Sample records for o-acetylserine thiol lyase

  1. Purification and characterization of O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase from spinach chloroplasts.

    PubMed

    Droux, M; Martin, J; Sajus, P; Douce, R

    1992-06-01

    O-Acetylserine (thiol) lyase, the last enzyme in the cysteine biosynthetic pathway, was purified to homogeneity from spinach leaf chloroplasts. The enzyme has a molecular mass of 68,000 and consists of two identical subunits of Mr 35,000. The absorption spectrum obtained at pH 7.5 exhibited a peak at 407 nm due to pyridoxal phosphate, and addition of O-acetylserine induced a considerable modification of the spectrum. The pyridoxal phosphate content was found to be 1.1 per subunit of 35,000, and the chromophore was displaced from the enzyme by O-acetylserine, leading to a progressive inactivation of the holoenzyme. Upon gel filtration chromatography on Superdex 200, part of the chloroplastic O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase eluted in association with serine acetyltransferase at a position corresponding to a molecular mass of 310,000 (such a complex called cysteine synthase has been characterized in bacteria). The activity of O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase was optimum between pH 7.5 and 8.5. The apparent Km for O-acetylserine was 1.3 mM and for sulfide was 0.25 mM. The calculated activation energy was 12.6 kcal/mol at 10 mM O-acetylserine. The overall amino-acid composition of spinach chloroplast O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase was different than that determined for the same enzyme (cytosolic?) obtained from a crude extract of spinach leaves. A polyclonal antibody prepared against the chloroplastic O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase exhibited a very low cross-reactivity with a preparation of mitochondrial matrix and cytosolic proteins suggesting that the chloroplastic isoform was distinct from the mitochondrial and cytosolic counterparts.

  2. Localization of ATP Sulfurylase and O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase in Spinach Leaves.

    PubMed

    Lunn, J E; Droux, M; Martin, J; Douce, R

    1990-11-01

    The intracellular compartmentation of ATP sulfurylase and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves has been investigated by isolation of organelles and fractionation of protoplasts. ATP sulfurylase is located predominantly in the chloroplasts, but is also present in the cytosol. No evidence was found for ATP sulfurylase activity in the mitochondria. Two forms of ATP sulfurylase were separated by anion-exchange chromatography. The more abundant form is present in the chloroplasts, the second is cytosolic. O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity is located primarily in the chloroplasts and cytosol, but is also present in the mitochondria. Three forms of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase were separated by anion-exchange chromatography, and each was found to be specific to one intracellular compartment. The cytosolic ATP sulfurylase may not be active in vivo due to the unfavorable equilibrium constant of the reaction, and the presence of micromolar concentrations of inorganic pyrophosphate in the cytosol, therefore its role remains unknown. It is suggested that the plant cell may be unable to transport cysteine between the different compartments, so that the cysteine required for protein synthesis must be synthesized in situ, hence the presence of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in the three compartments where proteins are synthesized.

  3. Localization of ATP Sulfurylase and O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase in Spinach Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Lunn, John E.; Droux, Michel; Martin, Jacqueline; Douce, Roland

    1990-01-01

    The intracellular compartmentation of ATP sulfurylase and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves has been investigated by isolation of organelles and fractionation of protoplasts. ATP sulfurylase is located predominantly in the chloroplasts, but is also present in the cytosol. No evidence was found for ATP sulfurylase activity in the mitochondria. Two forms of ATP sulfurylase were separated by anion-exchange chromatography. The more abundant form is present in the chloroplasts, the second is cytosolic. O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity is located primarily in the chloroplasts and cytosol, but is also present in the mitochondria. Three forms of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase were separated by anion-exchange chromatography, and each was found to be specific to one intracellular compartment. The cytosolic ATP sulfurylase may not be active in vivo due to the unfavorable equilibrium constant of the reaction, and the presence of micromolar concentrations of inorganic pyrophosphate in the cytosol, therefore its role remains unknown. It is suggested that the plant cell may be unable to transport cysteine between the different compartments, so that the cysteine required for protein synthesis must be synthesized in situ, hence the presence of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase in the three compartments where proteins are synthesized. PMID:16667839

  4. Purification and Kinetic Properties of Serine Acetyltransferase Free of O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase from Spinach Chloroplasts.

    PubMed

    Ruffet, M. L.; Droux, M.; Douce, R.

    1994-02-01

    Serine acetyltransferase, a key enzyme in the L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway, was purified over 300,000-fold from the stroma of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf chloroplasts. The purification procedure consisted of ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography (Trisacryl M DEAE and Mono Q HR10/10), hydroxylapatite chromatography, and gel filtration (Superdex 200). The purified enzyme exhibited a specific activity higher than 200 units mg-1 and a subunit molecular mass of about 33 kD upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Moreover, the purified serine acetyltransferase appeared to be essentially free of O-acetyleserine(thiol)lyase, another enzyme component in the L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway. A steady-state kinetic analysis indicated that the mechanism of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction involves a double displacement. The apparent Km for the two substrates, L-serine and acetyl-coenzyme A, were 2.29 [plus or minus] 0.43 and 0.35 [plus or minus] 0.02 mM, respectively. The rate of L-cysteine synthesis in vitro was measured in a coupled enzyme assay using extensively purified O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase. This rate was maximum when the assay contained approximately a 400-fold excess of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase over serine acetyltransferase. Measurements of the relative level of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase activities in the stroma indicated that the former enzyme was present in much larger quantities than the latter. Thus, the activity ratio for these two enzymes [O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity/serine acetyltransferase activity] measured in the stromal protein extract was 345. This strongly suggested that all the O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase activities in the stroma are involved in bringing a full synthesis of L-cysteine in the chloroplast.

  5. Purification and Kinetic Properties of Serine Acetyltransferase Free of O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase from Spinach Chloroplasts.

    PubMed Central

    Ruffet, M. L.; Droux, M.; Douce, R.

    1994-01-01

    Serine acetyltransferase, a key enzyme in the L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway, was purified over 300,000-fold from the stroma of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf chloroplasts. The purification procedure consisted of ammonium sulfate precipitation, anion-exchange chromatography (Trisacryl M DEAE and Mono Q HR10/10), hydroxylapatite chromatography, and gel filtration (Superdex 200). The purified enzyme exhibited a specific activity higher than 200 units mg-1 and a subunit molecular mass of about 33 kD upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Moreover, the purified serine acetyltransferase appeared to be essentially free of O-acetyleserine(thiol)lyase, another enzyme component in the L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway. A steady-state kinetic analysis indicated that the mechanism of the enzyme-catalyzed reaction involves a double displacement. The apparent Km for the two substrates, L-serine and acetyl-coenzyme A, were 2.29 [plus or minus] 0.43 and 0.35 [plus or minus] 0.02 mM, respectively. The rate of L-cysteine synthesis in vitro was measured in a coupled enzyme assay using extensively purified O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase. This rate was maximum when the assay contained approximately a 400-fold excess of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase over serine acetyltransferase. Measurements of the relative level of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase activities in the stroma indicated that the former enzyme was present in much larger quantities than the latter. Thus, the activity ratio for these two enzymes [O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity/serine acetyltransferase activity] measured in the stromal protein extract was 345. This strongly suggested that all the O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and serine acetyltransferase activities in the stroma are involved in bringing a full synthesis of L-cysteine in the chloroplast. PMID:12232109

  6. Interactions between serine acetyltransferase and O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase in higher plants--structural and kinetic properties of the free and bound enzymes.

    PubMed

    Droux, M; Ruffet, M L; Douce, R; Job, D

    1998-07-01

    The last steps of cysteine synthesis in plants involve two consecutive enzymes. The first enzyme, serine acetyltransferase, catalyses the acetylation of L-serine in the presence of acetyl-CoA to form O-acetylserine. The second enzyme, O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase, converts O-acetylserine to L-cysteine in the presence of sulfide. We have, in the present work, over-produced in Escherichia coli harboring various type of plasmids, either a plant serine acetyltransferase or this enzyme with a plant O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase. The free recombinant serine acetyltransferase (subunit mass of 34 kDa) exhibited a high propensity to form high-molecular-mass aggregates and was found to be highly unstable in solution. However, these aggregates were prevented in the presence of O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase (subunit mass of 36 kDa). Under these conditions homotetrameric serine acetyltransferase associated with two molecules of homodimeric O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase to form a bienzyme complex (molecular mass approximately 300 kDa) called cysteine synthase containing 4 mol pyridoxal 5'-phosphate/mol complex. O-Acetylserine triggered the dissociation of the bienzyme complex, whereas sulfide counteracted the action of O-acetylserine. Protein-protein interactions within the bienzyme complex strongly modified the kinetic properties of plant serine acetyltransferase: there was a transition from a typical Michaelis-Menten model to a model displaying positive kinetic co-operativity with respect to serine and acetyl-CoA. On the other hand, the formation of the bienzyme complex resulted in a very dramatic decrease in the catalytic efficiency of bound O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase. The latter enzyme behaved as if it were a structural and/or regulatory subunit of serine acetyltransferase. Our results also indicated that bound serine acetyltransferase produces a build-up of O-acetylserine along the reaction path and that the full capacity for cysteine synthesis can only be achieved in the

  7. Subcellular Distribution of O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase in Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) Inflorescence.

    PubMed

    Rolland, N; Droux, M; Douce, R

    1992-03-01

    The subcellular localization of O-acetyiserine(thiol)lyase (EC 4.2.99.8) in nongreen tissue from higher plants has been studied using purified proplastids, mitochondria, and protoplasts from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) buds as a source of subcellular fractions. O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase has been detected in both organelles (proplastids and mitochondria) and a cytosolic extract obtained by protoplast fractionation. We confirmed these observations, demonstrating that a form of the enzyme different in global charge and separated from others by anion-exchange chromatography corresponded to each subcellular location. Our observations are consistent with the need for cysteine biosynthesis in each subcellular compartment where the synthesis of proteins occurs.

  8. Subcellular Distribution of O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase in Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) Inflorescence

    PubMed Central

    Rolland, Norbert; Droux, Michel; Douce, Roland

    1992-01-01

    The subcellular localization of O-acetyiserine(thiol)lyase (EC 4.2.99.8) in nongreen tissue from higher plants has been studied using purified proplastids, mitochondria, and protoplasts from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) buds as a source of subcellular fractions. O-Acetylserine(thiol)lyase has been detected in both organelles (proplastids and mitochondria) and a cytosolic extract obtained by protoplast fractionation. We confirmed these observations, demonstrating that a form of the enzyme different in global charge and separated from others by anion-exchange chromatography corresponded to each subcellular location. Our observations are consistent with the need for cysteine biosynthesis in each subcellular compartment where the synthesis of proteins occurs. ImagesFigure 1 PMID:16668766

  9. O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaf: cDNA cloning, characterization, and overexpression in Escherichia coli of the chloroplast isoform.

    PubMed

    Rolland, N; Droux, M; Lebrun, M; Douce, R

    1993-01-01

    The last enzymatic step for L-cysteine biosynthesis is catalyzed by O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL, EC 4.2.99.8) which synthesizes L-cysteine from O-acetylserine and "sulfide." We have isolated and characterized a full-length cDNA (1432 bp) from a lambda gt11 library of spinach leaf encoding the complete precursor of the chloroplast isoform. The 1149-nucleotide open reading frame coding for O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase was in the direction opposite that of the lambda gt11 beta-galactosidase gene. The derived amino acid sequence indicates that the protein precursor consists of 383 amino acid residues including a N-terminal presequence peptide of 52 residues. The amino acid sequence of mature spinach chloroplast O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase shows 40 and 57% homology with its bacterial counterparts. Sequence comparison with several pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-containing proteins reveals the presence of a lysine residue assumed to be involved in cofactor binding. A synthetic cDNA was constructed, coding for the entire 331-amino-acid mature O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase and for an initiating methionine. A high level of expression of the active mature chloroplast isoform was achieved in an Escherichia coli strain carrying the T7 RNA polymerase system (F. W. Studier, A. H. Rosenberg, J. J. Dunn, and J. W. Dubendorff, 1990, in Methods in Enzymology, D. V. Goeddel, Ed., Vol. 185, pp. 60-89, Academic Press, San Diego, CA). Addition of pyridoxine to the bacterial growth medium enhanced the enzyme activity due to the recombinant protein. The extent of production is 25-fold higher than in chloroplast from spinach leaves and the recombinant protein presents the relative molecular mass and immunological properties of the natural enzyme from spinach leaf chloroplast. This work, together with our previous biochemical studies, are in accordance with a prokaryotic type enzyme for L-cysteine biosynthesis in higher plant chloroplasts. Southern blot analysis indicated that O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase

  10. Increased Cysteine Biosynthesis Capacity of Transgenic Tobacco Overexpressing an O-Acetylserine(thiol) Lyase Modifies Plant Responses to Oxidative Stress1

    PubMed Central

    Youssefian, Shohab; Nakamura, Michimi; Orudgev, Emin; Kondo, Noriaki

    2001-01-01

    O-Acetylserine(thiol) lyase (OASTL), a key enzyme of plant sulfur metabolism, catalyzes the formation of Cys from sulfide and O-acetylserine. The biosynthesis of Cys is regarded as the exclusive function of sulfur reduction in plants, and a key limiting step in the production of glutathione (GSH), a thiol implicated in various cellular functions, including sulfur transport, gene expression, scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. To examine whether an increased capacity for cysteine (Cys) biosynthesis alters cellular responses to such stresses, we studied the differential changes in thiol levels and ROS scavenging of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants expressing the wheat (Triticum aestivum) OASTL gene, cys1, to SO2 and to the ROS generator, methyl viologen. Intracellular Cys and GSH contents were generally higher in cys1 transgenics than in controls under normal growth conditions, but became especially elevated in transgenic plants after SO2 exposure. An examination of differences in the ROS scavenging system of the transgenic plants also demonstrated the specific accumulation of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase transcripts, known to be induced by Cys or GSH, and elevated cellular superoxide dismutase activities. The transgenic plants accordingly showed dramatic reductions in the extent of both foliar and photooxidative damage in response to acute SO2, as well as reduced levels of chlorosis and membrane damage following methyl viologen treatment. Overall, our results imply that OASTL plays a pivotal role in the synthesis of Cys and GSH that are required for regulation of plant responses to oxidative stress. PMID:11457951

  11. O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase: an enigmatic enzyme of plant cysteine biosynthesis revisited in Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Wirtz, Markus; Droux, Michel; Hell, Rüdiger

    2004-08-01

    The synthesis of cysteine is positioned at a decisive stage of assimilatory sulphate reduction, marking the fixation of inorganic sulphide into a carbon skeleton. O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase (OAS-TL) catalyses the reaction of inorganic sulphide with O-acetylserine (OAS). Despite its prominent position in the pathway OAS-TL is generally regarded as a non-limiting enzyme without regulatory function, due to low substrate affinities and semi-constitutive expression patterns. To resolve this apparent contradiction, the kinetic properties of three OAS-TLs from Arabidopsis thaliana, localized in the cytosol (A), plastids (B), and mitochondria (C), were analysed. The recombinant expressed OAS-TLs were purified to apparent homogeneity without any fusion tag to maintain their native forms. The proteins displayed high specific activities of 550-900 micromol min(-1) mg(-1). Using an improved and highly sensitive assay method for cysteine determination, the apparent K(m)(sulphide) was 3-6 microM for OAS-TL A, B, and C and thus 10-100 times lower than previously reported for plant OAS-TLs. K(m)(OAS) was between 310 microM and 690 microM for OAS-TL isoform A, B, and C, whereas the apparent dissociation binding constant for OAS was much lower (K(d)<1 microM OAS). A HPLC method was developed for OAS quantification that revealed fast increases of the cellular OAS concentration in response to sulphate deprivation. The observed fluctuations of intracellular OAS concentrations, combined with the OAS dissociation constant and the catalytic properties of OAS-TL, support the model of a dynamic cysteine synthesis system with regulatory function as can be expected from the position of the reaction in the sulphur assimilation pathway.

  12. Salt-specific regulation of the cytosolic O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase gene from Arabidopsis thaliana is dependent on abscisic acid.

    PubMed

    Barroso, C; Romero, L C; Cejudo, F J; Vega, J M; Gotor, C

    1999-07-01

    The expression of Atcys-3A gene coding for cytosolic O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase, a key enzyme in cysteine biosynthesis, from Arabidopsis thaliana is significantly induced by exposure to salt and heavy-metal stresses. Addition of NaCl to mature plants induced a rapid accumulation of the mRNA throughout the leaf lamina and roots, and later on in stems, being mainly restricted to vascular tissues. The salt-specific regulation of Atcys-3A was also mediated by abscisic acid (ABA) since: (1) exogenous addition of ABA to the culture medium mimicked the salt-induced plant response by raising the level of Atcys-3A transcript, and (2) Arabidopsis mutants aba-1 and abi2-1 were not able to respond to NaCl. Our results suggest that a high rate of cysteine biosynthesis is required in Arabidopsis under salt stress necessary for a plant protection or adaptation mechanism. This hypothesis was supported by the observation that intracellular levels of cysteine and glutathione increased up to 3-fold after salt treatment.

  13. Spinach chloroplast 0-acetylserine (thiol)-lyase exhibits two catalytically non-equivalent pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-containing active sites.

    PubMed

    Rolland, N; Ruffet, M L; Job, D; Douce, R; Droux, M

    1996-02-15

    A synthetic gene encoding the mature spinach- chloroplast O-acetylserine (thiol)-lyase was constructed and expressed in an Escherichia coli strain carrying the T7 RNA polymerase system. The pure recombinant protein was obtained at high yield (6 mg/l cell culture) using a new purification procedure that includes affinity chromatography on Green A agarose. Its specific activity was of the order of 1000 U/mg, and its physical properties were similar to those previously reported for the natural enzyme isolated from spinach chloroplasts. In particular the recombinant enzyme, as for the natural enzyme, behaved as a homodimer composed of two identical subunits each of Mr 35000. From steady-state kinetic studies using sulfide or 5-thio(2-nitrobenzoate) (Nbs) as alternative nucleophilic co-substrates, the enzyme exhibited positive kinetic co-operativity with respect to O-acetylserine [Ser(Ac)] in the presence of sulfide and a negative kinetic co-operativity in the presence of Nbs. Binding of Ser(Ac) to the enzyme was also investigated by absorbance and fluorescence measurements to obtain insight into the role of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and of the single tryptophan residue (Trp176) present in the enzyme molecule. Addition of Ser(Ac) to the enzyme provoked the disappearance of the 409-nm absorbance band of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate Schiff base and the appearance of two new absorbance bands, the one located between 320 nm and 360 nm and the other centered at 470 nm. Also, the fluorescence emission of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate Schiff base was quenched upon addition of Ser(Ac) to the enzyme. These changes were most presumably due to the formation of a Schiff base intermediate between alpha-aminoacrylate and the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate cofactor. The fluorescence emission of Trp176 was also quenched upon Ser(Ac) binding to the enzyme. Quantitative analysis of the absorbance and fluorescence equilibrium data disclosed a co-operative behavior in Ser(Ac) binding, in agreement with

  14. Isolation of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cDNAs encoding isoforms of serine acetyltransferase and O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase in a yeast two-hybrid system with Escherichia coli cysE and cysK genes as baits.

    PubMed

    Liszewska, Frantz; Gaganidze, Dali; Sirko, Agnieszka

    2005-01-01

    We applied the yeast two-hybrid system for screening of a cDNA library of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia for clones encoding plant proteins interacting with two proteins of Escherichia coli: serine acetyltransferase (SAT, the product of cysE gene) and O-acetylserine (thiol)lyase A, also termed cysteine synthase (OASTL-A, the product of cysK gene). Two plant cDNA clones were identified when using the cysE gene as a bait. These clones encode a probable cytosolic isoform of OASTL and an organellar isoform of SAT, respectively, as indicated by evolutionary trees. The second clone, encoding SAT, was identified independently also as a "prey" when using cysK as a bait. Our results reveal the possibility of applying the two-hybrid system for cloning of plant cDNAs encoding enzymes of the cysteine synthase complex in the two-hybrid system. Additionally, using genome walking sequences located upstream of the sat1 cDNA were identified. Subsequently, in silico analyses were performed aiming towards identification of the potential signal peptide and possible location of the deduced mature protein encoded by sat1.

  15. Impact of overexpression of cytosolic isoform of O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase on soybean nodulation and nodule metabolome

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Nitrogen-fixing nodules, which are also major sites of sulfur assimilation, contribute significantly to the sulfur needs of the whole soybean plants. Nodules are the predominant sites for cysteine accumulation and the activity of O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase (OASS; also known as O-acetylserine(thio...

  16. Improvement of aromatic thiol release through the selection of yeasts with increased β-lyase activity.

    PubMed

    Belda, Ignacio; Ruiz, Javier; Navascués, Eva; Marquina, Domingo; Santos, Antonio

    2016-05-16

    The development of a selective medium for the rapid differentiation of yeast species with increased aromatic thiol release activity has been achieved. The selective medium was based on the addition of S-methyl-l-cysteine (SMC) as β-lyase substrate. In this study, a panel of 245 strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains was tested for their ability to grow on YCB-SMC medium. Yeast strains with an increased β-lyase activity grew rapidly because of their ability to release ammonium from SMC in comparison to others, and allowed for the easy isolation and differentiation of yeasts with promising properties in oenology, or another field, for aromatic thiol release. The selective medium was also helpful for the discrimination between those S. cerevisiae strains, which present a common 38-bp deletion in the IRC7 sequence (present in around 88% of the wild strains tested and are likely to be less functional for 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4MMP) production), and those S. cerevisiae strains homozygous for the full-length IRC7 allele. The medium was also helpful for the selection of non-Saccharomyces yeasts with increased β-lyase activity. Based on the same medium, a highly sensitive, reproducible and non-expensive GC-MS method for the evaluation of the potential volatile thiol release by different yeast isolates was developed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. The cysteine synthase complex from plants. Mitochondrial serine acetyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana carries a bifunctional domain for catalysis and protein-protein interaction.

    PubMed

    Wirtz, M; Berkowitz, O; Droux, M; Hell, R

    2001-02-01

    Serine acetyltransferase (SAT) catalyzes the rate-limiting step of cysteine biosynthesis in bacteria and plants and functions in association with O-acetylserine (thiol) lyase (OAS-TL) in the cysteine synthase complex. Very little is known about the structure and catalysis of SATs except that they share a characteristic C-terminal hexapeptide-repeat domain with a number of enzymatically unrelated acyltransferases. Computational modeling of this domain was performed for the mitochondrial SAT isoform from Arabidopsis thaliana, based on crystal structures of bacterial acyltransferases. The results indicate a left-handed parallel beta-helix consisting of beta-sheets alternating with turns, resulting in a prism-like structure. This model was challenged by site-directed mutagenesis and tested for a suspected dual function of this domain in catalysis and hetero-oligomerization. The bifunctionality of the SAT C-terminus in transferase activity and interaction with OAS-TL is demonstrated and discussed with respect to the putative role of the cysteine synthase complex in regulation of cysteine biosynthesis.

  18. Inhibition of cystathionine-gamma-lyase leads to loss of glutathione and aggravation of mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by excitatory amino acid in the CNS.

    PubMed

    Diwakar, Latha; Ravindranath, Vijayalakshmi

    2007-01-01

    Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative disorders and antioxidants potentially have a major role in neuroprotection. Optimum levels of glutathione (gamma-glutamylcysteinyl glycine), an endogenous thiol antioxidant are required for the maintenance of the redox status of cells. Cystathionine gamma-lyase is the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of cysteine from methionine and availability of cysteine is a critical factor in glutathione synthesis. In the present study, we have examined the role of cystathionine gamma-lyase in maintaining the redox homeostasis in brain, particularly with reference to mitochondrial function since the complex I of the electron transport chain is sensitive to redox perturbation. Inhibition of cystathionine gamma-lyase by l-propargylglycine caused loss of glutathione and decrease in complex I activity in the brain although the enzyme activity in mouse brain was 1% of the corresponding hepatic activity. We then examined the effect of this inhibition on the neurotoxicity mediated by the excitatory amino acid, l-beta-oxalyl amino-l-alanine, which is the causative factor of a type of motor neuron disease, neurolathyrism. l-beta-Oxalyl amino-l-alanine toxicity was exacerbated by l-propargylglycine measured as loss of complex I activity indicating the importance of cystathionine gamma-lyase in maintaining glutathione levels and in turn the mitochondrial function during excitotoxicity. Oxidative stress generated by l-beta-oxalyl amino-l-alanine itself inhibited cystathionine gamma-lyase, which could be prevented by prior treatment with thiol antioxidant. Thus, cystathionine gamma-lyase itself is susceptible to inactivation by oxidative stress and this can potentially exacerbate oxidant-induced damage. Cystathionine gamma-lyase is present in neuronal cells in human brain and its activity is several-fold higher compared to mouse brain. It could potentially play an important role in

  19. Characterization of C-S lyase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC BAA-365 and its potential role in food flavour applications.

    PubMed

    Allegrini, Alessandra; Astegno, Alessandra; La Verde, Valentina; Dominici, Paola

    2017-04-01

    Volatile thiols have substantial impact on the aroma of many beverages and foods. Thus, the control of their formation, which has been linked to C-S lyase enzymatic activities, is of great significance in industrial applications involving food flavours. Herein, we have carried out a spectroscopic and functional characterization of a putative pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent C-S lyase from the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC BAA-365 (LDB C-S lyase). Recombinant LDB C-S lyase exists as a tetramer in solution and shows spectral properties of enzymes containing PLP as cofactor. The enzyme has a broad substrate specificity toward sulphur-containing amino acids with aminoethyl-L-cysteine and L-cystine being the most effective substrates over L-cysteine and L-cystathionine. Notably, the protein also reveals cysteine-S-conjugate β-lyase activity in vitro, and is able to cleave a cysteinylated substrate precursor into the corresponding flavour-contributing thiol, with a catalytic efficiency higher than L-cystathionine. Contrary to similar enzymes of other lactic acid bacteria however, LDB C-S lyase is not capable of α,γ-elimination activity towards L-methionine to produce methanethiol, which is a significant compound in flavour development. Based on our results, future developments can be expected regarding the flavour-forming potential of Lactobacillus C-S lyase and its use in enhancing food flavours. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Japanese Biochemical Society. All rights reserved.

  20. Genetic Determinants of Volatile-Thiol Release by Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Wine Fermentation

    PubMed Central

    Howell, Kate S.; Klein, Mathias; Swiegers, Jan H.; Hayasaka, Yoji; Elsey, Gordon M.; Fleet, Graham H.; Høj, Peter B.; Pretorius, Isak S.; de Barros Lopes, Miguel A.

    2005-01-01

    Volatile thiols, particularly 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4MMP), make an important contribution to the aroma of wine. During wine fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae mediates the cleavage of a nonvolatile cysteinylated precursor in grape juice (Cys-4MMP) to release the volatile thiol 4MMP. Carbon-sulfur lyases are anticipated to be involved in this reaction. To establish the mechanism of 4MMP release and to develop strains that modulate its release, the effect of deleting genes encoding putative yeast carbon-sulfur lyases on the cleavage of Cys-4MMP was tested. The results led to the identification of four genes that influence the release of the volatile thiol 4MMP in a laboratory strain, indicating that the mechanism of release involves multiple genes. Deletion of the same genes from a homozygous derivative of the commercial wine yeast VL3 confirmed the importance of these genes in affecting 4MMP release. A strain deleted in a putative carbon-sulfur lyase gene, YAL012W, produced a second sulfur compound at significantly higher concentrations than those produced by the wild-type strain. Using mass spectrometry, this compound was identified as 2-methyltetrathiophen-3-one (MTHT), which was previously shown to contribute to wine aroma but was of unknown biosynthetic origin. The formation of MTHT in YAL012W deletion strains indicates a yeast biosynthetic origin of MTHT. The results demonstrate that the mechanism of synthesis of yeast-derived wine aroma components, even those present in small concentrations, can be investigated using genetic screens. PMID:16151133

  1. Submicrodeterminations of thiols, disulphides and thiol esters in serum by using o-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid and dithiofluorescein

    PubMed Central

    Wroński, Mieczysław

    1967-01-01

    1. Methods are described for selective estimation of thiols, disulphides and thiol esters in standard solutions and in serum. The methods are based on the reaction with the excess of o-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid (HMB) in alkaline solution with subsequent addition of dithiofluorescein in excess and determination of the extinction at 588mμ. The sensitivity of the methods amounts to 1·5×10−9g.equiv. in 5ml. of final solution. Of results obtained on standard solutions 80% have the errors within the range ±4%. 2. It has been found that serum contains an unidentified substance (substance X) producing green complexes with dithiofluorescein which undergo decomposition on addition of formaldehyde. The correction for substance X must be estimated in a separate sample and taken into account. The concentration of substance X can be calculated from extinctions measured at 588mμ and 635mμ in the presence of dithiofluorescein in excess. 3. The selective determination of thiols and disulphides is based on different reaction rates with formaldehyde. The complexes between HMB and cysteine can be selectively decomposed by formaldehyde, and free glutathione can be selectively removed by formaldehyde in the presence of protein thiols. 4. Thiols are determined in the presence of triethylamine, thiols plus disulphides in the presence of triethylamine and sulphite, and thiols plus thiol esters in the presence of dimethylamine, with subsequent addition of ammonium sulphate. PMID:6049936

  2. Regulation of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from Rhizoctonia solani.

    PubMed Central

    Kalghatgi, K K; Subba Rao, P V

    1976-01-01

    Maximal levels of L-henylalanine ammonia-lyase activity were observed when the mycelial felts of Rhizoctonia solani were grown for 4.5 days on Byrde synthetic medium containing 3.5% glucose and 0.3% L-phenylalanine, Differential centrifugation studies have indicated that the enzyme is localized in the soluble fraction. The time course of induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity by L-phenylalanine showed a lag period of 1 to 1.5 h and reached a maximum around 4 to 6 h after the addition of the inducer to the medium. L-Phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, and L-tryptophan were nearly equally efficient inducers of the enzyme. D-Phenylalanine was as efficient as the L-isomer, whereas D-tyrosine was a poor inducer. Light, gibberellic acid, indole 3-acetic acid, and kinetin had no effect on the induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. Cycloheximide did not inhibit the uptake of amino acids by the mycelia but completely blocked the incorporation of radioactive amino acids into soluble proteins and the development of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. Actinomycin D inhibited both the incorporation of 32P into ribonucleic acid and the enzyme activity. Conclusive evidence for de novo synthesis of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was obtained by the incorporation of radioactive amino acids into the enzyme. Electrophoretic analysis of the purified preparation showed a single protein band that coincided with radioactivity and L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. Glucose and intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, like citric acid, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, and succinic acid, and the metabolites of L-phenylalanine, like o-coumaric acid, o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and protocatechuic acid, significantly repressed L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. The observed repression was not relieved by cyclic adenosine 5'-triphosphate. Images PMID:1262311

  3. Selenium treatment differentially affects sulfur metabolism in high and low glucosinolate producing cultivars of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.).

    PubMed

    McKenzie, Marian J; Chen, Ronan K Y; Leung, Susanna; Joshi, Srishti; Rippon, Paula E; Joyce, Nigel I; McManus, Michael T

    2017-12-01

    The effect of selenium (Se) application on the sulfur (S)-rich glucosinolate (GSL)-containing plant, broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) was examined with a view to producing germplasm with increased Se and GSL content for human health, and to understanding the influence of Se on the regulation of GSL production. Two cultivars differing in GSL content were compared. Increased Se application resulted in an increase in Se uptake in planta, but no significant change in total S or total GSL content in either cultivar. Also no significant change was observed in the activity of ATP sulfurylase (ATPS, EC 2.7.7.4) or O-acetylserine(thiol) lyase (OASTL, EC 2.5.1.47) with increased Se application. However, in the first investigation of APS kinase (APSK, EC 2.7.1.25) expression in response to Se fertilisation, an increase in transcript abundance of one variant of APS kinase 1 (BoAPSK1A) was observed in both cultivars, and an increase in BoAPSK2 transcript abundance was observed in the low GSL producing cultivar. A mechanism by which increased APSK transcription may provide a means of controlling the content of S-containing compounds, including GSLs, following Se uptake is proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. INACTIVATION OF E. COLI PYRUVATE FORMATE-LYASE: ROLE OF AdhE AND SMALL MOLECULES

    PubMed Central

    Nnyepi, Mbako R.; Peng, Yi; Broderick, Joan B.

    2007-01-01

    E. coli AdhE has been reported to harbor three distinct enzymatic activities: alcohol dehydrogenase, acetaldehyde-CoA dehydrogenase, and pyruvate formate-lyase (PFL) deactivase. Herein we report on the cloning, expression, and purification of E. coli AdhE, and the re-investigation of its purported enzymatic activities. While both the alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde-CoA dehydrogenase activities were readily detectible, we were unable to obtain any evidence for catalytic deactivation of PFL by AdhE, regardless of whether the reported cofactors for deactivation (Fe(II), NAD, and CoA) were present. Our results demonstrate that AdhE is not a PFL deactivating enzyme. We have also examined the potential for deactivation of active PFL by small-molecule thiols. Both β-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol deactivate PFL efficiently, with the former providing quite rapid deactivation. PFL deactivated by these thiols can be reactivated, suggesting that this deactivation is non-destructive transfer of an H atom equivalent to quench the glycyl radical. PMID:17280641

  5. Characterization of the serine acetyltransferase gene family of Vitis vinifera uncovers differences in regulation of OAS synthesis in woody plants

    PubMed Central

    Tavares, Sílvia; Wirtz, Markus; Beier, Marcel P.; Bogs, Jochen; Hell, Rüdiger; Amâncio, Sara

    2015-01-01

    In higher plants cysteine biosynthesis is catalyzed by O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL) and represents the last step of the assimilatory sulfate reduction pathway. It is mainly regulated by provision of O-acetylserine (OAS), the nitrogen/carbon containing backbone for fixation of reduced sulfur. OAS is synthesized by Serine acetyltransferase (SERAT), which reversibly interacts with OASTL in the cysteine synthase complex (CSC). In this study we identify and characterize the SERAT gene family of the crop plant Vitis vinifera. The identified four members of the VvSERAT protein family are assigned to three distinct groups upon their sequence similarities to Arabidopsis SERATs. Expression of fluorescently labeled VvSERAT proteins uncover that the sub-cellular localization of VvSERAT1;1 and VvSERAT3;1 is the cytosol and that VvSERAT2;1 and VvSERAT2;2 localize in addition in plastids and mitochondria, respectively. The purified VvSERATs of group 1 and 2 have higher enzymatic activity than VvSERAT3;1, which display a characteristic C-terminal extension also present in AtSERAT3;1. VvSERAT1;1 and VvSERAT2;2 are evidenced to form the CSC. CSC formation activates VvSERAT2;2, by releasing CSC-associated VvSERAT2;2 from cysteine inhibition. Thus, subcellular distribution of SERAT isoforms and CSC formation in cytosol and mitochondria is conserved between Arabidopsis and grapevine. Surprisingly, VvSERAT2;1 lack the canonical C-terminal tail of plant SERATs, does not form the CSC and is almost insensitive to cysteine inhibition (IC50 = 1.9 mM cysteine). Upon sulfate depletion VvSERAT2;1 is strongly induced at the transcriptional level, while transcription of other VvSERATs is almost unaffected in sulfate deprived grapevine cell suspension cultures. Application of abiotic stresses to soil grown grapevine plants revealed isoform-specific induction of VvSERAT2;1 in leaves upon drought, whereas high light- or temperature- stress hardly trigger VvSERAT2;1 transcription. PMID:25741355

  6. Thiol dioxygenase turnover yields benzothiazole products from 2-mercaptoaniline and O2-dependent oxidation of primary alcohols.

    PubMed

    Morrow, William P; Sardar, Sinjinee; Thapa, Pawan; Hossain, Mohammad S; Foss, Frank W; Pierce, Brad S

    2017-10-01

    Thiol dioxygenases are non-heme mononuclear iron enzymes that catalyze the O 2 -dependent oxidation of free thiols (-SH) to produce the corresponding sulfinic acid (-SO 2 - ). Previous chemical rescue studies identified a putative Fe III -O 2 - intermediate that precedes substrate oxidation in Mus musculus cysteine dioxygenase (Mm CDO). Given that a similar reactive intermediate has been identified in the extradiol dioxygenase 2, 3-HCPD, it is conceivable that these enzymes share other mechanistic features with regard to substrate oxidation. To explore this possibility, enzymatic reactions with Mm CDO (as well as the bacterial 3-mercaptopropionic acid dioxygenase, Av MDO) were performed using a substrate analogue (2-mercaptoaniline, 2ma). This aromatic thiol closely approximates the catecholic substrate of homoprotocatechuate of 2, 3-HPCD while maintaining the 2-carbon thiol-amine separation preferred by Mm CDO. Remarkably, both enzymes exhibit 2ma-gated O 2 -consumption; however, none of the expected products for thiol dioxygenase or intra/extradiol dioxygenase reactions were observed. Instead, benzothiazoles are produced by the condensation of 2ma with aldehydes formed by an off-pathway oxidation of primary alcohols added to aqueous reactions to solubilize the substrate. The observed oxidation of 1º-alcohols in 2ma-reactions is consistent with the formation of a high-valent intermediate similar to what has been reported for cytochrome P450 and mononuclear iron model complexes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Reversible inactivation of CO dehydrogenase with thiol compounds

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

    Kreß, Oliver; Gnida, Manuel; Pelzmann, Astrid M.

    2014-05-09

    Highlights: • Rather large thiols (e.g. coenzyme A) can reach the active site of CO dehydrogenase. • CO- and H{sub 2}-oxidizing activity of CO dehydrogenase is inhibited by thiols. • Inhibition by thiols was reversed by CO or upon lowering the thiol concentration. • Thiols coordinate the Cu ion in the [CuSMo(=O)OH] active site as a third ligand. - Abstract: Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CO dehydrogenase) from Oligotropha carboxidovorans is a structurally characterized member of the molybdenum hydroxylase enzyme family. It catalyzes the oxidation of CO (CO + H{sub 2}O → CO{sub 2} + 2e{sup −} + 2H{sup +}) which proceedsmore » at a unique [CuSMo(=O)OH] metal cluster. Because of changing activities of CO dehydrogenase, particularly in subcellular fractions, we speculated whether the enzyme would be subject to regulation by thiols (RSH). Here we establish inhibition of CO dehydrogenase by thiols and report the corresponding K{sub i}-values (mM): L-cysteine (5.2), D-cysteine (9.7), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (8.2), D,L-homocysteine (25.8), L-cysteine–glycine (2.0), dithiothreitol (4.1), coenzyme A (8.3), and 2-mercaptoethanol (9.3). Inhibition of the enzyme was reversed by CO or upon lowering the thiol concentration. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) of thiol-inhibited CO dehydrogenase revealed a bimetallic site in which the RSH coordinates to the Cu-ion as a third ligand ([Mo{sup VI}(=O)OH{sub (2)}SCu{sup I}(SR)S-Cys]) leaving the redox state of the Cu(I) and the Mo(VI) unchanged. Collectively, our findings establish a regulation of CO dehydrogenase activity by thiols in vitro. They also corroborate the hypothesis that CO interacts with the Cu-ion first. The result that thiol compounds much larger than CO can freely travel through the substrate channel leading to the bimetallic cluster challenges previous concepts involving chaperone function and is of importance for an understanding how the sulfuration

  8. Transcripts of sulphur metabolic genes are co-ordinately regulated in developing seeds of common bean lacking phaseolin and major lectins

    PubMed Central

    Marsolais, Frédéric

    2012-01-01

    The lack of phaseolin and phytohaemagglutinin in common bean (dry bean, Phaseolus vulgaris) is associated with an increase in total cysteine and methionine concentrations by 70% and 10%, respectively, mainly at the expense of an abundant non-protein amino acid, S-methyl-cysteine. Transcripts were profiled between two genetically related lines differing for this trait at four stages of seed development using a high density microarray designed for common bean. Transcripts of multiple sulphur-rich proteins were elevated, several previously identified by proteomics, including legumin, basic 7S globulin, albumin-2, defensin, albumin-1, the Bowman–Birk type proteinase inhibitor, the double-headed trypsin inhibitor, and the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor. A co-ordinated regulation of transcripts coding for sulphate transporters, sulphate assimilatory enzymes, serine acetyltransferases, cystathionine β-lyase, homocysteine S-methyltransferase and methionine gamma-lyase was associated with changes in cysteine and methionine concentrations. Differential gene expression of sulphur-rich proteins preceded that of sulphur metabolic enzymes, suggesting a regulation by demand from the protein sink. Up-regulation of SERAT1;1 and -1;2 expression revealed an activation of cytosolic O-acetylserine biosynthesis. Down-regulation of SERAT2;1 suggested that cysteine and S-methyl-cysteine biosynthesis may be spatially separated in different subcellular compartments. Analysis of free amino acid profiles indicated that enhanced cysteine biosynthesis was correlated with a depletion of O-acetylserine. These results contribute to our understanding of the regulation of sulphur metabolism in developing seed in response to a change in the composition of endogenous proteins. PMID:23066144

  9. Transcripts of sulphur metabolic genes are co-ordinately regulated in developing seeds of common bean lacking phaseolin and major lectins.

    PubMed

    Liao, Dengqun; Pajak, Agnieszka; Karcz, Steven R; Chapman, B Patrick; Sharpe, Andrew G; Austin, Ryan S; Datla, Raju; Dhaubhadel, Sangeeta; Marsolais, Frédéric

    2012-10-01

    The lack of phaseolin and phytohaemagglutinin in common bean (dry bean, Phaseolus vulgaris) is associated with an increase in total cysteine and methionine concentrations by 70% and 10%, respectively, mainly at the expense of an abundant non-protein amino acid, S-methyl-cysteine. Transcripts were profiled between two genetically related lines differing for this trait at four stages of seed development using a high density microarray designed for common bean. Transcripts of multiple sulphur-rich proteins were elevated, several previously identified by proteomics, including legumin, basic 7S globulin, albumin-2, defensin, albumin-1, the Bowman-Birk type proteinase inhibitor, the double-headed trypsin inhibitor, and the Kunitz trypsin inhibitor. A co-ordinated regulation of transcripts coding for sulphate transporters, sulphate assimilatory enzymes, serine acetyltransferases, cystathionine β-lyase, homocysteine S-methyltransferase and methionine gamma-lyase was associated with changes in cysteine and methionine concentrations. Differential gene expression of sulphur-rich proteins preceded that of sulphur metabolic enzymes, suggesting a regulation by demand from the protein sink. Up-regulation of SERAT1;1 and -1;2 expression revealed an activation of cytosolic O-acetylserine biosynthesis. Down-regulation of SERAT2;1 suggested that cysteine and S-methyl-cysteine biosynthesis may be spatially separated in different subcellular compartments. Analysis of free amino acid profiles indicated that enhanced cysteine biosynthesis was correlated with a depletion of O-acetylserine. These results contribute to our understanding of the regulation of sulphur metabolism in developing seed in response to a change in the composition of endogenous proteins.

  10. Liquid—liquid interface-mediated Au—ZnO composite membrane using ‘thiol-ene’ click chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, Mohammed; Ghosh, Sujit Kumar

    2015-07-01

    A nanoparticle-decorated composite membrane has been devised at the water/CCl4 interface based on the self-assembly of ligand-stabilized gold and zinc oxide nanoparticles, exploiting the ‘thiol-ene’ click chemistry between the thiol groups of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid-stabilized ZnO nanoparticles and the ene functionality of cinnamic acid attached to gold nanoparticles. The interfacial assembly of ultrasmall particles leads to a multilayer film that exhibits charge-dependent permeability of amino acid molecules across the membrane.

  11. Sulphur alters chromium (VI) toxicity in Solanum melongena seedlings: Role of sulphur assimilation and sulphur-containing antioxidants.

    PubMed

    Singh, Madhulika; Kushwaha, Bishwajit Kumar; Singh, Samiksha; Kumar, Vipin; Singh, Vijay Pratap; Prasad, Sheo Mohan

    2017-03-01

    The present study investigates modulation in hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI) 25 μM] toxicity by sulphur (S; 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mM S as low (LS), medium (MS) and high sulphur (HS), respectively) in Solanum melongena (eggplant) seedlings. Biomass accumulation (fresh and dry weights), photosynthetic pigments, photosynthetic oxygen evolution and S content were declined by Cr(VI) toxicity. Furthermore, fluorescence characteristics (JIP-test) were also affected by Cr(VI), but Cr(VI) toxicity on photosystem II photochemistry was ameliorated by HS treatment via reducing damaging effect on PS II reaction centre and its reduction side. Enhanced respiration, Cr content and oxidative biomarkers: superoxide radical, hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation and membrane damage were observed under Cr(VI) stress. Though Cr(VI) enhanced adenosine triphasphate sulfurylase (ATPS) and o-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, and content of total glutathione, cysteine and NP-SH, however, their levels/activity were further enhanced by S being maximum with HS treatment. The results show that Cr(VI) toxicity does increase under LS treatment while HS protected Cr(VI)-induced damaging effects in brinjal seedlings. Under HS treatment, in mitigating Cr(VI) toxicity, S assimilation and its associated metabolites such as cysteine, glutathione and NP-SH play crucial role. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Functional Exploration of the Polysaccharide Lyase Family PL6

    PubMed Central

    Mathieu, Sophie; Henrissat, Bernard; Labre, Flavien; Skjåk-Bræk, Gudmund; Helbert, William

    2016-01-01

    Alginate, the main cell-wall polysaccharide of brown algae, is composed of two residues: mannuronic acid (M-residues) and, its C5-epimer, guluronic acid (G-residues). Alginate lyases define a class of enzymes that cleave the glycosidic bond of alginate by β-elimination. They are classified according to their ability to recognize the distribution of M- and G-residues and are named M-, G- or MG-lyases. In the CAZy database, alginate lyases have been grouped by sequence similarity into seven distinct polysaccharide lyase families. The polysaccharide lyase family PL6 is subdivided into three subfamilies. Subfamily PL6_1 includes three biochemically characterized enzymes (two alginate lyases and one dermatan sulfatase lyase). No characterized enzymes have been described in the two other subfamilies (PL6_2 and PL6_3). To improve the prediction of polysaccharide-lyase activity in the PL6 family, we re-examined the classification of the PL6 family and biochemically characterized a set of enzymes reflecting the diversity of the protein sequences. Our results show that subfamily PL6_1 includes two dermatan sulfates lyases and several alginate lyases that have various substrate specificities and modes of action. In contrast, subfamilies PL6_2 and PL6_3 were found to contain only endo-poly-MG-lyases. PMID:27438604

  13. Hydrangea-like magneto-fluorescent nanoparticles through thiol-inducing assembly

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Shun; Zhang, Junjun; Song, Shaokun; Xiong, Chuanxi; Dong, Lijie

    2017-01-01

    Magneto-fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs), recognized as an emerging class of materials, have drawn much attention because of their potential applications. Due to surface functionalization and thiol-metal bonds, a simple method has been put forward for fabricating hydrangea-like magneto-fluorescent Fe3O4-SH@QD NPs, through assembling thiol-modified Fe3O4 NPs with sub-size multi-layer core/shell CdSe/CdS/ZnS QDs. After a refined but controllable silane hydrolysis process, thiol-modified Fe3O4 was fabricated, resulting in Fe3O4-SH@QD NPs with QDs, while preventing the quenching of the QDs. As a result, the core Fe3O4 NPs were 18 nm in diameter, while the scattered CdSe/CdS/ZnS QDs were 7 nm in diameter. The resultant magneto-fluorescent Fe3O4-SH@QD NPs exhibit efficient fluorescence, superparamagnetism at room temperature, and rapid response to the external field, which make them ideal candidates for difunctional probes in MRI and bio-labels, targeting and photodynamic therapy, and cell tracking and separation.

  14. Overexpression of serine acetlytransferase produced large increases in O-acetylserine and free cysteine in developing seeds of a grain legume

    PubMed Central

    Tabe, Linda; Wirtz, Markus; Molvig, Lisa; Droux, Michel; Hell, Ruediger

    2010-01-01

    There have been many attempts to increase concentrations of the nutritionally essential sulphur amino acids by modifying their biosynthetic pathway in leaves of transgenic plants. This report describes the first modification of cysteine biosyntheis in developing seeds; those of the grain legume, narrow leaf lupin (Lupinus angustifolius, L.). Expression in developing lupin embryos of a serine acetyltransferase (SAT) from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtSAT1 or AtSerat 2;1) was associated with increases of up to 5-fold in the concentrations of O-acetylserine (OAS), the immediate product of SAT, and up to 26-fold in free cysteine, resulting in some of the highest in vivo concentrations of these metabolites yet reported. Despite the dramatic changes in free cysteine in developing embryos of SAT overexpressers, concentrations of free methionine in developing embryos, and the total cysteine and methionine concentrations in mature seeds were not significantly altered. Pooled F2 seeds segregating for the SAT transgene and for a transgene encoding a methionine- and cysteine-rich sunflower seed storage protein also had increased OAS and free cysteine, but not free methionine, during development, and no increase in mature seed total sulphur amino acids compared with controls lacking SAT overexpression. The data support the view that the cysteine biosynthetic pathway is active in developing seeds, and indicate that SAT activity limits cysteine biosynthesis, but that cysteine supply is not limiting for methionine biosynthesis or for storage protein synthesis in maturing lupin embryos in conditions of adequate sulphur nutrition. OAS and free methionine, but not free cysteine, were implicated as signalling metabolites controlling expression of a gene for a cysteine-rich seed storage protein. PMID:19939888

  15. Overexpression of serine acetlytransferase produced large increases in O-acetylserine and free cysteine in developing seeds of a grain legume.

    PubMed

    Tabe, Linda; Wirtz, Markus; Molvig, Lisa; Droux, Michel; Hell, Ruediger

    2010-03-01

    There have been many attempts to increase concentrations of the nutritionally essential sulphur amino acids by modifying their biosynthetic pathway in leaves of transgenic plants. This report describes the first modification of cysteine biosynthesis in developing seeds; those of the grain legume, narrow leaf lupin (Lupinus angustifolius, L.). Expression in developing lupin embryos of a serine acetyltransferase (SAT) from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtSAT1 or AtSerat 2;1) was associated with increases of up to 5-fold in the concentrations of O-acetylserine (OAS), the immediate product of SAT, and up to 26-fold in free cysteine, resulting in some of the highest in vivo concentrations of these metabolites yet reported. Despite the dramatic changes in free cysteine in developing embryos of SAT overexpressers, concentrations of free methionine in developing embryos, and the total cysteine and methionine concentrations in mature seeds were not significantly altered. Pooled F(2) seeds segregating for the SAT transgene and for a transgene encoding a methionine- and cysteine-rich sunflower seed storage protein also had increased OAS and free cysteine, but not free methionine, during development, and no increase in mature seed total sulphur amino acids compared with controls lacking SAT overexpression. The data support the view that the cysteine biosynthetic pathway is active in developing seeds, and indicate that SAT activity limits cysteine biosynthesis, but that cysteine supply is not limiting for methionine biosynthesis or for storage protein synthesis in maturing lupin embryos in conditions of adequate sulphur nutrition. OAS and free methionine, but not free cysteine, were implicated as signalling metabolites controlling expression of a gene for a cysteine-rich seed storage protein.

  16. Purification, characterization and specificity of chondroitin lyases and glycuronidase from Flavobacterium heparinum.

    PubMed Central

    Gu, K; Linhardt, R J; Laliberté, M; Gu, K; Zimmermann, J

    1995-01-01

    The chondroitin lyases from Flavobacterium heparinum (Cytophaga heparinia) have been widely used in depolymerization of glycosaminoglycan and proteoglycan chondroitin sulphates. Oligosaccharide products derived from chondroitin sulphate can be further degraded by glycuronidases and sulphatases obtained from the same organism. There has been no reported purification of these enzymes to homogeneity nor is there any information on their physical and kinetic characteristics. The absence of pure enzymes has resulted in a lack of understanding of the optimal conditions for their catalytic activity and their substrate specificity. This has limited the use of these enzymes as reagents for preparation of oligosaccharides for structure and activity studies. Reproducible schemes to purify a chondroitin AC lyase, a glycuronidase and chondroitin B lyase from Flavobacterium heparinum to apparent homogeneity are described. Chondroitin AC lyase (chondroitinase AC, EC 4.2.2.5), glycuronidase [chondro-(1-->3)-glycuronidase, no EC number] and chondroitin B lyase (chondroitinase B, no EC number) have M(r) values (assessed by SDS/PAGE) of 74,000, 41,800 and 55,200 respectively, and isoelectric points (determined by isoelectric focusing) of 8.85, 9.28 and 9.05 respectively. Chondroitin lyase AC and B contain pyroglutamic acid at their N-termini precluding their analysis by Edman degradation. Deblocking with pyroglutamate aminopeptidase facilitated the determination of their N-terminal sequences. The kinetic properties of these enzymes have been determined as well as the optimum conditions for their catalytic activity. The specificity of the glycouronidase, determined using 17 different disaccharide substrates, shows that it only acts on unsulphated or 6-O-sulphated 1-->3 linkages. The chondroitin lyases are both endolytic enzymes, and oligosaccharide mapping shows their expected specificity towards the chondroitin and dermatan sulphate polymers. Images Figure 2 Figure 4 PMID:8526872

  17. Thiol peroxidases mediate specific genome-wide regulation of gene expression in response to hydrogen peroxide

    PubMed Central

    Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Koc, Ahmet; Agisheva, Natalia; Jacobsen, Michael; Kaya, Alaattin; Malinouski, Mikalai; Rutherford, Julian C.; Siu, Kam-Leung; Jin, Dong-Yan; Winge, Dennis R.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

    2011-01-01

    Hydrogen peroxide is thought to regulate cellular processes by direct oxidation of numerous cellular proteins, whereas antioxidants, most notably thiol peroxidases, are thought to reduce peroxides and inhibit H2O2 response. However, thiol peroxidases have also been implicated in activation of transcription factors and signaling. It remains unclear if these enzymes stimulate or inhibit redox regulation and whether this regulation is widespread or limited to a few cellular components. Herein, we found that Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking all eight thiol peroxidases were viable and withstood redox stresses. They transcriptionally responded to various redox treatments, but were unable to activate and repress gene expression in response to H2O2. Further studies involving redox transcription factors suggested that thiol peroxidases are major regulators of global gene expression in response to H2O2. The data suggest that thiol peroxidases sense and transfer oxidative signals to the signaling proteins and regulate transcription, whereas a direct interaction between H2O2 and other cellular proteins plays a secondary role. PMID:21282621

  18. A novel C-S lyase from the latex-producing plant Taraxacum brevicorniculatum displays alanine aminotransferase and l-cystine lyase activity.

    PubMed

    Munt, Oliver; Prüfer, Dirk; Schulze Gronover, Christian

    2013-01-01

    We isolated a novel pyridoxal-5-phosphate-dependent l-cystine lyase from the dandelion Taraxacum brevicorniculatum. Real time qPCR analysis showed that C-S lyase from Taraxacum brevicorniculatum (TbCSL) mRNA is expressed in all plant tissues, although at relatively low levels in the latex and pedicel. The 1251 bp TbCSL cDNA encodes a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 46,127 kDa. It is homologous to tyrosine and alanine aminotransferases (AlaATs) as well as to an Arabidopsis thaliana carbon-sulfur lyase (C-S lyase) (SUR1), which has a role in glucosinolate metabolism. TbCSL displayed in vitrol-cystine lyase and AlaAT activities of 4 and 19nkatmg(-1) protein, respectively. However, we detected no in vitro tyrosine aminotransferase (TyrAT) activity and RNAi knockdown of the enzyme had no effect on phenotype, showing that TbCSL substrates might be channeled into redundant pathways. TbCSL is in vivo localized in the cytosol and functions as a C-S lyase or an aminotransferase in planta, but the purified enzyme converts at least two substrates specifically, and can thus be utilized for further in vitro applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. The Syndrome of 17,20 Lyase Deficiency

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Context: Disorders of steroidogenesis have been instrumental in delineating human steroidogenic pathways. Each genetic disorder seemed to correspond to a different steroidogenic activity, helping to identify several enzymes. Beginning in 1972, several patients have been reported as having “17,20 lyase deficiency,” but there have been inconsistent genetic findings. Objective: This manuscript reviews the biochemistry, genetics, and clinical disorders of 17,20 lyase activity, which converts 21-carbon precursors of glucocorticoids to 19-carbon precursors of sex steroids. Findings: A single enzyme, cytochrome P450c17, catalyzes both 17α-hydroxylase activity and 17,20 lyase activity. The 17,20 lyase activity is especially sensitive to the activities of the accessory proteins P450 oxidoreductase and cytochrome b5. The first cases of genetically and biochemically proven 17,20 lyase deficiency were reported in 1997, in which specific P450c17 mutations were identified that lost 17,20 lyase activity but not 17α-hydroxylase activity when assayed in vitro. Subsequent work identified other P450c17 mutations and mutations in the genes encoding P450 oxidoreductase and cytochrome b5. Recently, the initially reported cases from 1972 were found to carry mutations in two aldo-keto reductases, AKR1C2 and AKR1C4. These AKR1C isozymes catalyze 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in the so-called “backdoor pathway” by which the fetal testis produces dihydrotestosterone without the intermediacy of testosterone. Conclusions: 17,20 Lyase deficiency should be considered a syndrome with multiple causes, and not a single disease. Study of this very rare disorder has substantially advanced our understanding of the pathways, mechanisms, and control of androgen synthesis. Mutations in other, as-yet unidentified genes may also cause this phenotype. PMID:22072737

  20. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis in celiac disease

    PubMed Central

    Kaplan, Mustafa; Ates, Ihsan; Yuksel, Mahmut; Ozderin Ozin, Yasemin; Alisik, Murat; Erel, Ozcan; Kayacetin, Ertugrul

    2017-01-01

    AIM To determine dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in celiac disease and to examine the associate with celiac autoantibodies and gluten-free diet. METHODS Seventy three patients with celiac disease and 73 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. In both groups, thiol/disulphide homeostasis was examined with a new colorimetric method recently developed by Erel and Neselioglu. RESULTS In patients with celiac disease, native thiol (P = 0.027) and total thiol (P = 0.031) levels were lower, while disulphide (P < 0.001) level, disulphide/native thiol (P < 0.001) and disulphide/total thiol (P < 0.001) ratios were higher compared to the control group. In patients who do not comply with a gluten-free diet, disulphide/native thiol ratio was found higher compared to the patients who comply with the diet (P < 0.001). In patients with any autoantibody-positive, disulphide/native thiol ratio was observed higher compared to the patients with autoantibody-negative (P < 0.05). It is found that there is a negative correlation between celiac autoantibodies, and native thiol, total thiol levels and native thiol/total thiol ratio, while a positive correlation is observed between disulphide, disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol levels. CONCLUSION This study is first in the literature which found that the patients with celiac disease the dynamic thiol/disulphide balance shifts through disulphide form compared to the control group. PMID:28533921

  1. Inhibition of tyrosine phenol-lyase by tyrosine homologues.

    PubMed

    Do, Quang; Nguyen, Giang T; Phillips, Robert S

    2016-09-01

    We have designed, synthesized, and evaluated tyrosine homologues and their O-methyl derivatives as potential inhibitors for tyrosine phenol lyase (TPL, E.C. 4.1.99.2). Recently, we reported that homologues of tryptophan are potent inhibitors of tryptophan indole-lyase (tryptophanase, TIL, E.C. 4.1.99.1), with K i values in the low µM range (Do et al. Arch Biochem Biophys 560:20-26, 2014). As the structure and mechanism for TPL is very similar to that of TIL, we postulated that tyrosine homologues could also be potent inhibitors of TPL. However, we have found that homotyrosine, bishomotyrosine, and their corresponding O-methyl derivatives are competitive inhibitors of TPL, which exhibit K i values in the range of 0.8-1.5 mM. Thus, these compounds are not potent inhibitors, but instead bind with affinities similar to common amino acids, such as phenylalanine or methionine. Pre-steady-state kinetic data were very similar for all compounds tested and demonstrated the formation of an equilibrating mixture of aldimine and quinonoid intermediates upon binding. Interestingly, we also observed a blue-shift for the absorbance peak of external aldimine complexes of all tyrosine homologues, suggesting possible strain at the active site due to accommodating the elongated side chains.

  2. Magnetic Fe3O4@MCM-41 core-shell nanoparticles functionalized with thiol silane for efficient l-asparaginase immobilization.

    PubMed

    Ulu, Ahmet; Noma, Samir Abbas Ali; Koytepe, Suleyman; Ates, Burhan

    2018-06-06

    l-Asparaginase (l-ASNase) is a vital enzyme for medical treatment and food industry. Here, we assessed the use of Fe 3 O 4 @Mobil Composition of Matter No. 41 (MCM-41) magnetic nanoparticles as carrier matrix for l-ASNase immobilization. In addition, surface of Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41 magnetic nanoparticles was functionalized with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) to enhance stability of l-ASNase. The chemical structure, thermal properties, magnetic profile and morphology of the thiol-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41 magnetic nanoparticles were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and zeta-potential measurement. l-ASNase was covalently immobilized onto the thiol-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41 magnetic nanoparticles. The properties of the immobilized enzyme, including optimum pH, temperature, kinetic parameters, thermal stability, reusability and storage stability were investigated and compared to free one. Immobilized enzyme was found to be stable over a wide range of pH and temperature range than free enzyme. The immobilized l-ASNase also showed higher thermal stability after 180 min incubation at 50 °C. The immobilized enzyme still retained 63% of its original activity after 16 times of reuse. The Km value for the immobilized enzyme was 1.15-fold lower than the free enzyme, which indicates increased affinity for the substrate. Additionally, the immobilized enzyme was active over 65% and 53% after 30 days of storage at 4 °C and room temperature (∼25 °C), respectively. Thereby, the results confirmed that thiol-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41 magnetic nanoparticles had high efficiency for l-ASNase immobilization and improved stability of L-ASNase.

  3. Molecular characterization of a Penicillium chrysogenum exo-rhamnogalacturonan lyase that is structurally distinct from other polysaccharide lyase family proteins.

    PubMed

    Iwai, Marin; Kawakami, Takuya; Ikemoto, Takeshi; Fujiwara, Daisuke; Takenaka, Shigeo; Nakazawa, Masami; Ueda, Mitsuhiro; Sakamoto, Tatsuji

    2015-10-01

    We previously described an endo-acting rhamnogalacturonan (RG) lyase, termed PcRGL4A, of Penicillium chrysogenum 31B. Here, we describe a second RG lyase, called PcRGLX. We determined the cDNA sequence of the Pcrglx gene, which encodes PcRGLX. Based on analyses using a BLAST search and a conserved domain search, PcRGLX was found to be structurally distinct from known RG lyases and might belong to a new polysaccharide lyase family together with uncharacterized fungal proteins of Nectria haematococca, Aspergillus oryzae, and Fusarium oxysporum. The Pcrglx cDNA gene product (rPcRGLX) expressed in Escherichia coli demonstrated specific activity against RG but not against homogalacturonan. Divalent cations were not essential for the enzymatic activity of rPcRGLX. rPcRGLX mainly released unsaturated galacturonosyl rhamnose (ΔGR) from RG backbones used as the substrate from the initial stage of the reaction, indicating that the enzyme can be classified as an exo-acting RG lyase (EC 4.2.2.24). This is the first report of an RG lyase with this mode of action in Eukaryota. rPcRGLX acted synergistically with PcRGL4A to degrade soybean RG and released ΔGR. This ΔGR was partially decorated with galactose (Gal) residues, indicating that rPcRGLX preferred oligomeric RGs to polymeric RGs, that the enzyme did not require Gal decoration of RG backbones for degradation, and that the enzyme bypassed the Gal side chains of RG backbones. These characteristics of rPcRGLX might be useful in the determination of complex structures of pectins.

  4. Thiol Specific and Mitochondria Selective Fluorogenic Benzofurazan Sulfide for Live Cell Nonprotein Thiol Imaging and Quantification in Mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shenggang; Yin, Huihui; Huang, Yue; Guan, Xiangming

    2018-06-11

    Cellular thiols are divided into two major categories: nonprotein thiols (NPSH) and protein thiols (PSH). Thiols are unevenly distributed inside the cell and compartmentalized in subcellular structures. Most of our knowledge on functions/dysfunctions of cellular/subcellular thiols is based on the quantification of cellular/subcellular thiols through homogenization of cellular/subcellular structures followed by a thiol quantification method. We would like to report a thiol-specific mitochondria-selective fluorogenic benzofurazan sulfide {7,7'-thiobis( N-rhodamine-benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole-4-sulfonamide) (TBROS)} that can effectively image and quantify live cell NPSH in mitochondria through fluorescence intensity. Limited methods are available for imaging thiols in mitochondria in live cells especially in a quantitative manner. The thiol specificity of TBROS was demonstrated by its ability to react with thiols and inability to react with biologically relevant nucleophilic functional groups other than thiols. TBROS, with minimal fluorescence, formed strong fluorescent thiol adducts (λ ex = 550 nm, λ em = 580 nm) when reacting with NPSH confirming its fluorogenicity. TBROS failed to react with PSH from bovine serum albumin and cell homogenate proteins. The high mitochondrial thiol selectivity of TBROS was achieved by its mitochondria targeting structure and its higher reaction rate with NPSH at mitochondrial pH. Imaging of mitochondrial NPSH in live cells was confirmed by two colocalization methods and use of a thiol-depleting reagent. TBROS effectively imaged NPSH changes in a quantitative manner in mitochondria in live cells. The reagent will be a useful tool in exploring physiological and pathological roles of mitochondrial thiols.

  5. Isocitrate Lyase from Flax 1

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Fazal R.; McFadden, Bruce A.

    1982-01-01

    The cleavage of Ds-isocitrate catalyzed by isocitrate lyase from Linum usitatissimum results in the ordered release of succinate and glyoxylate. The glyoxylate analog 3-bromopyruvate irreversibly inactivates the flax enzyme in a process exhibiting saturation kinetics and protection by glyoxylate or isocitrate or the competitive inhibitor l-tartrate. Succinate provides considerably less protection. Results with 3-bromopyruvate suggest that this reagent modifies plant and prokaryotic isocitrate lyases differently. Treatment of the tetrameric 264,000-dalton flax enzyme with carboxypeptidase A results in a release of one histidine/subunit which is concordant with loss of activity. The only N-terminal residue is methionine. Treatment of flax enzyme with diethylpyrocarbonate at pH 6.5 selectively modifies two histidines per 67,000-dalton subunit. The reaction of one histidine residue is abolished by the binding of l-tartrate and the modification of one is coincident with inactivation. The carboxy-terminal and active-site modifications establish that one histidine residue/monomer is essential in the flax enzyme and considerably extend information heretofore available only for fungal and bacterial isocitrate lyase. PMID:16662648

  6. Highly selective removal of Hg2+ and Pb2+ by thiol-functionalized Fe3O4@metal-organic framework core-shell magnetic microspheres

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ke, Fei; Jiang, Jing; Li, Yizhi; Liang, Jing; Wan, Xiaochun; Ko, Sanghoon

    2017-08-01

    In this work, we report a novel type of thiol-functionalized magnetic core-shell metal-organic framework (MOF) microspheres that can be potentially used for selective removal of Hg2+ and Pb2+ in the presence of other background ions from wastewater. The monodisperse Fe3O4@Cu3(btc)2 core-shell magnetic microspheres have been fabricated by a versatile step-by-step assembly strategy. Further, the thiol-functionalized Fe3O4@Cu3(btc)2 magnetic microspheres were successfully synthesized by utilizing a facile postsynthetic strategy. Significantly, the thiol-functionalized Fe3O4@Cu3(btc)2 magnetic microspheres exhibit remarkably selective adsorption affinity for Hg2+ (Kd = 5.98 × 104 mL g-1) and Pb2+ (Kd = 1.23 × 104 mL g-1), while a weaker binding affinity occurred for the other background ions such as Ni2+, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+. The adsorption kinetics follow the pseudo-second-order rate equation and with an almost complete removal of Hg2+ and Pb2+ from the mixed heavy metal ions wastewater (0.5 mM) within 120 min. Moreover, this adsorbent can be easily recycled because of the presence of the magnetic Fe3O4 core. This work provides a promising functionalized porous magnetic Fe3O4@MOF-based adsorbent with easy recycling property for the selective removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater.

  7. Synthesis of soybean oil-based thiol oligomers.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jennifer F; Fernando, Shashi; Weerasinghe, Dimuthu; Chen, Zhigang; Webster, Dean C

    2011-08-22

    Industrial grade soybean oil (SBO) and thiols were reacted to generate thiol-functionalized oligomers via a thermal, free radical initiated thiol-ene reaction between the SBO double bond moieties and the thiol functional groups. The effect of the reaction conditions, including thiol concentration, catalyst loading level, reaction time, and atmosphere, on the molecular weight and the conversion to the resultant soy-thiols were examined in a combinatorial high-throughput fashion using parallel synthesis, combinatorial FTIR, and rapid gel permeation chromatography (GPC). High thiol functionality and concentration, high thermal free radical catalyst concentration, long reaction time, and the use of a nitrogen reaction atmosphere were found to favor fast consumption of the SBO, and produced high molecular weight products. The thiol conversion during the reaction was inversely affected by a high thiol concentration, but was favored by a long reaction time and an air reaction atmosphere. These experimental observations were explained by the initial low affinity of the SBO and thiol, and the improved affinity between the generated soy-thiol oligomers and unreacted SBO during the reaction. The synthesized soy-thiol oligomers can be used for renewable thiol-ene UV curable materials and high molecular solids and thiourethane thermal cure materials. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Aromatic thiol-mediated cleavage of N-O bonds enables chemical ubiquitylation of folded proteins

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weller, Caroline E.; Dhall, Abhinav; Ding, Feizhi; Linares, Edlaine; Whedon, Samuel D.; Senger, Nicholas A.; Tyson, Elizabeth L.; Bagert, John D.; Li, Xiaosong; Augusto, Ohara; Chatterjee, Champak

    2016-09-01

    Access to protein substrates homogenously modified by ubiquitin (Ub) is critical for biophysical and biochemical investigations aimed at deconvoluting the myriad biological roles for Ub. Current chemical strategies for protein ubiquitylation, however, employ temporary ligation auxiliaries that are removed under harsh denaturing conditions and have limited applicability. We report an unprecedented aromatic thiol-mediated N-O bond cleavage and its application towards native chemical ubiquitylation with the ligation auxiliary 2-aminooxyethanethiol. Our interrogation of the reaction mechanism suggests a disulfide radical anion as the active species capable of cleaving the N-O bond. The successful semisynthesis of full-length histone H2B modified by the small ubiquitin-like modifier-3 (SUMO-3) protein further demonstrates the generalizability and compatibility of our strategy with folded proteins.

  9. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

    PubMed

    Korkmaz, V; Kurdoglu, Z; Alisik, M; Turgut, E; Sezgın, O O; Korkmaz, H; Ergun, Y; Erel, O

    2017-04-01

    To evaluate the impact of postmenopausal osteoporosis on thiol/disulfide homeostasis. A total of 75 participants were divided into two groups: Group 1 (n = 40) was composed of healthy postmenopausal women, and group 2 (n = 35) was composed of women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Clinical findings and thiol/disulfide homeostasis were compared between the two groups. The disulfide/native thiol ratio was 8.6% ± 3.6 in group 1 and 12.7% ± 8.4 in group 2 (p = 0.04). The disulfide/native thiol percent ratio was significantly higher in group 2 after adjustment for the years since menopause and age (p < 0.05). The native thiol/total thiol percent ratio was 85.6% ± 4.8 in group 1 and 73.8% ± 24.9 in group 2 (p = 0.01). The native thiol/total thiol percent ratio was significantly lower in group 2 after adjustment for the years since menopause and age (p < 0.05). Thiol/disulfide homeostasis shifted to the disulfide side independent of age and years since menopause in postmenopausal osteoporosis.

  10. Synthesis of cyclic, multivalent Arg-Gly-Asp using sequential thiol-ene/thiol-yne photoreactions

    PubMed Central

    Aimetti, Alex A.; Feaver, Kristen R.

    2014-01-01

    A unique method has been developed for the formation of multivalent cyclic peptides. This procedure exploits on-resin peptide cyclization using a photoinitiated thiol-ene click reaction and subsequent clustering using thiol-yne photochemistry. Both reactions utilize the sulfhydryl group on natural cysteine amino acids to participate in the thiol-mediated reactions. PMID:20552127

  11. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of an exotype alginate lyase Atu3025 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58, a member of polysaccharide lyase family 15

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

    Ochiai, Akihito; Yamasaki, Masayuki; Mikami, Bunzo

    2006-05-01

    The crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of a family PL-15 exotype alginate lyase are presented. Almost all alginate lyases depolymerize alginate in an endolytical fashion via a β-elimination reaction. The alginate lyase Atu3025 from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58, consisting of 776 amino-acid residues, is a novel exotype alginate lyase classified into polysaccharide lyase family 15. The enzyme was crystallized at 293 K by sitting-drop vapour diffusion with polyethylene glycol 4000 as a precipitant. Preliminary X-ray analysis showed that the Atu3025 crystal belonged to space group P2{sub 1} and diffracted to 2.8 Å resolution, with unit-cell parameters a = 107.7, bmore » = 108.3, c = 149.5 Å, β = 91.5°.« less

  12. The genetic and functional basis of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency.

    PubMed

    Geller, D H; Auchus, R J; Mendonça, B B; Miller, W L

    1997-10-01

    Human male sexual differentiation requires production of fetal testicular testosterone, whose biosynthesis requires steroid 17,20-lyase activity. Patients with putative isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency have been reported. The existence of true isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency, however, has been questioned because 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase activities are catalyzed by a single enzyme, microsomal cytochrome P450c17, and because the index case of apparent isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency had combined deficiencies of both activities. We studied two patients with clinical and hormonal findings suggestive of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency. We found two patients homozygous for substitution mutations in CYP17, the gene encoding P450c17. When expressed in COS-1 cells, the mutants retained 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity but had minimal 17,20-lyase activity. Substrate competition experiments suggested that the mutations did not alter the enzyme's substrate-binding capacity, but co-transfection of cells with P450 oxidoreductase, the electron donor used by P450c17, indicated that the mutants had a diminished ability to interact with redox partners. Computer-graphic modelling of P450c17 suggests that both mutations lie in or near the redox-partner binding site, on the opposite side of the haem from the substrate-binding pocket. These mutations alter electrostatic charge distribution in the redox-partner binding site, so that electron transfer for the 17,20-lyase reaction is selectively lost or diverted to uncoupling reactions. These are the first proven cases of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency, and they demonstrate a novel mechanism for loss of enzymatic activity.

  13. Impaired Thiol-Disulfide Balance in Acute Brucellosis.

    PubMed

    Kolgelier, Servet; Ergin, Merve; Demir, Lutfi Saltuk; Inkaya, Ahmet Cagkan; Aktug Demir, Nazlim; Alisik, Murat; Erel, Ozcan

    2017-05-24

    The objective of this study was to examine a novel profile: thiol-disulfide homeostasis in acute brucellosis. The study included 90 patients with acute brucellosis, and 27 healthy controls. Thiol-disulfide profile tests were analyzed by a recently developed method, and ceruloplasmin levels were determined. Native thiol levels were 256.72 ± 48.20 μmol/L in the acute brucellosis group and 461.13 ± 45.37 μmol/L in the healthy group, and total thiol levels were 298.58 ± 51.78 μmol/L in the acute brucellosis group and 504.83 ± 51.05 μmol/L in the healthy group (p < 0.001, for both). The disulfide/native thiol ratios and disulfide/total thiol ratios were significantly higher, and native thiol/total thiol ratios were significantly lower in patients with acute brucellosis than in the healthy controls (p < 0.001, for all ratios). There were either positive or negative relationships between ceruloplasmin levels and thiol-disulfide parameters. The thiol-disulfide homeostasis was impaired in acute brucellosis. The strong associations between thiol-disulfide parameters and a positive acute-phase reactant reflected the disruption of the balance between the antioxidant and oxidant systems. Since thiol groups act as anti-inflammatory mediators, the alteration in the thiol-disulfide homeostasis may be involved in brucellosis.

  14. Preparation of Novel Hydrolyzing Urethane Modified Thiol-Ene Networks

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-10-25

    EtO EtO EtO Si EtO OEt OEt O OEt Si OEt OEt OEt HO HOEt H H O H H H Si OEt EtO EtO ... EtO H H SiO H H OEt OEt OEt H Polymers 2011, 3 1851 Thiol-ene “click” chemistry, as a means to form polymer networks...Table 3. Analysis of kinetic rates for fluorine modified systems. Sample name a Zero order k r2 First order k r2 Higuchi KH r2

  15. Structural insights into the catalytic mechanism of cysteine (hydroxyl) lyase from the hydrogen sulfide-producing oral pathogen, Fusobacterium nucleatum.

    PubMed

    Kezuka, Yuichiro; Ishida, Tetsuo; Yoshida, Yasuo; Nonaka, Takamasa

    2018-02-16

    Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) plays important roles in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Oral pathogens typically produce H 2 S from l-cysteine in addition to pyruvate and [Formula: see text] However, fn1055 from Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. nucleatum ATCC 25586 encodes a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the production of H 2 S and l-serine from l-cysteine and H 2 O, an unusual cysteine (hydroxyl) lyase reaction (β-replacement reaction). To reveal the reaction mechanism, the crystal structure of substrate-free Fn1055 was determined. Based on this structure, a model of the l-cysteine-PLP Schiff base suggested that the thiol group forms hydrogen bonds with Asp 232 and Ser 74 , and the substrate α-carboxylate interacts with Thr 73 and Gln 147 Asp 232 is a unique residue to Fn1055 and its substitution to asparagine (D232N) resulted in almost complete loss of β-replacement activity. The D232N structure obtained in the presence of l-cysteine contained the α-aminoacrylate-PLP Schiff base in the active site, indicating that Asp 232 is essential for the addition of water to the α-aminoacrylate to produce the l-serine-PLP Schiff base. Rapid-scan stopped-flow kinetic analyses showed an accumulation of the α-aminoacrylate intermediate during the reaction cycle, suggesting that water addition mediated by Asp 232 is the rate-limiting step. In contrast, mutants containing substitutions of other active-site residues (Ser 74 , Thr 73 , and Gln 147 ) exhibited reduced β-replacement activity by more than 100-fold. Finally, based on the structural and biochemical analyses, we propose a mechanism of the cysteine (hydroxyl) lyase reaction by Fn1055. The present study leads to elucidation of the H 2 S-producing mechanism in F. nucleatum . © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  16. Microbial β-etherases and glutathione lyases for lignin valorisation in biorefineries: current state and future perspectives.

    PubMed

    Husarcíková, Jana; Voß, Hauke; Domínguez de María, Pablo; Schallmey, Anett

    2018-05-04

    Lignin is the major aromatic biopolymer in nature, and it is considered a valuable feedstock for the future supply of aromatics. Hence, its valorisation in biorefineries is of high importance, and various chemical and enzymatic approaches for lignin depolymerisation have been reported. Among the enzymes known to act on lignin, β-etherases offer the possibility for a selective cleavage of the β-O-4 aryl ether bonds present in lignin. These enzymes, together with glutathione lyases, catalyse a reductive, glutathione-dependent ether bond cleavage displaying high stereospecificity. β-Etherases and glutathione lyases both belong to the superfamily of glutathione transferases, and several structures have been solved recently. Additionally, different approaches for their application in lignin valorisation have been reported in the last years. This review gives an overview on the current knowledge on β-etherases and glutathione lyases, their biochemical and structural features, and critically discusses their potential for application in biorefineries.

  17. Thiol biochemistry of prokaryotes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fahey, Robert C.

    1986-01-01

    The present studies have shown that GSH metabolism arose in the purple bacteria and cyanobacteria where it functions to protect against oxygen toxicity. Evidence was obtained indicating that GSH metabolism was incorporated into eucaryotes via the endosymbiosis giving rise to mitochrondria and chloroplasts. Aerobic bacteria lacking GSH utilize other thiols for apparently similar functions, the thiol being coenzyme A in Gram positive bacteria and chi-glutamylcysteine in the halobacteria. The thiol biochemistry of prokaryotes is thus seen to be much more highly diversified than that of eucaryotes and much remains to be learned about this subject.

  18. Screening of alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms from the surface of brown algae.

    PubMed

    Wang, Mingpeng; Chen, Lei; Zhang, Zhaojie; Wang, Xuejiang; Qin, Song; Yan, Peisheng

    2017-12-01

    Alginate lyase is a biocatalyst that degrades alginate to produce oligosaccharides, which have many bioactive functions and could be used as renewable biofuels. Here we report a simple and sensitive plate assay for screening alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms from brown algae. Brown algae Laminaria japonica, Sargassum horneri and Sargassum siliquatrum were cultured in sterile water. Bacteria growing on the surface of seaweeds were identified and their capacity of excreting alginate lyase was analyzed. A total of 196 strains were recovered from the three different algae samples and 12 different bacterial strains were identified capable of excreting alginate lyases. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that these alginate lyase-excreting strains belong to eight genera: Paenibacillus (4/12), Bacillus (2/12), Leclercia (1/12), Isoptericola (1/12), Planomicrobium (1/12), Pseudomonas (1/12), Lysinibacillus (1/12) and Sphingomonas (1/12). Further analysis showed that the LJ-3 strain (Bacillus halosaccharovorans) had the highest enzyme activity. To our best knowledge, this is the first report regarding alginate lyase-excreting strains in Paenibacillus, Planomicrobium and Leclercia. We believe that our method used in this study is relatively easy and reliable for large-scale screening of alginate lyase-excreting microorganisms.

  19. Thiol/disulfide status regulates the activity of thiol-containing kinases related to energy homeostasis in rat kidney.

    PubMed

    Rech, Virginia C; Mezzomo, Nathana J; Athaydes, Genaro A; Feksa, Luciane R; Figueiredo, Vandré C; Kessler, Adriana; Franceschi, Itiane D DE; Wannmacher, Clovis M D

    2018-01-01

    Considering that thiol-containing enzymes like kinases are critical for several metabolic pathways and energy homeostasis, we investigated the effects of cystine dimethyl ester and/or cysteamine administration on kinases crucial for energy metabolism in the kidney of Wistar rats. Animals were injected twice a day with 1.6 µmol/g body weight cystine dimethyl ester and/or 0.26 µmol/g body weight cysteamine from the 16th to the 20th postpartum day and euthanized after 12 hours. Pyruvate kinase, adenylate kinase, creatine kinase activities and thiol/disulfide ratio were determined. Cystine dimethyl ester administration reduced thiol/disulfide ratio and inhibited the kinases activities. Cysteamine administration increased the thiol/disulfide ratio and co-administration with cystine dimethyl ester prevented the inhibition of the enzymes. Regression between the thiol/disulfide ratio, and the kinases activities were significant. These results suggest that redox status may regulate energy metabolism in the rat kidney. If thiol-containing enzymes inhibition and oxidative stress occur in patients with cystinosis, it is possible that lysosomal cystine depletion may not be the only beneficial effect of cysteamine administration, but also its antioxidant and thiol-protector effect.

