dose-dependently inhibited TGF-{beta}1-induced transactivation of the TGF-{beta}-induced smad response element p3TP-Lux, and that forced expression of Smad3 attenuated the inhibitory effects of GSE on TGF-{beta}1-induced mRNA expression of Coll-I and {alpha}-SMA. Collectively, GSE could be a potential dietary therapeutic agent for arsenic-induced liver injury through suppression of NADPH oxidase and TGF-{beta}/Smad activation. - Research Highlights: > GSE attenuated arsenic-induced low antioxidant defense, oxidative damage, proinflammatory cytokines

  14. Effects of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Ceruloplasmin Oxidase, Copper and Several Markers of Oxidative Damage, in Children.

    PubMed

    Mehdi, Wesen Adel; Yusof, Faridah; Mehde, Atheer Awad; Zainulabdeen, Jwan Abdulmohsin; Raus, Raha Ahmed; Abdulbari, Alaa Shawqi

    2015-01-01

    Acute leukaemia is characterized by fast growth of abnormal clones of haemopoietic precursor cells inside bone marrow leading to undue accumulation in the bone marrow. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer. The study concerned 50 children diagnosed with ALL (mean age, 8.55±2.54) compared to 40 healthy controls (mean age, 8.00±1.85). The Hb, serum copper, ceruloplasmin oxidase, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), total antioxidant activity (TAA) and protein were measured in all groups. One proteinous component was isolated by gel filtration chromatography from the precipitate produced by polyethylene glycol. Significantly higher levels of AOPP, copper and decrease in total antioxidant activity were noted in the cases. Statistical analysis also showed a significant increase (p<0.01) in the activity of serum ceruloplasmin oxidase in patients with ALL compared to normal subjects. The maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant had values of 104.2 U/L and 11.7 mM, respectively. The ΔH* values for ceruloplasmin oxidase in ALL patients were positive, confirming the reaction to be endothermic. The results from this study showed a significant increase in AOPP, ceruloplasmine oxidase and decrease in total antioxidant activity .These parameters may play a role in development of DNA damage in childhood patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The ΔS* and ΔG* values were negative, these refer that the reaction of ES formation is spontaneous, but needs energy in a so-called endergonic reaction. Also the negative ΔS* value of ceruloplasmin oxidase indicates that the complex [ES*] is further modulated through increasing structure arrangement.

  15. Expression and Chloroplast Targeting of Cholesterol Oxidase in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

    PubMed Central

    Corbin, David R.; Grebenok, Robert J.; Ohnmeiss, Thomas E.; Greenplate, John T.; Purcell, John P.

    2001-01-01

    Cholesterol oxidase represents a novel type of insecticidal protein with potent activity against the cotton boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman). We transformed tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants with the cholesterol oxidase choM gene and expressed cytosolic and chloroplast-targeted versions of the ChoM protein. Transgenic leaf tissues expressing cholesterol oxidase exerted insecticidal activity against boll weevil larvae. Our results indicate that cholesterol oxidase can metabolize phytosterols in vivo when produced cytosolically or when targeted to chloroplasts. The transgenic plants exhibiting cytosolic expression accumulated low levels of saturated sterols known as stanols, and displayed severe developmental aberrations. In contrast, the transgenic plants expressing chloroplast-targeted cholesterol oxidase maintained a greater accumulation of stanols, and appeared phenotypically and developmentally normal. These results are discussed within the context of plant sterol distribution and metabolism. PMID:11457962

  16. Effect of zinc-lysine on growth, yield and cadmium uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and health risk assessment.

    PubMed

    Rizwan, Muhammad; Ali, Shafaqat; Hussain, Afzal; Ali, Qasim; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Zia-Ur-Rehman, Muhammad; Farid, Mujahid; Asma, Maliha

    2017-11-01

    Cadmium (Cd) is among the most widespread toxic trace elements found in agricultural soils due to various anthropogenic activities. The role of micronutrient-amino chelates on reducing Cd toxicity in crop plants is recently introduced. The current study was conducted to highlight the role of foliar application of zinc-lysine (Zn-lys) complex on biochemical and growth parameters and Cd uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum) grown in aged Cd-contaminated soil. Foliar concentration of Zn-lys (0, 10, 20, and 30 mg L -1 ) was applied at different time intervals (2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th week of sowing) and plants were harvested at maturity. Folliar application of Zinc-lys significantly increased the photosynthesis, grain yield, enzyme activities and Zn contents in different plant tissues. Zinc-lys reduced Cd contents in grains, shoot and root as well as reduced the oxidative stress in wheat linearly in a dose-additive manner. Taken together, Zn-lys chelate efficiently improved wheat growth and fortified Zn contents while reduced Cd concentration in plant in a Zn-deficient Cd-contaminated soil. Although, health risk index (HRI) from the soil sampling area seems to be lower than <1 for Cd but may exceed due to long-term consumption of grains produced from such contaminated soil. Foliar applied Zn-lys reduced HRI which may help to reduce health risks associated with Cd. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Quantification of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal adducts to lysine residues in native and oxidized human low-density lipoprotein.