  20. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis in asphalt workers.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Ömer Hınç; Bal, Ceylan; Neşelioglu, Salim; Büyükşekerci, Murat; Gündüzöz, Meşide; Eren, Funda; Tutkun, Lutfiye; Yilmaz, Fatma Meric

    2016-09-02

    The aim of this study was to investigate thiol/disulfide homeostasis in asphalt workers who are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons occupationally. The study was carried out in 34 nonsmoker asphalt workers. Additionally, 35 healthy nonsmoker volunteers were recruited as control group. Thiol and disulfide concentrations were determined using the novel automated measurement method. Levels of urinary 1-OH-pyrene were analyzed by liquid chromatography. Disulfide/thiol ratio was significantly higher in exposed group (p = .034). Also, a positive correlation was detected between disulfide/thiol ratio and 1-OH-pyrene values (r = .249, p = .036). Thiol/disulfide homeostasis was found to be disturbed in asphalt workers. The novel test used in this study may be useful for evaluating the oxidative status in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure.

  1. Redox Reactivity of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Induces the Formation of Disulfide Bridges in Thiol-Containing Biomolecules.

    PubMed

    Rollin-Genetet, Françoise; Seidel, Caroline; Artells, Ester; Auffan, Mélanie; Thiéry, Alain; Vidaud, Claude

    2015-12-21

    The redox state of disulfide bonds is implicated in many redox control systems, such as the cysteine-cystine couple. Among proteins, ubiquitous cysteine-rich metallothioneins possess thiolate metal binding groups susceptible to metal exchange in detoxification processes. CeO2 NPs are commonly used in various industrial applications due to their redox properties. These redox properties that enable dual oxidation states (Ce(IV)/Ce(III)) to exist at their surface may act as oxidants for biomolecules. The interaction among metallothioneins, cysteine, and CeO2 NPs was investigated through various biophysical approaches to shed light on the potential effects of the Ce(4+)/Ce(3+) redox system on the thiol groups of these biomolecules. The possible reaction mechanisms include the formation of a disulfide bridge/Ce(III) complex resulting from the interaction between Ce(IV) and the thiol groups, leading to metal unloading from the MTs, depending on their metal content and cluster type. The formation of stable Ce(3+) disulfide complexes has been demonstrated via their fluorescence properties. This work provides the first evidence of thiol concentration-dependent catalytic oxidation mechanisms between pristine CeO2 NPs and thiol-containing biomolecules.

  2. Engineering disease resistance with pectate lyase-like genes

    DOEpatents

    Vogel, John; Somerville, Shauna

    2005-03-08

    A mutant gene coding for pectate lyase and homologs thereof is provided, which when incorporated in transgenic plants effect an increased level disease resistance in such plants. Also is provided the polypeptide sequence for the pectate lyase of the present invention. Methods of obtaining the mutant gene, producing transgenic plants which include the nucleotide sequence for the mutant gene and producing improved disease resistance in a crop of such transgenic plants are also provided.

  3. Lipoxygenase and Hydroperoxide Lyase in Germinating Watermelon Seedlings 1

    PubMed Central

    Vick, Brady A.; Zimmerman, Don C.

    1976-01-01

    Lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.1.13) was found in seedlings of Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai (watermelon). The enzyme has pH optima of 4.4 and 5.5 and is inhibited by 0.2 mM nordihydroguaiaretic acid. It is present in two functional units with estimated molecular weights of 120,000 and 240,000, respectively. A new enzyme, tentatively termed hydroperoxide lyase, has been partially purified from watermelon seedlings. The enzyme, located principally in the region of the hypocotyl-root junction, catalyzes the conversion of 13-l-hydroperoxy-cis-9-trans-11-octadecadienoic acid to 12-oxo-trans-10-dodecenoic acid and hexanal. The hydroperoxide lyase enzyme from watermelon has a molecular weight in excess of 250,000, a pH optimum in the range of 6 to 6.5, and is inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid. Its presence has also been demonstrated in other cucurbits. The maximum activity of both enzymes occurs on the 6th day of germination. The identification of the products of the hydroperoxide lyase reaction suggests that lipoxygenase and hydroperoxide lyase may be involved in the conversion of certain polyunsaturated fatty acids to traumatic acid (trans-2-dodecenedioic acid). PMID:16659569

  4. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

    PubMed Central

    Dogru, Atalay; Balkarli, Ayse; Cetin, Gozde Yildirim; Neselioglu, Salim; Erel, Ozcan; Tunc, Sevket Ercan; Sahin, Mehmet

    2016-01-01

    Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease. In many inflammatory diseases, increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines is associated with an increase in oxidative stress mediators. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis is a marker for oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to examine the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in AS. Sixty-nine patients with AS and 60 age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to determine the disease activity. Native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels were measured with a novel automated method recently described by Erel and Neselioglu. The aforementioned method is also optionally manual spectrophotometric assay. The total thiol levels were significantly lower in the AS group compared with the control group (p = 0.03). When the patients were divided into active (n = 35) and inactive (n = 34) subgroups using BASDAI scores, the native plasma thiol and total thiol levels were significantly lower in the active AS patients compared to the inactive AS patients (p = 0.02, p = 0.03 respectively). There was a negative correlation between the plasma native thiol levels and VAS, BASDAI scores. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis may be used for elucidating the effects of oxidative stress in AS. Understanding the role of thiol/disulfide homeostasis in AS might provide new therapeutic intervention strategies for patients. PMID:27186972

  5. Adsorption of Dissolved Metals in the Berkeley Pit using Thiol-Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (Thiol-SAMMS)

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

    Betancourt, Amaury P.; Mattigod, Shas V.; Wellman, Dawn M.

    2010-03-07

    The Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana, is heavily contaminated with dissolved metals. Adsorption and extraction of these metals can be accomplished through the use of a selective adsorbent. For this research, the adsorbent used was thiol-functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (thiol-SAMMS), which was developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Thiol-SAMMS selectively binds to numerous types of dissolved metals. The objective of this research was to evaluate the loading and kinetics of aluminum, beryllium, copper, and zinc on thiol-SAMMS. For the loading tests, a series of Berkeley Pit water to thiol-SAMMS ratios (mL:g) were tested. These ratios were 1000:1,more » 500:1, 100:1, and 50:1. Berkeley Pit water is acidic (pH {approx} 2.5). This can affect the performance of SAMMS materials. Therefore, the effect of pH was evaluated by conducting parallel series of loading tests wherein the Berkeley Pit water was neutralized before or after addition of thiol-SAMMS, and a series of kinetics tests wherein the Berkeley Pit water was neutralized before addition of thiol-SAMMS for the first test and was not neutralized for the second test. For the kinetics tests, one Berkeley Pit water to thiol-SAMMS ratio was tested, which was 2000:1. The results of the loading and kinetics tests suggest that a significant decrease in dissolved metal concentration at Berkeley Pit could be realized through neutralization of Berkeley Pit water. Thiol-SAMMS technology has a limited application under the highly acidic conditions posed by the Berkeley Pit. However, thiol-SAMMS could provide a secondary remedial technique which would complete the remedial system and remove dissolved metals from the Berkeley Pit to below drinking water standards.« less

  6. A Novel Oxidative Stress Mediator in Acute Appendicitis: Thiol/Disulphide Homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Turan, Umit; Kuvvetli, Adnan; Kilavuz, Huseyin; Karakaya, Burak; Ozaltun, Pınar; Alısık, Murat; Erel, Ozcan

    2016-01-01

    Aim. To investigate the role of a novel oxidative stress marker, thiol/disulphide homeostasis, in patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis (AA). Methods. In this study, seventy-one (43 male and 28 female) patients diagnosed with AA and 71 (30 male and 41 female) healthy volunteers were included. Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), c-reactive protein (CRP), and thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters (native thiol, total thiol, disulphide, disulphide/native thiol, native thiol/total thiol, and disulphide/total thiol ratios) were compared between the groups. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis was determined by a newly developed method by Erel and Neselioglu. Results. The native thiol, total thiol, and the native thiol/total thiol ratio levels were statistically significantly decreased in the AA compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Disulphide level and the ratios of disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol were higher in the AA group than in the control group (p < 0.001). There was a negative correlation of CRP with native thiol, total thiol, and native thiol/total thiol ratio while there was a positive correlation of CRP with disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol in the AA group. In the stepwise regression model, risk factors as disulphide/native thiol (OR = 1.368; p = 0.018) and CRP (OR = 1.635; p = 0.003) were determined as predictors of perforated appendicitis compared to the nonperforated group. Conclusion. This is the first study examining the thiol/disulphide homeostasis as a diagnostic aid in AA and establishing thiol/disulphide homeostatis balance shifted towards the disulphide formation due to thiol oxidation. Further studies are needed to optimize the use of this novel oxidative stress marker in AA. PMID:27642237

  7. Regulation of Pectate Lyase Synthesis in Pseudomonas fluorescens and Erwinia carotovora

    PubMed Central

    Zucker, Milton; Hankin, Lester

    1970-01-01

    Inducible synthesis of extracellular pectate lyase occurs in Erwinia carotovora, a bacterial soft-rot pathogen of plants, and, to a lesser extent, in a nonpathogenic isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens. A combination of pectin and a heat-labile factor in fresh potato tissue or acetone powders of the tissue provided the best carbon source for induction. Yields of inducible pectate lyase were much greater than those usually reported. The pathogen, but not the saprophyte, produced a small amount of constitutive enzyme when grown on glucose. The relatively low level or absence of constitutive synthesis in these bacteria did not result from catabolite repression. Attempts were made to relieve any existing catabolite repression by restricting growth through slow feeding of glucose or by growing the organisms on glycerol. These conditions did not significantly alter the differential rate of lyase synthesis compared with changes observed in the presence of inducers. Previous growth history did not affect induction in the pathogen. However, P. fluorescens previously cultured on glucose required 10 to 20 generations of growth on inducing medium before appreciable lyase synthesis occurred. Differences between the pathogen and nonpathogen suggest that regulation of pectate lyase synthesis is related to pathogenicity of soft-rot bacteria. PMID:5473883

  8. Clearance of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from normal and tumor-bearing mice.

    PubMed

    Shen, R S; Fritz, R R; Abell, C W

    1977-04-01

    Yeast phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was administered i.p. to normal and tumor-bearing mice, and its clearance from plasma was studied. Single and multiple weekly injections at dosages of 10,20,50 and 100 units/kg were administered to C57BL female, C57BL X DBA/2F1 male, and A/J female mice. L5178Y murine lymphoblastic leukemia, B16 melanoma, BW10232 adenocarcinoma, and 15091A anaplastic carcinoma were implanted 7 to 11 days prior to enzyme injection in the appropriate host. After a single injection, the average plasma half-lives of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase were 18 to 24 hr in all groups studied. While the other tumors had no effect on the plasma level of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase after a single injection, L5178Y murine lymphoblastic leukemia and 15091A anaplastic carcinoma significantly depressed the maximal level of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase attained in the plasma. After repeated injections of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, the initial plasma enzyme level was significantly reduced when 20 units/kg were administered, and the clearance of the enzyme from the plasma was greatly accelerated regardless of the amount administered. Furthermore, in tumor-bearing mice, the rate of clearance was significantly more rapid than in the appropriate non-tumor-bearing control.

  9. Distribution of Neuraminidase and N-Acetylneuraminate Lyase Activities Among Corynebacteria, Mycobacteria, and Nocardias

    PubMed Central

    Arden, Sheldon B.; Chang, Woo-Hyun; Barksdale, Lane

    1972-01-01

    In Corynebacterium diphtheriae and closely related neuraminidase-producing corynebacteria, we have found an N-acetylneuraminate (NAN) lyase activity which cleaves NAN into N-acetyl-d-mannosamine and, presumably, pyruvate. In vitro, these lyases can be shown to synthesize NAN. A survey of representative corynebacteria, “plant pathogenic corynebacteria,” mycobacteria, and nocardias revealed that only those corynebacteria closely related to C. diphtheriae exhibited both neuraminidase and NAN lyase activities. PMID:4629654

  10. Facile quantitation of free thiols in a recombinant monoclonal antibody by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with hydrophobicity-tailored thiol derivatization.

    PubMed

    Welch, Leslie; Dong, Xiao; Hewitt, Daniel; Irwin, Michelle; McCarty, Luke; Tsai, Christina; Baginski, Tomasz

    2018-06-02

    Free thiol content, and its consistency, is one of the product quality attributes of interest during technical development of manufactured recombinant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We describe a new, mid/high-throughput reversed-phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method coupled with derivatization of free thiols, for the determination of total free thiol content in an E. coli-expressed therapeutic monovalent monoclonal antibody mAb1. Initial selection of the derivatization reagent used an hydrophobicity-tailored approach. Maleimide-based thiol-reactive reagents with varying degrees of hydrophobicity were assessed to identify and select one that provided adequate chromatographic resolution and robust quantitation of free thiol-containing mAb1 forms. The method relies on covalent derivatization of free thiols in denatured mAb1 with N-tert-butylmaleimide (NtBM) label, followed by RP-HPLC separation with UV-based quantitation of native (disulfide containing) and labeled (free thiol containing) forms. The method demonstrated good specificity, precision, linearity, accuracy and robustness. Accuracy of the method, for samples with a wide range of free thiol content, was demonstrated using admixtures as well as by comparison to an orthogonal LC-MS peptide mapping method with isotope tagging of free thiols. The developed method has a facile workflow which fits well into both R&D characterization and quality control (QC) testing environments. The hydrophobicity-tailored approach to the selection of free thiol derivatization reagent is easily applied to the rapid development of free thiol quantitation methods for full-length recombinant antibodies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. The redox-sensitive module of cyclophilin 20-3, 2-cysteine peroxiredoxin and cysteine synthase integrates sulfur metabolism and oxylipin signaling in the high light acclimation response.

    PubMed

    Müller, Sara M; Wang, Shanshan; Telman, Wilena; Liebthal, Michael; Schnitzer, Helena; Viehhauser, Andrea; Sticht, Carsten; Delatorre, Carolina; Wirtz, Markus; Hell, Rüdiger; Dietz, Karl-Josef

    2017-09-01

    The integration of redox- and reactive oxygen species-dependent signaling and metabolic activities is fundamental to plant acclimation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Previous data suggest the existence of a dynamically interacting module in the chloroplast stroma consisting of cyclophilin 20-3 (Cyp20-3), O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase B (OASTL-B), 2-cysteine peroxiredoxins A/B (2-CysPrx) and serine acetyltransferase 2;1 (SERAT2;1). The functionality of this COPS module is influenced by redox stimuli and oxophytodienoic acid (OPDA), which is the precursor for jasmonic acid. The concept of an integrating function of these proteins in stress signaling was challenged by combining transcriptome and biochemical analyses in Arabidopsis mutants devoid of oastlB, serat2;1, cyp20-3 and 2-cysprxA/B, and wild-type (WT). Leaf transcriptomes were analyzed 6 h after transfer to light intensity 10-fold in excess of growth light or under growth light. The survey of KEGG-based gene ontology groups showed common upregulation of translation- and protein homeostasis-associated transcripts under control conditions in all mutants compared with WT. The results revealed that the interference of the module was accompanied with disturbance of carbohydrate, sulfur and nitrogen metabolism, and also citric acid cycle intermediates. Apart from common regulation, specific responses at the transcriptome and metabolite level linked Cyp20-3 to cell wall-bound carbohydrates and oxylipin signaling, and 2-CysPrx to photosynthesis, sugar and amino acid metabolism. Deletion of either OASTL-B or SERAT2;1 frequently induced antagonistic changes in biochemical or molecular features. Enhanced sensitivity of mutant seedlings to OPDA and leaf discs to NaHS-administration confirmed the presumed functional interference of the COPS module in redox and oxylipin signaling. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with basal cell carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Demirseren, Duriye Deniz; Cicek, Cagla; Alisik, Murat; Demirseren, Mustafa Erol; Aktaş, Akın; Erel, Ozcan

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study is to measure and compare the dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis of patients with basal cell carcinoma and healthy subjects with a newly developed and original method. Thirty four patients attending our outpatient clinic and clinically and histopathologically diagnosed as nodular basal cell carcinoma, and age and gender matched 30 healthy individuals have been involved in the study. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis tests have been measured with a novel automatic spectrophotometric method developed and the results have been compared statistically. Serum native thiol and disulphide levels in the patient and control group show a considerable variance statistically (p = 0.028, 0.039, respectively). Total thiol levels do not reveal a considerable variation (p = 0.094). Disulphide/native thiol ratios and native thiol/total thiol ratios also show a considerable variance statistically (p = 0.012, 0.013, 0.010, respectively). Thiol disulphide homeostasis in patients with basal cell carcinoma alters in the way that disulphide gets lower and thiols get higher. Thiol/disulphide level is likely to have a role in basal cell carcinoma pathogenesis.

  13. The release of alginate lyase from growing Pseudomonas syringae pathovar phaseolicola

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ott, C. M.; Day, D. F.; Koenig, D. W.; Pierson, D. L.

    2001-01-01

    Pseudomonas syringae pathovar phaseolicola, which produces alginate during stationary growth phase, displayed elevated extracellular alginate lyase activity during both mid-exponential and late-stationary growth phases of batch growth. Intracellular activity remained below 22% of the total activity during exponential growth, suggesting that alginate lyase has an extracellular function for this organism. Extracellular enzyme activity in continuous cultures, grown in either nutrient broth or glucose-simple salts medium, peaked at 60% of the washout rate, although nutrient broth-grown cultures displayed more than twice the activity per gram of cell mass. These results imply that growth rate, nutritional composition, or both initiate a release of alginate lyase from viable P. syringae pv. phaseolicola, which could modify its entrapping biofilm.

  14. The Expanding Landscape of the Thiol Redox Proteome*

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Jing; Carroll, Kate S.; Liebler, Daniel C.

    2016-01-01

    Cysteine occupies a unique place in protein chemistry. The nucleophilic thiol group allows cysteine to undergo a broad range of redox modifications beyond classical thiol-disulfide redox equilibria, including S-sulfenylation (-SOH), S-sulfinylation (-SO2H), S-sulfonylation (-SO3H), S-nitrosylation (-SNO), S-sulfhydration (-SSH), S-glutathionylation (-SSG), and others. Emerging evidence suggests that these post-translational modifications (PTM) are important in cellular redox regulation and protection against oxidative damage. Identification of protein targets of thiol redox modifications is crucial to understanding their roles in biology and disease. However, analysis of these highly labile and dynamic modifications poses challenges. Recent advances in the design of probes for thiol redox forms, together with innovative mass spectrometry based chemoproteomics methods make it possible to perform global, site-specific, and quantitative analyses of thiol redox modifications in complex proteomes. Here, we review chemical proteomic strategies used to expand the landscape of thiol redox modifications. PMID:26518762

  15. Evolution of thiol protective systems in prokaryotes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fahey, R. C.; Newton, G. L.

    1986-01-01

    Biological thiols are essential elements in most aspects of cell function but undergo rapid oxidation to disulfides in the presence of oxygen. The evolution of systems to protect against such oxygen toxicity was essential to the emergence of aerobic life. The protection system used by eukaryotes is based upon glutathione (GSH) and GSH-dependent enzymes but many bacteria lack GSH and apparently use other mechanisms. The objective of this research is to elaborate the thiol protective mechanisms employed by prokaryotes of widely divergent evolutionary origin and to understand why GSH became the central thiol employed in essentially all higher organisms. Thiol-selective fluorescent labeling and HPLC analysis has been used to determine key monothiol components.

  16. Facile synthesis of thiol-polyethylene glycol functionalized magnetic titania nanomaterials for highly efficient enrichment of N-linked glycopeptides.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jiawen; Yao, Jizong; Sun, Nianrong; Deng, Chunhui

    2017-08-25

    As protein N-glycosylation involved in generation and development of various cancers and diseases, it is vital to capture glycopeptides from complex biological samples for biomarker discovery. In this work, by taking advantages of the interaction between titania and thiol groups, thiol-polyethylene glycol functionalized magnetic titania nanomaterials (denoted as Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 @PEG) were firstly fabricated as an excellent hydrophilic adsorbent of N-linked glycopeptides. On one hand, the special interaction of titanium-thiol makes the synthetic manipulation simple and provides a new idea for design and synthesis of novel nanomaterials; on the other hand, strong magnetic response could realize rapid separation and the outstanding hydrophilicity of polyethylene glycol makes Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 @PEG nanomaterials show superior performance for glycopeptides enrichment with ultralow limit of detection (0.1mol/μL) and high selectivity (1:100). As a result, 24 and 33 glycopeptides enriched from HRP and IgG digests were identified respectively by MALDI-TOF MS, and 300 glycopeptides corresponding to 106 glycoproteins were recognized from merely 2μL human serum, indicating a great potential of Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 @PEG nanomaterials for glycoproteomic research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Inactivation of Penicillins by Thiol Broth

    PubMed Central

    Murray, Patrick R.; Niles, Ann C.

    1982-01-01

    Thiol broth with sodium polyanetholesulfonate inactivated penicillin G, carbenicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and gentamicin, but had no effect on cephalothin, cefoxitin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and tetracycline. Only Thiol broth was capable of this inactivation, which was not influenced by the presence of blood. PMID:7153352

  18. Regulation of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase by L-phenylalanine and nitrogen in Neurospora crassa.

    PubMed Central

    Sikora, L A; Marzluf, G A

    1982-01-01

    Neurospora crassa possesses an inducible L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase that is expressed only when cells are derepressed for nitrogen in the presence of L-phenylalanine. Enzyme synthesis requires both induction by L-phenylalanine and simultaneous nitrogen catabolite derepression. Carbon limitation in the presence of phenylalanine does not elicit induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Specific induction by L-phenylalanine is required, and other amino acids completely failed to induce any lyase activity. The nit-2 gene is a major regulatory locus which is believed to mediate nitrogen catabolite repression in Neurospora. Mutants of nit-2 fail to express any phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity under conditions of derepression and induction which lead to good enzyme induction in the wild type and in nit-2 revertants. The loss of lyase activity in nit-2 mutants does not result from inducer exclusion, which suggests that the nit-2 gene product has a direct role in controlling the expression of this enzyme. Substantial amounts of the enzyme were detected in the growth medium as well as in cell extracts. Inhibitors of protein synthesis or RNA synthesis block the induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, suggesting that expression of this enzyme is controlled at the level of transcription. PMID:6210688

  19. Molecular cloning and characterization of Bacillus alvei thiol-dependent cytolytic toxin expressed in Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Geoffroy, C; Alouf, J E

    1988-07-01

    A chromosomal DNA fragment from Bacillus alvei, encoding a thiol-dependent haemolytic product known as alveolysin (Mr 60,000, pI 5.0) was cloned in Escherichia coli SK1592, using pBR322 as the vector plasmid. Only a single haemolysin-positive clone was identified, by testing for haemolysis on blood agar plates. The haemolytic material was associated with the host bacterial cell. It was released by ultrasonic disruption and purified 267-fold. A 64 kDa polypeptide of pI 8.2 cofractionated with haemolytic activity during gel filtration chromatography and isoelectric focusing. It behaved identically to alveolysin in its activation by thiols, inactivation by thiol group reagents, inhibition by cholesterol, and neutralization, immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting by immune sera raised against alveolysin and streptolysin O.

  20. Reduced phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and tyrosine ammonia-lyase activities and lignin synthesis in wheat grown under low pressure sodium lamps

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Guerra, D.; Anderson, A. J.; Salisbury, F. B.

    1985-01-01

    Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Fremont) grown in hydroponic culture under 24-hour continuous irradiation at 560 to 580 micromoles per square meter per second from either metalhalide (MH), high pressure sodium (HPS), or low pressure sodium (LPS) lamps reached maturity in 70 days. Grain yields were similar under all three lamps, although LPS-grown plants lodged at maturity. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and a tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) with lesser activity were detected in all extracts of leaf, inflorescence, and stem. Ammonia-lyase activities increased with age of the plant, and plants grown under the LPS lamp displayed PAL and TAL activities lower than wheat cultured under MH and HPS radiation. Greenhouse solar-grown wheat had the highest PAL and TAL activities. Lignin content of LPS-grown wheat was also significantly reduced from that of plants grown under MH or HPS lamps or in the greenhouse, showing a correlation with the reduced PAL and TAL activities. Ratios of far red-absorbing phytochrome to total phytochrome were similar for all three lamps, but the data do not yet warrant a conclusion about specific wavelengths missing from the LPS lamps that might have induced PAL and TAL activities in plants under the other lamps.

  1. Chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides containing a free sulphydryl group and subsequent attachment of thiol specific probes.

    PubMed Central

    Connolly, B A; Rider, P

    1985-01-01

    Oligonucleotides containing a free sulphydryl group at their 5'-termini have been synthesised and further derivatised with thiol specific probes. The nucleotide sequence required is prepared using standard solid phase phosphoramidite techniques and an extra round of synthesis is then performed using the S-triphenylmethyl O-methoxymorpholinophosphite derivatives of 2-mercaptoethanol, 3-mercaptopropan (1) ol or 6-mercaptohexan (1) ol. After cleavage from the resin and removal of the phosphate and base protecting groups, this yields an oligonucleotide containing an S-triphenylmethyl group attached to the 5'-phosphate group via a two, three or six carbon chain. The triphenylmethyl group can be readily removed with silver nitrate to give the free thiol. With the three and six carbon chain oligonucleotides, this thiol can be used, at pH 8, for the attachment of thiol specific probes as illustrated by the reaction with fluorescent conjugates of iodoacetates and maleiimides. However, oligonucleotides containing a thiol attached to the 5'-phosphate group via a two carbon chain are unstable at pH 8 decomposing to the free 5'-phosphate and so are unsuitable for further derivatisation. PMID:4011448

  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. Distribution and abundance of organic thiols

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fahey, R.

    1985-01-01

    The role of glutathione (GSH) in protecting against the toxicity of oxygen and oxygen by products is well established for all eukaryotes studied except Entamoeba histolytica which lacks mitochrondria, chloroplasts, and microtubules. The GSH is not universal among prokaryotes. Entamoeba histolytica does not produce GSH or key enzymes of GSH metabolism. A general method of thiol analysis based upon fluorescent labeling with monobromobimane and HPLC separation of the resulting thiol derivatives was developed to determine the occurrence of GSH and other low molecular weight thiols in bacteria. Glutathione is the major thiol in cyanobacteria and in most bacteria closely related to the purple photosynthetic bacteria, but GSH was not found in archaebacteria, green bacteria, or GRAM positive bacteria. It suggested that glutathione metabolism was incorporated into eukaryotes at the time that mitochondria and chloroplasts were acquired by endosymbiosis. In Gram positive aerobes, coenzyme A occurs at millimolar levels and CoA disulfide reductases are identified. The CoA, rather than glutathione, may function in the oxygen detoxification processes of these organisms.

  4. A Search for Interstellar Monohydric Thiols

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gorai, Prasanta; Das, Ankan; Das, Amaresh; Sivaraman, Bhalamurugan; Etim, Emmanuel E.; Chakrabarti, Sandip K.

    2017-02-01

    It has been pointed out by various astronomers that a very interesting relationship exists between interstellar alcohols and the corresponding thiols (sulfur analog of alcohols) as far as the spectroscopic properties and chemical abundances are concerned. Monohydric alcohols such as methanol and ethanol are widely observed and 1-propanol was recently claimed to have been seen in Orion KL. Among the monohydric thiols, methanethiol (chemical analog of methanol) has been firmly detected in Orion KL and Sgr B2(N2) and ethanethiol (chemical analog of ethanol) has been observed in Sgr B2(N2), though the confirmation of this detection is yet to come. It is very likely that higher order thiols could be observed in these regions. In this paper, we study the formation of monohydric alcohols and their thiol analogs. Based on our quantum chemical calculation and chemical modeling, we find that the Tg conformer of 1-propanethiol is a good candidate of astronomical interest. We present various spectroscopically relevant parameters of this molecule to assist in its future detection in the interstellar medium.

  5. Chondroitin Sulfate (CS) Lyases: Structure, Function and Application in Therapeutics.

    PubMed

    Rani, Aruna; Patel, Seema; Goyal, Arun

    2018-01-01

    Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) such as chondroitin sulfate (CS) are the chief natural polysaccharides which reside in biological tissues mainly in extracellular matrix. These CS along with adhesion molecules and growth factors are involved in central nervous system (CNS) development, cell progression and pathogenesis. The chondroitin lyases are the enzyme that degrade and alter the CS chains and hence modify various signalling pathways involving CS chains. These CS lyases are substrate specific, can precisely manipulate the CS polysaccharides and have various biotechnological, medical and therapeutic applications. These enzymes can be used to produce the unsaturated oligosaccharides, which have immune-modulatory, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This review focuses on the major breakthrough of the chondroitin sulfate degrading enzymes, their structures and functioning mechanism. This also provides comprehensive information regarding production, purification, characterization of CS lyases and their major applications, both established as well as emerging ones such as neural development. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  6. Purification and characterization of an alginate lyase from marine Bacterium Vibrio sp. mutant strain 510-64.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xiaoke; Jiang, Xiaolu; Hwang, Huey-Min

    2006-08-01

    Marine Vibrio sp. 510 was chosen as a parent strain for screening high producers of alginate lyase using the complex mutagenesis of Ethyl Methanesulphonate and UV radiation treatments. The mutant strain Vibrio sp. 510-64 was selected and its alginate lyase activity was increased by 3.87-fold (reaching 46.12 EU/mg) over that of the parent strain. An extracellular alginate lyase was purified from Vibrio sp. 510-64 cultural supernatant by successive fractionation on DEAE Sepharose FF and two steps of Superdex 75. The purified enzyme yielded a single band on SDS-PAGE with the molecular weight of 34.6 kDa. Data of the N-terminal amino acid sequence indicated that this protein might be a novel alginate lyase. The substrate specificity results demonstrated that the alginate lyase had the specificity for poly G block.

  7. Hydrogen sulfide deactivates common nitrobenzofurazan-based fluorescent thiol labeling reagents.

    PubMed

    Montoya, Leticia A; Pluth, Michael D

    2014-06-17

    Sulfhydryl-containing compounds, including thiols and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), play important but differential roles in biological structure and function. One major challenge in separating the biological roles of thiols and H2S is developing tools to effectively separate the reactivity of these sulfhydryl-containing compounds. To address this challenge, we report the differential responses of common electrophilic fluorescent thiol labeling reagents, including nitrobenzofurazan-based scaffolds, maleimides, alkylating agents, and electrophilic aldehydes, toward cysteine and H2S. Although H2S reacted with all of the investigated scaffolds, the photophysical response to each scaffold was significantly different. Maleimide-based, alkylating, and aldehydic thiol labeling reagents provided a diminished fluorescence response when treated with H2S. By contrast, nitrobenzofurazan-based labeling reagents were deactivated by H2S addition. Furthermore, the addition of H2S to thiol-activated nitrobenzofurazan-based reagents reduced the fluorescence signal, thus establishing the incompatibility of nitrobenzofurazan-based thiol labeling reagents in the presence of H2S. Taken together, these studies highlight the differential reactivity of thiols and H2S toward common thiol-labeling reagents and suggest that sufficient care must be taken when labeling or measuring thiols in cellular environments that produce H2S due to the potential for both false-positive and eroded responses.

  8. Benzofurazan Sulfides for Thiol Imaging and Quantification in Live Cells through Fluorescence Microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yinghong; Yang, Yang; Guan, Xiangming

    2012-01-01

    Thiol groups play a significant role in various cellular functions. Cellular thiol concentrations can be affected by various physiological or pathological factors. A fluorescence imaging agent that can effectively and specifically image thiols in live cells through fluorescence microscopy is desirable for live cell thiol monitoring. Benzofurazan sulfides 1a–e were synthesized and found to be thiol specific fluorogenic agents except 1d. They are not fluorescent but form strong fluorescent thiol adducts after reacting with thiols through a sulfide-thiol exchange reaction. On the other hand, they exhibit no reaction with other biologically relevant nucleophilic functional groups such as -NH2, -OH, or -COOH revealing the specificity for the detection of thiols. Sulfide 1a was selected to confirm its ability to image cellular thiols through fluorescence microscopy. The compound was demonstrated to effectively image and quantify thiol changes in live cells through fluorescence microscopy using 430 nm and 520 nm as the excitation and emission wavelengths respectively. The quantification results of total thiol in live cells obtained from fluorescence microscopy were validated by an HPLC/UV total thiol assay method. The reagents and method will be of a great value to thiol redox-related research. PMID:22794193

  9. Optimization of culturing condition and medium composition for the production of alginate lyase by a marine Vibrio sp. YKW-34

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Xiaoting; Lin, Hong; Kim, Sang Moo

    2008-02-01

    Carbohydrases secreted by marine Vibrio sp. YKW-34 with strong Laminaria cell wall degrading ability were screened, and among them alginate lyase was found to be dominant. The effects of medium composition and culturing condition on the production of alginate lyase by marine Vibrio sp. YKW-34 in flask were investigated in this study. In the culture medium of marine broth, no alginate lyase was produced. The activity of the alginate lyase, after being induced, reached 5 UmL-1. The best inoculum volume and inoculum age were 10% and 12 h, respectively. The optimal temperature for alginate lyase production was 25°C. The fermentation medium was composed of 0.5% of Laminaria powder and 0.2% of KNO3 with an initial acidity of pH 8.0. Alginate could induce alginate lyase production but not as efficiently as Laminaria powder did. The addition of fucoidan, cellulose and glucose had negative effect on the alginate lyase production. Other kinds of nitrogen sources, such as yeast extract, beef extract and peptone, had positive effect on the growth of the microorganism and negative effect on alginate lyase production. In addition, the time course of alginate lyase production under the optimized condition was described. The optimal harvest time was 48 h.

  10. Investigation of thiol-disulphide balance in patients with acute urticaria and chronic spontaneous urticaria.

    PubMed

    Akbas, Ayse; Kilinc, Fadime; Sener, Sertac; Aktaş, Akın; Baran, Pervin; Ergin, Merve

    2017-09-01

    Thiol-disulphide balance plays a major role in health and diseases. This balance may be disrupted by various diseases. We aimed to determine status of the effect of thiol-disulphide balance in urticaria. We aimed to investigate the thiol-disulphide balance in patients with acute urticaria (AUP) and chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). Study included 53 AUP and 47 healthy controls plus 57 patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSUP) and 57 healthy controls. Levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols were evaluated in plasma using a new and automated spectrophotometric method. Ratios of disulphides/total thiols, disulphides/native thiols and native thiols/total thiols were calculated. For AU, there was no statistical difference compared to control group in levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols. For CSU, however, there was an increase in levels of native thiols, disulphides and total thiols and the ratio of thiol/disulphide in favour of disulphide. Thiol-disulphide balance was not affected by AU but shifted towards to disulphide in CSU indicating the presence of oxidative stress (OS).

  11. Fast and Selective Modification of Thiol Proteins/Peptides by N-(Phenylseleno)phthalimide

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Zhengfang; Zhang, Yun; Zhang, Hao; Harrington, Peter B.; Chen, Hao

    2012-03-01

    We previously reported that selenamide reagents such as ebselen and N-(phenylseleno)phthalimide (NPSP) can be used to selectively derivatize thiols for mass spectrometric analysis, and the introduced selenium tags are useful as they could survive or removed with collision-induced dissociation (CID). Described herein is the further study of the reactivity of various protein/peptide thiols toward NPSP and its application to derivatize thiol peptides in protein digests. With a modified protocol (i.e., dissolving NPSP in acetonitrile instead of aqueous solvent), we found that quantitative conversion of thiols can be obtained in seconds, using NPSP in a slight excess amount (NPSP:thiol of 1.1-2:1). Further investigation shows that the thiol reactivity toward NPSP reflects its chemical environment and accessibility in proteins/peptides. For instance, adjacent basic amino acid residues increase the thiol reactivity, probably because they could stabilize the thiolate form to facilitate the nucleophilic attack of thiol on NPSP. In the case of creatine phosphokinase, the native protein predominately has one thiol reacted with NPSP while all of four thiol groups of the denatured protein can be derivatized, in accordance with the corresponding protein conformation. In addition, thiol peptides in protein/peptide enzymatic digests can be quickly and effectively tagged by NPSP following tri- n-butylphosphine (TBP) reduction. Notably, all three thiols of the peptide QCCASVCSL in the insulin peptic digest can be modified simultaneously by NPSP. These results suggest a novel and selective method for protecting thiols in the bottom-up approach for protein structure analysis.

  12. Thiol Redox and pKa Properties of Mycothiol, the Predominant Low-Molecular-Weight Thiol Cofactor in the Actinomycetes.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Sunil V; Van Laer, Koen; Messens, Joris; Hamilton, Chris J

    2016-09-15

    The thiol pKa and standard redox potential of mycothiol, the major low-molecular-weight thiol cofactor in the actinomycetes, are reported. The measured standard redox potential reveals substantial discrepancies in one or more of the other previously measured intracellular parameters that are relevant to mycothiol redox biochemistry. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. An evaluation of thiol/disulphide homeostasis in patients with psoriasis

    PubMed Central

    Yorulmaz, Ahu; Erdogan, Serpil; Cakmak, Seray Kulcu; Guney, Elif; Sen, Orhan; Erel, Ozcan

    2017-01-01

    Introduction The role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of psoriasis has been investigated in previous studies with conflicting results. On the other hand, well-established treatments currently used in psoriasis exert their effects via a boost of oxidative stress. Recently, a strong positive association between psoriasis, metabolic syndrome and dyslipidemia has also been described showing the complex nature of the disease. Aim To examine thiol/disulphide homeostasis, a newly developed homeostasis assay in psoriasis and evaluate the possible association between thiol/disulphide homeostasis and dyslipidemia in psoriasis. Material and methods The study population included 92 psoriasis patients and 71 healthy subjects. Serum native thiol, total thiol and disulphide levels were investigated in patients with psoriasis and in healthy subjects. In addition, lipid profile (serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) levels were investigated in both groups. The association between thiol-disulphide parameters and dyslipidemia was also evaluated. Results Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were found to be higher in patients with psoriasis than in the healthy group. Lower plasma disulphide and higher native thiol levels were found in patients with psoriasis indicating an antioxidant status. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study showing the shift of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis towards the thiol form in psoriasis which indicate higher antioxidant status. PMID:29507562

  14. Thiol-Based Redox Switches and Gene Regulation

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Cysteine is notable among the universal, proteinogenic amino acids for its facile redox chemistry. Cysteine thiolates are readily modified by reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive electrophilic species (RES), and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Although thiol switches are commonly triggered by disulfide bond formation, they can also be controlled by S-thiolation, S-alkylation, or modification by RNS. Thiol-based switches are common in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and activate functions that detoxify reactive species and restore thiol homeostasis while repressing functions that would be deleterious if expressed under oxidizing conditions. Here, we provide an overview of the best-understood examples of thiol-based redox switches that affect gene expression. Intra- or intermolecular disulfide bond formation serves as a direct regulatory switch for several bacterial transcription factors (OxyR, OhrR/2-Cys, Spx, YodB, CrtJ, and CprK) and indirectly regulates others (the RsrA anti-σ factor and RegB sensory histidine kinase). In eukaryotes, thiol-based switches control the yeast Yap1p transcription factor, the Nrf2/Keap1 electrophile and oxidative stress response, and the Chlamydomonas NAB1 translational repressor. Collectively, these regulators reveal a remarkable range of chemical modifications exploited by Cys residues to effect changes in gene expression. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 14, 1049—1063. PMID:20626317

  15. The Role of Follicular Fluid Thiol/Disulphide Homeostasis in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Tola, Esra Nur; Köroğlu, Nadiye; Ergin, Merve; Oral, Hilmi Baha; Turgut, Abdülkadir; Erel, Özcan

    2018-04-04

    Oxidative stress is suggested as a potential triggering factor in the etiopathogenesis of Polycystic ovary syndrome related infertility. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis, a recently oxidative stress marker, is one of the antioxidant mechanism in human which have critical roles in folliculogenesis and ovulation. The aim of our study is to investigate follicular fluid thiol/disulphide homeostasis in the etiopathogenesis of Polycystic ovary syndrome and to determine its' association with in vitro fertilization outcome. The study procedures were approved by local ethic committee. Cross sectional design Methods: Follicular fluid of twenty-two Polycystic ovary syndrome women and twenty ovulatory controls undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment were recruited. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis was analyzed via a novel spectrophotometric method. Follicular native thiol levels were found to be lower in Polycystic ovary syndrome group than non- Polycystic ovary syndrome group (p=0.041) as well as native thiol/total thiol ratio (p<0.0001). Disulphide level, disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios were increased in Polycystic ovary syndrome group (p<0.0001). A positive correlation between fertilization rate and native thiol (p=0.01, r=0.53) and total thiol (p=0.01, r=0.052) among Polycystic ovary syndrome patients was found. A positive predictive effect of native thiol on fertilization rate among Polycystic ovary syndrome group was also found (p=0.03, β=0.45, 95% CI=0.031-0.643). Deterioration in thiol/disulphide homeostasis, especially elevated disulphide levels could be one of the etiopathogenetic mechanism in Polycystic ovary syndrome. Increased native thiol levels is related to fertilization rate among Polycystic ovary syndrome patients and also positive predictor marker of fertilization rate among Polycystic ovary syndrome patients. Improvement of thiol/disulphide homeostasis could be of importance in the treatment of Polycystic ovary syndrome to increase in

  16. Structural Basis for the Entrance into the Phenylpropanoid Metabolism Catalyzed by Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase

    PubMed Central

    Ritter, Holger; Schulz, Georg E.

    2004-01-01

    Because of its key role in secondary phenylpropanoid metabolism, Phe ammonia-lyase is one of the most extensively studied plant enzymes. To provide a basis for detailed structure–function studies, the enzyme from parsley (Petroselinum crispum) was crystallized, and the structure was elucidated at 1.7-Å resolution. It contains the unusual electrophilic 4-methylidene-imidazole-5-one group, which is derived from a tripeptide segment in two autocatalytic dehydration reactions. The enzyme resembles His ammonia-lyase from the general His degradation pathway but contains 207 additional residues, mainly in an N-terminal extension rigidifying a domain interface and in an inserted α-helical domain restricting the access to the active center. Presumably, Phe ammonia-lyase developed from His ammonia-lyase when fungi and plants diverged from the other kingdoms. A pathway of the catalyzed reaction is proposed in agreement with established biochemical data. The inactivation of the enzyme by a nucleophile is described in detail. PMID:15548745

  17. Quantitation of heparosan with heparin lyase III and spectrophotometry.

    PubMed

    Huang, Haichan; Zhao, Yingying; Lv, Shencong; Zhong, Weihong; Zhang, Fuming; Linhardt, Robert J

    2014-02-15

    Heparosan is Escherichia coli K5 capsule polysaccharide, which is the key precursor for preparing bioengineered heparin. A rapid and effective quantitative method for detecting heparosan is important in the large-scale production of heparosan. Heparin lyase III (Hep III) effectively catalyzes the heparosan depolymerization, forming unsaturated disaccharides that are measurable using a spectrophotometer at 232 nm. We report a new method for the quantitative detection of heparosan with heparin lyase III and spectrophotometry that is safer and more specific than the traditional carbazole assay. In an optimized detection system, heparosan at a minimum concentration of 0.60 g/L in fermentation broth can be detected. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Xylella fastidiosa esterase rather than hydroxynitrile lyase.

    PubMed

    Torrelo, Guzman; Ribeiro de Souza, Fayene Zeferino; Carrilho, Emanuel; Hanefeld, Ulf

    2015-03-02

    In 2009, we reported that the product of the gene SCJ21.16 (XFa0032) from Xylella fastidiosa, a xylem-restricted plant pathogen that causes a range of diseases in several important crops, encodes a protein (XfHNL) with putative hydroxynitrile lyase activity. Sequence analysis and activity tests indicated that XfHNL exhibits an α/β-hydrolase fold and could be classified as a member of the family of FAD-independent HNLs. Here we provide a more detailed sequence analysis and new experimental data. Using pure heterologously expressed XfHNL we show that this enzyme cannot catalyse the cleavage/synthesis of mandelonitrile and that this protein is in fact a non-enantioselective esterase. Homology modelling and ligand docking simulations were used to study the active site and support these results. This finding could help elucidate the common ancestor of esterases and hydroxynitrile lyases with an α/β -hydrolase fold. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. The importance of four histidine residues in isocitrate lyase from Escherichia coli.

    PubMed Central

    Diehl, P; McFadden, B A

    1994-01-01

    By site-directed mutagenesis, substitutions were made for His-184 (H-184), H-197, H-266, and H-306 in Escherichia coli isocitrate lyase. Of these changes, only mutations of H-184 and H-197 appreciably reduced enzyme activity. Mutation of H-184 to Lys, Arg, or Leu resulted in an inactive isocitrate lyase, and mutation of H-184 to Gln resulted in an enzyme with 0.28% activity. Nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated that isocitrate lyase containing the Lys, Arg, Gln, and Leu substitutions at H-184 was assembled poorly into the tetrameric subunit complex. Mutation of H-197 to Lys, Arg, Leu, and Gln resulted in an assembled enzyme with less than 0.25% wild-type activity. Five substitutions for H-266 (Asp, Glu, Val, Ser, and Lys), four substitutions for H-306 (Asp, Glu, Val, and Ser), and a variant in which both H-266 and H-306 were substituted for showed little or no effect on enzyme activity. All the H-197, H-266, and H-306 mutants supported the growth of isocitrate lyase-deficient E. coli JE10 on acetate as the sole carbon source; however, the H-184 mutants did not. Images PMID:8300547

  20. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Induction and purification from yeast and clearance in mammals.

    PubMed

    Fritz, R R; Hodgins, D S; Abell, C W

    1976-08-10

    Yeast phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5) catalyzes the deamination of L-phenylalanine to form trans-cinnamic acid and tyrosine to trans-coumaric acid. Maximal enzyme activity in Rhodotorula glutinis (2 units/g, wet weight, of yeast) was induced in late-log phase (12 to 14 hours) of growth in a culture medium containing 1.0% malt extract, 0.1% yeast extract, and 0.1% L-phenylalanine. A highly purified enzyme was obtained by fractionation with ammonium sulfate and sodium citrate followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200. The active preparation yielded a major component on three different polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic systems. Antisera to phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was raised in rabbits and detected by double immunodiffusion. The antigen-antibody complex was enzymatically active in vitro. The biological half-life of the enzyme was approximately 21 hours in several mammalian species (mice without and with BW10232 adenocarcinoma and B16 melanoma, rats, and monkeys) after a single injection; however, upon repeated administration, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase had a much shorter biological half-life. The onset of rapid clearance occurred earlier in tumor-bearing than in nontumor-bearing mice indicating a direct or indirect influence by the tumor on the biological half-life of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase.

  1. The Role of Thiol/Disulphide Homeostasis in Anthracycline Associated Cardiac Toxicity.

    PubMed

    Topuz, Mustafa; Şen, Omer; Kaplan, Mehmet; Akkus, Oguz; Erel, Ozcan; Gur, Mustafa

    2017-02-07

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the baseline thiol/disulfide state can predict the occurrence of anthracycline induced cardiac toxicity. A total of 186 cancer patients receiving anthracycline (doxorubicin)-based chemotherapy were enrolled. All patients underwent 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to determine their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and blood samples for measuring thiol forms were obtained before treatment and 4 weeks after completion of the chemotherapy. The mean dose of doxorubicin exposure was 255 ± 39.2 mg/m 2 . Baseline native thiol was found to be lower whereas baseline disulfide and the disulfide/total thiol ratio were found to be higher in patients who had a decrease in LVEF after anthracycline therapy. Also, the amount of decrease in LVEF was well correlated with the delta value of the thiol forms. Logistic regression analysis revealed that changes in BNP and global longitudinal strain (GLS), baseline level of native thiol, disulfide, and the disulfide/total thiol ratio were strong predictors for a decrease in LVEF.The thiol/disulfide pathway may be a factor for predicting chemotherapy-induced cardiac toxicity as one of the oxidative stress mechanisms.

  2. Alginate Lyase (AlgL) Activity Is Required for Alginate Biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    Albrecht, Mark T.; Schiller, Neal L.

    2005-01-01

    To determine whether AlgL's lyase activity is required for alginate production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an algLΔ::Gmr mutant (FRD-MA7) was created. algL complementation of FRD-MA7 restored alginate production, but algL constructs containing mutations inactivating lyase activity did not, demonstrating that the enzymatic activity of AlgL is required for alginate production. PMID:15901714

  3. Thiol-ene immobilisation of carbohydrates onto glass slides as a simple alternative to gold-thiol monolayers, amines or lipid binding.

    PubMed

    Biggs, Caroline I; Edmondson, Steve; Gibson, Matthew I

    2015-01-01

    Carbohydrate arrays are a vital tool in studying infection, probing the mechanisms of bacterial, viral and toxin adhesion and the development of new treatments, by mimicking the structure of the glycocalyx. Current methods rely on the formation of monolayers of carbohydrates that have been chemically modified with a linker to enable interaction with a functionalised surface. This includes amines, biotin, lipids or thiols. Thiol-addition to gold to form self-assembled monolayers is perhaps the simplest method for immobilisation as thiolated glycans are readily accessible from reducing carbohydrates in a single step, but are limited to gold surfaces. Here we have developed a quick and versatile methodology which enables the use of thiolated carbohydrates to be immobilised as monolayers directly onto acrylate-functional glass slides via a 'thiol-ene'/Michael-type reaction. By combining the ease of thiol chemistry with glass slides, which are compatible with microarray scanners this offers a cost effective, but also useful method to assemble arrays.

  4. Determinations of dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) lyase activity using headspace analysis of dimethylsulphide (DMS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Steinke, M.; Malin, G.; Turner, S. M.; Liss, P. S.

    2000-08-01

    The osmolyte dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) can be enzymatically cleaved to dimethylsulphide (DMS), acrylate and a proton. The enzyme involved in this reaction is dimethylpropiothetin dethiomethylase (DMSP lyase; enzyme classification number 4.4.1.3.). Although the importance of this reaction for the global sulphur cycle, the influence of DMS on atmospheric acidity and the possible effect on climate regulation have been widely recognised, our knowledge of DMSP lyases is limited to just a few studies. Activity measurements of DMSP lyases offer an important step towards a better understanding of the conditions under which DMS is produced. In the available published data somewhat similar methods have been used before, but a critical examination of the method limitations has not been reported. To encourage further research on this enzyme, we suggest and detail two protocols for measurements of DMSP lyase activity: An in vitro assay for crude cell extracts or purified enzyme and an in vivo method for whole cells, which we recently started to use. After addition of DMSP, samples incubated in a gas tight vial may produce DMS from enzymatic cleavage under suitable conditions, and a DMS production rate can be estimated from time-series measurements of DMS in the headspace of the vial. Headspace analysis of DMS is a useful and rapid technique to estimate and compare DMSP lyase activities from different sources. The relative rates of DMS production in the liquid and of the gas transfer between liquid and headspace, determine the rate of DMS production measured via headspace analysis. If DMS production in the liquid is higher than the rate of transfer, headspace measurements will not reflect the actual amount of DMS produced in the liquid. In this case, extracts have to be diluted to a level that ensures linearity between dilution factor and reduction of enzyme activity. Additionally, incubation volumes and vials should be selected to provide a high surface-to-volume ratio

  5. Identification and immunologic characterization of an allergen, alliin lyase, from garlic (Allium sativum).

    PubMed

    Kao, Shao-Hsuan; Hsu, Ching-Hsian; Su, Song-Nan; Hor, Wei-Ting; Chang T, Wen-Hong; Chow, Lu-Ping

    2004-01-01

    Garlic (Allium sativum) is one of the most common relishes used in cooking worldwide. Very few garlic allergens have been reported, and garlic allergy has been rarely studied. The aim of the study was to identify allergenic proteins in garlic and to investigate their importance in allergies to other Allium species (leek, shallot, and onion). A crude extract of garlic proteins was separated by SDS-PAGE and 2-dimensional electrophoresis; immunoblotting was then performed with the use of individual and pooled sera from patients with garlic allergy, and the major IgE-binding proteins were analyzed by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. The putative allergens were further purified by chromatography; the antigenicity, allergenicity, and IgE-binding cross-reactivity of the purified protein were then studied by immunoblotting, periodate oxidation, skin tests, and IgE-binding inhibition assays. A major allergen, alliin lyase, was identified by mass spectrometry and Edman sequencing and purified to homogeneity through the use of a simple 2-step chromatographic method. Skin tests showed that the purified protein elicited IgE-mediated hypersensitive responses in patients with garlic allergy. Periodate oxidation showed that carbohydrate groups were involved in the antigenicity, allergenicity, and cross-reactivity. Garlic alliin lyase showed strong cross-reactivity with alliin lyases from other Allium species, namely leek, shallot, and onion. Alliin lyase was found to be a major garlic allergen in a garlic-allergic group of patients in Taiwan. The wide distribution of alliin lyase in Allium suggests it may be a new cross-reactive allergen.

  6. Proteomic detection of oxidized and reduced thiol proteins in cultured cells.

    PubMed

    Cuddihy, Sarah L; Baty, James W; Brown, Kristin K; Winterbourn, Christine C; Hampton, Mark B

    2009-01-01

    The oxidation and reduction of cysteine residues is emerging as an important post-translational control of protein function. We describe a method for fluorescent labelling of either reduced or oxidized thiols in combination with two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DE) to detect changes in the redox proteome of cultured cells. Reduced thiols are labelled with the fluorescent compound 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein. To monitor oxidized thiols, the reduced thiols are first blocked with N-ethyl-maleimide, then the oxidized thiols reduced with dithiothreitol and labelled with 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein. The method is illustrated by treating Jurkat T-lymphoma cells with hydrogen peroxide and monitoring increased labelling of oxidized thiol proteins. A decrease in labelling can also be detected, and this is attributed to the formation of higher oxidation states of cysteine that are not reduced by dithiothreitol.

  7. "Self-catabolite repression" of pectate lyase in Erwinia carotovora.

    PubMed Central

    Tsuyumu, S

    1979-01-01

    The induction of pectate lyase of Erwinia carotovora was repressed by a high concentration of its inducer. The concomitant addition of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate reversed this repression. PMID:217862

  8. Modification of the mitochondrial sulfonylurea receptor by thiol reagents.

    PubMed

    Szewczyk, A; Wójcik, G; Lobanov, N A; Nalecz, M J

    1999-08-19

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects exerted by thiol-modifying reagents on themitochondrial sulfonylurea receptor. The thiol-oxidizing agents (timerosal and 5, 5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid)) were found to produce a large inhibition (70% to 80%) of specific binding of [(3)H]glibenclamide to the beef heart mitochondrial membrane. Similar effects were observed with membrane permeable (N-ethylmaleimide) and non-permeable (mersalyl) thiol modifying agents. Glibenclamide binding was also decreased by oxidizing agents (hydrogen peroxide) but not by reducing agents (reduced gluthatione, dithiothreitol and the 2,3-dihydroxy-1,4-dithiolbutane). The results suggest that intact thiol groups, facing the mitochondrial matrix, are essential for glibenclamide binding to the mitochondrial sulfonylurea receptor. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  9. Short communication: characterization of soluble thiols in bovine milk.

    PubMed

    Niero, G; De Marchi, M; Masi, A; Penasa, M; Cassandro, M

    2015-09-01

    Antioxidants are molecules essential for the maintenance of cell homeostasis and their intake through the diet has positive effects on human health. Among antioxidants, low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols represent an important class of compounds. The aim of this study was to identify LMW thiols in bovine milk. A total of 96 individual milk samples from Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, Alpine Grey, and Simmental cattle breeds were collected in 8 herds. The LMW thiols were extracted from the soluble fraction of milk and, following a derivatization protocol, they were separated by reverse phase HPLC and detected fluorimetrically. Six thiol species were detected and 2, glutathione (GSH) and cysteine-glycine (Cys-Gly), were identified and quantified. Regardless of the breed, the average concentration of Cys-Gly in milk was greater than that of GSH. Overall, milk from dual-purpose breeds (Simmental and Alpine Grey) was richer in LMW thiols than milk from dairy cows (Holstein-Friesian and Brown Swiss). Glutathione and Cys-Gly, closely linked metabolically, were strongly correlated. Pearson correlations of Cys-Gly with protein and casein contents were moderately low, and no relationship was found between GSH and milk chemical composition. Future research should focus on the identification of all detected LMW thiol species. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Interfacial thiol-ene photoclick reactions for forming multilayer hydrogels.

    PubMed

    Shih, Han; Fraser, Andrew K; Lin, Chien-Chi

    2013-03-13

    Interfacial visible light-mediated thiol-ene photoclick reactions were developed for preparing step-growth hydrogels with multilayer structures. The effect of a noncleavage type photoinitiator eosin-Y on visible-light-mediated thiol-ene photopolymerization was first characterized using in situ photorheometry, gel fraction, and equilibrium swelling ratio. Next, spectrophotometric properties of eosin-Y in the presence of various relevant macromer species were evaluated using ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) spectrometry. It was determined that eosin-Y was able to reinitiate the thiol-ene photoclick reaction, even after light exposure. Because of its small molecular weight, most eosin-Y molecules readily leached out from the hydrogels. The diffusion of residual eosin-Y from preformed hydrogels was exploited for fabricating multilayer step-growth hydrogels. Interfacial hydrogel coating was formed via the same visible-light-mediated gelation mechanism without adding fresh initiator. The thickness of the thiol-ene gel coating could be easily controlled by adjusting visible light exposure time, eosin-Y concentration initially loaded in the core gel, or macromer concentration in the coating solution. The major benefits of this interfacial thiol-ene coating system include its simplicity and cytocompatibility. The formation of thiol-ene hydrogels and coatings neither requires nor generates any cytotoxic components. This new gelation chemistry may have great utilities in controlled release of multiple sensitive growth factors and encapsulation of multiple cell types for tissue regeneration.

  11. Thiols in the alphaIIbbeta3 integrin are necessary for platelet aggregation.

    PubMed

    Manickam, Nagaraj; Sun, Xiuhua; Hakala, Kevin W; Weintraub, Susan T; Essex, David W

    2008-07-01

    Sulfhydryl groups of platelet surface proteins are important in platelet aggregation. While p-chloromercuribenzene sulphonate (pCMBS) has been used in most studies on platelet surface thiols, the specific thiol-proteins that pCMBS reacts with to inhibit aggregation have not been well defined. Since the thiol-containing P2Y(12) ADP receptor is involved in most types of platelet aggregation, we used the ADP scavenger apyrase and the P2Y(12) receptor antagonist 2-MeSAMP to examine thiol-dependent reactions in the absence of contributions from this receptor. We provide evidence for a non-P2Y(12) thiol-dependent reaction near the final alphaIIbbeta3-dependent events of aggregation. We then used 3-(N-maleimidylpropionyl)biocytin (MPB) and pCMBS to study thiols in alphaIIbbeta3. As previously reported, disruption of the receptor was required to obtain labelling of thiols with MPB. Specificity of labelling for thiols in the alphaIIb and beta3 subunits was confirmed by identification of the purified proteins by mass spectrometry and by inhibition of labelling with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid). In contrast to MPB, pCMBS preferentially reacted with thiols in alphaIIbbeta3 and blocked aggregation under physiological conditions. Similarly, pCMBS preferentially inhibited signalling-independent activation of alphaIIbbeta3 by Mn(2+). Our results suggest that the thiols in alphaIIbbeta3 that are blocked by pCMBS are important in the activation of this integrin.

  12. Thiol/disulfide redox states in signaling and sensing

    PubMed Central

    Go, Young-Mi; Jones, Dean P.

    2015-01-01

    Rapid advances in redox systems biology are creating new opportunities to understand complexities of human disease and contributions of environmental exposures. New understanding of thiol-disulfide systems have occurred during the past decade as a consequence of the discoveries that thiol and disulfide systems are maintained in kinetically controlled steady-states displaced from thermodynamic equilibrium, that a widely distributed family of NADPH oxidases produces oxidants that function in cell signaling, and that a family of peroxiredoxins utilize thioredoxin as a reductant to complement the well-studied glutathione antioxidant system for peroxide elimination and redox regulation. This review focuses on thiol/disulfide redox state in biologic systems and the knowledge base available to support development of integrated redox systems biology models to better understand the function and dysfunction of thiol-disulfide redox systems. In particular, central principles have emerged concerning redox compartmentalization and utility of thiol/disulfide redox measures as indicators of physiologic function. Advances in redox proteomics show that, in addition to functioning in protein active sites and cell signaling, cysteine residues also serve as redox sensors to integrate biologic functions. These advances provide a framework for translation of redox systems biology concepts to practical use in understanding and treating human disease. Biological responses to cadmium, a widespread environmental agent, are used to illustrate the utility of these advances to the understanding of complex pleiotropic toxicities. PMID:23356510

  13. Separation of thiol and cyanide hydrolysis products of chemical warfare agents by capillary electrophoresis.

    PubMed

    Copper, Christine L; Collins, Greg E

    2004-03-01

    The fluorescence derivatizing agent, o-phthalaldehyde (OPA), has been applied to the separation and detection of cyanide and several structurally similar thiols by capillary electrophoresis (CE)-laser induced fluorescence (LIF). Of particular interest to this investigation was the separation of 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol, 2-diethylaminoethanethiol, and cyanide, each of which are hydrolysis products or hydrolysis product simulants of the chemical warfare (CW) agents O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (VX), O-isobutyl S-2-diethylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate (R-VX), and tabun (GA). Other structurally similar thiols simultaneously resolved by this method include 1-pentanethiol and 2-mercaptoethanol. Instrumental parameters were probed and optimum values for capillary length (50 cm) and inner diameter (75 microm), injection time (30 s) and field strength (15 kV) were determined. Sample stacking methods enabled detection limits of 9.3 microg/L for cyanide, 1.8 microg/L for 2-diethylaminoethanethiol, 35 microg/L for 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol, 15 microg/L for 2-mercaptoethanol, and 89 microg/L for 1-pentanethiol. The linearity of the method was verified over an order of magnitude and the reproducibility was found to be 3.0%.

  14. Moderate physical exercise induces the oxidation of human blood protein thiols.

    PubMed

    Inayama, Takayo; Oka, Jun; Kashiba, Misato; Saito, Makoto; Higuchi, Mitsuru; Umegaki, Keizo; Yamamoto, Yorihiro; Matsuda, Mitsuo

    2002-03-15

    Exercise is known to induce the oxidation of blood low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols such as reduced glutathione (GSH). We previously reported that full-marathon running induced a decrease in human plasma levels of protein-bound sulfhydryl groups (p-SHs). Moderate exercise, a 30-min running at the intensity of the individual ventilatory threshold, performed by untrained healthy females caused a significant decrease in erythrocyte levels of p-SHs (mostly hemoglobin cysteine residues) and LMW thiols, but their levels returned to each baseline by 2 h. No significant change in plasma LMW thiols was observed. However, plasma levels of p-SHs significantly decreased after running and remained unchanged after 24 h. These results suggest that moderate exercise causes the oxidation of blood thiols, especially protein-bound thiols.

  15. Dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis and effects of smoking on homeostasis parameters in patients with psoriasis.

    PubMed

    Emre, Selma; Demirseren, Duriye Deniz; Alisik, Murat; Aktas, Akin; Neselioglu, Salim; Erel, Ozcan

    2017-12-01

    Recently, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced antioxidant capacity, and oxidative stress have been suggested in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The aim of this study to evaluate the thiol/disulfide homeostasis in patients with psoriasis. Ninety patients with psoriasis who did not receive any systemic treatment in the last six  months were included in the study. Seventy-six age and gender-matched healthy volunteers served as control group. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis was measured in venous blood samples obtained from patient and control groups. Native thiol and total thiol levels were significantly higher in patients than in control group. When thiol/disulfide hemostasis parameters and clinical and demographic characteristics were compared, a negative correlation was detected between native thiol and total thiol with age. The levels of total thiols had also negative correlation with PASI and duration of the disease. When we divided the patients into smokers and non-smokers, native thiol and total thiol levels were significantly higher in smokers than in controls, whereas native thiol and total thiol levels were comparable in non-smoker patients and controls. Thiol/disulfide balance shifted towards thiol in psoriasis patients and this may be responsible for increased keratinocyte proliferation in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

  16. Thiol-redox signaling, dopaminergic cell death, and Parkinson's disease.

    PubMed

    Garcia-Garcia, Aracely; Zavala-Flores, Laura; Rodriguez-Rocha, Humberto; Franco, Rodrigo

    2012-12-15

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the selective loss of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta, which has been widely associated with oxidative stress. However, the mechanisms by which redox signaling regulates cell death progression remain elusive. Early studies demonstrated that depletion of glutathione (GSH), the most abundant low-molecular-weight thiol and major antioxidant defense in cells, is one of the earliest biochemical events associated with PD, prompting researchers to determine the role of oxidative stress in dopaminergic cell death. Since then, the concept of oxidative stress has evolved into redox signaling, and its complexity is highlighted by the discovery of a variety of thiol-based redox-dependent processes regulating not only oxidative damage, but also the activation of a myriad of signaling/enzymatic mechanisms. GSH and GSH-based antioxidant systems are important regulators of neurodegeneration associated with PD. In addition, thiol-based redox systems, such as peroxiredoxins, thioredoxins, metallothioneins, methionine sulfoxide reductases, transcription factors, as well as oxidative modifications in protein thiols (cysteines), including cysteine hydroxylation, glutathionylation, and nitrosylation, have been demonstrated to regulate dopaminergic cell loss. In this review, we summarize major advances in the understanding of the role of thiol-redox signaling in dopaminergic cell death in experimental PD. Future research is still required to clearly understand how integrated thiol-redox signaling regulates the activation of the cell death machinery, and the knowledge generated should open new avenues for the design of novel therapeutic approaches against PD.

  17. Structure of a PL17 Family Alginate Lyase Demonstrates Functional Similarities among Exotype Depolymerases

    PubMed Central

    Park, David; Jagtap, Sujit; Nair, Satish K.

    2014-01-01

    Brown macroalgae represent an ideal source for complex polysaccharides that can be utilized as precursors for cellulosic biofuels. The lack of recalcitrant lignin components in macroalgae polysaccharide reserves provides a facile route for depolymerization of constituent polysaccharides into simple monosaccharides. The most abundant sugars in macroalgae are alginate, mannitol, and glucan, and although several classes of enzymes that can catabolize the latter two have been characterized, studies of alginate-depolymerizing enzymes have lagged. Here, we present several crystal structures of Alg17c from marine bacterium Saccharophagus degradans along with structure-function characterization of active site residues that are suggested to be involved in the exolytic mechanism of alginate depolymerization. This represents the first structural and biochemical characterization of a family 17 polysaccharide lyase enzyme. Despite the lack of appreciable sequence conservation, the structure and β-elimination mechanism for glycolytic bond cleavage by Alg17c are similar to those observed for family 15 polysaccharide lyases and other lyases. This work illuminates the evolutionary relationships among enzymes within this unexplored class of polysaccharide lyases and reinforces the notion of a structure-based hierarchy in the classification of these enzymes. PMID:24478312

  18. Cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases: Important roles in the metabolism of naturally occurring sulfur and selenium-containing compounds, xenobiotics and anticancer agents

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Arthur J. L.; Krasnikov, Boris F.; Niatsetskaya, Zoya V.; Pinto, John T.; Callery, Patrick S.; Villar, Maria T.; Artigues, Antonio; Bruschi, Sam A.

    2010-01-01

    Summary Cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases are pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-containing enzymes that catalyze β-elimination reactions with cysteine S-conjugates that possess a good leaving group in the β-position. The end products are aminoacrylate and a sulfur-containing fragment. The aminoacrylate tautomerizes and hydrolyzes to pyruvate and ammonia. The mammalian cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases thus far identified are enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism that catalyze β-lyase reactions as non-physiological side reactions. Most are aminotransferases. In some cases the lyase is inactivated by reaction products. The cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases are of much interest to toxicologists because they play an important key role in the bioactivation (toxication) of halogenated alkenes, some of which are produced on an industrial scale and are environmental contaminants. The cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases have been reviewed in this journal previously [Cooper and Pinto, 2006]. Here we focus on more recent findings regarding: 1) the identification of enzymes associated with high-Mr cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases in the cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of rat liver and kidney; 2) the mechanism of syncatalytic inactivation of rat liver mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase by the nephrotoxic β-lyase substrate S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)-L-cysteine (the cysteine S-conjugate of tetrafluoroethylene); 3) toxicant channeling of reactive fragments from the active site of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase to susceptible proteins in the mitochondria; 4) the involvement of cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases in the metabolism/bioactivation of drugs and natural products; and 5) the role of cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases in the metabolism of selenocysteine Se-conjugates. This review emphasizes the fact that the cysteine S-conjugate β-lyases are biologically more important than hitherto appreciated. PMID:20306345

  19. Spectroscopic Characterization of Extracellular Polymeric Substances from Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens: Suppression using Sub-Inhibitory Concentrations of Bismuth Thiols

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

    Badireddy, Appala R.; Korpol, Bhoom Reddy; Chellam, Shankararaman

    2008-10-21

    Free and capsular EPS produced by Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens were characterized in detail using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Total EPS production decreased upon treatment with sub-inhibitory concentrations of lipophilic bismuth thiols (bismuth dimercaptopropanol, BisBAL; bismuth ethanedithiol, BisEDT; and bismuth pyrithione, BisPYR), BisBAL being most effective. Bismuth thiols also influenced acetylation and carboxylation of polysaccharides in EPS from S. marcescens. Extensive homology between EPS samples in the presence and absence of bismuth was observed with proteins, polysaccharides, and nucleic acids varying predominantly only in the total amount expressed. Secondmore » derivative analysis of the amide I region of FTIR spectra revealed decreases in protein secondary structures in the presence of bismuth thiols. Hence, anti-fouling properties of bismuth thiols appear to originate in their ability to suppress O-acetylation and protein secondary structures in addition to total EPS secretion.« less

  20. Oxidative stress, thiols, and redox profiles.

    PubMed

    Harris, Craig; Hansen, Jason M

    2012-01-01

    Oxidative stress has been recognized as a contributing factor in the toxicity of a large number of developmental toxicants. Traditional definitions of oxidative stress state that a shift in the balance between reduced and oxidized biomolecules within cells, in favor of the latter, result in changes that are deleterious to vital cell functions and can culminate in malformations and death. The glutathione (GSH)/glutathione disulfide (GSSG) redox couple has been the traditional marker of choice for characterization of oxidative stress because of its high concentrations and direct roles as antioxidant and cellular protectant. Steady state depletion of GSH through conjugation, oxidation, or export has often been reported as the sole criteria for invoking oxidative stress and a myriad of associated deleterious consequences. Numerous other, mostly qualitative, observations have also been reported to suggest oxidative stress has occurred but it is not always clear how well they reflect the state of a cell or its functions. Our emerging understanding of redox signaling and the roles of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thiols, oxidant molecules, and cellular antioxidants, all acting as second messengers, has prompted a redefinition of oxidative stress based on changes in the real posttranslational protein thiol modifications that are central to redox regulation and control. Thiol-based redox couples such as GSH/GSSG, cysteine/cystine (cys/cySS), thioredoxin-reduced/thioredoxin-oxidized (TRX(red)/TRX(ox)) form independent signaling nodes that selectively regulate developmental events and are closely linked to changes in intracellular redox potentials. Accurate assessment of the consequences of increased free radicals in developing conceptuses should best be made using a battery of measurements including the quantitative assessment of intracellular redox potential, ROS, redox status of biomolecules, and induced changes in specific redox signaling nodes. Methods are presented for

  1. Structure-based functional annotation of putative conserved proteins having lyase activity from Haemophilus influenzae.

    PubMed

    Shahbaaz, Mohd; Ahmad, Faizan; Imtaiyaz Hassan, Md

    2015-06-01

    Haemophilus influenzae is a small pleomorphic Gram-negative bacteria which causes several chronic diseases, including bacteremia, meningitis, cellulitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, pneumonia, and empyema. Here we extensively analyzed the sequenced genome of H. influenzae strain Rd KW20 using protein family databases, protein structure prediction, pathways and genome context methods to assign a precise function to proteins whose functions are unknown. These proteins are termed as hypothetical proteins (HPs), for which no experimental information is available. Function prediction of these proteins would surely be supportive to precisely understand the biochemical pathways and mechanism of pathogenesis of Haemophilus influenzae. During the extensive analysis of H. influenzae genome, we found the presence of eight HPs showing lyase activity. Subsequently, we modeled and analyzed three-dimensional structure of all these HPs to determine their functions more precisely. We found these HPs possess cystathionine-β-synthase, cyclase, carboxymuconolactone decarboxylase, pseudouridine synthase A and C, D-tagatose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase and aminodeoxychorismate lyase-like features, indicating their corresponding functions in the H. influenzae. Lyases are actively involved in the regulation of biosynthesis of various hormones, metabolic pathways, signal transduction, and DNA repair. Lyases are also considered as a key player for various biological processes. These enzymes are critically essential for the survival and pathogenesis of H. influenzae and, therefore, these enzymes may be considered as a potential target for structure-based rational drug design. Our structure-function relationship analysis will be useful to search and design potential lead molecules based on the structure of these lyases, for drug design and discovery.

  2. Pectate lyase PelI of Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937 belongs to a new family.

    PubMed Central

    Shevchik, V E; Robert-Baudouy, J; Hugouvieux-Cotte-Pattat, N

    1997-01-01

    Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937 secretes five major isoenzymes of pectate lyases encoded by the pel4, pelB, pelC, pelD, and pelE genes and a set of secondary pectate lyases, two of which, pelL and pelZ, have been already identified. We cloned the pelI gene, encoding a ninth pectate lyase of E. chrysanthemi 3937. The pelI reading frame is 1,035 bases long, corresponding to a protein of 344 amino acids including a typical amino-terminal signal sequence of 19 amino acids. The purified mature PelI protein has an isoelectric point of about 9 and an apparent molecular mass of 34 kDa. PelI has a preference for partially methyl esterified pectin and presents an endo-cleaving activity with an alkaline pH optimum and an absolute requirement for Ca2+ ions. PelI is an extracellular protein secreted by the Out secretory pathway of E. chrysanthemi. The PelI protein is very active in the maceration of plant tissues. A pelI mutant displayed reduced pathogenicity on chicory leaves, but its virulence did not appear to be affected on potato tubers or Saintpaulia ionantha plants. The pelI gene constitutes an independent transcriptional unit. As shown for the other pel genes, the transcription of pelI is dependent on various environmental conditions. It is induced by pectic catabolic products and affected by growth phase, oxygen limitation, temperature, nitrogen starvation, and catabolite repression. Regulation of pelI expression appeared to be dependent on the three repressors of pectinase synthesis, KdgR, PecS, and PecT, and on the global activator of sugar catabolism, cyclic AMP receptor protein. A functional KdgR binding site was identified close to the putative pelI promoter. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of PelI revealed high homology with a pectate lyase from Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (65% identity) and low homology with pectate lyases of the phytopathogenic fungus Nectria haematococca (Fusarium solani). This finding indicates that PelI belongs to pectate lyase class

  3. Thiol Disulfide Homeostasis in Schizophrenic Patients Using Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs

    PubMed Central

    Ersan, Etem Erdal; Aydin, Hüseyin; Erdoğan, Serpil; Erşan, Serpil; Alişik, Murat; Bakir, Sevtap; Erel, Özcan; Koç, Derya

    2018-01-01

    Objective Schizophrenia is a severe, debilitating mental disorder characterized by behavioral abnormalities. Although several studies have investigated the role of oxidative stress and the effects of antipsychotic drugs on oxidative markers in schizophrenia, adequate information is not available on these issues. The aim of this study is to determine the changes in oxidative status and thiol disulfide homeostasis in schizophrenic patients using atypical antipsychotic drugs. Methods Thirteen schizophrenic patients using atypical antipsychotic drugs and 30 healthy controls were included this study. The concentrations of total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels were determined in the study population. Results The TAS (p=0.001), total thiol, and native thiol levels (p<0.001) were higher in the patients compared to the controls, whereas the TOS and disulfide levels were lower in the patients than in the controls (p<0.001). Conclusion These results may suggest that atypical antipsychotic drugs have a useful therapeutic effect by reducing oxidative stress via the inhibition of the formation of disulfide bonds. The study population number was one of the limitations of this study. Therefore, further studies are needed to establish the association between thiol disulfide homeostasis in schizophrenic patients using atypical antipsychotic drugs. PMID:29397665

  4. Cryptococcus neoformans ADS lyase is an enzyme essential for virulence whose crystal structure reveals features exploitable in antifungal drug design.

    PubMed

    Chitty, Jessica L; Blake, Kirsten L; Blundell, Ross D; Koh, Y Q Andre E; Thompson, Merinda; Robertson, Avril A B; Butler, Mark S; Cooper, Matthew A; Kappler, Ulrike; Williams, Simon J; Kobe, Bostjan; Fraser, James A

    2017-07-14

    There is significant clinical need for new antifungal agents to manage infections with pathogenic species such as Cryptococcus neoformans Because the purine biosynthesis pathway is essential for many metabolic processes, such as synthesis of DNA and RNA and energy generation, it may represent a potential target for developing new antifungals. Within this pathway, the bifunctional enzyme adenylosuccinate (ADS) lyase plays a role in the formation of the key intermediates inosine monophosphate and AMP involved in the synthesis of ATP and GTP, prompting us to investigate ADS lyase in C. neoformans. Here, we report that ADE13 encodes ADS lyase in C. neoformans. We found that an ade13 Δ mutant is an adenine auxotroph and is unable to successfully cause infections in a murine model of virulence. Plate assays revealed that production of a number of virulence factors essential for dissemination and survival of C. neoformans in a host environment was compromised even with the addition of exogenous adenine. Purified recombinant C. neoformans ADS lyase shows catalytic activity similar to its human counterpart, and its crystal structure, the first fungal ADS lyase structure determined, shows a high degree of structural similarity to that of human ADS lyase. Two potentially important amino acid differences are identified in the C. neoformans crystal structure, in particular a threonine residue that may serve as an additional point of binding for a fungal enzyme-specific inhibitor. Besides serving as an antimicrobial target, C. neoformans ADS lyase inhibitors may also serve as potential therapeutics for metabolic disease; rather than disrupt ADS lyase, compounds that improve the stability the enzyme may be used to treat ADS lyase deficiency disease. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  5. Effect of Ammonia Production by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on pelB Activation, Pectate Lyase Secretion, and Fruit Pathogenicity

    PubMed Central

    Kramer-Haimovich, H.; Servi, E.; Katan, T.; Rollins, J.; Okon, Y.; Prusky, D.

    2006-01-01

    The accumulation of ammonia and associated tissue alkalinization predispose avocado fruit to attack by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Secretion of ammonia by C. gloeosporioides in the presence of KNO3 was induced by decreasing the pH from 7.0 to 4.0. When the fungus was grown at pH 4.0 or 6.0 in the absence of a nitrogen source, ammonia did not accumulate, and neither pelB (encoding pectate lyase) transcription nor pectate lyase secretion was detected. Under these nitrogen starvation conditions, only transcriptional activation of areA, which encodes the global nitrogen regulator, was detected. pelB transcription and pectate lyase secretion were both detected when C. gloeosporioides was grown at pH 6.0 in the presence of ammonia accumulated from different nitrogen sources. The early accumulation of ammonia induced early pelB expression and pectate lyase secretion. As the external pH increased from 4.0 to 6.0, transcripts of pac1, the C. gloeosporioides pacC homolog, also could be detected. Nit mutants of C. gloeosporioides, which cannot utilize KNO3 as a nitrogen source, did not secrete ammonia, alkalinize the medium, or secrete pectate lyase. If Nit mutants were grown at pH 6.0 in the presence of glutamate, then pectate lyase secretion was induced. Infiltration of 0.1 M ammonium hydroxide at pH 10 into ripening avocado fruits enhanced the activation of quiescent infection and symptom development by C. gloeosporioides. These results suggest that ambient pH alkalinization resulting from ammonia accumulation and the availability of ammonia as a nitrogen source independently regulate pelB expression, pectate lyase secretion, and virulence of C. gloeosporioides. These data suggest that alkalinization during C. gloeosporioides infection is important for its transformation from the quiescent biotrophic stage to the necrotrophic stage of fungal colonization in the fruit host. PMID:16461646

  6. Cloning and study of the pectate lyase gene of Erwinia carotovora

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

    Bukanov, N.O.; Fonshtein, M.Yu.; Evtushenkov, A.N.

    1986-04-01

    The cloning of the gene of a secretable protein of Erwinia carotovora, pectate lyase, in Escherichia coli was described. Primary cloning was conducted using the phage vector lambda 47.1. In the gene library of E. carotovora obtained, eight phages carrying the gene sought were identified according to the appearance of enzymatic activity of the gene product, pectate lyase, in situ. The BamHI fragment of DNA, common to all these phages, was recloned on the plasmid pUC19. It was shown that the cloned pectate lyase gene is represented on the E. carotovora chromosome in one copy. Methods of production of representativemore » gene libraries on phage vectors from no less than 1 ..mu..g of cloned DNA even for the genomes of eukaryotes have now been developed. Vectors have been created, for example, lambda 47.1, permitting the selection only of hybrid molecules. A number of methods have been developed for the search for a required gene in the library, depending on whether the cloned gene can be expressed or not, and if it can, what properties it will impart to the hybrid clone containing it.« less

  7. Enhancement of bismuth antibacterial activity with lipophilic thiol chelators.

    PubMed Central

    Domenico, P; Salo, R J; Novick, S G; Schoch, P E; Van Horn, K; Cunha, B A

    1997-01-01

    The antibacterial properties of bismuth are greatly enhanced when bismuth is combined with certain lipophilic thiol compounds. Antibacterial activity was enhanced from 25- to 300-fold by the following seven different thiols, in order of decreasing synergy: 1,3-propanedithiol, dimercaprol (BAL), dithiothreitol, 3-mercapto-2-butanol, beta-mercaptoethanol, 1-monothioglycerol, and mercaptoethylamine. The dithiols produced the greatest synergy with bismuth at optimum bismuth-thiol molar ratios of from 3:1 to 1:1. The monothiols were generally not as synergistic and required molar ratios of from 1:1 to 1:4 for optimum antibacterial activity. The most-active mono- or dithiols were also the most soluble in butanol. The intensity of the yellow formed by bismuth-thiol complexes reflected the degree of chelation and correlated with antibacterial potency at high molar ratios. The bismuth-BAL compound (BisBAL) was active against most bacteria, as assessed by broth dilution, agar diffusion, and agar dilution analyses. Staphylococci (MIC, 5 to 7 microM Bi3+) and Helicobacter pylori (MIC, 2.2 microM) were among the most sensitive bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria were sensitive (MIC, < 17 microM). Enterococci were relatively resistant (MIC, 63 microM Bi3+). The MIC range for anaerobes was 15 to 100 microM Bi3+, except for Clostridium difficile (MIC, 7.5 microM). Bactericidal activity averaged 29% above the MIC. Bactericidal activity increased with increasing pH and/or increasing temperature. Bismuth-thiol solubility, stability, and antibacterial activity depended on pH and the bismuth-thiol molar ratio. BisBAL was stable but ineffective against Escherichia coli at pH 4. Activity and instability (reactivity) increased with increasing alkalinity. BisBAL was acid soluble at a molar ratio of greater than 3:2 and alkaline soluble at a molar ratio of less than 2:3. In conclusion, certain lipophilic thiol compounds enhanced bismuth antibacterial activity against a broad spectrum of

  8. Solvent isotope-induced equilibrium perturbation for isocitrate lyase.

    PubMed

    Quartararo, Christine E; Hadi, Timin; Cahill, Sean M; Blanchard, John S

    2013-12-23

    Isocitrate lyase (ICL) catalyzes the reversible retro-aldol cleavage of isocitrate to generate glyoxylate and succinate. ICL is the first enzyme of the glyoxylate shunt, which allows for the anaplerosis of citric acid cycle intermediates under nutrient limiting conditions. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the source of ICL for these studies, ICL is vital for the persistence phase of the bacterium's life cycle. Solvent kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) in the direction of isocitrate cleavage ((D₂O)V = 2.0 ± 0.1, and (D₂O)[V/K(isocitrate)] = 2.2 ± 0.3) arise from the initial deprotonation of the C2 hydroxyl group of isocitrate or the protonation of the aci-acid of the succinate product of the isocitrate aldol cleavage by a solvent-derived proton. This KIE suggested that an equilibrium mixture of all protiated isocitrate, glyoxylate, and succinate prepared in D₂O would undergo transient changes in equilibrium concentrations as a result of the solvent KIE and solvent-derived deuterium incorporation into both succinate and isocitrate. No change in the isotopic composition of glyoxylate was expected or observed. We have directly monitored the changing concentrations of all isotopic species of all reactants and products using a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Continuous monitoring of glyoxylate by ¹H NMR spectroscopy shows a clear equilibrium perturbation in D₂O. The final equilibrium isotopic composition of reactants in D₂O revealed dideuterated succinate, protiated glyoxylate, and monodeuterated isocitrate, with the transient appearance and disappearance of monodeuterated succinate. A model for the equilibrium perturbation of substrate species and their time-dependent isotopic composition is presented.

  9. Identification of one of the apurinic/apyrimidinic lyase active sites of topoisomerase V by structural and functional studies

    PubMed Central

    Rajan, Rakhi; Prasad, Rajendra; Taneja, Bhupesh; Wilson, Samuel H.; Mondragón, Alfonso

    2013-01-01

    Topoisomerase V (Topo-V) is the only member of a novel topoisomerase subtype. Topo-V is unique because it is a bifunctional enzyme carrying both topoisomerase and DNA repair lyase activities within the same protein. Previous studies had shown that the topoisomerase domain spans the N-terminus of the protein and is followed by 12 tandem helix–hairpin–helix [(HhH)2] domains. There are at least two DNA repair lyase active sites for apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site processing, one within the N-terminal region and the second within the C-terminal domain of Topo-V, but their exact locations and characteristics are unknown. In the present study, the N-terminal 78-kDa fragment of Topo-V (Topo-78), containing the topoisomerase domain and one of the lyase DNA repair domains, was characterized by structural and biochemical studies. The results show that an N-terminal 69-kDa fragment is the minimal fragment with both topoisomerase and AP lyase activities. The lyase active site of Topo-78 is at the junction of the fifth and sixth (HhH)2 domains. From the biochemical and structural data, it appears that Lys571 is the most probable nucleophile responsible for the lyase activity. Our experiments also suggest that Topo-V most likely acts as a Class I AP endonuclease in vivo. PMID:23125368

  10. Low-molecular-weight thiols in streptomycetes and their potential role as antioxidants.

    PubMed Central

    Newton, G L; Fahey, R C; Cohen, G; Aharonowitz, Y

    1993-01-01

    The intracellular low-molecular-weight thiols present in five gram-positive Streptomyces species and one Flavobacterium species were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography after fluorescence labeling with monobromobimane. Bacteria were chosen to include penicillin and cephalosporin beta-lactam producers and nonproducers. No significant amount of glutathione was found in any of the streptomycetes. Major intracellular thiols in all strains examined were cysteine, coenzyme A, sulfide, thiosulfate, and an unknown thiol designated U17. Those streptomycetes that make beta-lactam antibiotics also produce significant amounts of delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (ACV), a key intermediate in their biosynthesis. In Streptomyces clavuligerus, a potent producer of beta-lactams, the level of ACV was low during the early phase of growth and increased rapidly toward the end of exponential growth, paralleling that of antibiotic production. These and other observations indicate that ACV does not function as a protective thiol in streptomycetes. U17 may have this role since it was the major thiol in all streptomycetes and appeared to occur at levels about 10-fold higher than those of the other thiols measured, including ACV. Purification and amino acid analysis of U17 indicated that it contains cysteine and an unusual amine that is not one of the common amino acids. This thiol is identical to an unknown thiol found previously in Micrococcus roseus and Streptomyces griseus. A high level of ergothioneine was found in Streptomyces lactamdurans, and several unidentified thiols were detected in this and other streptomycetes. PMID:8478335

  11. Soft-lithography fabrication of microfluidic features using thiol-ene formulations.

    PubMed

    Ashley, John F; Cramer, Neil B; Davis, Robert H; Bowman, Christopher N

    2011-08-21

    In this work, a novel thiol-ene based photopolymerizable resin formulation was shown to exhibit highly desirable characteristics, such as low cure time and the ability to overcome oxygen inhibition, for the photolithographic fabrication of microfluidic devices. The feature fidelity, as well as various aspects of the feature shape and quality, were assessed as functions of various resin attributes, particularly the exposure conditions, initiator concentration and inhibitor to initiator ratio. An optical technique was utilized to evaluate the feature fidelity as well as the feature shape and quality. These results were used to optimize the thiol-ene resin formulation to produce high fidelity, high aspect ratio features without significant reductions in feature quality. For structures with aspect ratios below 2, little difference (<3%) in feature quality was observed between thiol-ene and acrylate based formulations. However, at higher aspect ratios, the thiol-ene resin exhibited significantly improved feature quality. At an aspect ratio of 8, raised feature quality for the thiol-ene resin was dramatically better than that achieved by using the acrylate resin. The use of the thiol-ene based resin enabled fabrication of a pinched-flow microfluidic device that has complex channel geometry, small (50 μm) channel dimensions, and high aspect ratio (14) features. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  12. Benzaldehyde lyase, a novel thiamine PPi-requiring enzyme, from Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar I.

    PubMed Central

    González, B; Vicuña, R

    1989-01-01

    Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar I can grow on benzoin as the sole carbon and energy source. This ability is due to benzaldehyde lyase, a new type of enzyme that irreversibly cleaves the acyloin linkage of benzoin, producing two molecules of benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde lyase was purified 70-fold and found to require catalytic amounts of thiamine PPi (TPP) and a divalent cation as cofactors. Optimal activity was obtained with a 1.0 mM concentration of Mn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+. Gel permeation chromatography indicated a native molecular weight of 80,000, whereas the enzyme migrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels as a single polypeptide with a molecular weight of 53,000. Benzaldehyde lyase is highly specific; of a variety of structurally related compounds tested, only benzoin and anisoin (4,4'-dimethoxybenzoin) acted as substrates, their apparent Kms being 9.0 x 10(-3) and 3.25 x 10(-2) mM, respectively. A catalytic mechanism for the enzyme is proposed. Images PMID:2496105

  13. Host-Pathogen interactions. 25. Endopolygalacturonic acid lyase from Erwinia carotovora elicits phytoalexin accumulation by releasing plant cell wall fragments

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

    Davis, K.R.; Lyon, G.D.; Darvill, A.G.

    1984-01-01

    Heat-labile elicitors of phytoalexin accumulation in soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr. cv Wayne) were detected in culture filtrates of Erwinia carotovora grown on a defined medium containing citrus pectin as the sole carbon source. The heat-labile elicitors were highly purified by cation-exchange chromatography on a CM-Sephadex (C-50) column, followed by agarose-affinity chromatography on a Bio-Gel A-0.5m gel filtration column. The heat-labile elicitor activity co-purified with two ..cap alpha..-1,4-endopolygalacturonic acid lyases (EC 4 x 2 x 2 x 2). Endopolygalacturonic acid lyase activity appeared to be necessary for elicitor activity because heat-inactivated enzyme preparations did not elicit phytoalexins. The purified endopolygalacturonicmore » acid lyases elicited pterocarpan phytoalexins at microbial-inhibitory concentrations in the soybean-cotyledon bioassay when applied at a concentration of 55 nanograms per milliliter (1 x 10/sup -9/ molar). One of these lyases released heat-stable elicitors from soybean cell walls, citrus pectin, and sodium polypectate. The heat-stable elicitor-active material solubilized from soybean cell walls by the lyase was composed of at least 90% (w/v) uronosyl residues. These results demonstrate that endopolygalacturonic acid lyase elicits phytoalexin accumulation by releasing fragments from pectic polysaccharides in plant cell walls.« less

  14. Identification of amino acid residues involved in the dRP-lyase activity of human Pol ι.

    PubMed

    Miropolskaya, Nataliya; Petushkov, Ivan; Kulbachinskiy, Andrey; Makarova, Alena V

    2017-08-31

    Besides X-family DNA polymerases (first of all, Pol β) several other human DNA polymerases from Y- and A- families were shown to possess the dRP-lyase activity and could serve as backup polymerases in base excision repair (Pol ι, Rev1, Pol γ and Pol θ). However the exact position of the active sites and the amino acid residues involved in the dRP-lyase activity in Y- and A- family DNA polymerases are not known. Here we carried out functional analysis of fifteen amino acid residues possibly involved in the dRP-lyase activity of human Pol ι. We show that substitutions of residues Q59, K60 and K207 impair the dRP-lyase activity of Pol ι while residues in the HhH motif of the thumb domain are dispensable for this activity. While both K60G and K207A substitutions decrease Schiff-base intermediate formation during dRP group cleavage, the latter substitution also strongly affects the DNA polymerase activity of Pol ι, suggesting that it may impair DNA binding. These data are consistent with an important role of the N-terminal region in the dRP-lyase activity of Pol ι, with possible involvement of residues from the finger domain in the dRP group cleavage.

  15. Thiol oxidation by nitrosative stress: Cellular localization in human spermatozoa.

    PubMed

    Cabrillana, María E; Uribe, Pamela; Villegas, Juana V; Álvarez, Juan; Sánchez, Raúl; Fornés, Miguel W

    2016-10-01

    Peroxynitrite is a highly reactive nitrogen species and when it is generated at high levels it causes nitrosative stress, an important cause of impaired sperm function. High levels of peroxynitrite have been shown to correlate with decreased semen quality in infertile men. Thiol groups in sperm are mainly found in enzymes, antioxidant molecules, and structural proteins in the axoneme. Peroxynitrite primarily reacts with thiol groups of cysteine-containing proteins. Although it is well known that peroxynitrite oxidizes sulfhydryl groups in sperm, the subcellular localization of this oxidation remains unknown. The main objective of this study was to establish the subcellular localization of peroxynitrite-induced nitrosative stress in thiol groups and its relation to sperm motility in human spermatozoa. For this purpose, spermatozoa from healthy donors were exposed in vitro to 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), a compound which generates peroxynitrite. In order to detect peroxynitrite and reduced thiol groups, the fluorescent probes, dihydrorhodamine 123 and monobromobimane (mBBr), were used respectively. Sperm viability was analyzed by propidium iodide staining. Peroxynitrite generation and thiol redox state were monitored by confocal microscopy whereas sperm viability was evaluated by flow cytometry. Sperm motility was analyzed by CASA using the ISAS(®) system. The results showed that exposure of human spermatozoa to peroxynitrite results in increased thiol oxidation which is mainly localized in the sperm head and principal piece regions. Thiol oxidation was associated with motility loss. The high susceptibility of thiol groups to peroxynitrite-induced oxidation could explain, at least in part, the negative effect of reactive nitrogen species on sperm motility. DHR: dihydrorhodamine 123; mBBr: monobromobimane ONOO(-): peroxynitrite RNS: reactive nitrogen species RFI: relative fluorescence intensity SIN-1: 3-morpholinosydnonimine CASA: Computer-Aided Sperm Analysis

  16. Evaluation of low molecular mass thiols content in carotid atherosclerotic plaques.

    PubMed

    Zinellu, Angelo; Lepedda, Antonio; Sotgia, Salvatore; Zinellu, Elisabetta; Scanu, Bastianina; Turrini, Franco; Spirito, Rita; Deiana, Luca; Formato, Marilena; Carru, Ciriaco

    2009-06-01

    Despite the evidence that both homocysteine and cysteine are important risk factors for vascular disease and atherosclerosis no information are reported about their effective amount in plaque and on the relationship with the other low molecular weight thiols. We used capillary electrophoresis to measure thiols in both carotid plaque specimens and plasma samples from 37 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. Pearson's correlation shows that intraplaque homocysteine, cysteine and cysteinylglycine levels are related to their plasma concentrations. The distribution of intraplaque GSH and Glu-Cys was higher than that of the same thiols in plasma, whereas the other thiols were significantly less prevalent in plaque than in plasma. Intraplaque haemoglobin and GSH levels were correlated, thus suggesting their common origin from erythrocytes lysis. Data suggest that increased levels of intraplaque glutathione may induce important effects on plaque fate by perturbing the normal LMW thiol redox state.

  17. Detection of intracellular glutathione using ThiolTracker violet stain and fluorescence microscopy.

    PubMed

    Mandavilli, Bhaskar S; Janes, Michael S

    2010-07-01

    Glutathione plays an important role in protecting mammalian cells from oxidative stress and cell death. Because reduced glutathione (GSH) represents the large majority of intracellular free thiols, cell-permeant, thiol-reactive fluorescent probes represent potentially useful indicators of intracellular GSH. The ThiolTracker Violet stain (a registered trademark of Invitrogen) is a bright fluorescent probe that is highly reactive to thiols and can be used as a convenient and effective indicator of intracellular GSH and general redox status by a variety of detection modalities. While this probe has been validated in flow cytometry and microplate fluorimetry assays, the following method will describe details on the use of the ThiolTracker Violet dye in traditional fluorescence microscopy, as well as high-content imaging and analysis.

  18. Kinetic and thermodynamic properties of alginate lyase and cellulase co-produced by Exiguobacterium species Alg-S5.

    PubMed

    Mohapatra, Bidyut R

    2017-05-01

    In an effort to screen out the alginolytic and cellulolytic bacteria from the putrefying invasive seaweed Sargassum species accumulated off Barbados' coast, a potent bacterial strain was isolated. This bacterium, which simultaneously produced alginate lyase and cellulase, was identified as Exiguobacterium sp. Alg-S5 via the phylogenetic approach targeting the 16S rRNA gene. The co-produced alginate lyase and cellulase exhibited maximal enzymatic activity at pH 7.5 and at 40°C and 45°C, respectively. The K m and V max values recorded as 0.91mg/mL and 21.8U/mg-protein, respectively, for alginate lyase, and 10.9mg/mL and 74.6U/mg-protein, respectively, for cellulase. First order kinetic analysis of the thermal denaturation of the co-produced alginate lyase and cellulase in the temperature range from 40°C to 55°C revealed that both the enzymes were thermodynamically efficient by displaying higher activation energy and enthalpy of denaturation. These enzymatic properties indicate the potential industrial importance of this bacterium in algal biomass conversion. This appears to be the first report on assessing the efficacy of a bacterium for the co-production of alginate lyase and cellulase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Spectrophotometric Determination of Phenolic Antioxidants in the Presence of Thiols and Proteins

    PubMed Central

    Avan, Aslı Neslihan; Demirci Çekiç, Sema; Uzunboy, Seda; Apak, Reşat

    2016-01-01

    Development of easy, practical, and low-cost spectrophotometric methods is required for the selective determination of phenolic antioxidants in the presence of other similar substances. As electron transfer (ET)-based total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays generally measure the reducing ability of antioxidant compounds, thiols and phenols cannot be differentiated since they are both responsive to the probe reagent. In this study, three of the most common TAC determination methods, namely cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt/trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (ABTS/TEAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), were tested for the assay of phenolics in the presence of selected thiol and protein compounds. Although the FRAP method is almost non-responsive to thiol compounds individually, surprising overoxidations with large positive deviations from additivity were observed when using this method for (phenols + thiols) mixtures. Among the tested TAC methods, CUPRAC gave the most additive results for all studied (phenol + thiol) and (phenol + protein) mixtures with minimal relative error. As ABTS/TEAC and FRAP methods gave small and large deviations, respectively, from additivity of absorbances arising from these components in mixtures, mercury(II) compounds were added to stabilize the thiol components in the form of Hg(II)-thiol complexes so as to enable selective spectrophotometric determination of phenolic components. This error compensation was most efficient for the FRAP method in testing (thiols + phenols) mixtures. PMID:27529232

  20. Spectrophotometric Determination of Phenolic Antioxidants in the Presence of Thiols and Proteins.

    PubMed

    Avan, Aslı Neslihan; Demirci Çekiç, Sema; Uzunboy, Seda; Apak, Reşat

    2016-08-12

    Development of easy, practical, and low-cost spectrophotometric methods is required for the selective determination of phenolic antioxidants in the presence of other similar substances. As electron transfer (ET)-based total antioxidant capacity (TAC) assays generally measure the reducing ability of antioxidant compounds, thiols and phenols cannot be differentiated since they are both responsive to the probe reagent. In this study, three of the most common TAC determination methods, namely cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt/trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (ABTS/TEAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), were tested for the assay of phenolics in the presence of selected thiol and protein compounds. Although the FRAP method is almost non-responsive to thiol compounds individually, surprising overoxidations with large positive deviations from additivity were observed when using this method for (phenols + thiols) mixtures. Among the tested TAC methods, CUPRAC gave the most additive results for all studied (phenol + thiol) and (phenol + protein) mixtures with minimal relative error. As ABTS/TEAC and FRAP methods gave small and large deviations, respectively, from additivity of absorbances arising from these components in mixtures, mercury(II) compounds were added to stabilize the thiol components in the form of Hg(II)-thiol complexes so as to enable selective spectrophotometric determination of phenolic components. This error compensation was most efficient for the FRAP method in testing (thiols + phenols) mixtures.

  1. Isocitrate Lyase Is Essential for Pathogenicity of the Fungus Leptosphaeria maculans to Canola (Brassica napus)

    PubMed Central

    Idnurm, Alexander; Howlett, Barbara J.

    2002-01-01

    A pathogenicity gene has been identified in Leptosphaeria maculans, the ascomycetous fungus that causes blackleg disease of canola (Brassica napus). This gene encodes isocitrate lyase, a component of the glyoxylate cycle, and is essential for the successful colonization of B. napus. It was identified by a reverse genetics approach whereby a plasmid conferring hygromycin resistance was inserted randomly into the L. maculans genome. Twelve of 516 transformants tested had reduced pathogenicity on cotyledons of B. juncea and B. napus, and 1 of these 12 had a deletion of the isocitrate lyase gene, as well as an insertion of the hygromycin resistance gene. This mutant was unable to grow on fatty acids, including monolaurate, and the isocitrate lyase transcript was not detected. When the wild-type gene was reintroduced into the mutant, growth on monolaurate was restored and pathogenicity was partially restored. L. maculans isocitrate lyase is produced during infection of B. napus cotyledons, while the plant homologue is not. When 2.5% glucose was added to the inoculum of the isocitrate lyase mutant, lesions of sizes similar to those caused by wild-type isolate M1 developed on B. napus cotyledons. These findings suggest that the glyoxylate pathway is essential for disease development by this plant-pathogenic fungus, as has been shown recently for a fungal and bacterial pathogen of animals and a bacterial pathogen of plants. Involvement of the glyoxylate pathway in pathogenesis in animals and plants presents potential drug targets for control of diseases. PMID:12455691

  2. A periodic mixed gaussians-plane waves DFT study on simple thiols on Au(111): adsorbate species, surface reconstruction, and thiols functionalization.

    PubMed

    Rajaraman, Gopalan; Caneschi, Andrea; Gatteschi, Dante; Totti, Federico

    2011-03-07

    Here we present DFT calculations based on a periodic mixed gaussians/plane waves approach to study the energetics, structure, bonding of SAMs of simple thiols on Au(111). Several open issues such as structure, bonding and the nature of adsorbate are taken into account. We started with methyl thiols (MeSH) on Au(111) to establish the nature of the adsorbate. We have considered several structural models embracing the reconstructed surface scenario along with the MeS˙-Au(ad)-MeS˙ type motif put forward in recent years. Our calculations suggest a clear preference for the homolytic cleavage of the S-H bond leading to a stable MeS˙ on a gold surface. In agreement with the recent literature studies, the reconstructed models of the MeS˙ species are found to be energetically preferred over unreconstructed models. Besides, our calculations reveal that the model with 1:2 Au(ad)/thiols ratio, i.e. MeS˙-Au(ad)-MeS˙, is energetically preferred compared to the clean and 1:1 ratio models, in agreement with the experimental and theoretical evidences. We have also performed Molecular Orbital/Natural Bond Orbital, MO/NBO, analysis to understand the electronic structure and bonding in different structural motifs and many useful insights have been gained. Finally, the studies have then been extended to alkyl thiols of the RSR' (R, R' = Me, Et and Ph) type and here our calculations again reveal a preference for the RS˙ type species adsorption for clean as well as for reconstructed 1:2 Au(ad)/thiols ratio models.

  3. Heavy metal ion removal by thiol functionalized aluminum oxide hydroxide nanowhiskers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xia, Zhiyong; Baird, Lance; Zimmerman, Natasha; Yeager, Matthew

    2017-09-01

    In this study, we developed a cost effective method of using thiol functionalized γ-aluminum oxide hydroxide (γ-AlOOH) filters for removing three key heavy metals from water: mercury, lead, and cadmium under non-concomitant conditions. Compared to non-thiol treated γ-AlOOH filters, the introduction of thiol functional groups greatly improved the heavy metal removal efficiency under both static and dynamic filtration conditions. The adsorption kinetics of thiol functionalized γ-AlOOH were investigated using the Lagergren first order and pseudo-second order kinetics models; whereas the isothermal adsorption behavior of these membranes was revealed through the Langmuir and Freundlich models. Heavy metal concentration was quantified by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectroscopy, and the thiol level on γ-AlOOH surface was measured by a colorimetric assay using Ellman's reagent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to further address the surface sulfur state on the membranes after heavy metal exposure. Mechanisms for heavy metal adsorption were also discussed.

  4. The synthesis of novel hybrid thiol-functionalized nano-structured SBA-15

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoang, Van Duc; Phuong Dang, Tuyet; Khieu Dinh, Quang; Phu Nguyen, Huu; Vu, Anh Tuan

    2010-09-01

    Mesoporous thiol-functionalized SBA-15 has been directly synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) with triblock copolymer P123 as-structure-directing agent under hydrothermal conditions. Surfactant removal was performed by Soxhlet ethanol extraction. These materials have been characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption/desorption (BET model), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy (IR) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The main parameters, such as the initial molar ratio of MPTMS to TEOS, the time of adding MPTMS to synthesized gel and the Soxhlet ethanol extraction on the thiol functionalized SBA-15 with high thiol content and highly ordered hexagonal mesostructure, were investigated and evaluated. The adsorption capacity of the thiol-functionalized and non-functionalized SBA-15 materials for Pb2+ ion from aqueous solution was tested. It was found that the Pb2+ adsorption capacity of the thiol functionalized SBA-15 is three times higher than that of non-functionalized SBA-15.

  5. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis in pregnant women with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

    PubMed

    Üstündağ, Yasemin; Demirci, Hakan; Balık, Rifat; Erel, Ozcan; Özaydın, Fahri; Kücük, Bilgen; Ertaş, Dilber; Ustunyurt, Emin

    2017-11-27

    Repetitive episodes of hypoxia and reoxygenation during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) resemble an ischemia-reperfusion injury. We aimed to test the hypothesis that oxidative stress occurs in pregnant women with OSAS. We also aimed to compare thiol/disulfide homeostasis with ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) as markers of ischemia-reperfusion injury in pregnant women with and without OSAS and healthy control. This study included 29 pregnant women with OSAS, 30 women without OSAS in the third trimester applying for periodic examinations, and 30 healthy women. Serum IMA and TAC (using the ferric reducing power of plasma method) were measured. Serum thiol/disulfide homeostasis was determined by a novel automated method. The mean age of the pregnant women with OSAS was 31.0 ± 4.7 years with a mean gestational age of 36.5 ± 3.0 weeks. The mean age of pregnant women without OSAS was 29.8 ± 4.9 years with a mean gestational age of 36.9 ± 2.7 weeks. The mean age of the nonpregnant control group was 29.7 ± 6.4 years. Both native thiol (291 ± 29 μmol/L versus 314 ± 30 μmol/L; p = .018) and total thiol (325 ± 32 versus 350 ± 32, p = .025) levels were lower in pregnant women with OSAS compared to pregnant women without OSAS, respectively (p < .01). This is the first study demonstrating the thiol/disulfide homeostasis in pregnant women with OSAS. Native thiol and total thiol levels were lower in pregnant women with OSAS compared to those without OSAS. However, dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis parameters cannot provide valuable information to discriminate OSAS in pregnant women.

  6. Identification of novel aroma-active thiols in pan-roasted white sesame seeds.

    PubMed

    Tamura, Hitoshi; Fujita, Akira; Steinhaus, Martin; Takahisa, Eisuke; Watanabe, Hiroyuki; Schieberle, Peter

    2010-06-23

    Screening for aroma-active compounds in an aroma distillate obtained from freshly pan-roasted sesame seeds by aroma extract dilution analysis revealed 32 odorants in the FD factor range of 2-2048, 29 of which could be identified. The highest FD factors were found for the coffee-like smelling 2-furfurylthiol, the caramel-like smelling 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, the coffee-like smelling 2-thenylthiol (thiophen-2-yl-methylthiol), and the clove-like smelling 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol. In addition, 9 odor-active thiols with sulfurous, meaty, and/or catty, black-currant-like odors were identified for the first time in roasted sesame seeds. Among them, 2-methyl-1-propene-1-thiol, (Z)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (Z)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, and 4-mercapto-3-hexanone were previously unknown as food constituents. Their structures were confirmed by comparing their mass spectra and retention indices as well as their sensory properties with those of synthesized reference compounds. The relatively unstable 1-alkene-1-thiols represent a new class of food odorants and are suggested as the key contributors to the characteristic, but quickly vanishing, aroma of freshly ground roasted sesame seeds.

  7. Redox mediators in visible light photocatalysis: photocatalytic radical thiol-ene additions.

    PubMed

    Tyson, Elizabeth L; Niemeyer, Zachary L; Yoon, Tehshik P

    2014-02-07

    Synthetically useful radical thiol-ene reactions can be initiated by visible light irradiation in the presence of transition metal polypyridyl photocatalysts. The success of this method relies upon the use of p-toluidine as an essential additive. Using these conditions, high-yielding thiol-ene reactions of cysteine-containing biomolecules can be accomplished using biocompatibile wavelengths of visible light, under aqueous conditions, and with the thiol component as the limiting reagent. We present evidence that p-toluidine serves as a redox mediator that is capable of catalyzing the otherwise inefficient photooxidation of thiols to the key thiyl radical intermediate. Thus, we show that co-catalytic oxidants can be important in the design of synthetic reactions involving visible light photoredox catalysis.

  8. Adaptive aneuploidy protects against thiol peroxidase deficiency by increasing respiration via key mitochondrial proteins.

    PubMed

    Kaya, Alaattin; Gerashchenko, Maxim V; Seim, Inge; Labarre, Jean; Toledano, Michel B; Gladyshev, Vadim N

    2015-08-25

    Aerobic respiration is a fundamental energy-generating process; however, there is cost associated with living in an oxygen-rich environment, because partially reduced oxygen species can damage cellular components. Organisms evolved enzymes that alleviate this damage and protect the intracellular milieu, most notably thiol peroxidases, which are abundant and conserved enzymes that mediate hydrogen peroxide signaling and act as the first line of defense against oxidants in nearly all living organisms. Deletion of all eight thiol peroxidase genes in yeast (∆8 strain) is not lethal, but results in slow growth and a high mutation rate. Here we characterized mechanisms that allow yeast cells to survive under conditions of thiol peroxidase deficiency. Two independent ∆8 strains increased mitochondrial content, altered mitochondrial distribution, and became dependent on respiration for growth but they were not hypersensitive to H2O2. In addition, both strains independently acquired a second copy of chromosome XI and increased expression of genes encoded by it. Survival of ∆8 cells was dependent on mitochondrial cytochrome-c peroxidase (CCP1) and UTH1, present on chromosome XI. Coexpression of these genes in ∆8 cells led to the elimination of the extra copy of chromosome XI and improved cell growth, whereas deletion of either gene was lethal. Thus, thiol peroxidase deficiency requires dosage compensation of CCP1 and UTH1 via chromosome XI aneuploidy, wherein these proteins support hydroperoxide removal with the reducing equivalents generated by the electron transport chain. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of adaptive aneuploidy counteracting oxidative stress.

  9. Reactivities of some thiol collectors and their interactions with Ag (+1) ion by molecular modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yekeler, Hulya; Yekeler, Meftuni

    2004-09-01

    The most commonly used collectors for sulfide minerals in the mining industry are the thiol collectors for the recovery of these minerals from their associated gangues by froth flotation. For this reason, a great deal of attention has been paid to understand the attachment mechanism of thiol collectors to metal sulfide surfaces. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/3-21G* and B3LYP/6-31++G** levels were employed to propose the flotation responses of these thiol collectors, namely, diethyl dithiocarbamate, ethyl dithiocarbamate, ethyl dithiocarbonate, ethyl trithiocarbonate and ethyl dithiophosphate ions, and to study the interaction energies of these collectors with Ag (+1) ion in connection to acanthite (Ag 2S) mineral. The calculated interaction energies, Δ E, were interpreted in terms of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energies of the isolated collector ions. The results show that the HOMOs are strongly localized to the sulfur atoms and the HOMO energies can be used as a reactivity descriptor for the flotation ability of the thiol collectors. Using the HOMO and Δ E energies, the reactivity order of the collectors is found to be (C 2H 5) 2NCS 2- > C 2H 5NHCS 2- > C 2H 5OCS 2- > C 2H 5SCS 2- > (C 2H 5O)(OH)PS 2-. The theoretically obtained results are in good agreement with the experimental data reported.

  10. Crystal structure and characterization of a novel L-serine ammonia-lyase from Rhizomucor miehei

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

    Qin, Zhen; Yan, Qiaojuan; Ma, Qingjun

    L-serine ammonia-lyase, as a member of the β-family of pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes, catalyzes the conversion of L-serine (L-threonine) to pyruvate (α-ketobutyrate) and ammonia. The crystal structure of L-serine ammonia-lyase from Rhizomucor miehei (RmSDH) was solved at 1.76 Å resolution by X-ray diffraction method. The overall structure of RmSDH had the characteristic β-family PLP dependent enzyme fold. It consisted of two distinct domains, both of which show the typical open twisted α/β structure. A PLP cofactor was located in the crevice between the two domains, which was attached to Lys52 by a Schiff-base linkage. Unique residue substitutions (Gly78, Pro79, Ser146, Ser147more » and Thr312) were discovered at the catalytic site of RmSDH by comparison of structures of RmSDH and other reported eukaryotic L-serine ammonia-lyases. Optimal pH and temperature of the purified RmSDH were 7.5 and 40 °C, respectively. It was stable in the pH range of 7.0–9.0 and at temperatures below 40 °C. This is the first crystal structure of a fungal L-serine ammonia-lyase. It will be useful to study the catalytic mechanism of β-elimination enzymes and will provide a basis for further enzyme engineering. - Highlights: • The crystal structure of a fungal L-serine ammonia-lyase (RmSDH) was solved. • Five unique residue substitutions are found at the catalytic site of RmSDH. • RmSDH was expressed in Pichia. pastoris and biochemically characterized. • RmSDH has potential application in splitting D/L-serine.« less

  11. Induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase during utilization of phenylalanine as a carbon or nitrogen source in Rhodotorula glutinis

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

    Marusich, W.C.; Jensen, R.A.; Zamir, L.O.

    Rhodotorula glutinis is a convenient source of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, an enzyme that is useful as a biochemical reagent in the assay of L-phenylalanine. There have been previous descriptions of induced lyase production in complex medium where induction occurs late in exponential growth, suggesting a role in secondary metabolism such as is the case in higher plants. A higher specific activity of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (sixfold higher than in complex medium) can be obtained during midexponential growth in a defined medium containing L-phenylalanine as the sole source of carbon. L-phenylalanine will also induce lyase synthesis during exponential growth in minimal medium inmore » which L-phenylalanine is the sole source of nitrogen. The appearance of lyase in complex medium supplemented with L-phenylalanine is probably triggered fortuitously by exhaustion late in growth of a prime source of nitrogen. In this study, R. glutinis appeared to express a single lyase enzyme, regardless of whether induction was nitrogen signaled or carbon signaled. Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of ether extracts prepared fom cultures induced with doubly labeled (U-/sup 14/C; ring-4-/sup 3/H) L-phenylalanine provided evidence of a catabolic sequence containing cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as degradative intermediates. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid was not identified as a catabolic intermediate.« less

  12. Induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase during utilization of phenylalanine as a carbon or nitrogen source in Rhodotorula glutinis.

    PubMed Central

    Marusich, W C; Jensen, R A; Zamir, L O

    1981-01-01

    Rhodotorula glutinis is a convenient source of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, an enzyme that is useful as a biochemical reagent in the assay of L-phenylalanine. There have been previous descriptions of induced lyase production in complex medium where induction occurs late in exponential growth, suggesting a role in secondary metabolism such as is the case in higher plants. A higher specific activity of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (sixfold higher than a complex medium) can be obtained during midexponential growth in a defined medium containing L-phenylalanine as the sole source of carbon. L-Phenylalanine will also induce lyase synthesis during exponential growth in minimal in which L-phenylalanine is the sole source of nitrogen. The appearance of lyase in complex medium supplemented with L-phenylalanine is probably triggered fortuitously by exhaustion late in growth of a prime source of nitrogen. In this study, R. glutinis appeared to express a single lyase enzyme, regardless of whether induction was nitrogen signaled or carbon signaled. Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of ether extracts prepared from cultures induced with doubly labeled (U-14C; ring-4-3H) L-phenylalanine provided evidence of a catabolic sequence containing cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as degradative intermediates. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid was not identified as a catabolic intermediate. PMID:7195398

  13. Gel Permeation Chromatography Characterization of the Chain Length Distributions in Thiol-Acrylate Photopolymer Networks

    PubMed Central

    Rydholm, Amber E.; Held, Nicole L.; Bowman, Christopher N.; Anseth, Kristi S.

    2008-01-01

    Crosslinked, degradable networks formed from the photopolymerization of thiol and acrylate monomers are explored as potential biomaterials. The degradation behavior and material properties of these networks are influenced by the molecular weight of the nondegradable thiol-polyacrylate backbone chains that form during photopolymerization. Here, gel permeation chromatography was used to characterize the thiol-polyacrylate backbone chain lengths in degraded thiol-acrylate networks. Increasing thiol functionality from 1 to 4 increased the backbone molecular weight (M̄w = 2.3 ± 0.07 × 104 Da for monothiol and 3.6 ± 0.1 × 104 Da for tetrathiol networks). Decreasing thiol functional group concentration from 30 to 10 mol% also increased the backbone lengths (M̄w = 7.3 ± 1.1 × 104 Da for the networks containing 10 mol% thiol groups as compared to 3.6 ± 0.1 × 104 Da for 30 mol% thiol). Finally, the backbone chain lengths were probed at various stages of degradation and an increase in backbone molecular weight was observed as mass loss progressed from 10 to 70%. PMID:19079733

  14. alpha-1,4-Glucan lyase, a new class of starch/glycogen degrading enzyme. III. Substrate specificity, mode of action, and cleavage mechanism.

    PubMed

    Yu, S; Ahmad, T; Kenne, L; Pedersén, M

    1995-05-11

    The alpha-1,4-glucan lyase (EC 4.2.2.-), purified from the red alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis, is a single polypeptide with a molecular mass of 116,654 Da as determined by matrix-assisted laser-desorption mass spectrometry. It degraded maltose, maltosaccharides, amylose, amylopectin and glycogen, forming 1,5-anhydro-D-fructose from the non-reducing end groups. The substrate specificity, mode of action, and cleavage mechanism of the enzyme were studied by using various naturally occurring and synthesized substrates. This enzyme was highly specific for the alpha-1,4-D-glucosidic bond. When a linear alpha-1,4-glucan was used as substrate, the enzyme split the substrate from the non-reducing end and released 1,5-anhydro-D-fructose successively until only one glucose unit was left. When a branched pentasaccharide of 6(2)-alpha-maltosylmaltotriose, obtained from glycogen by alpha-amylase limitation, was used as substrate, the glucose group in the 4-position of the 4,6-branched residue was not cleaved off. Using maltoheptaose as substrate and following the reaction with HPLC and 1H-NMR spectroscopy, it was found that the action mode of the lyase followed a multichain attack mechanism. 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopic studies on unlabelled and labelled amylose (1-2H, 2-2H, 1-13C) as substrates indicated that the lyase cleaved the C-(1')-O(4) bond forming a double bond between C-1' and C-2', thus forming the enol form of 1,5-anhydro-D-fructose. It also indicated that the catalytic process of the lyase involved proton exchanges among C-1, C-2, C-3 and the solvent.

  15. Site-directed mutagenesis of lysine 193 in Escherichia coli isocitrate lyase by use of unique restriction enzyme site elimination.

    PubMed Central

    Diehl, P; McFadden, B A

    1993-01-01

    By a newly developed double-stranded mutagenesis technique, histidine (H), glutamate (E), arginine (R) and leucine (L) have been substituted for the lysyl 193 residue (K-193) in isocitrate lyase from Escherichia coli. The substitutions for this residue, which is present in a highly conserved, cationic region, significantly affect both the Km for Ds-isocitrate and the apparent kcat of isocitrate lyase. Specifically, the conservative substitutions, K-193-->H (K193H) and K193R, reduce catalytic activity by ca. 50- and 14-fold, respectively, and the nonconservative changes, K193E and K193L, result in assembled tetrameric protein that is completely inactive. The K193H and K193R mutations also increase the Km of the enzyme by five- and twofold, respectively. These results indicate that the cationic and/or acid-base character of K193 is essential for isocitrate lyase activity. In addition to the noted effects on enzyme activity, the effects of the mutations on growth of JE10, an E. coli strain which does not express isocitrate lyase, were observed. Active isocitrate lyase is necessary for E. coli to grow on acetate as the sole carbon source. It was found that a mutation affecting the activity of isocitrate lyase similarly affects the growth of E. coli JE10 on acetate when the mutated plasmid is expressed in this organism. Specifically, the lag time before growth increases over sevenfold and almost twofold for E. coli JE10 expressing the K193H and K193R isocitrate lyase variants, respectively. In addition, the rate of growth decreases by almost 40-fold for E. coli JE10 cells expressing form K193H and ca. 2-fold for those expressing the K193R variants. Thus, the onset and rate of E. coli growth on acetate appears to depend on isocitrate lyase activity. Images PMID:8385665

  16. Solvent Isotope-induced Equilibrium Perturbation for Isocitrate Lyase

    PubMed Central

    Quartararo, Christine E.; Hadi, Timin; Cahill, Sean M.; Blanchard, John S.

    2014-01-01

    Isocitrate lyase (ICL) catalyzes the reversible retro-aldol cleavage of isocitrate to generate glyoxylate and succinate. ICL is the first enzyme of the glyoxylate shunt, which allows for the anaplerosis of citric acid cycle intermediates under nutrient limiting conditions. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the source of ICL for these studies, ICL is vital for the persistence phase of the bacteria’s life cycle. Solvent kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) in the direction of isocitrate cleavage of D2OV = 2.0 ± 0.1 and D2O[V/Kisocitrate] = 2.2 ± 0.3 arise from the initial deprotonation of the C2 hydroxyl group of isocitrate or the protonation of the aci-acid of succinate product of the isocitrate aldol cleavage by a solvent-derived proton. This KIE suggested that an equilibrium mixture of all protiated isocitrate, glyoxylate and succinate prepared in D2O, would undergo transient changes in equilibrium concentrations as a result of the solvent KIE and solvent-derived deuterium incorporation into both succinate and isocitrate. No change in the isotopic composition of glyoxylate was expected or observed. We have directly monitored the changing concentrations of all isotopic species of all reactants and products using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Continuous monitoring of glyoxylate by 1H NMR spectroscopy shows a clear equilibrium perturbation in D2O. The final equilibrium isotopic composition of reactants in D2O revealed di-deuterated succinate, protiated glyoxylate, and mono-deuterated isocitrate, with the transient appearance and disappearance of mono-deuterated succinate. A model for the equilibrium perturbation of substrate species, and their time-dependent isotopic composition is presented. PMID:24261638

  17. Simulation studies on structural and thermal properties of alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Devi, J Meena

    2017-06-01

    The structural and thermal properties of the passivated gold nanoparticles were explored employing molecular dynamics simulation for the different surface coverage densities of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of alkane thiol. The structural properties of the monolayer protected gold nanoparticles such us overall shape, organization and conformation of the capping alkane thiol chains were found to be influenced by the capping density. The structural order of the thiol capped gold nanoparticles enhances with the increase in the surface coverage density. The specific heat capacity of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles was found to increase linearly with the thiol coverage density. This may be attributed to the enhancement in the lattice vibrational energy. The present simulation results suggest, that the structural and thermal properties of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles may be modified by the suitable selection of the SAM coverage density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Bacterial Conversion of Hydroxylamino Aromatic Compounds by both Lyase and Mutase Enzymes Involves Intramolecular Transfer of Hydroxyl Groups

    PubMed Central

    Nadeau, Lloyd J.; He, Zhongqi; Spain, Jim C.

    2003-01-01

    Hydroxylamino aromatic compounds are converted to either the corresponding aminophenols or protocatechuate during the bacterial degradation of nitroaromatic compounds. The origin of the hydroxyl group of the products could be the substrate itself (intramolecular transfer mechanism) or the solvent water (intermolecular transfer mechanism). The conversion of hydroxylaminobenzene to 2-aminophenol catalyzed by a mutase from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes JS45 proceeds by an intramolecular hydroxyl transfer. The conversions of hydroxylaminobenzene to 2- and 4-aminophenol by a mutase from Ralstonia eutropha JMP134 and to 4-hydroxylaminobenzoate to protocatechuate by a lyase from Comamonas acidovorans NBA-10 and Pseudomonas sp. strain 4NT were proposed, but not experimentally proved, to proceed by the intermolecular transfer mechanism. GC-MS analysis of the reaction products formed in H218O did not indicate any 18O-label incorporation during the conversion of hydroxylaminobenzene to 2- and 4-aminophenols catalyzed by the mutase from R. eutropha JMP134. During the conversion of 4-hydroxylaminobenzoate catalyzed by the hydroxylaminolyase from Pseudomonas sp. strain 4NT, only one of the two hydroxyl groups in the product, protocatechuate, was 18O labeled. The other hydroxyl group in the product must have come from the substrate. The mutase in strain JS45 converted 4-hydroxylaminobenzoate to 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoate, and the lyase in Pseudomonas strain 4NT converted hydroxylaminobenzene to aniline and 2-aminophenol but not to catechol. The results indicate that all three types of enzyme-catalyzed rearrangements of hydroxylamino aromatic compounds proceed via intramolecular transfer of hydroxyl groups. PMID:12732549

  19. A Facile Stable-Isotope Dilution Method for Determination of Sphingosine Phosphate Lyase Activity

    PubMed Central

    Suh, Jung H.; Eltanawy, Abeer; Rangan, Apoorva; Saba, Julie D.

    2015-01-01

    A new technique for quantifying sphingosine phosphate lyase activity in biological samples is described. In this procedure, 2-hydrazinoquinoline is used to convert (2E)-hexadecenal into the corresponding hydrazone derivative to improve ionization efficiency and selectivity of detection. Combined utilization of liquid chromatographic separation and multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry allows for simultaneous quantification of the substrate S1P and product (2E)-hexadecenal. Incorporation of (2E)-d5-hexadecenal as an internal standard improves detection accuracy and precision. A simple one-step derivatization procedure eliminates the need for further extractions. Limits of quantification for (2E)-hexadecenal and sphingosine-1-phosphate are 100 and 50 fmol, respectively. The assay displays a wide dynamic detection range useful for detection of low basal sphingosine phosphate lyase activity in wild type cells, SPL-overexpressing cell lines, and wild type mouse tissues. Compared to current methods, the capacity for simultaneous detection of sphingosine-1-phosphate and (2E)-hexadecenal greatly improves the accuracy of results and shows excellent sensitivity and specificity for sphingosine phosphate lyase activity detection. PMID:26408264

  20. Hematopoietic Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Lyase Deficiency Decreases Atherosclerotic Lesion Development in LDL-Receptor Deficient Mice

    PubMed Central

    Bot, Martine; Van Veldhoven, Paul P.; de Jager, Saskia C. A.; Johnson, Jason; Nijstad, Niels; Van Santbrink, Peter J.; Westra, Marijke M.; Van Der Hoeven, Gerd; Gijbels, Marion J.; Müller-Tidow, Carsten; Varga, Georg; Tietge, Uwe J. F.; Kuiper, Johan; Van Berkel, Theo J. C.; Nofer, Jerzy-Roch

    2013-01-01

    Aims Altered sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) homeostasis and signaling is implicated in various inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis. As S1P levels are tightly controlled by S1P lyase, we investigated the impact of hematopoietic S1P lyase (Sgpl1−/−) deficiency on leukocyte subsets relevant to atherosclerosis. Methods and Results LDL receptor deficient mice that were transplanted with Sgpl1−/− bone marrow showed disrupted S1P gradients translating into lymphopenia and abrogated lymphocyte mitogenic and cytokine response as compared to controls. Remarkably however, Sgpl1−/− chimeras displayed mild monocytosis, due to impeded stromal retention and myelopoiesis, and plasma cytokine and macrophage expression patterns, that were largely compatible with classical macrophage activation. Collectively these two phenotypic features of Sgpl1 deficiency culminated in diminished atherogenic response. Conclusions Here we not only firmly establish the critical role of hematopoietic S1P lyase in controlling S1P levels and T cell trafficking in blood and lymphoid tissue, but also identify leukocyte Sgpl1 as critical factor in monocyte macrophage differentiation and function. Its, partly counterbalancing, pro- and anti-inflammatory activity spectrum imply that intervention in S1P lyase function in inflammatory disorders such as atherosclerosis should be considered with caution. PMID:23700419

  1. Thiol-Disulfide Exchange in Peptides Derived from Human Growth Hormone

    PubMed Central

    Chandrasekhar, Saradha; Epling, Daniel E.; Sophocleous, Andreas M.; Topp, Elizabeth M.

    2014-01-01

    Disulfide bonds stabilize proteins by crosslinking distant regions into a compact three-dimensional structure. They can also participate in hydrolytic and oxidative pathways to form non-native disulfide bonds and other reactive species. Such covalent modifications can contribute to protein aggregation. Here we present experimental data for the mechanism of thiol-disulfide exchange in tryptic peptides derived from human growth hormone in aqueous solution. Reaction kinetics were monitored to investigate the effect of pH (6.0-10.0), temperature (4-50 °C), oxidation suppressants (EDTA and N2 sparging) and peptide secondary structure (amide cyclized vs. open form). The concentrations of free thiol containing peptides, scrambled disulfides and native disulfide-linked peptides generated via thiol-disulfide exchange and oxidation reactions were determined using RP-HPLC and LC-MS. Concentration vs. time data were fitted to a mathematical model using non-linear least squares regression analysis. At all pH values, the model was able to fit the data with R2≥0.95. Excluding oxidation suppressants (EDTA and N2 sparging) resulted in an increase in the formation of scrambled disulfides via oxidative pathways but did not influence the intrinsic rate of thiol-disulfide exchange. In addition, peptide secondary structure was found to influence the rate of thiol-disulfide exchange. PMID:24549831

  2. Intercalation of gaseous thiols and sulfides into Ag+ ion-exchanged aluminum dihydrogen triphosphate.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Aki; Saimen, Hiroki; Watanabe, Nobuaki; Kimura, Hitomi; Kobayashi, Ayumi; Nakayama, Hirokazu; Tsuhako, Mitsutomo

    2005-08-02

    Ag(+) ion-exchanged layered aluminum dihydrogen triphosphate (AlP) with the interlayer distance of 0.85 nm was synthesized by the ion-exchange of proton in triphosphate with Ag(+) ion. The amount of exchanged Ag(+) ion depended on the concentration of AgNO(3) aqueous solution. Ag(+) ion-exchanged AlP adsorbed gaseous thiols and sulfides into the interlayer region. The adsorption amounts of thiols were more than those of sulfides, thiols with one mercapto group > thiol with two mercapto groups > sulfides, and depended on the amount of exchanged Ag(+) ion in the interlayer region. The thiols with one mercapto group were intercalated to expand the interlayer distance of Ag(+) ion-exchanged AlP, whereas there was no expansion in the adsorption of sulfide. In the case of thiol with two mercapto groups, there was observed contraction of the interlayer distance through the bridging with Ag(+) ions of the upper and lower sides of the interlayer region.

  3. Kinetics and mechanisms of thiol-disulfide exchange covering direct substitution and thiol oxidation-mediated pathways.

    PubMed

    Nagy, Péter

    2013-05-01

    Disulfides are important building blocks in the secondary and tertiary structures of proteins, serving as inter- and intra-subunit cross links. Disulfides are also the major products of thiol oxidation, a process that has primary roles in defense mechanisms against oxidative stress and in redox regulation of cell signaling. Although disulfides are relatively stable, their reduction, isomerisation, and interconversion as well as their production reactions are catalyzed by delicate enzyme machineries, providing a dynamic system in biology. Redox homeostasis, a thermodynamic parameter that determines which reactions can occur in cellular compartments, is also balanced by the thiol-disulfide pool. However, it is the kinetic properties of the reactions that best represent cell dynamics, because the partitioning of the possible reactions depends on kinetic parameters. This review is focused on the kinetics and mechanisms of thiol-disulfide substitution and redox reactions. It summarizes the challenges and advances that are associated with kinetic investigations in small molecular and enzymatic systems from a rigorous chemical perspective using biological examples. The most important parameters that influence reaction rates are discussed in detail. Kinetic studies of proteins are more challenging than small molecules, and quite often investigators are forced to sacrifice the rigor of the experimental approach to obtain the important kinetic and mechanistic information. However, recent technological advances allow a more comprehensive analysis of enzymatic systems via using the systematic kinetics apparatus that was developed for small molecule reactions, which is expected to provide further insight into the cell's machinery.

  4. Genetics Home Reference: 17 alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency

    MedlinePlus

    ... Center Frequency 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency accounts for about 1 percent of congenital adrenal hyperplasia cases. It is estimated to occur in 1 in 1 million people worldwide. Related Information What information about a genetic condition can statistics ...

  5. Study of Highly Selective and Efficient Thiol Derivatization using Selenium Reagents by Mass Spectrometry

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

    Xu, Kehua; Zhang, Yun W.; Tang, Bo

    2010-08-15

    Biological thiols are critical physiological components and their detection often involves derivatization. This paper reports a systemic mass spectrometry (MS) investigation of the cleavage of Se-N bond by thiol to form a new Se-S bond, the new selenium chemistry for thiol labeling. Our data shows that the reaction is highly selective, rapid, reversible and efficient. For instance, among twenty amino acids, only cysteine was found to be reactive with Se-N containing reagents and the reaction takes place in seconds. By adding dithiothreitol (DTT), the newly formed Se-S bond of peptides/proteins can be reduced back to free thiol. The high selectivitymore » and excellent reversibility of the reaction provide potential of using this chemistry for selective identification of thiol compounds or enriching and purifying thiol peptides/proteins. In addition, the derivatized thiol peptides have interesting dissociation behavior, which is tunable using different selenium reagents. For example, by introducing an adjacent nucleophilic group into the selenium reagent in the case of using ebselen, the reaction product of ebselen with glutathione (GSH) is easy to lose the selenium tag upon collision-induced dissociation (CID), which is useful to "fish out" those peptides containing free cysteine residues by precursor ion scan. By contrast, the selenium tag of N-(phenylseleno) phthalimide reagent can be stable and survive in CID process, which would be of value in pinpointing thiol location using a top-down proteomic approach. Also, the high conversion yield of the reaction allows the counting of total number of thiol in proteins. We believe that ebselen or N-(phenylseleno) phthalimide as tagging thiol-protein reagents will have important applications in both qualitative and quantitative analysis of different thiol-proteins derived from living cells by MS method.« less

  6. Thiol-Ene functionalized siloxanes for use as elastomeric dental impression materials

    PubMed Central

    Cole, Megan A.; Jankousky, Katherine C.; Bowman, Christopher N.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Thiol- and allyl-functionalized siloxane oligomers are synthesized and evaluated for use as a radical-mediated, rapid set elastomeric dental impression material. Thiol-ene siloxane formulations are crosslinked using a redox-initiated polymerization scheme, and the mechanical properties of the thiol-ene network are manipulated through the incorporation of varying degrees of plasticizer and kaolin filler. Formulations with medium and light body consistencies are further evaluated for their ability to accurately replicate features on both the gross and microscopic levels. We hypothesize that thiol-ene functionalized siloxane systems will exhibit faster setting times and greater detail reproduction than commercially available polyvinylsiloxane (PVS) materials of comparable consistencies. Methods Thiol-ene functionalized siloxane mixtures formulated with varying levels of redox initiators, plasticizer, and kaolin filler are made and evaluated for their polymerization speed (FTIR), consistency (ISO4823.9.2), and surface energy (goniometer). Feature replication is evaluated quantitatively by SEM. The Tg, storage modulus, and creep behavior are determined by DMA. Results Increasing redox initiation rate increases the polymerization rate but at high levels also limits working time. Combining 0.86 wt% oxidizing agent with up to 5 wt% plasticizer gave a working time of 3 min and a setting time of 2 min. The selected medium and light body thiol-ene formulations also achieved greater qualitative detail reproduction than the commercial material and reproduced micrometer patterns with 98% accuracy. Significance Improving detail reproduction and setting speed is a primary focus of dental impression material design and synthesis. Radical-mediated polymerizations, particularly thiol-ene reactions, are recognized for their speed, reduced shrinkage, and ‘click’ nature. PMID:24553250

  7. A Study of Functional Polymer Colloids Prepared Using Thiol-Ene/Yne Click Chemistry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Durham, Olivia Z.

    This project demonstrates the first instance of thiol-ene chemistry as the polymerization method for the production of polymer colloids in two-phase heterogeneous suspensions, miniemulsions, and emulsions. This work was also expanded to thiol-yne chemistry for the production of polymer particles containing increased crosslinking density. The utility of thiol-ene and thiol-yne chemistries for polymerization and polymer modification is well established in bulk systems. These reactions are considered 'click' reactions, which can be defined as processes that are both facile and simple, offering high yields with nearly 100% conversion, no side products, easy product separation, compatibility with a diverse variety of commercially available starting materials, and orthogonality with other chemistries. In addition, thiol-ene and thiol-yne chemistry follow a step-growth mechanism for the development of highly uniform polymer networks, where polymer growth is dependent on the coupling of functional groups. These step-growth polymerization systems are in stark contrast to the chain-growth mechanisms of acrylic and styrenic monomers that have dominated the field of conventional heterogeneous polymerizations. Preliminary studies evaluated the mechanism of particle production in suspension and miniemulsion systems. Monomer droplets were compared to the final polymer particles to confirm that particle growth occurred through the polymerization of monomer droplets. Additional parameters examined include homogenization energy (mechanical mixing), diluent species and concentration, and monomer content. These reactions were conducted using photoinitiation to yield particles in a matter of minutes with diameters in the size range of several microns to hundreds of microns in suspensions or submicron particles in miniemulsions. Improved control over the particle size and size distribution was examined through variation of reaction parameters. In addition, a method of seeded suspension

  8. Occurrence of low molecular weight thiols in biological systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fahey, Robert C.; Newton, Gerald L.

    1983-01-01

    Bromobimane labeling and high performance chromatography analysis were applied to various species of bacteria, plant tissues, and animal tissues. The reaction between thiols and monobromobimane is studied. Chromatograms revealing peaks produced by nonthiols and thiols are analyzed and compared. It is observed that all the bacteria species contain hydrogen sulfide, and glutathione is contained in facultative and aerobic gram-negative bacteria. For the plant tissues, the data reveal that mung bean sprouts contain homoglutathione and no glutathione; alfalfa sprouts contain homoglutathione and glutathione; the pea seed, nonlegumes, and fungi contain glutathione and no homoglutathione. It is detected that the main thiol in the animal tissues is glutathione. Based on the data, it is suggested that glutathione has an essential function in higher organisms.

  9. Non-protein thiol imaging and quantification in live cells with a novel benzofurazan sulfide triphenylphosphonium fluorogenic compound.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Guan, Xiangming

    2017-05-01

    Thiols (-SH) play various roles in biological systems. They are divided into protein thiols (PSH) and non-protein thiols (NPSH). Due to the significant roles thiols play in various physiological/pathological functions, numerous analytical methods have been developed for thiol assays. Most of these methods are developed for glutathione, the major form of NPSH. Majority of these methods require tissue/cell homogenization before analysis. Due to a lack of effective thiol-specific fluorescent/fluorogenic reagents, methods for imaging and quantifying thiols in live cells are limited. Determination of an analyte in live cells can reveal information that cannot be revealed by analysis of cell homogenates. Previously, we reported a thiol-specific thiol-sulfide exchange reaction. Based on this reaction, a benzofurazan sulfide thiol-specific fluorogenic reagent was developed. The reagent was able to effectively image and quantify total thiols (PSH+NPSH) in live cells through fluorescence microscopy. The reagent was later named as GUALY's reagent. Here we would like to report an extension of the work by synthesizing a novel benzofurazan sulfide triphenylphosphonium derivative [(((7,7'-thiobis(benzo[c][1,2,5]oxadiazole-4,4'-sulfonyl))bis(methylazanediyl))bis(butane-4,1-diyl))bis(triphenylphosphonium) (TBOP)]. Like GUALY's reagent, TBOP is a thiol-specific fluorogenic agent that is non-fluorescent but forms fluorescent thiol adducts in a thiol-specific fashion. Different than GUALY's reagent, TBOP reacts only with NPSH but not with PSH. TBOP was effectively used to image and quantify NPSH in live cells using fluorescence microscopy. TBOP is a complementary reagent to GUALY's reagent in determining the roles of PSH, NPSH, and total thiols in thiol-related physiological/pathological functions in live cells through fluorescence microscopy. Graphical Abstract Live cell imaging and quantification of non-protein thiols by TBOP.

  10. The change in serum Thiol/Disulphide homeostasis after transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy

    PubMed Central

    Tokgöz, Hüsnü; Taş, Selim; Giray, Özlem; Yalçınkaya, Soner; Tokgöz, Özlem; Koca, Cemile; Savaş, Murat; Erel, Özcan

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this prospective clinical study was to investigate variations in a novel oxidative stress marker (thiol/disulphide homeostasis) in men who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSB). Materials and Methods A total of 22 men undergoing TRUSB of the prostate were enrolled in the study. Patients with abnormal digital rectal examination and/or total prostate specific antigen (PSA) over 4ng/mL underwent TRUSB with 12 cores. Serum samples were obtained before and just after the procedure to evaluate the possible changes in thiol/disulphide homeostasis. Mean age, total PSA and free PSA, prostate volume and histopathological data were also recorded. Results Mean age of the study population was 65.05±8.89 years. Significant decreases in native and total thiol levels were documented after the biopsy procedure. However, serum disulphide levels and disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native/total thiol ratios did not significantly change after TRUSB. No correlation was observed between oxidative parameters and total PSA and free PSA levels, prostate volume and histopathology of the prostate. However, mean patient age was significantly correlated with mean native and total thiol levels. Conclusion Significant decreases in serum native and total thiol levels related to the prostate biopsy procedure suggest that TRUSB causes acute oxidative stress in the human body. Since our trial is the first in the current literature to investigate these oxidative stress markers in urology practice, additional studies are warranted. PMID:28128906

  11. The change in serum Thiol/Disulphide homeostasis after transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy.

    PubMed

    Tokgöz, Hüsnü; Taş, Selim; Giray, Özlem; Yalçınkaya, Soner; Tokgöz, Özlem; Koca, Cemile; Savaş, Murat; Erel, Özcan

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this prospective clinical study was to investigate variations in a novel oxidative stress marker (thiol/disulphide homeostasis) in men who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSB). A total of 22 men undergoing TRUSB of the prostate were enrolled in the study. Patients with abnormal digital rectal examination and/or total prostate specific antigen (PSA) over 4ng/mL underwent TRUSB with 12 cores. Serum samples were obtained before and just after the procedure to evaluate the possible changes in thiol/disulphide homeostasis. Mean age, total PSA and free PSA, prostate volume and histopathological data were also recorded. Mean age of the study population was 65.05±8.89 years. Significant decreases in native and total thiol levels were documented after the biopsy procedure. However, serum disulphide levels and disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native / total thiol ratios did not significantly change after TRUSB. No correlation was observed between oxidative parameters and total PSA and free PSA levels, prostate volume and histopathology of the prostate. However, mean patient age was significantly correlated with mean native and total thiol levels. Significant decreases in serum native and total thiol levels related to the prostate biopsy procedure suggest that TRUSB causes acute oxidative stress in the human body. Since our trial is the first in the current literature to investigate these oxidative stress markers in urology practice, additional studies are warranted. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

  12. Detoxification of Atrazine by Low Molecular Weight Thiols in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa).

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jing Jing; Xu, Jiang Yan; Lu, Feng Fan; Jin, She Feng; Yang, Hong

    2017-10-16

    Low molecular weight (LMW) thiols in higher plants are a group of sulfur-rich nonprotein compounds and play primary and multiple roles in cellular redox homeostasis, enzyme activities, and xenobiotics detoxification. This study focused on identifying thiols-related protein genes from the legume alfalfa exposed to the herbicide atrazine (ATZ) residues in environment. Using high-throughput RNA-sequencing, a set of ATZ-responsive thiols-related protein genes highly up-regulated and differentially expressed in alfalfa was identified. Most of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in regulation of biotic and abiotic stress responses. By analyzing the genes involved in thiols-mediated redox homeostasis, we found that many of them were thiols-synthetic enzymes such as γ-glutamylcysteine synthase (γECS), homoglutathione synthetase (hGSHS), and glutathione synthetase (GSHS). Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), we further characterized a group of ATZ-thiols conjugates, which are the detoxified forms of ATZ in plants. Cysteine S-conjugate ATZ-HCl+Cys was the most important metabolite detected by MS. Several other ATZ-conjugates were also examined as ATZ-detoxified metabolites. Such results were validated by characterizing their analogs in rice. Our data showed that some conjugates under ATZ stress were detected in both plants, indicating that some detoxified mechanisms and pathways can be shared by the two plant species. Overall, these results indicate that LMW thiols play critical roles in detoxification of ATZ in the plants.

  13. Thiol Reactivity of Curcumin and Its Oxidation Products.

    PubMed

    Luis, Paula B; Boeglin, William E; Schneider, Claus

    2018-04-16

    The polypharmacological effects of the turmeric compound curcumin may be partly mediated by covalent adduction to cellular protein. Covalent binding to small molecule and protein thiols is thought to occur through a Michael-type addition at the enone moiety of the heptadienedione chain connecting the two methoxyphenol rings of curcumin. Here we show that curcumin forms the predicted thiol-Michael adducts with three model thiols, glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, and β-mercaptoethanol. More abundant, however, are respective thiol adducts of the dioxygenated spiroepoxide intermediate of curcumin autoxidation. Two electrophilic sites at the quinone-like ring of the spiroepoxide are identified. Addition of β-mercaptoethanol at the 5'-position of the ring gives a 1,7-dihydroxycyclopentadione-5' thioether, and addition at the 1'-position results in cleavage of the aromatic ring from the molecule, forming methoxyphenol-thioether and a tentatively identified cyclopentadione aldehyde. The curcuminoids demethoxy- and bisdemethoxycurcumin do not form all of the possible thioether adducts, corresponding with their increased stability toward autoxidation. RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells activated with phorbol ester form curcumin-glutathionyl and the 1,7-dihydroxycyclopentadione-5'-glutathionyl adducts. These studies indicate that the enone of the parent compound is not the only functional electrophile in curcumin, and that its oxidation products provide additional electrophilic sites. This suggests that protein binding by curcumin may involve oxidative activation into reactive quinone methide and spiroepoxide electrophiles.

  14. Lignin-Based Materials Through Thiol-Maleimide "Click" Polymerization.

    PubMed

    Buono, Pietro; Duval, Antoine; Averous, Luc; Habibi, Youssef

    2017-03-09

    In the present report an environmentally friendly approach to transforming renewable feedstocks into value-added materials is proposed. This transformation pathway was conducted under green conditions, without the use of solvents or catalyst. First, controlled modification of lignin, a major biopolymer present in wood and plants, was achieved by esterification with 11-maleimidoundecylenic acid (11-MUA), a derivative from castor oil that contains maleimide groups, following its transformation into 11-maleimidoundecanoyl chloride (11-MUC). Different degrees of substitution were achieved by using various amounts of the 11-MUC, leading to an efficient conversion of lignin hydroxy groups, as demonstrated by 1 H and 31 P NMR analyses. These fully biobased maleimide-lignin derivatives were subjected to an extremely fast (ca. 1 min) thiol-ene "click" polymerization with thiol-containing linkers. Aliphatic and aromatic thiol linkers bearing two to four thiol groups were used to tune the reactivity and crosslink density. The properties of the resulting materials were evaluated by swelling tests and thermal and mechanical analyses, which showed that varying the degree of functionality of the linker and the linker structure allowed accurate tailoring of the thermal and mechanical properties of the final materials, thus providing interesting perspectives for lignin in functional aromatic polymers. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Functional thiols as repair and doping agents of defective MoS2 monolayers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Förster, Anja; Gemming, Sibylle; Seifert, Gotthard

    2018-06-01

    Recent experimental and theoretical studies indicate that thiols (R-SH) can be used to repair sulfur vacancy defects in MoS2 monolayers (MLs). This density functional theory study investigates how the thiol repair mechanism process can be used to dope MoS2 MLs. Fluorinated thiols as well as amine-containing ones are used to p- and n-dope the MoS2 ML, respectively. It is shown that functional groups are only physisorbed on the repaired MoS2 surface. This explains the reversible doping with fluorinated thiols.

  16. Determination of acidity and nucleophilicity in thiols by reaction with monobromobimane and fluorescence detection.

    PubMed

    Sardi, Florencia; Manta, Bruno; Portillo-Ledesma, Stephanie; Knoops, Bernard; Comini, Marcelo A; Ferrer-Sueta, Gerardo

    2013-04-01

    A method based on the differential reactivity of thiol and thiolate with monobromobimane (mBBr) has been developed to measure nucleophilicity and acidity of protein and low-molecular-weight thiols. Nucleophilicity of the thiolate is measured as the pH-independent second-order rate constant of its reaction with mBBr. The ionization constants of the thiols are obtained through the pH dependence of either second-order rate constant or initial rate of reaction. For readily available thiols, the apparent second-order rate constant is measured at different pHs and then plotted and fitted to an appropriate pH function describing the observed number of ionization equilibria. For less available thiols, such as protein thiols, the initial rate of reaction is determined in a wide range of pHs and fitted to the appropriate pH function. The method presented here shows excellent sensitivity, allowing the use of nanomolar concentrations of reagents. The method is suitable for scaling and high-throughput screening. Example determinations of nucleophilicity and pK(a) are presented for captopril and cysteine as low-molecular-weight thiols and for human peroxiredoxin 5 and Trypanosoma brucei monothiol glutaredoxin 1 as protein thiols. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Visible light-initiated interfacial thiol-norbornene photopolymerization for forming islet surface conformal coating

    PubMed Central

    Shih, Han; Mirmira, Raghavendra G.; Lin, Chien-Chi

    2015-01-01

    A cytocompatible visible light-mediated interfacial thiol-norbornene photopolymerization scheme was developed for creating hydrogel conformal coating on pancreatic islets. The step-growth thiol-norbornene reaction affords high consistency and tunability in gel coating thickness. Furthermore, isolated islets coated with thiol-norbornene gel maintained their viability and function in vitro. PMID:26509035

  18. The thiol of human serum albumin: Acidity, microenvironment and mechanistic insights on its oxidation to sulfenic acid.

    PubMed

    Bonanata, Jenner; Turell, Lucía; Antmann, Laura; Ferrer-Sueta, Gerardo; Botasini, Santiago; Méndez, Eduardo; Alvarez, Beatriz; Coitiño, E Laura

    2017-07-01

    Human serum albumin (HSA) has a single reduced cysteine residue, Cys34, whose acidity has been controversial. Three experimental approaches (pH-dependence of reactivity towards hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet titration and infrared spectroscopy) are used to determine that the pK a value in delipidated HSA is 8.1±0.2 at 37°C and 0.1M ionic strength. Molecular dynamics simulations of HSA in the sub-microsecond timescale show that while sulfur exposure to solvent is limited and fluctuating in the thiol form, it increases in the thiolate, stabilized by a persistent hydrogen-bond (HB) network involving Tyr84 and bridging waters to Asp38 and Gln33 backbone. Insight into the mechanism of Cys34 oxidation by H 2 O 2 is provided by ONIOM(QM:MM) modeling including quantum water molecules. The reaction proceeds through a slightly asynchronous S N 2 transition state (TS) with calculated Δ ‡ G and Δ ‡ H barriers at 298K of respectively 59 and 54kJmol -1 (the latter within chemical accuracy from the experimental value). A post-TS proton transfer leads to HSA-SO - and water as products. The structured reaction site cages H 2 O 2 , which donates a strong HB to the thiolate. Loss of this HB before reaching the TS modulates Cys34 nucleophilicity and contributes to destabilize H 2 O 2 . The lack of reaction-site features required for differential stabilization of the TS (positive charges, H 2 O 2 HB strengthening) explains the striking difference in kinetic efficiency for the same reaction in other proteins (e.g. peroxiredoxins). The structured HB network surrounding HSA-SH with sequestered waters carries an entropic penalty on the barrier height. These studies contribute to deepen the understanding of the reactivity of HSA-SH, the most abundant thiol in human plasma, and in a wider perspective, provide clues on the key aspects that modulate thiol reactivity against H 2 O 2 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Homozygous Mutation G539R in the Gene for P450 Oxidoreductase in a Family Previously Diagnosed as Having 17,20-Lyase Deficiency

    PubMed Central

    Hershkovitz, Eli; Parvari, Ruthi; Wudy, Stefan A.; Hartmann, Michaela F.; Gomes, Larissa G.; Loewental, Neta; Miller, Walter L.

    2008-01-01

    Context: Very few patients have been described with isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency who have had their mutations in P450c17 (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) proven by DNA sequencing and in vitro characterization of the mutations. Most patients with 17,20-lyase deficiency have mutations in the domain of P450c17 that interact with the electron-donating redox partner, P450 oxidoreductase (POR). Objective: Our objective was to clarify the genetic and functional basis of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency in familial cases who were previously reported as having 17,20-lyase deficiency. Patients: Four undervirilized males of an extended Bedouin family were investigated. One of these has previously been reported to carry mutations in the CYP17A1 gene encoding P450c17 causing isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency. Methods: Serum hormones were evaluated before and after stimulation with ACTH. Urinary steroid metabolites were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Exons 1 and 8 of CYP17A1 previously reported to harbor mutations in one of these patients and all 15 coding exons of POR were sequenced. Results: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) urinary steroid profiling and serum steroid measurements showed combined deficiencies of 17,20-lyase and 21-hydroxylase. Sequencing of exons 1 and 8 of CYP17A1 in two different laboratories showed no mutations. Sequencing of POR showed that all four patients were homozygous for G539R, a previously studied mutation that retains 46% of normal capacity to support the 17α-hydroxylase activity but only 8% of the 17,20-lyase activity of P450c17. Conclusion: POR deficiency can masquerade clinically as isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency. PMID:18559916

  20. Homozygous mutation G539R in the gene for P450 oxidoreductase in a family previously diagnosed as having 17,20-lyase deficiency.

    PubMed

    Hershkovitz, Eli; Parvari, Ruthi; Wudy, Stefan A; Hartmann, Michaela F; Gomes, Larissa G; Loewental, Neta; Miller, Walter L

    2008-09-01

    Very few patients have been described with isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency who have had their mutations in P450c17 (17alpha-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) proven by DNA sequencing and in vitro characterization of the mutations. Most patients with 17,20-lyase deficiency have mutations in the domain of P450c17 that interact with the electron-donating redox partner, P450 oxidoreductase (POR). Our objective was to clarify the genetic and functional basis of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency in familial cases who were previously reported as having 17,20-lyase deficiency. Four undervirilized males of an extended Bedouin family were investigated. One of these has previously been reported to carry mutations in the CYP17A1 gene encoding P450c17 causing isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency. Serum hormones were evaluated before and after stimulation with ACTH. Urinary steroid metabolites were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Exons 1 and 8 of CYP17A1 previously reported to harbor mutations in one of these patients and all 15 coding exons of POR were sequenced. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) urinary steroid profiling and serum steroid measurements showed combined deficiencies of 17,20-lyase and 21-hydroxylase. Sequencing of exons 1 and 8 of CYP17A1 in two different laboratories showed no mutations. Sequencing of POR showed that all four patients were homozygous for G539R, a previously studied mutation that retains 46% of normal capacity to support the 17alpha-hydroxylase activity but only 8% of the 17,20-lyase activity of P450c17. POR deficiency can masquerade clinically as isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency.

  1. Synthesis of a novel poly-thiolated magnetic nano-platform for heavy metal adsorption. Role of thiol and carboxyl functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Odio, Oscar F.; Lartundo-Rojas, Luis; Palacios, Elia Guadalupe; Martínez, Ricardo; Reguera, Edilso

    2016-11-01

    We report a novel strategy for the synthesis of magnetic nano-platforms containing free thiol groups. It first involves the synthesis of a poly(acrylic acid) copolymer containing disulfide bridges between the linear chains through di-ester linkages, followed by the anchoring of this new ligand to magnetite nanoparticles using a ligand exchange reaction. Finally, free sbnd SH groups are obtained by treating the resulting disulfide-functionalized magnetic nano-system with tributyl phosphine as reducing agent. The characterization of the resulting 17 nm nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PAA-HEDred) by FTIR and TGA confirms the attachment of the copolymer through iron carboxylates. XRD, TEM and magnetic measurements indicate an increase in the inorganic core diameter and the occurrence of strong magnetic inter-particle interactions during the exchange reaction, although coercitivity and remanence drop to near zero at room temperature. Afterwards, Fe3O4@PAA-HEDred nanoparticles were tested as sorbent for Pb2+ and Cd2+ cations in aqueous media. XPS measurements were performed in order to unravel the role of both carboxyl and thiol functions in the adsorption process. For the sake of comparison, the same study was performed using bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles and a nanosystem with disulfide groups (Fe3O4@DMSA). The joint analysis of the Pb 4f, Cd 3d, Fe 2p and S 2p high resolution spectra for the nanostructured materials indicates that metal-sulfur interactions are dominant if free sbnd SH groups are present, but if not, the main adsorption route entails metal-carboxyl interactions. Even in presence of unbound thiol moieties, carboxyl groups participate due to favoured steric availability.

  2. Induction Curing of Thiol-acrylate and Thiolene Composite Systems

    PubMed Central

    Ye, Sheng; Cramer, Neil B.; Stevens, Blake E.; Sani, Robert L.; Bowman, Christopher N.

    2011-01-01

    Induction curing is demonstrated as a novel type of in situ radiation curing that maintains most of the advantages of photocuring while eliminating the restriction of light accessibility. Induction curing is utilized to polymerize opaque composites comprised of thiol-acrylate and thiol-ene resins, nanoscale magnetic particles, and carbon nanotubes. Nanoscale magnetic particles are dispersed in the resin and upon exposure to the magnetic field, these particles lead to induction heating that rapidly initiates the polymerization. Heat transfer profiles and reaction kinetics of the samples are modeled during the reactions with varying induction heater power, species concentration, species type and sample thickness, and the model is compared with the experimental results. Thiol-ene polymerizations achieved full conversion between 1.5 minutes and 1 hour, depending on the field intensity and the composition, with the maximum reaction temperature decreasing from 146 – 87 °C when the induction heater power was decreased from 8 – 3 kW. The polymerization reactions of the thiol-acrylate system were demonstrated to achieve full conversion between 0.6 and 30 minutes with maximum temperatures from 139 to 86 °C. The experimental behavior was characterized and the temperature profile modeled for the thiol-acrylate composite comprised of sub100nm nickel particles and induction heater power in the range of 32 to 20 kW. A 9°C average deviation was observed between the modeling and experimental results for the maximum temperature rise. The model also was utilized to predict reaction temperatures and kinetics for systems with varying thermal initiator concentration, initiator half-life, monomer molecular weight and temperature gradients in samples with varying thickness, thereby demonstrating that induction curing represents a designable and tunable polymerization method. Finally, induction curing was utilized to cure thiol-acrylate systems containing carbon nanotubes where 1 wt

  3. A Central Role for Thiols in Plant Tolerance to Abiotic Stress

    PubMed Central

    Zagorchev, Lyuben; Seal, Charlotte E.; Kranner, Ilse; Odjakova, Mariela

    2013-01-01

    Abiotic stress poses major problems to agriculture and increasing efforts are being made to understand plant stress response and tolerance mechanisms and to develop new tools that underpin successful agriculture. However, the molecular mechanisms of plant stress tolerance are not fully understood, and the data available is incomplete and sometimes contradictory. Here, we review the significance of protein and non-protein thiol compounds in relation to plant tolerance of abiotic stress. First, the roles of the amino acids cysteine and methionine, are discussed, followed by an extensive discussion of the low-molecular-weight tripeptide, thiol glutathione, which plays a central part in plant stress response and oxidative signalling and of glutathione-related enzymes, including those involved in the biosynthesis of non-protein thiol compounds. Special attention is given to the glutathione redox state, to phytochelatins and to the role of glutathione in the regulation of the cell cycle. The protein thiol section focuses on glutaredoxins and thioredoxins, proteins with oxidoreductase activity, which are involved in protein glutathionylation. The review concludes with a brief overview of and future perspectives for the involvement of plant thiols in abiotic stress tolerance. PMID:23549272

  4. “Turn-on” fluorescence probe integrated polymer nanoparticles for sensing biological thiol molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ang, Chung Yen; Tan, Si Yu; Lu, Yunpeng; Bai, Linyi; Li, Menghuan; Li, Peizhou; Zhang, Quan; Selvan, Subramanian Tamil; Zhao, Yanli

    2014-11-01

    A ``turn-on'' thiol-responsive fluorescence probe was synthesized and integrated into polymeric nanoparticles for sensing intracellular thiols. There is a photo-induced electron transfer process in the off state of the probe, and this process is terminated upon the reaction with thiol compounds. Configuration interaction singles (CIS) calculation was performed to confirm the mechanism of this process. A series of sensing studies were carried out, showing that the probe-integrated nanoparticles were highly selective towards biological thiol compounds over non-thiolated amino acids. Kinetic studies were also performed to investigate the relative reaction rate between the probe and the thiolated amino acids. Subsequently, the Gibbs free energy of the reactions was explored by means of the electrochemical method. Finally, the detection system was employed for sensing intracellular thiols in cancer cells, and the sensing selectivity could be further enhanced with the use of a cancer cell-targeting ligand in the nanoparticles. This development paves a path for the sensing and detection of biological thiols, serving as a potential diagnostic tool in the future.

  5. Methanopyrus kandleri topoisomerase V contains three distinct AP lyase active sites in addition to the topoisomerase active site

    PubMed Central

    Rajan, Rakhi; Osterman, Amy; Mondragón, Alfonso

    2016-01-01

    Topoisomerase V (Topo-V) is the only topoisomerase with both topoisomerase and DNA repair activities. The topoisomerase activity is conferred by a small alpha-helical domain, whereas the AP lyase activity is found in a region formed by 12 tandem helix-hairpin-helix ((HhH)2) domains. Although it was known that Topo-V has multiple repair sites, only one had been mapped. Here, we show that Topo-V has three AP lyase sites. The atomic structure and Small Angle X-ray Scattering studies of a 97 kDa fragment spanning the topoisomerase and 10 (HhH)2 domains reveal that the (HhH)2 domains extend away from the topoisomerase domain. A combination of biochemical and structural observations allow the mapping of the second repair site to the junction of the 9th and 10th (HhH)2 domains. The second site is structurally similar to the first one and to the sites found in other AP lyases. The 3rd AP lyase site is located in the 12th (HhH)2 domain. The results show that Topo-V is an unusual protein: it is the only known protein with more than one (HhH)2 domain, the only known topoisomerase with dual activities and is also unique by having three AP lyase repair sites in the same polypeptide. PMID:26908655

  6. Accessibility of hepatocyte protein thiols to monobromobimane.

    PubMed

    Weis, M; Cotgreave, I C; Moore, G A; Norbeck, K; Moldéus, P

    1993-03-10

    The amino-acid residue specificity of monobromobimane (mBBr) and its accessibility to cellular protein cysteine residues were investigated. mBBr reacted selectively with the sulfhydryl group of both the free amino acid cysteine and bovine serum albumin. Incubation of isolated hepatocytes with mBBr resulted in a concentration-dependent formation of protein-bound mBBr fluorescence in the cytosolic, mitochondrial and microsomal fractions, which was not fully saturated with up to 16 mM mBBr. SDS-PAGE resolution of the proteins revealed that the major portion of increased protein-bound mBBr fluorescence that occurred at high mBBr concentrations was due to covalent binding to proteins. A minor portion (10-16% in the microsomal fraction) of protein-bound mBBr fluorescence was removed by SDS-PAGE and is therefore concluded to be due to physical entrapment of fluorescent mBBr reaction products. The accessibility of mBBr, assayed as the degree of depletion of total protein cysteine residues, was similar to N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) in isolated microsomes. By contrast, in the cytosol a markedly lower amount of protein cysteine residues were labelled by mBBr as compared to NEM. In both organelle fractions p-BQ was the most efficient thiol-depleting reagent. It is concluded that mBBr is a suitable reagent for the analysis of the cellular protein thiol status and of its xenobiotic-induced alterations when used at high concentrations; however, it should be considered that, (i) the relative accessibility of mBBr and a particular xenobiotic to cellular protein thiol residues may be different, and (ii) physically entrapped fluorescent reaction products of mBBr should be removed when quantitating protein thiol levels.