    PubMed Central

    Requena, J R; Fu, M X; Ahmed, M U; Jenkins, A J; Lyons, T J; Baynes, J W; Thorpe, S R

    1997-01-01

    Malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) are major end-products of oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and are frequently measured as indicators of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in vivo. MDA forms Schiff-base adducts with lysine residues and cross-links proteins in vitro; HNE also reacts with lysines, primarily via a Michael addition reaction. We have developed methods using NaBH4 reduction to stabilize these adducts to conditions used for acid hydrolysis of protein, and have prepared reduced forms of lysine-MDA [3-(N epsilon-lysino)propan-1-ol (LM)], the lysine-MDA-lysine iminopropene cross-link [1,3-di(N epsilon-lysino)propane (LML)] and lysine-HNE [3-(N epsilon-lysino)-4-hydroxynonan-l-ol (LHNE)]. Gas chromatography/MS assays have been developed for quantification of the reduced compounds in protein. RNase incubated with MDA or HNE was used as a model for quantification of the adducts by gas chromatography/MS. There was excellent agreement between measurement of MDA bound to RNase as LM and LML, and as thiobarbituric acid-MDA adducts measured by HPLC; these adducts accounted for 70-80% of total lysine loss during the reaction with MDA. LM and LML (0.002-0.12 mmol/ mol of lysine) were also found in freshly isolated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) from healthy subjects. LHNE was measured in RNase treated with HNE, but was not detectable in native LDL. LM, LML and LHNE increased in concert with the formation of conjugated dienes during the copper-catalysed oxidation of LDL, but accounted for modification of < 1% of lysine residues in oxidized LDL. These results are the first report of direct chemical measurement of MDA and HNE adducts to lysine residues in LDL. LM, LML and LHNE should be useful as biomarkers of lipid peroxidative modification of protein and of oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. PMID:9078279

  18. Optimizing the Mass-Specific Activity of Bilirubin Oxidase Adlayers through Combined Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Dual Polarization Interferometry Analyses.

    PubMed

    McArdle, Trevor; McNamara, Thomas P; Fei, Fan; Singh, Kulveer; Blanford, Christopher F

    2015-11-18

    Two surface analysis techniques, dual polarization interferometry (DPI) and analysis by an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation capability (E-QCM-D), were paired to find the deposition conditions that give the highest and most stable electrocatalytic activity per adsorbed mass of enzyme. Layers were formed by adsorption from buffered solutions of bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria at pH 6.0 to planar surfaces, under high enzyme loading (≥1 mg mL(-1)) for contact periods of up to 2 min. Both unmodified and carboxylate-functionalized gold-coated sensors showed that a deposition solution concentration of 10-25 mg mL(-1) gave the highest activity per mass of adsorbed enzyme with an effective catalytic rate constant (k(cat)) of about 60 s(-1). The densification of adsorbed layers observed by DPI correlated with reduced bioactivity observed by parallel E-QCM-D measurements. Postadsorption changes in thickness and density observed by DPI were incorporated into Kelvin-Voigt models of the QCM-D response. The modeled response matched experimental observations when the adlayer viscosity tripled after adsorption.

  19. Exogenous thyroid hormones regulate the activity of citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase in warm- but not cold-acclimated lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zak, Megan A.; Regish, Amy M.; McCormick, Stephen; Manzon, Richard G.

    2017-01-01

    Thermal acclimation is known to elicit metabolic adjustments in ectotherms, but the cellular mechanisms and endocrine control of these shifts have not been fully elucidated. Here we examined the relationship between thermal acclimation, thyroid hormones and oxidative metabolism in juvenile lake whitefish. Impacts of thermal acclimation above (19 °C) or below (8 °C) the thermal optimum (13 °C) and exposure to exogenous thyroid hormone (60 µg T4/g body weight) were assessed by quantifying citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities in liver, red muscle, white muscle and heart. Warm acclimation decreased citrate synthase activity in liver and elevated both citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities in red muscle. In contrast, induction of hyperthyroidism in warm-acclimated fish stimulated a significant increase in liver citrate synthase and heart cytochrome c oxidase activities, and a decrease in the activity of both enzymes in red muscle. No change in citrate synthase or cytochrome c oxidase activities was observed following cold acclimation in either the presence or absence of exogenous thyroid hormones. Collectively, our results indicate that thyroid hormones influence the activity of oxidative enzymes more strongly in warm-acclimated than in cold-acclimated lake whitefish, and they may play a role in mediating metabolic adjustments observed during thermal acclimation.

  20. Exogenous thyroid hormones regulate the activity of citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase in warm- but not cold-acclimated lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis).