  7. Cisplatin impairs rat liver mitochondrial functions by inducing changes on membrane ion permeability: prevention by thiol group protecting agents.

    PubMed

    Custódio, José B A; Cardoso, Carla M P; Santos, Maria S; Almeida, Leonor M; Vicente, Joaquim A F; Fernandes, Maria A S

    2009-05-02

    Cisplatin (CisPt) is the most important platinum anticancer drug widely used in the treatment of head, neck, ovarian and testicular cancers. However, the mechanisms by which CisPt induces cytotoxicity, namely hepatotoxicity, are not completely understood. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of CisPt on rat liver mitochondrial functions (Ca(2+)-induced mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), mitochondrial bioenergetics, and mitochondrial oxidative stress) to better understand the mechanism underlying its hepatotoxicity. The effect of thiol group protecting agents and some antioxidants against CisPt-induced mitochondrial damage was also investigated. Treatment of rat liver mitochondria with CisPt (20nmol/mg protein) induced Ca(2+)-dependent mitochondrial swelling, depolarization of membrane potential (DeltaPsi), Ca(2+) release, and NAD(P)H fluorescence intensity decay. These effects were prevented by cyclosporine A (CyA), a potent and specific inhibitor of the MPT. In the concentration range of up to 40nmol/mg protein, CisPt slightly inhibited state 3 and stimulated state 2 and state 4 respiration rates using succinate as respiratory substrate. The respiratory indexes, respiratory control ratio (RCR) and ADP/O ratios, the DeltaPsi, and the ADP phosphorylation rate were also depressed. CisPt induced mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilization to protons (proton leak) but did not induce significant changes on mitochondrial H(2)O(2) generation. All the effects induced by CisPt on rat liver mitochondria were prevented by thiol group protecting agents namely, glutathione (GSH), dithiothreitol (DTT), N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and cysteine (CYS), whereas superoxide-dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate (ASC) were without effect. In conclusion, the anticancer drug CisPt: (1) increases the sensitivity of mitochondria to Ca(2+)-induced MPT; (2) interferes with mitochondrial bioenergetics by increasing mitochondrial inner membrane

  8. Changes in Thiol-Disulfide Homeostasis of the Body to Surgical Trauma in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Patients.

    PubMed

    Polat, Murat; Ozcan, Onder; Sahan, Leyla; Üstündag-Budak, Yasemin; Alisik, Murat; Yilmaz, Nigar; Erel, Özcan

    2016-12-01

    We aimed to investigate the short-term effect of laparoscopic surgery on serum thiol-disulfide homeostasis levels as a marker of oxidant stress of surgical trauma in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. Venous blood samples were collected, and levels of native thiols, total thiols, and disulfides were determined with a novel automated assay. Total antioxidant capacity (measured as the ferric-reducing ability of plasma) and serum ischemia modified albumin, expressed as absorbance units assayed by the albumin cobalt binding test, were determined. The major findings of the present study were that native thiol (283 ± 45 versus 241 ± 61 μmol/L), total thiol (313 ± 49 versus 263 ± 67 μmol/L), and disulfide (14.9 ± 4.6 versus 11.0 ± 6.1 μmol/L) levels were decreased significantly during operation and although they increased, they did not return to preoperation levels 24 hours after laparoscopic surgery compared to the levels at baseline. Disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol levels did not change during laparoscopic surgery. The decrease in plasma level of native and total thiol groups suggests impairment of the antioxidant capacity of plasma; however, the delicate balance between the different redox forms of thiols was maintained during surgery.

  9. Are free radicals involved in thiol-based redox signaling?

    PubMed

    Winterbourn, Christine C

    2015-03-01

    Cells respond to many stimuli by transmitting signals through redox-regulated pathways. It is generally accepted that in many instances signal transduction is via reversible oxidation of thiol proteins, although there is uncertainty about the specific redox transformations involved. The prevailing view is that thiol oxidation occurs by a two electron mechanism, most commonly involving hydrogen peroxide. Free radicals, on the other hand, are considered as damaging species and not generally regarded as important in cell signaling. This paper examines whether it is justified to dismiss radicals or whether they could have a signaling role. Although there is no direct evidence that radicals are involved in transmitting thiol-based redox signals, evidence is presented that they are generated in cells when these signaling pathways are activated. Radicals produce the same thiol oxidation products as two electron oxidants, although by a different mechanism, and at this point radical-mediated pathways should not be dismissed. There are unresolved issues about how radical mechanisms could achieve sufficient selectivity, but this could be possible through colocalization of radical-generating and signal-transducing proteins. Colocalization is also likely to be important for nonradical signaling mechanisms and identification of such associations should be a priority for advancing the field. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Factors affecting the morphology of isocitrate lyase crystals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Demattei, Robert C.; Feigelson, Robert S.; Weber, Patricia C.

    1992-01-01

    Isocitrate lyase crystals have been grown by the hanging drop vapor equilibration method in both 1-g and microgravity and by vapor equilibrium in small capillaries. The crystal morphologies obtained have ranged from dendritic to 'octagonal' prisms. Theoretical evaporation models have been applied to these growth regimes. The results of these analyses along with other experimental results, indicate the factors which must be controlled to produce good growth morphologies.

  11. Redox regulation of mitochondrial proteins and proteomes by cysteine thiol switches.

    PubMed

    Nietzel, Thomas; Mostertz, Jörg; Hochgräfe, Falko; Schwarzländer, Markus

    2017-03-01

    Mitochondria are hotspots of cellular redox biochemistry. Respiration as a defining mitochondrial function is made up of a series of electron transfers that are ultimately coupled to maintaining the proton motive force, ATP production and cellular energy supply. The individual reaction steps involved require tight control and flexible regulation to maintain energy and redox balance in the cell under fluctuating demands. Redox regulation by thiol switching has been a long-standing candidate mechanism to support rapid adjustment of mitochondrial protein function at the posttranslational level. Here we review recent advances in our understanding of cysteine thiol switches in the mitochondrial proteome with a focus on their operation in vivo. We assess the conceptual basis for thiol switching in mitochondria and discuss to what extent insights gained from in vitro studies may be valid in vivo, considering thermodynamic, kinetic and structural constraints. We compare functional proteomic approaches that have been used to assess mitochondrial protein thiol switches, including thioredoxin trapping, redox difference gel electrophoresis (redoxDIGE), isotope-coded affinity tag (OxICAT) and iodoacetyl tandem mass tag (iodoTMT) labelling strategies. We discuss conditions that may favour active thiol switching in mitochondrial proteomes in vivo, and appraise recent advances in dissecting their impact using combinations of in vivo redox sensing and quantitative redox proteomics. Finally we focus on four central facets of mitochondrial biology, aging, carbon metabolism, energy coupling and electron transport, exemplifying the current emergence of a mechanistic understanding of mitochondrial regulation by thiol switching in living plants and animals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

  12. Conferring specificity in redox pathways by enzymatic thiol/disulfide exchange reactions.

    PubMed

    Netto, Luis Eduardo S; de Oliveira, Marcos Antonio; Tairum, Carlos A; da Silva Neto, José Freire

    2016-01-01

    Thiol-disulfide exchange reactions are highly reversible, displaying nucleophilic substitutions mechanism (S(N)2 type). For aliphatic, low molecular thiols, these reactions are slow, but can attain million times faster rates in enzymatic processes. Thioredoxin (Trx) proteins were the first enzymes described to accelerate thiol-disulfide exchange reactions and their high reactivity is related to the high nucleophilicity of the attacking thiol. Substrate specificity in Trx is achieved by several factors, including polar, hydrophobic, and topological interactions through a groove in the active site. Glutaredoxin (Grx) enzymes also contain the Trx fold, but they do not share amino acid sequence similarity with Trx. A conserved glutathione binding site is a typical feature of Grx that can reduce substrates by two mechanisms (mono and dithiol). The high reactivity of Grx enzymes is related to the very acid pK(a) values of reactive Cys that plays roles as good leaving groups. Therefore, although distinct oxidoreductases catalyze similar thiol–disulfide exchange reactions, their enzymatic mechanisms vary. PDI and DsbA are two other oxidoreductases, but they are involved in disulfide bond formation, instead of disulfide reduction, which is related to the oxidative environment where they are found. PDI enzymes and DsbC are endowed with disulfide isomerase activity, which is related with their tetra-domain architecture. As illustrative description of specificity in thiol-disulfide exchange, redox aspects of transcription activation in bacteria, yeast, and mammals are presented in an evolutionary perspective. Therefore, thiol-disulfide exchange reactions play important roles in conferring specificity to pathways, a required feature for signaling.

  13. Promoting Thiol Expression Increases The Durability of Antitumor T cell Functions

    PubMed Central

    Scurti, Gina; Thyagarajan, Krishnamurthy; Kaur, Navtej; Husain, Shahid; Fang, Quan; Naga, Osama S.; Simms, Patricia; Beeson, Gyda; Voelkel-Johnson, Christina; Garrett-Mayer, Elizabeth; Beeson, Craig C.; Nishimura, Michael I.; Mehrotra, Shikhar

    2014-01-01

    Ex vivo-expanded CD8+ T cells used for adoptive immunotherapy generally acquire an effector memory-like phenotype (TEM cells). With regard to therapeutic applications, two undesired features of this phenotype in vivo are limited persistence and reduced anti-tumor efficacy, relative to CD8+ T cells with a central memory-like phenotype (TCM cells). Further, there is incomplete knowledge about all the differences between TEM and TCM cells that may influence tumor treatment outcomes. Given that TCM cells survive relatively longer in oxidative tumor microenvironments, we investigated the hypothesis that TCM possess relatively greater anti-oxidative capacity than TEM cells. Here we report that TCM cells exhibit a relative increase compared to TEM cells in expression of cell surface thiols, a key target of cellular redox controls, along with other antioxidant molecules. Increased expression of redox regulators in TCM cells inversely correlated with the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, proliferative capacity and glycolytic enzyme levels. Notably, TCR-transduced T cells pretreated with thiol donors, such as N-acetyl cysteine or rapamycin, up-regulated thiol levels and antioxidant genes. A comparison of anti-tumor CD8+ T cell populations on the basis of surface thiol expression showed that thiol-high cells persisted longer in vivo and exerted superior tumor control. Our results suggest that higher levels of reduced cell surface thiols are a key characteristic of T cells that can control tumor growth, and that profiling this biomarker may have benefits to T cell adoptive immunotherapy protocols. PMID:25164014

  14. Oxidative stress and decreased thiol level in patients with migraine: cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Eren, Yasemin; Dirik, Ebru; Neşelioğlu, Salim; Erel, Özcan

    2015-12-01

    Although migraine is a neurological disorder known since long, its physiopathology remains unclear. Recent studies suggest that migraine is associated with oxidative stress; however, they report divergent results. The aim of the present study was to evaluate total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and serum thiol level in migraine patients with or without aura. The study group consisted of 141 migraine patients. The control group included 70 healthy subjects. TAS, TOS, OSI were evaluated using a method developed by Erel. Serum thiol level was measured using the Hu method. No difference was found in TAS, TOS, OSI between the patients and controls. The level of thiol was significantly lower in patients than in controls. Negative correlations were detected between thiol level and Migraine Disability Assessment score in patients. Although TAS, TOS, and OSI were similar to those of the control group, serum thiol level, an important marker of antioxidant capacity, was significantly lower in migraines compared with controls, and caused more serious disability. Novel treatment approaches may be developed based on these data, and compounds containing thiol, such as alpha lipoic acid and N-acetyl cysteine, may be used in prophylaxis.

  15. Presence of closely spaced protein thiols on the surface of mammalian cells.

    PubMed Central

    Donoghue, N.; Yam, P. T.; Jiang, X. M.; Hogg, P. J.

    2000-01-01

    It has been proposed that certain cell-surface proteins undergo redox reactions, that is, transfer of hydrogens and electrons between closely spaced cysteine thiols that can lead to reduction, formation, or interchange of disulfide bonds. This concept was tested using a membrane-impermeable trivalent arsenical to identify closely spaced thiols in cell-surface proteins. We attached the trivalent arsenical, phenylarsenoxide, to the thiol of reduced glutathione to produce 4-(N-(S-glutathionylacetyl)amino)phenylarsenoxide (GSAO). GSAO bound tightly to synthetic, peptide, and protein dithiols like thioredoxin, but not to monothiols. To identify cell-surface proteins that contain closely spaced thiols, we attached a biotin moiety through a spacer arm to the primary amino group of the gamma-glutamyl residue of GSAO (GSAO-B). Incorporation of GSAO-B into proteins was assessed by measuring the biotin using streptavidin-peroxidase. Up to 12 distinct proteins were labeled with GSAO-B on the surface of endothelial and fibrosarcoma cells. The pattern of labeled proteins differed between the different cell types. Protein disulfide isomerase was one of the proteins on the endothelial and fibrosarcoma cell surface that incorporated GSAO-B. These findings demonstrate that the cell-surface environment can support the existence of closely spaced protein thiols and suggest that at least some of these thiols are redox active. PMID:11206065

  16. Influence of glucagon or 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid on binding to mitochondria and phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase.

    PubMed

    Janski, A M; Cornell, N W

    1982-02-01

    To study the binding to mitochondria and the phosphorylation of ATP-citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8), isolated rat hepatocytes were fractionated by exposure to digitonin. After incubation of hepatocytes with the hypolipidemic agent 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid, which decreases the cellular CoA, the amount of bound ATP-citrate lyase was increased, but the content of acid-stable phosphate in the enzyme was diminished. Glucagon, in contrast, decreased the amount of bound enzyme but increased phosphorylation. This inverse relationship might indicate either that the bound ATP-citrate lyase is less readily phosphorylated or that the phosphorylated enzyme binds less readily to mitochondria.

  17. Biochemical, Kinetic, and Spectroscopic Characterization of Ruegeria pomeroyi DddW—A Mononuclear Iron-Dependent DMSP Lyase

    PubMed Central

    Brummett, Adam E.; Schnicker, Nicholas J.; Crider, Alexander; Todd, Jonathan D.; Dey, Mishtu

    2015-01-01

    The osmolyte dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is a key nutrient in marine environments and its catabolism by bacteria through enzymes known as DMSP lyases generates dimethylsulfide (DMS), a gas of importance in climate regulation, the sulfur cycle, and signaling to higher organisms. Despite the environmental significance of DMSP lyases, little is known about how they function at the mechanistic level. In this study we biochemically characterize DddW, a DMSP lyase from the model roseobacter Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3. DddW is a 16.9 kDa enzyme that contains a C-terminal cupin domain and liberates acrylate, a proton, and DMS from the DMSP substrate. Our studies show that as-purified DddW is a metalloenzyme, like the DddQ and DddP DMSP lyases, but contains an iron cofactor. The metal cofactor is essential for DddW DMSP lyase activity since addition of the metal chelator EDTA abolishes its enzymatic activity, as do substitution mutations of key metal-binding residues in the cupin motif (His81, His83, Glu87, and His121). Measurements of metal binding affinity and catalytic activity indicate that Fe(II) is most likely the preferred catalytic metal ion with a nanomolar binding affinity. Stoichiometry studies suggest DddW requires one Fe(II) per monomer. Electronic absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) studies show an interaction between NO and Fe(II)-DddW, with NO binding to the EPR silent Fe(II) site giving rise to an EPR active species (g = 4.29, 3.95, 2.00). The change in the rhombicity of the EPR signal is observed in the presence of DMSP, indicating that substrate binds to the iron site without displacing bound NO. This work provides insight into the mechanism of DMSP cleavage catalyzed by DddW. PMID:25993446

  18. A chromenoquinoline-based fluorescent off-on thiol probe for bioimaging.

    PubMed

    Kand, Dnyaneshwar; Kalle, Arunasree Marasanapalli; Varma, Sreejith Jayasree; Talukdar, Pinaki

    2012-03-11

    A new chromenoquinoline-based fluorescent off-on thiol probe 2 is reported. In aqueous buffer solutions at physiological pH, the probe exhibited 223-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity by a Michael addition of cysteine to the maleimide appended to a chromenoquinoline. Cell permeability and live cell imaging of thiols are also demonstrated. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

  19. Redox Active Thiol Sensors of Oxidative and Nitrosative Stress

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Significance: The reactivity of the thiol in the side chain of cysteines is exploited by bacterial regulatory proteins that sense and respond to reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Recent Advances: Charged residues and helix dipoles diminish the pKa of redox active cysteines, resulting in a thiolate that is stabilized by neighboring polar amino acids. The reaction of peroxides with thiolates generates a sulfenic acid (–SOH) intermediate that often gives rise to a reversible disulfide bond. Peroxide-induced intramolecular and intermolecular disulfides and intermolecular mixed disulfides modulate the signaling activity of members of the LysR/OxyR, MarR/OhrR, and RsrA family of transcriptional regulators. Thiol-dependent regulators also help bacteria resist the nitrosative and nitroxidative stress. −SOHs, mixed disulfides, and S-nitrosothiols are some of the post-translational modifications induced by nitrogen oxides in the thiol groups of OxyR and SsrB bacterial regulatory proteins. Sulfenylation, disulfide bond formation, S-thiolation, and S-nitrosylation are reversible modifications amenable to feedback regulation by antioxidant and antinitrosative repair systems. The structural and functional changes engaged in the thiol-dependent sensing of reactive species have been adopted by several regulators to foster bacterial virulence during exposure to products of NADPH phagocyte oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Critical Issues: Investigations with LysR/OxyR, MarR/OhrR, and RsrA family members have helped in an understanding of the mechanisms by which thiols in regulatory proteins react with reactive species, thereby activating antioxidant and antinitrosative gene expression. Future Directions: To define the determinants that provide selectivity of redox active thiolates for some reactive species but not others is an important challenge for future investigations. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 17, 1201–1214. PMID:22257022

  20. Selenocysteine in thiol/disulfide-like exchange reactions.

    PubMed

    Hondal, Robert J; Marino, Stefano M; Gladyshev, Vadim N

    2013-05-01

    Among trace elements used as cofactors in enzymes, selenium is unique in that it is incorporated into proteins co-translationally in the form of an amino acid, selenocysteine (Sec). Sec differs from cysteine (Cys) by only one atom (selenium versus sulfur), yet this switch dramatically influences important aspects of enzyme reactivity. The main focus of this review is an updated and critical discussion on how Sec might be used to accelerate thiol/disulfide-like exchange reactions in natural selenoenzymes, compared with their Cys-containing homologs. We discuss in detail three major aspects associated with thiol/disulfide exchange reactions: (i) nucleophilicity of the attacking thiolate (or selenolate); (ii) electrophilicity of the center sulfur (or selenium) atom; and (iii) stability of the leaving group (sulfur or selenium). In all these cases, we analyze the benefits that selenium might provide in these types of reactions. It is the biological thiol oxidoreductase-like function that benefits from the use of Sec, since Sec functions to chemically accelerate the rate of these reactions. We review various hypotheses that could help explain why Sec is used in enzymes, particularly with regard to competitive chemical advantages provided by the presence of the selenium atom in enzymes. Ultimately, these chemical advantages must be connected to biological functions of Sec.

  1. Electrophilic Triterpenoid Enones: A Comparative Thiol-Trapping and Bioactivity Study.

    PubMed

    Del Prete, Danilo; Taglialatela-Scafati, Orazio; Minassi, Alberto; Sirignano, Carmina; Cruz, Cristina; Bellido, Maria L; Muñoz, Eduardo; Appendino, Giovanni

    2017-08-25

    Bardoxolone methyl (1) is the quintessential member of triterpenoid cyanoacrylates, an emerging class of bioactive compounds capable of transient covalent binding to thiols. The mechanistic basis for this unusual "pulsed reactivity" profile and the mode of its biological translation are unknown. To provide clues on these issues, a series of Δ 1 -dehydrooleanolates bearing an electron-withdrawing group at C-2 (7a-m) were prepared from oleanolic acid (3a) and comparatively investigated in terms of reactivity with thiols and bioactivity against a series of electrophile-sensitive transcription factors (Nrf2, NF-κB, STAT3). The emerging picture suggests that the triterpenoid scaffold sharply decreases the reactivity of the enone system by steric encumbrance and that only strongly electrophilic and sterically undemanding substituents such as a cyanide or a carboxylate group can re-establish Michael reactivity, albeit in a transient way for the cyanide group. In general, a substantial dissection between the thiol-trapping ability and the modulation of biological end-points sensitive to thiol alkylation was observed, highlighting the role of shape complementarity for the activity of triterpenoid thia-Michael acceptors.

  2. Automated tagging of pharmaceutically active thiols under flow conditions using monobromobimane.

    PubMed

    Tzanavaras, Paraskevas D; Karakosta, Theano D

    2011-03-25

    The thiol-specific derivatization reagent monobromobimane (MBB) is applied--for the first time--under flow conditions. Sequential injection analysis allows the handling of precise volumes of the reagent in the micro-liter range. The effect of the main chemical and instrumental variables was investigated using captopril (CAP), N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and penicillamine (PEN) as representative pharmaceutically active thiols. Previously reported hydrolysis of MBB due to interaction with nucleophilic components of the buffers was avoided kinetically under flow conditions. The proposed analytical scheme is suitable for the fluorimetric determination of thiols at a sampling rate of 36 h(-1). Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Spectroscopic studies on the active site of hydroperoxide lyase; the influence of detergents on its conformation.

    PubMed

    Noordermeer, M A; Veldink, G A; Vliegenthart, J F

    2001-02-02

    Expression of high quantities of alfalfa hydroperoxide lyase in Escherichia coli made it possible to study its active site and structure in more detail. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that hydroperoxide lyase consists for about 75% of alpha-helices. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra confirmed its classification as a cytochrome P450 enzyme. The positive influence of detergents on the enzyme activity is paralleled by a spin state transition of the heme Fe(III) from low to high spin. EPR and CD spectra showed that detergents induce a subtle conformational change, which might result in improved substrate binding. Because hydroperoxide lyase is thought to be a membrane bound protein and detergents mimic a membrane environment, the more active, high spin form likely represents the in vivo conformation. Furthermore, the spin state appeared to be temperature-dependent, with the low spin state favored at low temperature. Point mutants of the highly conserved cysteine in domain D indicated that this residue might be involved in heme binding.

  4. A cDNA clone highly expressed in ripe banana fruit shows homology to pectate lyases.

    PubMed

    Dominguez-Puigjaner, E; LLop, I; Vendrell, M; Prat, S

    1997-07-01

    A cDNA clone (Ban17), encoding a protein homologous to pectate lyase, has been isolated from a cDNA library from climacteric banana fruit by means of differential screening. Northern analysis showed that Ban17 mRNA is first detected in early climacteric fruit, reaches a steady-state maximum at the climacteric peak, and declines thereafter in overripe fruit. Accumulation of the Ban17 transcript can be induced in green banana fruit by exogenous application of ethylene. The demonstrates that expression of this gene is under hormonal control, its induction being regulated by the rapid increase in ethylene production at the onset of ripening. The deduced amino acid sequence derived from the Ban17 cDNA shares significant identity with pectate lyases from pollen and plant pathogenic bacteria of the genus Erwinia. Similarity to bacterial pectate lyases that were proven to break down the pectic substances of the plant cell wall suggest that Ban17 might play a role in the loss of mesocarp firmness during fruit ripening.

  5. Thiol-functionalization of metal-organic framework by a facile coordination-based postsynthetic strategy and enhanced removal of Hg2+ from water.

    PubMed

    Ke, Fei; Qiu, Ling-Guang; Yuan, Yu-Peng; Peng, Fu-Min; Jiang, Xia; Xie, An-Jian; Shen, Yu-Hua; Zhu, Jun-Fa

    2011-11-30

    The presence of coordinatively unsaturated metal centers in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) provides an accessible way to selectively functionalize MOFs through coordination bonds. In this work, we describe thiol-functionalization of MOFs by choosing a well known three-dimensional (3D) Cu-based MOF, i.e. [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)(H(2)O)(3)](n) (HKUST-1, BTC=benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate), by a facile coordination-based postsynthetic strategy, and demonstrate their application for removal of heavy metal ion from water. A series of [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)](n) samples stoichiometrically decorated with thiol groups has been prepared through coordination bonding of coordinatively unsaturated metal centers in HKUST-1 with -SH group in dithioglycol. The obtained thiol-functionalized samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and N(2) sorption-desorption isothermal. Significantly, the thiol-functionalized [Cu(3)(BTC)(2)](n) exhibited remarkably high adsorption affinity (K(d)=4.73 × 10(5)mL g(-1)) and high adsorption capacity (714.29 mg g(-1)) for Hg(2+) adsorption from water, while the unfunctionalized HKUST-1 showed no adsorption of Hg(2+) under the same condition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Toposelective electrochemical desorption of thiol SAMs from neighboring polycrystalline gold surfaces.

    PubMed

    Tencer, Michal; Berini, Pierre

    2008-11-04

    We describe a method for the selective desorption of thiol self-assembled monolayers from gold surfaces having micrometer-scale separations on a substrate. In an electrolyte solution, the electrical resistance between the adjacent areas can be much lower than the resistance between a surface and the counter electrode. Also, both reductive and oxidative thiol desorption may occur. Therefore, the potentials of the surfaces must be independently controlled with a multichannel potentiostat and operating windows for a given thiol/electrolyte system must be established. In this study operating windows were established for 1-dodecanethiol-based SAMs in phosphate buffer, phosphate-buffered saline, and sodium hydroxide solution, and selective SAM removal was successfully performed in a four-electrode configuration.

  7. Protein Thiol Redox Signaling in Monocytes and Macrophages.

    PubMed

    Short, John D; Downs, Kevin; Tavakoli, Sina; Asmis, Reto

    2016-11-20

    Monocyte and macrophage dysfunction plays a critical role in a wide range of inflammatory disease processes, including obesity, impaired wound healing diabetic complications, and atherosclerosis. Emerging evidence suggests that the earliest events in monocyte or macrophage dysregulation include elevated reactive oxygen species production, thiol modifications, and disruption of redox-sensitive signaling pathways. This review focuses on the current state of research in thiol redox signaling in monocytes and macrophages, including (i) the molecular mechanisms by which reversible protein-S-glutathionylation occurs, (ii) the identification of bona fide S-glutathionylated proteins that occur under physiological conditions, and (iii) how disruptions of thiol redox signaling affect monocyte and macrophage functions and contribute to atherosclerosis. Recent Advances: Recent advances in redox biochemistry and biology as well as redox proteomic techniques have led to the identification of many new thiol redox-regulated proteins and pathways. In addition, major advances have been made in expanding the list of S-glutathionylated proteins and assessing the role that protein-S-glutathionylation and S-glutathionylation-regulating enzymes play in monocyte and macrophage functions, including monocyte transmigration, macrophage polarization, foam cell formation, and macrophage cell death. Protein-S-glutathionylation/deglutathionylation in monocytes and macrophages has emerged as a new and important signaling paradigm, which provides a molecular basis for the well-established relationship between metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular diseases. The identification of specific S-glutathionylated proteins as well as the mechanisms that control this post-translational protein modification in monocytes and macrophages will facilitate the development of new preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat atherosclerosis and other metabolic diseases. Antioxid. Redox Signal

  8. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of alginate lyases A1-II and A1-II′ from Sphingomonas sp. A1

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

    Yamasaki, Masayuki; Ogura, Kohei; Moriwaki, Satoko

    The crystallization and preliminary characterization of the family PL-7 alginate lyases A1-II and A1-II′ from Sphingomonas sp. A1 are presented. Alginate lyases depolymerize alginate, a heteropolysaccharide consisting of α-l-guluronate and β-d-mannuronate, through a β-elimination reaction. The alginate lyases A1-II (25 kDa) and A1-II′ (25 kDa) from Sphingomonas sp. A1, which belong to polysaccharide lyase family PL-7, exhibit 68% homology in primary structure but have different substrate specificities. To determine clearly the structural basis for substrate recognition in the depolymerization mechanism by alginate lyases, both proteins were crystallized at 293 K using the vapour-diffusion method. A crystal of A1-II belonged tomore » space group P2{sub 1} and diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution, with unit-cell parameters a = 51.3, b = 30.1, c = 101.6 Å, β = 100.2°, while a crystal of A1-II′ belonged to space group P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2{sub 1} and diffracted to 1.0 Å resolution, with unit-cell parameters a = 34.6, b = 68.5, c = 80.3 Å.« less

  9. General and practical formation of thiocyanates from thiols.

    PubMed

    Frei, Reto; Courant, Thibaut; Wodrich, Matthew D; Waser, Jerome

    2015-02-02

    A new method for the cyanation of thiols and disulfides using cyanobenziodoxol(on)e hypervalent iodine reagents is described. Both aliphatic and aromatic thiocyanates can be accessed in good yields in a few minutes at room temperature starting from a broad range of thiols with high chemioselectivity. The complete conversion of disulfides to thiocyanates was also possible. Preliminary computational studies indicated a low energy concerted transition state for the cyanation of the thiolate anion or radical. The developed thiocyanate synthesis has broad potential for various applications in synthetic chemistry, chemical biology and materials science. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Selenocysteine in Thiol/Disulfide-Like Exchange Reactions

    PubMed Central

    Marino, Stefano M.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Significance: Among trace elements used as cofactors in enzymes, selenium is unique in that it is incorporated into proteins co-translationally in the form of an amino acid, selenocysteine (Sec). Sec differs from cysteine (Cys) by only one atom (selenium versus sulfur), yet this switch dramatically influences important aspects of enzyme reactivity. Recent Advances: The main focus of this review is an updated and critical discussion on how Sec might be used to accelerate thiol/disulfide-like exchange reactions in natural selenoenzymes, compared with their Cys-containing homologs. Critical Issues: We discuss in detail three major aspects associated with thiol/disulfide exchange reactions: (i) nucleophilicity of the attacking thiolate (or selenolate); (ii) electrophilicity of the center sulfur (or selenium) atom; and (iii) stability of the leaving group (sulfur or selenium). In all these cases, we analyze the benefits that selenium might provide in these types of reactions. Future Directions: It is the biological thiol oxidoreductase-like function that benefits from the use of Sec, since Sec functions to chemically accelerate the rate of these reactions. We review various hypotheses that could help explain why Sec is used in enzymes, particularly with regard to competitive chemical advantages provided by the presence of the selenium atom in enzymes. Ultimately, these chemical advantages must be connected to biological functions of Sec. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 18, 1675–1689. PMID:23121622

  11. Kinetic Resolution of sec-Thiols by Enantioselective Oxidation with Rationally Engineered 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural Oxidase.

    PubMed

    Pickl, Mathias; Swoboda, Alexander; Romero, Elvira; Winkler, Christoph K; Binda, Claudia; Mattevi, Andrea; Faber, Kurt; Fraaije, Marco W

    2018-03-05

    Various flavoprotein oxidases were recently shown to oxidize primary thiols. Herein, this reactivity is extended to sec-thiols by using structure-guided engineering of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural oxidase (HMFO). The variants obtained were employed for the oxidative kinetic resolution of racemic sec-thiols, thus yielding the corresponding thioketones and nonreacted R-configured thiols with excellent enantioselectivities (E≥200). The engineering strategy applied went beyond the classic approach of replacing bulky amino acid residues with smaller ones, as the active site was additionally enlarged by a newly introduced Thr residue. This residue established a hydrogen-bonding interaction with the substrates, as verified in the crystal structure of the variant. These strategies unlocked HMFO variants for the enantioselective oxidation of a range of sec-thiols. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Vibrio halioticoli Genes Encoding Three Types of Polyguluronate Lyase.

    PubMed

    Sugimura; Sawabe; Ezura

    2000-01-01

    The alginate lyase-coding genes of Vibrio halioticoli IAM 14596(T), which was isolated from the gut of the abalone Haliotis discus hannai, were cloned using plasmid vector pUC 18, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Three alginate lyase-positive clones, pVHB, pVHC, and pVHE, were obtained, and all clones expressed the enzyme activity specific for polyguluronate. Three genes, alyVG1, alyVG2, and alyVG3, encoding polyguluronate lyase were sequenced: alyVG1 from pVHB was composed of a 1056-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 352 amino acid residues; alyVG2 gene from pVHC was composed of a 993-bp ORF encoding 331 amino acid residues; and alyVG3 gene from pVHE was composed of a 705-bp ORF encoding 235 amino acid residues. Comparison of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences among AlyVG1, AlyVG2, and AlyVG3 revealed low homologies. The identity value between AlyVG1 and AlyVG2 was 18.7%, and that between AlyVG2 and AlyVG3 was 17.0%. A higher identity value (26.0%) was observed between AlyVG1 and AlyVG3. Sequence comparison among known polyguluronate lyases including AlyVG1, AlyVG2, and AlyVG3 also did not reveal an identical region in these sequences. However, AlyVG1 showed the highest identity value (36.2%) and the highest similarity (73.3%) to AlyA from Klebsiella pneumoniae. A consensus region comprising nine amino acid (YFKAGXYXQ) in the carboxy-terminal region previously reported by Mallisard and colleagues was observed only in AlyVG1 and AlyVG2.

  13. Identification of compounds inhibiting the C-S lyase activity of a cell extract from a Staphylococcus sp. isolated from human skin.

    PubMed

    Egert, M; Höhne, H-M; Weber, T; Simmering, R; Banowski, B; Breves, R

    2013-12-01

    The C-S lyase activity of bacteria in the human armpit releases highly malodorous, volatile sulfur compounds from nonvolatile precursor molecules. Such compounds significantly contribute to human body odour. Hence, C-S lyase represents an attractive target for anti-body-odour cosmetic products. Here, aiming at a final use in an ethanol-based deodorant formulation, 267 compounds and compound mixtures were screened for their ability to inhibit the C-S lyase activity of a Stapyhlococcus sp. crude extract. Staphylococcus sp. Isolate 128, closely related to Staphylococcus hominis, was chosen as the test bacterium, as it showed a reproducibly high specific C-S lyase activity on three different culturing media. Using a photometric assay and benzylcysteine as substrate, six rather complex, plant-derived compound mixtures and five well defined chemical compounds or compound mixtures were identified as inhibitors, leading to an inhibition of ≥70% at concentrations of ≤0·5% in the assay. The inhibition data have demonstrated that compounds with two vicinal hydroxyl groups or one hydroxyl and one keto group bound to an aryl residue are characteristic for the inhibition. The substances identified as C-S lyase inhibitors have the potential to improve the performance of anti-body-odour cosmetic products, for example, ethanol-based deodorants. Bacterial C-S lyase represents one of the key enzymes involved in human body odour formation. The aim of this study was to identify compounds inhibiting the C-S lyase activity of a Staphylococcus sp. isolate from the human skin. The compounds identified as the best inhibitors are characterized by the following features: two vicinal hydroxyl groups or one hydroxyl and one keto group bound to an aryl residue. They might be used to improve the performance of cosmetic products aiming to prevent the formation of microbially caused human body odour, for example, ethanol-based deodorants. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  14. A missense mutation in the human cytochrome b5 gene causes 46,XY disorder of sex development due to true isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency.

    PubMed

    Idkowiak, Jan; Randell, Tabitha; Dhir, Vivek; Patel, Pushpa; Shackleton, Cedric H L; Taylor, Norman F; Krone, Nils; Arlt, Wiebke

    2012-03-01

    Isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency is commonly defined by apparently normal 17α-hydroxylase activity but severely reduced 17,20 lyase activity of the bifunctional enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme 17A1 (CYP17A1), resulting in sex steroid deficiency but normal glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid reserve. Cytochrome b5 (CYB5A) is thought to selectively enhance 17,20 lyase activity by facilitating the allosteric interaction of CYP17A1 with its electron donor P450 oxidoreductase (POR). We investigated a large consanguineous family including three siblings with 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) presenting with isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency. We investigated the clinical and biochemical phenotype, conducted genetic analyses, and functionally characterized the identified CYB5A mutation in cell-based CYP17A1 coexpression assays. All three siblings presented with 46,XY DSD, sex steroid deficiency, normal mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, and a urine steroid metabolome suggestive of isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency. CYP17A1 and POR sequences were normal, but we detected a homozygous CYB5A missense mutation (g.28,400A→T; p.H44L). Functional in vitro analysis revealed normal CYP17A1 17α-hydroxylase activity but severely impaired 17,20 lyase activity. In silico analysis suggested the disruption of CYB5A heme binding by p.H44L. We have identified the first human CYB5A missense mutation as the cause of isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency in three individuals with 46,XY DSD. Detailed review of previously reported cases with apparently isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency due to mutant CYP17A1 and POR reveals impaired 17α-hydroxylase activity as assessed by steroid metabolome analysis and short cosyntropin testing. This suggests that truly isolated 17,20 lyase deficiency is observed only in individuals with inactivating CYB5A mutations.

  15. Methionine biosynthesis in higher plants. II. Purification and characterization of cystathionine beta-lyase from spinach chloroplasts.

    PubMed

    Droux, M; Ravanel, S; Douce, R

    1995-01-10

    Cystathionine beta-lyase, the second enzyme of the transsulfuration pathway leading to homocysteine synthesis was purified over 16,000-fold from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaf chloroplasts (soluble fraction). Enzyme activity was followed along the purification scheme by either a colorimetric method for the determination of cysteine or by fluorescence detection of the bimane derivative of L-homocysteine after reverse-phase HPLC. Cystathionine beta-lyase has a molecular mass of 170,000 +/- 5000 Da and consists of four identical subunits of 44,000 Da. The enzyme exhibits an absorption spectrum in the visible range with a maximum at 418 nm due to pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The chloroplastic enzyme catalyzes alpha,beta-cleavage of the thioether L-cystathionine and the dithioacetal L-djenkolate with apparent Km values of 0.15 and 0.34 mM, respectively, and apparent Vm values corresponding to a specific activity of 13 Units mg-1. However, no activity was detected toward the disulfide L-cysteine. With either L-cystathionine and L-djenkolate as substrate, maximal activity was obtained between pH 8.3 and pH 9.0. Besides the chloroplastic enzyme form, anion exchange chromatography of a total spinach leaf extract allowed the detection of a second pool of cystathionine beta-lyase activity that is associated with the cytosolic compartment and eluted at a lower salt concentration than the chloroplastic isoform. Kinetics of inactivation of cystathionine beta-lyase by the L-alpha-(2-aminoethoxyvinyl) glycine (AVG), an analogue of L-cystathionine, are consistent with the existence of an intermediate reversible enzyme inhibitor complex (apparent inhibition constant Kappi of 110 microM) preceding the irreversible formation of a final inactivated state of the enzyme (kd = 4.8 x 10(-3) s-1). Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate free in solution binds AVG with an apparent dissociation constant Kapp in the order of 350 microM. The comparison between the Kapp (free pyridoxal 5'-phosphate) and Kappi

  16. Development of ionic gels using thiol-based monomers in ionic liquid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ahmed, Kumkum; Naga, Naofumi; Kawakami, Masaru; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2016-04-01

    Ionic gels (IGs) using ionic liquids (ILs) can propose diverse applications in the field of optics, sensors and separation have opened wide prospects in materials science. ILs have attracted remarkable interest for gel polymer electrolytes and batteries based on their useful properties such as non-volatility, non-flammability, a wide electrochemical window, high thermal stability and a high ionic conductivity. The formation of gel in IL media makes it possible to immobilize ILs within organic or inorganic matrices and to take advantage of their unique properties in the solid state, thus eliminating some shortcomings related to shaping and risk of leakage. In this work for the first time we used multifunctional thiol monomers having uniform structure and good compatibility with the IL of our interest. Therefore we focused on developing thiol monomer-based IGs using multifunctional thiol monomers and acrylate crosslinkers utilizing thiol-ene reaction between monomer and crosslinking molecules in an IL medium and characterize their physico-chemical properties like thermal, conductive, mechanical properties etc.. This work has been focused mainly to improve the mechanical strength of IGs and make prospects of IGs in tribology and lubricants.

  17. ortho- and meta-substituted aromatic thiols are efficient redox buffers that increase the folding rate of a disulfide-containing protein.

    PubMed

    Gough, Jonathan D; Barrett, Elvis J; Silva, Yenia; Lees, Watson J

    2006-08-20

    Thiol based redox buffers are used to enhance the folding rates of disulfide-containing proteins in vitro. Traditionally, small molecule aliphatic thiols such as glutathione are employed. Recently, we have demonstrated that aromatic thiols can further enhance protein-folding rates. In the presence of para-substituted aromatic thiols the folding rate of a disulfide-containing protein was increased by 4-23 times over that measured for glutathione. However, several important practical issues remain to be addressed. Aromatic thiols have never been tested in the presence of denaturants such as guanidine hydrochloride. Only two of the para-substituted aromatic thiols previously examined are commercially available. To expand the number of aromatic thiols for protein folding, several commercially available meta- and ortho-substituted aromatic thiols were studied. Furthermore, an ortho-substituted aromatic thiol, easily obtained from inexpensive starting materials, was investigated. Folding rates of scrambled ribonuclease A at pH 6.0, 7.0 and 7.7, with ortho- and meta-substituted aromatic thiols, were up to 10 times greater than those with glutathione. In the presence of the common denaturant guanidine hydrochloride (0.5M) aromatic thiols provided 100% yield of active protein while maintaining equivalent folding rates.

  18. Transdermal thiol-acrylate polyethylene glycol hydrogel synthesis using near infrared light

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung, Solchan; Lee, Hwangjae; Kim, Hyung-Seok; Kim, Min-Gon; Lee, Luke P.; Lee, Jae Young

    2016-07-01

    Light-induced polymerization has been widely applied for hydrogel synthesis, which conventionally involves the use of ultraviolet or visible light to activate a photoinitiator for polymerization. However, with these light sources, transdermal gelation is not efficient and feasible due to their substantial interactions with biological systems, and thus a high power is required. In this study, we used biocompatible and tissue-penetrating near infrared (NIR) light to remotely trigger a thiol-acrylate reaction for efficient in vivo gelation with good controllability. Our gelation system includes gold nanorods as a photothermal agent, a thermal initiator, diacrylate polyethylene glycol (PEG), and thiolated PEG. Irradiation with a low-power NIR laser (0.3 W cm-2) could induce gelation via a mixed-mode reaction with a small increase in temperature (~5 °C) under the optimized conditions. We also achieved successful transdermal gelation via the NIR-assisted photothermal thiol-acryl reactions. This new type of NIR-assisted thiol-acrylate polymerization provides new opportunities for in situ hydrogel formation for injectable hydrogels and delivery of drugs/cells for various biomedical applications.Light-induced polymerization has been widely applied for hydrogel synthesis, which conventionally involves the use of ultraviolet or visible light to activate a photoinitiator for polymerization. However, with these light sources, transdermal gelation is not efficient and feasible due to their substantial interactions with biological systems, and thus a high power is required. In this study, we used biocompatible and tissue-penetrating near infrared (NIR) light to remotely trigger a thiol-acrylate reaction for efficient in vivo gelation with good controllability. Our gelation system includes gold nanorods as a photothermal agent, a thermal initiator, diacrylate polyethylene glycol (PEG), and thiolated PEG. Irradiation with a low-power NIR laser (0.3 W cm-2) could induce gelation

  19. Activation energy determinations suggest that thiols reverse autooxidation of tetrahydrobiopterin by a different mechanism than ascorbate.

    PubMed

    Valent, Sándor; Tóth, Miklós

    2006-01-01

    In neutral aqueous solutions tetrahydrobiopterin is oxidized by dioxygen in a reaction that is succinctly described as autooxidation. Ascorbate and thiols moderate this reaction by reversing the oxidative process. In the present study the effect of various thiols on the apparent Arrhenius activation energy of tetrahydrobiopterin autooxidation was characterized and compared to that of ascorbate determined previously. We observed that - in sharp contrast to ascorbate - the efficiency of thiols to protect tetrahydrobiopterin decreased with the elevation of temperature from 22 to 37 degrees C. Accordingly, the apparent Arrhenius activation energies (in kJ/mol) measured in the presence of thiols were consistently greater than the value determined with tetrahydrobiopterin alone (59.6 +/- 1.4) or in the presence of ascorbate (59.9 +/- 2.8). Thus, the energy values were 88.8+/-1.1 with glutathione, 87.6 +/- 2.1 with N-acetylcysteine, 79.2 +/- 1.6 with cysteine, 75.1 +/- 2.4 with dithiotreitol and 70.3 +/- 0.9 with homocysteine. Since thiols are as potent reducing agents as ascorbate, these findings suggest that thiols and ascorbate protect tetrahydrobiopterin from oxidation acting at different steps of the oxidation process. It is likely that thiols reduce quinoidal dihydrobiopterin, whereas ascorbate scavenges the trihydrobiopterin radical to tetrahydrobiopterin. Furthermore, the results indicate that thiols are excellent tools to protect tetrahydrobiopterin from autooxidative decomposition in laboratory experiments conducted at relatively low temperatures, whereas the protective effect diminishes at 37 degrees C, i.e. under physiological conditions.

  20. Synthesis of a thiol-β-cyclodextrin, a potential agent for controlling enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables.

    PubMed

    Manta, Carmen; Peralta-Altier, Gabriela; Gioia, Larissa; Méndez, María F; Seoane, Gustavo; Ovsejevi, Karen

    2013-11-27

    A thiol-β-cyclodextrin was synthesized by a simple and environmentally friendly three-step method comprising epoxy activation of β-cyclodextrin, thiosulfate-mediated oxirane opening, and further reduction of the S-alkyl thiosulfate to a thiol group. The final step was optimized by using thiopropyl-agarose, a solid phase reducing agent with many advantages over soluble ones. β-Cyclodextrin thiolation was confirmed by titration with a thiol-reactive reagent, NMR studies, and MALDI-TOF/TOF. Thiolated cyclodextrin had an average value of one thiol group per molecule. Thiol-β-cyclodextrin proved to be an excellent agent for controlling polyphenol oxidase activity. This copper-containing enzyme is responsible for browning in fruits and vegetables. Under the same conditions, thiol-β-cyclodextrin generated a reductive microenvironment that increased the antibrowning effect on Red Delicious apples compared to unmodified β-cyclodextrin.

  1. Probing the Active Center of Benzaldehyde Lyase with Substitutions and the Pseudosubstrate Analogue Benzoylphosphonic Acid Methyl Ester

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

    Brandt, Gabriel S.; Nemeria, Natalia; Chakraborty, Sumit

    2008-07-28

    Benzaldehyde lyase (BAL) catalyzes the reversible cleavage of (R)-benzoin to benzaldehyde utilizing thiamin diphosphate and Mg{sup 2+} as cofactors. The enzyme is important for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of a wide range of compounds via its carboligation reaction mechanism. In addition to its principal functions, BAL can slowly decarboxylate aromatic amino acids such as benzoylformic acid. It is also intriguing mechanistically due to the paucity of acid-base residues at the active center that can participate in proton transfer steps thought to be necessary for these types of reactions. Here methyl benzoylphosphonate, an excellent electrostatic analogue of benzoylformic acid, is used tomore » probe the mechanism of benzaldehyde lyase. The structure of benzaldehyde lyase in its covalent complex with methyl benzoylphosphonate was determined to 2.49 {angstrom} (Protein Data Bank entry 3D7K) and represents the first structure of this enzyme with a compound bound in the active site. No large structural reorganization was detected compared to the complex of the enzyme with thiamin diphosphate. The configuration of the predecarboxylation thiamin-bound intermediate was clarified by the structure. Both spectroscopic and X-ray structural studies are consistent with inhibition resulting from the binding of MBP to the thiamin diphosphate in the active centers. We also delineated the role of His29 (the sole potential acid-base catalyst in the active site other than the highly conserved Glu50) and Trp163 in cofactor activation and catalysis by benzaldehyde lyase.« less

  2. Interaction of benzene thiol and thiolate with small gold clusters.

    PubMed

    Letardi, Sara; Cleri, Fabrizio

    2004-06-01

    We studied the interaction between benzene thiol and thiolate molecules, and gold clusters made of 1 to 3 atoms, by means of ab initio density functional theory in the local density approximation. We find that the thiolate is energetically more stable than the thiol, however the process of detachment of H from the thiol appears to be possibly mediated by the intermediate step of H chemisorption on Au. Cleavage of the S-H bond is accompanied by a 90 degrees rotation of the molecule around the S-Au bond, showing a strong steric specificity. Such a rotation is induced by the relative energy shift of the S atom p orbitals with respect to the benzene pi ring and the Au d orbitals. By analyzing the correlation of the bond energy, bond lengths, and HOMO-LUMO gap with the number of S-Au bonds, we find that the thiolate S atom appears to prefer a low-coordination condition on Au clusters. (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.

  3. Can thiol compounds be used as biomarkers of aquatic ecosystem contamination by cadmium?

    PubMed Central

    Kovářová, Jana; Svobodová, Zdeňka

    2009-01-01

    Due to anthropogenic activities, heavy metals still represent a threat for various trophic levels. If aquatic animals are exposed to heavy metals we can obviously observe considerable toxicity. It is well known that an organism affected by cadmium (Cd) synthesize low molecular mass thiol compounds rich in cysteine (Cys), such as metallothioneins (MT) and glutathione (GSH/GSSG). The aim of this study was to summarize the effect of Cd on level of thiol compounds in aquatic organisms, and evaluate that the concentrations of thiol compounds are effective indicators of Cd water pollution and explain their potential use in biomonitoring applications. PMID:21217850

  4. Mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes as sources and targets of thiol-based redox-regulation.

    PubMed

    Dröse, Stefan; Brandt, Ulrich; Wittig, Ilka

    2014-08-01

    The respiratory chain of the inner mitochondrial membrane is a unique assembly of protein complexes that transfers the electrons of reducing equivalents extracted from foodstuff to molecular oxygen to generate a proton-motive force as the primary energy source for cellular ATP-synthesis. Recent evidence indicates that redox reactions are also involved in regulating mitochondrial function via redox-modification of specific cysteine-thiol groups in subunits of respiratory chain complexes. Vice versa the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by respiratory chain complexes may have an impact on the mitochondrial redox balance through reversible and irreversible thiol-modification of specific target proteins involved in redox signaling, but also pathophysiological processes. Recent evidence indicates that thiol-based redox regulation of the respiratory chain activity and especially S-nitrosylation of complex I could be a strategy to prevent elevated ROS production, oxidative damage and tissue necrosis during ischemia-reperfusion injury. This review focuses on the thiol-based redox processes involving the respiratory chain as a source as well as a target, including a general overview on mitochondria as highly compartmentalized redox organelles and on methods to investigate the redox state of mitochondrial proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Thiol-Based Redox Processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Aerobic transformation of cadmium through metal sulfide biosynthesis in photosynthetic microorganisms

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Cadmium is a non-essential metal that is toxic because of its interference with essential metals such as iron, calcium and zinc causing numerous detrimental metabolic and cellular effects. The amount of this metal in the environment has increased dramatically since the advent of the industrial age as a result of mining activities, the use of fertilizers and sewage sludge in farming, and discharges from manufacturing activities. The metal bioremediation utility of phototrophic microbes has been demonstrated through their ability to detoxify Hg(II) into HgS under aerobic conditions. Metal sulfides are generally very insoluble and therefore, biologically unavailable. Results When Cd(II) was exposed to cells it was bioconverted into CdS by the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae, and the cyanobacterium, Synechoccocus leopoliensis. Supplementation of the two eukaryotic algae with extra sulfate, but not sulfite or cysteine, increased their cadmium tolerances as well as their abilities to produce CdS, indicating an involvement of sulfate assimilation in the detoxification process. However, the combined activities of extracted serine acetyl-transferase (SAT) and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OASTL) used to monitor sulfate assimilation, was not significantly elevated during cell treatments that favored sulfide biosynthesis. It is possible that the prolonged incubation of the experiments occurring over two days could have compensated for the low rates of sulfate assimilation. This was also the case for S. leopoliensis where sulfite and cysteine as well as sulfate supplementation enhanced CdS synthesis. In general, conditions that increased cadmium sulfide production also resulted in elevated cysteine desulfhydrase activities, strongly suggesting that cysteine is the direct source of sulfur for CdS synthesis. Conclusions Cadmium(II) tolerance and CdS formation were significantly enhanced by sulfate supplementation, thus

  6. Thiols of flagellar proteins are essential for progressive motility in human spermatozoa.

    PubMed

    Cabrillana, María Eugenia; Monclus, María de Los Ángeles; Lancellotti, Tania Estefania Sáez; Boarelli, Paola Vanina; Vincenti, Amanda Edith; Fornés, Miguel Matias; Sanabria, Eduardo Alfredo; Fornés, Miguel Walter

    2017-07-01

    Male infertility is a disorder of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. The presence of low-motile or immotile spermatozoa is one of many causes of infertility; however, this observation provides little or no information regarding the pathogenesis of the malfunction. Good sperm motility depends on correct assembly of the sperm tail in the testis and efficient maturation during epididymal transit. Thiols of flagellar proteins, such as outer dense fibre protein 1 (ODF1), are oxidised to form disulfides during epididymal transit and the spermatozoa become motile. This study was designed to determine how oxidative changes in protein thiol status affect progressive motility in human spermatozoa. Monobromobimane (mBBr) was used as a specific thiol marker and disruptor of sperm progressive motility. When mBBr was blocked by dithiothreitol it did not promote motility changes. The analysis of mBBr-treated spermatozoa revealed a reduction of progressive motility and an increased number of spermatozoa with non-progressive motility without affecting ATP production. Laser confocal microscopy and western blot analysis showed that one of the mBBr-positive proteins reacted with an antibody to ODF1. Monobromobimane fluorescence intensity of the sperm tail was lower in normozoospermic than asthenozoospermic men, suggesting that thiol oxidation in spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic men is incomplete. Our findings indicate that mBBr affects the thiol status of ODF1 in human spermatozoa and interferes with progressive motility.

  7. Thiol synthetases of legumes: immunogold localization and differential gene regulation by phytohormones.

    PubMed

    Clemente, Maria R; Bustos-Sanmamed, Pilar; Loscos, Jorge; James, Euan K; Pérez-Rontomé, Carmen; Navascués, Joaquín; Gay, Marina; Becana, Manuel

    2012-06-01

    In plants and other organisms, glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis is catalysed sequentially by γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γECS) and glutathione synthetase (GSHS). In legumes, homoglutathione (hGSH) can replace GSH and is synthesized by γECS and a specific homoglutathione synthetase (hGSHS). The subcellular localization of the enzymes was examined by electron microscopy in several legumes and gene expression was analysed in Lotus japonicus plants treated for 1-48 h with 50 μM of hormones. Immunogold localization studies revealed that γECS is confined to chloroplasts and plastids, whereas hGSHS is also in the cytosol. Addition of hormones caused differential expression of thiol synthetases in roots. After 24-48 h, abscisic and salicylic acids downregulated GSHS whereas jasmonic acid upregulated it. Cytokinins and polyamines activated GSHS but not γECS or hGSHS. Jasmonic acid elicited a coordinated response of the three genes and auxin induced both hGSHS expression and activity. Results show that the thiol biosynthetic pathway is compartmentalized in legumes. Moreover, the similar response profiles of the GSH and hGSH contents in roots of non-nodulated and nodulated plants to the various hormonal treatments indicate that thiol homeostasis is independent of the nitrogen source of the plants. The differential regulation of the three mRNA levels, hGSHS activity, and thiol contents by hormones indicates a fine control of thiol biosynthesis at multiple levels and strongly suggests that GSH and hGSH play distinct roles in plant development and stress responses.

  8. Thiol surface functionalization via continuous phase plasma polymerization of allyl mercaptan, with subsequent maleimide-linked conjugation of collagen.

    PubMed

    Stynes, Gil D; Gengenbach, Thomas R; Kiroff, George K; Morrison, Wayne A; Kirkland, Mark A

    2017-07-01

    Thiol groups can undergo a large variety of chemical reactions and are used in solution phase to conjugate many bioactive molecules. Previous research on solid substrates with continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of thiol-containing monomers may have been compromised by oxidation. Thiol surface functionalization via glow discharge polymerization has been reported as requiring pulsing. Herein, continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of allyl mercaptan (2-propene-1-thiol) was used to generate significant densities of thiol groups on a mixed macrodiol polyurethane and tantalum. Three general classes of chemistry are used to conjugate proteins to thiol groups, with maleimide linkers being used most commonly. Here the pH specificity of maleimide reactions was used effectively to conjugate surface-bound thiol groups to amine groups in collagen. XPS demonstrated surface-bound thiol groups without evidence of oxidation, along with the subsequent presence of maleimide and collagen. Glow discharge reactor parameters were optimized by testing the resistance of bound collagen to degradation by 8 M urea. The nature of the chemical bonding of collagen to surface thiol groups was effectively assessed by colorimetric assay (ELISA) of residual collagen after incubation in 8 M urea over 8 days and after incubation with keratinocytes over 15 days. The facile creation of useable solid-supported thiol groups via continuous phase glow discharge polymerization of allyl mercaptan opens a route for attaching a vast array of bioactive molecules. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 1940-1948, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Mass Spectrometry in Studies of Protein Thiol Chemistry and Signaling: Opportunities and Caveats

    PubMed Central

    Devarie Baez, Nelmi O.; Reisz, Julie A.; Furdui, Cristina M.

    2014-01-01

    Mass spectrometry (MS) has become a powerful and widely utilized tool in the investigation of protein thiol chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. Very early biochemical studies of metabolic enzymes have brought to light the broad spectrum of reactivity profiles that distinguish cysteine thiols with functions in catalysis and protein stability from other cysteine residues in proteins. The development of MS methods for the analysis of proteins using electrospray ionization (ESI) or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) coupled with the emergence of high-resolution mass analyzers have been instrumental in advancing studies of thiol modifications, both in single proteins and within the cellular context. This article reviews MS instrumentation and methods of analysis employed in investigations of thiols and their reactivity toward a range of small biomolecules. A selected number of studies are detailed to highlight the advantages brought about by the MS technologies along with the caveats associated with these analyses. PMID:25261734

  10. Structure-based engineering of a pectate lyase with improved specific activity for ramie degumming.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Zhanping; Liu, Yang; Chang, Zhenying; Wang, Huilin; Leier, André; Marquez-Lago, Tatiana T; Ma, Yanhe; Li, Jian; Song, Jiangning

    2017-04-01

    Biotechnological applications of microbial pectate lyases (Pels) in plant fiber processing are promising, eco-friendly substitutes for conventional chemical degumming processes. However, to potentiate the enzymes' use for industrial applications, resolving the molecular structure to elucidate catalytic mechanisms becomes necessary. In this manuscript, we report the high resolution (1.45 Å) crystal structure of pectate lyase (pelN) from Paenibacillus sp. 0602 in apo form. Through sequence alignment and structural superposition with other members of the polysaccharide lyase (PL) family 1 (PL1), we determined that pelN shares the characteristic right-handed β-helix and is structurally similar to other members of the PL1 family, while exhibiting key differences in terms of catalytic and substrate binding residues. Then, based on information from structure alignments with other PLs, we engineered a novel pelN. Our rational design yielded a pelN mutant with a temperature for enzymatic activity optimally shifted from 67.5 to 60 °C. Most importantly, this pelN mutant displayed both higher specific activity and ramie fiber degumming ability when compared with the wild-type enzyme. Altogether, our rational design method shows great potential for industrial applications. Moreover, we expect the reported high-resolution crystal structure to provide a solid foundation for future rational, structure-based engineering of genetically enhanced pelNs.

  11. Mechanistic studies of a novel C-S lyase in ergothioneine biosynthesis: the involvement of a sulfenic acid intermediate

    PubMed Central

    Song, Heng; Hu, Wen; Naowarojna, Nathchar; Her, Ampon Sae; Wang, Shu; Desai, Rushil; Qin, Li; Chen, Xiaoping; Liu, Pinghua

    2015-01-01

    Ergothioneine is a histidine thio-derivative isolated in 1909. In ergothioneine biosynthesis, the combination of a mononuclear non-heme iron enzyme catalyzed oxidative C-S bond formation reaction and a PLP-mediated C-S lyase (EgtE) reaction results in a net sulfur transfer from cysteine to histidine side-chain. This demonstrates a new sulfur transfer strategy in the biosynthesis of sulfur-containing natural products. Due to difficulties associated with the overexpression of Mycobacterium smegmatis EgtE protein, the proposed EgtE functionality remained to be verified biochemically. In this study, we have successfully overexpressed and purified M. smegmatis EgtE enzyme and evaluated its activities under different in vitro conditions: C-S lyase reaction using either thioether or sulfoxide as a substrate in the presence or absence of reductants. Results from our biochemical characterizations support the assignment of sulfoxide 4 as the native EgtE substrate and the involvement of a sulfenic acid intermediate in the ergothioneine C-S lyase reaction. PMID:26149121

  12. Radicals are required for thiol etching of gold particles

    PubMed Central

    Dreier, Timothy A.

    2016-01-01

    Etching of gold with excess thiol ligand is used in both synthesis and analysis of gold particles. Mechanistically, the process of etching gold with excess thiol is opaque. Previous studies have obliquely considered the role of oxygen in thiolate etching of gold. Herein, we show that oxygen or a radical initator is a necessary component for efficient etching of gold by thiolates. Attenuation of the etching process by radical scavengers in the presence of oxygen, and the restoration of activity by radical initiators under inert atmosphere, strongly implicate the oxygen radical. These data led us to propose an atomistic mechanism in which the oxygen radical initiates the etching process. PMID:26089294

  13. Methylcitrate cycle defines the bactericidal essentiality of isocitrate lyase for survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on fatty acids

    PubMed Central

    Eoh, Hyungjin; Rhee, Kyu Y.

    2014-01-01

    Few mutations attenuate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) more profoundly than deletion of its isocitrate lyases (ICLs). However, the basis for this attenuation remains incompletely defined. Mtb’s ICLs are catalytically bifunctional isocitrate and methylisocitrate lyases required for growth on even and odd chain fatty acids. Here, we report that Mtb’s ICLs are essential for survival on both acetate and propionate because of its methylisocitrate lyase (MCL) activity. Lack of MCL activity converts Mtb’s methylcitrate cycle into a “dead end” pathway that sequesters tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates into methylcitrate cycle intermediates, depletes gluconeogenic precursors, and results in defects of membrane potential and intrabacterial pH. Activation of an alternative vitamin B12-dependent pathway of propionate metabolism led to selective corrections of TCA cycle activity, membrane potential, and intrabacterial pH that specifically restored survival, but not growth, of ICL-deficient Mtb metabolizing acetate or propionate. These results thus resolve the biochemical basis of essentiality for Mtb’s ICLs and survival on fatty acids. PMID:24639517

  14. Structure of Methylobacterium extorquens malyl-CoA lyase: CoA-substrate binding correlates with domain shift

    DOE PAGES

    Gonzalez, Javier M.; Marti-Arbona, Ricardo; Chen, Julian C. -H.; ...

    2017-01-27

    Malyl-CoA lyase (MCL) is an Mg 2+-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reversible cleavage of (2 S)-4-malyl-CoA to yield acetyl-CoA and glyoxylate. MCL enzymes, which are found in a variety of bacteria, are members of the citrate lyase-like family and are involved in the assimilation of one- and two-carbon compounds. Here, the 1.56 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of MCL from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 with bound Mg 2+is presented. Structural alignment with the closely related Rhodobacter sphaeroides malyl-CoA lyase complexed with Mg 2+, oxalate and CoA allows a detailed analysis of the domain motion of the enzyme caused by substrate binding.more » Alignment of the structures shows that a simple hinge motion centered on the conserved residues Phe268 and Thr269 moves the C-terminal domain by about 30° relative to the rest of the molecule. Furthermore, this domain motion positions a conserved aspartate residue located in the C-terminal domain in the active site of the adjacent monomer, which may serve as a general acid/base in the catalytic mechanism.« less

  15. Structure of Methylobacterium extorquens malyl-CoA lyase: CoA-substrate binding correlates with domain shift

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

    Gonzalez, Javier M.; Marti-Arbona, Ricardo; Chen, Julian C. -H.

    Malyl-CoA lyase (MCL) is an Mg 2+-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the reversible cleavage of (2 S)-4-malyl-CoA to yield acetyl-CoA and glyoxylate. MCL enzymes, which are found in a variety of bacteria, are members of the citrate lyase-like family and are involved in the assimilation of one- and two-carbon compounds. Here, the 1.56 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of MCL from Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 with bound Mg 2+is presented. Structural alignment with the closely related Rhodobacter sphaeroides malyl-CoA lyase complexed with Mg 2+, oxalate and CoA allows a detailed analysis of the domain motion of the enzyme caused by substrate binding.more » Alignment of the structures shows that a simple hinge motion centered on the conserved residues Phe268 and Thr269 moves the C-terminal domain by about 30° relative to the rest of the molecule. Furthermore, this domain motion positions a conserved aspartate residue located in the C-terminal domain in the active site of the adjacent monomer, which may serve as a general acid/base in the catalytic mechanism.« less

  16. Detection of Free Thiols and Fluorescence Response of Phycoerythrin Chromophore after Ultraviolet-B Radiation Stress.

    PubMed

    Kannaujiya, Vinod K; Sinha, Rajeshwar P

    2017-03-01

    The chemistry of thiol-chromophore linkage plays a central role in the nature of fluorescence of phycoerythrin (PE). Interaction of thiol and chromophore is crucial for the energy transfer, redox signal and inhibition of oxidative damage. In the present investigation the effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on an emission fluorescence intensity and wavelength shift in PE due to interaction between thiol and chromophore by remarkable strategy of detection technique was studied. Purification of PE was done by using a gel permeation and ion exchange chromatography that yielded a quite high purity index (6.40) in a monomeric (αβ) form. UV-B radiation accelerated the quenching efficiency (24.9 ± 1.52%) by reducing fluorescence emission intensity of thiol linked chromophore after 240 min of UV-B exposure. However, after blocking of transiently released free thiol by N-ethylmaleimide, quenching efficiency was increased (36.8 ± 2.80%) with marked emission wavelength shift towards shorter wavelengths up to 562 nm as compared to 575 nm in control. Emission fluorescence of free thiol was at maximum after 240 min that was detected specifically by monobromobimane (mBrB) molecular probe. The association/dissociation of bilin chromophore was analyzed by SDS- and Native-PAGE that also indicated a complete reduction in emission fluorescence. Our work clearly shows an early detection of free thiols and relative interaction with chromophore after UV-B radiation which might play a significant role in structural and functional integrity of terminal PE.

  17. Structure of soybean serine acetyltransferase and formation of the cysteine regulatory complex as a molecular chaperone

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Serine acetyltransferase (SAT) catalyzes the limiting reaction in plant and microbial biosynthesis of cysteine. In addition to its enzymatic function, SAT forms a macromolecular complex with O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase (OASS). Formation of the cysteine regulatory complex (CRC) is a critical biochem...

  18. Enzymatic Continuous Flow Synthesis of Thiol-Terminated Poly(δ-Valerolactone) and Block Copolymers.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Ning; Huang, Weijun; Hu, Xin; Liu, Yihuan; Fang, Zheng; Guo, Kai

    2018-04-01

    Thiol-terminated poly(δ-valerolactone) is directly synthesized via enzymatic 6-mercapto-1-hexanol initiated ring-opening polymerization in both batch and microreactor. By using Candida antartica Lipase B immobilized tubular reactor, narrowly dispersed poly(δ-valerolactone) with higher thiol fidelity is more efficiently prepared in contrast to the batch reactor. Moreover, the integrated enzyme packed tubular reactor system is established to perform the chain extension experiments. Thiol-terminated poly(δ-valerolactone)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(δ-valerolactone) are easily prepared by modulating the monomer introduction sequence. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Thiol synthetases of legumes: immunogold localization and differential gene regulation by phytohormones

    PubMed Central

    Clemente, Maria R.; Bustos-Sanmamed, Pilar; Loscos, Jorge; James, Euan K.; Pérez-Rontomé, Carmen; Navascués, Joaquín; Gay, Marina; Becana, Manuel

    2012-01-01

    In plants and other organisms, glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis is catalysed sequentially by γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γECS) and glutathione synthetase (GSHS). In legumes, homoglutathione (hGSH) can replace GSH and is synthesized by γECS and a specific homoglutathione synthetase (hGSHS). The subcellular localization of the enzymes was examined by electron microscopy in several legumes and gene expression was analysed in Lotus japonicus plants treated for 1–48 h with 50 μM of hormones. Immunogold localization studies revealed that γECS is confined to chloroplasts and plastids, whereas hGSHS is also in the cytosol. Addition of hormones caused differential expression of thiol synthetases in roots. After 24–48 h, abscisic and salicylic acids downregulated GSHS whereas jasmonic acid upregulated it. Cytokinins and polyamines activated GSHS but not γECS or hGSHS. Jasmonic acid elicited a coordinated response of the three genes and auxin induced both hGSHS expression and activity. Results show that the thiol biosynthetic pathway is compartmentalized in legumes. Moreover, the similar response profiles of the GSH and hGSH contents in roots of non-nodulated and nodulated plants to the various hormonal treatments indicate that thiol homeostasis is independent of the nitrogen source of the plants. The differential regulation of the three mRNA levels, hGSHS activity, and thiol contents by hormones indicates a fine control of thiol biosynthesis at multiple levels and strongly suggests that GSH and hGSH play distinct roles in plant development and stress responses. PMID:22442424

  20. Probing the active center of benzaldehyde lyase with substitutions and the pseudo-substrate analog benzoylphosphonic acid methyl ester

    PubMed Central

    Brandt, Gabriel S.; Nemeria, Natalia; Chakraborty, Sumit; McLeish, Michael J.; Yep, Alejandra; Kenyon, George L.; Petsko, Gregory A.; Jordan, Frank; Ringe, Dagmar

    2009-01-01

    Benzaldehyde lyase (BAL) catalyzes the reversible cleavage of (R)-benzoin to benzaldehyde utilizing thiamin diphosphate and Mg2+ as cofactors. The enzyme is important for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of a wide range of compounds via its carboligation reaction mechanism. In addition to its principal functions, BAL can slowly decarboxylate aromatic amino acids such as benzoylformic acid. It is also intriguing mechanistically due to the paucity of acid-base residues at the active center that can participate in proton transfer steps thought to be necessary for these type of reactions. Here methyl benzoylphosphonate, an excellent electrostatic analog of benzoylformic acid, is used to probe the mechanism of benzaldehyde lyase. The structure of benzaldehyde lyase in its covalent complex with methyl benzoylphosphonate was determined to 2.49 Å (PDB ID: 3D7K) and represents the first structure of this enzyme with a compound bound in the active site. No large structural reorganization was detected compared to the complex of the enzyme with thiamin diphosphate. The configuration of the predecarboxylation thiamin-bound intermediate was clarified by the structure. Both spectroscopic and X-ray structural studies are consistent with inhibition resulting from the binding of MBP to the thiamin diphosphate in the active centers. We also delineated the role of His29 (the sole potential acid-base catalyst in the active site other than the highly conserved Glu50) and Trp163 in cofactor activation and catalysis by benzaldehyde lyase. PMID:18570438

  1. Reaction Mechanisms of Metals with Hydrogen Sulfide and Thiols in Model Wine. Part 1: Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation.

    PubMed

    Kreitman, Gal Y; Danilewicz, John C; Jeffery, David W; Elias, Ryan J

    2016-05-25

    Sulfidic off-odors as a result of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and low-molecular-weight thiols are commonly encountered in wine production. These odors are usually removed by the process of Cu(II) fining, a process that remains poorly understood. The present study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which Cu(II) interacts with H2S and thiol compounds (RSH) under wine-like conditions. Copper complex formation was monitored along with H2S, thiol, oxygen, and acetaldehyde concentrations after the addition of Cu(II) (50 or 100 μM) to air-saturated model wine solutions containing H2S, cysteine, 6-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, or 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol (300 μM each). The presence of H2S and thiols in excess to Cu(II) led to the rapid formation of ∼1.4:1 H2S/Cu and ∼2:1 thiol/Cu complexes, resulting in the oxidation of H2S and thiols and reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I), which reacted with oxygen. H2S was observed to initially oxidize rather than form insoluble copper sulfide. The proposed reaction mechanisms provide insight into the extent to which H2S can be selectively removed in the presence of thiols in wine.

  2. The replicative DNA polymerase of herpes simplex virus 1 exhibits apurinic/apyrimidinic and 5′-deoxyribose phosphate lyase activities

    PubMed Central

    Bogani, Federica; Boehmer, Paul E.

    2008-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) is essential for maintaining genome stability both to counter the accumulation of unusual bases and to protect from base loss in the DNA. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a large dsDNA virus that encodes its own DNA replication machinery, including enzymes involved in nucleotide metabolism. We report on a replicative family B and a herpesvirus-encoded DNA Pol that possesses DNA lyase activity. We have discovered that the catalytic subunit of the HSV-1 DNA polymerase (Pol) (UL30) exhibits apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) and 5′-deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) lyase activities. These activities are integral to BER and lead to DNA cleavage on the 3′ side of abasic sites and 5′-dRP residues that remain after cleavage by 5′-AP endonuclease. The UL30-catalyzed reaction occurs independently of divalent cation and proceeds via a Schiff base intermediate, indicating that it occurs via a lyase mechanism. Partial proteolysis of the Schiff base shows that the DNA lyase activity resides in the Pol domain of UL30. These observations together with the presence of a virus-encoded uracil DNA glycosylase indicates that HSV-1 has the capacity to perform critical steps in BER. These findings have implications on the role of BER in viral genome maintenance during lytic replication and reactivation from latency. PMID:18695225

  3. The Structure of RdDddP from Roseobacter denitrificans Reveals That DMSP Lyases in the DddP-Family Are Metalloenzymes

    PubMed Central

    Hehemann, Jan-Hendrik; Law, Adrienne; Redecke, Lars; Boraston, Alisdair B.

    2014-01-01

    Marine microbes degrade dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), which is produced in large quantities by marine algae and plants, with DMSP lyases into acrylate and the gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Approximately 10% of the DMS vents from the sea into the atmosphere and this emission returns sulfur, which arrives in the sea through rivers and runoff, back to terrestrial systems via clouds and rain. Despite their key role in this sulfur cycle DMSP lyases are poorly understood at the molecular level. Here we report the first X-ray crystal structure of the putative DMSP lyase RdDddP from Roseobacter denitrificans, which belongs to the abundant DddP family. This structure, determined to 2.15 Å resolution, shows that RdDddP is a homodimeric metalloprotein with a binuclear center of two metal ions located 2.7 Å apart in the active site of the enzyme. Consistent with the crystallographic data, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TRXF) revealed the bound metal species to be primarily iron. A 3D structure guided analysis of environmental DddP lyase sequences elucidated the critical residues for metal binding are invariant, suggesting all proteins in the DddP family are metalloenzymes. PMID:25054772

  4. The effect of histidine ammonia-lyase on some murine tumours.

    PubMed

    Jack, G W; Wiblin, C N; McMahon, P C

    1983-01-01

    The histidine ammonia-lyase from bacterial strain CAMR 5315 was partially purified to assess its effect on the growth of murine tumours. This strain was selected as the source after an extensive screening programme for histidine ammonia-lyases. The enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulphate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-150. The enzyme reduced circulating L-histidine levels in Wistar rats and in mice persisted with a half-life of 6-7 h. Neither LDH virus nor chemical modification with ethylacetimidate increased the half-life as observed with L-asparaginase and L-glutaminase. The enzyme was tested in mice against Ehrlich carcinoma, L5178Y lymphoblastic leukaemia, Mc/S sarcoma, B16 melanoma, P8157 mastocytoma, P1798 lymphosarcoma and the Gardner 6C3HED lymphosarcoma. The only tumours to show sensitivity to the enzyme were the Mc/S sarcoma against which a 65% increase in life span was observed at the highest enzyme dose, 1000 U/kg on alternate days over 14 days and the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma where cures were obtained at 250 U/kg on alternate days over 14 days, but only at inocula levels of 10(5) and 10(3) cells/animal respectively.

  5. Smelling Sulfur: Copper and Silver Regulate the Response of Human Odorant Receptor OR2T11 to Low-Molecular-Weight Thiols.

    PubMed

    Li, Shengju; Ahmed, Lucky; Zhang, Ruina; Pan, Yi; Matsunami, Hiroaki; Burger, Jessica L; Block, Eric; Batista, Victor S; Zhuang, Hanyi

    2016-10-03

    Mammalian survival depends on ultrasensitive olfactory detection of volatile sulfur compounds, since these compounds can signal the presence of rancid food, O 2 depleted atmospheres, and predators (through carnivore excretions). Skunks exploit this sensitivity with their noxious spray. In commerce, natural and liquefied gases are odorized with t-BuSH and EtSH, respectively, as warnings. The 100-million-fold difference in olfactory perception between structurally similar EtSH and EtOH has long puzzled those studying olfaction. Mammals detect thiols and other odorants using odorant receptors (ORs), members of the family of seven transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Understanding the regulator cofactors and response of ORs is particularly challenging due to the lack of X-ray structural models. Here, we combine computational modeling and site-directed mutagenesis with saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy and measurements of the receptor response profiles. We find that human thiol receptor OR2T11 responds specifically to gas odorants t-BuSH and EtSH requiring ionic copper for its robust activation and that this role of copper is mimicked by ionic and nanoparticulate silver. While copper is both an essential nutrient for life and, in excess, a hallmark of various pathologies and neurodegenerative diseases, its involvement in human olfaction has not been previously demonstrated. When screened against a series of alcohols, thiols, sulfides, and metal-coordinating ligands, OR2T11 responds with enhancement by copper to the mouse semiochemical CH 3 SCH 2 SH and derivatives, to four-membered cyclic sulfide thietane and to one- to four-carbon straight- and branched-chain and five-carbon branched-chain thiols but not to longer chain thiols, suggesting compact receptor dimensions. Alcohols are unreactive.

  6. Thiol redox transitions in cell signaling: a lesson from N-acetylcysteine.

    PubMed

    Parasassi, Tiziana; Brunelli, Roberto; Costa, Graziella; De Spirito, Marco; Krasnowska, Ewa; Lundeberg, Thomas; Pittaluga, Eugenia; Ursini, Fulvio

    2010-06-29

    The functional status of cells is under the control of external stimuli affecting the function of critical proteins and eventually gene expression. Signal sensing and transduction by messengers to specific effectors operate by post-translational modification of proteins, among which thiol redox switches play a fundamental role that is just beginning to be understood. The maintenance of the redox status is, indeed, crucial for cellular homeostasis and its dysregulation towards a more oxidized intracellular environment is associated with aberrant proliferation, ultimately related to diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Redox transitions occur in sensitive cysteine residues of regulatory proteins relevant to signaling, their evolution to metastable disulfides accounting for the functional redox switch. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a thiol-containing compound that is able to interfere with redox transitions of thiols and, thus, in principle, able to modulate redox signaling. We here review the redox chemistry of NAC, then screen possible mechanisms to explain the effects observed in NAC-treated normal and cancer cells; such effects involve a modification of global gene expression, thus of functions and morphology, with a leitmotif of a switch from proliferation to terminal differentiation. The regulation of thiol redox transitions in cell signaling is, therefore, proposed as a new tool, holding promise not only for a deeper explanation of mechanisms, but indeed for innovative pharmacological interventions.

  7. Chromenoquinoline-based thiol probes: a study on the quencher position for controlling fluorescent Off-On characteristics.

    PubMed

    Kand, Dnyaneshwar; Kalle, Arunasree Marasanapalli; Talukdar, Pinaki

    2013-02-13

    The design, synthesis and thiol sensing ability of chromenoquinoline-based fluorescent probes 4, 5 and 6 and are reported here. The relative position of the maleimide moiety was varied along the chromenoquinoline fluorophore to decrease the background fluorescence. Lower background fluorescence in probes 4 and 6 was rationalized by the smaller k(r)/k(nr) values compared to that of probe 5. An intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism was proposed for quenching and the extent was dependent on the position of the maleimide quencher. Fluorescent Off-On characteristics were evaluated by theoretical calculations. All probes were selective only towards thiol containing amino acids. Thiol sensing by probes 4 and 6 were much better compared to 5. Probe 4 displayed a better fluorescence response for less hindered thiol (185-, 223- and 156-fold for Hcy, Cys and GSH, respectively), while for probe 6, a higher enhancement in fluorescence was observed with more hindered thiols (180-, 205- and 245-fold for Hcy, Cys and GSH, respectively). The better response to bulkier thiol, GSH by probe 6 was attributed to the steric crowding at the C-4 position and bulkiness of the GSH group which force the succinimide unit to be in a nearly orthogonal conformation. This spatial arrangement was important in reducing the fluorescence quenching ability of the succinimide moiety. The application of probes 4, 5 and 6 was demonstrated by naked eye detection thiols using a 96-well plate system as well as by live-cell imaging.

  8. Selective chloroform sensor using thiol functionalized reduced graphene oxide at room temperature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Midya, Anupam; Mukherjee, Subhrajit; Roy, Shreyasee; Santra, Sumita; Manna, Nilotpal; Ray, Samit K.

    2018-02-01

    This paper presents a highly selective chloroform sensor using functionalised reduced graphene oxide (RGO) as a sensing layer. Thiol group is covalently attached on the basal plan of RGO film by a simple one-step aryl diazonium chemistry to improve its selectivity. Several spectroscopic techniques like X-ray photoelectron, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm successful thiol functionalization of RGO. Finally, the fabricated chemiresistor type sensor is exposed to chloroform in the concentration range 200-800 ppm (parts per million). The sensor shows a 4.3% of response towards 800 ppm chloroform. The selectivity of the sensor is analyzed using various volatile organic compounds as well. The devices show enhanced response and faster recovery attributed to the physiosorption of chloroform onto thiol functionalized graphene making them attractive for 2D materials based sensing applications.