    PubMed

    Zak, Megan A; Regish, Amy M; McCormick, Stephen D; Manzon, Richard G

    2017-06-01

    Thermal acclimation is known to elicit metabolic adjustments in ectotherms, but the cellular mechanisms and endocrine control of these shifts have not been fully elucidated. Here we examined the relationship between thermal acclimation, thyroid hormones and oxidative metabolism in juvenile lake whitefish. Impacts of thermal acclimation above (19°C) or below (8°C) the thermal optimum (13°C) and exposure to exogenous thyroid hormone (60µg T 4 /g body weight) were assessed by quantifying citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities in liver, red muscle, white muscle and heart. Warm acclimation decreased citrate synthase activity in liver and elevated both citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities in red muscle. In contrast, induction of hyperthyroidism in warm-acclimated fish stimulated a significant increase in liver citrate synthase and heart cytochrome c oxidase activities, and a decrease in the activity of both enzymes in red muscle. No change in citrate synthase or cytochrome c oxidase activities was observed following cold acclimation in either the presence or absence of exogenous thyroid hormones. Collectively, our results indicate that thyroid hormones influence the activity of oxidative enzymes more strongly in warm-acclimated than in cold-acclimated lake whitefish, and they may play a role in mediating metabolic adjustments observed during thermal acclimation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Catalase deficiency may complicate urate oxidase (rasburicase) therapy.

    PubMed

    Góth, László; Bigler, N William

    2007-09-01

    Patients with low (inherited and acquired) catalase activities who are treated with infusion of uric acid oxidase because they are at risk of tumour lysis syndrome may experience very high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. They may suffer from methemoglobinaemia and haemolytic anaemia which may be attributed either to deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase or to other unknown circumstances. Data have not been reported from catalase deficient patients who were treated with uric acid oxidase. It may be hypothesized that their decreased blood catalase could lead to the increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide which may cause haemolysis and formation of methemoglobin. Blood catalase activity should be measured for patients at risk of tumour lysis syndrome prior to uric acid oxidase treatment.

  2. [Oxygen and the superoxide anion. Modulation of NADPH oxidase?].

    PubMed

    Delbosc, S; Cristol, J P; Descomps, B; Chénard, J; Sirois, P

    2001-01-01

    Oxidative stress which results from an imbalance between oxidant production and antioxidant defense mechanisms can promote modifications of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. This review focuses on the different pathways leading to Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production in particular on NADPH oxidase activation. This enzyme is localized in numerous cells including phagocytes and vascular cells and composed of membrane and cytosolic sub-units. The activation of the NADPH oxidase is largely involved in inflammation associated diseases such as asthma, Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and aging associated diseases such as atherosclerosis and neurodeneratives diseases. The modulation of NADPH oxidase could be a way to limit or prevent the development of these diseases.

  3. Alternative Oxidase Isoforms Are Differentially Activated by Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Intermediates.

    PubMed

    Selinski, Jennifer; Hartmann, Andreas; Deckers-Hebestreit, Gabriele; Day, David A; Whelan, James; Scheibe, Renate

    2018-02-01

    The cyanide-insensitive alternative oxidase (AOX) is a non-proton-pumping ubiquinol oxidase that catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to water and is posttranslationally regulated by redox mechanisms and 2-oxo acids. Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) possesses five AOX isoforms (AOX1A-AOX1D and AOX2). AOX1D expression is increased in aox1a knockout mutants from Arabidopsis (especially after restriction of the cytochrome c pathway) but cannot compensate for the lack of AOX1A, suggesting a difference in the regulation of these isoforms. Therefore, we analyzed the different AOX isoenzymes with the aim to identify differences in their posttranslational regulation. Seven tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (citrate, isocitrate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, malate, and oxaloacetate) were tested for their influence on AOX1A, AOX1C, and AOX1D wild-type protein activity using a refined in vitro system. AOX1C is insensitive to all seven organic acids, AOX1A and AOX1D are both activated by 2-oxoglutarate, but only AOX1A is additionally activated by oxaloacetate. Furthermore, AOX isoforms cannot be transformed to mimic one another by substituting the variable cysteine residues at position III in the protein. In summary, we show that AOX isoforms from Arabidopsis are differentially fine-regulated by tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites (most likely depending on the amino-terminal region around the highly conserved cysteine residues known to be involved in regulation by the 2-oxo acids pyruvate and glyoxylate) and propose that this is the main reason why they cannot functionally compensate for each other. © 2018 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Biochemical, biological and molecular characterization of an L-Amino acid oxidase (LAAO) purified from Bothrops pictus Peruvian snake venom.

    PubMed

    Lazo, Fanny; Vivas-Ruiz, Dan E; Sandoval, Gustavo A; Rodríguez, Edith F; Kozlova, Edgar E G; Costal-Oliveira, F; Chávez-Olórtegui, Carlos; Severino, Ruperto; Yarlequé, Armando; Sanchez, Eladio F