  9. Dynamic Thiol/Disulphide Homeostasis in Children and Adolescents with Non-Autoimmune Subclinical Hypothyroidism

    PubMed Central

    Uçaktürk, Seyit Ahmet; Alışık, Murat; Uğur, Çağatay; Elmaoğulları, Selin; Mengen, Eda; Erel, Özcan

    2018-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the thiol/disulphide homeostasis in children with non-autoimmune subclinical hypothyroidism (SHT). Subjects and Methods Thiol/disulphide homeosta sis, involving native thiol (SH), disulphide (SS), and total thiol (SS + SH), was evaluated in 60 children and adolescents who were negative for thyroid auto-antibodies (anti-thyroid peroxidase, anti-thyroglobulin) and had a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) value of > 5 mIU/L, and in 40 sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects who were negative for thyroid autoantibodies and had normal TSH levels. Lipid profiles and urine iodine levels were also determined. Results SH (466 ± 32.8 vs. 462 ± 32.1 μmol/L p = 0.59), SH + SS (508 ± 34.0 vs. 506 ± 32.7 μmol/L, p = 0.81), SS (21 ± 5.5 vs. 22 ± 5.8 μmol/L, p = 0.41), SS/SH (4.5 ± 1.2 vs. 4.8 ± 1.3%, p = 0.36), SS/SH + SS (4.1 ± 1.0 vs. 4.3 ± 1.1%, p = 0.36) and SH/SH + SS (91 ± 2.1 vs. 91 ± 2.1%, p = 0.31) levels were similar in children with SHT and control subjects (p > 0.05). There was no difference between total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels in SHT patients and controls. No difference was detected between the patients with or without iodine deficiency in the SHT group in terms of thiol/disulphide homeostasis parameters. Conclusion The status of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis did not change in children and adolescents with non-autoimmune SHT. Future studies are needed for the evaluation of oxidative stress in patients with long-standing non-autoimmune SHT. PMID:29402856

  10. Stable isotope labeling-solid phase extraction-mass spectrometry analysis for profiling of thiols and aldehydes in beer.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Shu-Jian; Wang, Ya-Lan; Liu, Ping; Zhang, Zheng; Yu, Lei; Yuan, Bi-Feng; Feng, Yu-Qi

    2017-12-15

    In this study, we developed a strategy for profiling of thiols and aldehydes in beer samples by stable isotope labeling-solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-double precursor ion scan/double neutral loss scan-mass spectrometry analysis (SIL-SPE-LC-DPIS/DNLS-MS). A pair of isotope reagents (ω-bromoacetonylquinolinium bromide, BQB; ω-bromoacetonylquinolinium-d 7 bromide, BQB-d 7 ) were used to label thiols; while for the aldehydes, a pair of isotope reagents (4-(2-(trimethylammonio) ethoxy) benzenaminium halide, 4-APC; 4-(2-(trimethylammonio) ethoxy) benzenaminium halide-d 4 , 4-APC-d 4 ) were used. The labeled thiols and aldehydes were extracted and purified with solid-phase extraction, respectively, followed by LC-MS analysis. Using the proposed SIL-SPE-LC-DPIS/DNLS-MS methods, 76 thiol and 25 aldehyde candidates were found in beer. Furthermore, we established SIL-SPE-LC-MRM-MS methods for the relative quantitation of thiols and aldehydes in different beer samples. The results showed that the contents of thiols and aldehydes are closely related to the brands and origins of beers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Silencing of SlPL, which encodes a pectate lyase in tomato, confers enhanced fruit firmness, prolonged shelf-life and reduced susceptibility to grey mould.

    PubMed

    Yang, Lu; Huang, Wei; Xiong, Fangjie; Xian, Zhiqiang; Su, Deding; Ren, Maozhi; Li, Zhengguo

    2017-12-01

    Pectate lyase genes have been documented as excellent candidates for improvement of fruit firmness. However, implementation of pectate lyase in regulating fruit postharvest deterioration has not been fully explored. In this report, 22 individual pectate lyase genes in tomato were identified, and one pectate lyase gene SlPL (Solyc03g111690) showed dominant expression during fruit maturation. RNA interference of SlPL resulted in enhanced fruit firmness and changes in pericarp cells. More importantly, the SlPL-RNAi fruit demonstrated greater antirotting and pathogen-resisting ability. Compared to wild-type, SlPL-RNAi fruit had higher levels of cellulose and hemicellulose, whereas the level of water-soluble pectin was lower. Consistent with this, the activities of peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase were higher in SlPL-RNAi fruit, and the malondialdehyde concentration was lower. RNA-Seq results showed large amounts of differentially expressed genes involved in hormone signalling, cell wall modification, oxidative stress and pathogen resistance. Collectively, these data demonstrate that pectate lyase plays an important role in both fruit softening and pathogen resistance. This may advance knowledge of postharvest fruit preservation in tomato and other fleshy fruit. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. The chemical foundations of nitroalkene fatty acid signaling through addition reactions with thiols.

    PubMed

    Turell, Lucía; Steglich, Martina; Alvarez, Beatriz

    2018-03-22

    Nitroalkene fatty acids can be formed in vivo and administered exogenously. They exert pleiotropic signaling actions with cytoprotective and antiinflammatory effects. The presence of the potent electron withdrawing nitro group confers electrophilicity to the adjacent β-carbon. Thiols (precisely, thiolates) are strong nucleophiles and can react with nitroalkene fatty acids through reversible Michael addition reactions. In addition, nitroalkene fatty acids can undergo several other processes including metabolic oxidation, reduction, esterification, nitric oxide release and partition into hydrophobic compartments. The signaling actions of nitroalkenes are mainly mediated by reactions with critical thiols in regulatory proteins. Thus, the thio-Michael addition reaction provides a framework for understanding the molecular basis of the biological effects of nitroalkene fatty acids at the crossroads of thiol signaling and electrophilic lipid signaling. In this review, we describe the reactions of nitroalkene fatty acids in biological contexts. We focus on the Michael addition-elimination reaction with thiols and its mechanism, and extrapolate kinetic and thermodynamic considerations to in vivo settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Selective chromogenic detection of thiol-containing biomolecules using carbonaceous nanospheres loaded with silver nanoparticles as carrier.

    PubMed

    Hu, Bo; Zhao, Yang; Zhu, Hai-Zhou; Yu, Shu-Hong

    2011-04-26

    Thiol-containing biomolecules show strong affinity with noble metal nanostructures and could not only stably protect them but also control the self-assembly process of these special nanostructures. A highly selective and sensitive chromogenic detection method has been designed for the low and high molecular weight thiol-containing biomolecules, including cysteine, glutathione, dithiothreitol, and bovine serum albumin, using a new type of carbonaceous nanospheres loaded with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as carrier. This strategy relies upon the place-exchange process between the reporter dyes on the surface of Ag NPs and the thiol groups of thiol-containing biomolecules. The concentration of biomolecules can be determined by monitoring with the fluorescence intensity of reporter dyes dispersed in solution. This new chromogenic assay method could selectively detect these biomolecules in the presence of various other amino acids and monosaccharides and even sensitively detect the thiol-containing biomolecules with different molecular weight, even including proteins.

  14. Refeeding syndrome in a young woman with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency.

    PubMed

    Stuy, M; Chen, G-F; Masonek, J M; Scharschmidt, B F

    2015-09-01

    A severely chronically protein and calorie restricted young woman with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency developed transient refeeding syndrome (RFS) and hyperammonemia after modest diet liberalization following initiation of glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB). The patient required IV supportive care and supplementation with potassium, magnesium and calcium. She is now doing well on GPB and an appropriate maintenance diet. Susceptibility to RFS should be considered in chronically nutritionally restricted patients with metabolic disorders after liberalization of diet.

  15. Refeeding syndrome in a young woman with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency☆

    PubMed Central

    Stuy, M.; Chen, G.-F.; Masonek, J.M.; Scharschmidt, B.F.

    2015-01-01

    A severely chronically protein and calorie restricted young woman with argininosuccinate lyase deficiency developed transient refeeding syndrome (RFS) and hyperammonemia after modest diet liberalization following initiation of glycerol phenylbutyrate (GPB). The patient required IV supportive care and supplementation with potassium, magnesium and calcium. She is now doing well on GPB and an appropriate maintenance diet. Susceptibility to RFS should be considered in chronically nutritionally restricted patients with metabolic disorders after liberalization of diet. PMID:26937403

  16. Silver Makes Better Electrical Contacts to Thiol-Terminated Silanes than Gold.

    PubMed

    Li, Haixing; Su, Timothy A; Camarasa-Gómez, María; Hernangómez-Pérez, Daniel; Henn, Simon E; Pokorný, Vladislav; Caniglia, Caravaggio D; Inkpen, Michael S; Korytár, Richard; Steigerwald, Michael L; Nuckolls, Colin; Evers, Ferdinand; Venkataraman, Latha

    2017-11-06

    We report that the single-molecule junction conductance of thiol-terminated silanes with Ag electrodes are higher than the conductance of those formed with Au electrodes. These results are in contrast to the trends in the metal work function Φ(Ag)<Φ(Au). As such, a better alignment of the Au Fermi level to the molecular orbital of silane that mediates charge transport would be expected. This conductance trend is reversed when we replace the thiols with amines, highlighting the impact of metal-S covalent and metal-NH 2 dative bonds in controlling the molecular conductance. Density functional theory calculations elucidate the crucial role of the chemical linkers in determining the level alignment when molecules are attached to different metal contacts. We also demonstrate that conductance of thiol-terminated silanes with Pt electrodes is lower than the ones formed with Au and Ag electrodes, again in contrast to the trends in the metal work-functions. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Multiplexed Thiol Reactivity Profiling for Target Discovery of Electrophilic Natural Products.

    PubMed

    Tian, Caiping; Sun, Rui; Liu, Keke; Fu, Ling; Liu, Xiaoyu; Zhou, Wanqi; Yang, Yong; Yang, Jing

    2017-11-16

    Electrophilic groups, such as Michael acceptors, expoxides, are common motifs in natural products (NPs). Electrophilic NPs can act through covalent modification of cysteinyl thiols on functional proteins, and exhibit potent cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory/cancer activities. Here we describe a new chemoproteomic strategy, termed multiplexed thiol reactivity profiling (MTRP), and its use in target discovery of electrophilic NPs. We demonstrate the utility of MTRP by identifying cellular targets of gambogic acid, an electrophilic NP that is currently under evaluation in clinical trials as anticancer agent. Moreover, MTRP enables simultaneous comparison of seven structurally diversified α,β-unsaturated γ-lactones, which provides insights into the relative proteomic reactivity and target preference of diverse structural scaffolds coupled to a common electrophilic motif and reveals various potential druggable targets with liganded cysteines. We anticipate that this new method for thiol reactivity profiling in a multiplexed manner will find broad application in redox biology and drug discovery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Metabolism of β-valine via a CoA-dependent ammonia lyase pathway.

    PubMed

    Otzen, Marleen; Crismaru, Ciprian G; Postema, Christiaan P; Wijma, Hein J; Heberling, Matthew M; Szymanski, Wiktor; de Wildeman, Stefaan; Janssen, Dick B

    2015-11-01

    Pseudomonas species strain SBV1 can rapidly grow on medium containing β-valine as a sole nitrogen source. The tertiary amine feature of β-valine prevents direct deamination reactions catalyzed by aminotransferases, amino acid dehydrogenases, and amino acid oxidases. However, lyase- or aminomutase-mediated conversions would be possible. To identify enzymes involved in the degradation of β-valine, a PsSBV1 gene library was prepared and used to complement the β-valine growth deficiency of a closely related Pseudomonas strain. This resulted in the identification of a gene encoding β-valinyl-coenzyme A ligase (BvaA) and two genes encoding β-valinyl-CoA ammonia lyases (BvaB1 and BvaB2). The BvaA protein demonstrated high sequence identity to several known phenylacetate CoA ligases. Purified BvaA enzyme did not convert phenyl acetic acid but was able to activate β-valine in an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)- and CoA-dependent manner. The substrate range of the enzyme appears to be narrow, converting only β-valine and to a lesser extent, 3-aminobutyrate and β-alanine. Characterization of BvaB1 and BvaB2 revealed that both enzymes were able to deaminate β-valinyl-CoA to produce 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA, a common intermediate in the leucine degradation pathway. Interestingly, BvaB1 and BvaB2 demonstrated no significant sequence identity to known CoA-dependent ammonia lyases, suggesting they belong to a new family of enzymes. BLAST searches revealed that BvaB1 and BvaB2 show high sequence identity to each other and to several enoyl-CoA hydratases, a class of enzymes that catalyze a similar reaction with water instead of amine as the leaving group.

  19. Targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase as an anabolic therapy for bone loss.

    PubMed

    Weske, Sarah; Vaidya, Mithila; Reese, Alina; von Wnuck Lipinski, Karin; Keul, Petra; Bayer, Julia K; Fischer, Jens W; Flögel, Ulrich; Nelsen, Jens; Epple, Matthias; Scatena, Marta; Schwedhelm, Edzard; Dörr, Marcus; Völzke, Henry; Moritz, Eileen; Hannemann, Anke; Rauch, Bernhard H; Gräler, Markus H; Heusch, Gerd; Levkau, Bodo

    2018-05-01

    Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling influences bone metabolism, but its therapeutic potential in bone disorders has remained unexplored. We show that raising S1P levels in adult mice through conditionally deleting or pharmacologically inhibiting S1P lyase, the sole enzyme responsible for irreversibly degrading S1P, markedly increased bone formation, mass and strength and substantially decreased white adipose tissue. S1P signaling through S1P 2 potently stimulated osteoblastogenesis at the expense of adipogenesis by inversely regulating osterix and PPAR-γ, and it simultaneously inhibited osteoclastogenesis by inducing osteoprotegerin through newly discovered p38-GSK3β-β-catenin and WNT5A-LRP5 pathways. Accordingly, S1P 2 -deficient mice were osteopenic and obese. In ovariectomy-induced osteopenia, S1P lyase inhibition was as effective as intermittent parathyroid hormone (iPTH) treatment in increasing bone mass and was superior to iPTH in enhancing bone strength. Furthermore, lyase inhibition in mice successfully corrected severe genetic osteoporosis caused by osteoprotegerin deficiency. Human data from 4,091 participants of the SHIP-Trend population-based study revealed a positive association between serum levels of S1P and bone formation markers, but not resorption markers. Furthermore, serum S1P levels were positively associated with serum calcium , negatively with PTH , and curvilinearly with body mass index. Bone stiffness, as determined through quantitative ultrasound, was inversely related to levels of both S1P and the bone formation marker PINP, suggesting that S1P stimulates osteoanabolic activity to counteract decreasing bone quality. S1P-based drugs should be considered as a promising therapeutic avenue for the treatment of osteoporotic diseases.

  20. Simultaneous LC/MS/MS determination of thiols and disulfides in urine samples based on differential labeling with ferrocene-based maleimides.

    PubMed

    Seiwert, Bettina; Karst, Uwe

    2007-09-15

    A method for the simultaneous determination of a series of thiols and disulfides in urine samples has been developed based on the sequential labeling of free and bound thiol functionalities with two ferrocene-based maleimide reagents. The sample is first exposed to N-(2-ferroceneethyl)maleimide, thus leading to the derivatization of free thiol groups in the sample. After quantitative reaction and subsequent reduction of the disulfide-bound thiols by tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, the newly formed thiol functionalities are reacted with ferrocenecarboxylic acid-(2-maleimidoyl)ethylamide. The reaction products are determined by LC/MS/MS in the multiple reaction mode, and precursor ion scan as well as neutral loss scan is applied to detect unknown further thiols. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of free and disulfide-bound thiols in urine samples. Limits of detection are 30 to 110 nM, and the linear range comprises two decades of concentration, thus covering the relevant concentration range of thiols in urine samples. The thiol and disulfide concentrations were referred to the creatinine content to compensate for different sample volumes. As some calibration standards for the disulfides are not commercially available, they were synthesized in an electrochemical flow-through cell. This allowed the synthesis of hetero- and homodimeric disulfides.

  1. Understanding Which Residues of the Active Site and Loop Structure of a Tyrosine Aminomutase Define Its Mutase and Lyase Activities.

    PubMed

    Attanayake, Gayanthi; Walter, Tyler; Walker, Kevin D

    2018-05-30

    Site-directed mutations and substrate analogues were used to gain insights into the branch-point reaction of the 3,5-dihydro-5-methylidene-4 H-imidazol-4-one (MIO)-tyrosine aminomutase from Oryza sativa ( OsTAM). Exchanging the active residues of OsTAM (Y125C/N446K) for those in a phenylalanine aminomutase TcPAM altered its substrate specificity from tyrosine to phenylalanine. The aminomutase mechanism of OsTAM surprisingly changed almost exclusively to that of an ammonia lyase making cinnamic acid (>95%) over β-phenylalanine [Walter, T., et al. (2016) Biochemistry 55, 3497-3503]. We hypothesized that the missing electronics or sterics on the aryl ring of the phenylalanine substrate, compared with the sizable electron-donating hydroxyl of the natural tyrosine substrate, influenced the unexpected lyase reactivity of the OsTAM mutant. The double mutant was incubated with 16 α-phenylalanine substituent analogues of varying electronic strengths and sterics. The mutant converted each analogue principally to its acrylate with ∼50% conversion of the p-Br substrate, making only a small amount of the β-amino acid. The inner loop structure over the entrance to the active site was also mutated to assess how the lyase and mutase activities are affected. An OsTAM loop mutant, matching the loop residues of TcPAM, still chiefly made >95% of the acrylate from each substrate. A combined active site:loop mutant was most reactive but remained a lyase, making 10-fold more acrylates than other mutants did. While mutations within the active site changed the substrate specificity of OsTAM, continued exploration is needed to fully understand the interplay among the inner loop, the substrate, and the active site in defining the mutase and lyase activities.

  2. Nitroolefin-based BODIPY as a novel water-soluble ratiometric fluorescent probe for detection of endogenous thiols

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, Jin; Huo, Fangjun; Chao, Jianbin; Yin, Caixia

    2018-04-01

    Small molecule biothiols, including cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and glutathione (GSH), play many crucial roles in physiological processes. In this work, we have prepared a nitroolefin-based BODIPY fluorescent probe with excellent water solubility for detection thiols, which displayed ratiometric fluorescent signal for thiols. Incorporation of a nitroolefin unit to the BODIPY dye would transform it into a strong Michael acceptor, which would be highly susceptible to sulfhydryl nucleophiles. This probe shows an obvious ratio change upon response with thiols, an increase of the emission at 517 nm along with a concomitant decrease of fluorescence peak at 573 nm. Moreover, these successes of intracellular imaging experiments in A549 cells indicated that this probe is suitable for imaging of ex-/endogenous thiols in living cells.

  3. Radicals Are Required for Thiol Etching of Gold Particles.

    PubMed

    Dreier, Timothy A; Ackerson, Christopher J

    2015-08-03

    Etching of gold with an excess of thiol ligand is used in both synthesis and analysis of gold particles. Mechanistically, the process of etching gold with excess thiol is unclear. Previous studies have obliquely considered the role of oxygen in thiolate etching of gold. Herein, we show that oxygen or a radical initiator is a necessary component for efficient etching of gold by thiolates. Attenuation of the etching process by radical scavengers in the presence of oxygen, and the restoration of activity by radical initiators under inert atmosphere, strongly implicate the oxygen radical. These data led us to propose an atomistic mechanism in which the oxygen radical initiates the etching process. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Quinone-induced protein modifications: Kinetic preference for reaction of 1,2-benzoquinones with thiol groups in proteins.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuting; Jongberg, Sisse; Andersen, Mogens L; Davies, Michael J; Lund, Marianne N

    2016-08-01

    Oxidation of polyphenols to quinones serves as an antioxidative mechanism, but the resulting quinones may induce damage to proteins as they react through a Michael addition with nucleophilic groups, such as thiols and amines to give protein adducts. In this study, rate constants for the reaction of 4-methylbenzoquinone (4MBQ) with proteins, thiol and amine compounds were determined under pseudo first-order conditions by UV-vis stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The chemical structures of the adducts were identified by LC-ESI-MS/MS. Proteins with free thiols were rapidly modified by 4MBQ with apparent second order rate constants, k2 of (3.1±0.2)×10(4)M(-1)s(-1) for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and (4.8±0.2)×10(3)M(-1)s(-1) for human serum albumin at pH 7.0. These values are at least 12-fold greater than that for α-lactalbumin (4.0±0.2)×10(2)M(-1)s(-1), which does not contain any free thiols. Reaction of Cys-34 of BSA with N-ethylmaleimide reduced the thiol concentration by ~59%, which resulted in a decrease in k2 by a similar percentage, consistent with rapid adduction at Cys-34. Reaction of 4MBQ with amines (Gly, Nα-acetyl-l-Lys, Nε-acetyl-l-Lys and l-Lys) and the guanidine group of Nα-acetyl-l-Arg was at least 5×10(5) slower than with low-molecular-mass thiols (l-Cys, Nα-acetyl-l-Cys, glutathione). The thiol-quinone interactions formed colorless thiol-phenol products via an intermediate adduct, while the amine-quinone interactions generated colored amine-quinone products that require oxygen involvement. These data provide strong evidence for rapid modification of protein thiols by quinone species which may be of considerable significance for biological and food systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Fluorimetric determination of some thiol compounds in their dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Al-Ghannam, Sh M; El-Brashy, A M; Al-Farhan, B S

    2002-08-01

    A simple fluorimetric procedure was adopted for determination of three pharmaceutical compounds containing thiol groups namely, captopril, D-penicillamine and N-acetylcysteine. In this method, the drugs are treated with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonic acid. The latter is reduced to 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene-4-sulfonic acid which has a maximum fluorescence intensity at 480/318 nm (lambdaEm/Ex). The method is sensitive to 0.5-4.5 pg ml(- 1) with minimum detectability 0.05 microg ml(-1) (S/N = 2), and has been applied to determine these three thiols in their dosage forms. The results obtained are compared favourably with those obtained by their pharmacopeial methods.

  6. Topography of Escherichia coli ribosomal proteins. The order of reactivity of thiol groups*

    PubMed Central

    Bakardjieva, Anastasia; Crichton, Robert R.

    1974-01-01

    1. 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits of Escherichia coli were treated with N-[2,3-14C]-ethylmaleimide and iodo[14C]acetamide. 2. The proteins in the native subunits which reacted with the reagents were S1,‡ S2, S12, S13, S18, S21, L2, L5, L6, L10, L11, L15, L17, L20, L26+28 and L27. 3. Several proteins, such as S1, S12, S14, S18, L2, L6, L10, L11 and either L26 or 28, had thiol groups in an oxidized form and reacted to a greater extent after reduction with β-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol. 4. The total number of thiol groups in 30S and 50S subunits was determined as 16–17 and 26–27 respectively. The total number of thiol groups in each ribosomal protein was also determined. 5. The reaction of 30S and 50S subunits with iodoacetamide under several different conditions established the order of reactivity of thiol groups. PMID:4618476

  7. Molecular Characterization of Thiols in Fossil Fuels by Michael Addition Reaction Derivatization and Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, Meng; Zhao, Suoqi; Liu, Xuxia; Shi, Quan

    2016-10-04

    Thiols widely occur in sediments and fossil fuels. However, the molecular composition of these compounds is unclear due to the lack of appropriate analytical methods. In this work, a characterization method for thiols in fossil fuels was developed on the basis of Michael addition reaction derivatization followed by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS). Model thiol compound studies showed that thiols were selectively reacted with phenylvinylsulfone and transformed to sulfones with greater than 98% conversions. This method was applied to a coker naphtha, light and heavy gas oils, and crude oils from various geological sources. The results showed that long alkyl chain thiols are readily present in petroleum, which have up to 30 carbon atoms. Large DBE dispersity of thiols indicates that naphthenic and aromatic thiols are also present in the petroleum. This method is capable of detecting thiol compounds in the part per million range by weight. This method allows characterization of thiols in a complex hydrocarbon matrix, which is complementary to the comprehensive analysis of sulfur compounds in fossil fuels.

  8. Bromo- and thiomaleimides as a new class of thiol-mediated fluorescence 'turn-on' reagents.

    PubMed

    Youziel, Judith; Akhbar, Ahmed R; Aziz, Qadeer; Smith, Mark E B; Caddick, Stephen; Tinker, Andrew; Baker, James R

    2014-01-28

    Bromo- and thiomaleimides are shown to serve as highly effective quenchers of a covalently attached fluorophore. Reactions with thiols that lead to removal of the maleimide conjugation, or detachment of the fluorophore from the maleimide, result in 'turn-on' of the fluorescence. These reagents thus offer opportunities in thiol sensing and intracellular reporting.

  9. Acetate- and thiol-capped monodisperse ruthenium nanoparticles: XPS, XAS, and HRTEM studies.

    PubMed

    Chakroune, Nassira; Viau, Guillaume; Ammar, Souad; Poul, Laurence; Veautier, Delphine; Chehimi, Mohamed M; Mangeney, Claire; Villain, Françoise; Fiévet, Fernand

    2005-07-19

    Monodisperse ruthenium nanoparticles were prepared by reduction of RuCl3 in 1,2-propanediol. The mean particle size was controlled by appropriate choice of the reduction temperature and the acetate ion concentration. Colloidal solutions in toluene were obtained by coating the metal particles with dodecanethiol. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS for the Ru K-absorption edge) were performed on particles of two different diameters, 2 and 4 nm, and in different environments, polyol/acetate or thiol. For particles stored in polyol/acetate XPS studies revealed superficial oxidation limited to one monolayer and a surface coating containing mostly acetate ions. Analysis of the EXAFS spectra showed both oxygen and ruthenium atoms around the ruthenium atoms with a Ru-Ru coordination number N smaller than the bulk value, as expected for fine particles. In the case of 2 nm acetate-capped particles N is consistent with particles made up of a metallic core and an oxidized monolayer. For 2 nm thiol-coated particles, a Ru-S bond was evidenced by XPS and XAS. For the 4 nm particles XANES and XPS studies showed that most of the ruthenium atoms are in the zerovalent state. Nevertheless, in both cases, when capped with thiol, the Ru-Ru coordination number inferred from EXAFS is much smaller than for particles of the same size stored in polyol. This is attributed to a structural disorganization of the particles by thiol chemisorption. HRTEM studies confirm the marked dependence of the structural properties of the ruthenium particles on their chemical environment; they show the acetate-coated particles to be single crystals, whereas the thiol-coated particles appear to be polycrystalline.

  10. Manipulation of Strawberry Fruit Softening by Antisense Expression of a Pectate Lyase Gene1

    PubMed Central

    Jiménez-Bermúdez, Silvia; Redondo-Nevado, José; Muñoz-Blanco, Juan; Caballero, José L.; López-Aranda, José M.; Valpuesta, Victoriano; Pliego-Alfaro, Fernando; Quesada, Miguel A.; Mercado, José A.

    2002-01-01

    Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa, Duch., cv Chandler) is a soft fruit with a short postharvest life, mainly due to a rapid lost of firm texture. To control the strawberry fruit softening, we obtained transgenic plants that incorporate an antisense sequence of a strawberry pectate lyase gene under the control of the 35S promoter. Forty-one independent transgenic lines (Apel lines) were obtained, propagated in the greenhouse for agronomical analysis, and compared with control plants, non-transformed plants, and transgenic lines transformed with the pGUSINT plasmid. Total yield was significantly reduced in 33 of the 41 Apel lines. At the stage of full ripen, no differences in color, size, shape, and weight were observed between Apel and control fruit. However, in most of the Apel lines, ripened fruits were significantly firmer than controls. Six Apel lines were selected for further analysis. In all these lines, the pectate lyase gene expression in ripened fruit was 30% lower than in control, being totally suppressed in three of them. Cell wall material isolated from ripened Apel fruit showed a lower degree of in vitro swelling and a lower amount of ionically bound pectins than control fruit. An analysis of firmness at three different stages of fruit development (green, white, and red) showed that the highest reduction of softening in Apel fruit occurred during the transition from the white to the red stage. The postharvest softening of Apel fruit was also diminished. Our results indicate that pectate lyase gene is an excellent candidate for biotechnological improvement of fruit softening in strawberry. PMID:11842178

  11. Modifying surface resistivity and liquid moisture management property of keratin fibers through thiol-ene click reactions.

    PubMed

    Yu, Dan; Cai, Jackie Y; Church, Jeffrey S; Wang, Lijing

    2014-01-22

    This paper reports on a new method for improving the antistatic and liquid moisture management properties of keratinous materials. The method involves the generation of thiols by controlled reduction of cystine disulfide bonds in keratin with tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride and subsequent grafting of hydrophilic groups onto the reduced keratin by reaction with an acrylate sulfonate or acrylamide sulfonate through thiol-ene click chemistry. The modified substrates were characterized with Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy and evaluated for their performance changes in liquid moisture management, surface resistivity, and wet burst strength. The results have revealed that the thiol-acrylate reaction is more efficient than the thiol-acrylamide reaction, and the keratinous substrate modified with an acrylate sulfonate salt exhibits significantly improved antistatic and liquid moisture management properties.

  12. Photogenerated Lectin Sensors Produced by Thiol-Ene/Yne Photo-Click Chemistry in Aqueous Solution

    PubMed Central

    Norberg, Oscar; Lee, Irene H.; Aastrup, Teodor; Yan, Mingdi; Ramström, Olof

    2012-01-01

    The photoinitiated radical reactions between thiols and alkenes/alkynes (thiol-ene and thiol-yne chemistry) have been applied to a functionalization methodology to produce carbohydrate-presenting surfaces for analyses of biomolecular interactions. Polymer-coated quartz surfaces were functionalized with alkenes or alkynes in a straightforward photochemical procedure utilizing perfluorophenylazide (PFPA) chemistry. The alkene/alkyne surfaces were subsequently allowed to react with carbohydrate thiols in water under UV-irradiation. The reaction can be carried out in a drop of water directly on the surface without photoinitiator and any disulfide side products were easily washed away after the functionalization process. The resulting carbohydrate-presenting surfaces were evaluated in real-time studies of protein-carbohydrate interactions using a quartz crystal microbalance flow-through system with recurring injections of selected lectins with intermediate regeneration steps using low pH buffer. The resulting methodology proved fast, efficient and scalable to high-throughput analysis formats, and the produced surfaces showed significant protein binding with expected selectivities of the lectins used in the study. PMID:22341757

  13. Relationship between Extracellular Low-Molecular-Weight Thiols and Mercury Species in Natural Lake Periphytic Biofilms.

    PubMed

    Leclerc, Maxime; Planas, Dolors; Amyot, Marc

    2015-07-07

    The uptake of mercury by microorganisms is a key step in the production of methylmercury, a biomagnifiable toxin. Mercury complexation by low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols can affect its bioavailability and thus the production of methylmercury. Freshwater biofilms were sampled in the summer using artificial Teflon substrates submerged for over a year to allow natural community colonization in the littoral zone of a Boreal Shield lake. Inside biofilms, concentrations of different extracellular thiol species (thioglycolic acid, l-cysteine-l-glycine, cysteine, and glutathione) were up to 3 orders of magnitude greater than in the surrounding water column, potentially more readily controlling mercury speciation than in the water column. All biofilm thiols except thioglycolic acid were highly correlated to chlorophyll a, likely indicating an algal origin. Extracellular total mercury represented 3 ± 1% of all biofilm mercury and was preferentially found in the capsular fraction. Levels of LMW thiols of presumed algal origins were highly correlated with total mercury in the mobile colloidal fraction of biofilms. We propose that periphytic phototrophic microorganisms such as algae likely affect the bioavailability of mercury through the exudation of LMW thiols, and thus they may play a key role in the production of methylmercury in biofilms.

  14. Evaluation of dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis as a novel indicator of oxidative stress in maple syrup urine disease patients under treatment.

    PubMed

    Zubarioglu, Tanyel; Kiykim, Ertugrul; Cansever, Mehmet Serif; Neselioglu, Salim; Aktuglu-Zeybek, Cigdem; Erel, Ozcan

    2017-02-01

    Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a metabolic disorder that is caused by deficiency of branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. Although accumulation of toxic metabolites is associated with neurotoxicity, mechanisms underlying brain damage remain unclear. Aim of this study is to evaluate thiol/disulphide homeostasis as a novel indicator of oxidative stress in MSUD patients under treatment. Twenty patients with MSUD and 20 healthy individuals were included in study. All patients were under regular follow-up and had a good metabolic control. Serum native thiol (-SH), total thiol (-SH + -S-S-), disulphide (-S-S) levels were measured in all subjects. Disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol ratios were calculated from these values. Simultaneous blood sampling for plasma quantitative amino acid analysis was performed in both groups. Any significant difference was not observed in -SH, -SH + -S-S-, -S-S levels between two groups. In addition no increase of disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios was detected in patient group. This study is the first study that evaluates dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis as an indicator of oxidative stress in MSUD patients. Among previous studies that were made to determine oxidative stress in treated MSUD patients, this study had the largest sample size also. In recent studies, it was claimed that oxidative stress could be responsible from neurotoxicity even in treated patients. Here, dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis status showed that providing good metabolic control in MSUD patients prevent oxidative stress. Under regular follow-up and good compliance with diet, additional antioxidant therapies would possibly not be necessary.

  15. The influence of cyclomaltooligosaccharides (cyclodextrins) on the enzymatic decomposition of l-phenylalanine catalyzed by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase.

    PubMed

    Gubica, Tomasz; Pełka, Agnieszka; Pałka, Katarzyna; Temeriusz, Andrzej; Kańska, Marianna

    2011-09-27

    Cyclomaltohexaose (α-cyclodextrin) and cyclomaltoheptaose (β-cyclodextrin) as well as their four methyl ether derivatives, that is, hexakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)cyclomaltohexaose, hexakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)cyclomaltohexaose, heptakis(2,3-di-O-methyl)cyclomaltoheptaose, and heptakis(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)cyclomaltoheptaose were investigated as the additives in the course of enzymatic decomposition of l-phenylalanine catalyzed by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Only a few of those additives behaved like classical inhibitors of the enzymatic reaction under investigation because the values of the Michaelis constants that were obtained, as well as the maximum velocity values depended mostly atypically on the concentrations of those additives. In most cases cyclodextrins caused mixed inhibition, both competitive and noncompetitive, but they also acted as activators for selected concentrations. This atypical behaviour of cyclodextrins is caused by three different and independent effects. The inhibitory effect of cyclodextrins is connected with the decrease of substrate concentration and unfavourable influence on the flexibility of the enzyme molecules. On the other hand, the activating effect is connected with the decrease of product concentration (the product is an inhibitor of the enzymatic reaction under investigation). All these effects are caused by the ability of the cyclodextrins to form inclusion complexes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Investigation of thiol derivatized gold nanoparticle sensors for gas analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stephens, Jared S.

    Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air and exhaled breath by sensor array is a very useful testing technique. It can provide non-invasive, fast, inexpensive testing for many diseases. Breath analysis has been very successful in identifying cancer and other diseases by using a chemiresistor sensor or array with gold nanoparticles to detect biomarkers. Acetone is a biomarker for diabetes and having a portable testing device could help to monitor diabetic and therapeutic progress. An advantage to this testing method is it is conducted at room temperature instead of 200 degrees Celsius. 3. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of thiol derivatized gold nanoparticles based on sensor(s) detection of VOCs. The VOCs to be tested are acetone, ethanol, and a mixture of acetone and ethanol. Each chip is tested under all three VOCs and three concentration levels (0.1, 1, and 5.0 ppm). VOC samples are used to test the sensors' ability to detect and differentiate VOCs. Sensors (also referred to as a chip) are prepared using several types of thiol derivatized gold nanoparticles. The factors are: thiol compound and molar volume loading of the thiol in synthesis. The average resistance results are used to determine the VOC selectivity of the sensors tested. The results show a trend of increasing resistance as VOC concentration is increased relative to dry air; which is used as baseline for VOCs. Several sensors show a high selectivity to one or more VOCs. Overall the 57 micromoles of 4-methoxy-toluenethiol sensor shows the strongest selectivity for VOCs tested. 3. Gerfen, Kurt. 2012. Detection of Acetone in Air Using Silver Ion Exchanged ZSM-5 and Zinc Oxide Sensing Films. Master of Science thesis, University of Louisville.

  17. Spray-deposition and photopolymerization of organic-inorganic thiol-ene resins for fabrication of superamphiphobic surfaces.

    PubMed

    Xiong, Li; Kendrick, Laken L; Heusser, Hannele; Webb, Jamie C; Sparks, Bradley J; Goetz, James T; Guo, Wei; Stafford, Christopher M; Blanton, Michael D; Nazarenko, Sergei; Patton, Derek L

    2014-07-09

    Superamphiphobic surfaces, exhibiting high contact angles and low contact angle hysteresis to both water and low surface tension liquids, have attracted a great deal attention in recent years because of the potential of these materials in practical applications such as liquid-resistant textiles, self-cleaning surfaces, and antifouling/anticorrosion coatings. In this work, we present a simple strategy for fabricating of superamphiphobic coatings based on photopolymerization of hybrid thiol-ene resins. Spray-deposition and UV photopolymerization of thiol-ene resins containing hydrophobic silica nanoparticles and perfluorinated thiols provide a multiscale topography and low-energy surface that endows the surface with superamphiphobicity. The wettability and chemical composition of the surfaces were characterized by contact-angle goniometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The hierarchical roughness features of the thiol-ene surfaces were investigated with field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Droplet impact and sandpaper abrasion tests indicate the coatings respectively possess a robust antiwetting behavior and good mechanical durability.

  18. Graphene Oxide-Polymer Composite Langmuir Films Constructed by Interfacial Thiol-Ene Photopolymerization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Luo, Xiaona; Ma, Kai; Jiao, Tifeng; Xing, Ruirui; Zhang, Lexin; Zhou, Jingxin; Li, Bingbing

    2017-02-01

    The effective synthesis and self-assembly of graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites are of key importance for a broad range of nanomaterial applications. In this work, a one-step chemical strategy is presented to synthesize stable GO-polymer Langmuir composite films by interfacial thiol-ene photopolymerization at room temperature, without use of any crosslinking agents and stabilizing agents. It is discovered that photopolymerization reaction between thiol groups modified GO sheets and ene in polymer molecules is critically responsible for the formation of the composite Langmuir films. The film formed by Langmuir assembly of such GO-polymer composite films shows potential to improve the mechanical and chemical properties and promotes the design of various GO-based nanocomposites. Thus, the GO-polymer composite Langmuir films synthesized by interfacial thiol-ene photopolymerization with such a straightforward and clean manner, provide new alternatives for developing chemically modified GO-based hybrid self-assembled films and nanomaterials towards a range of soft matter and graphene applications.

  19. A novel strategy for global analysis of the dynamic thiol redox proteome.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Acedo, Pablo; Núñez, Estefanía; Gómez, Francisco J Sánchez; Moreno, Margoth; Ramos, Elena; Izquierdo-Álvarez, Alicia; Miró-Casas, Elisabet; Mesa, Raquel; Rodriguez, Patricia; Martínez-Ruiz, Antonio; Dorado, David Garcia; Lamas, Santiago; Vázquez, Jesús

    2012-09-01

    Nitroxidative stress in cells occurs mainly through the action of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species (RNOS) on protein thiol groups. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species-mediated protein modifications are associated with pathophysiological states, but can also convey physiological signals. Identification of Cys residues that are modified by oxidative stimuli still poses technical challenges and these changes have never been statistically analyzed from a proteome-wide perspective. Here we show that GELSILOX, a method that combines a robust proteomics protocol with a new computational approach that analyzes variance at the peptide level, allows a simultaneous analysis of dynamic alterations in the redox state of Cys sites and of protein abundance. GELSILOX permits the characterization of the major endothelial redox targets of hydrogen peroxide in endothelial cells and reveals that hypoxia induces a significant increase in the status of oxidized thiols. GELSILOX also detected thiols that are redox-modified by ischemia-reperfusion in heart mitochondria and demonstrated that these alterations are abolished in ischemia-preconditioned animals.

  20. Photoinduced Cross-Linking of Dynamic Poly(disulfide) Films via Thiol Oxidative Coupling.

    PubMed

    Feillée, Noémi; Chemtob, Abraham; Ley, Christian; Croutxé-Barghorn, Céline; Allonas, Xavier; Ponche, Arnaud; Le Nouen, Didier; Majjad, Hicham; Jacomine, Léandro

    2016-01-01

    Initially developed as an elastomer with an excellent record of barrier and chemical resistance properties, poly(disulfide) has experienced a revival linked to the dynamic nature of the S-S covalent bond. A novel photobase-catalyzed oxidative polymerization of multifunctional thiols to poly(disulfide) network is reported. Based solely on air oxidation, the single-step process is triggered by the photodecarboxylation of a xanthone acetic acid liberating a strong bicyclic guanidine base. Starting with a 1 μm thick film based on trithiol poly(ethylene oxide) oligomer, the UV-mediated oxidation of thiols to disulfides occurs in a matter of minutes both selectively, i.e., without overoxidation, and quantitatively as assessed by a range of spectroscopic techniques. Thiolate formation and film thickness determine the reaction rates and yield. Spatial control of the photopolymerization serves to generate robust micropatterns, while the reductive cleavage of S-S bridges allows the recycling of 40% of the initial thiol groups. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Thiol-ene mediated neoglycosylation of collagen patches: a preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Russo, Laura; Battocchio, Chiara; Secchi, Valeria; Magnano, Elena; Nappini, Silvia; Taraballi, Francesca; Gabrielli, Luca; Comelli, Francesca; Papagni, Antonio; Costa, Barbara; Polzonetti, Giovanni; Nicotra, Francesco; Natalello, Antonino; Doglia, Silvia M; Cipolla, Laura

    2014-02-11

    Despite the relevance of carbohydrates as cues in eliciting specific biological responses, the covalent surface modification of collagen-based matrices with small carbohydrate epitopes has been scarcely investigated. We report thereby the development of an efficient procedure for the chemoselective neoglycosylation of collagen matrices (patches) via a thiol-ene approach, between alkene-derived monosaccharides and the thiol-functionalized material surface. Synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS), Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR), and enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA) confirmed the effectiveness of the collagen neoglycosylation. Preliminary biological evaluation in osteoarthritic models is reported. The proposed methodology can be extended to any thiolated surface for the development of smart biomaterials for innovative approaches in regenerative medicine.

  2. The compromise of dynamic disulfide/thiol homeostasis as a biomarker of oxidative stress in trichloroethylene exposure.

    PubMed

    Bal, C; Büyükşekerci, M; Koca, C; Ağış, E R; Erdoğan, S; Baran, P; Gündüzöz, M; Yilmaz, Öh

    2016-09-01

    In this study, we aimed to investigate disulfide/thiol homeostasis in trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure. The study was carried out in 30 nonsmoker TCE-exposed workers with a variety of occupations. Additionally, 30 healthy nonsmoker volunteers were recruited as the control group. TCE exposure was determined by measuring urinary trichloroacetic acid (TCA) concentration. Median urinary TCA levels of exposed workers (20.5 mg/L) were significantly higher than control subjects (5 mg/L). Thiol and disulfide concentrations were determined using a novel automated method. Disulfide/thiol ratio was significantly higher in the exposed group (p < 0.001). Thiol/disulfide homeostasis was found to be disturbed in TCE-exposed workers. We predict that in TCE-exposed workers this disturbance can be a therapeutic target, and the efficiency of the treatment can easily be monitored by the novel method we used. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. Expression and Bioinformatics Analysis of Pectate Lyase Gene from Bacillus subtilis521

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Jing; Lu, Fu-Ping; Li, Yu; Li, Jin-Ting

    In order to exploit new genetic resources, Pectate lyase(PEL) gene was amplified by PCR using the genome DNA from an alkaline Bacillus subtilis521. The PCR product was inserted into pET22b(+) vector. The recombinant plasmids were cloned in E.coli DH5α and then expressed in E.coli BL21. When cultured in the optimized medium, the positive clones E.coli BL21(pET22b(+)pel)showed intracellular pectate lyase activity of 90.0 U/mL. It was indicated that we had obtained the correct PEL gene. The pel has an open reading frame of 1263 nucleotides and codes for a product of 420 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 45.5 kD. Based on computer assisted analysis, a signal peptides and two conserved domains were revealed. The sequence analysis for PEL showed that it shares 26-82% homology with other strains in GenBank. In addition, the advanced structure of PEL were also predicted and analysed. This study will help to the experimental design of PEL fermentation and production purification and enzyme evolution.

  4. Determination of thiol metabolites in human urine by stable isotope labeling in combination with pseudo-targeted mass spectrometry analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ping; Qi, Chu-Bo; Zhu, Quan-Fei; Yuan, Bi-Feng; Feng, Yu-Qi

    2016-02-01

    Precursor ion scan and multiple reaction monitoring scan (MRM) are two typical scan modes in mass spectrometry analysis. Here, we developed a strategy by combining stable isotope labeling (IL) with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) under double precursor ion scan (DPI) and MRM for analysis of thiols in 5 types of human cancer urine. Firstly, the IL-LC-DPI-MS method was applied for non-targeted profiling of thiols from cancer samples. Compared to traditional full scan mode, the DPI method significantly improved identification selectivity and accuracy. 103 thiol candidates were discovered in all cancers and 6 thiols were identified by their standards. It is worth noting that pantetheine, for the first time, was identified in human urine. Secondly, the IL-LC-MRM-MS method was developed for relative quantification of thiols in cancers compared to healthy controls. All the MRM transitions of light and heavy labeled thiols were acquired from urines by using DPI method. Compared to DPI method, the sensitivity of MRM improved by 2.1-11.3 folds. In addition, the concentration of homocysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine and pantetheine enhanced more than two folds in cancer patients compared to healthy controls. Taken together, the method demonstrated to be a promising strategy for identification and comprehensive quantification of thiols in human urines.

  5. Hit-to-lead evaluation of a novel class of sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase inhibitors.

    PubMed

    Dinges, Jurgen; Harris, Christopher M; Wallace, Grier A; Argiriadi, Maria A; Queeney, Kara L; Perron, Denise C; Dominguez, Eric; Kebede, Tegest; Desino, Kelly E; Patel, Hetal; Vasudevan, Anil

    2016-05-01

    Inhibition of sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase has recently been proposed as a potential treatment option for inflammatory disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. In this report we describe our hit-to-lead evaluation of the isoxazolecarboxamide 6, a high-throughput screening hit (in vitro IC50=1.0 μM, cell IC50=1.8 μM), as a novel S1P lyase inhibitor. We were able to establish basic structure-activity relationships around 6 and succeeded in obtaining X-ray structural information which enabled structure-based design. With the discovery of 28, enzyme activity was quickly improved to IC50=120 nM and cell potency to IC50=230 nM. The main liability in the established isoxazolecarboxamide hit series was determined to be metabolic stability. In particular we identified that future lead-optimization efforts to overcome this problem should focus on blocking the N-dealkylation on the secondary amine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Thimerosal Exposure and the Role of Sulfation Chemistry and Thiol Availability in Autism

    PubMed Central

    Kern, Janet K.; Haley, Boyd E.; Geier, David A.; Sykes, Lisa K.; King, Paul G.; Geier, Mark R.

    2013-01-01

    Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder in which a significant number of the children experience a developmental regression characterized by a loss of previously acquired skills and abilities. Typically reported are losses of verbal, nonverbal, and social abilities. Several recent studies suggest that children diagnosed with an ASD have abnormal sulfation chemistry, limited thiol availability, and decreased glutathione (GSH) reserve capacity, resulting in a compromised oxidation/reduction (redox) and detoxification capacity. Research indicates that the availability of thiols, particularly GSH, can influence the effects of thimerosal (TM) and other mercury (Hg) compounds. TM is an organomercurial compound (49.55% Hg by weight) that has been, and continues to be, used as a preservative in many childhood vaccines, particularly in developing countries. Thiol-modulating mechanisms affecting the cytotoxicity of TM have been identified. Importantly, the emergence of ASD symptoms post-6 months of age temporally follows the administration of many childhood vaccines. The purpose of the present critical review is provide mechanistic insight regarding how limited thiol availability, abnormal sulfation chemistry, and decreased GSH reserve capacity in children with an ASD could make them more susceptible to the toxic effects of TM routinely administered as part of mandated childhood immunization schedules. PMID:23965928

  7. Au-thiol interaction chemistry to influence the structural transformation of semiconductor nanocrystals and formation of giant nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Bose, Riya; Manna, Goutam; Pradhan, Narayan

    2014-04-09

    Giant nanostructures which are difficult to design by the classical growth process can be fabricated in a facilitated and well programmed surface ligand removal protocol employing the thiol-gold strong interaction chemistry. When thiol capped small ZnSe seed nanocrystals are treated with amine capped gold particles, gold snatches the thiol ligands from ZnSe and forces them to agglomerate leading to the giant crystalline ZnSe nanostructures. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Proteome-wide Light/Dark Modulation of Thiol Oxidation in Cyanobacteria Revealed by Quantitative Site-specific Redox Proteomics*

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Jia; Nguyen, Amelia Y.; Dai, Ziyu; Su, Dian; Gaffrey, Matthew J.; Moore, Ronald J.; Jacobs, Jon M.; Monroe, Matthew E.; Smith, Richard D.; Koppenaal, David W.; Pakrasi, Himadri B.; Qian, Wei-Jun

    2014-01-01

    Reversible protein thiol oxidation is an essential regulatory mechanism of photosynthesis, metabolism, and gene expression in photosynthetic organisms. Herein, we present proteome-wide quantitative and site-specific profiling of in vivo thiol oxidation modulated by light/dark in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, an oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryote, using a resin-assisted thiol enrichment approach. Our proteomic approach integrates resin-assisted enrichment with isobaric tandem mass tag labeling to enable site-specific and quantitative measurements of reversibly oxidized thiols. The redox dynamics of ∼2,100 Cys-sites from 1,060 proteins under light, dark, and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (a photosystem II inhibitor) conditions were quantified. In addition to relative quantification, the stoichiometry or percentage of oxidation (reversibly oxidized/total thiols) for ∼1,350 Cys-sites was also quantified. The overall results revealed broad changes in thiol oxidation in many key biological processes, including photosynthetic electron transport, carbon fixation, and glycolysis. Moreover, the redox sensitivity along with the stoichiometric data enabled prediction of potential functional Cys-sites for proteins of interest. The functional significance of redox-sensitive Cys-sites in NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, peroxiredoxin (AhpC/TSA family protein Sll1621), and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was further confirmed with site-specific mutagenesis and biochemical studies. Together, our findings provide significant insights into the broad redox regulation of photosynthetic organisms. PMID:25118246

  9. Modification of Ag nanoparticles with mixed thiols for improved SERS detection of poorly adsorbing target molecules: detection of MDMA.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Alan; Bell, Steven E J

    2011-04-21

    Here we report an example of a mixed thiol monolayer on the surface of Ag nanoparticles which promotes adsorption and quantitative SERS detection of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy"); the thiols in the mixed monolayers act synergistically since MDMA does not adsorb onto colloids modified with either of the thiols separately. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  10. Involvement of thiol-based mechanisms in plant development.

    PubMed

    Rouhier, Nicolas; Cerveau, Delphine; Couturier, Jérémy; Reichheld, Jean-Philippe; Rey, Pascal

    2015-08-01

    Increasing knowledge has been recently gained regarding the redox regulation of plant developmental stages. The current state of knowledge concerning the involvement of glutathione, glutaredoxins and thioredoxins in plant development is reviewed. The control of the thiol redox status is mainly ensured by glutathione (GSH), a cysteine-containing tripeptide and by reductases sharing redox-active cysteines, glutaredoxins (GRXs) and thioredoxins (TRXs). Indeed, thiol groups present in many regulatory proteins and metabolic enzymes are prone to oxidation, ultimately leading to post-translational modifications such as disulfide bond formation or glutathionylation. This review focuses on the involvement of GSH, GRXs and TRXs in plant development. Recent studies showed that the proper functioning of root and shoot apical meristems depends on glutathione content and redox status, which regulate, among others, cell cycle and hormone-related processes. A critical role of GRXs in the formation of floral organs has been uncovered, likely through the redox regulation of TGA transcription factor activity. TRXs fulfill many functions in plant development via the regulation of embryo formation, the control of cell-to-cell communication, the mobilization of seed reserves, the biogenesis of chloroplastic structures, the metabolism of carbon and the maintenance of cell redox homeostasis. This review also highlights the tight relationships between thiols, hormones and carbon metabolism, allowing a proper development of plants in relation with the varying environment and the energy availability. GSH, GRXs and TRXs play key roles during the whole plant developmental cycle via their antioxidant functions and the redox-regulation of signaling pathways. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Redox regulation of differentiation and de-differentiation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Lyase Deficient Cells as a Tool to Study Protein Lipid Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Gerl, Mathias J.; Bittl, Verena; Kirchner, Susanne; Sachsenheimer, Timo; Brunner, Hanna L.; Lüchtenborg, Christian; Özbalci, Cagakan; Wiedemann, Hannah; Wegehingel, Sabine; Nickel, Walter; Haberkant, Per; Schultz, Carsten; Krüger, Marcus; Brügger, Britta

    2016-01-01

    Cell membranes contain hundreds to thousands of individual lipid species that are of structural importance but also specifically interact with proteins. Due to their highly controlled synthesis and role in signaling events sphingolipids are an intensely studied class of lipids. In order to investigate their metabolism and to study proteins interacting with sphingolipids, metabolic labeling based on photoactivatable sphingoid bases is the most straightforward approach. In order to monitor protein-lipid-crosslink products, sphingosine derivatives containing a reporter moiety, such as a radiolabel or a clickable group, are used. In normal cells, degradation of sphingoid bases via action of the checkpoint enzyme sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase occurs at position C2-C3 of the sphingoid base and channels the resulting hexadecenal into the glycerolipid biosynthesis pathway. In case the functionalized sphingosine looses the reporter moiety during its degradation, specificity towards sphingolipid labeling is maintained. In case degradation of a sphingosine derivative does not remove either the photoactivatable or reporter group from the resulting hexadecenal, specificity towards sphingolipid labeling can be achieved by blocking sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase activity and thus preventing sphingosine derivatives to be channeled into the sphingolipid-to-glycerolipid metabolic pathway. Here we report an approach using clustered, regularly interspaced, short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated nuclease Cas9 to create a sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase (SGPL1) HeLa knockout cell line to disrupt the sphingolipid-to-glycerolipid metabolic pathway. We found that the lipid and protein compositions as well as sphingolipid metabolism of SGPL1 knock-out HeLa cells only show little adaptations, which validates these cells as model systems to study transient protein-sphingolipid interactions. PMID:27100999

  12. Thiol-ene chemistry guided preparation of thiolated polymeric nanocomposite for anodic stripping voltammetric analysis of Cd2+ and Pb2+.

    PubMed

    Su, Zhaohong; Liu, Ying; Zhang, Yi; Xie, Qingji; Chen, Li; Huang, Yi; Fu, Yingchun; Meng, Yue; Li, Xuejiao; Ma, Ming; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2013-02-21

    We report on the thiol-ene chemistry guided preparation of a novel thiolated polymeric nanocomposite involving polyaniline (PANI), a functionalized thiol, e.g., sulfur-rich 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMcT), and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for the sensitive differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric determination of Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Briefly, the thiol-ene reaction of a thiol with oxidized PANI that was chemically synthesized in the presence of solution-dispersed acidified MWCNTs yielded a thiolated polymeric nanocomposite of thiol-PANI/MWCNTs. The thiols examined include DMcT, 1,6-hexanedithiol and β-mercaptoethanol. Quartz crystal microbalance, cyclic voltammetry, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy were used for film characterization and process monitoring. Under the optimized conditions, the obtained Bi/Nafion/DMcT-PANI/MWCNTs/GCE can sensitively sense Cd(2+) and Pb(2+) with limits of detection of 0.01 and 0.04 μg L(-1), respectively.

  13. A Novel Tool for the Assessment Oxidative Stress in Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Thiol/Disulfide Homeostasis Revisited.

    PubMed

    Arıkan Yorgun, Mücella; Toklu, Yasin; Altınkaynak, Hasan; Tanrıverdi, Burak; Ergin, Merve; Biçer, Cemile

    2016-12-01

    To investigate thiol/disulfide status using a novel automated assay in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to age-matched healthy controls. A total of 64 AMD patients [51 (79%) non-exudative, 13 (21%) exudative AMD] and 21 age-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. Plasma total thiol, native thiol, disulfide levels were measured and native thiol/disulfide ratio (TDR) was calculated using a novel spectrophotometric assay. Patients with AMD had significantly lower levels of total thiol (434.8 ± 7.0 μmol/L vs. 472.2 ± 7.9 μmol/L, p < 0.001), native thiol (393.6 ± 6.5 μmol/L vs. 437.5 ± 7.1 μmol/L, p = 0.004) compared to healthy controls. However, plasma disulfide levels were higher in AMD patients (20.6 ± 0.9 μmol/L vs. 17.3 ± 1.3 μmol/L, p = 0.113) compared to healthy controls. The TDR was not statistically different between the early AMD group and healthy controls (24.2 ± 2.3 vs. 29.5 ± 3.1, p = 0.345). However, intermediate and advanced stage AMD groups had significantly lower levels of TDR compared to healthy controls (21.6 ± 2.6 vs. 29.5 ± 3.1, p = 0.023 and 20.3 ± 1.2 vs. 29.5 ± 3.1, p = 0.005, respectively). Native TDR was significantly lower in patients with exudative and non-exudative AMD (19.9 ± 2.3 vs. 29.5 ± 3.1, p = 0.024 and 21.8 ± 1.14 vs. 29.47 ± 3.1 respectively, p = 0.011). A greater extent of thiol consumption occurred in AMD patients compared to age-matched healthy controls. However, despite the similar levels of total thiol levels between several grades of AMD, the plasma native TDR value was decreased in accordance with the severity of the disease, which reflected the disease grade better.

  14. Thiol trapping and metabolic redistribution of sulfur metabolites enable cells to overcome cysteine overload

    PubMed Central

    Deshpande, Anup Arunrao; Bhatia, Muskan; Laxman, Sunil; Bachhawat, Anand Kumar

    2017-01-01

    Cysteine is an essential requirement in living organisms. However, due to its reactive thiol side chain, elevated levels of intracellular cysteine can be toxic and therefore need to be rapidly eliminated from the cellular milieu. In mammals and many other organisms, excess cysteine is believed to be primarily eliminated by the cysteine dioxygenase dependent oxidative degradation of cysteine, followed by the removal of the oxidative products. However, other mechanisms of tackling excess cysteine are also likely to exist, but have not thus far been explored. In this study, we use Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which naturally lacks a cysteine dioxygenase, to investigate mechanisms for tackling cysteine overload. Overexpressing the high affinity cysteine transporter, YCT1, enabled yeast cells to rapidly accumulate high levels of intracellular cysteine. Using targeted metabolite analysis, we observe that cysteine is initially rapidly interconverted to non-reactive cystine in vivo. A time course revealed that cells systematically convert excess cysteine to inert thiol forms; initially to cystine, and subsequently to cystathionine, S-Adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) and S-Adenosyl L-methionine (SAM), in addition to eventually accumulating glutathione (GSH) and polyamines. Microarray based gene expression studies revealed the upregulation of arginine/ornithine biosynthesis a few hours after the cysteine overload, and suggest that the non-toxic, non-reactive thiol based metabolic products are eventually utilized for amino acid and polyamine biogenesis, thereby enabling cell growth. Thus, cells can handle potentially toxic amounts of cysteine by a combination of thiol trapping, metabolic redistribution to non-reactive thiols and subsequent consumption for anabolism. PMID:28435838

  15. Determination of thiol metabolites in human urine by stable isotope labeling in combination with pseudo-targeted mass spectrometry analysis

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Ping; Qi, Chu-Bo; Zhu, Quan-Fei; Yuan, Bi-Feng; Feng, Yu-Qi

    2016-01-01

    Precursor ion scan and multiple reaction monitoring scan (MRM) are two typical scan modes in mass spectrometry analysis. Here, we developed a strategy by combining stable isotope labeling (IL) with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) under double precursor ion scan (DPI) and MRM for analysis of thiols in 5 types of human cancer urine. Firstly, the IL-LC-DPI-MS method was applied for non-targeted profiling of thiols from cancer samples. Compared to traditional full scan mode, the DPI method significantly improved identification selectivity and accuracy. 103 thiol candidates were discovered in all cancers and 6 thiols were identified by their standards. It is worth noting that pantetheine, for the first time, was identified in human urine. Secondly, the IL-LC-MRM-MS method was developed for relative quantification of thiols in cancers compared to healthy controls. All the MRM transitions of light and heavy labeled thiols were acquired from urines by using DPI method. Compared to DPI method, the sensitivity of MRM improved by 2.1–11.3 folds. In addition, the concentration of homocysteine, γ-glutamylcysteine and pantetheine enhanced more than two folds in cancer patients compared to healthy controls. Taken together, the method demonstrated to be a promising strategy for identification and comprehensive quantification of thiols in human urines. PMID:26888486

  16. Dietary thiols in exercise: oxidative stress defence, exercise performance, and adaptation.

    PubMed

    McLeay, Yanita; Stannard, Stephen; Houltham, Stuart; Starck, Carlene

    2017-01-01

    Endurance athletes are susceptible to cellular damage initiated by excessive levels of aerobic exercise-produced reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whilst ROS can contribute to the onset of fatigue, there is increasing evidence that they play a crucial role in exercise adaptations. The use of antioxidant supplements such as vitamin C and E in athletes is common; however, their ability to enhance performance and facilitate recovery is controversial, with many studies suggesting a blunting of training adaptations with supplementation. The up-regulation of endogenous antioxidant systems brought about by exercise training allows for greater tolerance to subsequent ROS, thus, athletes may benefit from increasing these systems through dietary thiol donors. Recent work has shown supplementation with a cysteine donor (N-acetylcysteine; NAC) improves antioxidant capacity by augmenting glutathione levels and reducing markers of oxidative stress, as well as ergogenic potential through association with delayed fatigue in numerous experimental models. However, the use of this, and other thiol donors may have adverse physiological effects. A recent discovery for the use of a thiol donor food source, keratin, to potentially enhance endogenous antioxidants may have important implications for endurance athletes hoping to enhance performance and recovery without blunting training adaptations.

  17. Modification of porous silicon rugate filters through thiol-yne photochemistry

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

    Soeriyadi, Alexander H., E-mail: alexander.soeriyadi@unsw.edu.au; Zhu, Ying, E-mail: alexander.soeriyadi@unsw.edu.au; Gooding, J. Justin, E-mail: justin.gooding@unsw.edu.au

    2014-02-24

    Porous silicon (PSi) has a considerable potential as biosensor platform. In particular, the ability to modify the surface chemistry of porous silicon is of interest. Here we present a generic method to modify the surface of porous silicon through thiol-yne photochemistry initiated by a radical initiator. Firstly, a freshly etched porous silicon substrate is modified through thermal hydrosilylation with 1,8-nonadiyne to passivate the surface and introduce alkyne functionalities. The alkyne functional surface could then be further reacted with thiol species in the presence of a radical initiator and UV light. Functionalization of the PSi rugate filter is followed with opticalmore » reflectivity measurements as well as high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)« less

  18. Acid-Activatable Michael-Type Fluorescent Probes for Thiols and for Labeling Lysosomes in Live Cells.

    PubMed

    Dai, Chun-Guang; Du, Xiao-Jiao; Song, Qin-Hua

    2015-12-18

    A Michael addition is usually taken as a base-catalyzed reaction. Most fluorescent probes have been designed to detect thiols in slightly alkaline solutions (pH 7-9). The sensing reactions of almost all Michael-type fluorescent probes for thiols are faster in a high pH solution than in a low pH solution. In this work, we synthesized a series of 7-substituted 2-(quinolin-2-ylmethylene)malonic acids (QMAs, substituents: NEt2, OH, H, Cl, or NO2) and their ethyl esters (QMEs) as Michael-type fluorescent probes for thiols. The sensing reactions of QMAs and QMEs occur in distinct pH ranges, pH < 7 for QMAs and pH > 7 for QMEs. On the basis of experimental and theoretic studies, we have clarified the distinct pH effects on the sensing reactivity between QMAs and QMEs and demonstrated that two QMAs (NEt2, OH) are highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probes for thiols in acidic solutions (pH < 7) and promising dyes that can label lysosomes in live cells.

  19. Assessment of the aroma impact of major odor-active thiols in pan-roasted white sesame seeds by calculation of odor activity values.

    PubMed

    Tamura, Hitoshi; Fujita, Akira; Steinhaus, Martin; Takahisa, Eisuke; Watanabe, Hiroyuki; Schieberle, Peter

    2011-09-28

    Eleven odor-active thiols, namely, 2-methyl-1-propene-1-thiol, (Z)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (Z)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, (E)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, 3-mercapto-2-pentanone, 2-mercapto-3-pentanone, 4-mercapto-3-hexanone, 3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate, and 2-methyl-3-thiophenethiol, recently identified in an extract prepared from white sesame seeds, were quantitated in sesame using stable isotope dilution analyses. For that purpose, the following deuterium-labeled compounds were synthesized and used as internal standards in the quantitation assays: [2H6]-2-methyl-1-propene-1-thiol, [2H3]-(E)- and [2H3]-(Z)-2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiol, [2H3]-2-methyl-3-furanthiol, [2H2]-3-mercapto-2-pentanone, [2H3]-4-mercapto-3-hexanone, [2H6]-3-mercapto-3-methylbutyl formate, and [2H3]-2-methyl-3-thiophenethiol. On the basis of the results obtained, odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated as ratio of the concentration and odor threshold of the individual compounds in cooking oil. According to their high OAVs, particularly the 3-methyl-1-butene-1-thiols (OAV: 2400) and the 2-methyl-1-butene-1-thiols (OAV: 960) were identified as the most odor-active compounds in pan-roasted white sesame seeds. These compounds were therefore suggested to be mainly responsible for the characteristic but rather unstable sulfury aroma of freshly pan-roasted white sesame seeds.

  20. Characterization of recombinant pectate lyase refolded from inclusion bodies generated in E. coli BL21(DE3).

    PubMed

    Kumar, Sandeep; Jain, Kavish Kumar; Singh, Anupam; Panda, Amulya K; Kuhad, Ramesh Chander

    2015-06-01

    Pectate lyase (EC 4.2.2.2) gene from Bacillus subtilis RCK was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli to maximize its production. In addition to soluble fraction, bioactive pectate lyase was also obtained from inclusion body aggregates by urea solubilization and refolding under in vitro conditions. Enzyme with specific activity ∼3194IU/mg and ∼1493IU/mg were obtained from soluble and inclusion bodies (IBs) fraction with recovery of 56% and 74% in terms of activity, respectively. The recombinant enzyme was moderately thermostable (t1/2 60min at 50°C) and optimally active in wider alkaline pH range (7.0-10.5). Interaction of protein with its cofactor CaCl2 was found to stimulate the change in tertiary structure as revealed by near UV CD spectra. Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra indicated that tryptophan is involved in substrate binding and there might be independent binding of Ca(2+) and polygalacturonic acid to the active site. The recombinant enzyme was found to be capable of degrading pectin and polygalacturonic acid. The work reports novel conditions for refolding to obtain active recombinant pectate lyase from inclusion bodies and elucidates the effect of ligand and substrate binding on protein conformation by circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence spectrofluorometry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Thiol derivatization of Xanthan gum and its evaluation as a mucoadhesive polymer.

    PubMed

    Bhatia, Meenakshi; Ahuja, Munish; Mehta, Heena

    2015-10-20

    Thiol-derivatization of xanthan gum polysaccharide was carried out by esterification with mercaptopropionic acid and thioglycolic acid. Thiol-derivatization was confirmed by Fourier-transformed infra-red spectroscopy. Xanthan-mercaptopropionic acid conjugate and xanthan-thioglycolic acid conjugate were found to possess 432.68mM and 465.02mM of thiol groups as determined by Ellman's method respectively. Comparative evaluation of mucoadhesive property of metronidazole loaded buccal pellets of xanthan and thiolated xanthan gum using chicken buccal pouch membrane revealed higher ex vivo bioadhesion time of thiolated xanthan gum as compared to xanthan gum. Improved mucoadhesive property of thiolated xanthan gum over the xanthan gum can be attributed to the formation of disulfide bond between mucus and thiolated xanthan gum. In vitro release study conducted using phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) revealed a sustained release profile of metronidazole from thiolated xanthan pellets as compared to xanthan pellets. In conclusion, thiolation of xanthan improves its mucoadhesive property and sustained the release of metronidazole over a prolonged period. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Differentiation of Sclerotinia minor depends on thiol redox state and oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Patsoukis, Nikolaos; Georgiou, Christos D

    2008-01-01

    Sclerotial differentiation in Sclerotinia minor is associated with oxidative stress and thiol redox state. The significance of oxidative stress to sclerotial differentiation was revealed by the higher oxidative stress of S. minor compared with a nonsclerotiogenic counterpart. The effect of thiol redox state on sclerotial differentiation was shown by the antioxidant action of the thiol (-SH) group of N-acetylcysteine and cysteine and by an unknown (not antioxidant) role of glutathione (GSH) on S. minor. The nonantioxidant role of GSH was indicated by the differentiation-inhibiting and differentiation-noninhibiting actions of the GSH biosynthesis inhibitor L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine and the GSH biosynthesis inducer L-2-oxo-thiazolidine-4-carboxylate, respectively, and by the increase of oxidative stress they caused during the transition from the undifferentiated to differentiated state of S. minor. Moreover, N-acetylcysteine can be used as a potent nontoxic fungicide against this phytopathogenic fungus by acting as a growth-inhibiting cytotoxic oxidant and by sustaining the fungus in the undifferentiated hyphal stage, which is vulnerable to degradation by soil microorganisms.

  3. Thioredoxin Selectivity for Thiol-based Redox Regulation of Target Proteins in Chloroplasts*

    PubMed Central

    Yoshida, Keisuke; Hara, Satoshi; Hisabori, Toru

    2015-01-01

    Redox regulation based on the thioredoxin (Trx) system is believed to ensure light-responsive control of various functions in chloroplasts. Five Trx subtypes have been reported to reside in chloroplasts, but their functional diversity in the redox regulation of Trx target proteins remains poorly clarified. To directly address this issue, we studied the Trx-dependent redox shifts of several chloroplast thiol-modulated enzymes in vitro and in vivo. In vitro assays using a series of Arabidopsis recombinant proteins provided new insights into Trx selectivity for the redox regulation as well as the underpinning for previous suggestions. Most notably, by combining the discrimination of thiol status with mass spectrometry and activity measurement, we identified an uncharacterized aspect of the reductive activation of NADP-malate dehydrogenase; two redox-active Cys pairs harbored in this enzyme were reduced via distinct utilization of Trxs even within a single polypeptide. In our in vitro assays, Trx-f was effective in reducing all thiol-modulated enzymes analyzed here. We then investigated the in vivo physiological relevance of these in vitro findings, using Arabidopsis wild-type and Trx-f-deficient plants. Photoreduction of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was partially impaired in Trx-f-deficient plants, but the global impact of Trx-f deficiency on the redox behaviors of thiol-modulated enzymes was not as striking as expected from the in vitro data. Our results provide support for the in vivo functionality of the Trx system and also highlight the complexity and plasticity of the chloroplast redox network. PMID:25878252

  4. Analysis of volatile thiols in alcoholic beverages by simultaneous derivatization/extraction and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Vichi, Stefania; Cortés-Francisco, Nuria; Caixach, Josep

    2015-05-15

    A simultaneous derivatization/extraction method followed by liquid chromatography-electrospray-high resolution mass spectrometry for the determination of volatile thiols in hydroalcoholic matrixes was optimized and used to identify and quantify volatile thiols in wine and beer samples. The method was evaluated in terms of sensitivity, precision, accuracy and selectivity. The experimental LOQs of eleven thiols tested ranged between 0.01 ng/L and 10 ng/L. Intra-day relative standard deviation (RSD) was in general lower than 10% and inter-day RSD ranged between 10% and 30%. Recovery in the model and real matrixes ranged from 45% to 129%. The method was then applied for the analysis of four white wines and six beers. Five out of the eleven reference thiols were identified and quantified in the samples analyzed. The non-target approach, carried out by monitoring the diagnostic ion at m/z 275.9922 [C13H10ONSe](+) in the fragmentation spectrum, allowed detecting, in the same samples, fourteen non-target thiols. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Reaction Mechanism and Molecular Basis for Selenium/Sulfur Discrimination of Selenocysteine Lyase*

    PubMed Central

    Omi, Rie; Kurokawa, Suguru; Mihara, Hisaaki; Hayashi, Hideyuki; Goto, Masaru; Miyahara, Ikuko; Kurihara, Tatsuo; Hirotsu, Ken; Esaki, Nobuyoshi

    2010-01-01

    Selenocysteine lyase (SCL) catalyzes the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-dependent removal of selenium from l-selenocysteine to yield l-alanine. The enzyme is proposed to function in the recycling of the micronutrient selenium from degraded selenoproteins containing selenocysteine residue as an essential component. The enzyme exhibits strict substrate specificity toward l-selenocysteine and no activity to its cognate l-cysteine. However, it remains unclear how the enzyme distinguishes between selenocysteine and cysteine. Here, we present mechanistic studies of selenocysteine lyase from rat. ESI-MS analysis of wild-type and C375A mutant SCL revealed that the catalytic reaction proceeds via the formation of an enzyme-bound selenopersulfide intermediate on the catalytically essential Cys-375 residue. UV-visible spectrum analysis and the crystal structure of SCL complexed with l-cysteine demonstrated that the enzyme reversibly forms a nonproductive adduct with l-cysteine. Cys-375 on the flexible loop directed l-selenocysteine, but not l-cysteine, to the correct position and orientation in the active site to initiate the catalytic reaction. These findings provide, for the first time, the basis for understanding how trace amounts of a selenium-containing substrate is distinguished from excessive amounts of its cognate sulfur-containing compound in a biological system. PMID:20164179

  6. Atomic resolution crystal structures and quantum chemistry meet to reveal subtleties of hydroxynitrile lyase catalysis.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Andrea; Gruber, Karl; Kratky, Christoph; Lamzin, Victor S

    2008-08-01

    Hydroxynitrile lyases are versatile enzymes that enantiospecifically cope with cyanohydrins, important intermediates in the production of various agrochemicals or pharmaceuticals. We determined four atomic resolution crystal structures of hydroxynitrile lyase from Hevea brasiliensis: one native and three complexes with acetone, isopropyl alcohol, and thiocyanate. We observed distinct distance changes among the active site residues related to proton shifts upon substrate binding. The combined use of crystallography and ab initio quantum chemical calculations allowed the determination of the protonation states in the enzyme active site. We show that His(235) of the catalytic triad must be protonated in order for catalysis to proceed, and we could reproduce the cyanohydrin synthesis in ab initio calculations. We also found evidence for the considerable pK(a) shifts that had been hypothesized earlier. We envision that this knowledge can be used to enhance the catalytic properties and the stability of the enzyme for industrial production of enantiomerically pure cyanohydrins.

  7. Thiol X Click Foldamers for Polymer Affinity

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-24

    polymers   e. Invention  of  a  novel,  robust,  and  ambient   polymerization ...efficiently   polymerized   to   moderate  sized   polymers  capable  of  forming  >>1012  sequence  distinct   polymers ... polymerization  of  nucleobase  appended   thiol-­‐ene  monomers.    Naturally,   the  average   composition  of  the  

  8. Modeling of S-Nitrosothiol-Thiol Reactions of Biological Significance: HNO Production by S-Thiolation Requires a Proton Shuttle and Stabilization of Polar Intermediates.

    PubMed

    Ivanova, Lena V; Cibich, Daniel; Deye, Gregory; Talipov, Marat R; Timerghazin, Qadir K

    2017-04-18

    Nitroxyl (HNO), a reduced form of the important gasotransmitter nitric oxide, exhibits its own unique biological activity. A possible biological pathway of HNO formation is the S-thiolation reaction between thiols and S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs). Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggested that S-thiolation proceeds through a proton transfer from the thiol to the RSNO nitrogen atom, which increases electrophilicity of the RSNO sulfur, followed by nucleophilic attack by thiol, yielding a charge-separated zwitterionic intermediate structure RSS + (R)N(H)O - (Zi), which decomposes to yield HNO and disulfide RSSR. In the gas phase, the proton transfer and the S-S bond formation are asynchronous, resulting in a high activation barrier (>40 kcal mol -1 ), making the reaction infeasible. However, the barrier can decrease below the S-N bond dissociation energy in RSNOs (≈30 kcal mol -1 ) upon transition into an aqueous environment that stabilizes Zi and provides a proton shuttle to synchronize the proton transfer and the S-S bond formation. These mechanistic features suggest that S-thiolation can easily lend itself to enzymatic catalysis and thus can be a possible route of endogenous HNO production. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Identification of Thiols in Yellow Onion (Allium cepa L.) Using Solvent Vented Large Volume Injection GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Wermes, Clint; Cannon, Robert; Haasnoot, Sytze; Colstee, Hans; Niedeveld, Cor; Koopmanschap, Gijs; Da Costa, Neil C

    2017-11-01

    Thiols are often highly odor active molecules and as such can significantly contribute to aroma while being present at extremely low concentrations. This paper details the identification of thiols in yellow onion juice by solvent extraction followed by thiol enrichment using a mercuric agarose gel column. Due to the inherent thermal instability and low concentrations of thiols in onion, chromatographic analysis utilized larger volume solvent elimination injections. New sulfur compounds in onion included 1,1-propanedithiol, bis-(1-sulfanylpropyl)-sulfide, 1-methylsulfanyl-1-propanethiol, 1-propylsulfanyl-1-propanethiol, and 1-allylsulfanyl-1-propanethiol. A discussion on the potential route of formation for each compound is included along with the orthonasal and retronasal evaluations of the synthesized molecules. This work investigated and identified 5 newly identified compounds present in onions that can impart onion character at low concentrations levels. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  10. Thiol-vinyl systems as shape memory polymers and novel two-stage reactive polymer systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nair, Devatha P.

    2011-12-01

    The focus of this research was to formulate, characterize and tailor the reaction methodologies and material properties of thiol-vinyl systems to develop novel polymer platforms for a range of engineering applications. Thiol-ene photopolymers were demonstrated to exhibit several advantageous characteristics for shape memory polymer systems for a range of biomedical applications. The thiol-ene shape memory polymer systems were tough and flexible as compared to the acrylic control systems with glass transition temperatures between 30 and 40 °C; ideal for actuation at body temperature. The thiol-ene polymers also exhibited excellent shape fixity and a rapid and distinct shape memory actuation response along with free strain recoveries of greater than 96% and constrained stress recoveries of 100%. Additionally, two-stage reactive thiol-acrylate systems were engineered as a polymer platform technology enabling two independent sets of polymer processing and material properties. There are distinct advantages to designing polymer systems that afford two distinct sets of material properties -- an intermediate polymer that would enable optimum handling and processing of the material (stage 1), while maintaining the ability to tune in different, final properties that enable the optimal functioning of the polymeric material (stage 2). To demonstrate the range of applicability of the two-stage reactive systems, three specific applications were demonstrated; shape memory polymers, lithographic impression materials, and optical materials. The thiol-acrylate reactions exhibit a wide range of application versatility due to the range of available thiol and acrylate monomers as well as reaction mechanisms such as Michael Addition reactions and free radical polymerizations. By designing a series of non-stoichiometeric thiol-acrylate systems, a polymer network is initially formed via a base catalyzed 'click' Michael addition reaction. This self-limiting reaction results in a Stage 1

  11. Vinyl functionalized silica hybrid monolith-based trypsin microreactor for on line digestion and separation via thiol-ene "click" strategy.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yingzhuang; Wu, Minghuo; Wang, Keyi; Chen, Bo; Yao, Shouzhuo; Zou, Hanfa; Nie, Lihua

    2011-11-04

    A novel thiol-ene "click" strategy for the preparation of monolithic trypsin microreactor was proposed. The hybrid organic-inorganic monolithic capillary column with ene-functionality was fabricated by sol-gel process using tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MAPS) as precursors. The disulfide bonds of trypsin were reduced to form free thiol groups. Then the trypsin containing free thiol groups was attached on the γ-MAPS hybrid monolithic column with ene-functionality via thiol-ene click chemistry to form a trypsin microreactor. The activity of the trypsin microreactor was characterized by detecting the substrate (Nα-p-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, TAME) and the product (Nα-p-tosyl-L-arginine, TA) with on-line capillary zone electrophoresis. After investigating various synthesizing conditions, it was found that the microreactor with poly(N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide) as spacer can deliver the highest activity, yielding a rapid reaction rate. After repeatedly sampling and analyzing for 100 times, the monolithic trypsin microreactor still remained 87.5% of its initial activity. It was demonstrated that thiol-ene "click" strategy for the construction of enzyme microreactor is a promising method for the highly selective immobilization of proteins under mild conditions, especially enzymes with free thiol radicals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Towards thiol functionalization of vanadium pentoxide nanotubes using gold nanoparticles

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

    Lavayen, V.; O'Dwyer, C.; Cardenas, G.

    2007-04-12

    Template-directed synthesis is a promising route to realize vanadate-based 1-D nanostructures, an example of which is the formation of vanadium pentoxide nanotubes and associated nanostructures. In this work, we report the interchange of long-chained alkyl amines with alkyl thiols. This reaction was followed using gold nanoparticles prepared by the Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method with an average diameter of {approx}0.9nm and a stability of {approx}85 days. V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanotubes (VOx-NTs) with lengths of {approx}2{mu}m and internal hollow diameters of 20-100nm were synthesized and functionalized in a Au-acetone colloid with a nominal concentration of {approx}4x10{sup -3}mol dm{sup -3}. The interchangemore » reaction with dodecylamine is found only to occur in polar solvents and incorporation of the gold nanoparticles is not observed in the presence of n-decane.« less

  13. Lumen Thiol Oxidoreductase1, a Disulfide Bond-Forming Catalyst, Is Required for the Assembly of Photosystem II in Arabidopsis[C][W

    PubMed Central

    Karamoko, Mohamed; Cline, Sara; Redding, Kevin; Ruiz, Natividad; Hamel, Patrice P.