    2017-12-01

    An L-amino acid oxidase from Peruvian Bothrops pictus (Bpic-LAAO) snake venom was purified using a combination of size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography. Bpic-LAAO is a homodimeric glycosylated flavoprotein with molecular mass of ∼65 kDa under reducing conditions and ∼132 kDa in its native form as analyzed by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography, respectively. N-terminal amino acid sequencing showed highly conserved residues in a glutamine-rich motif related to binding substrate. The enzyme exhibited optimal activity towards L-Leu at pH 8.5, and like other reported SV-LAAOs, it is stable until 55 °C. Kinetic studies showed that the cations Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ and Mn 2+ did not alter Bpic-LAAO activity; however, Zn 2+ is an inhibitor. Some reagents such as β-mercaptoethanol, glutathione and iodoacetate had inhibitory effect on Bpic-LAAO activity, but PMSF, EDTA and glutamic acid did not affect its activity. Regarding the biological activities of Bpic-LAAO, this enzyme induced edema in mice (MED = 7.8 μg), and inhibited human platelet aggregation induced by ADP in a dose-dependent manner and showed antibacterial activity on Gram (+) and Gram (-) bacteria. Bpic-LAAO cDNA of 1494 bp codified a mature protein with 487 amino acid residues comprising a signal peptide of 11 amino acids. Finally, the phylogenetic tree obtained with other sequences of LAAOs, evidenced its similarity to other homologous enzymes, showing two well-established monophyletic groups in Viperidae and Elapidae families. Bpic-LAAO is evolutively close related to LAAOs from B. jararacussu, B. moojeni and B. atrox, and together with the LAAO from B. pauloensis, form a well-defined cluster of the Bothrops genus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Kinetic mechanism of L-α-glycerophosphate oxidase from Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

    PubMed

    Maenpuen, Somchart; Watthaisong, Pratchaya; Supon, Pacharee; Sucharitakul, Jeerus; Parsonage, Derek; Karplus, P Andrew; Claiborne, Al; Chaiyen, Pimchai

    2015-08-01

    L-α-glycerophosphate oxidase is an FAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of L-α-glycerophosphate (Glp) by molecular oxygen to generate dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The catalytic properties of recombinant His6-GlpO from Mycoplasma pneumoniae (His6-MpGlpO) were investigated through transient and steady-state kinetics and ligand binding studies. The results indicate that the reaction mechanism of His6-MpGlpO follows a ping-pong model. Double-mixing mode stopped-flow experiments show that, after flavin-mediated substrate oxidation, DHAP leaves rapidly prior to the oxygen reaction. The values determined for the individual rate constants and kcat (4.2 s(-1) at 4 °C), in addition to the finding that H2 O2 binds to the oxidized enzyme, suggest that H2O2 release is the rate-limiting step for the overall reaction. The results indicate that His6 -MpGlpO contains mixed populations of fast- and slow-reacting species. It is predominantly the fast-reacting species that participates in turnover. In contrast to other GlpO enzymes previously described, His6-MpGlpO is able to catalyze the reverse reaction of reduced enzyme and DHAP. This result may be explained by the standard reduction potential value of His6-MpGlpO (-167 ± 1 mV), which is lower than those of GlpO from other species. We found that D,L-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GAP) may be used as a substrate in the His6-MpGlpO reaction, although it exhibited an approximately 100-fold lower kcat value in comparison with the reaction of Glp. These results also imply involvement of GlpO in glycolysis, as well as in lipid and glycerol metabolism. The kinetic models and distinctive properties of His6-MpGlpO reported here should be useful for future drug development against Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. © 2015 FEBS.

  6. An activity transition from NADH dehydrogenase to NADH oxidase during protein denaturation.

    PubMed

    Huston, Scott; Collins, John; Sun, Fangfang; Zhang, Ting; Vaden, Timothy D; Zhang, Y-H Percival; Fu, Jinglin

    2018-05-01

    A decrease in the specific activity of an enzyme is commonly observed when the enzyme is inappropriately handled or is stored over an extended period. Here, we reported a functional transition of an FMN-bound diaphorase (FMN-DI) that happened during the long-term storage process. It was found that FMN-DI did not simply lose its β-nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (NADH) dehydrogenase activity after a long-time storage, but obtained a new enzyme activity of NADH oxidase. Further mechanistic studies suggested that the alteration of the binding strength of an FMN cofactor with a DI protein could be responsible for this functional switch of the enzyme. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. Kinetic isotope effects reveal early transition state of protein lysine methyltransferase SET8

    PubMed Central

    Linscott, Joshua A.; Kapilashrami, Kanishk; Wang, Zhen; Senevirathne, Chamara; Bothwell, Ian R.; Blum, Gil; Luo, Minkui

    2016-01-01

    Protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs) catalyze the methylation of protein substrates, and their dysregulation has been linked to many diseases, including cancer. Accumulated evidence suggests that the reaction path of PKMT-catalyzed methylation consists of the formation of a cofactor(cosubstrate)–PKMT–substrate complex, lysine deprotonation through dynamic water channels, and a nucleophilic substitution (SN2) transition state for transmethylation. However, the molecular characters of the proposed process remain to be elucidated experimentally. Here we developed a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) method and corresponding mathematic matrix to determine precisely the ratios of isotopically methylated peptides. This approach may be generally applicable for examining the kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) of posttranslational modifying enzymes. Protein lysine methyltransferase SET8 is the sole PKMT to monomethylate histone 4 lysine 20 (H4K20) and its function has been implicated in normal cell cycle progression and cancer metastasis. We therefore implemented the MS-based method to measure KIEs and binding isotope effects (BIEs) of the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) for SET8-catalyzed H4K20 monomethylation. A primary intrinsic 13C KIE of 1.04, an inverse intrinsic α-secondary CD3 KIE of 0.90, and a small but statistically significant inverse CD3 BIE of 0.96, in combination with computational modeling, revealed that SET8-catalyzed methylation proceeds through an early, asymmetrical SN2 transition state with the C-N and C-S distances of 2.35–2.40 Å and 2.00–2.05 Å, respectively. This transition state is further supported by the KIEs, BIEs, and steady-state kinetics with the SAM analog Se-adenosyl-l-selenomethionine (SeAM) as a cofactor surrogate. The distinct transition states between protein methyltransferases present the opportunity to design selective transition-state analog inhibitors. PMID