    2011-01-01

    Here, we identify Arabidopsis thaliana Lumen Thiol Oxidoreductase1 (LTO1) as a disulfide bond–forming enzyme in the thylakoid lumen. Using topological reporters in bacteria, we deduced a lumenal location for the redox active domains of the protein. LTO1 can partially substitute for the proteins catalyzing disulfide bond formation in the bacterial periplasm, which is topologically equivalent to the plastid lumen. An insertional mutation within the LTO1 promoter is associated with a severe photoautotrophic growth defect. Measurements of the photosynthetic activity indicate that the lto1 mutant displays a limitation in the electron flow from photosystem II (PSII). In accordance with these measurements, we noted a severe depletion of the structural subunits of PSII but no change in the accumulation of the cytochrome b6f complex or photosystem I. In a yeast two-hybrid assay, the thioredoxin-like domain of LTO1 interacts with PsbO, a lumenal PSII subunit known to be disulfide bonded, and a recombinant form of the molecule can introduce a disulfide bond in PsbO in vitro. The documentation of a sulfhydryl-oxidizing activity in the thylakoid lumen further underscores the importance of catalyzed thiol-disulfide chemistry for the biogenesis of the thylakoid compartment. PMID:22209765

  14. Snapshots of C-S Cleavage in Egt2 Reveals Substrate Specificity and Reaction Mechanism.

    PubMed

    Irani, Seema; Naowarojna, Nathchar; Tang, Yang; Kathuria, Karan R; Wang, Shu; Dhembi, Anxhela; Lee, Norman; Yan, Wupeng; Lyu, Huijue; Costello, Catherine E; Liu, Pinghua; Zhang, Yan Jessie

    2018-05-17

    Sulfur incorporation in the biosynthesis of ergothioneine, a histidine thiol derivative, differs from other well-characterized transsulfurations. A combination of a mononuclear non-heme iron enzyme-catalyzed oxidative C-S bond formation and a subsequent pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-mediated C-S lyase reaction leads to the net transfer of a sulfur atom from a cysteine to a histidine. In this study, we structurally and mechanistically characterized a PLP-dependent C-S lyase Egt2, which mediates the sulfoxide C-S bond cleavage in ergothioneine biosynthesis. A cation-π interaction between substrate and enzyme accounts for Egt2's preference of sulfoxide over thioether as a substrate. Using mutagenesis and structural biology, we captured three distinct states of the Egt2 C-S lyase reaction cycle, including a labile sulfenic intermediate captured in Egt2 crystals. Chemical trapping and high-resolution mass spectrometry were used to confirm the involvement of the sulfenic acid intermediate in Egt2 catalysis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Redox Proteomics Applied to the Thiol Secretome.

    PubMed

    Ghezzi, Pietro; Chan, Philippe

    2017-03-01

    Secreted proteins are important both as signaling molecules and potential biomarkers. Recent Advances: Protein can undergo different types of oxidation, both in physiological conditions or under oxidative stress. Several redox proteomics techniques have been successfully applied to the identification of glutathionylated proteins, an oxidative post-translational modification consisting in the formation of a mixed disulfide between a protein cysteine and glutathione. Redox proteomics has also been used to study other forms of protein oxidation. Because of the highest proportion of free cysteines in the cytosol, redox proteomics of protein thiols has focused, so far, on intracellular proteins. However, plasma proteins, such as transthyretin and albumin, have been described as glutathionylated or cysteinylated. The present review discusses the redox state of protein cysteines in relation to their cellular distribution. We describe the various approaches used to detect secreted glutathionylated proteins, the only thiol modification studied so far in secreted proteins, and the specific problems presented in the study of the secretome. This review focusses on glutathionylated proteins secreted under inflammatory conditions and that may act as soluble mediators (cytokines). Future studies on the redox secretome (including other forms of oxidation) might identify new soluble mediators and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 299-312.

  16. Stoichiometry of mercury-thiol complexes on bacterial cell envelopes

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

    Mishra, Bhoopesh; Shoenfelt, Elizabeth; Yu, Qiang

    We have examined the speciation of Hg(II) complexed with intact cell suspensions (1013 cells L- 1) of Bacillus subtilis, a common gram-positive soil bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, a facultative gram-negative aquatic organism, and Geobacter sulfurreducens, a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium capable of Hg-methylation at Hg(II) loadings spanning four orders of magnitude (120 nM to 350 μM) at pH 5.5 (± 0.2). The coordination environments of Hg on bacterial cells were analyzed using synchrotron based X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at the Hg LIII edge. The abundance of thiols on intact cells wasmore » determined by a fluorescence-spectroscopy based method using a soluble bromobimane, monobromo(trimethylammonio)bimane (qBBr) to block thiol sites, and potentiometric titrations of biomass with and without qBBr treatment. The chemical forms of S on intact bacterial cells were determined using S k-edge XANES spectroscopy.« less

  17. Photoreduction of Hg(II) and photodemethylation of methylmercury: the key role of thiol sites on dissolved organic matter

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jeremiason, Jeffrey D.; Portner, Joshua C.; Aiken, George R.; Hiranaka, Amber J.; Dvorak, Michelle T.; Tran, Khuyen T.; Latch, Douglas E.

    2015-01-01

    This study examined the kinetics of photoreduction of Hg(II) and photodemethylation of methylmercury (MeHg+) attached to, or in the presence of, dissolved organic matter (DOM). Both Hg(II) and MeHg+ are principally bound to reduced sulfur groups associated with DOM in many freshwater systems. We propose that a direct photolysis mechanism is plausible for reduction of Hg(II) bound to reduced sulfur groups on DOM while an indirect mechanism is supported for photodemethylation of MeHg+ bound to DOM. UV spectra of Hg(II) and MeHg+ bound to thiol containing molecules demonstrate that the Hg(II)–S bond is capable of absorbing UV-light in the solar spectrum to a much greater extent than MeHg+–S bonds. Experiments with chemically distinct DOM isolates suggest that concentration of DOM matters little in the photochemistry if there are enough reduced S sites present to strongly bind MeHg+ and Hg(II); DOM concentration does not play a prominent role in photodemethylation other than to screen light, which was demonstrated in a field experiment in the highly colored St. Louis River where photodemethylation was not observed at depths ≥10 cm. Experiments with thiol ligands yielded slower photodegradation rates for MeHg+ than in experiments with DOM and thiols; rates in the presence of DOM alone were the fastest supporting an intra-DOM mechanism. Hg(II) photoreduction rates, however, were similar in experiments with only DOM, thiols plus DOM, or only thiols suggesting a direct photolysis mechanism. Quenching experiments also support the existence of an intra-DOM photodemethylation mechanism for MeHg+. Utilizing the difference in photodemethylation rates measured for MeHg+ attached to DOM or thiol ligands, the binding constant for MeHg+ attached to thiol groups on DOM was estimated to be 1016.7.

  18. Formation of the Thiol Conjugates and Active Metabolite of Clopidogrel by Human Liver Microsomes

    PubMed Central

    Lau, Wei C.; Hollenberg, Paul F.

    2012-01-01

    We reported previously the formation of a glutathionyl conjugate of the active metabolite (AM) of clopidogrel and the covalent modification of a cysteinyl residue of human cytochrome P450 2B6 in a reconstituted system (Mol Pharmacol 80:839–847, 2011). In this work, we extended our studies of the metabolism of clopidogrel to human liver microsomes in the presence of four reductants, namely, GSH, l-Cys, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), and ascorbic acid. Our results demonstrated that formation of the AM was greatly affected by the reductant used and the relative amounts of the AM formed were increased in the following order: NAC (17%) < l-Cys (53%) < ascorbic acid (61%) < GSH (100%). AM-thiol conjugates were observed in the presence of NAC, l-Cys, and GSH. In the case of GSH, the formation of both the AM and the glutathionyl conjugate was dependent on the GSH concentrations, with similar Km values of ∼0.5 mM, which indicates that formation of the thiol conjugates constitutes an integral part of the bioactivation processes for clopidogrel. It was observed that the AM was slowly converted to the thiol conjugate, with a half-life of ∼10 h. Addition of dithiothreitol to the reaction mixture reversed the conversion, which resulted in a decrease in AM-thiol conjugate levels and a concomitant increase in AM levels, whereas addition of NAC led to the formation of AM-NAC and a concomitant decrease in AM-GSH levels. These results not only confirm that the AM is formed through oxidative opening of the thiolactone ring but also suggest the existence of an equilibrium between the AM, the thiol conjugates, and the reductants. These factors may affect the effective concentrations of the AM in vivo. PMID:22584220

  19. Influence of Torulaspora delbrueckii in varietal thiol (3-SH and 4-MSP) release in wine sequential fermentations.

    PubMed

    Belda, Ignacio; Ruiz, Javier; Beisert, Beata; Navascués, Eva; Marquina, Domingo; Calderón, Fernando; Rauhut, Doris; Benito, Santiago; Santos, Antonio

    2017-09-18

    In last years, non-Saccharomyces yeasts have emerged as innovative tools to improve wine quality, being able to modify the concentration of sensory-impact compounds. Among them, varietal thiols released by yeasts, play a key role in the distinctive aroma of certain white wines. In this context, Torulaspora delbrueckii is in the spotlight because of its positive contribution to several wine quality parameters. This work studies the physiological properties of an industrial T. delbrueckii strain, for the production of wines with increased thiol concentrations. IRC7 gene, previously described in S. cerevisiae, has been identified in T. delbrueckii, establishing the genetics basis of its thiol-releasing capability. Fermentations involving T. delbrueckii showed improvements on several parameters (such as glycerol content, ethanol index, and major volatile compounds composition), but especially on thiols release. These results confirm the potential of T. delbrueckii on wine improvement, describing new metabolic features regarding the release of cysteinylated aroma precursors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Mitochondrial thiol modification by a targeted electrophile inhibits metabolism in breast adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting enzyme activity and protein levels.

    PubMed

    Smith, M Ryan; Vayalil, Praveen K; Zhou, Fen; Benavides, Gloria A; Beggs, Reena R; Golzarian, Hafez; Nijampatnam, Bhavitavya; Oliver, Patsy G; Smith, Robin A J; Murphy, Michael P; Velu, Sadanandan E; Landar, Aimee

    2016-08-01

    Many cancer cells follow an aberrant metabolic program to maintain energy for rapid cell proliferation. Metabolic reprogramming often involves the upregulation of glutaminolysis to generate reducing equivalents for the electron transport chain and amino acids for protein synthesis. Critical enzymes involved in metabolism possess a reactive thiolate group, which can be modified by certain oxidants. In the current study, we show that modification of mitochondrial protein thiols by a model compound, iodobutyl triphenylphosphonium (IBTP), decreased mitochondrial metabolism and ATP in MDA-MB 231 (MB231) breast adenocarcinoma cells up to 6 days after an initial 24h treatment. Mitochondrial thiol modification also depressed oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in a dose-dependent manner to a greater extent than a non-thiol modifying analog, suggesting that thiol reactivity is an important factor in the inhibition of cancer cell metabolism. In non-tumorigenic MCF-10A cells, IBTP also decreased OCR; however the extracellular acidification rate was significantly increased at all but the highest concentration (10µM) of IBTP indicating that thiol modification can have significantly different effects on bioenergetics in tumorigenic versus non-tumorigenic cells. ATP and other adenonucleotide levels were also decreased by thiol modification up to 6 days post-treatment, indicating a decreased overall energetic state in MB231 cells. Cellular proliferation of MB231 cells was also inhibited up to 6 days post-treatment with little change to cell viability. Targeted metabolomic analyses revealed that thiol modification caused depletion of both Krebs cycle and glutaminolysis intermediates. Further experiments revealed that the activity of the Krebs cycle enzyme, aconitase, was attenuated in response to thiol modification. Additionally, the inhibition of glutaminolysis corresponded to decreased glutaminase C (GAC) protein levels, although other protein levels were unaffected. This study

  1. Structural and Mechanistic Insights into Unusual Thiol Disulfide Oxidoreductase

    PubMed Central

    Garcin, Edwige B.; Bornet, Olivier; Elantak, Latifa; Vita, Nicolas; Pieulle, Laetitia; Guerlesquin, Françoise; Sebban-Kreuzer, Corinne

    2012-01-01

    Cytoplasmic desulfothioredoxin (Dtrx) from the anaerobe Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough has been identified as a new member of the thiol disulfide oxidoreductase family. The active site of Dtrx contains a particular consensus sequence, CPHC, never seen in the cytoplasmic thioredoxins and generally found in periplasmic oxidases. Unlike canonical thioredoxins (Trx), Dtrx does not present any disulfide reductase activity, but it presents instead an unusual disulfide isomerase activity. We have used NMR spectroscopy to gain insights into the structure and the catalytic mechanism of this unusual Dtrx. The redox potential of Dtrx (−181 mV) is significantly less reducing than that of canonical Trx. A pH dependence study allowed the determination of the pKa of all protonable residues, including the cysteine and histidine residues. Thus, the pKa values for the thiol group of Cys31 and Cys34 are 4.8 and 11.3, respectively. The His33 pKa value, experimentally determined for the first time, differs notably as a function of the redox states, 7.2 for the reduced state and 4.6 for the oxidized state. These data suggest an important role for His33 in the molecular mechanism of Dtrx catalysis that is confirmed by the properties of mutant DtrxH33G protein. The NMR structure of Dtrx shows a different charge repartition compared with canonical Trx. The results presented are likely indicative of the involvement of this protein in the catalysis of substrates specific of the anaerobe cytoplasm of DvH. The study of Dtrx is an important step toward revealing the molecular details of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase catalytic mechanism. PMID:22128175

  2. Structural and functional features of formate hydrogen lyase, an enzyme of mixed-acid fermentation from Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Bagramyan, K; Trchounian, A

    2003-11-01

    Formate hydrogen lyase from Escherichia coli is a membrane-bound complex that oxidizes formic acid to carbon dioxide and molecular hydrogen. Under anaerobic growth conditions and fermentation of sugars (glucose), it exists in two forms. One form is constituted by formate dehydrogenase H and hydrogenase 3, and the other one is the same formate dehydrogenase and hydrogenase 4; the presence of small protein subunits, carriers of electrons, is also probable. Other proteins may also be involved in formation of the enzyme complex, which requires the presence of metal (nickel-cobalt). Its formation also depends on the external pH and the presence of formate. Activity of both forms requires F(0)F(1)-ATPase; this explains dependence of the complex functioning on proton-motive force. It is also possible that the formate hydrogen lyase complex will exhibit its own proton-translocating function.

  3. Synthesis of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes Coated with Thiol-reactive Gel via Emulsion Polymerization.

    PubMed

    Nagai, Yukiko; Tsutsumi, Yusuke; Nakashima, Naotoshi; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko

    2018-06-15

    Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have unique near-infrared absorption and photoemission properties that are attractive for in vivo biological applications such as photothermal cancer treatment and bioimaging. Therefore, a smart functionalization strategy for SWNTs to create biocompatible surfaces and introduce various ligands to target active cancer cells without losing the unique optical properties of the SWNTs is strongly desired. This paper reports the de-sign and synthesis of a SWNT/gel hybrid containing maleimide groups, which react with various thiol compounds through Michael addition reactions. In this hybrid, the method called carbon nanotube micelle polymerization was used to non-covalently modify the surface of SWNTs with a cross-linked polymer gel layer. This method can form an extremely stable gel layer on SWNTs; such stability is essential for in vivo biological applications. The monomer used to form the gel layer contained a maleimide group, which was protected with furan in endo-form. The resulting hybrid was treated in water to induce deprotection via retro Diels-Alder reaction and then functionalized with thiol com-pounds through Michael addition. The functionalization of the hybrid was explored using a thiol-containing fluores-cent dye as a model thiol and the formation of the SWNT-dye conjugate was confirmed by energy transfer from the dye to SWNTs. Our strategy offers a promising SWNT-based platform for biological functionalization for cancer targeting, imaging, and treatment.

  4. One-step fabrication of PEGylated fluorescent nanodiamonds through the thiol-ene click reaction and their potential for biological imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Hongye; Liu, Meiying; Tuo, Xun; Chen, Junyu; Mao, Liucheng; Wen, Yuanqing; Tian, Jianwen; Zhou, Naigen; Zhang, Xiaoyong; Wei, Yen

    2018-05-01

    Over the past years, fluorescent carbon nanoparticles have got growing interest for biological imaging. Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) are novel fluorescent carbon nanoparticles with multitudinous useful properties, including remarkable fluorescence properties, extremely low toxicity and high refractive index. However, facile preparation of FNDs with designable properties and functions from non-fluorescent detonation nanodiamonds (DNDs) has demonstrated to be challengeable. In this work, we reported for the first time that preparation of Polyethylene glycol (PEG) functionalized FNDs through a one-step thiol-ene click reaction using thiol containing PEG (PEG-SH) as the coating agent. Based on the characterization results, we demonstrated that PEG-SH could be efficiently introduced on DNDs to obtain FNDs through the thiol-ene click chemistry. The resultant FND-PEG composites showed high water dispersibility, strong fluorescence and low cytotoxicity. Moreover, FND-PEG composites could be internalized by cells and displayed good cell dyeing performance. All of these features implied that FND-PEG composites are of great potential for biological imaging. Taken together, a facile one-step strategy based on the one-step thiol-ene click reaction has been developed for efficient preparation of FND-PEG composites from non-fluorescent DNDs. The strategy should be also useful for fabrication of many other functional FNDs via using different thiol containing compounds for the universality of thiol-ene click reaction.

  5. Superhydrophobic hybrid inorganic-organic thiol-ene surfaces fabricated via spray-deposition and photopolymerization.

    PubMed

    Sparks, Bradley J; Hoff, Ethan F T; Xiong, Li; Goetz, James T; Patton, Derek L

    2013-03-13

    We report a simple and versatile method for the fabrication of superhydrophobic inorganic-organic thiol-ene coatings via sequential spray-deposition and photopolymerization under ambient conditions. The coatings are obtained by spray-deposition of UV-curable hybrid inorganic-organic thiol-ene resins consisting of pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP), triallyl isocyanurate (TTT), 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane (TMTVSi), and hydrophobic fumed silica nanoparticles. The spray-deposition process and nanoparticle agglomeration/dispersion provide surfaces with hierarchical morphologies exhibiting both micro- and nanoscale roughness. The wetting behavior, dependent on the concentration of TMTVSi and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles, can be varied over a broad range to ultimately provide coatings with high static water contact angles (>150°), low contact angle hysteresis, and low roll off angles (<5°). The cross-linked thiol-ene coatings are solvent resistant, stable at low and high pH, and maintain superhydrophobic wetting behavior after extended exposure to elevated temperatures. We demonstrate the versatility of the spray-deposition and UV-cure process on a variety of substrate surfaces including glass, paper, stone, and cotton fabric.

  6. Covalent Incorporation of Ionic Liquid into Ion-Conductive Networks via Thiol-Ene Photopolymerization.

    PubMed

    Tibbits, Andrew C; Yan, Yushan S; Kloxin, Christopher J

    2017-07-01

    Ene-functionalized ionic liquids with a range of different cationic groups and counteranions react stoichiometrically within a tetrathiol-divinyl ether formulation within 20 minutes to form thiol-ene polymers with measurable ionic conductivities via a photoinitiated polymerization and crosslinking reaction. Dynamic mechanical analysis indicates that these networks are more spatially heterogeneous and possess higher glass transition temperatures (T g ) compared with thiol-ene formulations without charge. While tuning the molar content of ionic liquid monomer is one method for adjusting the crosslink and charge densities of the thiol-ene polymeric ionic liquid networks, the presence of cation-anion interactions also plays a critical role in dictating the thermomechanical and conductive properties. Particularly, while cationic structure effects are not significant on the polymer properties, the use of a weakly coordinating hydrophobic anion (bistriflimide) instead of bromide-based networks results in an apparent decrease in hydrated ion conductivity (7.4 to 1.5 mS cm -1 ) and T g (-9.6 to -17.8 °C). © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Effect of Thiols, Zinc, and Redox Conditions on Hg Uptake in Shewanella oneidensis

    DOE PAGES

    Szczuka, Aleksandra; Morel, Francois M. M.; Schaefer, Jeffra K.

    2015-05-18

    Mercury uptake in bacteria represents a key first step in the production and accumulation Of methylmercury in biota. Previous experiments with mercury methylating bacteria have shown that Hg uptake is enhanced by some thiols, in particular cysteine, and that it is an energy-dependent process through heavy Metal TA transporters. In this study, we examine Hg uptake in the nonmethylating facultative aerobe, Shewanella oneidensis, under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. Our results demonstrate similar characteristics of the Hg uptake system to those of the Hg methylating strains: uptake is enhanced in the presence of some thiols but not others; uptake ismore » energy dependent as evidenced by inhibition by a protonophore; and uptake is inhibited by high Zn(II) concentrations. Initial cellular uptake rates in S. oneidensis were remarkably similar under aerobic and fumarate-reducing conditions. In conclusion, these data support a similar Hg(II) uptake mechanism within the proteobacteria of accidental Hg(II) transport through heavy metal transporters with similar rates of uptake but differences in the ability to take up Hg bound to different thiols.« less

  8. Cinnamaldehyde inhibits phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and enzymatic browning of cut lettuce.

    PubMed

    Fujita, Narumi; Tanaka, Eriko; Murata, Masatsune

    2006-03-01

    Stored cut lettuce gradually turns brown on the cut section after several days of storage, because cutting induces phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, the biosynthesis of polyphenol is promoted, and the polyphenols are oxidized by polyphenol oxidase. In this study, we screened for inhibitors of PAL derived from fermented broths of microbes and from foods and found that a cinnamon extract definitely inhibited PLA of cut lettuce. An active component was isolated by chromatographic procedures and was identified as trans-cinnamaldehyde. Browning of cut lettuce immersed in a solution containing trans-cinnamaldehyde was definitely repressed.

  9. The roles of protein disulphide isomerase family A, member 3 (ERp57) and surface thiol/disulphide exchange in human spermatozoa-zona pellucida binding.

    PubMed

    Wong, Chi-Wai; Lam, Kevin K W; Lee, Cheuk-Lun; Yeung, William S B; Zhao, Wei E; Ho, Pak-Chung; Ou, Jian-Ping; Chiu, Philip C N

    2017-04-01

    Are multimeric sperm plasma membrane protein complexes, ERp57 and sperm surface thiol content involved in human spermatozoa-zona pellucida (ZP) interaction? ERp57 is a component of a multimeric spermatozoa-ZP receptor complex involved in regulation of human spermatozoa-ZP binding via up-regulation of sperm surface thiol content. A spermatozoon acquires its fertilization capacity within the female reproductive tract by capacitation. Spermatozoa-ZP receptor is suggested to be a composite structure that is assembled into a functional complex during capacitation. Sperm surface thiol content is elevated during capacitation. ERp57 is a protein disulphide isomerase that modulates the thiol-disulphide status of proteins. The binding ability and components of protein complexes in extracted membrane protein fractions of spermatozoa were studied. The roles of capacitation, thiol-disulphide reagent treatments and ERp57 on sperm functions and sperm surface thiol content were assessed. Spermatozoa were obtained from semen samples from normozoospermic men. Human oocytes were obtained from an assisted reproduction programme. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, western ligand blotting and mass spectrometry were used to identify the components of solubilized ZP/ZP3-binding complexes. The localization and expression of sperm surface thiol and ERp57 were studied by immunostaining and sperm surface protein biotinylation followed by western blotting. Sperm functions were assessed by standard assays. Several ZP-binding complexes were isolated from the cell membrane of capacitated spermatozoa. ERp57 was a component of one of these complexes. Capacitation significantly increased the sperm surface thiol content, acrosomal thiol distribution and ERp57 expression on sperm surface. Sperm surface thiol and ERp57 immunoreactivity were localized to the acrosomal region of spermatozoa, a region responsible for ZP-binding. Up-regulation of the surface thiol content or ERp57 surface

  10. Building thiol and metal-thiolate functions into coordination nets: Clues from a simple molecule

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    He, Jun; Yang, Chen; Xu, Zhengtao; Zeller, Matthias; Hunter, Allen D.; Lin, Jianhua

    2009-07-01

    The simple and easy-to-prepare bifunctional molecule 2,5-dimercapto-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H 4DMBD) interacts with the increasingly harder metal ions of Cu +, Pb 2+ and Eu 3+ to form the coordination networks of Cu 6(DMBD) 3(en) 4(Hen) 6 ( 1), Pb 2(DMBD)(en) 2 ( 2) and Eu 2(H 2DMBD) 3(DEF) 4 ( 3), where the carboxyl and thiol groups bind with distinct preference to the hard and soft metal ions, respectively. Notably, 1 features uncoordinated carboxylate groups and Cu 3 cluster units integrated via the thiolate groups into an extended network with significant interaction between the metal centers and the organic molecules; 2 features a 2D coordination net based on the mercapto and carboxylic groups all bonded to the Pb 2+ ions; 3 features free-standing thiol groups inside the channels of a metal-carboxylate-based network. This study illustrates the rich solid state structural features and potential functions offered by the carboxyl-thiol combination.

  11. Oral-Fluid Thiol-Detection Test Identifies Underlying Active Periodontal Disease Not Detected by the Visual Awake Examination.

    PubMed

    Queck, Katherine E; Chapman, Angela; Herzog, Leslie J; Shell-Martin, Tamara; Burgess-Cassler, Anthony; McClure, George David

    Periodontal disease in dogs is highly prevalent but can only be accurately diagnosed by performing an anesthetized oral examination with periodontal probing and dental radiography. In this study, 114 dogs had a visual awake examination of the oral cavity and were administered an oral-fluid thiol-detection test prior to undergoing a a full-mouth anesthetized oral examination and digital dental radiographs. The results show the visual awake examination underestimated the presence and severity of active periodontal disease. The thiol-detection test was superior to the visual awake examination at detecting the presence and severity of active periodontal disease and was an indicator of progression toward alveolar bone loss. The thiol-detection test detected active periodontal disease at early stages of development, before any visual cues were present, indicating the need for intervention to prevent periodontal bone loss. Early detection is important because without intervention, dogs with gingivitis (active periodontal disease) progress to irreversible periodontal bone loss (stage 2+). As suggested in the current AAHA guidelines, a thiol-detection test administered in conjunction with the visual awake examination during routine wellness examinations facilitates veterinarian-client communication and mitigates under-diagnosis of periodontal disease and underutilization of dental services. The thiol-detection test can be used to monitor the periodontal health status of the conscious patient during follow-up examinations based on disease severity.

  12. 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane as a new, efficient, and versatile tripod ligand for copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides with amides, thiols, and phenols.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yao-Jung; Chen, Hsin-Hung

    2006-11-23

    1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane was presented as a new, efficient, and versatile tridentate O-donor ligand suitable for the copper-catalyzed formation of C-N, C-S, and C-O bonds. This inexpensive and commercially available tripod ligand has been demonstrated to facilitate the copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides with amides, thiols, and phenols to afford the corresponding desired products in good to excellent yields. [reaction: see text].

  13. Purification, molecular cloning, and expression of 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA lyase, a peroxisomal thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the carbon–carbon bond cleavage during α-oxidation of 3-methyl-branched fatty acids

    PubMed Central

    Foulon, Veerle; Antonenkov, Vasily D.; Croes, Kathleen; Waelkens, Etienne; Mannaerts, Guy P.; Van Veldhoven, Paul P.; Casteels, Minne

    1999-01-01

    In the third step of the α-oxidation of 3-methyl-branched fatty acids such as phytanic acid, a 2-hydroxy-3-methylacyl-CoA is cleaved into formyl-CoA and a 2-methyl-branched fatty aldehyde. The cleavage enzyme was purified from the matrix protein fraction of rat liver peroxisomes and identified as a protein made up of four identical subunits of 63 kDa. Its activity proved to depend on Mg2+ and thiamine pyrophosphate, a hitherto unrecognized cofactor of α-oxidation. Formyl-CoA and 2-methylpentadecanal were identified as reaction products when the purified enzyme was incubated with 2-hydroxy-3-methylhexadecanoyl-CoA as the substrate. Hence the enzyme catalyzes a carbon–carbon cleavage, and we propose calling it 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA lyase. Sequences derived from tryptic peptides of the purified rat protein were used as queries to recover human expressed sequence tags from the databases. The composite cDNA sequence of the human lyase contained an ORF of 1,734 bases that encodes a polypeptide with a calculated molecular mass of 63,732 Da. Recombinant human protein, expressed in mammalian cells, exhibited lyase activity. The lyase displayed homology to a putative Caenorhabditis elegans protein that resembles bacterial oxalyl-CoA decarboxylases. Similarly to the decarboxylases, a thiamine pyrophosphate-binding consensus domain was present in the C-terminal part of the lyase. Although no peroxisome targeting signal, neither 1 nor 2, was apparent, transfection experiments with constructs encoding green fluorescent protein fused to the full-length lyase or its C-terminal pentapeptide indicated that the C terminus of the lyase represents a peroxisome targeting signal 1 variant. PMID:10468558

  14. MERCURY(II) ADSORPTION FROM WASTEWATERS USING A THIOL FUNCTIONAL ADSORBENT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The removal of mercury(II) from wastewaters (coal-fired utility plant scrubber solutions) using a thiol functional organoceramic composite (SOL-AD-IV) is investigated. A simulant is employed as a surrogate to demonstrate the removal of mercury from real waste solutions. Equilibri...

  15. Enantioselective Synthesis of Various Cyanohydrins Using Covalently Immobilized Preparations of Hydroxynitrile Lyase from Prunus dulcis.

    PubMed

    Alagöz, Dilek; Tükel, S Seyhan; Yildirim, Deniz

    2015-11-01

    The carrier-based and carrier-free (cross-linked enzyme aggregate) covalent immobilizations of Prunus dulcis hydroxynitrile lyase were investigated. The immobilized preparations were tested for enantioselective carbon-carbon bond formation activity in the biphasic medium. Of the tested preparations, only cross-linked enzyme aggregate of P. dulcis hydroxynitrile lyase (PdHNL-CLEA) achieved the synthesis of (R)-mandelonitrile with 93% yield and 99% enantiopurity. PdHNL-CLEA was also used in the synthesis of various (R)-cyanohydrins from corresponding aldehydes/ketones and hydrocyanic acid. When 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, 4-methyl benzaldehyde, and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde were used as substrates, the yield-enantiomeric excess of corresponding (R)-cyanohydrins were obtained as 95-95, 85-79, and 2-25%, respectively, after 96 h at pH 4.0 and 5 °C. For acetophenone, 4-fluoroacetophenone, 4-chloroacetophenone, 4-bromoacetophenone, and 4-iodoacetophenone, the yield-enantiomeric excess of corresponding (R)-cyanohydrins were 1-99, 20-84, 11-95, 5-99, and 3-24%, respectively at the same conditions. The results demonstrate PdHNL-CLEA can be effectively used in the synthesis of (R)-mandelonitrile.

  16. Structure of the ThDP-dependent enzyme benzaldehyde lyase refined to 1.65 Å resolution

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

    Maraite, Andy; Schmidt, Thomas; Ansörge-Schumacher, Marion B.

    2007-07-01

    The X-ray crystal structure of the ThDP-dependent enzyme benzaldehyde lyase has been refined to 1.65 Å. Benzaldehyde lyase (BAL; EC 4.1.2.38) is a thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) dependent enzyme that catalyses the enantioselective carboligation of two molecules of benzaldehyde to form (R)-benzoin. BAL has hence aroused interest for its potential in the industrial synthesis of optically active benzoins and derivatives. The structure of BAL was previously solved to a resolution of 2.6 Å using MAD experiments on a selenomethionine derivative [Mosbacher et al. (2005 ▶), FEBS J.272, 6067–6076]. In this communication of parallel studies, BAL was crystallized in an alternative spacemore » group (P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2{sub 1}) and its structure refined to a resolution of 1.65 Å, allowing detailed observation of the water structure, active-site interactions with ThDP and also the electron density for the co-solvent 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) at hydrophobic patches of the enzyme surface.« less

  17. Diversity of function in the isocitrate lyase enzyme superfamily: the Dianthus caryophyllus petal death protein cleaves alpha-keto and alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids.

    PubMed

    Lu, Zhibing; Feng, Xiaohua; Song, Ling; Han, Ying; Kim, Alexander; Herzberg, Osnat; Woodson, William R; Martin, Brian M; Mariano, Patrick S; Dunaway-Mariano, Debra

    2005-12-20

    The work described in this paper was carried out to define the chemical function a new member of the isocitrate lyase enzyme family derived from the flowering plant Dianthus caryophyllus. This protein (Swiss-Prot entry Q05957) is synthesized in the senescent flower petals and is named the "petal death protein" or "PDP". On the basis of an analysis of the structural contexts of sequence markers common to the C-C bond lyases of the isocitrate lyase/phosphoenolpyruvate mutase superfamily, a substrate screen that employed a (2R)-malate core structure was designed. Accordingly, stereochemically defined C(2)- and C(3)-substituted malates were synthesized and tested as substrates for PDP-catalyzed cleavage of the C(2)-C(3) bond. The screen identified (2R)-ethyl, (3S)-methylmalate, and oxaloacetate [likely to bind as the hydrate, C(2)(OH)(2) gem-diol] as the most active substrates (for each, k(cat)/K(m) = 2 x 10(4) M(-)(1) s(-)(1)). In contrast to the stringent substrate specificities previously observed for the Escherichia coli isocitrate and 2-methylisocitrate lyases, the PDP tolerated hydrogen, methyl, and to a much lesser extent acetate substituents at the C(3) position (S configuration only) and hydoxyl, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and to a much lesser extent isobutyl substituents at C(2) (R configuration only). It is hypothesized that PDP functions in oxalate production in Ca(2+) sequestering and/or in carbon scavenging from alpha-hydroxycarboxylate catabolites during the biochemical transition accompanying petal senescence.

  18. Structural and Kinetic Basis of Steroid 17α,20-Lyase Activity in Teleost Fish Cytochrome P450 17A1 and Its Absence in Cytochrome P450 17A2*

    PubMed Central

    Pallan, Pradeep S.; Nagy, Leslie D.; Lei, Li; Gonzalez, Eric; Kramlinger, Valerie M.; Azumaya, Caleigh M.; Wawrzak, Zdzislaw; Waterman, Michael R.; Guengerich, F. Peter; Egli, Martin

    2015-01-01

    Cytochrome P450 (P450) 17A enzymes play a critical role in the oxidation of the steroids progesterone (Prog) and pregnenolone (Preg) to glucocorticoids and androgens. In mammals, a single enzyme, P450 17A1, catalyzes both 17α-hydroxylation and a subsequent 17α,20-lyase reaction with both Prog and Preg. Teleost fish contain two 17A P450s; zebrafish P450 17A1 catalyzes both 17α-hydroxylation and lyase reactions with Prog and Preg, and P450 17A2 is more efficient in pregnenolone 17α-hydroxylation but does not catalyze the lyase reaction, even in the presence of cytochrome b5. P450 17A2 binds all substrates and products, although more loosely than P450 17A1. Pulse-chase and kinetic spectral experiments and modeling established that the two-step P450 17A1 Prog oxidation is more distributive than the Preg reaction, i.e. 17α-OH product dissociates more prior to the lyase step. The drug orteronel selectively blocked the lyase reaction of P450 17A1 but only in the case of Prog. X-ray crystal structures of zebrafish P450 17A1 and 17A2 were obtained with the ligand abiraterone and with Prog for P450 17A2. Comparison of the two fish P450 17A-abiraterone structures with human P450 17A1 (DeVore, N. M., and Scott, E. E. (2013) Nature 482, 116–119) showed only a few differences near the active site, despite only ∼50% identity among the three proteins. The P450 17A2 structure differed in four residues near the heme periphery. These residues may allow the proposed alternative ferric peroxide mechanism for the lyase reaction, or residues removed from the active site may allow conformations that lead to the lyase activity. PMID:25533464

  19. PecS and PecT coregulate the synthesis of HrpN and pectate lyases, two virulence determinants in Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937.

    PubMed

    Nasser, William; Reverchon, Sylvie; Vedel, Regine; Boccara, Martine

    2005-11-01

    Erwinia chrysanthemi strain 3937 is a necrotrophic bacterial plant pathogen. Pectinolytic enzymes and, in particular, pectate lyases play a key role in soft rot symptoms; however, the efficient colonization of plants by E. chrysanthemi requires additional factors. These factors include HrpN (harpin), a heat-stable, glycine-rich hydrophilic protein, which is secreted by the type III secretion system. We investigated the expression of hrpN in E. chrysanthemi 3937 in various environmental conditions and different regulatory backgrounds. Using lacZ fusions, hrpN expression was markedly influenced by the carbon source, osmolarity, growth phase, and growth substrate. hrpN was repressed when pectinolysis started and negatively regulated by the repressors of pectate lyase synthesis, PecS and PecT. Primer extension data and in vitro DNA-protein interaction experiments support a model whereby PecS represses hrpN expression by binding to the hrpN regulatory region and inhibiting transcript elongation. The results suggest coordinated regulation of HrpN and pectate lyases by PecS and PecT. A putative model of the synthesis of these two virulence factors in E. chrysanthemi during pathogenesis is presented.

  20. Bioinformatic and Biochemical Characterizations of C–S Bond Formation and Cleavage Enzymes in the Fungus Neurospora crassa Ergothioneine Biosynthetic Pathway

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Ergothioneine is a histidine thiol derivative. Its mycobacterial biosynthetic pathway has five steps (EgtA-E catalysis) with two novel reactions: a mononuclear nonheme iron enzyme (EgtB) catalyzed oxidative C–S bond formation and a PLP-mediated C–S lyase (EgtE) reaction. Our bioinformatic and biochemical analyses indicate that the fungus Neurospora crassa has a more concise ergothioneine biosynthetic pathway because its nonheme iron enzyme, Egt1, makes use of cysteine instead of γ-Glu-Cys as the substrate. Such a change of substrate preference eliminates the competition between ergothioneine and glutathione biosyntheses. In addition, we have identified the N. crassa C–S lyase (NCU11365) and reconstituted its activity in vitro, which makes the future ergothioneine production through metabolic engineering feasible. PMID:25275953

  1. Monohalogenated acetamide-induced cellular stress and genotoxicity are related to electrophilic softness and thiol/thiolate reactivity.

    PubMed

    Pals, Justin A; Wagner, Elizabeth D; Plewa, Michael J; Xia, Menghang; Attene-Ramos, Matias S

    2017-08-01

    Haloacetamides (HAMs) are cytotoxic, genotoxic, and mutagenic byproducts of drinking water disinfection. They are soft electrophilic compounds that form covalent bonds with the free thiol/thiolate in cysteine residues through an S N 2 reaction mechanism. Toxicity of the monohalogenated HAMs (iodoacetamide, IAM; bromoacetamide, BAM; or chloroacetamide, CAM) varied depending on the halogen substituent. The aim of this research was to investigate how the halogen atom affects the reactivity and toxicological properties of HAMs, measured as induction of oxidative/electrophilic stress response and genotoxicity. Additionally, we wanted to determine how well in silico estimates of electrophilic softness matched thiol/thiolate reactivity and in vitro toxicological endpoints. Each of the HAMs significantly induced nuclear Rad51 accumulation and ARE signaling activity compared to a negative control. The rank order of effect was IAM>BAM>CAM for Rad51, and BAM≈IAM>CAM for ARE. In general, electrophilic softness and in chemico thiol/thiolate reactivity provided a qualitative indicator of toxicity, as the softer electrophiles IAM and BAM were more thiol/thiolate reactive and were more toxic than CAM. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Protein S-Bacillithiolation Functions in Thiol Protection and Redox Regulation of the Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Gap in Staphylococcus aureus Under Hypochlorite Stress

    PubMed Central

    Imber, Marcel; Huyen, Nguyen Thi Thu; Pietrzyk-Brzezinska, Agnieszka J.; Loi, Vu Van; Hillion, Melanie; Bernhardt, Jörg; Thärichen, Lena; Kolšek, Katra; Saleh, Malek; Hamilton, Chris J.; Adrian, Lorenz; Gräter, Frauke; Wahl, Markus C.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Aims: Bacillithiol (BSH) is the major low-molecular-weight thiol of the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we used OxICAT and Voronoi redox treemaps to quantify hypochlorite-sensitive protein thiols in S. aureus USA300 and analyzed the role of BSH in protein S-bacillithiolation. Results: The OxICAT analyses enabled the quantification of 228 Cys residues in the redox proteome of S. aureus USA300. Hypochlorite stress resulted in >10% increased oxidation of 58 Cys residues (25.4%) in the thiol redox proteome. Among the highly oxidized sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)-sensitive proteins are five S-bacillithiolated proteins (Gap, AldA, GuaB, RpmJ, and PpaC). The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) dehydrogenase Gap represents the most abundant S-bacillithiolated protein contributing 4% to the total Cys proteome. The active site Cys151 of Gap was very sensitive to overoxidation and irreversible inactivation by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or NaOCl in vitro. Treatment with H2O2 or NaOCl in the presence of BSH resulted in reversible Gap inactivation due to S-bacillithiolation, which could be regenerated by the bacilliredoxin Brx (SAUSA300_1321) in vitro. Molecular docking was used to model the S-bacillithiolated Gap active site, suggesting that formation of the BSH mixed disulfide does not require major structural changes. Conclusion and Innovation: Using OxICAT analyses, we identified 58 novel NaOCl-sensitive proteins in the pathogen S. aureus that could play protective roles against the host immune defense and include the glycolytic Gap as major target for S-bacillithiolation. S-bacillithiolation of Gap did not require structural changes, but efficiently functions in redox regulation and protection of the active site against irreversible overoxidation in S. aureus. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 410–430. PMID:27967218

  3. Protein S-Bacillithiolation Functions in Thiol Protection and Redox Regulation of the Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Gap in Staphylococcus aureus Under Hypochlorite Stress.

    PubMed

    Imber, Marcel; Huyen, Nguyen Thi Thu; Pietrzyk-Brzezinska, Agnieszka J; Loi, Vu Van; Hillion, Melanie; Bernhardt, Jörg; Thärichen, Lena; Kolšek, Katra; Saleh, Malek; Hamilton, Chris J; Adrian, Lorenz; Gräter, Frauke; Wahl, Markus C; Antelmann, Haike

    2018-02-20

    Bacillithiol (BSH) is the major low-molecular-weight thiol of the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, we used OxICAT and Voronoi redox treemaps to quantify hypochlorite-sensitive protein thiols in S. aureus USA300 and analyzed the role of BSH in protein S-bacillithiolation. The OxICAT analyses enabled the quantification of 228 Cys residues in the redox proteome of S. aureus USA300. Hypochlorite stress resulted in >10% increased oxidation of 58 Cys residues (25.4%) in the thiol redox proteome. Among the highly oxidized sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl)-sensitive proteins are five S-bacillithiolated proteins (Gap, AldA, GuaB, RpmJ, and PpaC). The glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) dehydrogenase Gap represents the most abundant S-bacillithiolated protein contributing 4% to the total Cys proteome. The active site Cys151 of Gap was very sensitive to overoxidation and irreversible inactivation by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) or NaOCl in vitro. Treatment with H 2 O 2 or NaOCl in the presence of BSH resulted in reversible Gap inactivation due to S-bacillithiolation, which could be regenerated by the bacilliredoxin Brx (SAUSA300_1321) in vitro. Molecular docking was used to model the S-bacillithiolated Gap active site, suggesting that formation of the BSH mixed disulfide does not require major structural changes. Conclusion and Innovation: Using OxICAT analyses, we identified 58 novel NaOCl-sensitive proteins in the pathogen S. aureus that could play protective roles against the host immune defense and include the glycolytic Gap as major target for S-bacillithiolation. S-bacillithiolation of Gap did not require structural changes, but efficiently functions in redox regulation and protection of the active site against irreversible overoxidation in S. aureus. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 410-430.

  4. Stress-Induced Protein S-Glutathionylation and S-Trypanothionylation in African Trypanosomes—A Quantitative Redox Proteome and Thiol Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Ulrich, Kathrin; Finkenzeller, Caroline; Merker, Sabine; Rojas, Federico; Matthews, Keith; Ruppert, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Aims: Trypanosomatids have a unique trypanothione-based thiol redox metabolism. The parasite-specific dithiol is synthesized from glutathione and spermidine, with glutathionylspermidine as intermediate catalyzed by trypanothione synthetase. In this study, we address the oxidative stress response of African trypanosomes with special focus on putative protein S-thiolation. Results: Challenging bloodstream Trypanosoma brucei with diamide, H2O2 or hypochlorite results in distinct levels of reversible overall protein S-thiolation. Quantitative proteome analyses reveal 84 proteins oxidized in diamide-stressed parasites. Fourteen of them, including several essential thiol redox proteins and chaperones, are also enriched when glutathione/glutaredoxin serves as a reducing system indicating S-thiolation. In parasites exposed to H2O2, other sets of proteins are modified. Only three proteins are S-thiolated under all stress conditions studied in accordance with a highly specific response. H2O2 causes primarily the formation of free disulfides. In contrast, in diamide-treated cells, glutathione, glutathionylspermidine, and trypanothione are almost completely protein bound. Remarkably, the total level of trypanothione is decreased, whereas those of glutathione and glutathionylspermidine are increased, indicating partial hydrolysis of protein-bound trypanothione. Depletion of trypanothione synthetase exclusively induces protein S-glutathionylation. Total mass analyses of a recombinant peroxidase treated with T(SH)2 and either diamide or hydrogen peroxide verify protein S-trypanothionylation as stable modification. Innovation: Our data reveal for the first time that trypanosomes employ protein S-thiolation when exposed to exogenous and endogenous oxidative stresses and trypanothione, despite its dithiol character, forms protein-mixed disulfides. Conclusion: The stress-specific responses shown here emphasize protein S-trypanothionylation and S-glutathionylation as

  5. Simultaneous determination of albumin and low-molecular-mass thiols in plasma by HPLC with UV detection.

    PubMed

    Borowczyk, Kamila; Wyszczelska-Rokiel, Monika; Kubalczyk, Paweł; Głowacki, Rafał

    2015-02-15

    In this paper, we describe a simple and robust HPLC based method for determination of total low- and high-molecular-mass thiols, protein S-linked thiols and reduced albumin in plasma. The method is based on derivatization of analytes with 2-chloro-1-methylquinolinium tetrafluoroborate, separation and quantification by reversed-phase liquid chromatography followed by UV detection. Disulfides were converted to their thiol counterparts by reductive cleavage with tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine. Linearity in detector response for total thiols was observed over the range of 1-40 μmol L(-1) for Hcy and glutathione (GSH), 5-100 μmol L(-1) for Cys-Gly, 20-300 μmol L(-1) for Cys and 3.1-37.5 μmol L(-1) (0.2-2.4gL(-1)) for human serum albumin (HSA). For the protein S-bound forms these values were as follows: 0.5-30 μmol L(-1) for Hcy and GSH, 2.5-60 μmol L(-1) for Cys-Gly and 5-200 μmol L(-1) for Cys. The LOQs for total HSA, Cys, Hcy, Cys-Gly and GSH were 0.5, 0.2, 0.4, 0.3 and 0.4 μmol L(-1), respectively. The estimated validation parameters for all analytes are more than sufficient to allow the analytical method to be used for monitoring of the total and protein bound thiols as well as redox status of HSA in plasma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Reaction Mechanisms of Metals with Hydrogen Sulfide and Thiols in Model Wine. Part 2: Iron- and Copper-Catalyzed Oxidation.

    PubMed

    Kreitman, Gal Y; Danilewicz, John C; Jeffery, David W; Elias, Ryan J

    2016-05-25

    Sulfidic off-odors arising during wine production are frequently removed by Cu(II) fining. In part 1 of this study ( 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b00641 ), the reaction of H2S and thiols with Cu(II) was examined; however, the interaction of iron and copper is also known to play an important synergistic role in mediating non-enzymatic wine oxidation. The interaction of these two metals in the oxidation of H2S and thiols (cysteine, 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, and 6-sulfanylhexan-1-ol) was therefore examined under wine-like conditions. H2S and thiols (300 μM) were reacted with Fe(III) (100 or 200 μM) alone and in combination with Cu(II) (25 or 50 μM), and concentrations of H2S and thiols, oxygen, and acetaldehyde were monitored over time. H2S and thiols were shown to be slowly oxidized in the presence of Fe(III) alone and were not bound to Fe(III) under model wine conditions. However, Cu(II) added to model wine containing Fe(III) was quickly reduced by H2S and thiols to form Cu(I) complexes, which then rapidly reduced Fe(III) to Fe(II). Oxidation of Fe(II) in the presence of oxygen regenerated Fe(III) and completed the iron redox cycle. In addition, sulfur-derived oxidation products were observed, and the formation of organic polysulfanes was demonstrated.

  7. Oxidative stress and pathology in muscular dystrophies: focus on protein thiol oxidation and dysferlinopathies.

    PubMed

    Terrill, Jessica R; Radley-Crabb, Hannah G; Iwasaki, Tomohito; Lemckert, Frances A; Arthur, Peter G; Grounds, Miranda D

    2013-09-01

    The muscular dystrophies comprise more than 30 clinical disorders that are characterized by progressive skeletal muscle wasting and degeneration. Although the genetic basis for many of these disorders has been identified, the exact mechanism for pathogenesis generally remains unknown. It is considered that disturbed levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) contribute to the pathology of many muscular dystrophies. Reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress may cause cellular damage by directly and irreversibly damaging macromolecules such as proteins, membrane lipids and DNA; another major cellular consequence of reactive oxygen species is the reversible modification of protein thiol side chains that may affect many aspects of molecular function. Irreversible oxidative damage of protein and lipids has been widely studied in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and we have recently identified increased protein thiol oxidation in dystrophic muscles of the mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This review evaluates the role of elevated oxidative stress in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other forms of muscular dystrophies, and presents new data that show significantly increased protein thiol oxidation and high levels of lipofuscin (a measure of cumulative oxidative damage) in dysferlin-deficient muscles of A/J mice at various ages. The significance of this elevated oxidative stress and high levels of reversible thiol oxidation, but minimal myofibre necrosis, is discussed in the context of the disease mechanism for dysferlinopathies, and compared with the situation for dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. © 2013 The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 FEBS.

  8. High-throughput identification of promiscuous inhibitors from screening libraries with the use of a thiol-containing fluorescent probe.

    PubMed

    McCallum, Megan M; Nandhikonda, Premchendar; Temmer, Jonathan J; Eyermann, Charles; Simeonov, Anton; Jadhav, Ajit; Yasgar, Adam; Maloney, David; Arnold, Alexander Leggy

    2013-07-01

    Testing small molecules for their ability to modify cysteine residues of proteins in the early stages of drug discovery is expected to accelerate our ability to develop more selective drugs with lesser side effects. In addition, this approach also enables the rapid evaluation of the mode of binding of new drug candidates with respect to thiol reactivity and metabolism by glutathione. Herein, we describe the development of a fluorescence-based high-throughput assay that allows the identification of thiol-reactive compounds. A thiol-containing fluorescent probe, MSTI, was synthesized and used to evaluate small molecules from the Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds (LOPAC) collection of bioactive molecules. LOPAC compounds that are known to react with sulfur nucleophiles were identified with this assay, for example, irreversible protease inhibitors, nitric oxide-releasing compounds, and proton-pump inhibitors. The results confirm that both electrophilic and redox reactive compounds can be quickly identified in a high-throughput manner, enabling the assessment of screening libraries with respect to thiol-reactive compounds.

  9. Thiol-Reactive Star Polymers Display Enhanced Association with Distinct Human Blood Components.

    PubMed

    Glass, Joshua J; Li, Yang; De Rose, Robert; Johnston, Angus P R; Czuba, Ewa I; Khor, Song Yang; Quinn, John F; Whittaker, Michael R; Davis, Thomas P; Kent, Stephen J

    2017-04-12

    Directing nanoparticles to specific cell types using nonantibody-based methods is of increasing interest. Thiol-reactive nanoparticles can enhance the efficiency of cargo delivery into specific cells through interactions with cell-surface proteins. However, studies to date using this technique have been largely limited to immortalized cell lines or rodents, and the utility of this technology on primary human cells is unknown. Herein, we used RAFT polymerization to prepare pyridyl disulfide (PDS)-functionalized star polymers with a methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) brush corona and a fluorescently labeled cross-linked core using an arm-first method. PDS star polymers were examined for their interaction with primary human blood components: six separate white blood cell subsets, as well as red blood cells and platelets. Compared with control star polymers, thiol-reactive nanoparticles displayed enhanced association with white blood cells at 37 °C, particularly the phagocytic monocyte, granulocyte, and dendritic cell subsets. Platelets associated with more PDS than control nanoparticles at both 37 °C and on ice, but they were not activated in the duration examined. Association with red blood cells was minor but still enhanced with PDS nanoparticles. Thiol-reactive nanoparticles represent a useful strategy to target primary human immune cell subsets for improved nanoparticle delivery.

  10. First report of a lyase for cepacian, the polysaccharide produced by Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria.

    PubMed

    Cescutti, Paola; Scussolin, Silvia; Herasimenka, Yury; Impallomeni, Giuseppe; Bicego, Massimiliano; Rizzo, Roberto

    2006-01-20

    Bacteria belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) are interesting for their involvement in pulmonary infections in patients affected by cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic granulomatous disease. Many Bcc strains isolated from CF patients produce high amounts of exopolysaccharides (EPS). Although different strains sometimes biosynthesise different EPS, the majority of Bcc bacteria produce only one type of polysaccharide, which is called cepacian. The polymer has a unique heptasaccharidic repeating unit, containing three side chains, and up to three O-acetyl substituents.. We here report for the first time the isolation and characterisation of a lyase active towards cepacian produced by a Bacillus sp., which was isolated in our laboratory. The enzyme molecular mass, evaluated by size-exclusion chromatography, is 32,700+/-1500Da. The enzyme catalyses a beta-elimination reaction of the disaccharide side chain beta-d-Galp-(1-->2)-alpha-d-Rhap-(1--> from the C-4 of the glucuronic acid residue present in the polymer backbone. Although active on both native and de-acetylated cepacian, the enzyme showed higher activity on the latter polymer.

  11. Facile construction of macroporous hybrid monoliths via thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction for capillary liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Lin, Hui; Ou, Junjie; Liu, Zhongshan; Wang, Hongwei; Dong, Jing; Zou, Hanfa

    2015-01-30

    A facile approach based on thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction was developed for construction of porous hybrid monolithic materials. Three hybrid monoliths were prepared via thiol-methacrylate click polymerization by using methacrylate-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) (cage mixture, n=8, 10, 12, POSS-MA) and three multi-thiol crosslinkers, 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT), trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) (TPTM) and pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate) (PTM), respectively, in the presence of porogenic solvents (n-propanol and PEG 200) and a catalyst (dimethylphenylphosphine, DMPP). The obtained monoliths possessed high thermal and chemical stabilities. Besides, they all exhibited high column efficiencies and excellent separation abilities in capillary liquid chromatography (cLC). The highest column efficiency could reach ca. 195,000N/m for butylbenzene on the monolith prepared with POSS-MA and TPTM (monolith POSS-TPTM) in reversed-phase (RP) mode at 0.64mm/s. Good chromatographic performance were all achieved in the separations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phenols, anilines, EPA 610 as well as bovine serum albumin (BSA) digest. The high column efficiencies in the range of 51,400-117,000N/m (achieved on the monolith POSS-PTM in RP mode) convincingly demonstrated the high separation abilities of these thiol-methacrylate based hybrid monoliths. All the results demonstrated the feasibility of the phosphines catalyzed thiol-methacrylate Michael addition click reaction in fabrication of monolithic columns with high efficiency for cLC applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Insight into the role of substrate-binding residues in conferring substrate specificity for the multifunctional polysaccharide lyase Smlt1473.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, Logan C; Berger, Bryan W

    2014-06-27

    Anionic polysaccharides are of growing interest in the biotechnology industry due to their potential pharmaceutical applications in drug delivery and wound treatment. Chemical composition and polymer length strongly influence the physical and biological properties of the polysaccharide and thus its potential industrial and medical applications. One promising approach to determining monomer composition and controlling the degree of polymerization involves the use of polysaccharide lyases, which catalyze the depolymerization of anionic polysaccharides via a β-elimination mechanism. Utilization of these enzymes for the production of custom-made oligosaccharides requires a high degree of control over substrate specificity. Previously, we characterized a polysaccharide lyase (Smlt1473) from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia k279a, which exhibited significant activity against hyaluronan (HA), poly-β-d-glucuronic acid (poly-GlcUA), and poly-β-d-mannuronic acid (poly-ManA) in a pH-regulated manner. Here, we utilize a sequence structure guided approach based on a homology model of Smlt1473 to identify nine putative substrate-binding residues and examine their effect on substrate specificity via site-directed mutagenesis. Interestingly, single point mutations H221F and R312L resulted in increased activity and specificity toward poly-ManA and poly-GlcUA, respectively. Furthermore, a W171A mutant nearly eliminated HA activity, while increasing poly-ManA and poly-GlcUA activity by at least 35%. The effect of these mutations was analyzed by comparison with the high resolution structure of Sphingomonas sp. A1-III alginate lyase in complex with poly-ManA tetrasaccharide and by taking into account the structural differences between HA, poly-GlcUA, and poly-ManA. Overall, our results demonstrate that even minor changes in active site architecture have a significant effect on the substrate specificity of Smlt1473, whose structural plasticity could be applied to the design of highly

  13. Facile fabrication of redox-responsive thiol-containing drug delivery system via RAFT polymerization.

    PubMed

    Zhuang, Yuanyuan; Su, Yue; Peng, Yu; Wang, Dali; Deng, Hongping; Xi, Xiaodong; Zhu, Xinyuan; Lu, Yunfeng

    2014-04-14

    A novel kind of redox-responsive polymeric drug delivery system has been designed and prepared successfully through the coupling of the multithiol branched polymers and thiol-containing drugs. The branched poly((S-(4-vinyl) benzyl S'-propyltrithiocarbonate)-co-(poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)) (poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)) was synthesized by one-pot reaction via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization. Subsequently, the hydrophobic thiol-containing anticancer drug 6-mercaptopurine (MP) was conjugated to poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA) by thiol-disulfide exchange reaction, resulting in the formation of poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)-S-S-MP conjugate. Due to its amphiphilicity, poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)-S-S-MP conjugate self-assembled into amphiphilic micelles in aqueous solution. Under a reductive environment, the disassembly of polymeric micelles resulted in the MP release. Flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) measurements demonstrated that the poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)-S-S-MP micelles could be taken up by Raji cells (a Burkitt lymphoma cell line). The viability of the Raji cells incubated with the glutathione (GSH) mediated poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)-S-S-MP micelles was investigated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The experimental results showed that the viability of the glutathione monoester (GSH-OEt) pretreated cells was lower than that without pretreatment, while the viability of the buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) pretreated cells was higher than that without pretreatment. The poly(VBPT-co-PEGMA)-S-S-MP micelles could induce the apoptosis of Raji cells, and the apoptosis behavior was dose-dependent. This redox-responsive polymer-drug conjugate provides a promising platform for the delivery of thiol-containing biological molecules.

  14. Surface plasmon resonance based spectrophotometric determination of medicinally important thiol compounds using unmodified silver nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vaishnav, Sandeep K.; Patel, Kuleshwar; Chandraker, Kumudini; Korram, Jyoti; Nagwanshi, Rekha; Ghosh, Kallol K.; Satnami, Manmohan L.

    2017-05-01

    The determination of thiol based biological molecules and drugs, such as cysteine (Cys) (I), α-lipoic acid (II), and sodium 2-sulfanylethane sulphonate (Mesna (III)) in human plasma are becoming progressively more important due to the growing body of knowledge about their essential role in numerous biological pathways. Herein we demonstrate a sensitive colorimetric sensor for the determination of medicinally important thiol drugs based on aggregation of the citrate capped silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). This approach exploited the high affinity of thiols towards the Ag NPs surface which could tempt replacement of the citrate shell by the thiolate shell of target molecules, resulting in aggregation of the NPs through intermolecular electrostatic interaction or hydrogen-bonding. Because of aggregation, the plasmon band at around 400 nm decreases gradually, along with the appearance of a new band connoting a red shift. The calibration curves are derived from the intensity ratios of A530/A400, which display a linear relation in the range of 1 μM-150 μM, 5 μM-200 μM and 10 μM-130 μM, respectively. The obtained detection limits (3σ) were found to be 1.5 μM, 5.6 μM and 10.2 μM for compound I-III, respectively. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the detection of thiol compounds in real samples.

  15. Thiol-catalyzed formation of lactate and glycerate from glyceraldehyde. [significance in molecular evolution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weber, A. L.

    1983-01-01

    The rate of lactate formation from glyceraldehyde, catalyzed by N-acetyl-cysteine at ambient temperature in aqueous sodium phosphate (pH 7.0), is more rapid at higher sodium phosphate concentrations and remains essentially the same in the presence and absence of oxygen. The dramatic increase in the rate of glycerate formation that is brought about by this thiol, N-acetylcysteine, is accompanied by commensurate decreases in the rates of glycolate and formate production. It is suggested that the thiol-dependent formation of lactate and glycerate occurs by way of their respective thioesters. Attention is given to the significance of these reactions in the context of molecular evolution.

  16. Odorant Screening and Quantitation of Thiols in Carmenere Red Wine by Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry and Stable Isotope Dilution Assays.

    PubMed

    Pavez, Carolina; Agosin, Eduardo; Steinhaus, Martin

    2016-05-04

    The sensory impact of thiols in Vitis vinifera 'Carmenere' red wines was evaluated. For this purpose, aroma extract dilution analysis was applied to the thiols isolated from a Carmenere red wine by affinity chromatography with a mercurated agarose gel. Results revealed the presence of four odorants, identified as 2-furanylmethanethiol, 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate, 3-sulfanyl-1-hexanol, and 2-methyl-3-sulfanyl-1-butanol, with the latter being described here for the first time in Carmenere red wines. Quantitation of the four thiols in the Carmenere wine screened by aroma extract dilution analysis and in three additional Carmenere wines by stable isotope dilution assays resulted in concentrations above the respective orthonasal odor detection threshold values. Triangle tests applied to wine model solutions with and without the addition of the four thiols showed significant differences, thus suggesting that the compounds do have the potential to influence the overall aroma of red wine.

  17. Cooperative functioning between phenylalanine ammonia lyase and isochorishmate synthase activities contributes to salicylic acid biosynthesis in soybean

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Salicylic acid (SA), an essential regulator of plant defense, is derived from chorismate via either the phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), or the isochorishmate synthase (ICS) catalyzed steps. The ICS pathway is thought to be the primary contributor of defense-related SA, at least in Arabidopsis. We...

  18. Nonenzymatic formation of 'energy-rich' lactoyl and glyceroyl thioesters from glyceraldehyde and a thiol

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weber, A. L.

    1984-01-01

    The energy rich thioester, N-acetyl-S-lactoylcysteine, is formed under anaerobic conditions from glyceraldehyde and N-acetylcysteine at ambient temperature in aqueous solutions of sodium phosphate (pH 7.0). The conversion occurs at a rate of about 0.4 percent per day in reactions with 10 millimoles (mM) glyceraldehyde, 40 mM thiol, and 500 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.0). Thioester formation proceeds at an estimated efficiency of 76 percent. The formation of lactoyl thioester most likely occurs by the phosphate catalyzed dehydration of glyceraldehyde to give pyruvaldehyde, which combines with thiol to form a hemithioacetal that rearranges to the thioester. A second energy rich thioester, N-acetyl-S-glyceroylcysteine, is also produced from glyceraldehyde when these reactions are carried out in the presence of oxygen and to a limited extent in the absence of oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, the formation of glyceroyl thioester continues until the thiol disappears completely by oxidation. The significance of these reactions to the energetics of the origin of life is discussed.

  19. Nonenzymatic formation of energy-rich lactoyl and glyceroyl thioesters from glyceraldehyde and a thiol

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weber, A. L.

    1983-01-01

    The energy rich thioester, N-acetyl-S-lactoylcysteine, is formed under anaerobic conditions from glyceraldehyde and N-acetylcysteine at ambient temperature in aqueous solutions of sodium phosphate (pH 7.0). The conversion occurs at a rate of about 0.4% per day in reactions with 10 millimoles (mM) glyceraldehyde, 10 mM thiol, and 500 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.0). Thioester formation proceeds at an estimated efficiency of 76%. The formation of lactoyl thioester most likely occurs by the phosphate catalyzed dehydration of glyceraldehyde to give pyruvaldehyde, which combines with thiol to form a hemithioacetal that rearranges to the thioester. A second energy rich thioester, N-acetyl-S-glyceroylcysteine, is also produced from glyceraldehyde when these reactions are carried out in the presence of oxygen and to a limited extent in the absence of oxygen. In the presence of oxygen the formation of glyceroyl thioester continues until the thiol disappears completely by oxidation. The significance of these reactions to the energetics of the origin of life is discussed.

  20. Thiol surface complexation on growing CdS clusters

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

    Swayambunathan, V.; Hayes, D.; Schmidt, K.H.

    1990-05-09

    The growth of small CdS colloidal particles has been initiated by pulse radiolytic release of sulfide from thiol (3-mercapto-1,2-propanediol, RSH) in the presence of Cd{sup 2+} ions. The kinetics and stoichiometry of the ensuring reactions were followed by conductivity, absorption spectroscopy, and light-scattering techniques. The final CdS product has been identified by electron diffraction. The formation of Cd-thiolate complexes at the surface of the particles is indicated by conductivity and by energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) results. The rate of formation of CdS clusters is strongly pH dependent due to the pH effect on the stability of Dd{sup 2+}/HS{supmore » {minus}} complexes. At low pHs (4.0-5.3) the growth mechanism is proposed to be primarily a cluster-molecule process. At this pH range Cd{sup 2+} ions at the CdS particle surface complex with thiolate ions stronger than in the bulk of the solution. The size control of the particles by thiols is proposed to result from a competition of thiolate ions with HS{sup {minus}} ions for cadmium ions at the surface of the growing particles.« less

  1. 1,2,4-triazole derivative with Schiff base; thiol-thione tautomerism, DFT study and antileishmanial activity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Süleymanoğlu, Nevin; Ustabaş, Reşat; Direkel, Şahin; Alpaslan, Yelda Bingöl; Ünver, Yasemin

    2017-12-01

    Thiol-thione tautomerism of 1,2,4-triazole derivative with Schiff base was investigated by spectroscopic methods and quantum mechanical calculations. Theoretical study of thiol-thione tautomeric forms of 1,2,4-triazole derivative with Schiff base; 1,2,4-triazole-thiol form, 1-((5-mercapto-4-(thiophene-2-ylmethyleneamino)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)-3-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-4-(thiophene-2-ylmethyleneamino)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-one (I) and 1,2,4-triazole-thione form, 3-(thiophene-2-ylmethyl)-4-(thiophene-2-ylmethyleneamino)-1-((4-(thiophene-2-ylmethyleneamino)-5-thioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-5(4H)-one (II) was performed by the density functional theory (DFT) method with 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. Structural parameters were obtained and spectral parameters of NMR, FTIR and UV-vis were compared with experimental ones to determine structural details. In vitro antileishmanial activity was studied against Leishmania infantum promastigots by microdilution broth assay with Alamar Blue Dye. The results indicate that 1,2,4-triazole derivative exists in both thiol and thione form and, can be evaluated as antiparasitic in term of antileishmanial activity.

  2. Photoluminescence and time-resolved carrier dynamics in thiol-capped CdTe nanocrystals under high pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Yan-Cheng; Chou, Wu-Ching; Susha, Andrei S.; Kershaw, Stephen V.; Rogach, Andrey L.

    2013-03-01

    The application of static high pressure provides a method for precisely controlling and investigating many fundamental and unique properties of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs). This study systematically investigates the high-pressure photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved carrier dynamics of thiol-capped CdTe NCs of different sizes, at different concentrations, and in various stress environments. The zincblende-to-rocksalt phase transition in thiol-capped CdTe NCs is observed at a pressure far in excess of the bulk phase transition pressure. Additionally, the process of transformation depends strongly on NC size, and the phase transition pressure increases with NC size. These peculiar phenomena are attributed to the distinctive bonding of thiols to the NC surface. In a nonhydrostatic environment, considerable flattening of the PL energy of CdTe NC powder is observed above 3.0 GPa. Furthermore, asymmetric and double-peak PL emissions are obtained from a concentrated solution of CdTe NCs under hydrostatic pressure, implying the feasibility of pressure-induced interparticle coupling.

  3. Regulation of the Cardiac Muscle Ryanodine Receptor by O2 Tension and S-Nitrosoglutathione†

    PubMed Central

    Sun, Junhui; Yamaguchi, Naohiro; Xu, Le; Eu, Jerry P.; Stamler, Jonathan S.; Meissner, Gerhard

    2009-01-01

    The cardiac and skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor Ca2+ release channels contain thiols that are potential targets of endogenously produced reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates. Previously, we showed that the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1) has O2-sensitive thiols; only when these thiols are in the reduced state (pO2 ~ 10 mmHg) can physiological concentrations of NO (nanomolar) activate RyR1. Here, we report that cardiac muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR2) activity also depends on pO2, but unlike RyR1, RyR2 was not activated or S-nitrosylated directly by NO. Rather, activation and S-nitrosylation of RyR2 required S-nitrosoglutathione. The effects of peroxynitrite were indiscriminate on RyR1 and RyR2. Our results indicate that both RyR1 and RyR2 are pO2-responsive yet point to different mechanisms by which NO and S-nitrosoglutathione influence cardiac and skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. PMID:19053230

  4. Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxidative cyclizations of 3-N-hydroxyamino-1,2-propadienes with alcohols, thiols, and amines to form α-O-, S-, and N-substituted 4-methylquinoline derivatives.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Pankaj; Liu, Rai-Shung

    2015-03-16

    A one-pot, two-step synthesis of α-O-, S-, and N-substituted 4-methylquinoline derivatives through Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxidations of N-hydroxyaminoallenes with alcohols, thiols, and amines is described. This reaction sequence involves an initial oxidation of N-hydroxyaminoallenes with NuH (Nu = OH, OR, NHR, and SR) to form 3-substituted 2-en-1-ones, followed by Brønsted acid catalyzed intramolecular cyclizations of the resulting products. Our mechanistic analysis suggests that the reactions proceed through a radical-type mechanism rather than a typical nitrone-intermediate route. The utility of this new Cu-catalyzed reaction is shown by its applicability to the synthesis of several 2-amino-4-methylquinoline derivatives, which are known to be key precursors to several bioactive molecules. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Chondroitin Lyase from a Marine Arthrobacter sp. MAT3885 for the Production of Chondroitin Sulfate Disaccharides.

    PubMed

    Kale, Varsha; Friðjónsson, Ólafur; Jónsson, Jón Óskar; Kristinsson, Hörður G; Ómarsdóttir, Sesselja; Hreggviðsson, Guðmundur Ó

    2015-08-01

    Chondroitin sulfate (CS) saccharides from cartilage tissues have potential application in medicine or as dietary supplements due to their therapeutic bioactivities. Studies have shown that depolymerized CS saccharides may display enhanced bioactivity. The objective of this study was to isolate a CS-degrading enzyme for an efficient production of CS oligo- or disaccharides. CS-degrading bacteria from marine environments were enriched using in situ artificial support colonization containing CS from shark cartilage as substrate. Subsequently, an Arthrobacter species (strain MAT3885) efficiently degrading CS was isolated from a CS enrichment culture. The genomic DNA from strain MAT3885 was pyro-sequenced by using the 454 FLX sequencing technology. Following assembly and annotation, an orf, annotated as family 8 polysaccharide lyase genes, was identified, encoding an amino acid sequence with a similarity to CS lyases according to NCBI blastX. The gene, designated choA1, was cloned in Escherichia coli and expressed downstream of and in frame with the E. coli malE gene for obtaining a high yield of soluble recombinant protein. Applying a dual-tag system (MalE-Smt3-ChoA1), the MalE domain was separated from ChoA1 with proteolytic cleavage using Ulp1 protease. ChoA1 was defined as an AC-type enzyme as it degraded chondroitin sulfate A, C, and hyaluronic acid. The optimum activity of the enzyme was at pH 5.5-7.5 and 40 °C, running a 10-min reaction. The native enzyme was estimated to be a monomer. As the recombinant chondroitin sulfate lyase (designated as ChoA1R) degraded chondroitin sulfate efficiently compared to a benchmark enzyme, it may be used for the production of chondroitin sulfate disaccharides for the food industry or health-promoting products.

  6. Thiol peroxidase deficiency leads to increased mutational load and decreased fitness in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed

    Kaya, Alaattin; Lobanov, Alexei V; Gerashchenko, Maxim V; Koren, Amnon; Fomenko, Dmitri E; Koc, Ahmet; Gladyshev, Vadim N

    2014-11-01

    Thiol peroxidases are critical enzymes in the redox control of cellular processes that function by reducing low levels of hydroperoxides and regulating redox signaling. These proteins were also shown to regulate genome stability, but how their dysfunction affects the actual mutations in the genome is not known. Saccharomyces cerevisiae has eight thiol peroxidases of glutathione peroxidase and peroxiredoxin families, and the mutant lacking all these genes (∆8) is viable. In this study, we employed two independent ∆8 isolates to analyze the genome-wide mutation spectrum that results from deficiency in these enzymes. Deletion of these genes was accompanied by a dramatic increase in point mutations, many of which clustered in close proximity and scattered throughout the genome, suggesting strong mutational bias. We further subjected multiple lines of wild-type and ∆8 cells to long-term mutation accumulation, followed by genome sequencing and phenotypic characterization. ∆8 lines showed a significant increase in nonrecurrent point mutations and indels. The original ∆8 cells exhibited reduced growth rate and decreased life span, which were further reduced in all ∆8 mutation accumulation lines. Although the mutation spectrum of the two independent isolates was different, similar patterns of gene expression were observed, suggesting the direct contribution of thiol peroxidases to the observed phenotypes. Expression of a single thiol peroxidase could partially restore the growth phenotype of ∆8 cells. This study shows how deficiency in nonessential, yet critical and conserved oxidoreductase function, leads to increased mutational load and decreased fitness. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

  7. The yeast Hsp70 Ssa1 is a sensor for activation of the heat shock response by thiol-reactive compounds

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yanyu; Gibney, Patrick A.; West, James D.; Morano, Kevin A.

    2012-01-01

    The heat shock transcription factor HSF1 governs the response to heat shock, oxidative stresses, and xenobiotics through unknown mechanisms. We demonstrate that diverse thiol-reactive molecules potently activate budding yeast Hsf1. Hsf1 activation by thiol-reactive compounds is not consistent with the stresses of misfolding of cytoplasmic proteins or cytotoxicity. Instead, we demonstrate that the Hsp70 chaperone Ssa1, which represses Hsf1 in the absence of stress, is hypersensitive to modification by a thiol-reactive probe. Strikingly, mutation of two conserved cysteine residues to serine in Ssa1 rendered cells insensitive to Hsf1 activation and subsequently induced thermotolerance by thiol-reactive compounds, but not by heat shock. Conversely, substitution with the sulfinic acid mimic aspartic acid resulted in constitutive Hsf1 activation. Cysteine 303, located within the nucleotide-binding domain, was found to be modified in vivo by a model organic electrophile, demonstrating that Ssa1 is a direct target for thiol-reactive molecules through adduct formation. These findings demonstrate that Hsp70 is a proximal sensor for Hsf1-mediated cytoprotection and can discriminate between two distinct environmental stressors. PMID:22809627

  8. Enzyme catalysis in microgravity: steady-state kinetic analysis of the isocitrate lyase reaction.

    PubMed

    Ranaldi, Francesco; Vanni, Paolo; Giachetti, Eugenio

    2003-01-21

    Two decades of research in microgravity have shown that certain biochemical processes can be altered by weightlessness. Approximately 10 years ago, our team, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, started the Effect of Microgravity on Enzyme Catalysis project to test the possibility that the microgravity effect observed at cellular level could be mediated by enzyme reactions. An experiment to study the cleavage reaction catalyzed by isocitrate lyase was flown on the sounding rocket MASER 7, and we found that the kinetic parameters were not altered by microgravity. During the 28th ESA parabolic flight campaign, we had the opportunity to replicate the MASER 7 experiment and to perform a complete steady-state analysis of the isocitrate lyase reaction. This study showed that both in microgravity and in standard g controls the enzyme reaction obeyed the same kinetic mechanism and none of the kinetic parameters, nor the equilibrium constant of the overall reaction were altered. Our results contrast with those of a similar experiment, which was performed during the same parabolic flight campaign, and showed that microgravity increased the affinity of lipoxygenase-1 for linoleic acid. The hypotheses suggested to explain this change effect of the latter were here tested by computer simulation, and appeared to be inconsistent with the experimental outcome.

  9. Diamond surface functionalization with biomimicry - Amine surface tether and thiol moiety for electrochemical sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sund, James B.; Causey, Corey P.; Wolter, Scott D.; Parker, Charles B.; Stoner, Brian R.; Toone, Eric J.; Glass, Jeffrey T.

    2014-05-01

    The surface of conducting diamond was functionalized with a terminal thiol group that is capable of binding and detecting nitrogen-oxygen species. The functionalization process employed multiple steps starting with doped diamond films grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition followed by hydrogen termination and photochemical attachment of a chemically protected amine alkene. The surface tether was deprotected to reveal the amine functionality, which enabled the tether to be extended with surface chemistry to add a terminal thiol moiety for electrochemical sensing applications. Each step of the process was validated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis.

  10. Lactic acid bacteria involved in cocoa beans fermentation from Ivory Coast: Species diversity and citrate lyase production.

    PubMed

    Ouattara, Hadja D; Ouattara, Honoré G; Droux, Michel; Reverchon, Sylvie; Nasser, William; Niamke, Sébastien L

    2017-09-01

    Microbial fermentation is an indispensable process for high quality chocolate from cocoa bean raw material. lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are among the major microorganisms responsible for cocoa fermentation but their exact role remains to be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed the diversity of LAB in six cocoa producing regions of Ivory Coast. Ribosomal 16S gene sequence analysis showed that Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides are the dominant LAB species in these six regions. In addition, other species were identified as the minor microbial population, namely Lactobacillus curieae, Enterococcus faecium, Fructobacillus pseudoficulneus, Lactobacillus casei, Weissella paramesenteroides and Weissella cibaria. However, in each region, the LAB microbial population was composed of a restricted number of species (maximum 5 species), which varied between the different regions. LAB implication in the breakdown of citric acid was investigated as a fundamental property for a successful cocoa fermentation process. High citrate lyase producer strains were characterized by rapid citric acid consumption, as revealed by a 4-fold decrease in citric acid concentration in the growth medium within 12h, concomitant with an increase in acetic acid and lactic acid concentration. The production of citrate lyase was strongly dependent on environmental conditions, with optimum production at acidic pH (pH<5), and moderate temperature (30-40°C), which corresponds to conditions prevailing in the early stage of natural cocoa fermentation. This study reveals that one of the major roles of LAB in the cocoa fermentation process involves the breakdown of citric acid during the early stage of cocoa fermentation through the activity of citrate lyase. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Influence of reagents reacting with metal, thiol and amino sites of catalytic activity and l-phenylalanine inhibition of rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase

    PubMed Central

    Fishman, William H.; Ghosh, Nimai K.

    1967-01-01

    1. Studies on the inactivation of rat intestinal alkaline phosphatase by several metal-binding agents, namely EDTA, 8-hydroxyquinoline, pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, αα′-bipyridyl, o-phenanthroline and sodium cyanide, indicated the functional role of a metal, probably zinc, in the catalysis. The metal ligands lowered stereospecific uncompetitive inhibition of the enzyme by l-phenylalanine by an extent that paralleled the decline in enzyme activity. 2. The thiol reagents p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, iodoacetamide and iodine inactivated rat intestinal phosphatase. The enzyme could be protected from inactivation by either cysteine or substrate. The l-phenylalanine inhibition remained unchanged only in the presence of moderately inactivating concentrations of the thiol reagents. 3. Inactivation of the enzyme by the amino-group-blocking reagent, O-methylisourea, provided ample evidence for the participation in the catalysis of the ∈-amino group of lysine. At the same time, l-phenylalanine inhibition remained unaltered even when the enzyme was strongly inactivated. This ∈-amino-group-blocked enzyme exhibited no change in migration in starch gel, in contrast with enzyme treated with acetic anhydride, formaldehyde or succinic anhydride. The Michaelis constant of the enzyme was enhanced by such modifications, but the optimum pH remained the same. 4. d-Phenylalanine acted as a competitive or `co-operative' activator for intestinal alkaline phosphatase after it had been modified by acetylation. PMID:16742542

  12. Renal cysteine conjugate C-S lyase mediated toxicity of halogenated alkenes in primary cultures of human and rat proximal tubular cells.

    PubMed

    McGoldrick, Trevor A; Lock, Edward A; Rodilla, Vicente; Hawksworth, Gabrielle M

    2003-07-01

    Proximal tubular cells from human (HPT) and rat (RPT) kidneys were isolated, grown to confluence and incubated with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)- l-cysteine (DCVC), S-(1,2,2-trichlorovinyl)- l-cysteine (TCVC), S-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl)- l-cysteine (TFEC) and S-(2-chloro-1,1-difluorethyl)- l-cysteine (CDFEC), the cysteine conjugates of nephrotoxicants. The cultures were exposed to the conjugates for 12, 24 and 48 h and the toxicity determined using the MTT assay. All four conjugates caused dose-dependent toxicity to RPT cells over the range 50-1,000 microM, the order of toxicity being DCVC>TCVC>TFEC=CDFEC. The inclusion of aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA; 250 microM), an inhibitor of pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzymes such as C-S lyase, afforded protection, indicating that C-S lyase has a role in the bioactivation of these conjugates. In HPT cultures only DCVC caused significant time- and dose-dependent toxicity. Exposure to DCVC (500 microM) for 48 h decreased cell viability to 7% of control cell values, whereas co-incubation of DCVC (500 microM) with AOAA (250 microM) resulted in cell viability of 71%. Human cultures were also exposed to S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione (DCVG). DCVG was toxic to HPT cells, but the onset of toxicity was delayed compared with the corresponding cysteine conjugate. AOAA afforded almost complete protection from DCVG toxicity. Acivicin (250 microM), an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-GT), partially protected against DCVG (500 microM)-induced toxicity at 48 h (5% viability and 53% viability in the absence and presence of acivicin, respectively). These results suggest that DCVG requires processing by gamma-GT prior to bioactivation by C-S lyase in HPT cells. The activity of C-S lyase, using TFEC as a substrate, and glutamine transaminase K (GTK) was measured in rat and human cells with time in culture. C-S lyase activity in RPT and HPT cells decreased to approximately 30% of fresh cell values by the time the cells reached

  13. ATP-citrate lyase links cellular metabolism to histone acetylation.

    PubMed

    Wellen, Kathryn E; Hatzivassiliou, Georgia; Sachdeva, Uma M; Bui, Thi V; Cross, Justin R; Thompson, Craig B

    2009-05-22

    Histone acetylation in single-cell eukaryotes relies on acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) synthetase enzymes that use acetate to produce acetyl-CoA. Metazoans, however, use glucose as their main carbon source and have exposure only to low concentrations of extracellular acetate. We have shown that histone acetylation in mammalian cells is dependent on adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-citrate lyase (ACL), the enzyme that converts glucose-derived citrate into acetyl-CoA. We found that ACL is required for increases in histone acetylation in response to growth factor stimulation and during differentiation, and that glucose availability can affect histone acetylation in an ACL-dependent manner. Together, these findings suggest that ACL activity is required to link growth factor-induced increases in nutrient metabolism to the regulation of histone acetylation and gene expression.