  8. Structure-Activity Relationship Analysis of 3-phenylcoumarin-Based Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rauhamäki, Sanna; Postila, Pekka A.; Niinivehmas, Sanna; Kortet, Sami; Schildt, Emmi; Pasanen, Mira; Manivannan, Elangovan; Ahinko, Mira; Koskimies, Pasi; Nyberg, Niina; Huuskonen, Pasi; Multamäki, Elina; Pasanen, Markku; Juvonen, Risto O.; Raunio, Hannu; Huuskonen, Juhani; Pentikäinen, Olli T.

    2018-03-01

    Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) catalyzes deamination of monoamines such as neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Accordingly, small-molecule MAO-B inhibitors potentially alleviate the symptoms of dopamine-linked neuropathologies such as depression or Parkinson’s disease. Coumarin with a functionalized 3-phenyl ring system is a promising scaffold for building potent MAO-B inhibitors. Here, a vast set of 3-phenylcoumarin derivatives was designed using virtual combinatorial chemistry or rationally de novo and synthesized using microwave chemistry. The derivatives inhibited the MAO-B at 100 nM - 1 µM. The IC50 value of the most potent derivative 1 was 56 nM. A docking-based structure-activity relationship analysis summarizes the atom-level determinants of the MAO-B inhibition by the derivatives. Finally, the cross-reactivity of the derivatives was tested against monoamine oxidase A and a specific subset of enzymes linked to estradiol metabolism, known to have coumarin-based inhibitors. Overall, the results indicate that the 3-phenylcoumarins, especially derivative 1, present unique pharmacological features worth considering in future drug development.

  9. Effects of single oral doses of lysine clonixinate and acetylsalicylic acid on platelet functions in man.

    PubMed

    Pallapies, D; Muhs, A; Bertram, L; Rohleder, G; Nagyiványi, P; Peskar, B A

    1996-01-01

    Lysine clonixinate is an analgesic drug with a so far unknown mechanism of action. We have determined its effect on platelet cyclooxygenase in man. Biosynthesis of thromboxane (TX)B2 and prostaglandin (PG)F2 alpha in clotting whole blood ex vivo as well as collagen-induced platelet aggregation measured before and at various time points after oral administration of 125 mg lysine clonixinate were compared to results obtained with 500 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). While biosynthesis of both TXB2 and PGF2 alpha measured radioimmunologically was inhibited significantly 2.5 h, but not 6 h, after administration of lysine clonixinate, inhibition by ASA was much greater and still highly significant after 48 h. Similarly, collagen-induced aggregation of platelet-rich plasma was inhibited for a longer period and to a greater extent after administration of ASA than after lysine clonixinate. Our results indicate that lysine clonixinate is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor of moderate potency. It remains to be investigated whether mechanisms other than inhibition of cyclooxygenase contribute to the analgesic activity of lysine clonixinate.

  10. Autoacetylation of the MYST Lysine Acetyltransferase MOF Protein*

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Chao; Wu, Jiang; Sinha, Sarmistha H.; Neveu, John M.; Zheng, Yujun George

    2012-01-01

    The MYST family of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) plays critical roles in diverse cellular processes, such as the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Lysine autoacetylation of the MYST HATs has recently received considerable attention. Nonetheless, the mechanism and function of the autoacetylation process are not well defined. To better understand the biochemical mechanism of MYST autoacetylation and the impact of autoacetylation on the cognate histone acetylation, we carried out detailed analyses of males-absent-on-the-first (MOF), a key member of the MYST family. A number of mutant MOF proteins were produced with point mutations at several key residues near the active site of the enzyme. Autoradiography and immunoblotting data showed that mutation of these residues affects the autoacetylation activity and HAT activity of MOF by various degrees demonstrating that MOF activity is highly sensitive to the chemical changes in those residues. We produced MOF protein in the deacetylated form by using a nonspecific lysine deacetylase. Interestingly, both the autoacetylation activity and the histone acetylation activity of the deacetylated MOF were found to be very close to that of wild-type MOF, suggesting that autoacetylation of MOF only marginally modulates the enzymatic activity. Also, we found that the autoacetylation rates of MOF and deacetylated MOF were much slower than the cognate substrate acetylation. Thus, autoacetylation does not seem to contribute to the intrinsic enzymatic activity in a significant manner. These data provide new insights into the mechanism and function of MYST HAT autoacetylation. PMID:22918831

  11. Colorimetric assay of heparin in plasma based on the inhibition of oxidase-like activity of citrate-capped platinum nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    You, Jyun-Guo; Liu, Yao-Wen; Lu, Chi-Yu; Tseng, Wei-Lung; Yu, Cheng-Ju

    2017-06-15

    We report citrate-capped platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) as oxidase mimetics for effectively catalyzing the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), dopamine, and methylene blue in the presence of O 2 . To confirm oxidase-like activity of citrate-capped Pt NPs, their activity toward oxygen reduction reaction was studied using cyclic voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode method. The results obtained showed that Pt NP NPs can catalyze the oxidation of organic substrates to the colored product and the reduction of oxygen to water through a four-electron exchange process. Because the aggregation of Pt NPs can inhibit their oxidase-like activity and protamine can recognize heparin, we prepared the protamine-modified Pt NPs through direct adsorption on the surface of citrate-capped Pt NPs. The electrostatic attraction between heparin and protamine-stabilized Pt NPs induced nanoparticle aggregation, inhibiting their catalytic activity. Therefore, the lowest detectable heparin concentrations through UV-vis absorption and by the naked eye were estimated to be 0.3 and 60nM, respectively. Moreover, the proposed system enabled the determination of the therapeutic heparin concentration in a single drop of blood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. NADPH oxidase activation contributes to native low-density lipoprotein-induced proliferation of human aortic smooth muscle cells.

    PubMed

    Park, Il Hwan; Hwang, Hye Mi; Jeon, Byeong Hwa; Kwon, Hyung-Joo; Hoe, Kwang Lae; Kim, Young Myeong; Ryoo, Sungwoo

    2015-06-12

    Elevated plasma concentration of native low-density lipoprotein (nLDL) is associated with vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) activation and cardiovascular disease. We investigated the mechanisms of superoxide generation and its contribution to pathophysiological cell proliferation in response to nLDL stimulation. Lucigenin-induced chemiluminescence was used to measure nLDL-induced superoxide production in human aortic smooth muscle cells (hAoSMCs). Superoxide production was increased by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and decreased by NADPH oxidase inhibitors in nLDL-stimulated hAoSMC and hAoSMC homogenates, as well as in prepared membrane fractions. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2), protein kinase C-θ (PKCθ) and protein kinase C-β (PKCβ) were phosphorylated and maximally activated within 3 min of nLDL stimulation. Phosphorylated Erk1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase, PKCθ and PKCβ stimulated interactions between p47phox and p22phox; these interactions were prevented by MEK and PKC inhibitors (PD98059 and calphostin C, respectively). These inhibitors decreased nLDL-dependent superoxide production and blocked translocation of p47phox to the membrane, as shown by epifluorescence imaging and cellular fractionation experiments. Proliferation assays showed that a small interfering RNA against p47phox, as well as superoxide scavenger and NADPH oxidase inhibitors, blocked nLDL-induced hAoSMC proliferation. The nLDL stimulation in deendothelialized aortic rings from C57BL/6J mice increased dihydroethidine fluorescence and induced p47phox translocation that was blocked by PD98059 or calphostin C. Isolated aortic SMCs from p47phox(-/-) mice (mAoSMCs) did not respond to nLDL stimulation. Furthermore, NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) was responsible for superoxide generation and cell proliferation in nLDL-stimulated hAoSMCs. These data demonstrated that NADPH oxidase activation contributed to cell proliferation in nLDL-stimulated hAoSMCs.

  13. The dual actions of morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone) as a hypouricemic agent: uricosuric effect and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zhifeng; Fong, Wing Ping; Cheng, Christopher H K

    2006-01-01

    Hyperuricemia is associated with a number of pathological conditions such as gout. Lowering of elevated uric acid level in the blood could be achieved by xanthine oxidase inhibitors and inhibitors of renal urate reabsorption. Some natural compounds isolated from herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine have been previously demonstrated to possess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities. In the present investigation, morin (3,5,7,2',4'-pentahydroxyflavone), which occurs in the twigs of Morus alba L. documented in traditional Chinese medicinal literature to treat conditions akin to gout, was demonstrated to exert potent inhibitory action on urate uptake in rat renal brush-border membrane vesicles, indicating that this compound acts on the kidney to inhibit urate reabsorption. Lineweaver-Burk transformation of the inhibition kinetics data demonstrated that the inhibition of urate uptake was of a competitive type, with a K(i) value of 17.4 microM. In addition, morin was also demonstrated to be an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of the enzyme kinetics indicated that the mode of inhibition was of a mixed type, with K(i) and K(ies) values being 7.9 and 35.1 microM, respectively. Using an oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rat model, morin was indeed shown to exhibit an in vivo uricosuric action, which could explain, in part at least, the observed hypouricemic effect of morin in these rats. The potential application of this compound in the treatment of conditions associated with hyperuricemia was discussed.