  14. Structural Snapshots of Heparin Depolymerization by Heparin Lyase I

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

    Han, Young-Hyun; Garron, Marie-Line; Kim, Hye-Yeon

    2010-01-12

    Heparin lyase I (heparinase I) specifically depolymerizes heparin, cleaving the glycosidic linkage next to iduronic acid. Here, we show the crystal structures of heparinase I from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron at various stages of the reaction with heparin oligosaccharides before and just after cleavage and product disaccharide. The heparinase I structure is comprised of a {beta}-jellyroll domain harboring a long and deep substrate binding groove and an unusual thumb-resembling extension. This thumb, decorated with many basic residues, is of particular importance in activity especially on short heparin oligosaccharides. Unexpected structural similarity of the active site to that of heparinase II with anmore » ({alpha}/{alpha}){sub 6} fold is observed. Mutational studies and kinetic analysis of this enzyme provide insights into the catalytic mechanism, the substrate recognition, and processivity.« less

  15. The basics of thiols and cysteines in redox biology and chemistry.

    PubMed

    Poole, Leslie B

    2015-03-01

    Cysteine is one of the least abundant amino acids, yet it is frequently found as a highly conserved residue within functional (regulatory, catalytic, or binding) sites in proteins. It is the unique chemistry of the thiol or thiolate group of cysteine that imparts to functional sites their specialized properties (e.g., nucleophilicity, high-affinity metal binding, and/or ability to form disulfide bonds). Highlighted in this review are some of the basic biophysical and biochemical properties of cysteine groups and the equations that apply to them, particularly with respect to pKa and redox potential. Also summarized are the types of low-molecular-weight thiols present in high concentrations in most cells, as well as the ways in which modifications of cysteinyl residues can impart or regulate molecular functions important to cellular processes, including signal transduction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Inhibition of Urease by Disulfiram, an FDA-Approved Thiol Reagent Used in Humans.

    PubMed

    Díaz-Sánchez, Ángel Gabriel; Alvarez-Parrilla, Emilio; Martínez-Martínez, Alejandro; Aguirre-Reyes, Luis; Orozpe-Olvera, Jesica Aline; Ramos-Soto, Miguel Armando; Núñez-Gastélum, José Alberto; Alvarado-Tenorio, Bonifacio; de la Rosa, Laura Alejandra

    2016-11-26

    Urease is a nickel-dependent amidohydrolase that catalyses the decomposition of urea into carbamate and ammonia, a reaction that constitutes an important source of nitrogen for bacteria, fungi and plants. It is recognized as a potential antimicrobial target with an impact on medicine, agriculture, and the environment. The list of possible urease inhibitors is continuously increasing, with a special interest in those that interact with and block the flexible active site flap. We show that disulfiram inhibits urease in Citrullus vulgaris (CVU), following a non-competitive mechanism, and may be one of this kind of inhibitors. Disulfiram is a well-known thiol reagent that has been approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic alcoholism. We also found that other thiol reactive compounds (l-captopril and Bithionol) and quercetin inhibits CVU. These inhibitors protect the enzyme against its full inactivation by the thiol-specific reagent Aldrithiol (2,2'-dipyridyl disulphide, DPS), suggesting that the three drugs bind to the same subsite. Enzyme kinetics, competing inhibition experiments, auto-fluorescence binding experiments, and docking suggest that the disulfiram reactive site is Cys592, which has been proposed as a "hinge" located in the flexible active site flap. This study presents the basis for the use of disulfiram as one potential inhibitor to control urease activity.

  17. Thiol-thione tautomeric analysis, spectroscopic (FT-IR, Laser-Raman, NMR and UV-vis) properties and DFT computations of 5-(3-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol molecule.

    PubMed

    Gökce, Halil; Öztürk, Nuri; Ceylan, Ümit; Alpaslan, Yelda Bingöl; Alpaslan, Gökhan

    2016-06-15

    In this study, the 5-(3-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol molecule (C7H6N4S) molecule has been characterized by using FT-IR, Laser-Raman, NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies. Quantum chemical calculations have been performed to investigate the molecular structure (thione-thiol tautomerism), vibrational wavenumbers, electronic transition absorption wavelengths in DMSO solvent and vacuum, proton and carbon-13 NMR chemical shifts and HOMOs-LUMOs energies at DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level for all five tautomers of the title molecule. The obtained results show that the calculated vibrational wavenumbers, NMR chemical shifts and UV-vis wavelengths are in a good agreement with experimental data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. A Catalase-related Hemoprotein in Coral Is Specialized for Synthesis of Short-chain Aldehydes: DISCOVERY OF P450-TYPE HYDROPEROXIDE LYASE ACTIVITY IN A CATALASE.

    PubMed

    Teder, Tarvi; Lõhelaid, Helike; Boeglin, William E; Calcutt, Wade M; Brash, Alan R; Samel, Nigulas

    2015-08-07

    In corals a catalase-lipoxygenase fusion protein transforms arachidonic acid to the allene oxide 8R,9-epoxy-5,9,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid from which arise cyclopentenones such as the prostanoid-related clavulones. Recently we cloned two catalase-lipoxygenase fusion protein genes (a and b) from the coral Capnella imbricata, form a being an allene oxide synthase and form b giving uncharacterized polar products (Lõhelaid, H., Teder, T., Tõldsepp, K., Ekins, M., and Samel, N. (2014) PloS ONE 9, e89215). Here, using HPLC-UV, LC-MS, and NMR methods, we identify a novel activity of fusion protein b, establishing its role in cleaving the lipoxygenase product 8R-hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid into the short-chain aldehydes (5Z)-8-oxo-octenoic acid and (3Z,6Z)-dodecadienal; these primary products readily isomerize in an aqueous medium to the corresponding 6E- and 2E,6Z derivatives. This type of enzymatic cleavage, splitting the carbon chain within the conjugated diene of the hydroperoxide substrate, is known only in plant cytochrome P450 hydroperoxide lyases. In mechanistic studies using (18)O-labeled substrate and incubations in H2(18)O, we established synthesis of the C8-oxo acid and C12 aldehyde with the retention of the hydroperoxy oxygens, consistent with synthesis of a short-lived hemiacetal intermediate that breaks down spontaneously into the two aldehydes. Taken together with our initial studies indicating differing gene regulation of the allene oxide synthase and the newly identified catalase-related hydroperoxide lyase and given the role of aldehydes in plant defense, this work uncovers a potential pathway in coral stress signaling and a novel enzymatic activity in the animal kingdom. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  19. Degumming of ramie fiber and the production of reducing sugars from waste peels using nanoparticle supplemented pectate lyase.

    PubMed

    Mukhopadhyay, Arka; Dutta, Nalok; Chattopadhyay, Dhrubajyoti; Chakrabarti, Krishanu

    2013-06-01

    Banana, citrus and potato peels were subjected to treatment with hydroxyapatite nanoparticle (NP) supplemented purified pectate lyase (NP-PL), isolated from Bacillus megaterium AK2 to produce reducing sugar (RS). At both 50 and 90°C production of RS by NP-PL was almost twofold greater than that by untreated pectate lyase (PL) from each of the three peels. The optimal production of RS from banana and citrus peels were after 24 and 6h of incubation while it was 24 and 4h for potato peels at 50 and 90°C, respectively, on NP-PL treatment. NP-PL could degum raw, decorticated ramie fibers as well as enhance fiber tenacity and fineness. The weight loss of the fibers were 24% and 31% better (compared to PL treatment) after 24 and 48 h of processing. These findings have potential implications for the bio-ethanol, bio-fuel and textile industries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Thiol peptides induction in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum (Banks ex König) in response to cadmium exposure.

    PubMed

    Alvarez-Legorreta, Teresa; Mendoza-Cozatl, David; Moreno-Sanchez, Rafael; Gold-Bouchot, Gerardo

    2008-01-20

    Trace metal accumulation and thiol compounds synthesis as induced by cadmium exposure was studied in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. Shoots were exposed for 24, 48, 96 and 144 h to several CdCl(2) concentrations (0, 30, 50 and 70 microM). Levels of cadmium, cysteine, glutathione (GSH), gamma-glutamylcysteine (gamma-EC), and phytochelatin-like peptides were determined in green blades, live sheaths and root/rhizomes tissues. Metal accumulation was dependent on Cd concentration and type of tissue, with green blades showing the highest content followed by live sheaths and root/rhizomes. All tissues experienced an increase in thiol-containing compounds as a response to cadmium exposure. Live sheaths showed the highest levels of cysteine, GSH and gamma-EC. This is the first report of induction of thiol peptides, presumably phytochelatins, by a trace metal in a sea grass species.

  1. Thiol-Based Probe for Electrophilic Natural Products Reveals That Most of the Ammosamides Are Artifacts.

    PubMed

    Reimer, Daniela; Hughes, Chambers C

    2017-01-27

    To date, 16 members of the ammosamide family of natural products have been discovered, and except for ammosamide D each of these metabolites is characterized by an unusual chlorinated pyrrolo[4,3,2-de]quinoline skeleton. Several ammosamides have been shown to inhibit quinone reductase 2, a flavoenzyme responsible for quelling toxic oxidative species in cells or for killing cancer cells outright. Treatment of the extract from an ammosamide-producing culture (Streptomyces strain CNR-698) with a thiol-based reagent designed to label electrophilic natural products produced an ammosamide C-thiol adduct. This observation led us to hypothesize, and then demonstrate through experimentation, that all of the other ammosamides are derived from ammosamide C via nonenzymatic processes involving exposure to nucleophiles, air, and light. Like many established electrophilic natural products, reaction with the thiol probe suggests that ammosamide C is itself an electrophilic natural product. Although ammosamide C did not show substantial cytotoxicity against cancer cells, its activity against a marine Bacillus bacterial strain may reflect its ecological role.

  2. Removal of heavy metals from aqueous systems with thiol functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Yantasee, Wassana; Warner, Cynthia L; Sangvanich, Thanapon; Addleman, R Shane; Carter, Timothy G; Wiacek, Robert J; Fryxell, Glen E; Timchalk, Charles; Warner, Marvin G

    2007-07-15

    We have shown that superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles with a surface functionalization of dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) are an effective sorbent material for toxic soft metals such as Hg, Ag, Pb, Cd, and Tl, which effectively bind to the DMSA ligands and for As, which binds to the iron oxide lattices. The nanoparticles are highly dispersible and stable in solutions, have a large surface area (114 m2/g), and have a high functional group content (1.8 mmol thiols/g). They are attracted to a magnetic field and can be separated from solution within a minute with a 1.2 T magnet. The chemical affinity, capacity, kinetics, and stability of the magnetic nanoparticles were compared to those of conventional resin based sorbents (GT-73), activated carbon, and nanoporous silica (SAMMS) of similar surface chemistries in river water, groundwater, seawater, and human blood and plasma. DMSA-Fe3O4 had a capacity of 227 mg of Hg/g, a 30-fold larger value than GT-73. The nanoparticles removed 99 wt% of 1 mg/L Pb within a minute, while it took over 10 and 120 min for Chelex-100 and GT-73 to remove 96% of Pb.

  3. Microbial L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Purification, subunit structure and kinetic properties of the enzyme from Rhizoctonia solani.

    PubMed Central

    Kalghatgi, K K; Subba Rao, P V

    1975-01-01

    1. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.5) was purified to homogeneity from the acetone-dried powders of the mycelial felts of the plant pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. 2. A useful modification in protamine sulphate treatment to get substantial purification of the enzyme in a single-step is described. 3. The purified enzyme shows bisubstrate activity towards L-phenylalanine and L-tyrosine. 4. It is sensitive to carbonyl reagents and the inhibition is not reversed by gel filtration. 5. The molecular weight of the enzyme as determined by Sephadex G-200 chromatography and sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation is around 330000. 6. The enzyme is made up of two pairs of unidentical subunits, with a molecular weight of 70000 (alpha) and 90000 (beta) respectively. 7. Studies on initial velocity versus substrate concentration have shown significant deviations from Michaelis-Menten kinetics. 8. The double-reciprocal plots are biphasic (concave downwards) and Hofstee plots show a curvilinear pattern. 9. The apparent Km value increases from 0.18 mM to as high as 5.0 mM with the increase in the concentration of the substrate and during this process the Vmax, increases by 2-2.5-fold. 10. The value of Hill coefficient is 0.5. 11. Steady-state rates of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase reaction in the presence of inhibitors like D-phenylalanine, cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, dihydrocaffeic and phenylpyruvic acid have shown that only one molecule of each type of inhibitor binds to a molecule of the enzyme. These observations suggest the involvement of negative homotropic interactions in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. 12. The enzyme could not be desensitized by treatment with HgCl2, p-chloromercuribenzoic acid or by repeated freezing and thawing. PMID:1191266

  4. Modified cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) assay for measuring the antioxidant capacities of thiol-containing proteins in admixture with polyphenols.

    PubMed

    Cekiç, Sema Demirci; Başkan, Kevser Sözgen; Tütem, Esma; Apak, Reşat

    2009-07-15

    Proteins are not considered as true antioxidants but are known to protect antioxidants from oxidation in various antioxidant activity assays. This study aims to investigate the contribution of proteins, especially thiol-containing proteins, to the observed overall antioxidant capacity measured by known methods. To determine the antioxidant properties of thiol-containing proteins, the CUPRAC method of antioxidant assay using the oxidizing reagent Cu(II)-neocuproine previously used for simultaneous analysis of cystine and cysteine was adopted. While the CUPRAC method is capable of determining all antioxidant compounds including thiols in complex sample matrices, the Ellman method of thiol quantitation basically does not respond to other antioxidants. The antioxidant quantities in the selected samples were assayed with the ABTS and FRAP methods as well as with the CUPRAC method. In all applied methods, the dilutions were made with a standard pH 8 buffer used in the Ellman method by substituting the Na(2)EDTA component of the buffer with sodium citrate. On the other hand, the standard CUPRAC protocol was modified by substituting the pH 7 ammonium acetate buffer (at 1M concentration) with 8M urea buffer adjusted to pH 7 by neutralizing with 6M HCl. Urea helps to partly solubilize and denaturate proteins so that their buried thiols be oxidized more easily. All methods used in the estimation of antioxidant properties of proteins (i.e., CUPRAC, Ellman, ABTS, and FRAP) were first standardized with a simple thiol compound, cysteine, by constructing the calibration curves. The molar absorptivities of these methods for cysteine were: epsilon(CUPRAC)=7.71x10(3), epsilon(Ellman)=1.37x10(4), epsilon(ABTS)=2.06x10(4), and epsilon(FRAP)=2.98x10(3)L mol(-1)cm(-1). Then these methods were applied to various samples containing thiols, such as glutathione (reduced form:GSH), egg white, whey proteins, and gelatin. Additionally, known quantities of selected antioxidants were added to

  5. Bacterial Anabaena variabilis phenylalanine ammonia lyase: a biocatalyst with broad substrate specificity.

    PubMed

    Lovelock, Sarah L; Turner, Nicholas J

    2014-10-15

    Phenylalanine ammonia lyases (PALs) catalyse the regio- and stereoselective hydroamination of cinnamic acid analogues to yield optically enriched α-amino acids. Herein, we demonstrate that a bacterial PAL from Anabaena variabilis (AvPAL) displays significantly higher activity towards a series of non-natural substrates than previously described eukaryotic PALs. Biotransformations performed on a preparative scale led to the synthesis of the 2-chloro- and 4-trifluoromethyl-phenylalanine derivatives in excellent ee, highlighting the enormous potential of bacterial PALs as biocatalysts for the synthesis of high value, non-natural amino acids. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae To Release 3-Mercaptohexan-1-ol during Fermentation through Overexpression of an S. cerevisiae Gene, STR3, for Improvement of Wine Aroma▿

    PubMed Central

    Holt, Sylvester; Cordente, Antonio G.; Williams, Simon J.; Capone, Dimitra L.; Jitjaroen, Wanphen; Menz, Ian R.; Curtin, Chris; Anderson, Peter A.

    2011-01-01

    Sulfur-containing aroma compounds are key contributors to the flavor of a diverse range of foods and beverages. The tropical fruit characters of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sauvignon blanc wines are attributed to the presence of the aromatic thiols 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH), 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol-acetate, and 4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one (4MMP). These volatile thiols are found in small amounts in grape juice and are formed from nonvolatile cysteinylated precursors during fermentation. In this study, we overexpressed a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene, STR3, which led to an increase in 3MH release during fermentation of a V. vinifera L. cv. Sauvignon blanc juice. Characterization of the enzymatic properties of Str3p confirmed it to be a pyridoxal-5′-phosphate-dependent cystathionine β-lyase, and we demonstrated that this enzyme was able to cleave the cysteinylated precursors of 3MH and 4MMP to release the free thiols. These data provide direct evidence for a yeast enzyme able to release aromatic thiols in vitro that can be applied in the development of self-cloned yeast to enhance wine flavor. PMID:21478306

  7. Legionella pneumophila S1P-lyase targets host sphingolipid metabolism and restrains autophagy

    PubMed Central

    Rolando, Monica; Escoll, Pedro; Nora, Tamara; Botti, Joëlle; Boitez, Valérie; Daniels, Craig; Abraham, Gilu; Stogios, Peter J.; Skarina, Tatiana; Christophe, Charlotte; Dervins-Ravault, Delphine; Cazalet, Christel; Hilbi, Hubert; Rupasinghe, Thusitha W. T.; Tull, Dedreia; McConville, Malcolm J.; Ong, Sze Ying; Hartland, Elizabeth L.; Codogno, Patrice; Levade, Thierry; Naderer, Thomas; Savchenko, Alexei; Buchrieser, Carmen

    2016-01-01

    Autophagy is an essential component of innate immunity, enabling the detection and elimination of intracellular pathogens. Legionella pneumophila, an intracellular pathogen that can cause a severe pneumonia in humans, is able to modulate autophagy through the action of effector proteins that are translocated into the host cell by the pathogen’s Dot/Icm type IV secretion system. Many of these effectors share structural and sequence similarity with eukaryotic proteins. Indeed, phylogenetic analyses have indicated their acquisition by horizontal gene transfer from a eukaryotic host. Here we report that L. pneumophila translocates the effector protein sphingosine-1 phosphate lyase (LpSpl) to target the host sphingosine biosynthesis and to curtail autophagy. Our structural characterization of LpSpl and its comparison with human SPL reveals high structural conservation, thus supporting prior phylogenetic analysis. We show that LpSpl possesses S1P lyase activity that was abrogated by mutation of the catalytic site residues. L. pneumophila triggers the reduction of several sphingolipids critical for macrophage function in an LpSpl-dependent and -independent manner. LpSpl activity alone was sufficient to prevent an increase in sphingosine levels in infected host cells and to inhibit autophagy during macrophage infection. LpSpl was required for efficient infection of A/J mice, highlighting an important virulence role for this effector. Thus, we have uncovered a previously unidentified mechanism used by intracellular pathogens to inhibit autophagy, namely the disruption of host sphingolipid biosynthesis. PMID:26831115

  8. Structural Basis for Streptogramin B Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus by Virginiamycin B Lyase

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

    Korczynska,M.; Mukhtar, T.; Wright, G.

    2007-01-01

    The streptogramin combination therapy of quinupristin-dalfopristin (Synercid) is used to treat infections caused by bacterial pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. However, the effectiveness of this therapy is being compromised because of an increased incidence of streptogramin resistance. One of the clinically observed mechanisms of resistance is enzymatic inactivation of the type B streptogramins, such as quinupristin, by a streptogramin B lyase, i.e., virginiamycin B lyase (Vgb). The enzyme catalyzes the linearization of the cyclic antibiotic via a cleavage that requires a divalent metal ion. Here, we present crystal structures of Vgb from S. aureus inmore » its apoenzyme form and in complex with quinupristin and Mg{sup 2+} at 1.65- and 2.8-{angstrom} resolution, respectively. The fold of the enzyme is that of a seven-bladed {beta}-propeller, although the sequence reveals no similarity to other known members of this structural family. Quinupristin binds to a large depression on the surface of the enzyme, where it predominantly forms van der Waals interactions. Validated by site-directed mutagenesis studies, a reaction mechanism is proposed in which the initial abstraction of a proton is facilitated by a Mg{sup 2+}-linked conjugated system. Analysis of the Vgb-quinupristin structure and comparison with the complex between quinupristin and its natural target, the 50S ribosomal subunit, reveals features that can be exploited for developing streptogramins that are impervious to Vgb-mediated resistance.« less

  9. Genome-wide characterization of the Pectate Lyase-like (PLL) genes in Brassica rapa.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jingjing; Yao, Lina; Miao, Ying; Cao, Jiashu

    2013-11-01

    Pectate lyases (PL) depolymerize demethylated pectin (pectate, EC 4.2.2.2) by catalyzing the eliminative cleavage of α-1,4-glycosidic linked galacturonan. Pectate Lyase-like (PLL) genes are one of the largest and most complex families in plants. However, studies on the phylogeny, gene structure, and expression of PLL genes are limited. To understand the potential functions of PLL genes in plants, we characterized their intron-exon structure, phylogenetic relationships, and protein structures, and measured their expression patterns in various tissues, specifically the reproductive tissues in Brassica rapa. Sequence alignments revealed two characteristic motifs in PLL genes. The chromosome location analysis indicated that 18 of the 46 PLL genes were located in the least fractionated sub-genome (LF) of B. rapa, while 16 were located in the medium fractionated sub-genome (MF1) and 12 in the more fractionated sub-genome (MF2). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that BrPLL genes were expressed in various tissues, with most of them being expressed in flowers. Detailed qRT-PCR analysis identified 11 pollen specific PLL genes and several other genes with unique spatial expression patterns. In addition, some duplicated genes showed similar expression patterns. The phylogenetic analysis identified three PLL gene subfamilies in plants, among which subfamily II might have evolved from gene neofunctionalization or subfunctionalization. Therefore, this study opens the possibility for exploring the roles of PLL genes during plant development.

  10. LDL-cholesterol reduction in patients with hypercholesterolemia by modulation of adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase.

    PubMed

    Filippov, Sergey; Pinkosky, Stephen L; Newton, Roger S

    2014-08-01

    To review the profile of ETC-1002, as shown in preclinical and clinical studies, including LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering activity and beneficial effects on other cardiometabolic risk markers as they relate to the inhibition of adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase and the activation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase. ETC-1002 is an adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase inhibitor/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase activator currently in Phase 2b clinical development. In seven Phase 1 and Phase 2a clinical studies, ETC-1002 dosed once daily for 2-12 weeks has lowered LDL-C and reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein by up to 40%, with neutral to positive effects on glucose levels, blood pressure, and body weight. Importantly, use of ETC-1002 in statin-intolerant patients has shown statin-like lowering of LDL-C without the muscle pain and weakness responsible for discontinuation of statin use by many patients. ETC-1002 has also been shown to produce an incremental benefit, lowering LDL-C as an add-on therapy to a low-dose statin. In over 300 individuals in studies of up to 12 weeks, ETC-1002 has been well tolerated with no serious adverse effects. Because adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase play central roles in regulating lipid and glucose metabolism, pharmacological modulation of these two enzymes could provide an important therapeutic alternative for statin-intolerant patients with hypercholesterolemia.

  11. Conserved water-mediated H-bonding dynamics of catalytic Asn 175 in plant thiol protease.

    PubMed

    Nandi, Tapas K; Bairagya, Hridoy R; Mukhopadhyay, Bishnu P; Sekar, K; Sukul, Dipankar; Bera, Asim K

    2009-03-01

    The role of invariant water molecules in the activity of plant cysteine protease is ubiquitous in nature. On analysing the 11 different Protein DataBank (PDB) structures of plant thiol proteases, the two invariant water molecules W1 and W2 (W220 and W222 in the template 1PPN structure) were observed to form H-bonds with the O b atom of Asn 175. Extensive energy minimization and molecular dynamics simulation studies up to 2 ns on all the PDB and solvated structures clearly revealed the involvement of the H-bonding association of the two water molecules in fixing the orientation of the asparagine residue of the catalytic triad. From this study,it is suggested that H-bonding of the water molecule at the W1 invariant site better stabilizes the Asn residue at the active site of the catalytic triad.

  12. Molecular variability and evolution of the pectate lyase (pel-2) parasitism gene in cyst nematodes parasitizing different solanaceous plants.

    PubMed

    Geric Stare, Barbara; Fouville, Didier; Širca, Saša; Gallot, Aurore; Urek, Gregor; Grenier, Eric

    2011-02-01

    While pectate lyases are major parasitism factors in plant-parasitic nematodes, there is little information on the variability of these genes within species and their utility as pathotype or host range molecular markers. We have analysed polymorphisms of pectate lyase 2 (pel-2) gene, which degrades the unesterified polygalacturonate (pectate) of the host cell-wall, in the genus Globodera. Molecular variability of the pel-2 gene and the predicted protein was evaluated in populations of G. rostochiensis, G. pallida, G. "mexicana" and G. tabacum. Seventy eight pel-2 sequences were obtained and aligned. Point mutations were observed at 373 positions, 57% of these affect the coding part of the gene and produce 129 aa replacements. The observed polymorphism does not correlate either to the pathotypes proposed in potato cyst nematodes (PCN) or the subspecies described in tobacco cyst nematodes. The trees reveal a topology different from the admitted species topology as G. rostochiensis and G. pallida sequences are more similar to each other than to G. tabacum. Species-specific sites, potentially applicable for identification, and sites distinguishing PCN from tobacco cyst nematodes, were identified. As both G. rostochiensis and G. pallida display the same host range, but distinct from G. tabacum, which cannot parasitize potato plants, it is tempting to speculate that pel-2 genes polymorphism may be implicated in this adaptation, a view supported by the fact that no active pectate lyase 2 was found in G. "mexicana", a close relative of G. pallida that is unable to develop on cultivated potato varieties.

  13. Improvement of expression level of polysaccharide lyases with new tag GAPDH in E. coli.

    PubMed

    Chen, Zhenya; Li, Ye; Sun, Xinxiao; Yuan, Qipeng

    2016-10-20

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) is widely used to express a variety of heterologous proteins. Efforts have been made to enhance the expression level of the desired protein. However, problems still exist to regulate the level of protein expression and therefore, new strategies are needed to overcome those issues. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) which is properly expressed in E. coli might play a leading role and increase the expression levels of the target proteins. In this study, GAPDH was fused with a target enzyme, ChSase ABC I, an endoeliminase and polysaceharide lyase. Our results confirmed this hypothesis and indicated that GAPDH boosted the expression level of ChSase ABC I with an increase of 2.25 times, while the enzymatic activity with an increase of 2.99 times. The hypothesis were also supported by RT-PCR study and GAPDH was more effective in enhancing the expression level and enzymatic activity as compared to MBP, which is commonly used as fused tag and can improve the soluble expression of target protein. addition, the expression level and enzymatic activity of other polysaceharide lyases were also improved in the presence of GAPDH. The findings of this study prove that GAPDH has a strong effect on enhancing the expression level and enzymatic activity of the target proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Utilization of Glyphosate as Phosphate Source: Biochemistry and Genetics of Bacterial Carbon-Phosphorus Lyase

    PubMed Central

    Zechel, David L.; Jochimsen, Bjarne

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY After several decades of use of glyphosate, the active ingredient in weed killers such as Roundup, in fields, forests, and gardens, the biochemical pathway of transformation of glyphosate phosphorus to a useful phosphorus source for microorganisms has been disclosed. Glyphosate is a member of a large group of chemicals, phosphonic acids or phosphonates, which are characterized by a carbon-phosphorus bond. This is in contrast to the general phosphorus compounds utilized and metabolized by microorganisms. Here phosphorus is found as phosphoric acid or phosphate ion, phosphoric acid esters, or phosphoric acid anhydrides. The latter compounds contain phosphorus that is bound only to oxygen. Hydrolytic, oxidative, and radical-based mechanisms for carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage have been described. This review deals with the radical-based mechanism employed by the carbon-phosphorus lyase of the carbon-phosphorus lyase pathway, which involves reactions for activation of phosphonate, carbon-phosphorus bond cleavage, and further chemical transformation before a useful phosphate ion is generated in a series of seven or eight enzyme-catalyzed reactions. The phn genes, encoding the enzymes for this pathway, are widespread among bacterial species. The processes are described with emphasis on glyphosate as a substrate. Additionally, the catabolism of glyphosate is intimately connected with that of aminomethylphosphonate, which is also treated in this review. Results of physiological and genetic analyses are combined with those of bioinformatics analyses. PMID:24600043

  15. Expression and Properties of the Highly Alkalophilic Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase of Thermophilic Rubrobacter xylanophilus

    PubMed Central

    Kovács, Klaudia; Bánóczi, Gergely; Varga, Andrea; Szabó, Izabella; Holczinger, András; Hornyánszky, Gábor; Zagyva, Imre

    2014-01-01

    The sequence of a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL; EC: 4.3.1.24) of the thermophilic and radiotolerant bacterium Rubrobacter xylanophilus (RxPAL) was identified by screening the genomes of bacteria for members of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase family. A synthetic gene encoding the RxPAL protein was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli TOP 10 in a soluble form with an N-terminal His6-tag and the recombinant RxPAL protein was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The activity assay of RxPAL with l-phenylalanine at various pH values exhibited a local maximum at pH 8.5 and a global maximum at pH 11.5. Circular dichroism (CD) studies showed that RxPAL is associated with an extensive α-helical character (far UV CD) and two distinctive near-UV CD peaks. These structural characteristics were well preserved up to pH 11.0. The extremely high pH optimum of RxPAL can be rationalized by a three-dimensional homology model indicating possible disulfide bridges, extensive salt-bridge formation and an excess of negative electrostatic potential on the surface. Due to these properties, RxPAL may be a candidate as biocatalyst in synthetic biotransformations leading to unnatural l- or d-amino acids or as therapeutic enzyme in treatment of phenylketonuria or leukemia. PMID:24475062

  16. Evaluation of the hydroxynitrile lyase activity in cell cultures of capulin (Prunus serotina).

    PubMed

    Hernández, Liliana; Luna, Héctor; Navarro-Ocaña, Arturo; Olivera-Flores, Ma Teresa de Jesús; Ayala, Ivon

    2008-07-01

    Enzymatic preparations obtained from young plants and cell cultures of capulin were screened for hydroxynitrile lyase activity. The three week old plants, grown under sterile conditions, were used to establish a solid cell culture. Crude preparations obtained from this plant material were evaluated for the transformation of benzaldehyde to the corresponding cyanohydrin (mandelonitrile). The results show that the crude material from roots, stalks, and leaves of young plants and calli of roots, stalks, internodes and petioles biocatalyzed the addition of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) to benzaldehyde with a modest to excellent enantioselectivity.

  17. A new ursane triterpene from Monochaetum vulcanicum that inhibits DNA polymerase beta lyase.

    PubMed

    Chaturvedula, V S Prakash; Gao, Zhijie; Jones, Shannon H; Feng, Xizhi; Hecht, Sidney M; Kingston, David G I

    2004-05-01

    Bioassay-directed fractionation of a butanone extract of Monochaetum vulcanicum resulted in the isolation of a new triterpene (1) and four known compounds, ursolic acid (2), 2alpha-hydroxyursolic acid (3), 3-(p-coumaroyl)ursolic acid (4), and beta-sitosteryl-beta-d-galactoside (5). The structure of the new compound 1 was established as 3beta-acetoxy-2alpha-hydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic interpretation and chemical derivatization. Compounds 1-3 and 5 exhibited polymerase beta lyase activity.

  18. Abundance and Genetic Diversity of Microbial Polygalacturonase and Pectate Lyase in the Sheep Rumen Ecosystem

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yaru; Luo, Huiying; Huang, Huoqing; Shi, Pengjun; Bai, Yingguo; Yang, Peilong; Yao, Bin

    2012-01-01

    Background Efficient degradation of pectin in the rumen is necessary for plant-based feed utilization. The objective of this study was to characterize the diversity, abundance, and functions of pectinases from microorganisms in the sheep rumen. Methodology/Principal Findings A total of 103 unique fragments of polygalacturonase (PF00295) and pectate lyase (PF00544 and PF09492) genes were retrieved from microbial DNA in the rumen of a Small Tail Han sheep, and 66% of the sequences of these fragments had low identities (<65%) with known sequences. Phylogenetic tree building separated the PF00295, PF00544, and PF09492 sequences into five, three, and three clades, respectively. Cellulolytic and noncellulolytic Butyrivibrio, Prevotella, and Fibrobacter species were the major sources of the pectinases. The two most abundant pectate lyase genes were cloned, and their protein products, expressed in Escherichia coli, were characterized. Both enzymes probably act extracellularly as their nucleotide sequences contained signal sequences, and they had optimal activities at the ruminal physiological temperature and complementary pH-dependent activity profiles. Conclusion/Significance This study reveals the specificity, diversity, and abundance of pectinases in the rumen ecosystem and provides two additional ruminal pectinases for potential industrial use under physiological conditions. PMID:22815874

  19. The Chemical Basis of Thiol Addition to Nitro-conjugated Linoleic Acid, a Protective Cell-signaling Lipid*♦

    PubMed Central

    Turell, Lucía; Vitturi, Darío A.; Coitiño, E. Laura; Lebrato, Lourdes; Möller, Matías N.; Sagasti, Camila; Salvatore, Sonia R.; Woodcock, Steven R.; Alvarez, Beatriz; Schopfer, Francisco J.

    2017-01-01

    Nitroalkene fatty acids are formed in vivo and exert protective and anti-inflammatory effects via reversible Michael addition to thiol-containing proteins in key signaling pathways. Nitro-conjugated linoleic acid (NO2-CLA) is preferentially formed, constitutes the most abundant nitrated fatty acid in humans, and contains two carbons that could potentially react with thiols, modulating signaling actions and levels. In this work, we examined the reactions of NO2-CLA with low molecular weight thiols (glutathione, cysteine, homocysteine, cysteinylglycine, and β-mercaptoethanol) and human serum albumin. Reactions followed reversible biphasic kinetics, consistent with the presence of two electrophilic centers in NO2-CLA located on the β- and δ-carbons with respect to the nitro group. The differential reactivity was confirmed by computational modeling of the electronic structure. The rates (kon and koff) and equilibrium constants for both reactions were determined for different thiols. LC-UV-Visible and LC-MS analyses showed that the fast reaction corresponds to β-adduct formation (the kinetic product), while the slow reaction corresponds to the formation of the δ-adduct (the thermodynamic product). The pH dependence of the rate constants, the correlation between intrinsic reactivity and thiol pKa, and the absence of deuterium solvent kinetic isotope effects suggested stepwise mechanisms with thiolate attack on NO2-CLA as rate-controlling step. Computational modeling supported the mechanism and revealed additional features of the transition states, anionic intermediates, and final neutral products. Importantly, the detection of cysteine-δ-adducts in human urine provided evidence for the biological relevance of this reaction. Finally, human serum albumin was found to bind NO2-CLA both non-covalently and to form covalent adducts at Cys-34, suggesting potential modes for systemic distribution. These results provide new insights into the chemical basis of NO2-CLA

  20. Amphiphilic silicone architectures via anaerobic thiol-ene chemistry.

    PubMed

    Keddie, Daniel J; Grande, John B; Gonzaga, Ferdinand; Brook, Michael A; Dargaville, Tim R

    2011-11-18

    Despite broad application, few silicone-based surfactants of known structure or, therefore, surfactancy have been prepared because of an absence of selective routes and instability of silicones to acid and base. Herein the synthesis of a library of explicit silicone-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) materials is reported. Pure silicone fragments were generated by the B(C(6)F(5))(3)-catalyzed condensation of alkoxysilanes and vinyl-functionalized hydrosilanes. The resulting pure products were coupled to thiol-terminated PEG materials using photogenerated radicals under anaerobic conditions.

  1. Enhancing Electrophoretic Display Lifetime: Thiol-Polybutadiene Evaporation Barrier Property Response to Network Microstructure

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

    Cook, Caitlyn Christian

    An evaporation barrier is required to enhance the lifetime of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) displays. As EPD functions on the basis of reversible deposition and resuspension of colloids suspended in a solvent, evaporation of the solvent ultimately leads to device failure. Incorporation of a thiol-polybutadiene elastomer into EPD displays enabled display lifetime surpassing six months in counting and catalyzed rigid display transition into a flexible package. Final flexible display transition to mass production compels an electronic-ink approach to encapsulate display suspension within an elastomer shell. Final thiol-polybutadiene photosensitive resin network microstructure was idealized to be dense, homogeneous, and expose an elasticmore » response to deformation. Research at hand details an approach to understanding microstructural change within display elastomers. Polybutadiene-based resin properties are modified via polymer chain structure, with and without added aromatic urethane methacrylate difunctionality, and in measuring network response to variation in thiol and initiator concentration. Dynamic mechanical analysis results signify that cross-linked segments within a difunctionalized polybutadiene network were on average eight times more elastically active than that of linked segments within a non-functionalized polybutadiene network. Difunctionalized polybutadiene samples also showed a 2.5 times greater maximum elastic modulus than non-functionalized samples. Hybrid polymer composed of both polybutadiene chains encompassed TE-2000 stiffness and B-1000 elasticity for use in encapsulating display suspension. Later experiments measured kinetic and rheological response due to alteration in dithiol cross-linker chain length via real time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and real-time dynamic rheology. Distinct differences were discovered between dithiol resin systems, as maximum thiol conversion achieved in short and long chain length dithiols was

  2. Heat- and light-induced thiol-ene oligomerization of soybean oil-based polymercaptan

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Polymercaptanized soybean oil (PMSO), the product of a thiol-ene reaction between soybean oil and hydrogen sulfide, is a material of interest as a lubricant additive and polymer precursor. We investigated with gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance (one-dimensional and two-dimensi...

  3. Superhydrophobic and Slippery Lubricant-Infused Flexible Transparent Nanocellulose Films by Photoinduced Thiol-Ene Functionalization.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jiaqi; Fang, Wenwen; Welle, Alexander; Feng, Wenqian; Filpponen, Ilari; Rojas, Orlando J; Levkin, Pavel A

    2016-12-14

    Films comprising nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) are suitable substrates for flexible devices in analytical, sensor, diagnostic, and display technologies. However, some major challenges in such developments include their high moisture sensitivity and the complexity of current methods available for functionalization and patterning. In this work, we present a facile process for tailoring the surface wettability and functionality of NFC films by a fast and versatile approach. First, the NFC films were coated with a layer of reactive nanoporous silicone nanofilament by polycondensation of trichlorovinylsilane (TCVS). The TCVS afforded reactive vinyl groups, thereby enabling simple UV-induced functionalization of NFC films with various thiol-containing molecules via the photo "click" thiol-ene reaction. Modification with perfluoroalkyl thiols resulted in robust superhydrophobic surfaces, which could then be further transformed into transparent slippery lubricant-infused NFC films that displayed repellency against both aqueous and organic liquids with surface tensions as low as 18 mN·m -1 . Finally, transparent and flexible NFC films incorporated hydrophilic micropatterns by modification with OH, NH 2 , or COOH surface groups, enabling space-resolved superhydrophobic-hydrophilic domains. Flexibility, transparency, patternability, and perfect superhydrophobicity of the produced nanocellulose substrates warrants their application in biosensing, display protection, and biomedical and diagnostics devices.

  4. Drug interactions with potential rubber closure extractables. Identification of thiol-disulfide exchange reaction products of captopril and thiurams.

    PubMed

    Corredor, Claudia; Tomasella, Frank P; Young, Joel

    2009-01-02

    Mixtures of thiuram disulfides are frequently used as accelerators in rubber stoppers for injectables and sterilized powders for injection. Rapid reactions of thiuram disulfides between themselves and with thiols yield mixed disulfides due to thiol-disulfide exchange. The possibility of exchange reactions of thiuram disulfides extracted from rubber stoppers and drug products containing pendant thiol groups have not been reported in the analysis of potential stopper extractables. In this paper we report the formation and identification of mixed thiuram disulfides of N,N,N',N'-dimethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD), N,N,N',N'-dibutylthiuram disulfide (TBTD), and captopril (a thiol-containing drug). A reversed-phase HPLC method was developed for the determination of TMTD, TBTD, captopril and their disulfides in aqueous vehicles, using a YMC ODS AQ column at 35 degrees C and mobile phases A and B consisting of acetonitrile:water:trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) (20:80:0.1) and acetonitrile:TFA (100:0.1), respectively. The captopril-TBTD and captopril-TMTD disulfides were identified by MS, with molecular ions at m/z 420.9 and m/z of 337.1, respectively. Possible structures for the fragment ions in the spectra are provided. Mixed captopril-thiuram formation was studied as a function of pH. Captopril-TMTD formation was enhanced at pH 6.0, reaching a maximum of 31.3% in 4.1h. At pH 4.0 and 2.2, the mixed captopril adduct product was still detected in solution after 20h. The impact of the formation of mixed disulfide products of thiol-containing drugs with thiurams in the HPLC profile of extractables and leachables studies is discussed.

  5. Chemical groups and structural characterization of lignin via thiol-mediated demethylation

    Treesearch

    Lihong Hu; Hui Pan; Yonghong Zhou; Chung-Yun Hse; Chengguo Liu; Baofang Zhang; Bin Xu

    2014-01-01

    A new approach to increase the reactivity of lignin by thiol-mediated demethylation was investigated in this study. Demethylated lignin was characterized by the changes in its hydroxyl and methoxyl groups, molecular weight, and other properties using titration and spectroscopy methods including FT-IR, 1H NMR, UV,and GPC. The total...

  6. Iron and thiols as two major players in carcinogenesis: friends or foes?

    PubMed

    Toyokuni, Shinya

    2014-01-01

    Iron is the most abundant metal in the human body and mainly works as a cofactor for proteins such as hemoglobin and various enzymes. No independent life forms on earth can survive without iron. However, excess iron is intimately associated with carcinogenesis by increasing oxidative stress via its catalytic activity to generate hydroxyl radicals. Biomolecules with redox-active sulfhydryl function(s) (thiol compounds) are necessary for the maintenance of mildly reductive cellular environments to counteract oxidative stress, and for the execution of redox reactions for metabolism and detoxification. Involvement of glutathione S-transferase and thioredoxin has long attracted the attention of cancer researchers. Here, I update recent findings on the involvement of iron and thiol compounds during carcinogenesis and in cancer cells. It is now recognized that the cystine/glutamate transporter (antiporter) is intimately associated with ferroptosis, an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic form of cell death, observed in cancer cells, and also with cancer stem cells; the former with transporter blockage but the latter with its stabilization. Excess iron in the presence of oxygen appears the most common known mutagen. Ironically, the persistent activation of antioxidant systems via genetic alterations in Nrf2 and Keap1 also contributes to carcinogenesis. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude the role of iron and thiol compounds as friends or foes, which depends on the quantity/distribution and induction/flexibility, respectively. Avoiding further mutation would be the most helpful strategy for cancer prevention, and myriad of efforts are being made to sort out the weaknesses of cancer cells.

  7. Comparative distribution of sulphur, thiols and disulphides in the porcine stratum corneum.

    PubMed

    Meyer, W; Zschemisch, N H; Lehmann, H; Busche, R; Kunz, U

    2005-01-01

    Biochemical, histochemical and cytochemical analyses were used to determine the sulphur contents and the thiol and disulphide distribution in the stratum corneum (SC) of the wild boar (WB), a large domestic pig breed (DP) and the Goettingen miniature pig (GMP). The sulphur contents (% DW) were different in the three animal types (WB: 1.70-1.38 body, 0.54 ear; DP: 0.84-0.53 body, 0.50 ear; GMP: 2.28-2.51 body, 2.66 ear). The results of the histochemical analysis of SH- and -S-S- groups were clear, and densitometrical extinctions were highest in most body regions of the GMP for thiols and disulphides, followed by the DP for thiols, and the WB for disulphides. Absolute SC thickness was highest in the body of the GMP (62-80 mum), and generally lowest in the ear (20-38 mum) of all animal types. Relative SC thickness was the same for all animals in the body (40-66%), but lower in the ear (30%). Only -S-S- concentrations were correlated with SC thickness, and primarily in the GMP. Cytochemical analysis showed that high sulphur concentrations were obvious particularly in the CCE of corneal cells in the DP, as compared to the cytoplasm. Intracellular sulphur distribution was homogenous in the WB, and in the GMP, although in the latter at a higher concentration level. The results indicate breed-related effects on keratinisation in porcine corneal cells. Only the SC of the outer side of the ear of DP females is recommended as a model for humans.

  8. UHPLC-MS/MS determination of varietal thiol precursors in Sauvignon Blanc grapes.

    PubMed

    Vanzo, Andreja; Janeš, Lucija; Požgan, Franc; Velikonja Bolta, Špela; Sivilotti, Paolo; Lisjak, Klemen

    2017-10-13

    Varietal thiol precursors in grapes are subject to metabolic changes during post-harvest treatments. Metabolic activity should therefore be limited after sampling to understand their biosynthesis in the berry and genetic regulation. In this study, berries were frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately after harvesting, transported in dry ice, stored briefly at -80 °C, cryo-milled and extracted without being thawed in cold methanol in a ratio of 1:4 (w/v). A UHPLC-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of the thiol precursors 3-S-glutathionylhexan-1-ol (G3MH), 3-S-cysteinylhexan-1-ol (Cys3MH), 4-S-glutathionyl-4-methylpentan-2-one (G4MMP) and 4-S-cysteinyl-4-methylpentan-2-one (Cys4MMP), glutathione, oxidized glutathione and L-methionine in grapes was developed. Reference material was provided through synthesis of precursors and their deuterium labelled analogues. The average thiol precursor content in grapes in 2013-15 was in the range 8-16 μg kg -1 for G3MH, 1-6 μg kg -1 for Cys3MH, 1-4 μg kg -1 for Cys4MMP and 0.3 μg kg -1 for G4MMP. In 2013 and 2014, the highest precursor content in mature Sauvignon Blanc grapes from vineyards located in Italy regarded G3MH, followed by Cys3MH, Cys4MMP and G4MMP. In 2015, G3MH was again the most abundant precursor, but followed by Cys4MMP, Cys3MH and G4MMP.

  9. Highly Reactive Thiol-Norbornene Photo-Click Hydrogels: Toward Improved Processability.

    PubMed

    Van Hoorick, Jasper; Gruber, Peter; Markovic, Marica; Rollot, Mélanie; Graulus, Geert-Jan; Vagenende, Maxime; Tromayer, Maximilian; Van Erps, Jürgen; Thienpont, Hugo; Martins, José C; Baudis, Stefan; Ovsianikov, Aleksandr; Dubruel, Peter; Van Vlierberghe, Sandra

    2018-06-10

    In the present work, gelatin type B is modified with highly reactive norbornene functionalities (Gel-NB) following a one-pot synthesis approach to enable subsequent thiol-ene photo-click crosslinking. The modification strategy displays close control over the amount of introduced functionalities. Additionally, Gel-NB exhibits considerably improved processing capabilities in terms of two-photon polymerization when benchmarked to earlier-reported crosslinkable gelatin derivatives (e.g., gelatin-methacrylamide (Gel-MOD) and gelatin-methacrylamide-aminoethylmethacrylate (Gel-MOD-AEMA)). The improvement is especially apparent in terms of minimally required laser power (20 mW vs ≥60 mW (Gel-MOD) vs ≥40 mW (Gel-MOD-AEMA) at 100 mm s -1 scan speed) and processable concentration range (≥5 w/v% vs ≥10 w/v% (Gel-MOD/Gel-MOD-AEMA)). Furthermore, the proposed functionalization scheme maintains the excellent biocompatibility and cell interactivity of gelatin. Additionally, the norbornene functionalities have potential for straightforward postprocessing "thiol-ene" surface grafting of active molecules. As a consequence, a very promising material toward tissue engineering applications and more specifically, biofabrication, is presented. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Evaluation of Dynamic Disulphide/Thiol Homeostasis in Silica Exposed Workers

    PubMed Central

    Gündüzöz, Meşide; Bal, Ceylan; Büyükşekerci, Murat; Neşelioğlu, Salim; Nadir Öziş, Türkan; İritaş, Servet; Kara, Halil; Erel, Özcan

    2017-01-01

    Background: Oxidative stress is implicated as one of the main molecular mechanism underlying silicosis. Aims: In this study, our aim was to asses the redox status in occupationally silica-exposed workers, by evaluating the dynamic thiol-disulphide homeostasis. Study Design: Case-control study. Methods: Thirty-six male workers occupationally exposed to silica particles and 30 healthy volunteers, working as office workers were included to the study. Posteroanterior chest radiographs and pulmonary function tests of both groups were evaluated. Also serum thiol disulphide levels were measured using the spectrophotometric method described by Erel and Neşelioğlu. Results: Among the 36 workers that underwent pulmonary function tests 6 (17%) had obstructive, 7 (19%) had restrictive, 6 (17%) had obstructive and restrictive signs whereas 17 (47%) had no signs. The mean PFTs results of silica-exposed workers were significantly lower than control subjects. The serum disulphide levels of silica-exposed workers were significantly higher than control subjects (23.84±5.89 μmol/L and 21.18±3.44 μmol/L, respectively p=0.02). Conclusion: The serum disulphide levels, a biomarker of oxidative stress, are found to be higher in silica-exposed workers. PMID:28418335

  11. Mechanistic investigation of the formation of H2 from HCOOH with a dinuclear Ru model complex for formate hydrogen lyase.

    PubMed

    Tokunaga, Taisuke; Yatabe, Takeshi; Matsumoto, Takahiro; Ando, Tatsuya; Yoon, Ki-Seok; Ogo, Seiji

    2017-01-01

    We report the mechanistic investigation of catalytic H 2 evolution from formic acid in water using a formate-bridged dinuclear Ru complex as a formate hydrogen lyase model. The mechanistic study is based on isotope-labeling experiments involving hydrogen isotope exchange reaction.

  12. Copolymers from photochemical thiol-ene polycondensation of fatty dienes with alkyl dithiols

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Photochemical thiol-ene polycondensation of unsaturated monomers based on renewable 9-decenoic acid with various alkyl dithiols readily afforded copolymers in high yield. Monomers were prepared by acid-catalyzed condensation of 9-decenoic acid with diols such as ethylene glycol, 1,2-propylene glycol...

  13. Enhanced cellular uptake of maleimide-modified liposomes via thiol-mediated transport

    PubMed Central

    Li, Tianshu; Takeoka, Shinji

    2014-01-01

    With a small amount of maleimide modification on the liposome surface, enhanced cellular uptake of liposomes and drug-delivery efficiency can be obtained both in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the mechanisms underlying this enhanced cellular uptake. Suppression of the cellular uptake of maleimide-modified liposomes (M-GGLG, composed of 1,5-dihexadecyl N,N-diglutamyl-lysyl-L-glutamate [GGLG]/cholesterol/poly(ethylene glycol) – 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [PEG5000-DSPE]/maleimide [M]-PEG5000-Glu2C18 at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03) caused by temperature block and addition of serum was alleviated compared with that of liposomes without maleimide modification (GGLG liposomes, composed of GGLG/cholesterol/PEG5000-DSPE/PEG5000-Glu2C18 at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03). When 0.01 nM N-ethylmaleimide was used to pre-block cellular thiols, the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes was decreased to approximately 70% in HeLa, HCC1954, MDA-MB-468, and COS-7 cell lines. Moreover, inhibition of a thiol-related reductase such as protein disulfide isomerase resulted in a 15%–45% inhibition of the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes, whereas GGLG liposomes were not influenced. Further, single and mixed inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and macropinocytosis did not efficiently inhibit the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes. Using confocal microscopy, we verified that M-GGLG liposomes were localized partially in lysosomes after inhibition of the mentioned conventional endocytic pathways. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying the enhanced cellular uptake of liposomes by maleimide modification was thiol-mediated membrane trafficking, including endocytosis and energy-independent transport. PMID:24940060

  14. Enhanced cellular uptake of maleimide-modified liposomes via thiol-mediated transport.

    PubMed

    Li, Tianshu; Takeoka, Shinji

    2014-01-01

    With a small amount of maleimide modification on the liposome surface, enhanced cellular uptake of liposomes and drug-delivery efficiency can be obtained both in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we describe the mechanisms underlying this enhanced cellular uptake. Suppression of the cellular uptake of maleimide-modified liposomes (M-GGLG, composed of 1,5-dihexadecyl N,N-diglutamyl-lysyl-L-glutamate [GGLG]/cholesterol/poly(ethylene glycol) - 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine [PEG₅₀₀₀-DSPE]/maleimide [M]-PEG₅₀₀₀-Glu2C18 at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03) caused by temperature block and addition of serum was alleviated compared with that of liposomes without maleimide modification (GGLG liposomes, composed of GGLG/cholesterol/PEG₅₀₀₀-DSPE/PEG₅₀₀₀-Glu2C₁₈ at a molar ratio of 5:5:0.03:0.03). When 0.01 nM N-ethylmaleimide was used to pre-block cellular thiols, the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes was decreased to approximately 70% in HeLa, HCC1954, MDA-MB-468, and COS-7 cell lines. Moreover, inhibition of a thiol-related reductase such as protein disulfide isomerase resulted in a 15%-45% inhibition of the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes, whereas GGLG liposomes were not influenced. Further, single and mixed inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis, caveolae-mediated endocytosis, and macropinocytosis did not efficiently inhibit the cellular uptake of M-GGLG liposomes. Using confocal microscopy, we verified that M-GGLG liposomes were localized partially in lysosomes after inhibition of the mentioned conventional endocytic pathways. Therefore, it was hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying the enhanced cellular uptake of liposomes by maleimide modification was thiol-mediated membrane trafficking, including endocytosis and energy-independent transport.

  15. An excited state intramolecular proton transfer dye based fluorescence turn-on probe for fast detection of thiols and its applications in bioimaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Yun; Xue, Yuanyuan; Li, Haoyang; Zhu, Ruitao; Ren, Yuehong; Shi, Qinghua; Wang, Song; Guo, Wei

    2017-03-01

    In this study, a new fluorescent probe 2-(2‧-hydroxy-5‧-N-maleimide phenyl)-benzothiazole (probe 1), was designed and synthesized by linking the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorophore to the maleimide group for selective detection of thiols in aqueous solution. The fluorescence of probe 1 is strongly quenched by maleimide group through the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) mechanism, but after reaction with thiol, the fluorescence of ESIPT fluorophore is restored, affording a large Stokes shifts. Upon addition of cysteine (Cys), probe 1 exhibited a fast response time (complete within 30 s) and a high signal-to-noise ratio (up to 23-fold). It showed a high selectivity and excellent sensitivity to thiols over other relevant biological species, with a detection limit of 3.78 × 10- 8 M (S/N = 3). Moreover, the probe was successfully applied to the imaging of thiols in living cells.

  16. Confirmation of 1-Phenylethane-1-thiol as the Character Impact Aroma Compound in Curry Leaves and Its Behavior during Tissue Disruption, Drying, and Frying.

    PubMed

    Steinhaus, Martin

    2017-03-15

    The most odor-active compounds previously identified by application of an aroma extract dilution analysis were quantitated in freshly picked curry leaves, either by stable isotope dilution assays in combination with GC-GC-MS or by GC-FID after simultaneous extraction/fractionation. Odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated as ratios of concentrations to odor threshold values. The topmost OAVs were obtained for (3Z)-hex-3-enal (grassy; OAV 180 000), (1S)-1-phenylethane-1-thiol (sulfury, burnt; OAV 150 000), (1R)-1-phenylethane-1-thiol (sulfury, burnt; OAV 120 000), (3R)-linalool (citrusy; OAV 58 000), and myrcene (geranium leaf-like; OAV 23 000). The high OAVs calculated for its enantiomers confirmed 1-phenylethane-1-thiol as character impact compound of the typical sulfury and burnt aroma of curry leaves. The 1-phenylethane-1-thiol concentration in curry leaves decreased upon tissue disruption and drying, as well as upon frying of fresh leaves. By contrast, frying of dried leaves led to an increase of 1-phenylethane-1-thiol, indicating a yet unknown thermolabile precursor.

  17. Advanced functionalization of polyhydroxyalkanoate via the UV-initiated thiol-ene click reaction.

    PubMed

    Tajima, Kenji; Iwamoto, Kosuke; Satoh, Yasuharu; Sakai, Ryosuke; Satoh, Toshifumi; Dairi, Tohru

    2016-05-01

    Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) incorporating vinyl-bearing 3-hydroxyalkanoates were prepared in 8.5-12.9 g L(-1) yield. The molar ratios (0-16 mol%) of the vinyl-bearing 3-hydroxyalkanoate derivatives were controlled by the continuous feeding of undecylenate at various concentrations. Subsequently, the PHAs were functionalized by UV-initiated thiol-ene click reaction and chemical modification. (1)H NMR spectra suggested that 3-mercaptopropionic acid and 2-aminoethanethiol were successfully introduced into the vinyl-bearing PHA. Subsequently, chemical modification using fluorescein or a fibronectin active fragment (GRGDS) was attempted. The former yielded a PHA derivative capable of emitting fluorescence under UV irradiation, which was useful for determining the miscibility of PHA in a composite film comprising poly-ʟ-lactic acid (PLLA) and PHA. In the latter case, PHA bearing GRGDS peptides exhibited cell adhesiveness, suggesting that its biocompatibility was improved upon peptide introduction. Taken together, the UV-initiated thiol-ene click reaction was demonstrated to be useful in PHA modification.

  18. Thiol Modification of Psyllium Husk Mucilage and Evaluation of Its Mucoadhesive Applications

    PubMed Central

    Bhatia, Meenakshi

    2013-01-01

    Thiol functionalization of psyllium was carried out to enhance its mucoadhesive potential. Thiolation of psyllium was achieved by esterification with thioglycolic acid. Thiolation was observed to change the surface morphology of psyllium from fibrous to granular and result in a slight increase in the crystallinity and swelling. Thiolated psyllium was found to contain 3.282 m moles of thiol groups/g of the polymer. Mucoadhesive applications of thiolated psylium were explored by formulating gels using metronidazole as the model drug. On comparative evaluation thiolated psyllium gels showed 3-fold higher mucoadhesive strength than the psyllium gels as determined by modified physical balance using chicken buccal pouch. The results of in vitro release study revealed that thiolated psyllium gels provided a prolonged release of metronidazole. Further, the psyllium and thiolated psyllium gels were found to release the drug following first-order kinetics by combination of polymer relaxation and diffusion through the matrix. PMID:24348147

  19. Novel technological strategies to enhance tropical thiol precursors in winemaking by-products.

    PubMed

    Román Villegas, Tomás; Tonidandel, Loris; Fedrizzi, Bruno; Larcher, Roberto; Nicolini, Giorgio

    2016-09-15

    Grape pomace is a winemaking by-product that can be used to extract oenological tannins. Recently, some grape skin tannins were shown to contain very high amounts of two polyfunctional thiol precursors (3-S-glutathionylhexan-1-ol, 3-S-cysteinylhexan-1-ol) whose free forms are responsible for appreciated tropical-like flavours. This study shows that an oxidative treatment (no SO2) of white grape pomace and the presence of grape leaves and stems can increase the content of the above mentioned precursors. Moreover, it shows significant differences between Sauvignon Blanc, Gewuerztraminer and Mueller-Thurgau grape pomace for the 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol precursors and 4-S-cysteinyl-4-methylpentan-2-one. The grape cultivar is crucial, but the technological ability of enhancing the level of the volatile thiol precursors simply by treating the grape marc in different ways is a promising and powerful tool for the production of potentially flavouring tannins intended for food and beverage industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Differential reactivity of maleimide and bromoacetyl functions with thiols: application to the preparation of liposomal diepitope constructs.

    PubMed

    Schelté, P; Boeckler, C; Frisch, B; Schuber, F

    2000-01-01

    The comparative reactivity of maleimide and bromoacetyl groups with thiols (2-mercaptoethanol, free cysteine, and cysteine residues present at the N-terminus of peptides) was investigated in aqueous media. These studies were performed (i) with water-soluble functionalized model molecules, i.e., polyoxyethylene-based spacer arms that could also be coupled to lipophilic anchors destined to be incorporated into liposomes, and (ii) with small unilamellar liposomes carrying at their surface these thiol-reactive functions. Our results indicate that an important kinetic discrimination (2-3 orders of magnitude in terms of rate constants) can be achieved between the maleimide and bromoacetyl functions when the reactions with thiols are performed at pH 6.5. The bromoacetyl function which reacts at higher pH values (e.g., pH 9.0) retained a high chemoselectivity; i.e., under conditions where it reacted appreciably with the thiols of, e.g., HS-peptides, it did react with other nucleophilic functions such as alpha- and epsilon-amino groups or imidazole, which could also be present in peptides. This differential reactivity was applied to design chemically defined and highly immunogenic liposomal diepitope constructs as synthetic vaccines, i.e., vesicles carrying at their surface two different peptides conjugated each to a specific amphiphilic anchor. This was realized by coupling sequentially at pH 6.5 and 9.0 two HS-peptides to preformed vesicles containing lipophilic anchors functionalized with maleimide and bromoacetyl groups [Boeckler, C., et al. (1999) Eur. J. Immunol. 29, 2297-2308].

  1. Substituted Phosphonic Analogues of Phenylglycine as Inhibitors of Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase from Potatoes.

    PubMed

    Wanat, Weronika; Talma, Michał; Hurek, Józef; Pawełczak, Małgorzata; Kafarski, Paweł

    2018-06-08

    A series of phosphonic acid analogues of phenylglycine variously substituted in phenyl ring have been synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity towards potato L-phenylalanine ammonia lyase. Most of the compounds appeared to act as moderate (micromolar) inhibitors of the enzyme. Analysis of their binding performed using molecular modeling have shown that they might be bound either in active site of the enzyme or in the non-physiologic site. The latter one is located in adjoining deep site nearby the to the entrance channel for substrate into active site. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase enzyme assay using a BODIPY-labeled substrate

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

    Bandhuvula, Padmavathi; Li Zaiguo; Bittman, Robert

    2009-03-06

    Sphingosine 1-phosphate lyase (SPL) is responsible for the irreversible catabolism of sphingosine 1-phosphate, which signals through five membrane receptors to mediate cell stress responses, angiogenesis, and lymphocyte trafficking. The standard assay for SPL activity utilizes a radioactive dihydrosphingosine 1-phosphate substrate and is expensive and cumbersome. In this study, we describe an SPL assay that employs an {omega}-labeled BODIPY-sphingosine 1-phosphate substrate, allowing fluorescent product detection by HPLC and incorporating advantages of the BODIPY fluorophore. The major aldehyde product is confirmed by reaction with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The SPL-catalyzed reaction is linear over a 30 min time period and yields a K{sub m} ofmore » 35 {mu}M for BODIPY-sphingosine 1-phosphate.« less

  3. Dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands as a "working form" of endogenous nitric oxide.

    PubMed

    Vanin, Anatoly F

    2016-04-01

    The material presented herein is an overview of the results obtained by our research team during the many years' study of biological activities and occurrence of dinitrosyl iron complexes (DNIC) with thiol-containing ligands in human and animal organisms. With regard to their dose dependence and vast diversity of biological activities, DNIC are similar to the system of endogenous NO, one of the most universal regulators of biological processes. The role of biologically active components in DNIC is played by their iron-dinitrosyl fragments, [Fe(NO)2], endowed with the ability to generate neutral NO molecules and nitrosonium ions (NO(+)). Their release is effected by heme-and thiol-containing proteins, which fulfill the function of biological targets and acceptors of NO and NO(+). Beneficial regulatory effects of DNIC on physiological and metabolic processes are numerous and diverse and include, among other things, lowering of arterial pressure and accelerated healing of skin wounds. In the course of fast decomposition of their Fe(NO)2 fragments (e.g., in the presence of iron chelators), DNIC produce adverse (cytotoxic) effects, which can best be exemplified by their ability to suppress the development of experimental endometriosis in animals. In animal tissues, DNIC with thiol-containing ligands are predominantly represented by the binuclear form, which, contrary to mononuclear DNIC detectable by the 2.03 signal, is EPR-silent. The ample body of evidence on biological activities and occurrence of DNIC gained so far clearly demonstrates that in human and animal organisms DNIC with thiol-containing ligands represent a "working form" of the system of endogenous NO responsible for its accumulation and stabilization in animal tissues as well as its further transfer to its biological targets. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. REQUIREMENT OF ARGININOSUCCINATE LYASE FOR SYSTEMIC NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION

    PubMed Central

    Erez, Ayelet; Nagamani, Sandesh CS.; Shchelochkov, Oleg A.; Premkumar, Muralidhar H.; Campeau, Philippe M.; Chen, Yuqing; Garg, Harsha K.; Li, Li; Mian, Asad; Bertin, Terry K.; Black, Jennifer O.; Zeng, Heng; Tang, Yaoping; Reddy, Anilkumar K.; Summar, Marshall; O’Brien, William E.; Harrison, David G.; Mitch, William E.; Marini, Juan C.; Aschner, Judy L.; Bryan, Nathan S.; Lee, Brendan

    2012-01-01

    Nitric Oxide (NO) plays a critical role in diverse physiological and pathological processes. We show that a hypomorphic mouse model of argininosuccinate lyase (Asl) deficiency exhibits a distinct phenotype manifest by multi-organ dysfunction and NO deficiency. Loss of Asl leads to reduced NO synthesis due to decreased endogenous arginine synthesis as well as reduced utilization of extracellular arginine for NO production in both humans and mice. Hence, ASL as seen in other species through evolution has a structural function in addition to its catalytic activity. Importantly, therapy with nitrite rescued the tissue autonomous NO deficiency in hypomorphic Asl mice, while a NOS independent NO donor restored NO-dependent vascular reactivity in subjects with ASL deficiency. Our data demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for ASL in NOS function and NO homeostasis. Hence, ASL may serve as a target for manipulating NO production in experimental models, as well as treatment of NO-related diseases. PMID:22081021

  5. TOXICOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHT (REDOX REDUX: A CLOSER LOOK AT CONCEPTAL LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT THIOLS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Glutathione (GSH) is present as the most abundant low molecular weight thiol (LMWT) in virtually all mitochondria-bearing eucaryotic cells, often at millimolar concentrations (Meister, 1988). Functions of GSH include roles in DNA and protein synthesis, maintenance of cell membra...

  6. Effects of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) knockdown on cell wall composition, biomass digestibility, and biotic and abiotic stress responses in Brachypodium

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase (PAL) catalyzes the first step in the phenylpropanoid pathway in plants, controlling biosynthesis of a variety of structural and defense compounds including monolignols that polymerize into lignin. Gaps remain in our understanding of how genetic alterations to this pathwa...

  7. Species-Specific Standard Redox Potential of Thiol-Disulfide Systems: A Key Parameter to Develop Agents against Oxidative Stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirzahosseini, Arash; Noszál, Béla

    2016-11-01

    Microscopic standard redox potential, a new physico-chemical parameter was introduced and determined to quantify thiol-disulfide equilibria of biological significance. The highly composite, codependent acid-base and redox equilibria of thiols could so far be converted into pH-dependent, apparent redox potentials (E’°) only. Since the formation of stable metal-thiolate complexes precludes the direct thiol-disulfide redox potential measurements by usual electrochemical techniques, an indirect method had to be elaborated. In this work, the species-specific, pH-independent standard redox potentials of glutathione were determined primarily by comparing it to 1-methylnicotinamide, the simplest NAD+ analogue. Secondarily, the species-specific standard redox potentials of the two-electron redox transitions of cysteamine, cysteine, homocysteine, penicillamine, and ovothiol were determined using their microscopic redox equilibrium constants with glutathione. The 30 different, microscopic standard redox potential values show close correlation with the respective thiolate basicities and provide sound means for the development of potent agents against oxidative stress.

  8. Labeling Thiols on Proteins, Living Cells, and Tissues with Enhanced Emission Induced by FRET

    PubMed Central

    Yuan, Yue; Wang, Xijun; Mei, Bin; Zhang, Dongxin; Tang, Anming; An, Linna; He, Xiaoxiao; Jiang, Jun; Liang, Gaolin

    2013-01-01

    Using N-(2-Aminoethyl)maleimide-cysteine(StBu) (Mal-Cys) as a medium, protein thiols were converted into N-terminal cysteines. After a biocompatible condensation reaction between the N-terminal cysteine and fluorescent probe 2-cyanobenzothiazole-Gly-Gly-Gly-fluorescein isothiocyanate (CBT-GGG-FITC), a new fluorogenic structure Luciferin-GGG-FITC was obtained. The latter exhibits near one order of magnitude (7 folds) enhanced fluorescence emission compared to the precursor moiety due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect between the newly formed luciferin structure and the FITC motif. Theoretical investigations revealed the underlying mechanism that satisfactorily explained the experimental results. With this method, enhanced fluorescence imaging of thiols on proteins, outer membranes of living cells, translocation of membrane proteins, and endothelial cell layers of small arteries was successfully achieved. PMID:24343586

  9. Labeling Thiols on Proteins, Living Cells, and Tissues with Enhanced Emission Induced by FRET

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yuan, Yue; Wang, Xijun; Mei, Bin; Zhang, Dongxin; Tang, Anming; An, Linna; He, Xiaoxiao; Jiang, Jun; Liang, Gaolin

    2013-12-01

    Using N-(2-Aminoethyl)maleimide-cysteine(StBu) (Mal-Cys) as a medium, protein thiols were converted into N-terminal cysteines. After a biocompatible condensation reaction between the N-terminal cysteine and fluorescent probe 2-cyanobenzothiazole-Gly-Gly-Gly-fluorescein isothiocyanate (CBT-GGG-FITC), a new fluorogenic structure Luciferin-GGG-FITC was obtained. The latter exhibits near one order of magnitude (7 folds) enhanced fluorescence emission compared to the precursor moiety due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect between the newly formed luciferin structure and the FITC motif. Theoretical investigations revealed the underlying mechanism that satisfactorily explained the experimental results. With this method, enhanced fluorescence imaging of thiols on proteins, outer membranes of living cells, translocation of membrane proteins, and endothelial cell layers of small arteries was successfully achieved.

  10. Contact-Engineered Electrical Properties of MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors via Selectively Deposited Thiol-Molecules.

    PubMed

    Cho, Kyungjune; Pak, Jinsu; Kim, Jae-Keun; Kang, Keehoon; Kim, Tae-Young; Shin, Jiwon; Choi, Barbara Yuri; Chung, Seungjun; Lee, Takhee

    2018-05-01

    Although 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) has gained much attention due to its unique electrical and optical properties, the limited electrical contact to 2D semiconductors still impedes the realization of high-performance 2D MoS 2 -based devices. In this regard, many studies have been conducted to improve the carrier-injection properties by inserting functional paths, such as graphene or hexagonal boron nitride, between the electrodes and 2D semiconductors. The reported strategies, however, require relatively time-consuming and low-yield transfer processes on sub-micrometer MoS 2 flakes. Here, a simple contact-engineering method is suggested, introducing chemically adsorbed thiol-molecules as thin tunneling barriers between the metal electrodes and MoS 2 channels. The selectively deposited thiol-molecules via the vapor-deposition process provide additional tunneling paths at the contact regions, improving the carrier-injection properties with lower activation energies in MoS 2 field-effect transistors. Additionally, by inserting thiol-molecules at the only one contact region, asymmetric carrier-injection is feasible depending on the temperature and gate bias. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. A structurally driven analysis of thiol reactivity in mammalian albumins.

    PubMed

    Spiga, Ottavia; Summa, Domenico; Cirri, Simone; Bernini, Andrea; Venditti, Vincenzo; De Chiara, Matteo; Priora, Raffaella; Frosali, Simona; Margaritis, Antonios; Di Giuseppe, Danila; Di Simplicio, Paolo; Niccolai, Neri

    2011-04-01

    Understanding the structural basis of protein redox activity is still an open question. Hence, by using a structural genomics approach, different albumins have been chosen to correlate protein structural features with the corresponding reaction rates of thiol exchange between albumin and disulfide DTNB. Predicted structures of rat, porcine, and bovine albumins have been compared with the experimentally derived human albumin. High structural similarity among these four albumins can be observed, in spite of their markedly different reactivity with DTNB. Sequence alignments offered preliminary hints on the contributions of sequence-specific local environments modulating albumin reactivity. Molecular dynamics simulations performed on experimental and predicted albumin structures reveal that thiolation rates are influenced by hydrogen bonding pattern and stability of the acceptor C34 sulphur atom with donor groups of nearby residues. Atom depth evolution of albumin C34 thiol groups has been monitored during Molecular Dynamic trajectories. The most reactive albumins appeared also the ones presenting the C34 sulphur atom on the protein surface with the highest accessibility. High C34 sulphur atom reactivity in rat and porcine albumins seems to be determined by the presence of additional positively charged amino acid residues favoring both the C34 S⁻ form and the approach of DTNB. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Molecular cloning and characterization of l-methionine γ-lyase from Streptomyces avermitilis.

    PubMed

    Kudou, Daizou; Yasuda, Eri; Hirai, Yoshiyuki; Tamura, Takashi; Inagaki, Kenji

    2015-10-01

    A pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent methionine γ-lyase (MGL) was cloned from Streptomyces avermitilis catalyzed the degradation of methionine to α-ketobutyrate, methanethiol, and ammonia. The sav7062 gene (1,242 bp) was corresponded to 413 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 42,994 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a high degree of similarity to those of other MGL enzymes. The sav7062 gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and exhibited the MGL catalytic activities. We cloned the enzyme that has the MGL activity in Streptomyces for the first time. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Catabolism and Detoxification of 1-Aminoalkylphosphonic Acids: N-Acetylation by the phnO Gene Product

    PubMed Central

    Hove-Jensen, Bjarne; McSorley, Fern R.; Zechel, David L.

    2012-01-01

    In Escherichia coli uptake and catabolism of organophosphonates are governed by the phnCDEFGHIJKLMNOP operon. The phnO cistron is shown to encode aminoalkylphosphonate N-acetyltransferase, which utilizes acetylcoenzyme A as acetyl donor and aminomethylphosphonate, (S)- and (R)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, 2-aminoethyl- and 3-aminopropylphosphonate as acetyl acceptors. Aminomethylphosphonate, (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, 2-aminoethyl- and 3-aminopropylphosphonate are used as phosphate source by E. coli phn+ strains. 2-Aminoethyl- or 3-aminopropylphosphonate but not aminomethylphosphonate or (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate is used as phosphate source by phnO strains. Neither phn+ nor phnO strains can use (R)-1-aminoethylphosphonate as phosphate source. Utilization of aminomethylphosphonate or (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate requires the expression of phnO. In the absence of phnO-expression (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate is bacteriocidal and rescue of phnO strains requires the simultaneous addition of d-alanine and phosphate. An intermediate of the carbon-phosphorus lyase pathway, 5′-phospho-α-d-ribosyl 1′-(2-N-acetamidoethylphosphonate), a substrate for carbon-phosphorus lyase, was found to accumulate in cultures of a phnP mutant strain. The data show that the physiological role of N-acetylation by phnO-specified aminoalkylphosphonate N-acetyltransferase is to detoxify (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate, an analog of d-alanine, and to prepare (S)-1-aminoethylphosphonate and aminomethylphosphonate for utilization of the phosphorus-containing moiety. PMID:23056305

  14. In vitro screening of 50 highly prescribed drugs for thiol adduct formation--comparison of potential for drug-induced toxicity and extent of adduct formation.

    PubMed

    Gan, Jinping; Ruan, Qian; He, Bing; Zhu, Mingshe; Shyu, Wen C; Humphreys, W Griffith

    2009-04-01

    Reactive metabolite formation has been associated with drug-induced liver, skin, and hematopoietic toxicity of many drugs that has resulted in serious clinical toxicity, leading to clinical development failure, black box warnings, or, in some cases, withdrawal from the market. In vitro and in vivo screening for reactive metabolite formation has been proposed and widely adopted in the pharmaceutical industry with the aim of minimizing the property and thus the risk of drug-induced toxicity (DIT). One of the most common screening methods is in vitro thiol trapping of reactive metabolites. Although it is well-documented that many hepatotoxins form thiol adducts, there is no literature describing the adduct formation potential of safer drugs that are widely used. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the thiol adduct formation potential of 50 drugs (10 associated with DIT and 40 not associated) and document apparent differences in adduct formation between toxic and safer drugs. Dansyl glutathione was used as a trapping agent to aid the quantitation of adducts following in vitro incubation of drugs with human liver microsomes in the presence and absence of NADPH. Metabolic turnover of these drugs was also monitored by LC/UV. Overall, 15 out of the 50 drugs screened formed detectable levels of thiol adducts. There were general trends toward more positive findings in the DIT group vs the non-DIT group. These trends became more marked when the relative amount of thiol adducts was taken into account and improved further when dose and total daily reactive metabolite burdens were considered. In conclusion, there appears to be a general trend between the extent of thiol adduct formation and the potential for DIT, which would support the preclinical measurement and minimization of the property through screening of thiol adduct formation as part of an overall discovery optimization paradigm.

  15. Molecular characterization of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria that enhance peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities in chile (Capsicum annuum L.) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.).

    PubMed

    Sharma, Alok; Pathak, Ashutosh; Sahgal, Manvika; Meyer, Jean-Marie; Wray, Victor; Johri, Bhavdish N

    2007-11-01

    Pythium and Phytophthora species are associated with damping-off diseases in vegetable nurseries and reduce seedling stand and yield. In this study, bacterial isolates were selected on the basis of in vitro antagonism potential to inhibit mycelial growth of damping-off pathogens along with plant growth properties for field assessment in wet and winter seasons. We demonstrate efficacy of bacterial isolates to protect chile and tomato plants under natural vegetable nursery and artificially created pathogen-infested (Pythium and Phytophthora spp.) nursery conditions. After 21 days of sowing, chile and tomato plants were harvested and analysed for peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities. Pseudomonas sp. strains FQP PB-3, FQA PB-3 and GRP(3 )were most effective in increasing shoot length (P > 0.05%) in both artificial and natural field sites. For example, Pseudomonas sp. FQA PB-3 treatment increased shoot length by 40% in the artificial Pythium 4746 infested nursery site in chile plants in the wet season. The bacterial treatments significantly increased the activity of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in chile and tomato plant tissues, which are well known as indicators of an active lignification process. Thus, we conclude that treatment with potential bacterial plant growth promoting agents help plants against pathogen invasion by modulating plant peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities.

  16. Mutational analysis of RsrA, a zinc-binding anti-sigma factor with a thiol-disulphide redox switch.

    PubMed

    Paget, M S; Bae, J B; Hahn, M Y; Li, W; Kleanthous, C; Roe, J H; Buttner, M J

    2001-02-01

    In the Gram-positive bacterium, Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), expression of the thioredoxin system is modulated by a sigma factor called sigmaR in response to changes in the cytoplasmic thiol-disulphide status, and the activity of sigmaR is controlled post-translationally by an anti-sigma factor, RsrA. In vitro, the anti-sigma factor activity of RsrA, which contains seven cysteines, correlates with its thiol-disulphide redox status. Here, we investigate the function of RsrA in vivo. A constructed rsrA null mutant had very high constitutive levels of disulphide reductase activity and sigmaR-dependent transcription, confirming that RsrA is a negative regulator of sigmaR and a key sensor of thiol-disulphide status. Targeted mutagenesis revealed that three of the seven cysteines in RsrA (C11, C41 and C44) were essential for anti-sigma factor activity and that a mutant RsrA protein containing only these three cysteines was active and still redox sensitive in vivo. We also show that RsrA is a metalloprotein, containing near-stoichiometric amounts of zinc. On the basis of these data, we propose that a thiol-disulphide redox switch is formed between two of C11, C41 and C44, and that all three residues play an essential role in anti-sigma factor activity in their reduced state, perhaps by acting as ligands for zinc. Unexpectedly, rsrA null mutants were blocked in sporulation, probably as a consequence of an increase in the level of free sigmaR.

  17. Monovalent Cation Activation of the Radical SAM Enzyme Pyruvate Formate-Lyase Activating Enzyme.

    PubMed

    Shisler, Krista A; Hutcheson, Rachel U; Horitani, Masaki; Duschene, Kaitlin S; Crain, Adam V; Byer, Amanda S; Shepard, Eric M; Rasmussen, Ashley; Yang, Jian; Broderick, William E; Vey, Jessica L; Drennan, Catherine L; Hoffman, Brian M; Broderick, Joan B

    2017-08-30

    Pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme (PFL-AE) is a radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) enzyme that installs a catalytically essential glycyl radical on pyruvate formate-lyase. We show that PFL-AE binds a catalytically essential monovalent cation at its active site, yet another parallel with B 12 enzymes, and we characterize this cation site by a combination of structural, biochemical, and spectroscopic approaches. Refinement of the PFL-AE crystal structure reveals Na + as the most likely ion present in the solved structures, and pulsed electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) demonstrates that the same cation site is occupied by 23 Na in the solution state of the as-isolated enzyme. A SAM carboxylate-oxygen is an M + ligand, and EPR and circular dichroism spectroscopies reveal that both the site occupancy and the identity of the cation perturb the electronic properties of the SAM-chelated iron-sulfur cluster. ENDOR studies of the PFL-AE/[ 13 C-methyl]-SAM complex show that the target sulfonium positioning varies with the cation, while the observation of an isotropic hyperfine coupling to the cation by ENDOR measurements establishes its intimate, SAM-mediated interaction with the cluster. This monovalent cation site controls enzyme activity: (i) PFL-AE in the absence of any simple monovalent cations has little-no activity; and (ii) among monocations, going down Group 1 of the periodic table from Li + to Cs + , PFL-AE activity sharply maximizes at K + , with NH 4 + closely matching the efficacy of K + . PFL-AE is thus a type I M + -activated enzyme whose M + controls reactivity by interactions with the cosubstrate, SAM, which is bound to the catalytic iron-sulfur cluster.