  14. Structure-activity relationship and docking studies of thiazolidinedione-type compounds with monoamine oxidase B.

    PubMed

    Carroll, Richard T; Dluzen, Dean E; Stinnett, Hilary; Awale, Prabha S; Funk, Max O; Geldenhuys, Werner J

    2011-08-15

    The neuroprotective activity of pioglitazone and rosiglitazone in the MPTP parkinsonian mouse prompted us to evaluate a set of thiazolidinedione (TZD) type compounds for monoamine oxidase A and B inhibition activity. These compounds were able to inhibit MAO-B over several log units of magnitude (82 nM to 600 μM). Initial structure-activity relationship studies identified key areas to modify the aromatic substituted TZD compounds. Primarily, substitutions on the aromatic group and the TZD nitrogen were key areas where activity was enhanced within this group of compounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Colorimetric Glucose Assay Based on Magnetic Particles Having Pseudo-peroxidase Activity and Immobilized Glucose Oxidase.

    PubMed

    Martinkova, Pavla; Opatrilova, Radka; Kruzliak, Peter; Styriak, Igor; Pohanka, Miroslav

    2016-05-01

    Magnetic particles (MPs) are currently used as a suitable alternative for peroxidase in the construction of novel biosensors, analytic and diagnostic methods. Their better chemical and thermal stabilities predestine them as appropriate pseudo-enzymatic catalysts. In this point of view, our research was focused on preparation of simply and fast method for immobilization of glucose oxidase onto surface of MPs with peroxidase-like activity. Spectrophotometric method (wavelength 450 nm) optimized for glucose determination using modified MPs has been successfully developed. Concentration curve for optimization of method was assayed, and Michaelis-Menten constant (K m) calculated, maximum reaction rate (V max), limit of detection, and correlation coefficient were determined to be 0.13 mmol/l (2.34 mg/dl), 1.79 pkat, 3.74 µmol/l (0.067 mg/dl), and 0.996, respectively. Interferences of other sugars such as sucrose, sorbitol, deoxyribose, maltose, and fructose were determined as well as effect of substances presenting in plasma (ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione, trolox, and urea). Results in comparison with positive and negative controls showed no interferences of the other sugars and no influence of plasma substances to measuring of glucose. The constructed method showed corresponding results with linear dependence and a correlation coefficient of 0.997. Possibility of repeated use of modified MPs was successfully proved.

  16. Immobilization of xanthine oxidase on a polyaniline silicone support.

    PubMed

    Nadruz, W; Marques, E T; Azevedo, W M; Lima-Filho, J L; Carvalho, L B

    1996-03-01

    A polyaniline silicone support to immobilize xanthine oxidase is proposed as a reactor coil to monitor the action of xanthine oxidase on hypoxanthine, xanthine and 6-mercaptopurine. A purified xanthine oxidase immobilized on this support lost 80% of the initial activity after 12 min of use. Co-immobilization of superoxide dismutase and catalase increased the stability of immobilized xanthine oxidase so that the derivative maintained 79% of its initial activity after 4.6 h of continuous use in which 1.5 mumol purine bases were converted by the immobilized enzyme system. There is no evidence of either polyaniline or protein leaching from the coil during 3 h of continuous use. When solutions (10 ml) of hypoxanthine, xanthine and 6-mercaptopurine were circulated individually through the xanthine oxidase-superoxide dismutase-catalase-polyaniline coil (1 mm internal diameter and 3 m in length, 3 ml internal volume) activities of 8.12, 11.17 and 1.09 nmol min-1 coil-1, respectively, were obtained. The advantages of the reactor configuration and the redox properties of the polymer, particularly with respect to immobilized oxidoreductases, make this methodology attractive for similar enzyme systems. This immobilized enzyme system using polyaniline-silicone as support converted 6-mercaptopurine to 6-thiouric acid with equal efficiency as resins based on polyacrylamide and polyamide 11.

  17. Conserved Residues Lys57 and Lys401 of Protein Disulfide Isomerase Maintain an Active Site Conformation for Optimal Activity: Implications for Post-Translational Regulation

    PubMed Central

    Caba, Cody; Ali Khan, Hyder; Auld, Janeen; Ushioda, Ryo; Araki, Kazutaka; Nagata, Kazuhiro; Mutus, Bulent

    2018-01-01

    Despite its study since the 1960's, very little is known about the post-translational regulation of the multiple catalytic activities performed by protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), the primary protein folding catalyst of the cell. This work identifies a functional role for the highly conserved CxxC-flanking residues Lys57 and Lys401 of human PDI in vitro. Mutagenesis studies have revealed these residues as modulating the oxidoreductase activity of PDI in a pH-dependent manner. Non-conservative amino acid substitutions resulted in enzyme variants upwards of 7-fold less efficient. This attenuated activity was found to translate into a 2-fold reduction of the rate of electron shuttling between PDI and the intraluminal endoplasmic reticulum oxidase, ERO1α, suggesting a functional significance to oxidative protein folding. In light of this, the possibility of lysine acetylation at residues Lys57 and Lys401 was assessed by in vitro treatment using acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). A total of 28 acetyllysine residues were identified, including acLys57 and acLys401. The kinetic behavior of the acetylated protein form nearly mimicked that obtained with a K57/401Q double substitution variant providing an indication that acetylation of the active site-flanking lysine residues can act to reversibly modulate PDI activity. PMID:29541639

  18. Phospholipid alterations in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum induced by xanthine oxidase: contamination of commercial preparations of xanthine oxidase by phospholipase A/sub 2/

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gamache, D.A.; Kornberg, L.J.; Bartolf, M.

    1986-05-01

    Incubation of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum with xanthine oxidase alone at pH 7.0 resulted in a loss of lipid phosphorus that was potentiated by the addition of xanthine. Using autoclaved E.coli with 1-/sup 14/C-oleate in the 2-acyl position of membrane phospholipids, the authors demonstrate that many, but not all, commercial preparations of xanthine oxidase contain significant phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) activity (64.3-545.6 nmols/min/mg). The PLA/sub 2/ was maximally active in the neutral-alkaline pH range, was Ca/sup 2 +/-dependent, and was unaffected by the addition of xanthine. PLA/sub 2/ activity was totally inhibited by 1mM EDTA whereas radical production by optimalmore » concentrations of xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) was unaffected by EDTA. Chromatographically purified xanthine oxidase (Sigma Grade III) contained high levels of PLA/sub 2/ activity (64.3 nmols/min/mg) compared to endogenous levels of neutral-active, Ca/sup 2 +/-dependent PLA/sub 2/ measured in various tissue homogenates (less than or equal to 0.5 nmols/ min/mg). Because X/XO mixtures are used extensively to study oxygen free radical-induced cell injury and membrane phospholipid alterations, the presence of a potent extracellular PLA/sub 2/ may have influenced previously published reports, and such studies should be interpreted cautiously.« less

  19. Novel human D-amino acid oxidase inhibitors stabilize an active-site lid-open conformation

    PubMed Central

    Terry-Lorenzo, Ryan T.; Chun, Lawrence E.; Brown, Scott P.; Heffernan, Michele L. R.; Fang, Q. Kevin; Orsini, Michael A.; Pollegioni, Loredano; Hardy, Larry W.; Spear, Kerry L.; Large, Thomas H.

    2014-01-01

    The NMDAR (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor) is a central regulator of synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. hDAAO (human D-amino acid oxidase) indirectly reduces NMDAR activity by degrading the NMDAR co-agonist D-serine. Since NMDAR hypofunction is thought to be a foundational defect in schizophrenia, hDAAO inhibitors have potential as treatments for schizophrenia and other nervous system disorders. Here, we sought to identify novel chemicals that inhibit hDAAO activity. We used computational tools to design a focused, purchasable library of compounds. After screening this library for hDAAO inhibition, we identified the structurally novel compound, ‘compound 2’ [3-(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-4-phenyl-2H-chromen-6-yl)propanoic acid], which displayed low nM hDAAO inhibitory potency (Ki=7 nM). Although the library was expected to enrich for compounds that were competitive for both D-serine and FAD, compound 2 actually was FAD uncompetitive, much like canonical hDAAO inhibitors such as benzoic acid. Compound 2 and an analog were independently co-crystalized with hDAAO. These compounds stabilized a novel conformation of hDAAO in which the active-site lid was in an open position. These results confirm previous hypotheses regarding active-site lid flexibility of mammalian D-amino acid oxidases and could assist in the design of the next generation of hDAAO inhibitors. PMID:25001371

  20. Platelet Adhesion and Activation on Chiral Surfaces: The Influence of Protein Adsorption.

    PubMed

    Fan, Yonghong; Luo, Rifang; Han, Honghong; Weng, Yajun; Wang, Hong; Li, Jing'an; Yang, Ping; Wang, Yunbing; Huang, Nan

    2017-10-03

    Adsorbed proteins and their conformational change on blood-contacting biomaterials will determine their final hemocompatibility. It has frequently been reported that surface chirality of biomaterials may highly influence their protein adsorption behavior. Here, lysine and tartaric acid with different chirality were immobilized onto TiO 2 films respectively, and the influence of surface chirality on protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and activation was also investigated. It showed that the l- and d-molecule grafted samples had almost the same grafting density, surface topography, chemical components, and hydrophilicity in this study. However, biological behaviors such as protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and activation were quite different. The d-lysine grafted surface had a greater ability to inhibit both bovine serum albumin and fibrinogen adsorption, along with less degeneration of fibrinogen compared to the l-lysine anchored surface. However, the d-tartaric acid grafted surface adsorbed more protein but with less denatured fibrinogen compared to the l-tartaric acid grafted one. Further studies showed that the secondary structural change of the adsorbed albumin and fibrinogen on all surfaces with deduction of the α-helix content and increase of disordered structure, while the changing degree was apparently varied. As a result, the d-lysine immobilized surface absorbed less platelets and red blood cells and achieved slightly increased platelet activation. For tartaric acid anchored surfaces, a larger number of platelets adhered to the D-surface but were less activated compared to the L-surface. In conclusion, the surface chirality significantly influenced the adsorption and conformational change of blood plasma protein, which in turn influenced both platelet adhesion and activation.