  18. A noticeable phenomenon: thiol terminal PEG enhances the immunogenicity of PEGylated emulsions injected intravenously or subcutaneously into rats.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chunling; Cheng, Xiaobo; Sui, Yue; Luo, Xiang; Jiang, Gongping; Wang, Yu; Huang, Zhenjun; She, Zhennan; Deng, Yihui

    2013-11-01

    Repeated intravenous injection of long-circulating methoxy-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-liposomes alters the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the second administration, regarded as the "accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon." Nevertheless, the effect of terminal groups of distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethylene glycol (DSPE-PEG) on the induction of the ABC phenomenon had not been reported previously. In this study, rats were injected intravenously or subcutaneously with PEG coated emulsions (DE) which were prepared using PEG terminated with either the methoxyl (OCH3), hydroxyl (OH), amino (NH2), carboxyl (COOH), or thiol (SH) group. DE-OCH3 demonstrated the longest prolonged half-life in vivo after a single intravenous injection, followed by DE-SH and DE-COOH. In contrast, DE-OH was rapidly removed from the blood circulation, as was DE-NH2. Moreover, we observed a strong positive relationship between the circulation time of initially injected PEGylated emulsions and the extent to which the ABC phenomenon was induced, but a exception of DE-SH increasing the ABC effect. Furthermore, the present study suggested that thiols might stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of B cells to induce the fastest clearance of the second intravenous administration by inducing the synthesis of the cell membrane and cytosolic proteins or reacting with follicular dendritic cells. The results strongly suggested that thiol groups played a stimulatory role in the immune response and provided a considerable implication for multiple drug therapy of thiol groups. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Thiol versus hydroxamate as zinc binding group in HDAC inhibition: An ab initio QM/MM molecular dynamics study.

    PubMed

    Gong, Wenjing; Wu, Ruibo; Zhang, Yingkai

    2015-11-15

    Zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a critical role in transcriptional repression and gene silencing, and are among the most attractive targets for the development of new therapeutics against cancer and various other diseases. Two HDAC inhibitors have been approved by FDA as anti-cancer drugs: one is SAHA whose hydroxamate is directly bound to zinc, the other is FK228 whose active form may use thiol as the zinc binding group. In spite of extensive studies, it remains to be ambiguous regarding how thiol and hydroxamate are bound to the zinc active site of HDACs. In this work, our computational approaches center on Born-Oppenheimer ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics with umbrella sampling, which allow for modeling of the zinc active site with reasonable accuracy while properly including dynamics and effects of protein environment. Meanwhile, an improved short-long effective function (SLEF2) to describe non-bonded interactions between zinc and other atoms has been employed in initial MM equilibrations. Our ab initio QM/MM MD simulations have confirmed that hydroxamate is neutral when it is bound to HDAC8, and found that thiol is deprotonated when directly bound to zinc in the HDAC active site. By comparing thiol and hydroxamate, our results elucidated the differences in their binding environment in the HDAC active sites, and emphasized the importance of the linker design to achieve more specific binding toward class IIa HDACs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Thiol Versus Hydroxamate as Zinc Binding Group In HDAC Inhibition: An Ab Initio QM/MM Molecular Dynamics Study

    PubMed Central

    Gong, Wenjing; Wu, Ruibo; Zhang, Yingkai

    2015-01-01

    Zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a critical role in transcriptional repression and gene silencing, and are among the most attractive targets for the development of new therapeutics against cancer and various other diseases. Two HDAC inhibitors have been approved by FDA as anti-cancer drugs: one is SAHA whose hydroxamate is directly bound to zinc, the other is FK228 whose active form may use thiol as the zinc binding group. In spite of extensive studies, it remains to be ambiguous regarding how thiol and hydroxamate are bound to the zinc active site of HDACs. In this work, our computational approaches center on Born-Oppenheimer ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics with umbrella sampling, which allow for modeling of the zinc active site with reasonable accuracy while properly including dynamics and effects of protein environment. Meanwhile, an improved short-long effective function (SLEF2) to describe non-bonded interactions between zinc and other atoms has been employed in initial MM equilibrations. Our ab initio QM/MM MD simulations have confirmed that hydroxamate is neutral when it is bound to HDAC8, and found that thiol is deprotonated when directly bound to zinc in the HDAC active site. By comparing thiol and hydroxamate, our results elucidated the differences in their binding environment in the HDAC active sites, and emphasized the importance of the linker design to achieve more specific binding towards class IIa HDACs. PMID:26452222

  1. Prebiotic Amino Acid Thioester Synthesis: Thiol-Dependent Amino Acid Synthesis from Formose substrates (Formaldehyde and Glycolaldehyde) and Ammonia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weber, Arthur L.

    1998-01-01

    Formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde (substrates of the formose autocatalytic cycle) were shown to react with ammonia yielding alanine and homoserine under mild aqueous conditions in the presence of thiol catalysts. Since similar reactions carried out without ammonia yielded alpha-hydroxy acid thioesters, the thiol-dependent synthesis of alanine and homoserine is presumed to occur via amino acid thioesters-intermediates capable of forming peptides. A pH 5.2 solution of 20 mM formaldehyde, 20 mM glycolaldehyde, 20 mM ammonium chloride, 23 mM 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and 23 mM acetic acid that reacted for 35 days at 40 C yielded (based on initial formaldehyde) 1.8% alanine and 0.08% homoserine. In the absence of thiol catalyst, the synthesis of alanine and homoserine was negligible. Alanine synthesis required both formaldehyde and glycolaldehyde, but homoserine synthesis required only glycolaldehyde. At 25 days the efficiency of alanine synthesis calculated from the ratio of alanine synthesized to formaldehyde reacted was 2.1%, and the yield (based on initial formaldehyde) of triose and tetrose intermediates involved in alanine and homoserine synthesis was 0.3 and 2.1%, respectively. Alanine synthesis was also seen in similar reactions containing only 10 mM each of aldehyde substrates, ammonia, and thiol. The prebiotic significance of these reactions that use the formose reaction to generate sugar intermediates that are converted to reactive amino acid thioesters is discussed.

  2. Species-Specific Thiol-Disulfide Equilibrium Constant: A Tool To Characterize Redox Transitions of Biological Importance.

    PubMed

    Mirzahosseini, Arash; Somlyay, Máté; Noszál, Béla

    2015-08-13

    Microscopic redox equilibrium constants, a new species-specific type of physicochemical parameters, were introduced and determined to quantify thiol-disulfide equilibria of biological significance. The thiol-disulfide redox equilibria of glutathione with cysteamine, cysteine, and homocysteine were approached from both sides, and the equilibrium mixtures were analyzed by quantitative NMR methods to characterize the highly composite, co-dependent acid-base and redox equilibria. The directly obtained, pH-dependent, conditional constants were then decomposed by a new evaluation method, resulting in pH-independent, microscopic redox equilibrium constants for the first time. The 80 different, microscopic redox equilibrium constant values show close correlation with the respective thiolate basicities and provide sound means for the development of potent agents against oxidative stress.

  3. Fluorescence analysis of 6-mercaptopurine with the use of a nano-composite consisting of BSA-capped Au nano-clusters and core-shell Fe3O4-SiO2 nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhuo; Wang, Yong; Ni, Yongnian; Kokot, Serge

    2015-08-15

    A magnetic and fluorescent nano-composite was prepared. It comprised of a core of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs), a silica shell and satellitic Au nano-clusters (AuNCs) capped with bovine serum albumin (BSA). This nano-composite has many desirable properties, e.g. magnetism, red emission, high water solubility, and high resistance to photo-bleaching. On addition of the analyte, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) or indeed other similar thiols, AuNCs formed aggregates because the existing cross-links within the Fe3O4 NPs@SiO2 and AuNC structure were broken in favor of the gold-thiol bonds. On suitable irradiation of such aggregates, red fluorescence was emitted at 613 nm. It decreased significantly as a function of the added 6-MP concentration, and the quenching ratio (F0 - F) / F0 was related linearly to the concentration of 6-MP in the range of 0.01 to 0.5 μmol L(-1). The detection limit was 0.004 μmol L(-1) (S/N=3). The method was strongly selective for 6-MP in the presence of oxidants, phenols, heavy-metal ions, and especially bio-thiols. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Falsirhodobacter sp. alg1 Harbors Single Homologs of Endo and Exo-Type Alginate Lyases Efficient for Alginate Depolymerization

    PubMed Central

    Takahashi, Mami; Tanaka, Reiji; Miyake, Hideo; Shibata, Toshiyuki; Chow, Seinen; Kuroda, Kouichi; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi; Takeyama, Haruko

    2016-01-01

    Alginate-degrading bacteria play an important role in alginate degradation by harboring highly efficient and unique alginolytic genes. Although the general mechanism for alginate degradation by these bacteria is fairly understood, much is still required to fully exploit them. Here, we report the isolation of a novel strain, Falsirhodobacter sp. alg1, the first report for an alginate-degrading bacterium from the family Rhodobacteraceae. Genome sequencing reveals that strain alg1 harbors a primary alginate degradation pathway with only single homologs of an endo- and exo-type alginate lyase, AlyFRA and AlyFRB, which is uncommon among such bacteria. Subsequent functional analysis showed that both enzymes were extremely efficient to depolymerize alginate suggesting evolutionary interests in the acquirement of these enzymes. The exo-type alginate lyase, AlyFRB in particular could depolymerize alginate without producing intermediate products making it a highly efficient enzyme for the production of 4-deoxy-L-erythro-5-hexoseulose uronic acid (DEH). Based on our findings, we believe that the discovery of Falsirhodobacter sp. alg1 and its alginolytic genes hints at the potentiality of a more diverse and unique population of alginate-degrading bacteria. PMID:27176711

  5. A lysosome-targetable turn-on fluorescent probe for the detection of thiols in living cells based on a 1,8-naphthalimide derivative

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Beibei; Wang, Baiyan; Ma, Qiujuan; Xie, Caixia; Li, Xian; Wang, Suiping

    2018-03-01

    Biological thiols, like cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH), play crucial roles in biological systems and in lysosomal processes. Highly selective probes for detecting biological thiols in lysomes of living cells are rare. In this work, a lysosome-targetable turn-on fluorescent probe for the detection of thiols in living cells was designed and synthesized based on a 1,8-naphthalimide derivative. The probe has a 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine unit as a lysosome-targetable group and an acrylate group as the thiol recognition unit as well as a fluorescence quencher. In the absence of biothiols, the probe displayed weak fluorescence due to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. Upon the addition of biothiols, the probe exhibited an enhanced fluorescence emission centered at 550 nm due to cleavage of the acrylate moiety. The probe had high selectivity toward biothiols. Moreover, the probe features fast response time, excitation in the visible region and ability of working in a wide pH range. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Cys from 1.5 × 10- 7 to 1.0 × 10- 5 mol·L- 1 and the detection limit is 6.9 × 10- 8 mol·L- 1 for Cys. The probe has been successfully applied to the confocal imaging of biothiols in lysosomes of A549 cells with low cell toxicity. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the determination of thiols in a complex multicomponent mixture such as human serum, which suggests our proposed method has great potential for diagnostic purposes. All of such good properties prove it can be used to monitor biothiols in lysosomes of living cells and to be a good fluorescent probe for the selective detection of thiols.

  6. A lysosome-targetable turn-on fluorescent probe for the detection of thiols in living cells based on a 1,8-naphthalimide derivative.

    PubMed

    Liang, Beibei; Wang, Baiyan; Ma, Qiujuan; Xie, Caixia; Li, Xian; Wang, Suiping

    2018-03-05

    Biological thiols, like cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH), play crucial roles in biological systems and in lysosomal processes. Highly selective probes for detecting biological thiols in lysomes of living cells are rare. In this work, a lysosome-targetable turn-on fluorescent probe for the detection of thiols in living cells was designed and synthesized based on a 1,8-naphthalimide derivative. The probe has a 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine unit as a lysosome-targetable group and an acrylate group as the thiol recognition unit as well as a fluorescence quencher. In the absence of biothiols, the probe displayed weak fluorescence due to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. Upon the addition of biothiols, the probe exhibited an enhanced fluorescence emission centered at 550nm due to cleavage of the acrylate moiety. The probe had high selectivity toward biothiols. Moreover, the probe features fast response time, excitation in the visible region and ability of working in a wide pH range. The linear response range covers a concentration range of Cys from 1.5×10 -7 to 1.0×10 -5 mol·L -1 and the detection limit is 6.9×10 -8 mol·L -1 for Cys. The probe has been successfully applied to the confocal imaging of biothiols in lysosomes of A549 cells with low cell toxicity. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the determination of thiols in a complex multicomponent mixture such as human serum, which suggests our proposed method has great potential for diagnostic purposes. All of such good properties prove it can be used to monitor biothiols in lysosomes of living cells and to be a good fluorescent probe for the selective detection of thiols. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Hydrophobic Coatings by Thiol-Ene Click Functionalization of Silsesquioxanes with Tunable Architecture.

    PubMed

    Dirè, Sandra; Bottone, Davide; Callone, Emanuela; Maniglio, Devid; Génois, Isabelle; Ribot, François

    2017-08-08

    The hydrolysis-condensation of trialkoxysilanes under strictly controlled conditions allows the production of silsesquioxanes (SSQs) with tunable size and architecture ranging from ladder to cage-like structures. These nano-objects can serve as building blocks for the preparation of hybrid organic/inorganic materials with selected properties. The SSQs growth can be tuned by simply controlling the reaction duration in the in situ water production route (ISWP), where the kinetics of the esterification reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols rules out the extent of organosilane hydrolysis-condensation. Tunable SSQs with thiol functionalities (SH-NBBs) are suitable for further modification by exploiting the simple thiol-ene click reaction, thus allowing for modifying the wettability properties of derived coatings. In this paper, coatings were prepared from SH-NBBs with different architecture onto cotton fabrics and paper, and further functionalized with long alkyl chains by means of initiator-free UV-induced thiol-ene coupling with 1-decene (C10) and 1-tetradecene (C14). The coatings appeared to homogeneously cover the natural fibers and imparted a multi-scale roughness that was not affected by the click functionalization step. The two-step functionalization of cotton and paper warrants a stable highly hydrophobic character to the surface of natural materials that, in perspective, suggests a possible application in filtration devices for oil-water separation. Furthermore, the purification of SH-NBBs from ISWP by-products was possible during the coating process, and this step allowed for the fast, initiator-free, click-coupling of purified NBBs with C10 and C14 in solution with a nearly quantitative yield. Therefore, this approach is an alternative route to get sol-gel-derived, ladder-like, and cage-like SSQs functionalized with long alkyl chains.

  8. Advantages and drawbacks of Thiol-ene based resins for 3D-printing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leonards, Holger; Engelhardt, Sascha; Hoffmann, Andreas; Pongratz, Ludwig; Schriever, Sascha; Bläsius, Jana; Wehner, Martin; Gillner, Arnold

    2015-03-01

    The technology of 3D printing is conquering the world and awakens the interest of many users in the most varying of applications. New formulation approaches for photo-sensitive thiol-ene resins in combination with various printing technologies, like stereolithography (SLA), projection based printing/digital light processing (DLP) or two-photon polymerization (TPP) are presented. Thiol-ene polymerizations are known for its fast and quantitative reaction and to form highly homogeneous polymer networks. As the resins are locally and temporally photo-curable the polymerization type is very promising for 3D-printing. By using suitable wavelengths, photoinitiator-free fabrication is feasible for single- and two photon induced polymerization. In this paper divinyl ethers of polyethylene glycols in combination with star-shaped tetrathiols were used to design a simple test-system for photo-curable thiol-ene resins. In order to control and improve curing depth and lateral resolution in 3D-polymerization processes, either additives in chemical formulation or process parameters can be changed. The achieved curing depth and resolution limits depend on the applied fabrication method. While two-/multiphoton induced lithography offers the possibility of micron- to sub-micron resolution it lacks in built-up speed. Hence single-photon polymerization is a fast alternative with optimization potential in sub-10-micron resolution. Absorber- and initiator free compositions were developed in order to avoid aging, yellowing and toxicity of resulting products. They can be cured with UV-laser radiation below 300 nm. The development at Fraunhofer ILT is focusing on new applications in the field of medical products and implants, technical products with respect to mechanical properties or optical properties of 3D-printed objects. Recent process results with model system (polyethylene glycol divinylether/ Pentaerithrytol tetrakis (3-mercaptopropionat), Raman measurements of polymer conversion

  9. Thiol-Based Selective Extraction Assay to Comparatively Assess Bioavailable Mercury in Sediments

    PubMed Central

    Ticknor, Jonathan L.; Kucharzyk, Katarzyna H.; Porter, Kaitlyn A.; Deshusses, Marc A.; Hsu-Kim, Heileen

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Bioaccumulation of methylmercury in the aquatic food web is governed in part by the methylation of inorganic divalent mercury (Hg(II)) by anaerobic microorganisms. In sulfidic settings, a small fraction of total Hg(II) is typically bioavailable to methylating microorganisms. Quantification of this fraction is difficult due to uncertainties in the speciation of Hg(II) and the mechanisms of uptake by methylating microbes. However, recent studies have shown that the bioavailable fraction is likely to include a portion of Hg(II) associated with solid phases, that is, nanostructured mercuric sulfides. Moreover, addition of thiols to suspensions of methylating cultures coincides with increased uptake into cells and methylmercury production. Here, we present a thiol-based selective extraction assay to provide information on the bioavailable Hg fraction in sediments. In the procedure, sediment samples were exposed to a nitrogen-purged solution of glutathione (GSH) for 30 min and the amount of GSH-leachable mercury was quantified. In nine sediment samples from a marine location, the relative GSH-leachable mercury concentration was strongly correlated to the relative amount of methylmercury in the sediments (r2=0.91, p<0.0001) across an order of magnitude of methylmercury concentration values. The approach was further applied to anaerobic sediment slurry microcosm experiments in which sediments were cultured under the same microbial growth conditions but were amended with multiple forms of Hg with a known spectrum of bioavailability. GSH-leachable Hg concentrations increased with observed methylmercury concentrations in the microcosms, matching the trend of species bioavailability in our previous work. Results suggest that a thiol-based selective leaching approach is an improvement compared with other proposed methods to assess Hg bioavailability in sediment and that this approach could provide a basis for comparison of sites where Hg methylation is a concern

  10. Catalytic Activity of the Anaerobic Tyrosine Lyase Required for Thiamine Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli*

    PubMed Central

    Challand, Martin R.; Martins, Filipa T.; Roach, Peter L.

    2010-01-01

    Thiazole synthase in Escherichia coli is an αβ heterodimer of ThiG and ThiH. ThiH is a tyrosine lyase that cleaves the Cα–Cβ bond of tyrosine, generating p-cresol as a by-product, to form dehydroglycine. This reactive intermediate acts as one of three substrates for the thiazole cyclization reaction catalyzed by ThiG. ThiH is a radical S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) enzyme that utilizes a [4Fe-4S]+ cluster to reductively cleave AdoMet, forming methionine and a 5′-deoxyadenosyl radical. Analysis of the time-dependent formation of the reaction products 5′-deoxyadenosine (DOA) and p-cresol has demonstrated catalytic behavior of the tyrosine lyase. The kinetics of product formation showed a pre-steady state burst phase, and the involvement of DOA in product inhibition was identified by the addition of 5′-methylthioadenosine/S-adenosylhomocysteine nucleosidase to activity assays. This hydrolyzed the DOA and changed the rate-determining step but, in addition, substantially increased the uncoupled turnover of AdoMet. Addition of glyoxylate and ammonium inhibited the tyrosine cleavage reaction, but the reductive cleavage of AdoMet continued in an uncoupled manner. Tyrosine analogues were incubated with ThiGH, which showed a strong preference for phenolic substrates. 4-Hydroxyphenylpropionic acid analogues allowed uncoupled AdoMet cleavage but did not result in further reaction (Cα–Cβ bond cleavage). The results of the substrate analogue studies and the product inhibition can be explained by a mechanistic hypothesis involving two reaction pathways, a product-forming pathway and a futile cycle. PMID:19923213

  11. A Rice PECTATE LYASE-LIKE Gene Is Required for Plant Growth and Leaf Senescence.

    PubMed

    Leng, Yujia; Yang, Yaolong; Ren, Deyong; Huang, Lichao; Dai, Liping; Wang, Yuqiong; Chen, Long; Tu, Zhengjun; Gao, Yihong; Li, Xueyong; Zhu, Li; Hu, Jiang; Zhang, Guangheng; Gao, Zhenyu; Guo, Longbiao; Kong, Zhaosheng; Lin, Yongjun; Qian, Qian; Zeng, Dali

    2017-06-01

    To better understand the molecular mechanisms behind plant growth and leaf senescence in monocot plants, we identified a mutant exhibiting dwarfism and an early-senescence leaf phenotype, termed dwarf and early-senescence leaf1 ( del1 ). Histological analysis showed that the abnormal growth was caused by a reduction in cell number. Further investigation revealed that the decline in cell number in del1 was affected by the cell cycle. Physiological analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and TUNEL assays showed that leaf senescence was triggered by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The DEL1 gene was cloned using a map-based approach. It was shown to encode a pectate lyase (PEL) precursor that contains a PelC domain. DEL1 contains all the conserved residues of PEL and has strong similarity with plant PelC. DEL1 is expressed in all tissues but predominantly in elongating tissues. Functional analysis revealed that mutation of DEL1 decreased the total PEL enzymatic activity, increased the degree of methylesterified homogalacturonan, and altered the cell wall composition and structure. In addition, transcriptome assay revealed that a set of cell wall function- and senescence-related gene expression was altered in del1 plants. Our research indicates that DEL1 is involved in both the maintenance of normal cell division and the induction of leaf senescence. These findings reveal a new molecular mechanism for plant growth and leaf senescence mediated by PECTATE LYASE-LIKE genes. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  12. Evaluation of fracture toughness and mechanical properties of ternary thiol-ene-methacrylate systems as resin matrix for dental restorative composites.

    PubMed

    Beigi, Saeed; Yeganeh, Hamid; Atai, Mohammad

    2013-07-01

    Study and evaluation of fracture toughness, flexural and dynamic mechanical properties, and crosslink density of ternary thiol-ene-methacrylate systems and comparison with corresponding conventional methacrylate system were considered in the present study. Urethane tetra allyl ether monomer (UTAE) was synthesized as ene monomer. Different formulations were prepared based on combination of UTAE, BisGMA/TEGDMA and a tetrathiol monomer (PETMP). The photocuring reaction was conducted under visible light using BD/CQ combination as photoinitiator system. Mechanical properties were evaluated via measuring flexural strength, flexural modulus and fracture toughness. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to study the morphology of the fractured specimen's cross section. Viscoelastic properties of the samples were also determined by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The same study was performed on a conventional methacrylate system. The data were analyzed and compared by ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests (significance level=0.05). The results showed improvement in fracture toughness of the specimens containing thiol-ene moieties. DMTA revealed a lower glass transition temperature and more homogenous structure for thiol-ene containing specimens in comparison to the system containing merely methacrylate monomer. The flexural modulus and flexural strength of the specimens with higher thiol-ene content were lower than the neat methacrylate system. The SEM micrographs of the fractured surface of specimens with higher methacrylate content were smooth and mirror-like (shiny) which represent brittle fracture. The thiol-ene-methacrylate system can be used as resin matrix of dental composites with enhanced fracture toughness in comparison to the methacrylate analogous. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Indications of the prominent role of elemental sulfur in the formation of the varietal thiol 3-mercaptohexanol in Sauvignon blanc wine.

    PubMed

    Araujo, Leandro Dias; Vannevel, Sebastian; Buica, Astrid; Callerot, Suzanne; Fedrizzi, Bruno; Kilmartin, Paul A; du Toit, Wessel J

    2017-08-01

    Elemental sulfur is a fungicide traditionally used to control Powdery Mildew in the production of grapes. The presence of sulfur residues in grape juice has been associated with increased production of hydrogen sulfide during fermentation, which could take part in the formation of the varietal thiol 3-mercaptohexanol. This work examines whether elemental sulfur additions to Sauvignon blanc juice can increase the levels of sought-after varietal thiols. Initial trials were performed in South Africa and indicated a positive impact of sulfur on the levels of thiols. Further experiments were then carried out with New Zealand Sauvignon blanc and confirmed a positive relationship between elemental sulfur additions and wine varietal thiols. The formation of hydrogen sulfide was observed when the addition of elemental sulfur was made to clarified juice, along with an increase in further reductive sulfur compounds. When the addition of sulfur was made to pressed juice, prior to clarification, the production of reductive sulfur compounds was drastically decreased. Some mechanistic considerations are also presented, involving the reduction of sulfur to hydrogen sulfide prior to fermentation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Neutrophil-generated HOCl leads to non-specific thiol oxidation in phagocytized bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Degrossoli, Adriana; Müller, Alexandra; Xie, Kaibo; Schneider, Jannis F; Bader, Verian; Winklhofer, Konstanze F; Meyer, Andreas J

    2018-01-01

    Phagocytic immune cells kill pathogens in the phagolysosomal compartment with a cocktail of antimicrobial agents. Chief among them are reactive species produced in the so-called oxidative burst. Here, we show that bacteria exposed to a neutrophil-like cell line experience a rapid and massive oxidation of cytosolic thiols. Using roGFP2-based fusion probes, we could show that this massive breakdown of the thiol redox homeostasis was dependent on phagocytosis, presence of NADPH oxidase and ultimately myeloperoxidase. Interestingly, the redox-mediated fluorescence change in bacteria expressing a glutathione-specific Grx1-roGFP2 fusion protein or an unfused roGFP2 showed highly similar reaction kinetics to the ones observed with roGFP2-Orp1, under all conditions tested. We recently observed such an indiscriminate oxidation of roGFP2-based fusion probes by HOCl with fast kinetics in vitro. In line with these observations, abating HOCl production in immune cells with a myeloperoxidase inhibitor significantly attenuated the oxidation of all three probes in bacteria. PMID:29506649

  15. New thiol-responsive mono-cleavable block copolymer micelles labeled with single disulfides.

    PubMed

    Sourkohi, Behnoush Khorsand; Schmidt, Rolf; Oh, Jung Kwon

    2011-10-18

    Thiol-responsive symmetric triblock copolymers having single disulfide linkages in the middle blocks (called mono-cleavable block copolymers, ss-ABP(2)) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization in the presence of a disulfide-labeled difunctional Br-initiator. These brush-like triblock copolymers consist of a hydrophobic polyacrylate block having pendent oligo(propylene oxide) and a hydrophilic polymethacrylate block having pendent oligo(ethylene oxide). Gel permeation chromatography and (1)H NMR results confirmed the synthesis of well-defined mono-cleavable block copolymers and revealed that polymerizations were well controlled. Because of amphiphilic nature, these copolymers self-assembled to form colloidally stable micelles above critical micellar concentration of 0.032 mg · mL(-1). In response to reductive reactions, disulfides in thiol-responsive micelles were cleaved. Atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis suggested that the cleavage of disulfides caused dissociation of micelles to smaller-sized assembled structures in water. Moreover, in a biomedical perspective, the mono-cleavable block copolymer micelles are not cytotoxic and thus biocompatible. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Heterofunctional Glycopolypeptides by Combination of Thiol-Ene Chemistry and NCA Polymerization.

    PubMed

    Krannig, Kai-Steffen; Schlaad, Helmut

    2016-01-01

    Glycopolypeptides are prepared either by the polymerization of glycosylated amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs) or by the post-polymerization functionalization of polypeptides with suitable functional groups. Here we present a method for the in-situ functionalization and (co-) polymerization of allylglycine N-carboxyanhydride in a facile one-pot procedure, combining radical thiol-ene photochemistry and nucleophilic ring-opening polymerization techniques, to yield well-defined heterofunctional glycopolypeptides.

  17. Dissolved low-molecular weight thiol concentrations from the U.S. GEOTRACES North Atlantic Ocean zonal transect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swarr, Gretchen J.; Kading, Tristan; Lamborg, Carl H.; Hammerschmidt, Chad R.; Bowman, Katlin L.

    2016-10-01

    Low-molecular weight thiols, including cysteine and glutathione, are biomolecules involved in a variety of metabolic pathways and act as important antioxidant and metal buffering agents. In this last capacity, they represent a potential mechanism for modulating the bioavailability and biogeochemistry of many trace elements in the ocean, particularly for chalcophilic elements (e.g., Cu, Zn, Cd, Ag and Hg). For this reason, and in the context of the international GEOTRACES program that seeks to understand the biogeochemistry of trace elements in the ocean, we measured the concentration of individual dissolved low-molecular weight thiols during the U.S. GEOTRACES North Atlantic Zonal Transect (USGNAZT). Only two thiols were identified, cysteine and glutathione, in contrast to results from the northeast subarctic Pacific Ocean, where the dipeptides glycine-cysteine and arginine-cysteine were also present and γ-glutamylcysteine was dominant. Concentrations of cysteine and glutathione in the North Atlantic Ocean were lower than in the Pacific and ranged from below detection ( 0.01 nM) to 0.61 nM of cysteine and up to 1.0 nM of glutathione, with cysteine generally more abundant than glutathione. Vertical profiles of cysteine and glutathione were broadly consistent with their biological production, being more abundant in surface water and usually below detection at depths greater than about 200 m. Subsurface concentration maxima, often co-incident with the deep chlorophyll maximum, were frequently observed but not universal. We conclude that cysteine and glutathione do not make up significant portions of complexation capacity for Cu and Zn in the upper open ocean but could be important for Cd, Hg, and potentially other chalcophiles. Extremely low concentrations of cysteine and glutathione in deep water suggest that higher molecular-weight thiols are a more important ligand class for chalcophiles in that portion of the ocean.

  18. Pre-fermentation addition of grape tannin increases the varietal thiols content in wine.

    PubMed

    Larcher, Roberto; Tonidandel, Loris; Román Villegas, Tomás; Nardin, Tiziana; Fedrizzi, Bruno; Nicolini, Giorgio

    2015-01-01

    The recent finding that grape tannin may contain significant amount of S-glutathionylated (GSH-3MH) and S-cysteinylated (Cys-3MH) precursors of the varietal thiols 3-mercapto-1-hexanol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, characteristic of Sauvignon blanc wines, offers new opportunities for enhancing the tropical aroma in fermented beverages. In this study this new hypothesis was investigated: Müller Thurgau (17 samples) and Sauvignon blanc (15 samples) grapes were fermented with and without addition of a selected grape tannin. As expected, the tannin-added juices were higher in precursors, and they produced wines with increased free thiols. Preliminary informal sensory tests confirmed that in particular the Sauvignon wines produced with the tannin addition were often richer with increased "fruity/green" notes than the corresponding reference wines. This outcome confirms that grape tannin addition prior to fermentation can fortify the level of these compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Full inhibition of enzymatic browning in the presence of thiol-functionalised silica nanomaterial.

    PubMed

    Muñoz-Pina, Sara; Ros-Lis, José V; Argüelles, Ángel; Coll, Carmen; Martínez-Máñez, Ramón; Andrés, Ana

    2018-02-15

    Darkening processed fruits and vegetables is caused mainly by enzymatic browning through polyphenol oxidase (PPO) action. Accordingly, we explored the potential of four silica-based materials (MCM-41 nanometric size, MCM-41 micrometric size, UVM-7 and aerosil), non-functionalised and functionalised with thiol groups, to inhibit PPO activity in the model system and apple juice. All materials showed relevant performance when immobilising and inhibiting PPO in model systems, and support topology is a main factor for enzyme immobilisation and inhibition. Thiol-containing silica UVM7-SH showed the greatest inactivation, and similar browning values to those obtained by acidification. The enzyme's kinetic parameters in the presence of UVM-7-SH suggested non-competitive inhibition, which indicated that the material interacted with the enzyme, but beyond the active centre. In real systems, UVM-7-SH completely inhibited enzymatic browning in apple juice (cv. Granny Smith and cv. Golden Delicious) up to 9days after 5min of contact. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Selection and Application of Sulfide Oxidizing Microorganisms Able to Withstand Thiols in Gas Biodesulfurization Systems.

    PubMed

    Roman, Pawel; Klok, Johannes B M; Sousa, João A B; Broman, Elias; Dopson, Mark; Van Zessen, Erik; Bijmans, Martijn F M; Sorokin, Dimitry Y; Janssen, Albert J H

    2016-12-06

    After the first commercial applications of a new biological process for the removal of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) from low pressure biogas, the need arose to broaden the operating window to also enable the removal of organosulfur compounds from high pressure sour gases. In this study we have selected microorganisms from a full-scale biodesulfurization system that are capable of withstanding the presence of thiols. This full-scale unit has been in stable operation for more than 10 years. We investigated the microbial community by using high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons which showed that methanethiol gave a competitive advantage to bacteria belonging to the genera Thioalkalibacter (Halothiobacillaceae family) and Alkalilimnicola (Ectothiorhosdospiraceae family). The sulfide-oxidizing potential of the acclimatized population was investigated under elevated thiol loading rates (4.5-9.1 mM d -1 ), consisting of a mix of methanethiol, ethanethiol, and propanethiol. With this biomass, it was possible to achieve a stable bioreactor operation at which 80% of the supplied H 2 S (61 mM d -1 ) was biologically oxidized to elemental sulfur. The remainder was chemically produced thiosulfate. Moreover, we found that a conventionally applied method for controlling the oxygen supply to the bioreactor, that is, by maintaining a redox potential set-point value, appeared to be ineffective in the presence of thiols.

  1. Coupled brain and urine spectroscopy - in vivo metabolomic characterization of HMG-CoA lyase deficiency in 5 patients.

    PubMed

    Roland, Dominique; Jissendi-Tchofo, Patrice; Briand, Gilbert; Vamecq, Joseph; Fontaine, Monique; Ultré, Vincent; Acquaviva-Bourdain, Cécile; Mention, Karine; Dobbelaere, Dries

    2017-06-01

    3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) lyase deficiency is a rare inborn error of leucine metabolism and ketogenesis. Despite recurrent hypoglycemia and metabolic decompensations, most patients have a good clinical and neurological outcome contrasting with abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals and consistent abnormal brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS) metabolite peaks. Identifying these metabolites could provide surrogate markers of the disease and improve understanding of MRI-clinical discrepancy and follow-up of affected patients. Urine samples, brain MRI and 1 H-MRS in 5 patients with HMG-CoA lyase deficiency (4 boys and 1 girl aged from 25days to 10years) were, for each patient, obtained on the same day. Brain and urine spectroscopy were performed at the same pH by studying urine at pH 7.4. Due to pH-induced modifications in chemical shifts and because reference 1 H NMR spectra are obtained at pH 2.5, spectroscopy of normal urine added with the suspected metabolite was further performed at this pH to validate the correct identification of compounds. Mild to extended abnormal white matter MRI signals were observed in all cases. Brain spectroscopy abnormal peaks at 0.8-1.1ppm, 1.2-1.4ppm and 2.4ppm were also detected by urine spectroscopy at pH 7.4. Taking into account pH-induced changes in chemical shifts, brain abnormal peaks in patients were formally identified to be those of 3-hydroxyisovaleric, 3-methylglutaconic, 3-methylglutaric and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acids. 3-Methylglutaric, 3-hydroxyisovaleric and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acids identified on urine 1 H-NMR spectra of 5 patients with HMG-CoA lyase deficiency are responsible for the cerebral spectroscopy signature seen in these patients, validating their local involvement in brain and putative contribution to brain neuropathology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Active site proton delivery and the lyase activity of human CYP17A1

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

    Khatri, Yogan; Gregory, Michael C.; Grinkova, Yelena V.

    2014-01-03

    Highlights: •The disruption of PREG/PROG hydroxylation activity by T306A showed the participation of Cpd I. •T306A supports the involvement of a nucleophilic peroxo-anion during lyase activity. •The presence of cytochrome b{sub 5} augments C–C lyase activity. •Δ5-Steroids are preferred substrates for CYP17 catalysis. -- Abstract: Cytochrome P450 CYP17A1 catalyzes a series of reactions that lie at the intersection of corticoid and androgen biosynthesis and thus occupies an essential role in steroid hormone metabolism. This multifunctional enzyme catalyzes the 17α-hydroxylation of Δ4- and Δ5-steroids progesterone and pregnenolone to form the corresponding 17α-hydroxy products through its hydroxylase activity, and a subsequent 17,20-carbon–carbonmore » scission of pregnene-side chain produce the androgens androstenedione (AD) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). While the former hydroxylation reaction is believed to proceed through a conventional “Compound I” rebound mechanism, it has been suggested that the latter carbon cleavage is initiated by an iron-peroxy intermediate. We report on the role of Thr306 in CYP17 catalysis. Thr306 is a member of the conserved acid/alcohol pair thought to be essential for the efficient delivery of protons required for hydroperoxoanion heterolysis and formation of Compound I in the cytochromes P450. Wild type and T306A CYP17A1 self-assembled in Nanodiscs were used to quantitate turnover and coupling efficiencies of CYP17’s physiological Δ4- and Δ5-substrates. We observed that T306A co-incorporated in Nanodiscs with its redox partner cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase, coupled NADPH only by 0.9% and 0.7% compared to the wild type (97% and 22%) during the conversion of pregnenolone and progesterone, respectively, to the corresponding 17-OH products. Despite increased oxidation of pyridine nucleotide, hydroxylase activity was drastically diminished in the T306A mutant, suggesting a high degree of uncoupling in which

  3. Mechanism of covalent modification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase at its active site thiol by nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and related nitrosating agents.

    PubMed

    Mohr, S; Stamler, J S; Brüne, B

    1994-07-18

    Previous studies have suggested that glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) undergoes covalent modification of an active site thiol by a NO.-induced [32P]NAD(+)-dependent mechanism. However, the efficacy of GAPDH modification induced by various NO donors was found to be independent of spontaneous rates of NO. release. To further test the validity of this mechanism, we studied the effects of nitrosonium tertrafluoroborate (BF4NO), a strong NO+ donor. BF4NO potently induces GAPDH labeling by the radioactive nucleotide. In this case, the addition of thiol significantly attenuates enzyme modification by competing for the NO moiety in the formation of RS-NO. Peroxynitrite (ONOO-) also induces GAPDH modification in the presence of thiol, consistent with the notion that this species can transfer NO+ (or NO2+) through the intermediacy of RS-NO. However, the efficiency of this reaction is limited by ONOO- -induced oxidation of protein SH groups at the active site. ONOO- generation appears to account for the modification of GAPDH by SIN-1. Thus, S-nitrosylation of the active site thiol is a prequisite for subsequent post-translational modification with NAD+, and emphasizes the role of NO+ transfer in the initial step of this pathway. Our findings thus provide a uniform mechanism by which nitric oxide and related NO donors initiate non-enzymatic ADP-ribosylation (like) reactions. In biological systems, endogenous RS-NO are likely to support the NO group transfer to thiol-containing proteins.

  4. N-Acetylcysteine treatment of dystrophic mdx mice results in protein thiol modifications and inhibition of exercise induced myofibre necrosis.

    PubMed

    Terrill, Jessica R; Radley-Crabb, Hannah G; Grounds, Miranda D; Arthur, Peter G

    2012-05-01

    Oxidative stress is implicated as a factor that increases necrosis of skeletal muscles in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and the dystrophic mdx mouse. Consequently, drugs that minimize oxidative stress are potential treatments for muscular dystrophy. This study examined the in vivo benefits to mdx mice of an antioxidant treatment with the cysteine precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC), administered in drinking water. NAC was completely effective in preventing treadmill exercise-induced myofibre necrosis (assessed histologically) and the increased blood creatine kinase levels (a measure of sarcolemma leakiness) following exercise were significantly lower in the NAC treated mice. While NAC had no effect on malondialdehyde level or protein carbonylation (two indicators of irreversible oxidative damage), treatment with NAC for one week significantly decreased the oxidation of glutathione and protein thiols, and enhanced muscle protein thiol content. These data provide in vivo evidence for protective benefits of NAC treatment on dystropathology, potentially via protein thiol modifications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Thiol reduction of arsenite and selenite: DFT modeling of the pathways to an as-se bond.

    PubMed

    Harper, Lenora K; Antony, Sonia; Bayse, Craig A

    2014-12-15

    The reactivity of arsenite and selenite with biological thiols plays an important role in the toxicity of these elements. However, toxic effects are eliminated when the species are coadministered, due to the antagonistic relationship between selenium and arsenic. The reduction of arsenous acid and selenious acid by thiol and the formation of an As-Se species have been modeled using density functional theory (DFT) and solvent-assisted proton exchange (SAPE), a microsolvation technique that uses a network of water molecules to mimic the participation of bulk solvent in proton transfer processes. Activation barriers and relative energies were calculated for the stepwise thiol reduction of arsenite to form As(SR)3 and selenious acid to first form a selenotrisulfide (Se(SR)2) and then H2Se. Several pathways were explored for the formation of an As-Se bond: the nucleophilic attack of selenide or selenopersulfide on As(OH)3, (RS)As(OH)2, and (RS)2AsOH to form (RS)2AsSeH. On the basis of the lower activation barrier and bioavailability of (RS)2AsOH, the reaction of H2Se with (RS)2AsOH is deemed the most favorable, consistent with previous experimental studies.

  6. Kinetic resolution and stereoselective synthesis of 3-substituted aspartic acids by using engineered methylaspartate ammonia lyases.

    PubMed

    Raj, Hans; Szymanski, Wiktor; de Villiers, Jandré; Puthan Veetil, Vinod; Quax, Wim J; Shimamoto, Keiko; Janssen, Dick B; Feringa, Ben L; Poelarends, Gerrit J

    2013-08-19

    Enzymatic amino acid synthesis: Kinetic resolution and asymmetric synthesis of various valuable 3-substituted aspartic acids, which were obtained in fair to good yields with diastereomeric ratio values of up to >98:2 and enantiomeric excess values of up to >99 %, by using engineered methylaspartate ammonia lyases are described. These biocatalytic methodologies for the selective preparation of aspartic acid derivatives appear to be attractive alternatives for existing chemical methods. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Continuous Flow Science in an Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory: Photocatalytic Thiol-Ene Reaction Using Visible Light

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Santandrea, Jeffrey; Kairouz, Vanessa; Collins, Shawn K.

    2018-01-01

    An undergraduate teaching laboratory experiment involving a continuous flow, photocatalytic thiol-ene reaction using visible-light irradiation is described that allows students to explore concepts of green chemistry, photochemistry, photocatalysis, and continuous flow chemistry.

  8. Incorporating allylated lignin-derivatives in thiol-ene gel-polymer electrolytes.

    PubMed

    Baroncini, Elyse A; Stanzione, Joseph F

    2018-07-01

    Growing environmental and economic concerns as well as the uncertainty that accompanies finite petrochemical resources contributes to the increase in research and development of bio-based, renewable polymers. Concurrently, industrial and consumer demand for smaller, safer, and more flexible technologies motivates a global research effort to improve electrolytic polymer separators in lithium-ion batteries. To incorporate the aromatic structural advantages of lignin, a highly abundant and renewable resource, into gel-polymer electrolytes, lignin-derived molecules, vanillyl alcohol and gastrodigenin are functionalized and UV-polymerized with multi-functional thiol monomers. The resulting thin, flexible, polymer films possess glass transition temperatures ranging from -42.1°C to 0.3°C and storage moduli at 25°C ranging from 1.90MPa to 10.08MPa. The crosslinked polymer films swollen with electrolyte solution impart conductivities in the range of 7.04×10 -7 to 102.73×10 -7 Scm -1 . Thiol molecular weight has the most impact on the thermo-mechanical properties of the resulting films while polymer crosslink density has the largest effect on conductivity. The conducting abilities of the bio-based gel-polymer electrolytes in this study prove the viability of lignin-derived feedstock for use in lithium-ion battery applications and reveal structurally and thermally desirable traits for future work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Requirement of argininosuccinate lyase for systemic nitric oxide production.

    PubMed

    Erez, Ayelet; Nagamani, Sandesh C S; Shchelochkov, Oleg A; Premkumar, Muralidhar H; Campeau, Philippe M; Chen, Yuqing; Garg, Harsha K; Li, Li; Mian, Asad; Bertin, Terry K; Black, Jennifer O; Zeng, Heng; Tang, Yaoping; Reddy, Anilkumar K; Summar, Marshall; O'Brien, William E; Harrison, David G; Mitch, William E; Marini, Juan C; Aschner, Judy L; Bryan, Nathan S; Lee, Brendan

    2011-11-13

    Nitric oxide (NO) is crucial in diverse physiological and pathological processes. We show that a hypomorphic mouse model of argininosuccinate lyase (encoded by Asl) deficiency has a distinct phenotype of multiorgan dysfunction and NO deficiency. Loss of Asl in both humans and mice leads to reduced NO synthesis, owing to both decreased endogenous arginine synthesis and an impaired ability to use extracellular arginine for NO production. Administration of nitrite, which can be converted into NO in vivo, rescued the manifestations of NO deficiency in hypomorphic Asl mice, and a nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-independent NO donor restored NO-dependent vascular reactivity in humans with ASL deficiency. Mechanistic studies showed that ASL has a structural function in addition to its catalytic activity, by which it contributes to the formation of a multiprotein complex required for NO production. Our data demonstrate a previously unappreciated role for ASL in NOS function and NO homeostasis. Hence, ASL may serve as a target for manipulating NO production in experimental models, as well as for the treatment of NO-related diseases.

  10. Synthesis of aryl thioethers through the N-chlorosuccinimide-promoted cross-coupling reaction of thiols with Grignard reagents.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Jun-Hao; Ramesh, Chintakunta; Kao, Hsin-Lun; Wang, Yu-Jen; Chan, Chien-Ching; Lee, Chin-Fa

    2012-11-16

    A convenient one-pot approach for the synthesis of aryl sulfides through the coupling of thiols with Grignard reagents in the presence of N-chlorosuccinimide is described. The sulfenylchlorides were formed when thiols were treated with N-chlorosuccinimide, and the resulting sulfenylchlorides were then directly reacted with Grignard reagents to provide aryl sulfides in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. Functional groups including ester, fluoro, and chloro are tolerated by the reaction conditions employed. It is important to note that this method has a short reaction time (30 min in total) and represents an alternative approach for the synthesis of aryl sulfides over the existing protocols.

  11. Structural Basis of a Thiol-Disulfide Oxidoreductase in the Hedgehog-Forming Actinobacterium Corynebacterium matruchotii.

    PubMed

    Luong, Truc Thanh; Tirgar, Reyhaneh; Reardon-Robinson, Melissa E; Joachimiak, Andrzej; Osipiuk, Jerzy; Ton-That, Hung

    2018-05-01

    The actinobacterium Corynebacterium matruchotii has been implicated in nucleation of oral microbial consortia leading to biofilm formation. Due to the lack of genetic tools, little is known about basic cellular processes, including protein secretion and folding, in this organism. We report here a survey of the C. matruchotii genome, which encodes a large number of exported proteins containing paired cysteine residues, and identified an oxidoreductase that is highly homologous to the Corynebacterium diphtheriae thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase MdbA (MdbA Cd ). Crystallization studies uncovered that the 1.2-Å resolution structure of C. matruchotii MdbA (MdbA Cm ) possesses two conserved features found in actinobacterial MdbA enzymes, a thioredoxin-like fold and an extended α-helical domain. By reconstituting the disulfide bond-forming machine in vitro , we demonstrated that MdbA Cm catalyzes disulfide bond formation within the actinobacterial pilin FimA. A new gene deletion method supported that mdbA is essential in C. matruchotii Remarkably, heterologous expression of MdbA Cm in the C. diphtheriae Δ mdbA mutant rescued its known defects in cell growth and morphology, toxin production, and pilus assembly, and this thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase activity required the catalytic motif CXXC. Altogether, the results suggest that MdbA Cm is a major thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase, which likely mediates posttranslocational protein folding in C. matruchotii by a mechanism that is conserved in Actinobacteria IMPORTANCE The actinobacterium Corynebacterium matruchotii has been implicated in the development of oral biofilms or dental plaque; however, little is known about the basic cellular processes in this organism. We report here a high-resolution structure of a C. matruchotii oxidoreductase that is highly homologous to the Corynebacterium diphtheriae thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase MdbA. By biochemical analysis, we demonstrated that C. matruchotii MdbA catalyzes disulfide

  12. Structural and Molecular Basis for the Novel Catalytic Mechanism and Evolution of DddP, an Abundant Peptidase-Like Bacterial Dimethylsulfoniopropionate Lyase: A New Enzyme from an Old Fold

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Y. Z.; Wang, P.; Chen, X. L.; Li, C. Y.; Gao, X.; Zhu, D.; Xie, B. B.; Qin, Q. L.; Zhang, X. Y.; Su, H. N.; Zhou, B. C.; Xun, L.

    2015-12-01

    The microbial cleavage of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) generates volatile dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and is an important step in global sulfur and carbon cycles. DddP is a DMSP lyase in marine bacteria and the deduced dddP gene product is abundant in marine metagenomic data sets. However, DddP belongs to the M24 peptidase family according to sequence alignment. Peptidases hydrolyze C-N bonds but DddP is deduced to cleave C-S bonds. Mechanisms responsible for this striking functional shift are currently unknown. We determined the structures of DMSP lyase RlDddP (the DddP from Ruegeria lacuscaerulensis ITI_1157) bound to inhibitory 2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid or PO43- and of two mutants of RlDddP bound to acrylate. Based on structural, mutational and biochemical analyses, we characterized a new ion-shift catalytic mechanism of RlDddP for DMSP cleavage. Further, we suggested the structural mechanism leading to the loss of peptidase activity and the subsequent development of DMSP lyase activity in DddP. This study sheds light on the catalytic mechanism and the divergent evolution of DddP, leading to a better understanding of marine bacterial DMSP catabolism and global DMS production.

  13. Elastic Modulus and Thermal Conductivity of Thiolene/TiO2 Nanocomposites

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Metal oxide based polymer nanocomposites find diverse applications as functional materials, and in particular thiol-ene/TiO2 nanocomposites are promising candidates for dental restorative materials. The important mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites, however, are still not well understood. In this study, the elastic modulus and thermal conductivity of thiol-ene/TiO2 nanocomposite thin films with varying weight fractions of TiO2 nanoparticles are investigated by using Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy and 3ω measurements, respectively. As the TiO2 weight fraction increases from 0 to 90%, the effective elastic longitudinal modulus of the films increases from 6.2 to 37.5 GPa, and the effective thermal conductivity from 0.04 to 0.76 W/m K. The former increase could be attributed to the covalent cross-linking of the nanocomposite constituents. The latter one could be ascribed to the addition of high thermal conductivity TiO2 nanoparticles and the formation of possible conductive channels at high TiO2 weight fractions. The linear dependence of the thermal conductivity on the sound velocity, reported for amorphous polymers, is not observed in the present nanocomposite system. PMID:29755637

  14. The Chemolithoautotroph Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans Can Survive under Phosphate-Limiting Conditions by Expressing a C-P Lyase Operon That Allows It To Grow on Phosphonates▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Vera, Mario; Pagliai, Fernando; Guiliani, Nicolas; Jerez, Carlos A.

    2008-01-01

    The chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is of great importance in biomining operations. During the bioleaching of ores, microorganisms are subjected to a variety of environmental stresses and to the limitations of some nutrients, such as inorganic phosphate (Pi), which is an essential component for all living cells. Although the primary source of phosphorus for microorganisms is Pi, some bacteria are also able to metabolize Pi esters (with a C-O-P bond) and phosphonates (with a very inert C-P bond). By using bioinformatic analysis of genomic sequences of the type strain of A. ferrooxidans (ATCC 23270), we found that as part of a Pho regulon, this bacterium has a complete gene cluster encoding C-P lyase, which is the main bacterial enzyme involved in phosphonate (Pn) degradation in other microorganisms. A. ferrooxidans was able to grow in the presence of methyl-Pn or ethyl-Pn as an alternative phosphorus source. Under these growth conditions, a great reduction in inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) levels was seen compared with the level for cells grown in the presence of Pi. By means of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), DNA macroarrays, and real-time RT-PCR experiments, it was found that A. ferrooxidans phn genes were cotranscribed and their expression was induced when the microorganism was grown in methyl-Pn as the only phosphorus source. This is the first report of phosphonate utilization in a chemolithoautotrophic microorganism. The existence of a functional C-P lyase system is a clear advantage for the survival under Pi limitation, a condition that may greatly affect the bioleaching of ores. PMID:18203861

  15. Covalent Modifiers: A Chemical Perspective on the Reactivity of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls with Thiols via Hetero-Michael Addition Reactions.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Paul A; Widen, John C; Harki, Daniel A; Brummond, Kay M

    2017-02-09

    Although Michael acceptors display a potent and broad spectrum of bioactivity, they have largely been ignored in drug discovery because of their presumed indiscriminate reactivity. As such, a dearth of information exists relevant to the thiol reactivity of natural products and their analogues possessing this moiety. In the midst of recently approved acrylamide-containing drugs, it is clear that a good understanding of the hetero-Michael addition reaction and the relative reactivities of biological thiols with Michael acceptors under physiological conditions is needed for the design and use of these compounds as biological tools and potential therapeutics. This Perspective provides information that will contribute to this understanding, such as kinetics of thiol addition reactions, bioactivities, as well as steric and electronic factors that influence the electrophilicity and reversibility of Michael acceptors. This Perspective is focused on α,β-unsaturated carbonyls given their preponderance in bioactive natural products.

  16. Covalent Modifiers: A Chemical Perspective on the Reactivity of α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyls with Thiols via Hetero-Michael Addition Reactions

    PubMed Central

    Jackson, Paul A.; Widen, John C.; Harki, Daniel A.; Brummond, Kay M.

    2017-01-01

    Although Michael acceptors display a potent and broad spectrum of bioactivity, they have largely been ignored in drug discovery because of their presumed indiscriminate reactivity. As such, a dearth of information exists relevant to the thiol reactivity of natural products and their analogs possessing this moiety. In the midst of recently approved acrylamide-containing drugs, it is clear that a good understanding of the hetero-Michael addition reaction and the relative reactivities of biological thiols with Michael acceptors under physiological conditions is needed for the design and use of these compounds as biological tools and potential therapeutics. This perspective provides information that will contribute to this understanding, such as kinetics of thiol addition reactions, bioactivities, as well as steric and electronic factors that influence the electrophilicity and reversibility of Michael acceptors. This perspective is focused on α,β-unsaturated carbonyls given their preponderance in bioactive natural products. PMID:27996267

  17. Thiol-ene/oxidation tandem reaction under visible light photocatalysis: synthesis of alkyl sulfoxides.

    PubMed

    Guerrero-Corella, Andrea; María Martinez-Gualda, Ana; Ahmadi, Fereshteh; Ming, Enrique; Fraile, Alberto; Alemán, José

    2017-09-19

    The photocatalyzed synthesis of sulfoxides from alkenes and thiols has been carried out using Eosin Y. This is a metal-free method which uses a low catalyst loading, atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant, and visible light conditions (green light). A mechanism has been proposed that is consistent with the experimental results.

  18. Cloning, expression and characterization of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from Rhodotorula glutinis.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Longbao; Cui, Wenjing; Fang, Yueqin; Liu, Yi; Gao, Xinxing; Zhou, Zhemin

    2013-05-01

    The industrial-scale production of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) mainly uses strains of Rhodotorula. However, the PAL gene from Rhodotorula has not been cloned. Here, the full-length gene of PAL from Rhodotorula glutinis was isolated. It was 2,121 bp, encoding a polypeptide with 706 amino acids and a calculated MW of 75.5 kDa. Though R. glutinis is an anamorph of Rhodosporium toruloides, the amino acid sequences of PALs them are not the same (about 74 % identity). PAL was expressed in E. coli and characterized. Its specific activity was 4.2 U mg(-1) and the k cat/K m was 1.9 × 10(4) mM(-1) s(-1), exhibiting the highest catalytic ability among the reported PALs. The genetic and biochemical information reported here should facilitate future application in industry.

  19. Characterization of a new oligoalginate lyase from marine bacterium Vibrio sp.

    PubMed

    Yu, Zuochen; Zhu, Benwei; Wang, Wenxia; Tan, Haidong; Yin, Heng

    2018-06-01

    A new oligoalginate lyase encoding gene, designed oal17A, was cloned from marine bacterium Vibrio sp. W13, and then expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant Oal17A was purified by NTA-Ni resin with maximal activity at 30°C and pH7.0. Oal17A exhibited broad substrate specificity, and preferred to degrade alginate than polyM or polyG into monosaccharide acid. The specific activity of Oal17A toward alginate, polyM and polyG was 21.14U/mg, 12.31U/mg and 7.43U/mg, respectively. With features of high-level expression and broad substrate specificity, Oal17A would be a potential tool for alginate monomer production process of alginate utilizing for biofuels and bioethanol production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. A modern view of phenylalanine ammonia lyase.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, M Jason; D'Cunha, Godwin B

    2007-06-01

    Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL; E.C.4.3.1.5), which catalyses the biotransformation of L-phenylalanine to trans-cinnamic acid and ammonia, was first described in 1961 by Koukol and Conn. Since its discovery, much knowledge has been gathered with reference to the enzyme's catabolic role in microorganisms and its importance in the phenyl propanoid pathway of plants. The 3-dimensional structure of the enzyme has been characterized using X-ray crystallography. This has led to a greater understanding of the mechanism of PAL-catalyzed reactions, including the discovery of a recently described cofactor, 3,5-dihydro-5-methyldiene-4H-imidazol-4-one. In the past 3 decades, PAL has gained considerable significance in several clinical, industrial, and biotechnological applications. The reversal of the normal physiological reaction can be effectively employed in the production of optically pure L-phenylalanine, which is a precursor of the noncalorific sweetener aspartame (L-phenylalanyl-L-aspartyl methyl ester). The enzyme's natural ability to break down L-phenylalanine makes PAL a reliable treatment for the genetic condition phenylketonuria. In this mini-review, we discuss prominent details relating to the physiological role of PAL, the mechanism of catalysis, methods of determination and purification, enzyme kinetics, and enzyme activity in nonaqueous media. Two topics of current study on PAL, molecular biology and crystal structure, are also discussed.

  1. The equilibrium of the reaction catalysed by citrate oxaloacetate-lyase

    PubMed Central

    Tate, S. S.; Datta, S. P.

    1965-01-01

    1. A method of preparation and purification of citrate oxaloacetate-lyase (EC 4.1.3.6) from Aerobacter aerogenes is described. 2. The equilibrium of this reaction has been determined at pH 8·4 and 25°. It has been shown that K, i.e. [citrate3−]/[oxaloacetateketo2−][acetate −], is 3·08±0·72, but that Kapp., i.e. [total citrate]/[total oxaloacetate][total acetate], is markedly affected by the initial concentrations of the reactants and magnesium. 3. The free-energy change during the cleavage of citrate has been calculated and compared with data from other sources. 4. The free energy of hydrolysis of acetyl-CoA has been evaluated from the present data. 5. A detailed knowledge of the interactions of the reactants with metal ions has been shown to be important in the calculation of the equilibrium constant and related thermodynamic functions. PMID:14348207

  2. Thiol-facilitated cell export and desorption of methylmercury by anaerobic bacteria

    DOE PAGES

    Lin, Hui; Lu, Xia; Liang, Liyuan; ...

    2015-09-04

    Neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg), formed by anaerobic bacteria, is shown to be rapidly excreted from the cell, but the mechanism of this process is unclear. Using both Geobacter sulfurreducens PCA and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans ND132 strains, we investigated the factors affecting export and distribution of MeHg in mercury methylation and MeHg sorption-desorption assays. Thiols, such as cysteine, were found to greatly facilitate desorption and export of MeHg, particularly by PCA cells. However, in cysteine-free assays (4 h) >90% of the synthesized MeHg was associated with PCA, among which ~73% was sorbed on the cell surface and 19% remained inside the cells. Inmore » comparison, a majority of the MeHg (70%) was exported by ND132, leaving ~20% of the MeHg sorbed on the surface and 10% inside the cells. When MeHg was added directly to the cell suspensions, ND132 adsorbed much lower MeHg but took up more MeHg inside cells than PCA did. These results demonstrate that MeHg export is bacteria strain-specific, time dependent, and is influenced by thiols, implicating important roles of ligand complexation in facilitating MeHg production and mobilization in the environment.« less

  3. Altered Fermentative Metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Mutants Lacking Pyruvate Formate Lyase and Both Pyruvate Formate Lyase and Alcohol Dehydrogenase

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

    Catalanotti, C.; Dubini, A.; Subramanian, V.

    2012-02-01

    Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga, often experiences hypoxic/anoxic soil conditions that activate fermentation metabolism. We isolated three Chlamydomonas mutants disrupted for the pyruvate formate lyase (PFL1) gene; the encoded PFL1 protein catalyzes a major fermentative pathway in wild-type Chlamydomonas cells. When the pfl1 mutants were subjected to dark fermentative conditions, they displayed an increased flux of pyruvate to lactate, elevated pyruvate decarboxylation, ethanol accumulation, diminished pyruvate oxidation by pyruvate ferredoxin oxidoreductase, and lowered H2 production. The pfl1-1 mutant also accumulated high intracellular levels of lactate, succinate, alanine, malate, and fumarate. To further probe the system, we generated a doublemore » mutant (pfl1-1 adh1) that is unable to synthesize both formate and ethanol. This strain, like the pfl1 mutants, secreted lactate, but it also exhibited a significant increase in the levels of extracellular glycerol, acetate, and intracellular reduced sugars and a decrease in dark, fermentative H2 production. Whereas wild-type Chlamydomonas fermentation primarily produces formate and ethanol, the double mutant reroutes glycolytic carbon to lactate and glycerol. Although the metabolic adjustments observed in the mutants facilitate NADH reoxidation and sustained glycolysis under dark, anoxic conditions, the observed changes could not have been predicted given our current knowledge of the regulation of fermentation metabolism.« less

  4. Automated high performance liquid chromatography with on-line reduction of disulfides and chemiluminescence detection for determination of thiols and disulfides in biological fluids.

    PubMed

    Bai, Shouli; Chen, Qingshuo; Lu, Chao; Lin, Jin-Ming

    2013-03-20

    In general, the reduction of disulfide bonds with tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) is performed using off-line operation, which is not only time-consuming but also vulnerable to the spontaneous re-oxidation of thiols during sample preparation and subsequent analysis procedures. To the best of our knowledge, there has been not any case on the on-line reduction for biological disulfides coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this study, these obstacles are overcome by packing Zn(II)-TCEP complexes into a home-made column. The as-synthesized Zn(II)-TCEP complexes enable efficient reduction of disulfide bonds at pH 3.0. This acidic pH value was compatible with that of the mobile phase for HPLC separation of thiols and disulfides. Therefore, using fluorosurfactant-prepared triangular gold nanoparticles as HPLC postcolumn specific chemiluminescence (CL) reagents for thiols, the feasibility of the established on-line reduction column has been confirmed for the direct identification of both thiols and disulfides by incorporating this reduction column into a single chromatographic separation. Detection limits for these analytes range from 8.3 to 25.4 nM and the linear range in a log-log plot can comprise three orders of magnitude. Finally, the utility of this automated on-line reduction of disulfides-HPLC-CL system has been demonstrated for the reliable determination of thiols and disulfides in human urine and plasma samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Serum ischemia modified albumin level and its relationship with the thiol/disulfide balance in placenta percreta patients.

    PubMed

    Uyanikoglu, Hacer; Sak, Muhammet Erdal; Tatli, Faik; Hilali, Nese Gul; Sak, Sibel; Incebiyik, Adnan; Barut, Mert Ulas; Erel, Ozcan; Gonel, Ataman

    2018-06-08

    The pathogenesis of placenta percreta (PP) is not very well known. This study was designed to analyse the oxidative stress (OS), the thiol/disulphide balance, and ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA) the women with PP. The study included 38 pregnant women with PP and 40 similarly aged healthy pregnant women in their third trimester of gestation. We measured the IMA, native and total thiols, and disulphide concentrations in the maternal sera of all of the participating women. The IMA levels were higher and the native and total thiols were lower in the PP group than in the control group. However, there was no statistical significance with respect to the thiol/disulphide balance between the two groups. The results of this study suggest that an increase in the ischaemia and OS and a decrease in the antioxidant status may contribute to the pathogenesis of PP. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Placenta percreta (PP) is a serious complication of pregnancy. Although there are several studies investigating the pathophysiological mechanism of PP, whether the pathology results from a lack of decidua or from the over-invasiveness of trophoblasts remains controversial. The pathology of PP is poorly understood. What do the results of this study add? This prospective study has shown an increased ischaemia modified albumin (IMA) and a decreased antioxidant capacity in the patients with placenta percreta. The results from 38 women with PP suggest that the serum concentrations of IMA and the oxidative stress parameters may be able to predict PP in cases of uncertainty. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The implication of these findings shed light on understanding the pathogenesis of PP for further research.

  6. Cloning and characterization of TPE4A, a thiol-protease gene induced during ovary senescence and seed germination in pea.

    PubMed

    Cercós, M; Santamaría, S; Carbonell, J

    1999-04-01

    A cDNA clone encoding a thiol-protease (TPE4A) was isolated from senescent ovaries of pea (Pisum sativum) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The deduced amino acid sequence of TPE4A has the conserved catalytic amino acids of papain. It is very similar to VSCYSPROA, a thiol-protease induced during seed germination in common vetch. TPE4A mRNA levels increase during the senescence of unpollinated pea ovaries and are totally suppressed by treatment with gibberellic acid. In situ hybridization indicated that TPE4A mRNA distribution in senescent pea ovaries is different from that of previously reported thiol-proteases induced during senescence, suggesting the involvement of different proteases in the mobilization of proteins from senescent pea ovaries. TPE4A is also induced during the germination of pea seeds, indicating that a single protease gene can be induced during two different physiological processes, senescence and germination, both of which require protein mobilization.

  7. Detection of thiol-based redox switch processes in parasites - facts and future.

    PubMed

    Rahbari, Mahsa; Diederich, Kathrin; Becker, Katja; Krauth-Siegel, R Luise; Jortzik, Esther

    2015-05-01

    Malaria and African trypanosomiasis are tropical diseases caused by the protozoa Plasmodium and Trypanosoma, respectively. The parasites undergo complex life cycles in the mammalian host and insect vector, during which they are exposed to oxidative and nitrosative challenges induced by the host immune system and endogenous processes. Attacking the parasite's redox metabolism is a target mechanism of several known antiparasitic drugs and a promising approach to novel drug development. Apart from this aspect, oxidation of cysteine residues plays a key role in protein-protein interaction, metabolic responses to redox events, and signaling. Understanding the role and dynamics of reactive oxygen species and thiol switches in regulating cellular redox homeostasis is crucial for both basic and applied biomedical approaches. Numerous techniques have therefore been established to detect redox changes in parasites including biochemical methods, fluorescent dyes, and genetically encoded probes. In this review, we aim to give an insight into the characteristics of redox networks in the pathogens Plasmodium and Trypanosoma, including a comprehensive overview of the consequences of specific deletions of redox-associated genes. Furthermore, we summarize mechanisms and detection methods of thiol switches in both parasites and discuss their specificity and sensitivity.

  8. Soybean P34 Probable Thiol Protease Probably Has Proteolytic Activity on Oleosins.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Luping; Kong, Xiangzhen; Zhang, Caimeng; Hua, Yufei; Chen, Yeming

    2017-07-19

    P34 probable thiol protease (P34) and Gly m Bd 30K (30K) show high relationship with the protease of 24 kDa oleosin of soybean oil bodies. In this study, 9 day germinated soybean was used to separate bioprocessed P34 (P32) from bioprocessed 30K (28K). Interestingly, P32 existed as dimer, whereas 28K existed as monomer; a P32-rich sample had proteolytic activity and high cleavage site specificity (Lys-Thr of 24 kDa oleosin), whereas a 28K-rich sample showed low proteolytic activity; the P32-rich sample contained one thiol protease. After mixing with purified oil bodies, all P32 dimers were dissociated and bound to 24 kDa oleosins to form P32-24 kDa oleosin complexes. By incubation, 24 kDa oleosin was preferentially hydrolyzed, and two hydrolyzed products (HPs; 17 and 7 kDa) were confirmed. After most of 24 kDa oleosin was hydrolyzed, some P32 existed as dimer, and the other as P32-17 kDa HP. It was suggested that P32 was the protease.

  9. Towards of Vanadium Pentoxide Nanotubes and Thiols using Gold Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lavayen, V.; Gonzalez, G.; Cardenas, G.; Sotomayor Torres, C. M.

    2005-09-01

    The template-directed synthesis is a promising route to realise 1-D nanostructures, an example of which is the formation of vanadium pentoxide nanotubes. In this work we report the interchange of long alkyl amines with alkyl thiols, this reaction was followed using gold nanoparticles prepared by the Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method. The diameter of the gold clusters was 9 Å with a stability of about 85 days. SEM, TEM, EDAX and electron diffraction was the techniques used for the characterization of the reactions.

  10. 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.

  11. Host-pathogen interactions. XXIX. Oligogalacturonides released from sodium polypectate by endopolygalacturonic acid lyase are elicitors of phytoalexins in soybean. [Glycine max L

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

    Davis, K.R.; Darvill, A.G.; Albersheim, P.

    1986-02-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that an apparently homogeneous preparation of an ..cap alpha..-1,4-D-endopolygalacturonic acid lyase (EC 4.2,2.2) isolated from the phytopathogenic bacterium Erwinia carotovora induced phytoalexin accumulation in cotyledons of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv Wayne) and that this pectin-degrading enzyme released heat-stable elicitors of phytoalexins from soybean cell walls, citrus pectin, and sodium polypectate. The present paper reports the purification, by anion-exchange chromatography on QAE-Sephadex columns followed by gel-permeation chromatography on a Bio-Gel P-6 column, of the two fractions with highest specific elicitor activity present in a crude elicitor-preparation obtained by lyase treatment of sodium polypectate. Structural analysismore » of the fraction with highest specific elicitor activity indicated that the major, if not only, component was a decasaccharide of ..cap alpha..-1,4-D-galactosyluronic acid that contained the expected product of lyase cleavage, 4-deoxy-..beta..-L-5-threo-hexopyranos-4-enyluronic acid (4,5-unsaturated galactosyluronic acid), at the nonreducing terminus. This modified decagalacturonide fraction exhibited half-maximum and maximum elicitor activity at 1 microgram/cotyledon (6 micromolar) and 5 micrograms/cotyledon (32 micromolar) galactosyluronic acid equivalents, respectively. Reducing 90 to 95% of the carboxyl groups of the galactosyluronic acid residues abolished the elicitor activity of the decagalacturonide fraction. The second most elicitor-active fraction contained mostly undeca-..cap alpha..-1,4-D-galactosyluronic acid that contained 4,5-unsaturated galactosyluronic acid at the nonreducing termini. This fraction exhibited half-maximum and maximum elicitor activity at approximately 3 micrograms/cotyledon (17 micromolar) and 6 micrograms/cotyledon (34 micromolar) galactosyluronic acid equivalents, respectively.« less

  12. Novosphingobium aromaticivorans uses a Nu-class glutathione S-transferase as a glutathione lyase in breaking the β-aryl ether bond of lignin

    PubMed Central

    Kontur, Wayne S.; Bingman, Craig A.; Olmsted, Charles N.; Wassarman, Douglas R.; Ulbrich, Arne; Gall, Daniel L.; Smith, Robert W.; Yusko, Larissa M.; Fox, Brian G.; Noguera, Daniel R.; Coon, Joshua J.; Donohue, Timothy J.

    2018-01-01

    As a major component of plant cell walls, lignin is a potential renewable source of valuable chemicals. Several sphingomonad bacteria have been identified that can break the β-aryl ether bond connecting most phenylpropanoid units of the lignin heteropolymer. Here, we tested three sphingomonads predicted to be capable of breaking the β-aryl ether bond of the dimeric aromatic compound guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE) and found that Novosphingobium aromaticivorans metabolizes GGE at one of the fastest rates thus far reported. After the ether bond of racemic GGE is broken by replacement with a thioether bond involving glutathione, the glutathione moiety must be removed from the resulting two stereoisomers of the phenylpropanoid conjugate β-glutathionyl-γ-hydroxypropiovanillone (GS-HPV). We found that the Nu-class glutathione S-transferase NaGSTNu is the only enzyme needed to remove glutathione from both (R)- and (S)-GS-HPV in N. aromaticivorans. We solved the crystal structure of NaGSTNu and used molecular modeling to propose a mechanism for the glutathione lyase (deglutathionylation) reaction in which an enzyme-stabilized glutathione thiolate attacks the thioether bond of GS-HPV, and the reaction proceeds through an enzyme-stabilized enolate intermediate. Three residues implicated in the proposed mechanism (Thr51, Tyr166, and Tyr224) were found to be critical for the lyase reaction. We also found that Nu-class GSTs from Sphingobium sp. SYK-6 (which can also break the β-aryl ether bond) and Escherichia coli (which cannot break the β-aryl ether bond) can also cleave (R)- and (S)-GS-HPV, suggesting that glutathione lyase activity may be common throughout this widespread but largely uncharacterized class of glutathione S-transferases. PMID:29449375

  13. A Rice PECTATE LYASE-LIKE Gene Is Required for Plant Growth and Leaf Senescence1[OPEN

    PubMed Central

    Leng, Yujia; Yang, Yaolong; Ren, Deyong; Dai, Liping; Wang, Yuqiong; Chen, Long; Tu, Zhengjun; Gao, Yihong; Zhu, Li; Hu, Jiang; Gao, Zhenyu; Guo, Longbiao; Lin, Yongjun

    2017-01-01

    To better understand the molecular mechanisms behind plant growth and leaf senescence in monocot plants, we identified a mutant exhibiting dwarfism and an early-senescence leaf phenotype, termed dwarf and early-senescence leaf1 (del1). Histological analysis showed that the abnormal growth was caused by a reduction in cell number. Further investigation revealed that the decline in cell number in del1 was affected by the cell cycle. Physiological analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and TUNEL assays showed that leaf senescence was triggered by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. The DEL1 gene was cloned using a map-based approach. It was shown to encode a pectate lyase (PEL) precursor that contains a PelC domain. DEL1 contains all the conserved residues of PEL and has strong similarity with plant PelC. DEL1 is expressed in all tissues but predominantly in elongating tissues. Functional analysis revealed that mutation of DEL1 decreased the total PEL enzymatic activity, increased the degree of methylesterified homogalacturonan, and altered the cell wall composition and structure. In addition, transcriptome assay revealed that a set of cell wall function- and senescence-related gene expression was altered in del1 plants. Our research indicates that DEL1 is involved in both the maintenance of normal cell division and the induction of leaf senescence. These findings reveal a new molecular mechanism for plant growth and leaf senescence mediated by PECTATE LYASE-LIKE genes. PMID:28455404

  14. Transcriptional Activation by Heat and Cold of a Thiol Protease Gene in Tomato

    PubMed Central

    Schaffer, Mark A.; Fischer, Robert L.

    1990-01-01

    We previously determined that low temperature induces the accumulation in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) fruit of a cloned mRNA, designated C14, encoding a polypeptide related to thiol proteases (MA Schaffer, RL Fischer [1988] Plant Physiol 87: 431-436). We now demonstrate that C14 mRNA accumulation is a response common to both high (40°C) and low (4°C) temperature stresses. Exposure of tomato fruit to 40°C results in the accumulation of C14 mRNA, by 8 hours. This response is more rapid than that to 4°C, but slower than the induction of many heat shock messages by 40°C, and therefore unique. We have also studied the mechanism by which heat and cold exposure activate C14 gene expression. Both high and low temperature regulate protease gene expression through transcriptional induction of a single C14 gene. A hypothesis for the function of C14 thiol protease gene expression in response to heat and cold is discussed. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:16667644

  15. Eucalyptus tolerance mechanisms to lanthanum and cerium: subcellular distribution, antioxidant system and thiol pools.

    PubMed

    Shen, Yichang; Zhang, Shirong; Li, Sen; Xu, Xiaoxun; Jia, Yongxia; Gong, Guoshu

    2014-12-01

    Guanglin 9 (Eucalyptus grandis × Eucalyptus urophlla) and Eucalyptus grandis 5 are two eucalyptus species which have been found to grow normally in soils contaminated with lanthanum and cerium, but the tolerance mechanisms are not clear yet. In this study, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the tolerance mechanisms of the eucalyptus to lanthanum and cerium. Cell walls stored 45.40-63.44% of the metals under lanthanum or cerium stress. Peroxidase and catalase activities enhanced with increasing soil La or Ce concentrations up to 200 mg kg(-1), while there were no obvious changes in glutathione and ascorbate concentrations. Non-protein thiols concentrations increased with increasing treatment levels up to 200 mg kg(-1), and then decreased. Phytochelatins concentrations continued to increase under La or Ce stress. Therefore, the two eucalyptus species are La and Ce tolerant plants, and the tolerance mechanisms include cell wall deposition, antioxidant system response, and thiol compound synthesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Sexual Dimorphism in the Selenocysteine Lyase Knockout Mouse.

    PubMed

    Ogawa-Wong, Ashley N; Hashimoto, Ann C; Ha, Herena; Pitts, Matthew W; Seale, Lucia A; Berry, Marla J

    2018-01-31

    Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient known for its antioxidant properties and health benefits, attributed to its presence in selenoproteins as the amino acid, selenocysteine. Selenocysteine lyase (Scly) catalyzes hydrolysis of selenocysteine to selenide and alanine, facilitating re-utilization of Se for de novo selenoprotein synthesis. Previously, it was reported that male Scly -/- mice develop increased body weight and body fat composition, and altered lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, compared to wild type mice. Strikingly, females appeared to present with a less severe phenotype, suggesting the relationship between Scly and energy metabolism may be regulated in a sex-specific manner. Here, we report that while body weight and body fat gain occur in both male and female Scly -/- mice, strikingly, males are susceptible to developing glucose intolerance, whereas female Scly -/- mice are protected. Because Se is critical for male reproduction, we hypothesized that castration would attenuate the metabolic dysfunction observed in male Scly -/- mice by eliminating sequestration of Se in testes. We report that fasting serum insulin levels were significantly reduced in castrated males compared to controls, but islet area was unchanged between groups. Finally, both male and female Scly -/- mice exhibit reduced hypothalamic expression of selenoproteins S, M, and glutathione peroxidase 1.

  17. Thiol-ene click chemistry derived cationic cyclodextrin chiral stationary phase and its enhanced separation performance in liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Yao, Xiaobin; Tan, Timothy Thatt Yang; Wang, Yong

    2014-01-24

    This work is the first demonstration of a simple thiol-ene click chemistry to anchor vinyl imidazolium β-CD onto thiol silica to form a novel cationic native cyclodextrin (CD) chiral stationary phase (CSP). The CSP afforded high enantioseparation ability towards dansyl (Dns) amino acids, carboxylic aryl compounds and flavonoids in chiral HPLC. The current CSP demonstrates the highest resolving ability (selectivity >1.1, resolution >1.5) towards Dns amino acids in a mobile phase buffered at pH=6.5, with the resolution of Dns-dl-leucine as high as 6.97. 2,4-dichloride propionic acid (2,4-ClPOPA) was well resolved with the selectivity and resolution of 1.37 and 4.88, respectively. Compared to a previously reported native CD-CSP based on a triazole linkage, the current cationic CD-CSP shows a stronger retention and higher resolution towards acidic chiral compounds, ascribed to the propitious strong electrostatic attraction. Stability evaluation results indicated that thiol-ene reaction can provide a facile and robust approach for the preparation of positively charged CD CSPs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Synchrotron radiation based STXM analysis and micro-XRF mapping of differential expression of extracellular thiol groups by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans grown on Fe(2+) and S(0).

    PubMed

    Xia, Jin-Lan; Liu, Hong-Chang; Nie, Zhen-Yuan; Peng, An-An; Zhen, Xiang-Jun; Yang, Yun; Zhang, Xiu-Li

    2013-09-01

    The differential expression of extracellular thiol groups by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans grown on substrates Fe(2+) and S(0) was investigated by using synchrotron radiation based scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) imaging and microbeam X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) mapping. The extracellular thiol groups (SH) were first alkylated by iodoacetic acid forming Protein-SCH2COOH and then the P-SCH2COOH was marked by calcium ions forming P-SCH2COOCa. The STXM imaging and μ-XRF mapping of SH were based on analysis of SCH2COO-bonded Ca(2+). The results indicated that the thiol group content of A. ferrooxidans grown on S(0) is 3.88 times to that on Fe(2+). Combined with selective labeling of SH by Ca(2+), the STXM imaging and μ-XRF mapping provided an in situ and rapid analysis of differential expression of extracellular thiol groups. © 2013.

  19. Ambient Temperature Synthesis of High Enantiopurity N-Protected Peptidyl Ketones by Peptidyl Thiol Ester–Boronic Acid Cross-Coupling

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Hao; Li, Hao; Wittenberg, Rüdiger; Egi, Masahiro; Huang, Wenwei; Liebeskind, Lanny S.

    2009-01-01

    α-Amino acid thiol esters derived from N-protected mono-, di-, and tripeptides couple with aryl, π-electron-rich heteroaryl, or alkenyl boronic acids in the presence of stoichiometric Cu(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) and catalytic Pd2(dba)3/triethylphosphite to generate the corresponding N-protected peptidyl ketones in good to excellent yields and in high enantiopurity. Triethylphosphite plays a key role as a supporting ligand by mitigating an undesired palladium-catalyzed decarbonylation-β-elimination of the α-amino thiol esters. The peptidyl ketone synthesis proceeds at room temperature under non-basic conditions and demonstrates a high tolerance to functionality. PMID:17263394

  20. Depletion of Intracellular Thiols and Increased Production of 4-Hydroxynonenal that Occur During Cryopreservation of Stallion Spermatozoa Lead to Caspase Activation, Loss of Motility, and Cell Death.

    PubMed

    Martin Muñoz, Patricia; Ortega Ferrusola, Cristina; Vizuete, Guillermo; Plaza Dávila, Maria; Rodriguez Martinez, Heriberto; Peña, Fernando J

    2015-12-01

    Oxidative stress has been linked to sperm death and the accelerated senescence of cryopreserved spermatozoa. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain poorly understood. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered relevant signaling molecules for sperm function, only becoming detrimental when ROS homeostasis is lost. We hereby hypothesize that a major component of the alteration of ROS homeostasis in cryopreserved spermatozoa is the exhaustion of intrinsic antioxidant defense mechanisms. To test this hypothesis, semen from seven stallions was frozen using a standard technique. The parameters of sperm quality (motility, velocity, and membrane integrity) and markers of sperm senescence (caspase 3, 4-hydroxynonenal, and mitochondrial membrane potential) were assessed before and after cryopreservation. Changes in the intracellular thiol content were also monitored. Cryopreservation caused significant increases in senescence markers as well as dramatic depletion of intracellular thiols to less than half of the initial values (P < 0.001) postthaw. Interestingly, very high and positive correlations were observed among thiol levels with sperm functionality postthaw: total motility (r = 0.931, P < 0.001), progressive motility (r = 0.904, P < 0.001), and percentage of live spermatozoa without active caspase 3 (r = 0.996, P < 0.001). In contrast, negative correlations were detected between active caspase 3 and thiol content both in living (r = -0.896) and dead (r = -0.940) spermatozoa; additionally, 4-hydroxynonenal levels were negatively correlated with thiol levels (r = -0.856). In conclusion, sperm functionality postthaw correlates with the maintenance of adequate levels of intracellular thiols. The accelerated senescence of thawed spermatozoa is related to oxidative and electrophilic stress induced by increased production of 4-hydroxynoneal in thawed samples once intracellular thiols are depleted. © 2015 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction