WorldWideScience

Sample records for membrane-bound guaiacol peroxidases

  1. Cell wall bound anionic peroxidases from asparagus byproducts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaramillo-Carmona, Sara; López, Sergio; Vazquez-Castilla, Sara; Jimenez-Araujo, Ana; Rodriguez-Arcos, Rocio; Guillen-Bejarano, Rafael

    2014-10-08

    Asparagus byproducts are a good source of cationic soluble peroxidases (CAP) useful for the bioremediation of phenol-contaminated wastewaters. In this study, cell wall bound peroxidases (POD) from the same byproducts have been purified and characterized. The covalent forms of POD represent >90% of the total cell wall bound POD. Isoelectric focusing showed that whereas the covalent fraction is constituted primarily by anionic isoenzymes, the ionic fraction is a mixture of anionic, neutral, and cationic isoenzymes. Covalently bound peroxidases were purified by means of ion exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography. In vitro detoxification studies showed that although CAP are more effective for the removal of 4-CP and 2,4-DCP, anionic asparagus peroxidase (AAP) is a better option for the removal of hydroxytyrosol (HT), the main phenol present in olive mill wastewaters.

  2. Purification and partial characterization of peroxidase from human term placenta of non-smokers: metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene-7, 8-dihydrodiol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhavan, N D; Naidu, K A

    2000-01-01

    Peroxidase (Donor: H(2)O(2)oxidoreductase EC 1.11.1.7) from human term placentae of non-smokers was purified to homogeneity by a combination of NH(4)Cl extraction, affinity chromatography, (NH(4))(2)SO(4)precipitation, ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The homogeneity of purified human placental peroxidase (HTPP) was confirmed by gel filtration, reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and SDS-PAGE. Peroxidase was found to be a membrane bound enzyme. A high concentration of NH(4)Cl (1.2 m) was needed to extract and solublize the enzyme. Removal of the salt resulted in irreversible precipitation of the enzyme. The protein exhibited a molecular mass of 126 000 kDa according to gel filtration and approximately 60 000 kDa by SDS-PAGE, indicating that the peroxidase is a homodimer. The purified peroxidase showed an optimum pH range of 7 to 8.5 and the K(m)for H(2)O(2)and guaiacol were found to be 0.08 m m and 10.0 m m, respectively. The purified peroxidase oxidized several substrates, namely potassium iodide, tetramethyl benzidine, guaiacol, ortho dianisidne and tyrosine. The enzyme was resistant to thermal denaturation up to 70 degrees C and also to chaotropic agents, guanidinium chloride and urea. Spectral properties indicated the presence of Soret band at 433 which shifted to 451 nm on complexation with cyanide. The circular dichroism studies showed that HTPP has a predominantly helical secondary structure. The enzyme showed similarities to the myeloperoxidase with regard to spectral and catalytical properties but differed significantly in amino acid composition, the R(z)value and molecular mass. Purified HTPP differed from eosinophil peroxidase in all physico-chemical properties indicating that it is not of eosinophil origin, but may represent a distinct, constitutive peroxidase in human placenta. Further, purified peroxidase catalyzed oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene-7, 8-dihydrodiol in presence of tyrosine and hydrogen peroxide to BP

  3. Guaiacol production from ferulic acid, vanillin and vanillic acid by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witthuhn, R Corli; van der Merwe, Enette; Venter, Pierre; Cameron, Michelle

    2012-06-15

    Alicyclobacilli are thermophilic, acidophilic bacteria (TAB) that spoil fruit juice products by producing guaiacol. It is currently believed that guaiacol is formed by Alicyclobacillus in fruit juices as a product of ferulic acid metabolism. The aim of this study was to identify the precursors that can be metabolised by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris to produce guaiacol and to evaluate the pathway of guaiacol production. A. acidoterrestris FB2 was incubated at 45°C for 7days in Bacillus acidoterrestris (BAT) broth supplemented with ferulic acid, vanillin or vanillic acid, respectively. The samples were analysed every day to determine the cell concentration, the supplement concentration using high performance liquid chromatography with UV-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and the guaiacol concentration, using both the peroxidase enzyme colourimetric assay (PECA) and HPLC-DAD. The cell concentration of A. acidoterrestris FB2 during the 7days in all samples were above the critical cell concentration of 10(5)cfu/mL reportedly required for guaiacol production. The guaiacol produced by A. acidoterrestris FB2 increased with an increase in vanillin or vanillic acid concentration and a metabolic pathway of A. acidoterrestris FB2 directly from vanillin to guaiacol was established. The high concentration of vanillic acid (1000mg/L) resulted in an initial inhibitory effect on the cells, but the cell concentration increased after day 2. Guaiacol production did not occur in the absence of either a precursor or A. acidoterrestris FB2 and guaiacol was not produced by A. acidoterrestris FB2 in the samples supplemented with ferulic acid. The presence of Alicyclobacillus spp. that has the ability to produce guaiacol, as well as the substrates vanillin or vanillic acid is prerequisite for production of guaiacol. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Guaiacol peroxidase zymography for the undergraduate laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkesman, Jeff; Castro, Diana; Contreras, Lellys M; Kurz, Liliana

    2014-01-01

    This laboratory exercise presents a novel way to introduce undergraduate students to the specific detection of enzymatic activity by electrophoresis. First, students prepare a crude peroxidase extract and then analyze the homogenate via electrophoresis. Zymography, that is, a SDS-PAGE method to detect enzyme activity, is used to specifically detect peroxidase activity and furthermore, to analyze the total protein profile. After the assay, students may estimate the apparent molecular mass of the enzyme and discuss its structure. After the 4-h experiment, students gain knowledge concerning biological sample preparation, gel preparation, electrophoresis, and the importance of specific staining procedures for the detection of enzymatic activity. Copyright © 2014 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  5. Tetra(p-tolyl)borate-functionalized solvent polymeric membrane: a facile and sensitive sensing platform for peroxidase and peroxidase mimetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewei; Qin, Wei

    2013-07-22

    The determination of peroxidase activities is the basis for enzyme-labeled bioaffinity assays, peroxidase-mimicking DNAzymes- and nanoparticles-based assays, and characterization of the catalytic functions of peroxidase mimetics. Here, a facile, sensitive, and cost-effective solvent polymeric membrane-based peroxidase detection platform is described that utilizes reaction intermediates with different pKa values from those of substrates and final products. Several key but long-debated intermediates in the peroxidative oxidation of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) have been identified and their charge states have been estimated. By using a solvent polymeric membrane functionalized by an appropriate substituted tetraphenylborate as a receptor, those cationic intermediates could be transferred into the membrane from the aqueous phase to induce a large cationic potential response. Thus, the potentiometric indication of the o-PD oxidation catalyzed by peroxidase or its mimetics can be fulfilled. Horseradish peroxidase has been detected with a detection limit at least two orders of magnitude lower than those obtained by spectrophotometric techniques and traditional membrane-based methods. As an example of peroxidase mimetics, G-quadruplex DNAzymes were probed by the intermediate-sensitive membrane and a label-free thrombin detection protocol was developed based on the catalytic activity of the thrombin-binding G-quadruplex aptamer. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Guaiacol Peroxidase Zymography for the Undergraduate Laboratory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkesman, Jeff; Castro, Diana; Contreras, Lellys M.; Kurz, Liliana

    2014-01-01

    This laboratory exercise presents a novel way to introduce undergraduate students to the specific detection of enzymatic activity by electrophoresis. First, students prepare a crude peroxidase extract and then analyze the homogenate via electrophoresis. Zymography, that is, a SDS-PAGE method to detect enzyme activity, is used to specifically…

  7. Luffa aegyptiaca (Gourd) Fruit Juice as a Source of Peroxidase

    OpenAIRE

    Yadav, R. S. S.; Yadav, K. S.; Yadav, H. S.

    2011-01-01

    Peroxidases have turned out to be potential biocatalyst for a variety of organic reactions. The research work reported in this communication was done with the objective of finding a convenient rich source of peroxidase which could be used as a biocatalyst for organic synthetic reactions. The studies made have shown that Luffa aegyptiaca (gourd) fruit juice contains peroxidase activity of the order of 180 enzyme unit/mL. The K m values of this peroxidase for the substrates guaiacol and hydroge...

  8. Betacyanin accumulation and guaiacol peroxidase activity in Beta vulgaris L. leaves following copper stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janet M. León Morales

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The effect of copper stress on betacyanin accumulation and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOD activity in leaves of different age was evaluated in red beet (Beta vulgaris L. var. Crosby Egyptian plants. In hydroponic culture, plants were treated with 0.3 μM (control, 50 μM, 100 μM, and 250 μM of CuSO4 for 6 days. Copper was taken up and accumulated in old roots but was not translocated to leaves. However in young leaves, the increase of lipid peroxidation and reduction of growth were evident from day 3 of copper exposure; whereas in old leaves, the lipid peroxidation and growth were the same from either copper-treated or control plants. In response to copper exposure, the betacyanin accumulation was evident in young leaves by day 3, and continued to increase until day 6. Betacyanin only were accumulated in old leaves until day 6, but the contents were from 4 to 5 times lower than those observed in young leaves at the same copper concentrations. GPOD activity increased 3.3- and 1.4-fold in young and old leaves from day 3 of copper treatment respectively, but only in the young leaves was sustained at the same level until day 6. Old roots shown betacyanin in the control plants, but the betacyanin level and growth were reduced with the copper exposure. In contrast, young roots emerged by copper effect also accumulated copper and showed the highest betacyanin content of all plant parts assayed. These results indicate that betacyanin accumulation and GPOD activity are defense responses to copper stress in actively growing organs.

  9. Reverse-Bumpy-Ball-Type-Nanoreactor-Loaded Nylon Membranes as Peroxidase-Mimic Membrane Reactors for a Colorimetric Assay for H₂O₂.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Ying; Jiao, Xiangyu; Yang, Hankun; Wen, Yongqiang; Su, Lei; Zhang, Xueji

    2016-04-01

    Herein we report for the first time fabrication of reverse bumpy ball (RBB)-type-nanoreactor-based flexible peroxidase-mimic membrane reactors (MRs). The RBB-type nanoreactors with gold nanoparticles embedded in the inner walls of carbon shells were loaded on nylon membranes through a facile filtration approach. The as-prepared flexible catalytic membrane was studied as a peroxidase-mimic MR. It was found that the obtained peroxidase-mimic MR could exhibit several advantages over natural enzymes, such as facile and good recyclability, long-term stability and easy storage. Moreover, the RBB NS-modified nylon MRs as a peroxidase mimic provide a useful colorimetric assay for H₂O₂.

  10. Occurrence and properties of Petunia peroxidase a

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hendriks, T.

    1989-01-01

    Peroxidases are probably the most extensively studied enzymes in higher plants. Various isoenzymes occur as soluble proteins in the apoplast and in the vacuole, or are bound to membranes and cell walls. Their occurrence is often organ-specific and developmentally controlled, and there is

  11. Luffa aegyptiaca (Gourd) Fruit Juice as a Source of Peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, R S S; Yadav, K S; Yadav, H S

    2011-01-01

    Peroxidases have turned out to be potential biocatalyst for a variety of organic reactions. The research work reported in this communication was done with the objective of finding a convenient rich source of peroxidase which could be used as a biocatalyst for organic synthetic reactions. The studies made have shown that Luffa aegyptiaca (gourd) fruit juice contains peroxidase activity of the order of 180 enzyme unit/mL. The K(m) values of this peroxidase for the substrates guaiacol and hydrogen peroxide were 2.0 and 0.2 mM, respectively. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 and 60°C, respectively. Like other peroxidases, it followed double displacement type mechanism. Sodium azide inhibited the enzyme competitively with K(i) value of 3.35 mM.

  12. Luffa aegyptiaca (Gourd Fruit Juice as a Source of Peroxidase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. S. S. Yadav

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Peroxidases have turned out to be potential biocatalyst for a variety of organic reactions. The research work reported in this communication was done with the objective of finding a convenient rich source of peroxidase which could be used as a biocatalyst for organic synthetic reactions. The studies made have shown that Luffa aegyptiaca (gourd fruit juice contains peroxidase activity of the order of 180 enzyme unit/mL. The Km values of this peroxidase for the substrates guaiacol and hydrogen peroxide were 2.0 and 0.2 mM, respectively. The pH and temperature optima were 6.5 and 60°C, respectively. Like other peroxidases, it followed double displacement type mechanism. Sodium azide inhibited the enzyme competitively with Ki value of 3.35 mM.

  13. Screening of postharvest agricultural wastes as alternative sources of peroxidases: characterization and kinetics of a novel peroxidase from lentil ( Lens culinaris L.) stubble.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidalgo-Cuadrado, Nazaret; Pérez-Galende, Patricia; Manzano, Teresa; De Maria, Cándido Garcia; Shnyrov, Valery L; Roig, Manuel G

    2012-05-16

    Aqueous crude extracts of a series of plant wastes (agricultural, wild plants, residues from sports activities (grass), ornamental residues (gardens)) from 17 different plant species representative of the typical biodiversity of the Iberian peninsula were investigated as new sources of peroxidases (EC 1.11.1.7). Of these, lentil (Lens culinaris L.) stubble crude extract was seen to provide one of the highest specific peroxidase activities, catalyzing the oxidation of guaiacol in the presence of hydrogen peroxide to tetraguaiacol, and was used for further studies. For the optimum extraction conditions found, the peroxidase activity in this crude extract (110 U mL(-1)) did not vary for at least 15 months when stored at 4 °C (k(inact) = 0.146 year(-1), t(1/2 inact) = 4.75 year), whereas, for comparative purposes, the peroxidase activity (60 U mL(-1)) of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana L.) root crude extract, obtained and stored under the same conditions, showed much faster inactivation kinetics (k(inact) = 2.2 × 10(-3) day(-1), t(1/2 inact) = 315 days). Using guaiacol as an H donor and a universal buffer (see above), all crude extract samples exhibited the highest peroxidase activity in the pH range between 4 and 7. Once semipurified by passing the crude extract through hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B, the novel peroxidase (LSP) was characterized as having a purity number (RZ) of 2.5 and three SDS-PAGE electrophoretic bands corresponding to molecular masses of 52, 35, and 18 kDa. The steady-state kinetic study carried out on the H(2)O(2)-mediated oxidation of guaiacol by the catalytic action of this partially purified peroxidase pointed to apparent Michaelian kinetic behavior (K(m)(appH(2)O(2)) = 1.87 mM; V(max)(appH(2)O(2)) = 6.4 mM min(-1); K(m)(app guaicol) = 32 mM; V(max)(app guaicol) = 9.1 mM min(-1)), compatible with the two-substrate ping-pong mechanism generally accepted for peroxidases. Finally, after the effectiveness of the crude

  14. Purification and characterization of peroxidase from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) buds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köksal, Ekrem; Gülçin, Ilhami

    2008-01-01

    Peroxidases (EC 1.11.1.7; donor: hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase) are part of a large group of enzymes. In this study, peroxidase, a primer antioxidant enzyme, was purified with 19.3 fold and 0.2% efficiency from cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L.) by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, CM-Sephadex ion-exchange chromatography and Sephadex G-25 purification steps. The substrate specificity of peroxidase was investigated using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol), 1,2,3-trihyidroxybenzene (pyrogallol) and 4-methylcatechol. Also, optimum pH, optimum temperature, optimum ionic strength, stable pH, stable temperature, thermal inactivation conditions were determined for guaiacol/H(2)O(2), pyrogallol/H(2)O(2), ABTS/H(2)O(2), catechol/H(2)O(2) and 4-methyl catechol/H(2)O(2) substrate patterns. The molecular weight (M(w)) of this enzyme was found to be 44 kDa by gel filtration chromatography method. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was performed for isoenzyme determination and a single band was observed. K(m) and V(max) values were calculated from Lineweaver-Burk graph for each substrate patterns.

  15. Spectroscopic and Kinetic Characterization of Peroxidase-Like π-Cation Radical Pinch-Porphyrin-Iron(III Reaction Intermediate Models of Peroxidase Enzymes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel Hernández Anzaldo

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The spectroscopic and kinetic characterization of two intermediates from the H2O2 oxidation of three dimethyl ester [(proto, (meso, (deuteroporphyrinato (picdien]Fe(III complexes ([FePPPic], [FeMPPic] and [FeDPPic], respectively pinch-porphyrin peroxidase enzyme models, with s = 5/2 and 3/2 Fe(III quantum mixed spin (qms ground states is described herein. The kinetic study by UV/Vis at λmax = 465 nm showed two different types of kinetics during the oxidation process in the guaiacol test for peroxidases (1–3 + guaiacol + H2O2 → oxidation guaiacol products. The first intermediate was observed during the first 24 s of the reaction. When the reaction conditions were changed to higher concentration of pinch-porphyrins and hydrogen peroxide only one type of kinetics was observed. Next, the reaction was performed only between pinch-porphyrins-Fe(III and H2O2, resulting in only two types of kinetics that were developed during the first 0–4 s. After this time a self-oxidation process was observed. Our hypotheses state that the formation of the π-cation radicals, reaction intermediates of the pinch-porphyrin-Fe(III family with the ligand picdien [N,N’-bis-pyridin-2-ylmethyl-propane-1,3-diamine], occurred with unique kinetics that are different from the overall process and was involved in the oxidation pathway. UV-Vis, 1H-NMR and ESR spectra confirmed the formation of such intermediates. The results in this paper highlight the link between different spectroscopic techniques that positively depict the kinetic traits of artificial compounds with enzyme-like activity.

  16. Differences in wound-induced changes in cell-wall peroxidase activities and isoform patterns between seedlings of Prosopis tamarugo and Prosopis chilensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehner, Gabriele; Cardemil, Liliana

    2003-05-01

    We determined changes in cell-wall peroxidase activities and isoform patterns in response to wounding in seedlings of Prosopis tamarugo Phil. (an endemic species of the Atacama Desert) and Prosopis chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz (a native species of central Chile), to assess tolerance to predation. In seedlings of both species, the maximal increase in peroxidase activity occurred 48 h after wounding, reaching three times the control value in P. tamarugo and twice the control value in P. chilensis. The activity of ionically bound cell-wall peroxidases increased only locally in wounded embryonic axes, whereas the activity of soluble peroxidases increased systemically in unwounded cotyledons. Analysis of ionic peroxidases by isoelectrofocusing revealed two groups of peroxidases in the cell walls of both species: four distinct acidic isoforms and a group of basic isoforms. In response to wounding, there was a large increase in activity of the acidic isoforms in P. tamarugo, whereas there was an increase in the activity of the basic isoforms in P. chilensis. In P. chilensis, the wound-induced increase in activity of the basic isoforms corresponded with one of the two isoforms detected in P. tamarugo prior to wounding. Experiments with protein and RNA synthesis inhibitors indicated that a preexisting basic peroxidase is activated in P. chilensis after wounding. Assays of ionically bound peroxidase activity with four different substrates corroborated the differences found in isoform patterns between species. In P. tamarugo, the largest increases in activity were found with ortho-phenylenediamine and ferulic acid as substrates, whereas in P. chilensis the largest increase in activity was found with guaiacol as substrate. Because the same basic cell-wall peroxidase that accumulated after wounding in P. chilensis was present in P. tamarugo prior to wounding, and the activity of acidic cell-wall peroxidases increased after wounding in P. tamarugo but not in P. chilensis, we conclude

  17. Musa paradisiaca stem juice as a source of peroxidase and ligninperoxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vernwal, S K; Yadav, R S; Yadav, K D

    2000-10-01

    Musa paradisiaca stem juice has been shown to contain peroxidase activity of the order of 0.1 enzyme unit/ml. The Km values of this peroxidase for the substrates guaiacol and hydrogen peroxide are 2.4 and 0.28 mM respectively. The pH and temperature optima are 4.5 and 62.5 degrees C respectively. Like other peroxidases, it follows double displacement type mechanism. At low pH, Musa paradisiaca stem juice exhibits ligninperoxidase type activity. The pH optimum for ligninperoxidase type activity is 2.0 and the temperature optimum is 24 degrees C. The Km values for veratryl alcohol and n-propanol are 66 and 78 microM respectively.

  18. Analysis of the Peroxidase Activity of Rice (Oryza Sativa) Recombinant Hemoglobin 1: Implications for the In Vivo Function of Hexacoordinate Non-Symbiotic Hemoglobins in Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    In plants, it has been proposed that hexacoordinate (class 1) non-symbiotic Hbs (nsHb-1) function in vivo as peroxidases. However, little is known about the peroxidase activity of nsHb-1. We evaluated the peroxidase activity of rice recombinant Hb1 (a nsHb-1) by using the guaiacol/H2O2 system at pH ...

  19. A polymeric liquid membrane electrode responsive to 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine oxidation for sensitive peroxidase/peroxidase mimetic-based potentiometric biosensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuewei; Yang, Yangang; Li, Long; Sun, Mingshuang; Yin, Haogen; Qin, Wei

    2014-05-06

    The oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) has great utility in bioanalysis such as peroxidase/peroxidase mimetic-based biosensing. In this paper, the behaviors of TMB oxidation intermediates/products in liquid/liquid biphasic systems have been investigated for the first time. The free radical, charge transfer complex, and diimine species generated by TMB oxidation are all positively charged under acidic and near-neutral conditions. Electron paramagnetic resonance and visible absorbance spectroscopy data demonstrate that these cationic species can be effectively transferred from an aqueous phase into a water-immiscible liquid phase functionalized by an appropriate cation exchanger. Accordingly, sensitive potential responses of TMB oxidation have been obtained on a cation exchanger-doped polymeric liquid membrane electrode under mildly acidic and near-neutral conditions. By using the membrane electrode responsive to TMB oxidations, two sensitive potentiometric biosensing schemes including the peroxidase-labeled sandwich immunoassay and G-quadruplex DNAzyme-based DNA hybridization assay have been developed. The obtained detection limits for the target antigen and DNA are 0.02 ng/mL and 0.1 nM, respectively. Coupled with other advantages such as low cost, high reliability, and ease of miniaturization and integration, the proposed polymeric liquid membrane electrode holds great promise as a facile and efficient transducer for TMB oxidation and related biosensing applications.

  20. Effect of extrinsic factors on the production of guaiacol by Alicyclobacillus spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Susen; Park, Sang-Hyun; Kang, Dong-Hyun

    2015-04-01

    Alicyclobacillus spp. is of significance to the fruit juice industry due to the production of guaiacol. Studies on Alicyclobacillus regarding guaiacol focus mainly on novel ways to detect guaiacol or evaluate guaiacol-producing potential of isolated Alicyclobacillus. Basic studies on factors that induce or affect the production of guaiacol and the conversion pathway of vanillic acid to guaiacol are not available. The goal of this study was to evaluate how extrinsic factors can affect the production of guaiacol by Alicyclobacillu s isolates. Guaiacol-producing Alicyclobacillus isolates 1016 and 1101 were used in this study and the effects of temperature (25 to 55 °C), pH (3.0 to 5.5), and oxygen concentration on guaiacol production in laboratory media was investigated. Maximum production of guaiacol by isolate 1016 was detected within 9 h when incubated at 43 °C, pH 4.0, under microaerophilic conditions. Isolate 1101 produced detectable amounts of guaiacol within 8 h at pH 5.0. However, maximum guaiacol production was achieved within 14 h by isolate 1101 when incubated at 50 °C. Our results indicate that the production of guaiacol, contrary to common belief, is a rapid reaction under desirable conditions specific to each isolate. The results of this study can be useful for developing rapid guaiacol monitoring methods for Alicyclobacillus-related spoilage or be applied to more detailed enzyme-related studies.

  1. Membrane-based ethylene/ethane separation: The upper bound and beyond

    KAUST Repository

    Rungta, Meha

    2013-08-02

    Ethylene/ethane separation via cryogenic distillation is extremely energy-intensive, and membrane separation may provide an attractive alternative. In this paper, ethylene/ethane separation performance using polymeric membranes is summarized, and an experimental ethylene/ethane polymeric upper bound based on literature data is presented. A theoretical prediction of the ethylene/ethane upper bound is also presented, and shows good agreement with the experimental upper bound. Further, two ways to overcome the ethylene/ethane upper bound, based on increasing the sorption or diffusion selectivity, is also discussed, and a review on advanced membrane types such as facilitated transport membranes, zeolite and metal organic framework based membranes, and carbon molecular sieve membranes is presented. Of these, carbon membranes have shown the potential to surpass the polymeric ethylene/ethane upper bound performance. Furthermore, a convenient, potentially scalable method for tailoring the performance of carbon membranes for ethylene/ethane separation based on tuning the pyrolysis conditions has also been demonstrated. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

  2. Development of novel agar media for isolating guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus spp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, S S; Park, S H; Kang, D H

    2013-06-03

    The purpose of this study is to develop a selective and differential medium (SK2 agar) for isolating guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus. Forty-one selected dyes and vanillic acid were incorporated in SK agar for screening selective and differential agents. Two guaiacol producing (1016, 1101) and two non-guaiacol producing (19220, C-GD 1-1) Alicyclobacillus isolates were streaked onto media and color differentiation of the isolates was assessed. Among 41 tested dyes, Chrome Azurol S (CAS) allowed color differentiation of the two types of Alicyclobacillus. Colonies of guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus isolates appeared as dark purple to royal blue color with yellow background, whereas non-guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus isolates produced cream colored colonies with yellow background. Vanillic acid not only served as a precursor for guaiacol formation but also inhibited non-guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus. Non-guaiacol producing isolates did not grow on SK agar containing more than 70 ppm vanillic acid, whereas the recovery of guaiacol producing isolates was unaffected. When compared with other Alicyclobacillus isolation media, not only was SK2 agar capable of selectively recovering guaiacol-producing Alicyclobacillus, the degree of growth was also approximately equal if not better than orange serum agar, potato dextrose agar, and K agar. The development of SK2 agar provides the fruit juice industry with an inexpensive, simple to use alternative for the detection of guaiacol producing Alicyclobacillus. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Steric Pressure among Membrane-Bound Polymers Opposes Lipid Phase Separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imam, Zachary I; Kenyon, Laura E; Carrillo, Adelita; Espinoza, Isai; Nagib, Fatema; Stachowiak, Jeanne C

    2016-04-19

    Lipid rafts are thought to be key organizers of membrane-protein complexes in cells. Many proteins that interact with rafts have bulky polymeric components such as intrinsically disordered protein domains and polysaccharide chains. Therefore, understanding the interaction between membrane domains and membrane-bound polymers provides insights into the roles rafts play in cells. Multiple studies have demonstrated that high concentrations of membrane-bound polymeric domains create significant lateral steric pressure at membrane surfaces. Furthermore, our recent work has shown that lateral steric pressure at membrane surfaces opposes the assembly of membrane domains. Building on these findings, here we report that membrane-bound polymers are potent suppressors of membrane phase separation, which can destabilize lipid domains with substantially greater efficiency than globular domains such as membrane-bound proteins. Specifically, we created giant vesicles with a ternary lipid composition, which separated into coexisting liquid ordered and disordered phases. Lipids with saturated tails and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains conjugated to their head groups were included at increasing molar concentrations. When these lipids were sparse on the membrane surface they partitioned to the liquid ordered phase. However, as they became more concentrated, the fraction of GUVs that were phase-separated decreased dramatically, ultimately yielding a population of homogeneous membrane vesicles. Experiments and physical modeling using compositions of increasing PEG molecular weight and lipid miscibility phase transition temperature demonstrate that longer polymers are the most efficient suppressors of membrane phase separation when the energetic barrier to lipid mixing is low. In contrast, as the miscibility transition temperature increases, longer polymers are more readily driven out of domains by the increased steric pressure. Therefore, the concentration of shorter polymers required

  4. [Membrane-bound cytokine and feedforward regulation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ke-Fu; Zheng, Guo-Guang; Ma, Xiao-Tong; Song, Yu-Hua

    2013-10-01

    Feedback and feedforward widely exist in life system, both of them are the basic processes of control system. While the concept of feedback has been widely used in life science, feedforward regulation was systematically studied in neurophysiology, awaiting further evidence and mechanism in molecular biology and cell biology. The authors put forward a hypothesis about the feedforward regulation of membrane bound macrophage colony stimulation factor (mM-CSF) on the basis of their previous work. This hypothesis might provide a new direction for the study on the biological effects of mM-CSF on leukemia and solid tumors, and contribute to the study on other membrane bound cytokines.

  5. Precursors and metabolic pathway for guaiacol production by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Rui; Yuan, Yahong; Wang, Zhouli; Guo, Chunfeng; Liu, Bin; Liu, Laping; Wang, Yutang; Yue, Tianli

    2015-12-02

    Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris has recently received much attention due to its implication in the spoilage of pasteurized fruit juices, which was manifested by the production of guaiacol. Vanillic acid and vanillin have been accepted as the biochemical precursors of guaiacol in fruit juices. The purpose of this study was to try to find other precursors and elucidate details about the conversion of vanillic acid and vanillin to guaiacol by A. acidoterrestris. Four potential substrates including ferulic acid, catechol, phenylalanine and tyrosine were analyzed, but they could not be metabolized to guaiacol by all the thirty A. acidoterrestris strains tested. Resting cell studies and enzyme assays demonstrated that vanillin was reduced to vanillyl alcohol by NADPH-dependent vanillin reductase and oxidized to vanillic acid by NAD(P)(+)-dependent vanillin dehydrogenases in A. acidoterrestris DSM 3923. Vanillic acid underwent a nonoxidative decarboxylation to guaiacol. The reversible vanillic acid decarboxylase involved was oxygen insensitive and pyridine nucleotide-independent. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Characteristics of estrogen-induced peroxidase in mouse uterine luminal fluid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jellinck, P.H.; Newbold, R.R.; McLachlan, J.A.

    1991-01-01

    Peroxidase activity in the uterine luminal fluid of mice treated with diethylstilbestrol was measured by the guaiacol assay and also by the formation of 3H2O from [2-3H]estradiol. In the radiometric assay, the generation of 3H2O and 3H-labeled water-soluble products was dependent on H2O2 (25 to 100 microM), with higher concentrations being inhibitory. Tyrosine or 2,4-dichlorophenol strongly enhanced the reaction catalyzed either by the luminal fluid peroxidase or the enzyme in the CaCl2 extract of the uterus, but decreased the formation of 3H2O from [2-3H]estradiol by lactoperoxidase in the presence of H2O2 (80 microM). NADPH, ascorbate, and cytochrome c inhibited both luminal fluid and uterine tissue peroxidase activity to the same extent, while superoxide dismutase showed a marginal activating effect. Lactoferrin, a major protein component of uterine luminal fluid, was shown not to contribute to its peroxidative activity, and such an effect by prostaglandin synthase was also ruled out. However, it was not possible to exclude eosinophil peroxidase, brought to the uterus after estrogen stimulation, as being the source of peroxidase activity in uterine luminal fluid

  7. Response of antioxidant system of tomato to water deficit stress and its interaction with ascorbic acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Daneshmand

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Environmental stresses including water deficit stress may produce oxidants such as reactive oxygen species that damage the membrane structure in plants. Among the antioxidants, ascorbic acid has a critical role in the cell and scavenges reactive oxygen species. In this research, effects of ascorbic acid at two levels (0 and 10 mM and water deficit stress based on 3 levels of field capacity (100, 60 and 30% were studied in tomato plants. Both levels of stress increased lipid peroxidation, reduced the amount of ascorbic acid and glutathione and increased the activity of enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, guaiacol peroxidase and reduced the growth parameters. Ascorbic acid treatment, reduced lipid peroxidation, increased ascorbic acid and glutathione levels and decreased the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase and positive effects of ascorbic acid treatment appeared to improve the plant growth parameters.

  8. Covalent Immobilization of Peroxidase onto Hybrid Membranes for the Construction of Optical Biosensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyubov Yotova

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to covalently immobilize horse radish peroxidase (HRP onto new hybrid membranes synthesized by the sol-gel method based on silica precursors, dendrimers and cellulose derivatives. This new system will be used for designing biosensor. For investigation of the properties of membranes, HRP was used as a modeling enzyme. Kinetic parameters, pH and temperature optimum were determined, and the structure of the membranes surface was examined. Results showed higher relative and residual activity of HRP immobilized onto membranes with cellulose acetate butyrate with high molecular weight CAB/H. This novel biosensor could offer a simple, cheap and rapid tool with enhanced sensing performance as well as having potentials to find application in medicine, pharmacy, food and process control and environmental monitoring.

  9. Enzyme catalytic resonance scattering spectral detection of trace hydrogen peroxide using guaiacol as substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiwen Huang

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogen peroxide oxidized guaiacol to form tetramer particles that exhibited a strong resonance scattering (RS peak at 530 nm in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP in citric acid-Na2HPO4 buffer solution of pH 4.4. The RS peak increased when the concentration of hydrogen peroxide increased. The increased RS intensity (ΔI530 nm was linear to the hydrogen peroxide concentration in the range of 0.55-27.6 μM, with a linear regression equation of ΔI530 nm = 17.1C + 1.6, a relative coefficient of 0.9996 and a detection limit of 0.03 μM H2O2. This proposed method was applied to detect hydrogen peroxide in rain water, with sensitivity, selectivity, rapidity, and recovery of 98.0-104 %.

  10. Effect of narcotics on membrane-bound mitochondrial processes in fish

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vergauwen, Lucia; Nørgaard Schmidt, Stine; Michiels, Ellen

    and endoplasmic reticulum membrane are known to closely interact with the cell membrane, we hypothesize that narcotics can be further partitioned into these organelle membranes where they can disrupt essential membrane-bound processes. The electron transport chain (ETC) is an example of a crucial mitochondrial...

  11. Biochemical Properties of Soluble and Bound Peroxidases from Artichoke Heads and Leaves

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Cardinali

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Soluble (SP, ionically bound (IBP and covalently bound (CBP peroxidases (POD from artichoke leaves and heads have been characterized for the main biochemical parameters. The three PODs, in both leaves and heads, showed the major apparent catalytic efficiency (vmax,app/Km,app towards ferulic acid, even though, in some cases, they showed higher affinity (Km,app for other substrates. In leaves, SP and IBP showed higher Km,app for ferulic and chlorogenic acids, and CBP for ferulic and caffeic acids. In heads, SP showed higher Km,app for chlorogenic acid, IBP for caffeic and ferulic acids, and CBP for ferulic acid. It was shown that pH optimum for PODs ranged between 5.0 and 6.0 in leaves. In heads, pH optimum for SP and IBP was 5.5, while CBP presented a very low activity in a wide pH range. All PODs showed high thermal stability but different ability to regenerate: the bound forms were more able to regenerate than the soluble one. The results obtained show that (i CBP from heads is able to work under very different cellular conditions, (ii all PODs, in both tissues, have a high apparent catalytic efficiency for ferulic acid, which could explain the effective involvement of POD in lignin biosynthesis, (iii in heads, high Km,app of SP for chlorogenic acid, particularly abundant in artichoke, could justify the possible involvement of PODs in browning mechanism, and (iv in heat-processed artichoke, the ability of PODs to regenerate could contribute to oxidation and loss of product quality.

  12. Peroxidase production and ligninolytic potentials of fresh water bacteria Raoultella ornithinolytica and Ensifer adhaerens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayodeji O. Falade

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Interest in novel ligninolytic bacteria has remained topical due to, in part, the maneuverability of the bacterial genome. Conversely, the fungal genome lacks the dexterity for similar maneuverability thus, posing challenges in the fungal enzyme yield optimization process. Some impact of this situation includes the inability to commercialize the bio-catalytic process of lignin degradation by fungi. Consequently, this study assessed some fresh water bacteria isolates for ligninolytic and peroxidase properties through the utilization and degradation of model lignin compounds (guaiacol and veratryl alcohol and the decolourization of selected ligninolytic indicator dyes; Azure B (AZB, Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR and Congo Red (CR. Bacterial strains with appreciable ligninolytic and peroxidase production potentials were identified through 16S rDNA sequence analysis and the nucleotide sequences deposited in the GenBank. About 5 isolates were positive for the degradation of both guaiacol (GA and veratryl alcohol (VA thus, accounting for about 17% of the test isolates. Similarly, AZB, RBBR and CR were respectively decolorized by 3, 2 and 5 bacterial strains thus, accounting for 10%, 7% and 17% of the test isolates. Two of the test bacterial strains were able to decolourize AZB, RBBR and CR respectively and these bacterial strains were identified as Raoultella ornithinolytica OKOH-1 and Ensifer adhaerens NWODO-2 with respective accession numbers as KX640917 and KX640918. Upon quantitation of the peroxidase activities; 5250 ± 0.00 U/L was recorded against Raoultella ornithinolytica OKOH-1 and 5833 ± 0.00 U/L against Ensifer adhaerens NWODO-2. The ligninolytic and dye decolourization properties of Raoultella ornithinolytica OKOH-1 and Ensifer adhaerens NWODO-2 marks for novelty particularly, as dyes with arene substituents were decolourized. Consequently, the potentials for the industrial applicability of these test bacterial strains abound as

  13. An albumin-fixed membrane for the removal of protein-bound toxins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ge Dongtao; Wu Dewang; Shi Wei; Ma Yuanyuan; Tian Xiangdong; Liang Pengfei; Zhang Qiqing

    2006-01-01

    Established methods for kidney dialysis do not work for liver failure because kidney dialysis removes only water-soluble toxins, while the liver normally removes albumin-bound toxins. In the present study, a polysulfone dialysis membrane with a -OH reactive group was prepared by hydrolyzing the chloromethylated polysulfone membrane, and the bovine serum albumin molecules were fixed into the membrane with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole activation. The content of albumin of the albumin-fixed membrane was 121.3 mg (g membrane) -1 . The albumin-fixed dialysis membranes were used to remove protein-bound toxins, bilirubin, from the bilirubin-albumin solution. The transfer rate of bilirubin of the albumin-fixed membrane was obviously higher compared to the normal dialysis membrane. The clearance of bilirubin with the albumin-fixed membrane was 49.8%. The albumin-fixed membrane can easily be regenerated by the bovine serum albumin and NaOH solution. Regeneration of the membrane suggested good mechanical and chemical stability, as well as good clearance of bilirubin. In addition, the effects of membrane thickness and bilirubin initial concentration on the removal of bilirubin were discussed

  14. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effect analyses of membrane-bound enkephalin analogues by sup 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance: Correlation between activities and membrane-bound conformations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Milon, Alain; Miyazawa, Tatsuo; Higashijima, Tsutomu (Univ. of Tokyo (Japan))

    1990-01-09

    Leu-enkephalin, (D-Ala{sup 2})Leu-enkephalin, and (D-Ala{sup 2})Leu-enkephalinamide (agonists) and (L-Ala{sup 2})Leu-enkephalin (inactive analogue) bind to lipid bilayer consisting of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine. The conformations that these compounds assume, once bound to perdeuterated phospholipid bilayer, have been shown to be unique, as shown by the transferred nuclear Overhauser effect (TRNOE) of {sup 1}H NMR spectroscopy. In addition, their location in the bilayer was analyzed by TRNOE in the presence of spin-labeled phospholipids. These analyses showed a clear relationship between the activity and the peptide-membrane interaction. The three active peptides, when bound to membranes, adopt the same conformation, characterized by a type II{prime} {beta}-turn around Gly{sup 3}-Phe and a {gamma}-turn around Gly{sup 2} (or D-Ala{sup 2}). The inactive analogue, (L-Ala{sup 2})Leu-enkephalin, displayed a completely different TRNOE pattern corresponding to a different conformation in the membrane-bound state. The tyrosine residue of the active compounds is not inserted into the interior of membrane, but it is inserted into the bilayer for the L-Ala{sup 2} analogue. According to these results, (L-Ala{sup 2})Leu-enkephalin may be explained to be inactive because the mode of binding to the membranes is different from that of active compounds.

  15. Oxygen activation at the plasma membrane: relation between superoxide and hydroxyl radical production by isolated membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyno, Eiri; Mary, Véronique; Schopfer, Peter; Krieger-Liszkay, Anja

    2011-07-01

    Production of reactive oxygen species (hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide) was studied using EPR spin-trapping techniques and specific dyes in isolated plasma membranes from the growing and the non-growing zones of hypocotyls and roots of etiolated soybean seedlings as well as coleoptiles and roots of etiolated maize seedlings. NAD(P)H mediated the production of superoxide in all plasma membrane samples. Hydroxyl radicals were only produced by the membranes of the hypocotyl growing zone when a Fenton catalyst (FeEDTA) was present. By contrast, in membranes from other parts of the seedlings a low rate of spontaneous hydroxyl radical formation was observed due to the presence of small amounts of tightly bound peroxidase. It is concluded that apoplastic hydroxyl radical generation depends fully, or for the most part, on peroxidase localized in the cell wall. In soybean plasma membranes from the growing zone of the hypocotyl pharmacological tests showed that the superoxide production could potentially be attributed to the action of at least two enzymes, an NADPH oxidase and, in the presence of menadione, a quinone reductase.

  16. Dissociation and purification of the endogenous membrane-bound Vo complex from Pichia pastoris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sumei; Hong, Tao; Wang, Kun; Lu, Yinghong; Zhou, Min

    2017-10-01

    Most proteins occur and function in complexes rather than as isolated entities in membranes. In most cases macromolecules with multiple subunits are purified from endogenous sources. In this study, an endogenous membrane-protein complex was obtained from Pichia pastoris, which can be grown at high densities to significantly improve the membrane protein yield. We successfully isolated the membrane-bound Vo complex of V-ATPase from P. pastoris using a fusion FLAG tag attached to the C-terminus of subunit a to generate the vph-tag strain, which was used for dissociation and purification. After FLAG affinity and size exclusion chromatography purification, the production quantity and purity of the membrane-bound Vo complex was 20 μg l -1 and >98%, respectively. The subunits of the endogenous membrane-bound Vo complex observed in P. pastoris were similar to those obtained from S. cerevisiae, as demonstrated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Therefore, successful dissociation and purification of the membrane-bound Vo complex at a high purity and sufficient quantity was achieved via a rapid and simple procedure that can be used to obtain the endogenous membrane-protein complexes from P. pastoris. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Membrane-bound organelles versus membrane-less compartments and their control of anabolic pathways in Drosophila

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aguilera-Gomez, Angelica; Rabouille, Catherine

    2017-01-01

    Classically, we think of cell compartmentalization as being achieved by membrane-bound organelles. It has nevertheless emerged that membrane-less assemblies also largely contribute to this compartmentalization. Here, we compare the characteristics of both types of compartmentalization in term of

  18. Monitoring orientation and dynamics of membrane-bound melittin utilizing dansyl fluorescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haldar, Sourav; Raghuraman, H; Chattopadhyay, Amitabha

    2008-11-06

    Melittin is a cationic hemolytic peptide isolated from the European honey bee, Apis mellifera. In spite of a number of studies, there is no consensus regarding the orientation of melittin in membranes. In this study, we used a melittin analogue that is covalently labeled at its amino terminal (Gly-1) with the environment-sensitive 1-dimethylamino-5-sulfonylnaphthalene (dansyl) group to obtain information regarding the orientation and dynamics of the amino terminal region of membrane-bound melittin. Our results show that the dansyl group in Dns-melittin exhibits red edge excitation shift in vesicles of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, implying its localization in a motionally restricted region of the membrane. This is further supported by wavelength-dependent anisotropy and lifetime changes and time-resolved emission spectra characterized by dynamic Stokes shift, which indicates relatively slow solvent relaxation in the excited state. Membrane penetration depth analysis using the parallax method shows that the dansyl group is localized at a depth of approximately 18 A from the center of the bilayer in membrane-bound Dns-melittin. Further analysis of dansyl and tryptophan depths in Dns-melittin shows that the tilt angle between the helix axis of membrane-bound melittin and the bilayer normal is approximately 70 degrees. Our results therefore suggest that melittin adopts a pseudoparallel orientation in DOPC membranes at low concentration.

  19. Effects of preservatives on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris growth and guaiacol production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Rui; Yuan, Yahong; Wang, Zhouli; Guo, Chunfeng; Liu, Bin; Pan, Chunqing; Liu, Laping; Yue, Tianli

    2015-12-02

    Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris can survive the pasteurization process, multiply in pasteurized juices and produce guaiacol which causes medicinal or antiseptic off-flavors. Chemical preservatives have the potential to suppress outgrowth of surviving populations during subsequent storage of fruit juices. In the present study, the individual effects of potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, potassium metabisulfite, dehydroacetic acid, ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, cinnamic acid and ε-polylysine on A. acidoterrestris growth and guaiacol production were firstly evaluated in a laboratory medium. Of the seven preservatives investigated, only dehydroacetic acid, cinnamic acid and ε-polylysine were effective both in controlling growth and guaiacol formation by A. acidoterrestris. Then, these three antimicrobials were applied to apple juice. Through the addition of 270 mg/L dehydroacetic acid, 108 mg/L cinnamic acid or 100 mg/L ε-polylysine, the A. acidoterrestris counts were reduced by 3.43, 3.17 and 4.78 log colony forming unit(CFU)/mL, respectively, and no guaiacol was detected after 14 days of storage. Sensory evaluation revealed that the addition of these three preservatives did not affect the organoleptic properties of the apple juice. Results obtained in this paper could be very useful for a better control of A. acidoterrestris-related spoilage in the fruit juice/beverage industry. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Ectopic expression of a horseradish peroxidase enhances growth rate and increases oxidative stress resistance in hybrid aspen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaoka, Akiyoshi; Matsunaga, Etsuko; Endo, Saori; Kondo, Shinkichi; Yoshida, Kazuya; Shinmyo, Atsuhiko; Ebinuma, Hiroyasu

    2003-07-01

    We previously demonstrated that overexpression of the horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) peroxidase prxC1a gene stimulated the growth rate of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants. Here, the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S::prxC1a construct was introduced into hybrid aspen (Populus sieboldii x Populus grandidentata). The growth rate of these transformed hybrid aspen plants was substantially increased under greenhouse conditions. The average stem length of transformed plants was 25% greater than that of control plants. There was no other obvious phenotypic difference between the transformed and control plants. Fast-growing transformed hybrid aspen showed high levels of expression of prxC1a and had elevated peroxidase activities toward guaiacol and ascorbate. However, there was no increase of the endogenous class I ascorbate peroxidase activities in the transformed plants by separate assay and activity staining of native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, calli derived from the transformed hybrid aspen grew faster than those from control plants and were resistant to the oxidative stress imposed by hydrogen peroxide. Therefore, enhanced peroxidase activity affects plant growth rate and oxidative stress resistance.

  1. Tumor promoter induced membrane-bound protein kinase C - its influence on hematogenous metastasis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gopalakrishna, R.; Barsky, S.H.

    1987-01-01

    A correlation between the amount of membrane-bound detergent-extractable protein kinase C activity in various B16 melanoma sublines (F10, F1, BL6) and their lung metastasizing abilities following intravenous injection was found. The F10 subline which exhibits higher metastasizing ability was found to have higher membrane-bound protein kinase C compared to the lower metastasizing subline, F1. Treatment of F1 cells with 100 nM 12-0 tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) for 1h resulted in 90% decrease in protein kinase C activity in the cytosol with a concommitent increase in membrane-bound activity. These TPA-treated cells when injected intravenously in C57BL/6 mice produced 6-fold increase in pulmonary metastases compared to untreated F1 cells. However, biologically inactive analogues 4 α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate and phorbol 13-acetate had no effect on either membrane-bound protein kinase C activity or pulmonary metastases. Treating F1 cells with the second-stage tumor promoter, mezerin, resulted in increase in both membrane association of protein kinase C and also lung metastases. Thus, these results strongly suggests that membrane associated protein kinase C activity influences hematogenous metastasis of these melanoma cells

  2. Peroxidase activity in root hairs of cress (lepidium sativum L.) Cytochemical localization and radioactive labelling of wall bound peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaar, K.

    1979-01-01

    The ultrastructural localization of peroxidase activity in young, growing root hairs of cress (Lepidium sativum L.) after assay with 3,3'-diaminobenzidine is reported. Prominent peroxidase activity has been found in the dictyosomes and the associated vesicles, in ribosomes on ER-cisternae, as well as in the cell wall. On the basis of both ultrastructural and cytochemical evidence it is proposed that peroxidase in root hairs is synthesized on the ER- and within dictyosome cisternae packaged and transported in secretory vesicles and extruded into the cell wall particularily at the tip region of a root hair. The kinetic of Golgi apparatus mediated peroxidasesecretion was monitored by measuring the 55 Fe protoheme content of primary cell walls. Peroxidase secretion seems to be enhanced during stress incubation in destilled water. Secretory activity in root hairs is 20 times higher than in cells of the root body. (author)

  3. Thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase increases resistance to salt ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are cellular indicators of stress. In plants, they function as secondary messengers in response to environmental stress. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) is an important enzyme directly involved in the scavenging of ROS. In this study, we aimed at identifying the function of the Brassica napus ...

  4. Heterologous expression and purification of membrane-bound pyrophosphatases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kellosalo, J.; Kajander, T.; Palmgren, Michael Broberg

    2011-01-01

    Membrane-bound pyrophosphatases (M-PPases) are enzymes that couple the hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate to pumping of protons or sodium ions. In plants and bacteria they are important for relieving stress caused by low energy levels during anoxia, drought, nutrient deficiency, cold and low l...

  5. TUNABLE TENSOR VOTING FOR REGULARIZING PUNCTATE PATTERNS OF MEMBRANE-BOUND PROTEIN SIGNALS

    OpenAIRE

    Loss, Leandro

    2009-01-01

    Membrane-bound protein, expressed in the basal-lateral region, is heterogeneous and an important endpoint for understanding biological processes. At the optical resolution, membrane-bound protein can be visualized as being diffused (e.g., E-cadherin), punctate (e.g., connexin), or simultaneously diffused and punctate as a result of sample preparation or conditioning. Furthermore, there is a significant amount of heterogeneity as a result of technical and biological variations. This paper aims...

  6. NMR spectroscopic studies of membrane-bound biological systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hohlweg, W.

    2013-01-01

    In the course of this thesis, biological NMR spectroscopy was employed in studying membrane-bound peptides and proteins, for which structural information is still comparatively hard to obtain. Initial work focused on various model peptides bound to membrane-mimicking micelles, studying the protonation state of arginine in a membrane environment. Strong evidence for a cation-π complex was found in TM7, a peptide which forms the seventh transmembrane helix of subunit a of the vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase). V-ATPase is a physiologically highly relevant proton pump, which is present in intracellular membranes of all eukaryotic organisms, as well as the plasma membrane of several specialized cells. Loss of functional V-ATPase is associated with human diseases such as osteopetrosis, distal renal tubular acidosis or the spreading of cancer. V-ATPase is considered a potential drug target in the treatment of osteoporosis and cancer, or in the development of novel contraceptives. Results from NMR solution structure determination, NMR titration experiments, paramagnetic relaxation enhancement experiments and tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy confirm the existence of a buried cation-? complex formed between arginine residue R735, which is essential for proton transport, and neighbouring tryptophan and tyrosine residues. In vivo experiments in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae using selective growth tests and fluorescence microscopy showed that formation of the cation-π complex is essential for V-ATPase function. Deletion of both aromatic residues, as well as only the one tryptophan residue leads to growth defects and inability to maintain vacuolar pH homeostasis. These findings shine new light on the still elusive mechanism of proton transport in V-ATPase, and show that arginine R735 may be directly involved in proton transfer across the membrane. (author) [de

  7. Membrane-bound 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase of human erythrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schröter, W; Neuvians, M

    1970-12-01

    Gradual osmotic hemolysis of human erythrocytes reduces the cell content of whole protein, hemoglobin, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and triosephosphate isomerase extensively, but not that of membrane protein and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase. After the refilling of the ghosts with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and reconstitution of the membrane, the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase activity equals that of intact red cells. The membrane-bound 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase can be activated by sodium hyposulfite. The enzyme system of ghosts seems to differ from that of intact red cells with regard to the optima of pH and temperature. It remains to be elucidated if the membrane binding of the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate phosphatase is related to the transfer of inorganic phosphate across the red cell membrane.

  8. Tunable Tensor Voting Improves Grouping of Membrane-Bound Macromolecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Loss, Leandro A.; Bebis, George; Parvin, Bahram

    2009-04-15

    Membrane-bound macromolecules are responsible for structural support and mediation of cell-cell adhesion in tissues. Quantitative analysis of these macromolecules provides morphological indices for damage or loss of tissue, for example as a result of exogenous stimuli. From an optical point of view, a membrane signal may have nonuniform intensity around the cell boundary, be punctate or diffused, and may even be perceptual at certain locations along the boundary. In this paper, a method for the detection and grouping of punctate, diffuse curvilinear signals is proposed. Our work builds upon the tensor voting and the iterative voting frameworks to propose an efficient method to detect and refine perceptually interesting curvilinear structures in images. The novelty of our method lies on the idea of iteratively tuning the tensor voting fields, which allows the concentration of the votes only over areas of interest. We validate the utility of our system with synthetic and annotated real data. The effectiveness of the tunable tensor voting is demonstrated on complex phenotypic signals that are representative of membrane-bound macromolecular structures.

  9. Fibronectin-synthesizing activity of free and membrane-bound polyribosomes from human embryonic fibroblasts and chick embryos

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Belkin, V.M.; Volodarskaya, S.M.

    1986-01-01

    The fibronectin-synthesizing activity of membrane-bound and free polyribosomes in a cell-free system was studied using immunochemical methods. It was found that fibronectin biosynthesis on membrane-bound polyribosomes from human embryonic fibroblasts accounts for 4.9% and those from 10-day-old chick embryos for 1.1% of the total amount of newly synthesized proteins, whereas on free polyribosomes it is 1.0 and 0.3%, respectively. Fibronectin monomers with a molecular weight of 220,000 were found only in the material of the cell-free system containing heavy fractions of membrane-bound polyribosomes newly synthesized in the presence of spermidine. Thus, it was shown that fibronectin is synthesized primarily on membrane-bound polyribosomes

  10. Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Ceria-Zirconia Catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schimming, Sarah M; LaMont, Onaje D; König, Michael; Rogers, Allyson K; D'Amico, Andrew D; Yung, Matthew M; Sievers, Carsten

    2015-06-22

    The hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol is investigated over bulk ceria and ceria-zirconia catalysts with different elemental compositions. The reactions are performed in a flow reactor at 1 atm and 275-400 °C. The primary products are phenol and catechol, whereas cresol and benzene are formed as secondary products. No products with hydrogenated rings are formed. The highest conversion of guaiacol is achieved over a catalyst containing 60 mol % CeO2 and 40 mol % ZrO2 . Pseudo-first-order activation energies of 97-114 kJ mol(-1) are observed over the mixed metal oxide catalysts. None of the catalysts show significant deactivation during 72 h on stream. The important physicochemical properties of the catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction, titration of oxygen vacancies, and temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia. On the basis of these experimental results, the reasons for the observed reactivity trends are identified. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Structure of soybean seed coat peroxidase: a plant peroxidase with unusual stability and haem-apoprotein interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henriksen, A; Mirza, O; Indiani, C

    2001-01-01

    Soybean seed coat peroxidase (SBP) is a peroxidase with extraordinary stability and catalytic properties. It belongs to the family of class III plant peroxidases that can oxidize a wide variety of organic and inorganic substrates using hydrogen peroxide. Because the plant enzyme is a heterogeneous...... glycoprotein, SBP was produced recombinant in Escherichia coli for the present crystallographic study. The three-dimensional structure of SBP shows a bound tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane molecule (TRIS). This TRIS molecule has hydrogen bonds to active site residues corresponding to the residues that interact...... with the small phenolic substrate ferulic acid in the horseradish peroxidase C (HRPC):ferulic acid complex. TRIS is positioned in what has been described as a secondary substrate-binding site in HRPC, and the structure of the SBP:TRIS complex indicates that this secondary substrate-binding site could...

  12. Petunia peroxidase a: isolation, purification and characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendriks, T; Wijsman, H J; van Loon, L C

    1991-07-01

    The fast-moving anionic peroxidase isoenzyme variant PRXa was purified from leaves of petunia (Petunia hybrida). Over 1300-fold purification was achieved by subjecting extracellular extracts to two sequential acetone precipitations and resuspending the pellets at pH 5.0 and pH 8.0, respectively, followed by gel filtration and chromatofocusing. The purified enzyme had an absorbance ratio (A405 nm/A280 nm) of 3.6, a molecular mass of about 37 kDa and a pI of 3.8. Three molecular forms with slightly different molecular masses were separated by concanavalin-A--Sepharose affinity chromatography, indicating that these three forms differ in their carbohydrate moieties. The absorption spectrum of PRXa had maxima at 496 and 636 nm and a Soret band at 405 nm. Spectra of compounds I and IV were obtained by titrating a batch of PRXa stored for several months at -20 degrees C with H2O2. The addition of 1 mol H2O2/mol freshly purified PRXa caused the formation of compound II, indicating that freshly isolated PRXa contains a bound hydrogen donor which is lost upon storage. Compound III was obtained from both preparations in the presence of excess H2O2. The pH optimum of PRXa for the reaction with H2O2 and guaiacol was 5.0 and its specific activity 61 mkat/g protein. Among various aromatic compounds, coniferyl alcohol was polymerized by PRXa to presumed lignin-like material. The extracellular localization and high affinity of PRXa for the cinnamic acid derivatives suggest that this isoenzyme functions in the polymerization or cross-linking of lignin in the plant cell wall.

  13. Membrane-bound transcription factors: regulated release by RIP or RUP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoppe, T; Rape, M; Jentsch, S

    2001-06-01

    Regulated nuclear transport of transcription factors from cytoplasmic pools is a major route by which eukaryotes control gene expression. Exquisite examples are transcription factors that are kept in a dormant state in the cytosol by membrane anchors; such proteins are released from membranes by proteolytic cleavage, which enables these transcription factors to enter the nucleus. Cleavage can be mediated either by regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) catalysed by specific membrane-bound proteases or by regulated ubiquitin/proteasome-dependent processing (RUP). In both cases processing can be controlled by cues that originate at or in the vicinity of the membrane.

  14. Structure Biology of Membrane Bound Enzymes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu, Dax [Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States). School of Medicine. Dept. of Physiology

    2016-11-30

    The overall goal of the proposed research is to understand the membrane-associated active processes catalyzed by an alkane $\\square$-hydroxylase (AlkB) from eubacterium Pseudomonase oleovorans. AlkB performs oxygenation of unactivated hydrocarbons found in crude oils. The enzymatic reaction involves energy-demanding steps in the membrane with the uses of structurally unknown metal active sites featuring a diiron [FeFe] center. At present, a critical barrier to understanding the membrane-associated reaction mechanism is the lack of structural information. The structural biology efforts have been challenged by technical difficulties commonly encountered in crystallization and structural determination of membrane proteins. The specific aims of the current budget cycle are to crystalize AlkB and initiate X-ray analysis to set the stage for structural determination. The long-term goals of our structural biology efforts are to provide an atomic description of AlkB structure, and to uncover the mechanisms of selective modification of hydrocarbons. The structural information will help elucidating how the unactivated C-H bonds of saturated hydrocarbons are oxidized to initiate biodegradation and biotransformation processes. The knowledge gained will be fundamental to biotechnological applications to biofuel transformation of non-edible oil feedstock. Renewable biodiesel is a promising energy carry that can be used to reduce fossil fuel dependency. The proposed research capitalizes on prior BES-supported efforts on over-expression and purification of AlkB to explore the inner workings of a bioenergy-relevant membrane-bound enzyme.

  15. Adsorption of guaiacol on Fe (110) and Pd (111) from first principles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hensley, Alyssa J. R.; Wang, Yong; McEwen, Jean-Sabin

    2016-06-01

    The catalytic properties of surfaces are highly dependent upon the effect said surfaces have on the geometric and electronic structure of adsorbed reactants, products, and intermediates. It is therefore crucial to have a surface-level understanding of the adsorption of the key species in a reaction in order to design active and selective catalysts. Here, we study the adsorption of guaiacol on Fe (110) and Pd (111) using dispersion-corrected density functional theory calculations as both of these metals are of interest as hydrodeoxygenation catalysts for the conversion of bio-oils to useable biofuels. Both vertical (via the oxygen functional groups) and horizontal (via the aromatic ring) adsorption configurations were examined and the resulting adsorption and molecular distortion energies showed that the vertical sites were only physisorbed while the horizontal sites were chemisorbed on both metal surfaces. A comparison of guaiacol's horizontal adsorption on Fe (110) and Pd (111) showed that guaiacol had a stronger adsorption on Pd (111) while the Fe (110) surface distorted the Csbnd O bonds to a greater degree. Electronic analyses on the horizontal systems showed that the greater adsorption strength for guaiacol on Pd (111) was likely due to the greater charge transfer between the aromatic ring and the surface Pd atoms. Additionally, the greater distortion of the Csbnd O bonds in adsorbed guaiacol on Fe (110) is likely due to the greater degree of interaction between the oxygen and surface Fe atoms. Overall, our results show that the Fe (110) surface has a greater degree of interaction with the functional groups and the Pd (111) surface has a greater degree of interaction with the aromatic ring.

  16. Comparison of defence responses to Botrytis cinerea infection in tomato plants propagated in vitro and grown in vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacek Patykowski

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Defence reactions: O2 - generation, superoxide dismutase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activities after B. cinerea infection in tomato plants propagated in vitro and grown in vivo have been compared. Infection resulted in rapid O2 - generation. Superoxide dismutase activity increase was slower than O2 - response. In plants propagated in vitro catalase and guaiacol peroxidase activities after infection were induced less strongly than in plants grown in vivo. K2HPO4 pretreatment of plants grown in vitro enhanced significantly the activities of catalase and guaiacol peroxidase after infection. Slight restriction of B. cinerea infection development in in vitro propagated plants pretreated with K2HP04 was observed.

  17. Formation of Guaiacol by Spoilage Bacteria from Vanillic Acid, a Product of Rice Koji Cultivation, in Japanese Sake Brewing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Toshihiko; Konno, Mahito; Shimura, Yoichiro; Watanabe, Seiei; Takahashi, Hitoshi; Hashizume, Katsumi

    2016-06-08

    The formation of guaiacol, a potent phenolic off-odor compound in the Japanese sake brewing process, was investigated. Eight rice koji samples were analyzed, and one contained guaiacol and 4-vinylguaiacol (4-VG) at extraordinarily high levels: 374 and 2433 μg/kg dry mass koji, respectively. All samples contained ferulic and vanillic acids at concentrations of mg/kg dry mass koji. Guaiacol forming microorganisms were isolated from four rice koji samples. They were identified as Bacillus subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens/subtilis, and Staphylococcus gallinarum using 16S rRNA gene sequence. These spoilage bacteria convert vanillic acid to guaiacol and ferulic acid to 4-VG. However, they convert very little ferulic acid or 4-VG to guaiacol. Nine strains of koji fungi tested produced vanillic acid at the mg/kg dry mass koji level after cultivation. These results indicated that spoilage bacteria form guaiacol from vanillic acid, which is a product of koji cultivation in the sake brewing process.

  18. Evaluation of peroxidases from roots of Cyperus hermaphroditus as enzymatic mechanisms in phenanthrene oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guerrero Zuniga, A. [Inst. Mexicano del Petroleo, Mexico City (Mexico). Environmental Protection Management Office; Rodriguez Dorantes, A.M. [Lab. Fisiologia Vegetal, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biologicas, Mexico City (Mexico). Depto Botanica

    2006-07-01

    Although phenanthrene is not mutagenic or carcinogenic, it has been shown to be toxic to aquatic organisms. This study evaluated in-vitro phenanthrene oxidation by peroxidases from radical extracts of Cyperus hermaphroditus plants. The characterization of oxidation products of phenanthrene related to the induction of root peroxidases was also examined. Concentrated ethanol stock of phenanthrene solution was added to the mineral solution of each plant container. The total radical biomass was placed in 4.5 ml of an ionic solution to analyze the enzymatic activity of the extracellular peroxidases. The total protein for each experiment was quantified by the Bradford method. Extracellular peroxidases activity was measured using the spectrophotometric method. The amount of radical biomass was quantified as high in the 80 and 120 ppm phenanthrene treatments relative to the control plants. It was suggested that the nature of the Cyperaceae roots combined with the high-octanol water coefficient and a low water solubility for phenanthrene may have facilitated the stabilization of the contaminant towards the roots. The ability of Cyperus hermaphroditus to immobilize phenanthrene through its adhesion was encouraged by the conditions of the hydroponic culture system. The adsorption of phenanthrene was increased with the time of exposure to the contaminant due to the greater total root mass. The study also showed the transformation of phenanthrene by radical extracts of Cyperus hermaphroditus containing guaiacol peroxidases with 12 per cent residual phenanthrene in the in vitro assays. The spectrophotometric analysis confirmed that the enzymatic systems are responsible for the phytotransformation of the pollutant. 9 refs., 2 tabs., 5 figs.

  19. Response of membrane-bound ATPase of Micrococcus luteus to heat and ultraviolet light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Volotovskij, J.; Risi, S.; Dose, K.

    1976-01-01

    It is shown that the properties of ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) of Micrococcus luteus depend only to some extent on the state of the membrane to which it is attached. Its interaction with the membrane appears to be largely controlled by polar forces. It is shown, however, that the UV-sensitivity of the membrane-bound ATPase is also significantly influenced by the state of membrane lipids. (orig.) [de

  20. Response of membrane-bound ATPase of Micrococcus luteus to heat and ultraviolet light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Volotovskii, J; Risi, S; Dose, K [Mainz Univ. (F.R. Germany). Inst. fuer Biochemie

    1976-03-01

    It is shown that the properties of ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) of Micrococcus luteus depend only to some extent on the state of the membrane to which it is attached. Its interaction with the membrane appears to be largely controlled by polar forces. It is shown, however, that the UV-sensitivity of the membrane-bound ATPase is also significantly influenced by the state of membrane lipids.

  1. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of membrane-bound pyrophosphatases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kellosalo, Juho; Kajander, Tommi; Honkanen, Riina; Goldman, Adrian

    2013-02-01

    Membrane-bound pyrophosphatases (M-PPases) are enzymes that enhance the survival of plants, protozoans and prokaryotes in energy constraining stress conditions. These proteins use pyrophosphate, a waste product of cellular metabolism, as an energy source for sodium or proton pumping. To study the structure and function of these enzymes we have crystallized two membrane-bound pyrophosphatases recombinantly produced in Saccharomyces cerevisae: the sodium pumping enzyme of Thermotoga maritima (TmPPase) and the proton pumping enzyme of Pyrobaculum aerophilum (PaPPase). Extensive crystal optimization has allowed us to grow crystals of TmPPase that diffract to a resolution of 2.6 Å. The decisive step in this optimization was in-column detergent exchange during the two-step purification procedure. Dodecyl maltoside was used for high temperature solubilization of TmPPase and then exchanged to a series of different detergents. After extensive screening, the new detergent, octyl glucose neopentyl glycol, was found to be the optimal for TmPPase but not PaPPase.

  2. Activated Carbon, Carbon Nanofiber and Carbon Nanotube Supported Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts for the Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Molybdenum carbide was supported on three types of carbon support—activated carbon; multi-walled carbon nanotubes; and carbon nanofibers—using ammonium molybdate and molybdic acid as Mo precursors. The use of activated carbon as support afforded an X-ray amorphous Mo phase, whereas crystalline molybdenum carbide phases were obtained on carbon nanofibers and, in some cases, on carbon nanotubes. When the resulting catalysts were tested in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO of guaiacol in dodecane, catechol and phenol were obtained as the main products, although in some instances significant amounts of cyclohexane were produced. The observation of catechol in all reaction mixtures suggests that guaiacol was converted into phenol via sequential demethylation and HDO, although the simultaneous occurrence of a direct demethoxylation pathway cannot be discounted. Catalysts based on carbon nanofibers generally afforded the highest yields of phenol; notably, the only crystalline phase detected in these samples was Mo2C or Mo2C-ζ, suggesting that crystalline Mo2C is particularly selective to phenol. At 350 °C, carbon nanofiber supported Mo2C afforded near quantitative guaiacol conversion, the selectivity to phenol approaching 50%. When guaiacol HDO was performed in the presence of acetic acid and furfural, guaiacol conversion decreased, although the selectivity to both catechol and phenol was increased.

  3. Limited and selective transfer of plasma membrane glycoproteins to membrane of secondary lysosomes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haylett, T.; Thilo, L.

    1986-01-01

    Radioactive galactose, covalently bound to cell surface glycoconjugates on mouse macrophage cells, P388D 1 , was used as a membrane marker to study the composition, and the kinetics of exchange, of plasma membrane-derived constituents in the membrane of secondary lysosomes. Secondary lysosomes were separated from endosomes and plasma membrane by self-forming Percoll density gradients. Horseradish peroxidase, taken up by fluid-phase pinocytosis, served as a vesicle contents marker to monitor transfer of endosomal contents into secondary lysosomes. Concurrently, the fraction of plasma membrane-derived label of secondary lysosomes increased by first order kinetics from 4 PAGE, labeled molecules of M/sub r/ 160-190 kD were depleted and of the M/sub r/ 100-120 kD were enriched in lysosome membrane compared with the relative composition of label on the cell surface. No corresponding selectivity was observed for the degradation of label, with all M/sub r/ classes being affected to the same relative extent. The results indicate that endocytosis-derived transfer of plasma membrane constitutents to secondary lysosomes is a limited and selective process, and that only ∼1% of internalized membrane is recycled via a membrane pool of secondary lysosomes

  4. Structural and dynamical insights into the membrane-bound α-synuclein.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neha Jain

    Full Text Available Membrane-induced disorder-to-helix transition of α-synuclein, a presynaptic protein, has been implicated in a number of important neuronal functions as well as in the etiology of Parkinson's disease. In order to obtain structural insights of membrane-bound α-synuclein at the residue-specific resolution, we took advantage of the fact that the protein is devoid of tryptophan and incorporated single tryptophan at various residue positions along the sequence. These tryptophans were used as site-specific markers to characterize the structural and dynamical aspects of α-synuclein on the negatively charged small unilamellar lipid vesicles. An array of site-specific fluorescence readouts, such as the spectral-shift, quenching efficiency and anisotropy, allowed us to discern various features of the conformational rearrangements occurring at different locations of α-synuclein on the lipid membrane. In order to define the spatial localization of various regions of the protein near the membrane surface, we utilized a unique and sensitive indicator, namely, red-edge excitation shift (REES, which originates when a fluorophore is located in a highly ordered micro-environment. The extent of REES observed at different residue positions allowed us to directly identify the residues that are localized at the membrane-water interface comprising a thin (∼ 15 Å layer of motionally restrained water molecules and enabled us to construct a dynamic hydration map of the protein. The combination of site-specific fluorescence readouts allowed us to unravel the intriguing molecular details of α-synuclein on the lipid membrane in a direct model-free fashion. Additionally, the combination of methodologies described here are capable of distinguishing subtle but important structural alterations of α-synuclein bound to different negatively charged lipids with varied head-group chemistry. We believe that the structural modulations of α-synuclein on the membrane could

  5. Membrane-bound ATPase contributes to hop resistance of Lactobacillus brevis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sakamoto, K; van Veen, HW; Saito, H; Kobayashi, H; Konings, WN

    2002-01-01

    The activity of the membrane-bound H+-ATPase of the beer spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus brevis ABBC45 increased upon adaptation to bacteriostatic hop compounds. The ATPase activity was optimal around pH 5.6 and increased up to fourfold when L. brevis was exposed to 666 muM hop compounds. The

  6. Structural features and dynamic investigations of the membrane-bound cytochrome P450 17A1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Ying-Lu; Xue, Qiao; Zheng, Qing-Chuan; Zhang, Ji-Long; Kong, Chui-Peng; Fan, Jing-Rong; Zhang, Hong-Xing

    2015-10-01

    Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 17A1 is a dual-function monooxygenase with a critical role in the synthesis of many human steroid hormones. The enzyme is an important target for treatment of breast and prostate cancers that proliferate in response to estrogens and androgens. Despite the crystallographic structures available for CYP17A1, no membrane-bound structural features of this enzyme at atomic level are available. Accumulating evidence has indicated that the interactions between bounded CYPs and membrane could contribute to the recruitment of lipophilic substrates. To this end, we have investigated the effects on structural characteristics in the presence of the membrane for CYP17A1. The MD simulation results demonstrate a spontaneous insertion process of the enzyme to the lipid. Two predominant modes of CYP17A1 in the membrane are captured, characterized by the depths of insertion and orientations of the enzyme to the membrane surface. The measured heme tilt angles show good consistence with experimental data, thereby verifying the validity of the structural models. Moreover, conformational changes induced by the membrane might have impact on the accessibility of the active site to lipophilic substrates. The dynamics of internal aromatic gate formed by Trp220 and Phe224 are suggested to regulate tunnel opening motions. The knowledge of the membrane binding characteristics could guide future experimental and computational works on membrane-bound CYPs so that various investigations of CYPs in their natural, lipid environment rather than in artificially solubilized forms may be achieved. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  7. Study on the changes in the levels of membrane-bound ATPases ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An attempt has been made to determine the deleterious effects of λ cyhalothrin- induced in fresh water tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) with respect to changes in the activities of membrane-bound ATPases (Na+/K+, Mg+ and Ca2+ ATPase) and mineral status ...

  8. Drought Stress Responses of Sunflower Germplasm Developed after Wide Hybridization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roumiana Dimova Vassilevska-Ivanova

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Response of sunflower germplasms viz. cultivated sunflower H. annuus and two breeding lines H. annuus x T. rotundifolia and H. annuus x V. encelioides developed after wide hybridization were used for identification of drought tolerant sunflower genotypes at the seedling growth stage. Three water stress levels of zero (control, -0.4, and -0.8 MPa were developed using polyethyleneglycol-6000 (PEG-6000. Physiological and biochemical stress determining parameters such as root and shoots length, fresh weight, antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase (CAT, guaiacol peroxidase (GPO, ascorbate peroxidase (APX and antioxidant metabolite content (total antioxidant capacity, total phenols and total flavonoids content were compared between seedlings of all three genotypes. Results revealed that sunflower genotypes have similar responses at two osmotic potentials for shoot and root length and fresh weight. The data also showed that drought stresss could induce oxidative stress, as indicated by the increase level of ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase at -04 MPa in H. annuus cv 1114. Although the activity of ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase was differentially influenced by drought, the changes of antioxidant enzyme activities such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase subjected to drought stress follow a similar pattern in both breeding lines, indicating that similar defense systems might be involved in the oxidative stress injury in sunflowers. Increase in content of phenols and flavonoids were detected for all three genotypes under stress, which showed that these were major antioxidant metabolites in scavenging cellular H2O2.

  9. Liquid-Phase Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Mo2C Supported on Commercial CNF. Effects of Operating Conditions on Conversion and Product Selectivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui Moreira

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this work, a Mo2C catalyst that was supported on commercial carbon nanofibers (CNF was synthetized and tested in the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO of guaiacol. The effects of operating conditions (temperature and pressure and reaction time (2 and 4 h on the conversion of guaiacol and products selectivity were studied. The major reaction products were cresol and phenol, followed by xylenols and toluene. The use of more severe operating conditions during the HDO of guaiacol caused a diversification in the reaction pathways, and consequently in the selectivity to products. The formation of phenol may have occurred by demethylation of guaiacol, followed by dehydroxylation of catechol, together with other reaction pathways, including direct guaiacol demethoxylation, and demethylation of cresols. X-ray diffraction (XRD analysis of spent catalysts did not reveal any significant changes as compared to the fresh catalyst.

  10. pMD-Membrane: A Method for Ligand Binding Site Identification in Membrane-Bound Proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyanka Prakash

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Probe-based or mixed solvent molecular dynamics simulation is a useful approach for the identification and characterization of druggable sites in drug targets. However, thus far the method has been applied only to soluble proteins. A major reason for this is the potential effect of the probe molecules on membrane structure. We have developed a technique to overcome this limitation that entails modification of force field parameters to reduce a few pairwise non-bonded interactions between selected atoms of the probe molecules and bilayer lipids. We used the resulting technique, termed pMD-membrane, to identify allosteric ligand binding sites on the G12D and G13D oncogenic mutants of the K-Ras protein bound to a negatively charged lipid bilayer. In addition, we show that differences in probe occupancy can be used to quantify changes in the accessibility of druggable sites due to conformational changes induced by membrane binding or mutation.

  11. Cadmium-induced oxidative damage and protective effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine against cadmium toxicity in Solanum nigrum L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Xiaopeng; Xia Yan; Hu Wei; Zhang Hongxiao; Shen Zhenguo

    2010-01-01

    The effects of cadmium (Cd) on the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and antioxidant enzyme activities in roots of Solanum nigrum L. and the role of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a cysteine (Cys) donor against Cd toxicity were investigated. Cd at 50 and 200 μM significantly increased the contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), the production of H 2 O 2 and superoxide anion (O 2 · - ), and the activities of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase. Experiments with diphenylene iodonium as an inhibitor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and NaN 3 as an inhibitor of peroxidase showed that the major source of Cd-induced reactive oxygen species in the roots may include plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidase and peroxidase. In addition, the effects of NAC on plant growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, and non-protein thiol content were analyzed. Under Cd stress, the addition of 500 μM NAC decreased the contents of TBARS and production of H 2 O 2 and O 2 · - , but increased levels of Cys and reduced glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins, and activity of GSH-Px in roots. These results suggest that NAC could protect plants from oxidative stress damage, and this protection seems to be performed via increased GSH biosynthesis. Furthermore, NAC treatment also increased the contents of protein thiols in S. nigrum roots. By using size-exclusion chromatography, we found involvement of NAC in the Cd tolerance mechanism through increased biosynthesis of Cd-binding proteins.

  12. Biotransformation of ferulic acid to 4-vinyl guaiacol by Lactobacillus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Continuously growing demand for natural flavors has led to a tremendous increase in biotransformation process employing microorganisms of different genera using ferulic acid (FA) as the precursor. In this study, potential of Lactobacillus farciminis (ATCC 29644) for biotransformation of FA to 4-vinyl guaiacol (4VG) was ...

  13. Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry of Functional Membrane-bound Chemotaxis Receptor Complexes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koshy, Seena S.; Eyles, Stephen J.; Weis, Robert M.; Thompson, Lynmarie K.

    2014-01-01

    The transmembrane signaling mechanism of bacterial chemotaxis receptors is thought to involve changes in receptor conformation and dynamics. The receptors function in ternary complexes with two other proteins, CheA and CheW, that form extended membrane-bound arrays. Previous studies have shown that attractant binding induces a small (~2 Å) piston displacement of one helix of the periplasmic and transmembrane domains towards the cytoplasm, but it is not clear how this signal propagates through the cytoplasmic domain to control the kinase activity of the CheA bound at the membrane-distal tip, nearly 200 Å away. The cytoplasmic domain has been shown to be highly dynamic, which raises the question of how a small piston motion could propagate through a dynamic domain to control CheA kinase activity. To address this, we have developed a method for measuring dynamics of the receptor cytoplasmic fragment (CF) in functional complexes with CheA and CheW. Hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) measurements of global exchange of CF demonstrate that CF exhibits significantly slower exchange in functional complexes than in solution. Since the exchange rates in functional complexes are comparable to that of other proteins of similar structure, the CF appears to be a well-structured protein within these complexes, which is compatible with its role in propagating a signal that appears to be a tiny conformational change in the periplasmic and transmembrane domains of the receptor. We also demonstrate the feasibility of this protocol for local exchange measurements, by incorporating a pepsin digest step to produce peptides with 87% sequence coverage and only 20% back exchange. This method extends HDX-MS to membrane-bound functional complexes without detergents that may perturb the stability or structure of the system. PMID:24274333

  14. Generation and characterization of tabalumab, a human monoclonal antibody that neutralizes both soluble and membrane-bound B-cell activating factor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manetta J

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Joseph Manetta, Holly Bina, Paul Ryan, Niles Fox, Derrick R Witcher, Kristine Kikly Biotechnology Discovery Research, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA Abstract: B-cell activating factor (BAFF is a B-cell survival factor with a key role in B-cell homeostasis and tolerance. Dysregulated BAFF expression may contribute to autoimmune diseases or B-cell malignancies via effects on abnormal B-lymphocyte activation, proliferation, survival, and immunoglobulin secretion. Monoclonal antibodies were generated against human BAFF, characterized for species specificity and affinity, and screened for the ability to neutralize both membrane-bound and soluble BAFF. In addition, studies were undertaken to determine the relative potency of membrane-bound and soluble BAFF. Tabalumab has a high affinity for human, cynomolgus monkey, and rabbit BAFF. No binding to mouse BAFF was detected. Tabalumab was able to neutralize soluble human, cynomolgus monkey, or rabbit BAFF with equal potency. Our data demonstrate that membrane-bound BAFF can be a more potent stimulus for B-cells than soluble BAFF, and tabalumab also neutralized membrane-bound BAFF. Tabalumab prevented BAFF from binding to BAFF receptors and demonstrated pharmacodynamic effects in human BAFF transgenic mice. Tabalumab is a high-affinity human antibody with neutralizing activity against membrane-bound and soluble BAFF. Given our findings that membrane-bound BAFF can have greater in vitro potency than soluble BAFF, neutralization of both forms of BAFF is likely to be important for optimal therapeutic effect. Keywords: autoimmunity, B-cell malignancies, B-cell survival factor, BAFF

  15. Dynamics of Pinus sylvestris L. needles activity in Predbaikal’ye forests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.M. Romanova

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The study was aimed to analyse changes in peroxidase activity of common pine needles throughout the year. The needles of the 1-st, 2-nd and 3-d years were collected. Total activity of guaiacol-dependent peroxidase was determined. Minimum peroxidase activity is observed in January and February. In March intense overall activation of peroxidase is observed in the needles of all ages, which might be related to spring enhancement of physiological processes and activation of metabolism. Autumn period is characterized by more or less high activities of guaiacol peroxidase from September till November, which is related to its participation in stress-adaptation to low temperatures in winter. Peroxidase activity changes depending on the season of the year. Needles of different age are characterized by their own peroxidase activity level in various time periods.

  16. Characterization of a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase responsible for carminic acid biosynthesis in Dactylopius coccus Costa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kannangara, Rubini; Siukstaite, Lina; Borch-Jensen, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    Carminic acid, a glucosylated anthraquinone found in scale insects like Dactylopius coccus, has since ancient times been used as a red colorant in various applications. Here we show that a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase, isolated from D. coccus and designated DcUGT2, catalyzes the glucosyla......Carminic acid, a glucosylated anthraquinone found in scale insects like Dactylopius coccus, has since ancient times been used as a red colorant in various applications. Here we show that a membrane-bound C-glucosyltransferase, isolated from D. coccus and designated DcUGT2, catalyzes...

  17. Influence of the Chemical Structure on Odor Qualities and Odor Thresholds of Halogenated Guaiacol-Derived Odorants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Juhlke

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Chlorinated guaiacol derivatives are found in waste water of pulp mills using chlorine in the bleaching process of wood pulp. They can also be detected in fish tissue, possibly causing off-odors. To date, there is no systematic investigation on the odor properties of halogenated guaiacol derivatives. To close this gap, odor thresholds in air and odor qualities of 14 compounds were determined by gas chromatography-olfactometry. Overall, the investigated compounds elicited smells that are characteristic for guaiacol, namely smoky, sweet, vanilla-like, but also medicinal and plaster-like. Their odor thresholds in air were, however, very low, ranging from 0.00072 to 23 ng/Lair. The lowest thresholds were found for 5-chloro- and 5-bromoguaiacol, followed by 4,5-dichloro- and 6-chloroguaiacol. Moreover, some inter-individual differences in odor threshold values could be observed, with the highest variations having been recorded for the individual values of 5-iodo- and 4-bromoguaiacol.

  18. Influence of the chemical structure on odor qualities and odor thresholds of halogenated guaiacol-derived odorants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juhlke, Florian; Lorber, Katja; Wagenstaller, Maria; Buettner, Andrea

    2017-12-01

    Chlorinated guaiacol derivatives are found in waste water of pulp mills using chlorine in the bleaching process of wood pulp. They can also be detected in fish tissue, possibly causing off-odors. To date, there is no systematic investigation on the odor properties of halogenated guaiacol derivatives. To close this gap, odor thresholds in air and odor qualities of 14 compounds were determined by gas chromatography-olfactometry. Overall, the investigated compounds elicited smells that are characteristic for guaiacol, namely smoky, sweet, vanilla-like, but also medicinal and plaster-like. Their odor thresholds in air were, however, very low, ranging from 0.00072 to 23 ng/Lair. The lowest thresholds were found for 5-chloro- and 5-bromoguaiacol, followed by 4,5-dichloro- and 6-chloroguaiacol. Moreover, some inter-individual differences in odor threshold values could be observed, with the highest variations having been recorded for the individual values of 5-iodo- and 4-bromoguaiacol.

  19. Purification of peroxidase from Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavery, Christopher B; Macinnis, Morgan C; Macdonald, M Jason; Williams, Joanna Bassey; Spencer, Colin A; Burke, Alicia A; Irwin, David J G; D'Cunha, Godwin B

    2010-08-11

    Peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) from horseradish ( Armoracia rusticana ) roots was purified using a simple, rapid, three-step procedure: ultrasonication, ammonium sulfate salt precipitation, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography on phenyl Sepharose CL-4B. The preparation gave an overall yield of 71%, 291-fold purification, and a high specific activity of 772 U mg(-1) protein. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the purified enzyme was homogeneous and had a molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa. The isolated enzyme had an isoelectric point of 8.8 and a Reinheitszahl value of 3.39 and was stable when stored in the presence of glycerol at -20 degrees C, with >95% retention of original enzyme activity for at least 6 months. Maximal activity of purified horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was obtained under different optimized conditions: substrate (guaiacol and H(2)O(2)) concentrations (0.5 and 0.3 mM, respectively), type of buffer (50 mM phosphate buffer), pH (7.0), time (1.0 min), and temperature of incubation (30 degrees C). In addition, the effect of HRP and H(2)O(2) in a neutral-buffered aqueous solution for the oxidation of phenol and 2-chlorophenol substrates was also studied. Different conditions including concentrations of phenol/2-chlorophenol, H(2)O(2), and enzyme, time, pH, and temperature were standardized for the maximal activity of HRP with these substrates; under these optimal conditions 89.6 and 91.4% oxidations of phenol and 2-chlorophenol were obtained, respectively. The data generated from this work could have direct implications in studies on the commercial production of this biotechnologically important enzyme and its stability in different media.

  20. A quantitative ELISA procedure for the measurement of membrane-bound platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, D M; Lynch, J M; Howe, S E

    1985-03-01

    A quantitative ELISA assay for the measurement of in vivo bound platelet-associated IgG (PAIgG) using intact patient platelets is presented. The assay requires quantitation and standardization of the number of platelets bound to microtiter plate wells and an absorbance curve using quantitated IgG standards. Platelet-bound IgG was measured using an F(ab')2 peroxidase labeled anti-human IgG and o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (OPD) as the substrate. Using this assay, PAIgG for normal individuals was 2.8 +/- 1.6 fg/platelet (mean +/- 1 SD; n = 30). Increased levels were found in 28 of 30 patients with clinical autoimmune thrombocytopenia (ATP) with a range of 7.0-80 fg/platelet. Normal PAIgG levels were found in 26 of 30 patients with nonimmune thrombocytopenia. In the sample population studied, the PAIgG assay showed a sensitivity of 93%, specificity of 90%, a positive predictive value of 0.90, and a negative predictive value of 0.93. The procedure is highly reproducible (CV = 6.8%) and useful in evaluating patients with suspected immune mediated thrombocytopenia.

  1. Data supporting the role of enzymes and polysaccharides during cassava postharvest physiological deterioration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uarrota, Virgílio Gavicho; Moresco, Rodolfo; Schmidt, Eder Carlos; Bouzon, Zenilda Laurita; da Costa Nunes, Eduardo; de Oliveira Neubert, Enilto; Peruch, Luiz Augusto Martins; Rocha, Miguel; Maraschin, Marcelo

    2016-03-01

    This data article is referred to the research article entitled The role of ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, and polysaccharides in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) roots under postharvest physiological deterioration by Uarrota et al. (2015). Food Chemistry 197, Part A, 737-746. The stress duo to PPD of cassava roots leads to the formation of ROS which are extremely harmful and accelerates cassava spoiling. To prevent or alleviate injuries from ROS, plants have evolved antioxidant systems that include non-enzymatic and enzymatic defence systems such as ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase and polysaccharides. In this data article can be found a dataset called "newdata", in RData format, with 60 observations and 06 variables. The first 02 variables (Samples and Cultivars) and the last 04, spectrophotometric data of ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, tocopherol, total proteins and arcsined data of cassava PPD scoring. For further interpretation and analysis in R software, a report is also provided. Means of all variables and standard deviations are also provided in the Supplementary tables ("data.long3.RData, data.long4.RData and meansEnzymes.RData"), raw data of PPD scoring without transformation (PPDmeans.RData) and days of storage (days.RData) are also provided for data analysis reproducibility in R software.

  2. Optimisation of the Factor VIII yield in mammalian cell cultures by reducing the membrane bound fraction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolind, Mille Petersen; Nørby, Peder Lisby; Berchtold, Martin Werner

    2011-01-01

    and forms the tenase complex together with clotting Factor IX. In vitro, during serum free production of recombinant FVIII (rFVIII), production cells also expose PS, and since vWF is not present to hinder interaction of secreted rFVIII with PS, rFVIII is partly associated with the cell membrane...... of active membrane bound rFVIII to the culture medium. Moreover, the attachment of rFVIII to cell membranes of un-transfected HEK293 cells was studied in the presence of compounds that competes for interactions between rFVIII and PS. Competitive assays between iodinated rFVIII (¹²5I-rFVIII) and annexin V...... or ortho-phospho-L-serine (OPLS) demonstrated that annexin V and OPLS were able to reduce the membrane bound fraction of rFVIII by 70% and 30%, respectively. Finally, adding OPLS to CHO cells stably expressing FVIII increased the yield by 50%. Using this new knowledge, the recovery of rFVIII could...

  3. Cadmium-induced oxidative damage and protective effects of N-acetyl-L-cysteine against cadmium toxicity in Solanum nigrum L

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deng Xiaopeng; Xia Yan; Hu Wei [College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095 (China); Zhang Hongxiao, E-mail: hxzhang@njau.edu.cn [College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095 (China); Shen Zhenguo, E-mail: zgshen@njau.edu.cn [College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing 210095 (China)

    2010-08-15

    The effects of cadmium (Cd) on the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) and antioxidant enzyme activities in roots of Solanum nigrum L. and the role of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a cysteine (Cys) donor against Cd toxicity were investigated. Cd at 50 and 200 {mu}M significantly increased the contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), the production of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and superoxide anion (O{sub 2}{center_dot}{sup -}), and the activities of catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase. Experiments with diphenylene iodonium as an inhibitor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and NaN{sub 3} as an inhibitor of peroxidase showed that the major source of Cd-induced reactive oxygen species in the roots may include plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidase and peroxidase. In addition, the effects of NAC on plant growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, and non-protein thiol content were analyzed. Under Cd stress, the addition of 500 {mu}M NAC decreased the contents of TBARS and production of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and O{sub 2}{center_dot}{sup -}, but increased levels of Cys and reduced glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins, and activity of GSH-Px in roots. These results suggest that NAC could protect plants from oxidative stress damage, and this protection seems to be performed via increased GSH biosynthesis. Furthermore, NAC treatment also increased the contents of protein thiols in S. nigrum roots. By using size-exclusion chromatography, we found involvement of NAC in the Cd tolerance mechanism through increased biosynthesis of Cd-binding proteins.

  4. Characterization and expression patterns of a membrane-bound trehalase from Spodoptera exigua

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu Weihua

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The chitin biosynthesis pathway starts with trehalose in insects and the main functions of trehalases are hydrolysis of trehalose to glucose. Although insects possess two types, soluble trehalase (Tre-1 and membrane-bound trehalase (Tre-2, very little is known about Tre-2 and the difference in function between Tre-1 and Tre-2. Results To gain an insight into trehalase functions in insects, we investigated a putative membrane-bound trehalase from Spodoptera exigua (SeTre-2 cloned from the fat body. The deduced amino acid sequence of SeTre-2 contains 645 residues and has a predicted molecular weight of ~74 kDa and pI of 6.01. Alignment of SeTre-2 with other insect trehalases showed that it contains two trehalase signature motifs and a putative transmembrane domain, which is an important characteristic of Tre-2. Comparison of the genomic DNA and cDNA sequences demonstrated that SeTre-2 comprises 13 exons and 12 introns. Southern blot analysis revealed that S. exigua has two trehalase genes and that SeTre-2 is a single-copy gene. Northern blot analyses showed that the SeTre-2 transcript is expressed not only in the midgut, as previously reported for Bombyx mori, but also in the fat body and Malpighian tubules, although expression patterns differed between the midgut and fat body. SeTre-2 transcripts were detected in the midgut of feeding stage larvae, but not in pupae, whereas SeTre-2 mRNA was detected in the fat body of fifth instar larvae and pupae. Conclusion These findings provide new data on the tissue distribution, expression patterns and potential function of membrane-bound trehalase. The results suggest that the SeTre-2 gene may have different functions in the midgut and fat body.

  5. Carbon Nanofiber Supported Transition-Metal Carbide Catalysts for the Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jongerius, A.; Gosselink, R.W.; Dijkstra, J.; Bitter, J.H.; Bruijnincx, P.C.A.; Weckhuysen, B.M.

    2013-01-01

    Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) studies over carbon nanofiber-supported (CNF) W2C and Mo2C catalysts were performed on guaiacol, a prototypical substrate to evaluate the potential of a catalyst for valorization of depolymerized lignin streams. Typical reactions were executed at 55 bar hydrogen pressure

  6. Influence of kaempferol, a flavonoid compound, on membrane-bound ATPases in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Numair, Khalid S; Veeramani, Chinnadurai; Alsaif, Mohammed A; Chandramohan, Govindasamy

    2015-01-01

    Kaempferol is a flavonoid found in many edible plants (e.g. tea, cabbage, beans, tomato, strawberries, and grapes) and in plants or botanical products commonly used in traditional medicine. Numerous preclinical studies have shown that kaempferol have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and antidiabetic activities. The present study investigates the effect of kaempferol on membrane-bound ATPases in erythrocytes and in liver, kidney, and heart of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced into adult male albino rats of the Wistar strain, by intraperitoneal administration of STZ (40 mg/kg body weight (BW)). Kaempferol (100 mg/kg BW) or glibenclamide (600 µg/kg BW) was administered orally once daily for 45 d to normal and STZ-induced diabetic rats. The effects of kaempferol on membrane-bound ATPases (total ATPase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and Mg(2+)-ATPase) activity in erythrocytes and in liver, kidney, and heart were determined. In our study, diabetic rats had significantly (p kaempferol (100 mg/kg BW) or glibenclamide (600 µg/kg BW) for a period of 45 d resulted in significant (p kaempferol has the potential to restore deranged activity of membrane-bound ATPases in STZ-induced diabetic rats. Further detailed investigation is necessary to discover kaempferol's action mechanism.

  7. Dynamic nuclear polarization of membrane proteins: covalently bound spin-labels at protein–protein interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wylie, Benjamin J.; Dzikovski, Boris G.; Pawsey, Shane; Caporini, Marc; Rosay, Melanie; Freed, Jack H.; McDermott, Ann E.

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate that dynamic nuclear polarization of membrane proteins in lipid bilayers may be achieved using a novel polarizing agent: pairs of spin labels covalently bound to a protein of interest interacting at an intermolecular interaction surface. For gramicidin A, nitroxide tags attached to the N-terminal intermolecular interface region become proximal only when bimolecular channels forms in the membrane. We obtained signal enhancements of sixfold for the dimeric protein. The enhancement effect was comparable to that of a doubly tagged sample of gramicidin C, with intramolecular spin pairs. This approach could be a powerful and selective means for signal enhancement in membrane proteins, and for recognizing intermolecular interfaces

  8. Platinum catalyzed hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol in illumination of cresol production: a density functional theory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Anand Mohan; Kishore, Nanda

    2017-11-01

    The unprocessed bio-oil obtained by the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass comprises hundreds of oxy-components which vitiate its quality in terms of low heating value, low stability, low pH, etc. Therefore, it has to be upgraded prior to its use as transportation fuel. In this work, guaiacol, a promising compound of the phenolic fraction of unprocessed bio-oil, is considered as a model component for studying its hydrodeoxygenation over a Pt 3 catalyst cluster. The production of catechol, 3-methylcatechol, m -cresol and o -cresol from guaiacol over a Pt 3 cluster is numerically investigated using density functional theory. Further, the kinetic parameters are obtained over a wide range of temperature, i.e. 473-673 K at an interval of 50 K. Briefly, results indicate that O─H and C─H bond scissions determine the reaction rates of 'guaiacol to catechol' and 'catechol to 3-methylcatechol' reactions with activation energies of 30.32 and 41.3 kcal mol -1 , respectively. On the other hand, C─O bond scissions determine the rates of 3-methylcatechol to m - and o -cresol production reactions, respectively. The kinetics of all reactions indicate that ln k versus 1/ T plots are linear over the entire range of temperature considered herein.

  9. Soluble and Membrane-Bound β-Glucosidases Are Involved in Trimming the Xyloglucan Backbone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampedro, Javier; Valdivia, Elene R; Fraga, Patricia; Iglesias, Natalia; Revilla, Gloria; Zarra, Ignacio

    2017-02-01

    In many flowering plants, xyloglucan is a major component of primary cell walls, where it plays an important role in growth regulation. Xyloglucan can be degraded by a suite of exoglycosidases that remove specific sugars. In this work, we show that the xyloglucan backbone, formed by (1→4)-linked β-d-glucopyranosyl residues, can be attacked by two different Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) β-glucosidases from glycoside hydrolase family 3. While BGLC1 (At5g20950; for β-glucosidase active against xyloglucan 1) is responsible for all or most of the soluble activity, BGLC3 (At5g04885) is usually a membrane-anchored protein. Mutations in these two genes, whether on their own or combined with mutations in other exoglycosidase genes, resulted in the accumulation of partially digested xyloglucan subunits, such as GXXG, GXLG, or GXFG. While a mutation in BGLC1 had significant effects on its own, lack of BGLC3 had only minor effects. On the other hand, double bglc1 bglc3 mutants revealed a synergistic interaction that supports a role for membrane-bound BGLC3 in xyloglucan metabolism. In addition, bglc1 bglc3 was complemented by overexpression of either BGLC1 or BGLC3 In overexpression lines, BGLC3 activity was concentrated in a microsome-enriched fraction but also was present in soluble form. Finally, both genes were generally expressed in the same cell types, although, in some cases, BGLC3 was expressed at earlier stages than BGLC1 We propose that functional specialization could explain the separate localization of both enzymes, as a membrane-bound β-glucosidase could specifically digest soluble xyloglucan without affecting the wall-bound polymer. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  10. Becoming a Peroxidase: Cardiolipin-Induced Unfolding of Cytochrome c

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muenzner, Julia; Toffey, Jason R.; Hong, Yuning; Pletneva, Ekaterina V.

    2014-01-01

    Interactions of cytochrome c (cyt c) with a unique mitochondrial glycerophospholipid cardiolipin (CL) are relevant for the protein’s function in oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis. Binding to CL-containing membranes promotes cyt c unfolding and dramatically enhances the protein’s peroxidase activity, which is critical in early stages of apoptosis. We have employed a collection of seven dansyl variants of horse heart cyt c to probe the sequence of steps in this functional transformation. Kinetic measurements have unraveled four distinct processes during CL-induced cyt c unfolding: rapid protein binding to CL liposomes; rearrangements of protein substructures with small unfolding energies; partial insertion of the protein into the lipid bilayer; and extensive protein restructuring leading to “open” extended structures. While early rearrangements depend on a hierarchy of foldons in the native structure, the later process of large-scale unfolding is influenced by protein interactions with the membrane surface. The opening of the cyt c structure exposes the heme group, which enhances the protein’s peroxidase activity and also frees the C-terminal helix to aid in the translocation of the protein through CL membranes. PMID:23713573

  11. Experimental and theoretical studies on gas-phase reactions of NO3 radicals with three methoxyphenols: Guaiacol, creosol, and syringol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bo; Zhang, Haixu; Wang, Youfeng; Zhang, Peng; Shu, Jinian; Sun, Wanqi; Ma, Pengkun

    2016-01-01

    Methoxyphenols, lignin pyrolysis products, are major biomass combustion components and are considered potential tracers for wood smoke emissions. Their atmospheric reactivity, however, has not been well characterized. Guaiacol, creosol, and syringol are three typical methoxyphenols generated in relatively high concentrations in fresh wood smoke. In this study, the gas-phase reactions of NO3 radicals with these methoxyphenols were investigated using a laboratory-built vacuum ultraviolet photoionization gas time-of-flight mass spectrometer (VUV-GTOFMS) and off-line GC-MS. By combining experimental and theoretical methods, 4-nitroguaiacol, 6-nitroguaiacol, and 4,6-dinitroguaiacol were determined as the primary degradation products for guaiacol; similarly, 6-nitrocreosol and 3-nitrosyringol were identified for creosol and syringol, respectively. Using the relative rate method, rate constants at 298 K and 1 atm for the gas-phase reactions of guaiacol, creosol, and syringol with NO3 radicals were measured to be 3.2 × 10-12, 2.4 × 10-13, and 4.0 × 10-13 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, respectively. At a typical tropospheric concentration of NO3 radicals (5 × 108 molecule cm-3), atmospheric lifetimes for guaiacol, creosol, and syringol toward NO3 radicals were 0.2, 2.3, and 1.4 h, respectively. These results indicate that the reaction with NO3 radicals can be a major sink for methoxyphenols at night.

  12. Chitosan Coating: A Postharvest Treatment to Delay Oxidative Stress in Loquat Fruits during Cold Storage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppina Adiletta

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Loquat is a non-climacteric fruit consumed fresh for its essential nutrients and phytochemical compounds. In this study, the effects of chitosan coating (1% w/v on changes in the enzymatic antioxidant and membrane damage in three loquat selections (CREAFRC-S18; CREAFRC-S35 and CREAFRC-S36 and three loquat cultivars (Golden Nugget, Algerie and Nespolone rosso di Trabia stored at 7 °C over 21 days were evaluated. Chitosan treatment enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. Moreover, this treatment inhibited polyphenol oxidase and guaiacol peroxidase activities, extending the storage life of loquat. Chitosan also preserved membrane integrity by inhibiting lipoxygenase activity and malondialdehyde accumulation. Principal component analysis provided a global view of the responses of both loquat selections and cultivars to the postharvest chitosan coating and storage temperature. These findings suggest that chitosan treatment could be a valid tool for improving the activity of antioxidant enzymes, preserving the enzymatic browning of loquat fruits.

  13. Effects of amantadine on the dynamics of membrane-bound influenza A M2 transmembrane peptide studied by NMR relaxation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cady, Sarah D.; Hong Mei [Iowa State University, Department of Chemistry (United States)], E-mail: mhong@iastate.edu

    2009-09-15

    The molecular motions of membrane proteins in liquid-crystalline lipid bilayers lie at the interface between motions in isotropic liquids and in solids. Specifically, membrane proteins can undergo whole-body uniaxial diffusion on the microsecond time scale. In this work, we investigate the {sup 1}H rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation (T{sub 1{rho}}) caused by the uniaxial diffusion of the influenza A M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TMP), which forms a tetrameric proton channel in lipid bilayers. This uniaxial diffusion was proved before by {sup 2}H, {sup 15}N and {sup 13}C NMR lineshapes of M2TMP in DLPC bilayers. When bound to an inhibitor, amantadine, the protein exhibits significantly narrower linewidths at physiological temperature. We now investigate the origin of this line narrowing through temperature-dependent {sup 1}H T{sub 1{rho}} relaxation times in the absence and presence of amantadine. Analysis of the temperature dependence indicates that amantadine decreases the correlation time of motion from 2.8 {+-} 0.9 {mu}s for the apo peptide to 0.89 {+-} 0.41 {mu}s for the bound peptide at 313 K. Thus the line narrowing of the bound peptide is due to better avoidance of the NMR time scale and suppression of intermediate time scale broadening. The faster diffusion of the bound peptide is due to the higher attempt rate of motion, suggesting that amantadine creates better-packed and more cohesive helical bundles. Analysis of the temperature dependence of ln (T{sub 1{rho}}{sup -1}) indicates that the activation energy of motion increased from 14.0 {+-} 4.0 kJ/mol for the apo peptide to 23.3 {+-} 6.2 kJ/mol for the bound peptide. This higher activation energy indicates that excess amantadine outside the protein channel in the lipid bilayer increases the membrane viscosity. Thus, the protein-bound amantadine speeds up the diffusion of the helical bundles while the excess amantadine in the bilayer increases the membrane viscosity.

  14. The catalytic function of cytochrome P450 is entwined with its membrane-bound nature [version 1; referees: 4 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlo Barnaba

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Cytochrome P450, a family of monooxygenase enzymes, is organized as a catalytic metabolon, which requires enzymatic partners as well as environmental factors that tune its complex dynamic. P450 and its reducing counterparts—cytochrome P450-reductase and cytochrome b5—are membrane-bound proteins located in the cytosolic side of the endoplasmic reticulum. They are believed to dynamically associate to form functional complexes. Increasing experimental evidence signifies the role(s played by both protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions in P450 catalytic function and efficiency. However, the biophysical challenges posed by their membrane-bound nature have severely limited high-resolution understanding of the molecular interfaces of these interactions. In this article, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on cytochrome P450, highlighting the environmental factors that are entwined with its metabolic function. Recent advances in structural biophysics are also discussed, setting up the bases for a new paradigm in the study of this important class of membrane-bound enzymes.

  15. Self-Assembled Complexes of Horseradish Peroxidase with Magnetic Nanoparticles Showing Enhanced Peroxidase Activity

    KAUST Repository

    Corgié, Stéphane C.

    2012-02-15

    Bio-nanocatalysts (BNCs) consisting of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) self-assembled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) enhance enzymatic activity due to the faster turnover and lower inhibition of the enzyme. The size and magnetization of the MNPs affect the formation of the BNCs, and ultimately control the activity of the bound enzymes. Smaller MNPs form small clusters with a low affinity for the HRP. While the turnover for the bound fraction is drastically increased, there is no difference in the H 2O 2 inhibitory concentration. Larger MNPs with a higher magnetization aggregate in larger clusters and have a higher affinity for the enzyme and a lower substrate inhibition. All of the BNCs are more active than the free enzyme or the MNPs (BNCs > HRP ≤laquo; MNPs). Since the BNCs show surprising resilience in various reaction conditions, they may pave the way towards new hybrid biocatalysts with increased activities and unique catalytic properties for magnetosensitive enzymatic reactions. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Enzymatic Treatments to Improve Mechanical Properties and Surface Hydrophobicity of Jute Fiber Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aixue Dong

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Fiber membranes prepared from jute fragments can be valuable, low cost, and renewable. They have broad application prospects in packing bags, geotextiles, filters, and composite reinforcements. Traditionally, chemical adhesives have been used to improve the properties of jute fiber membranes. A series of new laccase, laccase/mediator systems, and multi-enzyme synergisms were attempted. After the laccase treatment of jute fragments, the mechanical properties and surface hydrophobicity of the produced fiber membranes increased because of the cross-coupling of lignins with ether bonds mediated by laccase. The optimum conditions were a buffer pH of 4.5 and an incubation temperature of 60 °C with 0.92 U/mL laccase for 3 h. Laccase/guaiacol and laccase/alkali lignin treatments resulted in remarkable increases in the mechanical properties; in contrast, the laccase/2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylthiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS and laccase/2,6-dimethoxyphenol treatments led to a decrease. The laccase/ guaiacol system was favorable to the surface hydrophobicity of jute fiber membranes. However, the laccase/alkali lignin system had the opposite effect. Xylanase/laccase and cellulase/laccase combined treatments were able to enhance both the mechanical properties and the surface hydrophobicity of jute fiber membranes. Among these, cellulase/laccase treatment performed better; compared to mechanical properties, the surface hydrophobicity of the jute fiber membranes showed only a slight increase after the enzymatic multi-step processes.

  17. Identification of a membrane-bound, glycol-stimulated phospholipase A2 located in the secretory granules of the adrenal medulla

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hildebrandt, E.; Albanesi, J.P.

    1991-01-01

    Chromaffin granule membranes prepared from bovine adrenal medullae showed Ca 2+ -stimulated phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity when assayed at pH 9.0 with phosphatidylcholine containing an [ 14 C]-arachidonyl group in the 2-position. However, the activity occurred in both soluble and particulate subcellular fractions, and did not codistribute with markers for the secretory granule. PLA 2 activity in the granule membrane preparation was stimulated dramatically by addition of glycerol, ethylene glycole, or poly(ethylene glycol). This glycol-stimulated PLA 2 activity codistributed with membrane-bound dopamine β-hydroxylase, a marker for the granule membranes, through the sequence of differential centrifugation steps employed to prepare the granule membrane fraction, as well as on a sucrose density gradient which resolved the granules from mitochondria, lysosomes, and plasma membrane. The glycol-stimulated PLA 2 of the chromaffin granule was membrane-bound, exhibited a pH optimum of 7.8, retained activity in the presence of EDTA, and was inactivated by p-bromophenacyl bromide. When different 14 C-labeled phospholipids were incorporated into diarachidonylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonylphosphatidylcholine was a better substrate for this enzyme than 1-palmitoyl-2-oleylphosphatidylcholine or 1-acyl-2-arachidonyl-phosphatidylethhanolamine, and distearoylphosphatidylcholine was not hydrolyzed

  18. Ultraviolet-B- and ozone-induced biochemical changes in antioxidant enzymes of Arabidopsis thaliana

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, M.V.; Paliyath, G.; Ormrod, D.P.

    1996-01-01

    Earlier studies with Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to ultraviolet B (UV-B) and ozone (O 3 ) have indicated the differential responses of superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase. In this study, we have investigated whether A. thaliana genotype Landsberg erecta and its flavonoid-deficient mutant transparent testa (tt5) is capable of metabolizing UV-B- and O 3 -induced activated oxygen species by invoking similar antioxidant enzymes. UV-B exposure preferentially enhanced guaiacol-peroxidases, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidases specific to coniferyl alcohol and modified the substrate affinity of ascorbate peroxidase. O 3 exposure enhanced superoxide dismutase, peroxidases, glutathione reductase, and ascorbate peroxidase to a similar degree and modified the substrate affinity of both glutathione reductase and ascorbate peroxidase. Both UV-B and O 3 exposure enhanced similar Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase isoforms. New isoforms of peroxidases and ascorbate peroxidase were synthesized in tt5 plants irradiated with UV-B. UV-B radiation, in contrast to O 3 , enhanced the activation oxygen species by increasing membrane-localized NADPH-oxidase activity and decreasing catalase activities. These results collectively suggest that (a) UV-B exposure preferentially induces peroxidase-related enzymes, whereas O 3 exposure invokes the enzymes of superoxide dismutase/ascorbate-glutathione cycle, and (b) in contrast to O 3 , UV-B exposure generated activated oxygen species by increasing NADPH-oxidase activity. 10 figs., 4 tabs

  19. Expression and Function of Cell Wall-Bound Cationic Peroxidase in Asparagus Somatic Embryogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeda, Hiroyuki; Kotake, Toshihisa; Nakagawa, Naoki; Sakurai, Naoki; Nevins, Donald J.

    2003-01-01

    Cultured asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. cv Y6) cells induced to regenerate into whole plants through somatic embryogenesis secreted a 38-kD protein into cell walls. The full-length cDNA sequence of this protein (Asparagus officinalis peroxidase 1 [AoPOX1]) determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed similarity with plant peroxidases. AoPOX1 transcripts were particularly abundant during early somatic embryogenesis. To evaluate the in vivo function of AoPOX1 protein, purified recombinant AoPOX1 protein was reacted with a series of phenolic substrates. The AoPOX1 protein was effective in the metabolism of feruloyl (o-methoxyphenol)-substituted substrates, including coniferyl alcohol. The reaction product of coniferyl alcohol was fractionated and subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, indicating that the oxidation product of coniferyl alcohol in the presence of AoPOX1 was dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol. The concentration of dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol in the cultured medium of the somatic embryos was in the range of 10−8 m. Functions of the AoPOX1 protein in the cell differentiation are discussed. PMID:12692335

  20. Structure of the Zymomonas mobilis respiratory chain: oxygen affinity of electron transport and the role of cytochrome c peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balodite, Elina; Strazdina, Inese; Galinina, Nina; McLean, Samantha; Rutkis, Reinis; Poole, Robert K; Kalnenieks, Uldis

    2014-09-01

    The genome of the ethanol-producing bacterium Zymomonas mobilis encodes a bd-type terminal oxidase, cytochrome bc1 complex and several c-type cytochromes, yet lacks sequences homologous to any of the known bacterial cytochrome c oxidase genes. Recently, it was suggested that a putative respiratory cytochrome c peroxidase, receiving electrons from the cytochrome bc1 complex via cytochrome c552, might function as a peroxidase and/or an alternative oxidase. The present study was designed to test this hypothesis, by construction of a cytochrome c peroxidase mutant (Zm6-perC), and comparison of its properties with those of a mutant defective in the cytochrome b subunit of the bc1 complex (Zm6-cytB). Disruption of the cytochrome c peroxidase gene (ZZ60192) caused a decrease of the membrane NADH peroxidase activity, impaired the resistance of growing culture to exogenous hydrogen peroxide and hampered aerobic growth. However, this mutation did not affect the activity or oxygen affinity of the respiratory chain, or the kinetics of cytochrome d reduction. Furthermore, the peroxide resistance and membrane NADH peroxidase activity of strain Zm6-cytB had not decreased, but both the oxygen affinity of electron transport and the kinetics of cytochrome d reduction were affected. It is therefore concluded that the cytochrome c peroxidase does not terminate the cytochrome bc1 branch of Z. mobilis, and that it is functioning as a quinol peroxidase. © 2014 The Authors.

  1. Double Antibody EIA of Cortisol Using Peroxidase As Label

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karim, F.M.; Hamad, A.W.R.; Hashim, A.M.

    1998-01-01

    An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) technique for plasma cortisol was established by using cortisol-3 (carboxymethyl) oxime covalently linked to the horseradish peroxidase as the label. An antibody raised in the rabbits against cortisol-3-(carboxy-methyl) oxime-bovline serum albumin was used as the first anti-body. Sheep anti-rabbit gamma-globulin serum with 8 percent poly-ethyleneglycol were used to separate antibody-bound and free cortisol. The enzyme activity of the bound fraction was measured with ortho-phenylene diamine as substrate. The procedure performed at room temperature was evaluated by sensitivity (50 pg/ tube). The correlation coefficient between our enzyme immunoassay technique and radioimmunoassay technique for determination of plasma cortisol was 97 percent

  2. A novel membrane-based process to isolate peroxidase from horseradish roots: optimization of operating parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jianguo; Yang, Bo; Chen, Changzhen

    2013-02-01

    The optimization of operating parameters for the isolation of peroxidase from horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) roots with ultrafiltration (UF) technology was systemically studied. The effects of UF operating conditions on the transmission of proteins were quantified using the parameter scanning UF. These conditions included solution pH, ionic strength, stirring speed and permeate flux. Under optimized conditions, the purity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) obtained was greater than 84 % after a two-stage UF process and the recovery of HRP from the feedstock was close to 90 %. The resulting peroxidase product was then analysed by isoelectric focusing, SDS-PAGE and circular dichroism, to confirm its isoelectric point, molecular weight and molecular secondary structure. The effects of calcium ion on HRP specific activities were also experimentally determined.

  3. Potentialities of a Membrane Reactor with Laccase Grafted Membranes for the Enzymatic Degradation of Phenolic Compounds in Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vorleak Chea

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the degradation of phenolic compounds by laccases from Trametes versicolor in an enzymatic membrane reactor (EMR. The enzymatic membranes were prepared by grafting laccase on a gelatine layer previously deposited onto α-alumina tubular membranes. The 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (DMP was selected  from among the three different phenolic compounds tested (guaiacol, 4-chlorophenol and DMP to study the performance of the EMR in dead end configuration. At the lowest feed substrate concentration tested (100 mg·L−1, consumption increased with flux (up to 7.9 × 103 mg·h−1·m−2 at 128 L·h−1·m−2, whereas at the highest substrate concentration (500 mg·L−1, it was shown that the reaction was limited by the oxygen content.

  4. Membrane-bound heat shock proteins facilitate the uptake of dying cells and cross-presentation of cellular antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Haiyan; Fang, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Dongmei; Wu, Weicheng; Shao, Miaomiao; Wang, Lan; Gu, Jianxin

    2016-01-01

    Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were originally identified as stress-responsive proteins and serve as molecular chaperones in different intracellular compartments. Translocation of HSPs to the cell surface and release of HSPs into the extracellular space have been observed during the apoptotic process and in response to a variety of cellular stress. Here, we report that UV irradiation and cisplatin treatment rapidly induce the expression of membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 upstream the phosphatidylserine exposure. Membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 could promote the release of IL-6 and IL-1β as well as DC maturation by the evaluation of CD80 and CD86 expression. On the other hand, Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 on cells could facilitate the uptake of dying cells by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), as a common receptor for Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90, is response for their recognition and mediates the uptake of dying cells. Furthermore, membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 could promote the cross-presentation of OVA antigen from E.G7 cells and inhibition of the uptake of dying cells by LOX-1 decreases the cross-presentation of cellular antigen. Therefore, the rapid exposure of HSPs on dying cells at the early stage allows for the recognition by and confers an activation signal to the immune system.

  5. Unprecedented access of phenolic substrates to the heme active site of a catalase: substrate binding and peroxidase-like reactivity of Bacillus pumilus catalase monitored by X-ray crystallography and EPR spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loewen, Peter C; Villanueva, Jacylyn; Switala, Jacek; Donald, Lynda J; Ivancich, Anabella

    2015-05-01

    Heme-containing catalases and catalase-peroxidases catalyze the dismutation of hydrogen peroxide as their predominant catalytic activity, but in addition, individual enzymes support low levels of peroxidase and oxidase activities, produce superoxide, and activate isoniazid as an antitubercular drug. The recent report of a heme enzyme with catalase, peroxidase and penicillin oxidase activities in Bacillus pumilus and its categorization as an unusual catalase-peroxidase led us to investigate the enzyme for comparison with other catalase-peroxidases, catalases, and peroxidases. Characterization revealed a typical homotetrameric catalase with one pentacoordinated heme b per subunit (Tyr340 being the axial ligand), albeit in two orientations, and a very fast catalatic turnover rate (kcat  = 339,000 s(-1) ). In addition, the enzyme supported a much slower (kcat  = 20 s(-1) ) peroxidatic activity utilizing substrates as diverse as ABTS and polyphenols, but no oxidase activity. Two binding sites, one in the main access channel and the other on the protein surface, accommodating pyrogallol, catechol, resorcinol, guaiacol, hydroquinone, and 2-chlorophenol were identified in crystal structures at 1.65-1.95 Å. A third site, in the heme distal side, accommodating only pyrogallol and catechol, interacting with the heme iron and the catalytic His and Arg residues, was also identified. This site was confirmed in solution by EPR spectroscopy characterization, which also showed that the phenolic oxygen was not directly coordinated to the heme iron (no low-spin conversion of the Fe(III) high-spin EPR signal upon substrate binding). This is the first demonstration of phenolic substrates directly accessing the heme distal side of a catalase. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Atmospheric reactivity of hydroxyl radicals with guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol), a biomass burning emitted compound: Secondary organic aerosol formation and gas-phase oxidation products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lauraguais, Amélie; Coeur-Tourneur, Cécile; Cassez, Andy; Deboudt, Karine; Fourmentin, Marc; Choël, Marie

    2014-04-01

    Methoxyphenols are low molecular weight semi-volatile polar aromatic compounds produced from the pyrolysis of wood lignin. The reaction of guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) with hydroxyl radicals has been studied in the LPCA simulation chamber at (294 ± 2) K, atmospheric pressure, low relative humidity (RH reactivity of nitroguaiacols with atmospheric oxidants is probably low, we suggest using them as biomass burning emission gas tracers. The atmospheric implications of the guaiacol + OH reaction are also discussed.

  7. Peroxidases in nanostructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Maria eCarmona-Ribeiro

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Peroxidases are enzymes catalyzing redox reactions that cleave peroxides. Their active redox centers have heme, cysteine thiols, selenium, manganese and other chemical moieties. Peroxidases and their mimetic systems have several technological and biomedical applications such as environment protection, energy production, bioremediation, sensors and immunoassays design and drug delivery devices. The combination of peroxidases or systems with peroxidase-like activity with nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, thin films, liposomes, micelles, nanoflowers, nanorods and others is often an efficient strategy to improve catalytic activity, targeting and reusability.

  8. Hierarchy of stroma-derived factors in supporting growth of stroma-dependent hemopoietic cells: membrane-bound SCF is sufficient to confer stroma competence to epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friel, Jutta; Itoh, Katsuhiko; Bergholz, Ulla; Jücker, Manfred; Stocking, Carol; Harrison, Paul; Ostertag, Wolfram

    2002-03-01

    Hemopoiesis takes place in a microenvironment where hemopoietic cells are closely associated with stroma by various interactions. Stroma coregulates the proliferation and differentiation of hemopoietic cells. Stroma-hemopoietic-cell contact can be supported by locally produced membrane associated growth factors. The stroma derived growth factor, stem cell factor (SCF) is important in hemopoiesis. We examined the different biological interactions of membrane bound and soluble SCF with human hemopoietic cells expressing the SCF receptor, c-kit. To analyze the function of the SCF isoforms in inducing the proliferation of hemopoietic TF1 or Cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells we used stroma cell lines that differ in their presentation of no SCF, membrane SCF, or soluble SCF. We established a new coculture system using an epithelial cell line that excludes potential interfering effects with other known stroma encoded hemopoietic growth factors. We show that soluble SCF, in absence of membrane-bound SCF, inhibits long term clonal growth of primary or established CD34+ hemopoietic cells, whereas membrane-inserted SCF "dominantly" induces long term proliferation of these cells. We demonstrate a hierarchy of these SCF isoforms in the interaction of stroma with hemopoietic TF1 cells. Membrane-bound SCF is "dominant" over soluble SCF, whereas soluble SCF acts epistatically in interacting with hemopoietic cells compared with other stroma derived factors present in SCF deficient stroma. A hierarchy of stroma cell lines can be arranged according to their presentation of membrane SCF or soluble SCF. In our model system, membrane-bound SCF expression is sufficient to confer stroma properties to an epithelial cell line but soluble SCF does not.

  9. [The Role of Membrane-Bound Heat Shock Proteins Hsp90 in Migration of Tumor Cells in vitro and Involvement of Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Protein Binding to Plasma Membrane].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snigireva, A V; Vrublevskaya, V V; Skarga, Y Y; Morenkov, O S

    2016-01-01

    Heat shock protein Hsp90, detected in the extracellular space and on the membrane of cells, plays an important role in cell motility, migration, invasion and metastasis of tumor cells. At present, the functional role and molecular mechanisms of Hsp90 binding to plasma membrane are not elucidated. Using isoform-specific antibodies against Hsp90, Hsp9α and Hsp90β, we showed that membrane-bound Hsp90α and Hsp90β play a significant role in migration of human fibrosarcoma (HT1080) and glioblastoma (A-172) cells in vitro. Disorders of sulfonation of cell heparan sulfates, cleavage of cell heparan. sulfates by heparinase I/III as well as treatment of cells with heparin lead to an abrupt reduction in the expression level of Hsp90 isoforms. Furthermore, heparin significantly inhibits tumor cell migration. The results obtained demonstrate that two isoforms of membrane-bound Hsp90 are involved in migration of tumor cells in vitro and that cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans play a pivotal role in the "anchoring" of Hsp90α and Hsp90β to the plasma membrane.

  10. Secondary organic aerosol (trans)formation through aqueous phase guaiacol photonitration: a kinetic study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroflič, Ana; Grgić, Irena

    2014-05-01

    It is well known that atmospheric aerosols play a crucial role in the Earth's climate and public health (Pöschl 2005). Despite a great effort invested in the studies of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) budget, composition, and its formation mechanisms, there is still a gap between field observations and atmospheric model predictions (Heald et al. 2005, Hallquist et al. 2009, and Lim et al. 2010). The insisting uncertainties surrounding SOA formation and aging thus gained an increasing interest in atmospheric aqueous phase chemistry; they call for more complex and time consuming studies at the environmentally relevant conditions allowing confident extrapolation to desired ambient conditions. In addition to the adverse health effects of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) as such, toxicity is also attributed to nitro-aromatic and other organic compounds which have already been detected in real aerosol samples (Traversi et al. 2009). Moreover, low-volatility aromatic derivatives are believed to form at least partly in the aerosol aqueous phase and not only in the gas phase from where they partition into water droplets (Ervens et al. 2011). Two nitro derivatives of biomass burning tracer guaiacol have recently been found in winter PM10 samples from the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and aqueous photonitration reaction was proposed as their possible production pathway (Kitanovski et al. 2012). In this study the kinetics of guaiacol nitration in aqueous solution was investigated in the presence of H2O2 and NO2¯ upon simulated solar irradiation (Xenon lamp, 300 W). During the experiment the DURAN® flask with the reaction mixture was held in the thermostated bath and thoroughly mixed. The reaction was monitored for 44 hours at different temperatures. Guaiacol and its main nitro-products (4-nitroguaiacol, 4-NG; 6-nitroguaiacol, 6-NG; and 4,6-dinitroguaiacol, 4,6-DNG) were quantified in every aliquot, taken from the reaction mixture, by use of high pressure liquid

  11. A membrane-bound vertebrate globin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miriam Blank

    Full Text Available The family of vertebrate globins includes hemoglobin, myoglobin, and other O(2-binding proteins of yet unclear functions. Among these, globin X is restricted to fish and amphibians. Zebrafish (Danio rerio globin X is expressed at low levels in neurons of the central nervous system and appears to be associated with the sensory system. The protein harbors a unique N-terminal extension with putative N-myristoylation and S-palmitoylation sites, suggesting membrane-association. Intracellular localization and transport of globin X was studied in 3T3 cells employing green fluorescence protein fusion constructs. Both myristoylation and palmitoylation sites are required for correct targeting and membrane localization of globin X. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a vertebrate globin has been identified as component of the cell membrane. Globin X has a hexacoordinate binding scheme and displays cooperative O(2 binding with a variable affinity (P(50∼1.3-12.5 torr, depending on buffer conditions. A respiratory function of globin X is unlikely, but analogous to some prokaryotic membrane-globins it may either protect the lipids in cell membrane from oxidation or may act as a redox-sensing or signaling protein.

  12. Functional Analysis of Thyroid Peroxidase Gene Mutations Detected in Patients with Thyroid Dyshormonogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srikanta Guria

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Thyroid peroxidase (TPO is the key enzyme in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones. We aimed to identify the spectrum of mutations in the TPO gene leading to hypothyroidism in the population of West Bengal to establish the genetic etiology of the disease. 200 hypothyroid patients (case and their corresponding sex and age matched 200 normal individuals (control were screened depending on their clinical manifestations. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood samples and TPO gene (Exon 7 to Exon 14 was amplified by PCR. The PCR products were subjected to sequencing to identify mutations. Single nucleotide changes such as Glu 641 Lys, Asp 668 Asn, Thr 725 Pro, Asp 620 Asn, Ser 398 Thr, and Ala 373 Ser were found. Changes in the TPO were assayed in vitro to compare mutant and wild-type activities. Five mutants were enzymatically inactive in the guaiacol and iodide assays. This is a strong indication that the mutations are present at crucial positions of the TPO gene, resulting in inactivated TPO. The results of this study may help to develop a genetic screening protocol for goiter and hypothyroidism in the population of West Bengal.

  13. Atividade do sistema antioxidante e desenvolvimento de aerênquima em raízes de milho 'Saracura' Antioxidant system activity and aerenchyma formation in 'Saracura' maize roots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabricio José Pereira

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência de sucessivos ciclos de seleção do milho 'Saracura' na atividade das enzimas do sistema antioxidante, e a relação dessas enzimas com a capacidade dessa variedade em desenvolver aerênquima. Sementes de 18 ciclos de seleção intercalados do milho 'Saracura' e da cultivar BR 107, sensível à hipoxia, foram semeadas em vasos e em casa de vegetação. As plantas foram submetidas ao alagamento intermitente de dois em dois dias. As amostras de raízes foram coletadas após 60 dias e analisaram-se as atividades das enzimas peroxidase do guaiacol, peroxidase do ascorbato e catalase, além da capacidade das plantas de cada ciclo desenvolverem aerênquima. Ao longo dos ciclos, as plantas apresentaram modificações na atividade das enzimas, com aumento na de peroxidase do ascorbato e diminuição na de catalase e de peroxidase do guaiacol. Observou-se, ainda, maior capacidade de desenvolver aerênquima nos últimos ciclos de seleção. A redução na atividade das enzimas do sistema antioxidante parece estar relacionada a um desbalanço na decomposição de H2O2.This work aimed to assess the influence of successive selection cycles in 'Saracura' maize on the enzyme activity of the antioxidant system and the relationship of these enzymes with the aerenchyma development capacity of this variety. Seeds of 18 intercalated selection cycles of the 'Saracura' maize and of the cultivar BR 107, sensitive to hipoxia, were sown in pots in the greenhouse. Plants were submitted to intermittent soil flooding each two days. After 60 days, the roots were sampled and analysis were done for the guaiacol peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase activities and for the capacity of the plants of each cycle to develop aerenchyma. The plants showed modifications in enzyme activity along the cycles, increasing the ascorbate peroxidase activity and decreasing the catalase and guaiacol peroxidase ones. A greater

  14. Oxidative cycloaddition of hydroxamic acids with dienes or guaiacols mediated by iodine(III) reagents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimizu, Hisato; Yoshimura, Akira; Noguchi, Keiichi; Nemykin, Victor N; Zhdankin, Viktor V; Saito, Akio

    2018-01-01

    [Bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene (BTI) and (diacetoxyiodo)benzene (DIB) efficiently promote the formation of acylnitroso species from hydroxamic acids in the presence of various dienes to give the corresponding hetero-Diels-Alder (HDA) adducts in moderate to high yields. The present method could be applied to the HDA reactions of acylnitroso species with o -benzoquinones generated by the oxidative dearomatization of guaiacols.

  15. Hydrogen Production by a Hyperthermophilic Membrane-Bound Hydrogenase in Soluble Nanolipoprotein Particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baker, S E; Hopkins, R C; Blanchette, C; Walsworth, V; Sumbad, R; Fischer, N; Kuhn, E; Coleman, M; Chromy, B; Letant, S; Hoeprich, P; Adams, M W; Henderson, P T

    2008-10-22

    Hydrogenases constitute a promising class of enzymes for ex vivo hydrogen production. Implementation of such applications is currently hindered by oxygen sensitivity and, in the case of membrane-bound hydrogenases (MBH), poor water solubility. Nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs), formed from apolipoproteins and phospholipids, offer a novel means to incorporate MBH into in a well-defined water-soluble matrix that maintains the enzymatic activity and is amenable to incorporation into more complex architectures. We report the synthesis, hydrogen-evolving activity and physical characterization of the first MBH-NLP assembly. This may ultimately lead to the development of biomimetic hydrogen production devices.

  16. Secretory granule formation and membrane recycling by the trans-Golgi network in adipokinetic cells of Locusta migratoria in relation to flight and rest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diederen, J H; Vullings, H G

    1995-03-01

    The influence of flight activity on the formation of secretory granules and the concomitant membrane recycling by the trans-Golgi network in the peptidergic neurosecretory adipokinetic cells of Locusta migratoria was investigated by means of ultrastructural morphometric methods. The patterns of labelling of the trans-Golgi network by the exogenous adsorptive endocytotic tracer wheat-germ agglutinin-conjugated horse-radish peroxidase and by the endogenous marker enzyme acid phosphatase were used as parameters and were measured by an automatic image analysis system. The results show that endocytosed fragments of plasma membrane with bound peroxidase label were transported to the trans-Golgi network and used to build new secretory granules. The amounts of peroxidase and especially of acid phosphatase within the trans-Golgi network showed a strong tendency to be smaller in flight-stimulated cells than in non-stimulated cells. The amounts of acid phosphatase in the immature secretory granules originating from the trans-Golgi network were significantly smaller in stimulated cells. The number of immature secretory granules positive for acid phosphatase tended to be higher in stimulated cells. Thus, flight stimulation of adipokinetic cells for 1 h influences the functioning of the trans-Golgi network; this most probably results in a slight enhancement of the production of secretory granules by the trans-Golgi network.

  17. Guaiacol hydrodeoxygenation mechanism on Pt(111): insights from density functional theory and linear free energy relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kyungtae; Gu, Geun Ho; Mullen, Charles A; Boateng, Akwasi A; Vlachos, Dionisios G

    2015-01-01

    Density functional theory is used to study the adsorption of guaiacol and its initial hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reactions on Pt(111). Previous Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) correlations for small open-chain molecules are inadequate in estimating the reaction barriers of phenolic compounds except for the side group (methoxy) carbon-dehydrogenation. New BEP relations are established using a select group of phenolic compounds. These relations are applied to construct a potential-energy surface of guaiacol-HDO to catechol. Analysis shows that catechol is mainly produced via dehydrogenation of the methoxy functional group followed by the CHx (x<3) removal of the functional group and hydrogenation of the ring carbon, in contrast to a hypothesis of a direct demethylation path. Dehydroxylation and demethoxylation are slow, implying that phenol is likely produced from catechol but not through its direct dehydroxylation followed by aromatic carbon-ring hydrogenation. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Influence of glyceryl guaiacolate ether on anesthetics in tilapia compared to benzocaine and eugenol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geovana R. Cosenza

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of glyceryl guaiacolate ether (GGE and compare the times of induction, recovery, hematological changes, total protein and glycaemia among anesthetics in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Materials and methods. A total of 60 tilapia distributed in 3 aquariums (N=20 were used, which formed the group benzocaine (100 mg/L, eugenol (50 mg/L and guaiacol glyceryl ether (9.000 mg/L. After the induction of anesthesia fish blood samples were collected to determine the complete hemogram and glycemia. Then the animals were placed in aquariums with running water for assessing the anesthesia recovery. Results. It was verified that GGE showed longer induction and recovery times as well a significant increase (p0.05. An increase in the number of monocytes in the group treated with benzocaine (p <0.05 was observed in the analysis of the hematological parameters with no difference between groups for other variables. Conclusions. Eugenol and benzocaine allow rapid induction and recovery in Nile tilapia, without evidence of stress during handling and GGE showed high induction and recovery times, being inadequate for anesthetic use in Nile tilapia.

  19. Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I binding to dental primary afferent projections in the spinal trigeminal complex combined with double immunolabeling of substance P and GABA elements using peroxidase and colloidal gold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthews, M A; Hoffmann, K D; Hernandez, T V

    1989-01-01

    have a comparable distribution; however, many extended into the dorsal portion of the caudal half of Vi and the ventromedial quadrant of rostral Vi. Electron-microscopic analysis showed that transganglionically labeled dental pulp terminals contained ovoid, complex membrane-bound vacuoles laden with transported HRP. The preterminal axon and synaptic membranes of those dental pulp terminals located in zones of Vc and Vi displaying an affinity for UEA-I were usually characterized by a patchy, electron-dense coating of the peroxidase tag. SP was demonstrated ultrastructurally with Protein-A colloidal gold (3-nm particles), whereas GABA immunoreactivity was revealed by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

  20. Different responses of tobacco antioxidant enzymes to light and chilling stress

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gechev, T; Willekens, H; Van Montagu, M; Inze, D; Van Camp, W; Toneva, [No Value; Minkov, [No Value

    The effect of elevated light treatment (25 degreesC, PPFD 360 mumol m(-2) sec(-1)) or chilling temperatures combined with elevated light (5 degreesC, PPFD 360 mumol m-2 sec-1) on the activity of six antioxidant enzymes, guaiacol peroxidases, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx, EC 1.11.1.9) protein

  1. Hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol over Ni2P/SiO2–reaction mechanism and catalyst deactivation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lan, X.; Hensen, E.J.M.; Weber, T.

    2018-01-01

    The catalytic hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol, a phenolic model compound of biomass lignin pyrolysis products, has been investigated under atmospheric pressure in H2 utilizing a Ni2P/SiO2 catalyst. Reaction networks are proposed based on the product distribution as a function of contact time and the

  2. Development of immobilized membrane-based affinity columns for use in the online characterization of membrane bound proteins and for targeted affinity isolations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moaddel, Ruin; Wainer, Irving W.

    2006-01-01

    Membranes obtained from cell lines that express or do not express a target membrane bound protein have been immobilized on a silica-based liquid chromatographic support or on the surface of an activated glass capillary. The resulting chromatographic columns have been placed in liquid chromatographic systems and used to characterize the target proteins and to identify small molecules that bind to the target. Membranes containing ligand gated ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors and drug transporters have been prepared and characterized. If a marker ligand has been identified for the target protein, frontal or zonal displacement chromatographic techniques can be used to determine binding affinities (K d values) and non-linear chromatography can be used to assess the association (k on ) and dissociation (k off ) rate constants and the thermodynamics of the binding process. Membrane-based affinity columns have been created using membranes from a cell line that does not express the target protein (control) and the same cell line that expresses the target protein (experimental) after genomic transfection. The resulting columns can be placed in a parallel chromatography system and the differential retention between the control and experimental columns can be used to identify small molecules and protein that bind to the target protein. These applications will be illustrated using columns created using cellular membranes containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the drug transporter P-glycoprotein

  3. Development of immobilized membrane-based affinity columns for use in the online characterization of membrane bound proteins and for targeted affinity isolations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moaddel, Ruin [Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 5600 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224-6825 (United States); Wainer, Irving W. [Gerontology Research Center, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 5600 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224-6825 (United States)]. E-mail: Wainerir@grc.nia.nih.gov

    2006-03-30

    Membranes obtained from cell lines that express or do not express a target membrane bound protein have been immobilized on a silica-based liquid chromatographic support or on the surface of an activated glass capillary. The resulting chromatographic columns have been placed in liquid chromatographic systems and used to characterize the target proteins and to identify small molecules that bind to the target. Membranes containing ligand gated ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors and drug transporters have been prepared and characterized. If a marker ligand has been identified for the target protein, frontal or zonal displacement chromatographic techniques can be used to determine binding affinities (K {sub d} values) and non-linear chromatography can be used to assess the association (k {sub on}) and dissociation (k {sub off}) rate constants and the thermodynamics of the binding process. Membrane-based affinity columns have been created using membranes from a cell line that does not express the target protein (control) and the same cell line that expresses the target protein (experimental) after genomic transfection. The resulting columns can be placed in a parallel chromatography system and the differential retention between the control and experimental columns can be used to identify small molecules and protein that bind to the target protein. These applications will be illustrated using columns created using cellular membranes containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and the drug transporter P-glycoprotein.

  4. Optimization of laccase and manganese peroxidase production in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    2011-09-05

    Sep 5, 2011 ... 100% oxidation of RBBR, ABTS and guaiacol was observed. ... acid and veratryl alcohol) (Arora and Gill, 2001; Prasad et al., 2005; Asgher et ...... Edible, Harmful and other Fungi, Finnish Museum of Natural History,. Helsinki ...

  5. A genetic screen for anchorage-independent proliferation in mammalian cells identifies a membrane-bound neuregulin.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davide Danovi

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Anchorage-independent proliferation is a hallmark of oncogenic transformation and is thought to be conducive to proliferation of cancer cells away from their site of origin. We have previously reported that primary Schwann cells expressing the SV40 Large T antigen (LT are not fully transformed in that they maintain a strict requirement for attachment, requiring a further genetic change, such as oncogenic Ras, to gain anchorage-independence. Using the LT-expressing cells, we performed a genetic screen for anchorage-independent proliferation and identified Sensory and Motor Neuron Derived Factor (SMDF, a transmembrane class III isoform of Neuregulin 1. In contrast to oncogenic Ras, SMDF induced enhanced proliferation in normal primary Schwann cells but did not trigger cellular senescence. In cooperation with LT, SMDF drove anchorage-independent proliferation, loss of contact inhibition and tumourigenicity. This transforming ability was shared with membrane-bound class III but not secreted class I isoforms of Neuregulin, indicating a distinct mechanism of action. Importantly, we show that despite being membrane-bound signalling molecules, class III neuregulins transform via a cell intrinsic mechanism, as a result of constitutive, elevated levels of ErbB signalling at high cell density and in anchorage-free conditions. This novel transforming mechanism may provide new targets for cancer therapy.

  6. Chinese hamster ovary cell lysosomes retain pinocytized horseradish peroxidase and in situ-radioiodinated proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Storrie, B.; Sachdeva, M.; Viers, V.S.

    1984-01-01

    We used Chinese hamster ovary cells, a cell line of fibroblastic origin, to investigate whether lysosomes are an exocytic compartment. To label lysosomal contents, Chinese hamster ovary cells were incubated with the solute marker horseradish peroxidase. After an 18-h uptake period, horseradish peroxidase was found in lysosomes by cell fractionation in Percoll gradients and by electron microscope cytochemistry. Over a 24-h period, lysosomal horseradish peroxidase was quantitatively retained by Chinese hamster ovary cells and inactivated with a t 1/2 of 6 to 8 h. Lysosomes were radioiodinated in situ by soluble lactoperoxidase internalized over an 18-h uptake period. About 70% of the radioiodine incorporation was pelleted at 100,000 X g under conditions in which greater than 80% of the lysosomal marker enzyme beta-hexosaminidase was released into the supernatant. By one-dimensional electrophoresis, about 18 protein species were present in the lysosomal membrane fraction, with radioiodine incorporation being most pronounced into species of 70,000 to 75,000 daltons. After a 30-min or 2-h chase at 37 degrees C, radioiodine that was incorporated into lysosomal membranes and contents was retained in lysosomes. These observations indicate that lysosomes labeled by fluid-phase pinocytosis are a terminal component of endocytic pathways in fibroblasts

  7. Arabidopsis thaliana peroxidase N

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mirza, Osman Asghar; Henriksen, A; Ostergaard, L

    2000-01-01

    The structure of the neutral peroxidase from Arabidopsis thaliana (ATP N) has been determined to a resolution of 1.9 A and a free R value of 20.5%. ATP N has the expected characteristic fold of the class III peroxidases, with a C(alpha) r.m.s.d. of 0.82 A when compared with horseradish peroxidase C...

  8. Vapor-Phase Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol to Aromatics over Pt/HBeta: Identification of the Role of Acid Sites and Metal Sites on the Reaction Pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nie, Lei [Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 P.R. China; Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Peng, Bo [Institute for Integrated Catalysis, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Zhu, Xinli [Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 P.R. China

    2018-02-05

    Hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol, a phenolic compound derived from lignin fraction of biomass, over a Pt/HBeta catalyst at 350 °C and atmospheric pressure produces benzene, toluene, xylenes, and C9+ aromatics with yield of 42%, 29%, 12%, and 5%, respectively. Reaction pathways for conversion of two functional groups (hydroxyl and methoxyl) over the bifunctional catalyst were studied. Both guaiacol and intermediate products (catechol and cyclopentanone) were fed onto zeolite HBeta and Pt/SiO2 to identify the individual role of acid site and metal site. Acid sites (mainly Brønsted acid site, BAS) catalyze transalkylation and dehydroxylation reactions in sequence, producing phenol, cresols and xylenols as the major products at high conversion. Pt sites catalyze demethylation reaction resulting in catechol as the primary product, which can either be deoxygenated to phenol followed by phenol to benzene, or decarbonylated to cyclopentanone and further to butane. The close proximity of Pt and BAS in bifunctional Pt/HBeta enables both transalkylation and deoxygenation reactions with inhibited demethylation and decarbonylation reactions, producing aromatics as major final products with a total yield > 85%. Both activity and stability of bifunctional Pt/HBeta during hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol is improved compared to HBeta and Pt/SiO2. The addition of water to the feed further improves the activity and stability via hydrolysis of O-CH3 bond of guaiacol on BAS and removing coke around Pt.

  9. Pathogen-Specific Binding Soluble Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule (Dscam Regulates Phagocytosis via Membrane-Bound Dscam in Crab

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-Jie Li

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (Dscam gene is an extraordinary example of diversity that can produce thousands of isoforms and has so far been found only in insects and crustaceans. Cumulative evidence indicates that Dscam may contribute to the mechanistic foundations of specific immune responses in insects. However, the mechanism and functions of Dscam in relation to pathogens and immunity remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified the genome organization and alternative Dscam exons from Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. These variants, designated EsDscam, potentially produce 30,600 isoforms due to three alternatively spliced immunoglobulin (Ig domains and a transmembrane domain. EsDscam was significantly upregulated after bacterial challenge at both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, bacterial specific EsDscam isoforms were found to bind specifically with the original bacteria to facilitate efficient clearance. Furthermore, bacteria-specific binding of soluble EsDscam via the complete Ig1–Ig4 domain significantly enhanced elimination of the original bacteria via phagocytosis by hemocytes; this function was abolished by partial Ig1–Ig4 domain truncation. Further studies showed that knockdown of membrane-bound EsDscam inhibited the ability of EsDscam with the same extracellular region to promote bacterial phagocytosis. Immunocytochemistry indicated colocalization of the soluble and membrane-bound forms of EsDscam at the hemocyte surface. Far-Western and coimmunoprecipitation assays demonstrated homotypic interactions between EsDscam isoforms. This study provides insights into a mechanism by which soluble Dscam regulates hemocyte phagocytosis via bacteria-specific binding and specific interactions with membrane-bound Dscam as a phagocytic receptor.

  10. The effect of sporulation medium on Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris guaiacol production in apple juice

    OpenAIRE

    Molva, Çelenk; Baysal, Ayşe Handan

    2016-01-01

    The present study evaluated the effect of sporulation medium on guaiacol formation from vanillin and vanillic acid by Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris DSM 3922 in the reconstituted apple juice (pH 3.82, °Brix 11.3). For sporulation, potato dextrose agar and Bacillus acidoterrestris agar were used. After heat-activation, spores were turned into vegetative cells and inoculated into juice samples to a final concentration of 103 or 105 CFU/mL. Samples were incubated at 37 °C for 264 h and guaiaco...

  11. Continuous Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Pt/SiO2 and Pt/H-MFI-90

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melanie Hellinger

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol in the presence of 1-octanol was studied in a fixed-bed reactor under mild conditions (50–250 °C over platinum particles supported on silica (Pt/SiO2 and a zeolite with framework type MFI at a Si/Al-ratio of 45 (Pt/H-MFI-90. The deoxygenation selectivity strongly depended on the support and the temperature. Both guaiacol and octanol were rapidly deoxygenated in the presence of hydrogen over Pt/H-MFI-90 at 250 °C to cyclohexane and octane, respectively. In contrast, Pt/SiO2 mostly showed hydrogenation, but hardly any deoxygenation activity. The acidic sites of the MFI-90 support lead to improved deoxygenation performance at the mild temperature conditions of this study. Significant conversions under reaction conditions applied already occurred at temperatures of 200 °C. However, during long-term stability tests, the Pt/H-MFI-90 catalyst deactivated after more than 30 h, probably due to carbon deposition, whereas Pt/SiO2 was more stable. The catalytic activity of the zeolite catalyst could only partly be regained by calcination in air, as some of the acidic sites were lost.

  12. Instanton bound states in ABJM theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hatsuda, Yasuyuki [DESY Hamburg (Germany). Theory Group; Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan). Dept. of Physics; Moriyama, Sanefumi [Nagoya Univ. (Japan). Kobayashi Maskawa Inst. and Graduate School of Mathematics; Okuyama, Kazumi [Shinshu Univ., Matsumoto, Nagano (Japan). Dept. of Physics

    2013-06-15

    The partition function of the ABJM theory receives non-perturbative corrections due to instanton effects. We study these non-perturbative corrections, including bound states of worldsheet instantons and membrane instantons, in the Fermi-gas approach. We require that the total non-perturbative correction should be always finite for arbitrary Chern-Simons level. This finiteness is realized quite non-trivially because each bound state contribution naively diverges at some levels. The poles of each contribution should be canceled out in total. We use this pole cancellation mechanism to find unknown bound state corrections from known ones. We conjecture a general expression of the bound state contribution. Summing up all the bound state contributions, we find that the effect of bound states is simply incorporated into the worldsheet instanton correction by a redefinition of the chemical potential in the Fermi-gas system. Analytic expressions of the 3- and 4-membrane instanton corrections are also proposed.

  13. Targeting membrane-bound viral RNA synthesis reveals potent inhibition of diverse coronaviruses including the middle East respiratory syndrome virus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Lundin

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Coronaviruses raise serious concerns as emerging zoonotic viruses without specific antiviral drugs available. Here we screened a collection of 16671 diverse compounds for anti-human coronavirus 229E activity and identified an inhibitor, designated K22, that specifically targets membrane-bound coronaviral RNA synthesis. K22 exerts most potent antiviral activity after virus entry during an early step of the viral life cycle. Specifically, the formation of double membrane vesicles (DMVs, a hallmark of coronavirus replication, was greatly impaired upon K22 treatment accompanied by near-complete inhibition of viral RNA synthesis. K22-resistant viruses contained substitutions in non-structural protein 6 (nsp6, a membrane-spanning integral component of the viral replication complex implicated in DMV formation, corroborating that K22 targets membrane bound viral RNA synthesis. Besides K22 resistance, the nsp6 mutants induced a reduced number of DMVs, displayed decreased specific infectivity, while RNA synthesis was not affected. Importantly, K22 inhibits a broad range of coronaviruses, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, and efficient inhibition was achieved in primary human epithelia cultures representing the entry port of human coronavirus infection. Collectively, this study proposes an evolutionary conserved step in the life cycle of positive-stranded RNA viruses, the recruitment of cellular membranes for viral replication, as vulnerable and, most importantly, druggable target for antiviral intervention. We expect this mode of action to serve as a paradigm for the development of potent antiviral drugs to combat many animal and human virus infections.

  14. Membrane docking geometry of GRP1 PH domain bound to a target lipid bilayer: an EPR site-directed spin-labeling and relaxation study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huai-Chun Chen

    Full Text Available The second messenger lipid PIP(3 (phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate is generated by the lipid kinase PI3K (phosphoinositide-3-kinase in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, where it regulates a broad array of cell processes by recruiting multiple signaling proteins containing PIP(3-specific pleckstrin homology (PH domains to the membrane surface. Despite the broad importance of PIP(3-specific PH domains, the membrane docking geometry of a PH domain bound to its target PIP(3 lipid on a bilayer surface has not yet been experimentally determined. The present study employs EPR site-directed spin labeling and relaxation methods to elucidate the membrane docking geometry of GRP1 PH domain bound to bilayer-embedded PIP(3. The model target bilayer contains the neutral background lipid PC and both essential targeting lipids: (i PIP(3 target lipid that provides specificity and affinity, and (ii PS facilitator lipid that enhances the PIP(3 on-rate via an electrostatic search mechanism. The EPR approach measures membrane depth parameters for 18 function-retaining spin labels coupled to the PH domain, and for calibration spin labels coupled to phospholipids. The resulting depth parameters, together with the known high resolution structure of the co-complex between GRP1 PH domain and the PIP(3 headgroup, provide sufficient constraints to define an optimized, self-consistent membrane docking geometry. In this optimized geometry the PH domain engulfs the PIP(3 headgroup with minimal bilayer penetration, yielding the shallowest membrane position yet described for a lipid binding domain. This binding interaction displaces the PIP(3 headgroup from its lowest energy position and orientation in the bilayer, but the headgroup remains within its energetically accessible depth and angular ranges. Finally, the optimized docking geometry explains previous biophysical findings including mutations observed to disrupt membrane binding, and the rapid lateral

  15. Arabidopsis thaliana peroxidase N

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mirza, Osman Asghar; Henriksen, A; Ostergaard, L

    2000-01-01

    The structure of the neutral peroxidase from Arabidopsis thaliana (ATP N) has been determined to a resolution of 1.9 A and a free R value of 20.5%. ATP N has the expected characteristic fold of the class III peroxidases, with a C(alpha) r.m.s.d. of 0.82 A when compared with horseradish peroxidase C...... (HRP C). HRP C is 54% identical to ATP N in sequence. When the structures of four class III plant peroxidases are superimposed, the regions with structural differences are non-randomly distributed; all are located in one half of the molecule. The architecture of the haem pocket of ATP N is very similar...... to that of HRP C, in agreement with the low small-molecule substrate specificity of all class III peroxidases. The structure of ATP N suggests that the pH dependence of the substrate turnover will differ from that of HRP C owing to differences in polarity of the residues in the substrate-access channel. Since...

  16. A cell wall-bound anionic peroxidase, PtrPO21, is involved in lignin polymerization in Populus trichocarpa

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Chien-Yuan; Li, Quanzi; Tunlaya-Anukit, Sermsawat; Shi, Rui; Sun, Ying-Hsuan; Wang, Jack P.; Liu, Jie; Loziuk, Philip; Edmunds, Charles W.; Miller, Zachary D.; Peszlen, Ilona; Muddiman, David C.; Sederoff, Ronald R.; Chiang, Vincent L.

    2016-03-11

    Class III peroxidases are members of a large plant-specific sequence-heterogeneous protein family. Several sequence-conserved homologs have been associated with lignin polymerization in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Nicotiana tabacum, Zinnia elegans, Picea abies, and Pinus sylvestris. In Populus trichocarpa, a model species for studies of wood formation, the peroxidases involved in lignin biosynthesis have not yet been identified. To do this, we retrieved sequences of all PtrPOs from Peroxibase and conducted RNA-seq to identify candidates. Transcripts from 42 PtrPOs were detected in stem differentiating xylem (SDX) and four of them are the most xylem-abundant (PtrPO12, PtrPO21, PtrPO42, and PtrPO64). PtrPO21 shows xylem-specific expression similar to that of genes encoding the monolignol biosynthetic enzymes. Using protein cleavage-isotope dilution mass spectrometry, PtrPO21 is detected only in the cell wall fraction and not in the soluble fraction. Downregulated transgenics of PtrPO21 have a lignin reduction of ~20% with subunit composition (S/G ratio) similar to wild type. The transgenics show a growth reduction and reddish color of stem wood. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the stems of the downregulated PtrPO21-line 8 can be reduced to ~60% of wild type. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis of PtrPO21 downregulated transgenics identified a significant overexpression of PtPrx35, suggesting a compensatory effect within the peroxidase family. No significant changes in the expression of the 49 P. trichocarpa laccases (PtrLACs) were observed.

  17. Relationship of membrane-bound sulfhydryl groups to vitamin D-stimulated uptake of [75Se]Selenite by the brush border membrane vesicles from chick duodenum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mykkanen, H.M.; Wasserman, R.H.

    1990-01-01

    The uptake of selenite by purified brush border membrane vesicles isolated from duodena of rachitic or vitamin D-treated chicks was studied by using radioactive selenite and a rapid filtration technique. Cholecalciferol treatment (500 IU at 72 h) significantly enhanced selenite uptake, a response that decreased when the vesicles were stored at room temperature for 2.5 h prior to the uptake measurement. Preincubation of the vesicles in 1.0 mmol/L H2O2 reduced [75Se]selenite uptake, indicating the involvement of oxidizable groups in the uptake reaction. Iodoacetic acid (IAA), a sulfhydryl-blocking reagent, at 1-2 mmol/L concentration eliminated the difference in selenite uptake due to cholecalciferol and had no effect on vesicles from rachitic animals. A higher concentration of IAA (10 mmol/L) enhanced selenite uptake manyfold and increased the absolute difference due to cholecalciferol treatment. Single intravenous doses of 100 IU cholecalciferol, 100 IU ergocalciferol, or 0.1 micrograms 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol also stimulated selenite uptake, suggesting a general response to vitamin D compounds. Normal animals given a single dose of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol 12 h prior to killing also responded. Treatments that enhanced the uptake of [75Se]selenite also increased the amount of membrane-bound sulfhydryl groups, suggesting the involvement of membrane-bound sulfhydryl groups in the vitamin D response. A significant increase in selenite uptake by intravenous 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol occurred within 10 min. This rapid effect provides a new tool to probe early biochemical effects of vitamin D on intestinal epithelium

  18. Tc-cAPX, a cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase of Theobroma cacao L. engaged in the interaction with Moniliophthora perniciosa, the causing agent of witches' broom disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camillo, Luciana Rodrigues; Filadelfo, Ciro Ribeiro; Monzani, Paulo Sérgio; Corrêa, Ronan Xavier; Gramacho, Karina Peres; Micheli, Fabienne; Pirovani, Carlos Priminho

    2013-12-01

    The level of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plants signalizes the induction of several genes, including that of ascorbate peroxidase (APX-EC 1.11.1.11). APX isoenzymes play a central role in the elimination of intracellular H2O2 and contribute to plant responses to diverse stresses. During the infection process in Theobroma cacao by Moniliophthora perniciosa oxidative stress is generated and the APX action recruited from the plant. The present work aimed to characterize the T. cacao APX involved in the molecular interaction of T. cacao-M. perniciosa. The peroxidase activity was analyzed in protein extracts from cocoa plants infected by M. perniciosa and showed the induction of peroxidases like APX in resistant cocoa plants. The cytosolic protein of T. cacao (GenBank: ABR68691.2) was phylogenetically analyzed in relation to other peroxidases from the cocoa genome and eight genes encoding APX proteins with conserved domains were also analyzed. The cDNA from cytosolic APX was cloned in pET28a and the recombinant protein expressed and purified (rTc-cAPX). The secondary structure of the protein was analyzed by Circular Dichroism (CD) displaying high proportion of α-helices when folded. The enzymatic assay shows stable activity using ascorbate and guaiacol as an electron donor for H2O2 reduction. The pH 7.5 is the optimum for enzyme activity. Chromatographic analysis suggests that rTc-cAPX is a homodimer in solution. Results indicate that the rTc-cAPX is correctly folded, stable and biochemically active. The purified rTc-cAPX presented biotechnological potential and is adequate for future structural and functional studies. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.

  19. Protective Effect of Prosopis cineraria Against N-Nitrosodiethylamine Induced Liver Tumor by Modulating Membrane Bound Enzymes and Glycoproteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naina Mohamed Pakkir Maideen

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of methanol extract of Prosopis cineraria (MPC against N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN, 200mg/kg induced Phenobarbital promoted experimental liver tumors in male Wistar rats. Methods: The rats were divided into four groups, each group consisting of six animals. Group 1 served as control animals. Liver tumor was induced in group 2, 3, and 4 and Group 3 animals received MPC 200mg/kg and Group 4 animals received MPC 400mg/kg. Results: Administration of DEN has brought down the levels of membrane bound enzymes like Na+/ K+ ATPase, Mg2+ ATPase and Ca2+ATPase which were later found to be increased by the administration of Prosopis cineraria (200 and 400mg/kg in dose dependent manner. The MPC extract also suppressed the levels of glycoproteins like Hexose, Hexosamine and Sialic acid when compared to liver tumor bearing animals. Conclusions: Our study suggests that MPC may extend its protective role by modulating the levels of membrane bound enzymes and suppressing glycoprotein levels.

  20. Optimization of laccase and manganese peroxidase production in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effect of temperature, pH, carbon, nitrogen, Cu2+, 2,5- xylidine, ferulic acid, Mn2+ and immobilization using Luffa cylindrica sponges in submerged culture fermentations were investigated for maximum enzymes production. After 7 days of incubation, 83 to 100% oxidation of RBBR, ABTS and guaiacol was observed.

  1. Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol Over Pt/Al-SBA-15 Catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Mi Jin; Park, Sung Hoon; Jeon, Jong-Ki; Ryu, Changkook; Sohn, Jung Min; Kim, Sang Chai; Park, Young-Kwon

    2015-01-01

    Upgrading of bio-oil through catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction was investigated for guaiacol as a model compound. A batch reactor was used for the reaction condition of 40 bar and 250 degrees C. The target product was cyclohexane. Pt/Al-SBA-15 with the Si/Al ratios of 20, 40, and 80 and Pt/HZSM-5 were used as the catalyst. The SBA-15 catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction analysis, and temperature programmed desorption of ammonia. The order of cyclohexane yield was Pt/Al-SBA-15 (Si/Al = 20) > Pt/Al-SBA-15(40) > Pt/Al-SBA-15 (80), indicating that the quantity of acid sites plays an important role in the HDO reaction. On the other hand, Pt/HZSM-5 led to a very low cyclohexane yield, in spite of its abundant strong acid sites, due to its small pore size.

  2. Morphology–dependent electrochemical sensing properties of manganese dioxide–graphene oxide hybrid for guaiacol and vanillin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gan, Tian; Shi, Zhaoxia; Deng, Yaping; Sun, Junyong; Wang, Haibo

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • MnO 2 with different morphologies were prepared via facile methods. • MnO 2 are loaded on GO via simply grinding which have high solubility and stability. • MnO 2 –GO exhibit high electrocatalytic activities depending on their shapes. • MnO 2 –GO is first used to the determination of guaiacol and vanillin simultaneously. - Abstract: Various morphologies of manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) electrocatalysts, including nanoflowers, nanorods, nanotubes, nanoplates, nanowires and microspheres were prepared via facile hydrothermal synthesis and precipitation methods. By simply grinding with graphene oxide (GO), MnO 2 could be readily dissolved in water with high solubility and stability. The structures and electrochemical performances of these as–prepared MnO 2 –GO hybrids were fully characterized by various techniques, and the properties were found to be strongly dependent on morphology. As sensing materials for the simultaneous determination of guaiacol and vanillin for the first time, the nanoflowers–like MnO 2 , coupled with GO, exhibited relatively high sensitivity. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity was ascribed to the high purity, good crystallinity, and unique porous microstructure, which were favorable for transfer of electrons. These results may provide valuable insights for the development of nanostructured modified electrodes for next–generation high–performance electrochemical sensors

  3. Efficient Hydrogenolysis of Guaiacol over Highly Dispersed Ni/MCM-41 Catalyst Combined with HZSM-5

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Songbai Qiu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A series of MCM-41 supported Ni catalysts with high metal dispersion was successfully synthesized by simple co-impregnation using proper ethylene glycol (EG. The acquired Ni-based catalysts performed the outstanding hydrogenolysis activity of guaiacol. The effects of the synthesis parameters including drying temperature, calcination temperature, and metal loading on the physical properties of NiO nanoparticles were investigated through the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD. The drying temperature was found to significantly influence the particle sizes of NiO supported on MCM-41, but the calcination temperature and metal loading had less influence. Interestingly, the small particle size (≤3.3 nm and the high dispersion of NiO particles were also obtained for co-impregnation on the mixed support (MCM-41:HZSM-5 = 1:1, similar to that on the single MCM-41 support, leading to excellent hydrogenation activity at low temperature. The guaiacol conversion could reach 97.9% at 150 °C, and the catalytic activity was comparative with that of noble metal catalysts. The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO performance was also promoted by the introduction of acidic HZSM-5 zeolite and an 84.1% yield of cyclohexane at 240 °C was achieved. These findings demonstrate potential applications for the future in promoting and improving industrial catalyst performance.

  4. Electrostatic control by lipids upon the membrane-bound (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahrens, M L

    1981-04-06

    In this paper, the membrane-bound (Na+ + K+)-ATPase from bovine brain is shown to be controlled by electrostatic alterations of the charged lipids surrounding the enzyme. The properties under investigation are the enzymatic activity, activation energy and the response of the enzymatic system to temperature. Arrhenius plots of the ATPase activity are biphasic with a break at temperature Ti. The temperature Ti, the activation energies at temperatures above and below Ti, and the enzymatic activity at any constant temperature have been shown to depend upon the concentrations of alkali and alkaline-earth metal ions in the solution. These electrolyte dependencies are ascribed to changes of electrostatic conditions at the lipids surrounding the ATPase. If the higher electrostatic screening ability of divalent ions is taken into account, the results in the presence of mono- and divalent ions become virtually the same. As a result of this work, it is concluded that electrostatic alterations are transmitted to the ATPase from the lipids of the membrane in which the enzyme is embedded. Inhibition and activation of the enzyme by mono-and divalent metal ions may thus be explained without any auxiliary hypothesis, particularly without postulating specific binding sites for the different ionic species at the protein. In addition, the specific lipid requirement of the ATPase may be understood better in the light of this interpretation.

  5. [Cell surface peroxidase--generator of superoxide anion in wheat root cells under wound stress].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chasov, A V; Gordon, L Kh; Kolesnikov, O P; Minibaeva, F V

    2002-01-01

    Development of wound stress in excised wheat roots is known to be accompanied with an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, fall of membrane potential, release of K+ from cells, alkalization of extracellular solution, changes in respiration and metabolism of structural lipids. Dynamics of superoxide release correlates with changes in other physiological parameters, indicating the cross-reaction of these processes. Activity of peroxidase in extracellular solution after a 1 h incubation and removal of roots was shown to be stimulated by the range of organic acids, detergents, metals, and to be inhibited by cyanide. Superoxide production was sensitive to the addition of Mn2+ and H2O2. Increase in superoxide production correlates with the enhancement of peroxidase activity at the application of organic acids and detergents. The results obtained indicate that cell surface peroxidase is one of the main generators of superoxide in wounded wheat root cells. Different ways of stimulation of the ROS producing activity in root cells is supposed. By controlling superoxide and hydrogen peroxide formation, the cell surface peroxidase can control the adaptation processes in stressed plant cells.

  6. Involvement of plasma membrane peroxidases and oxylipin pathway in the recovery from phytoplasma disease in apple (Malus domestica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patui, Sonia; Bertolini, Alberto; Clincon, Luisa; Ermacora, Paolo; Braidot, Enrico; Vianello, Angelo; Zancani, Marco

    2013-06-01

    Apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh.) may be affected by apple proliferation (AP), caused by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma mali'. Some plants can spontaneously recover from the disease, which implies the disappearance of symptoms through a phenomenon known as recovery. In this article it is shown that NAD(P)H peroxidases of leaf plasma membrane-enriched fractions exhibited a higher activity in samples from both AP-diseased and recovered plants. In addition, an increase in endogenous SA was characteristic of the symptomatic plants, since its content increased in samples obtained from diseased apple trees. In agreement, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) activity, a key enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway, was increased too. Jasmonic acid (JA) increased only during recovery, in a phase subsequent to the pathological state, and in concomitance to a decline of salicylic acid (SA). Oxylipin pathway, responsible for JA synthesis, was not induced during the development of AP-disease, but it appeared to be stimulated when the recovery occurred. Accordingly, lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, detected in plasma membrane-enriched fractions, showed an increase in apple leaves obtained from recovered plants. This enhancement was paralleled by an increase of hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) activity, detected in leaf microsomes, albeit the latter enzyme was activated in either the disease or recovery conditions. Hence, a reciprocal antagonism between SA- and JA-pathways could be suggested as an effective mechanism by which apple plants react to phytoplasma invasions, thereby providing a suitable defense response leading to the establishment of the recovery phenomenon. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2012.

  7. Effects of silicon on plant resistance to environmental stresses: review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balakhnina, T.; Borkowska, A.

    2013-03-01

    The role of exogenous silicon in enhancing plant resistance to various abiotic stressors: salinity, drought, metal toxicities and ultraviolet radiation are presented. The data on possible involvement of silicon in reducing the reactive oxygen species generation, intensity of lipid peroxidation, and in some cases, increasing the activity of enzymes of the reactive oxygen species detoxificators: superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, guaiacol peroxidase and catalase are analyzed.

  8. The study of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and peroxidase during in vitro regeneration of Argyrolobium roseum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habib, Darima; Chaudhary, Muhammad Fayyaz; Zia, Muhammad

    2014-01-01

    Here, we demonstrate the micropropagation protocol of Argyrolobium roseum (Camb.), an endangered herb exhibiting anti-diabetic and immune-suppressant properties, and antioxidant enzymes pattern is evaluated. Maximum callogenic response (60 %) was observed from leaf explant at 1.0 mg L(-1) 1-nephthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg L(-1) 6-benzyl aminopurine (BA) in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium using hypocotyl and root explants (48 % each). Addition of AgNO3 and PVP in the culture medium led to an increase in callogenic response up to 86 % from leaf explant and 72 % from hypocotyl and root explants. The best shooting response was observed in the presence of NAA, while maximum shoot length and number of shoots were achieved based on BA-supplemented MS medium. The regenerated shoots were rooted and successfully acclimatized under greenhouse conditions. Catalase and peroxidase enzymes showed ascending pattern during in vitro plant development from seed while ascorbate peroxidase showed descending pattern. Totally reverse response of these enzymes was observed during callus induction from three different explants. During shoot induction, catalase and peroxidase increased at high rate while there was a mild reduction in ascorbate peroxidase activity. Catalase and peroxidase continuously increased; on the other hand, ascorbate peroxidase activity decreased during root development and acclimatization states. The protocol described here can be employed for the mass propagation and genetic transformation of this rare herb. This study also highlights the importance and role of ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase in the establishment of A. roseum in vitro culture through callogenesis and organogenesis.

  9. Purification and Characterization of Polyphenol Oxidase, Peroxidase and Lipoxygenase from Freshly Cut Lettuce (L. sativa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vural Gökmen

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Enzymatic reactions taking place in minimally processed vegetables are considered as a major problem, because they adversely affect sensorial and nutritional quality. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO, peroxidase (POD and lipoxygenase (LOX from lettuce were purified on a column packed with positively charged diethylaminoethyl (DEAE cellulose by applying pH gradient elution from pH=4.0 to 9.0. The main purified fractions (PPO1 and PPO4, POD1 and POD2, LOX1 and LOX2 were characterized for enzyme concentration-reaction rate relationship, thermal stability, pH activity and kinetic parameters. Kinetic properties of each isoform were considerably different. Cysteine was found as the most effective inhibitor of both fractions of PPO. Kinetic parameters of lettuce POD were presented using guaiacol at various H2O2 concentrations. β-carotene directly influences lettuce LOX in the reaction medium available for the catalytic conversion of linoleic acid into hydroperoxides. Ascorbic and oxalic acids appear as effective PPO inhibitors, protecting phenolic compounds against oxidation in lettuce. Understanding the characteristics of deteriorative enzymes becomes important to maintain suitable conditions for fresh-like quality of lettuce. The results can be useful to keep the nutritional quality of minimally processed lettuce during shelf-life.

  10. Horseradish Peroxidase-Encapsulated Hollow Silica Nanospheres for Intracellular Sensing of Reactive Oxygen Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsin-Yi; Wu, Si-Han; Chen, Chien-Tsu; Chen, Yi-Ping; Chang, Feng-Peng; Chien, Fan-Ching; Mou, Chung-Yuan

    2018-04-01

    Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have crucial roles in cell signaling and homeostasis. Overproduction of ROS can induce oxidative damage to various biomolecules and cellular structures. Therefore, developing an approach capable of monitoring and quantifying ROS in living cells is significant for physiology and clinical diagnoses. Some cell-permeable fluorogenic probes developed are useful for the detection of ROS while in conjunction with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Their intracellular scenario is however hindered by the membrane-impermeable property of enzymes. Herein, a new approach for intracellular sensing of ROS by using horseradish peroxidase-encapsulated hollow silica nanospheres (designated HRP@HSNs), with satisfactory catalytic activity, cell membrane permeability, and biocompatibility, was prepared via a microemulsion method. These HRP@HSNs, combined with selective probes or targeting ligands, could be foreseen as ROS-detecting tools in specific organelles or cell types. As such, dihydrorhodamine 123-coupled HRP@HSNs were used for the qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of physiological H2O2 levels in activated RAW 264.7 macrophages. We envision that this HSNs encapsulating active enzymes can be conjugated with selective probes and targeting ligands to detect ROS in specific organelles or cell types of interest.

  11. Continuous Catalytic Hydrodeoxygenation of Guaiacol over Pt/SiO2 and Pt/H-MFI-90

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellinger, Melanie; Baier, Sina; Mortensen, Peter Mølgaard

    2015-01-01

    Hydrodeoxygenation of guaiacol in the presence of 1-octanol was studied in a fixed-bed reactor under mild conditions (50–250 °C) over platinum particles supported on silica (Pt/SiO2) and a zeolite with framework type MFI at a Si/Al-ratio of 45 (Pt/H-MFI-90). The deoxygenation selectivity strongly...

  12. Specific binding of [alpha-32P]GTP to cytosolic and membrane-bound proteins of human platelets correlates with the activation of phospholipase C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lapetina, E.G.; Reep, B.R.

    1987-01-01

    We have assessed the binding of [alpha- 32 P]GTP to platelet proteins from cytosolic and membrane fractions. Proteins were separated by NaDodSO 4 /PAGE and electrophoretically transferred to nitrocellulose. Incubation of the nitrocellulose blots with [alpha- 32 P]GTP indicated the presence of specific and distinct GTP-binding proteins in cytosol and membranes. Binding was prevented by 10-100 nM GTP and by 100 nM guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[gamma S]) or GDP; binding was unaffected by 1 nM-1 microM ATP. One main GTP-binding protein (29.5 kDa) was detected in the membrane fraction, while three others (29, 27, and 21 kDa) were detected in the soluble fraction. Two cytosolic GTP-binding proteins (29 and 27 kDa) were degraded by trypsin; another cytosolic protein (21 kDa) and the membrane-bound protein (29.5 kDa) were resistant to the action of trypsin. Treatment of intact platelets with trypsin or thrombin, followed by lysis and fractionation, did not affect the binding of [alpha- 32 P]GTP to the membrane-bound protein. GTP[gamma S] still stimulated phospholipase C in permeabilized platelets already preincubated with trypsin. This suggests that trypsin-resistant GTP-binding proteins might regulate phospholipase C stimulated by GTP[gamma S

  13. Membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase is essential for glyceric acid production in Acetobacter tropicalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habe, Hiroshi; Sato, Shun; Fukuoka, Tokuma; Kitamoto, Dai; Yakushi, Toshiharu; Matsushita, Kazunobu; Sakaki, Keiji

    2011-01-01

    Acetobacter tropicalis NBRC16470 can produce highly enantiomerically pure D-glyceric acid (D-GA; >99 % enantiomeric excess) from glycerol. To investigate whether membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase (mADH) is involved in GA production in A. tropicalis, we amplified part of the gene encoding mADH subunit I (adhA) using polymerase chain reaction and constructed an adhA-disrupted mutant of A. tropicalis (ΔadhA). Because ΔadhA did not produce GA, we confirmed that mADH is essential for the conversion of glycerol to GA. We also cloned and sequenced the entire region corresponding to adhA and adhB, which encodes mADH subunit II. The sequences showed high identities (84-86 %) with the equivalent mADH subunits from other Acetobacter spp.

  14. Ultra-small particles of iron oxide as peroxidase for immunohistochemical detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Yihang; Song Mengjie; Zhang Xiaoqing; Zhang Yu; Wang Chunyu; Gu Ning; Xin Zhuang; Li Suyi

    2011-01-01

    Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) modified ultra-small particles of iron oxide (USPIO) were synthesized through a two-step process. The first step: oleic acid (OA) capped Fe 3 O 4 (OA-USPIO) were synthesized by a novel oxidation coprecipitation method in H 2 O/DMSO mixing system, where DMSO acts as an oxidant simultaneously. The second step: OA was replaced by DMSA to obtain water-soluble nanoparticles. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FTIR, TGA, VSM, DLS, EDS and UV-vis. Hydrodynamic sizes and Peroxidase-like catalytic activity of the nanoparticles were investigated. The hydrodynamic sizes of the nanoparticles (around 24.4 nm) were well suited to developing stable nanoprobes for bio-detection. The kinetic studies were performed to quantitatively evaluate the catalytic ability of the peroxidase-like nanoparticles. The calculated kinetic parameters indicated that the DMSA-USPIO possesses high catalytic activity. Based on the high activity, immunohistochemical experiments were established: using low-cost nanoparticles as the enzyme instead of expensive HRP, Nimotuzumab was conjugated onto the surface of the nanoparticles to construct a kind of ultra-small nanoprobe which was employed to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expressed on the membrane of esophageal cancer cell. The proper sizes of the probes and the result of membranous immunohistochemical staining suggest that the probes can be served as a useful diagnostic reagent for bio-detection.

  15. Two oxidation sites for low redox potential substrates: a directed mutagenesis, kinetic, and crystallographic study on Pleurotus eryngii versatile peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morales, María; Mate, María J; Romero, Antonio; Martínez, María Jesús; Martínez, Ángel T; Ruiz-Dueñas, Francisco J

    2012-11-30

    Versatile peroxidase shares with manganese peroxidase and lignin peroxidase the ability to oxidize Mn(2+) and high redox potential aromatic compounds, respectively. Moreover, it is also able to oxidize phenols (and low redox potential dyes) at two catalytic sites, as shown by biphasic kinetics. A high efficiency site (with 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and p-hydroquinone catalytic efficiencies of ∼70 and ∼700 s(-1) mM(-1), respectively) was localized at the same exposed Trp-164 responsible for high redox potential substrate oxidation (as shown by activity loss in the W164S variant). The second site, characterized by low catalytic efficiency (∼3 and ∼50 s(-1) mM(-1) for 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and p-hydroquinone, respectively) was localized at the main heme access channel. Steady-state and transient-state kinetics for oxidation of phenols and dyes at the latter site were improved when side chains of residues forming the heme channel edge were removed in single and multiple variants. Among them, the E140G/K176G, E140G/P141G/K176G, and E140G/W164S/K176G variants attained catalytic efficiencies for oxidation of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) at the heme channel similar to those of the exposed tryptophan site. The heme channel enlargement shown by x-ray diffraction of the E140G, P141G, K176G, and E140G/K176G variants would allow a better substrate accommodation near the heme, as revealed by the up to 26-fold lower K(m) values (compared with native VP). The resulting interactions were shown by the x-ray structure of the E140G-guaiacol complex, which includes two H-bonds of the substrate with Arg-43 and Pro-139 in the distal heme pocket (at the end of the heme channel) and several hydrophobic interactions with other residues and the heme cofactor.

  16. Characterization of soluble and membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase in Nilaparvata lugens and their potential relation to development and insecticide resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zengxia; Liu, Shuhua; Yang, Baojun; Liu, Zewen

    2011-09-01

    Two forms (soluble and membrane-bound) of alkaline phosphatases (ALPs) were found in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens. In order to further study ALPs in N. lugens, two putative ALP genes (Nl-ALP1 and Nl-ALP2) were identified in this pest. Both Nl-ALP1 and Nl-ALP2 show approximately the same degree of sequence identity (40-50%) to other insect soluble and membrane-bound forms of ALP. Correlation of ALP activity and mRNA levels at different developmental stages, or following application of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and insecticide fenvalerate, suggests that Nl-ALP1 and Nl-ALP2 might encode a soluble (sALP) and a membrane-bound ALP (mALP), respectively. Nl-ALP1-specific antibody Nl1-I detected only a specific band in soluble protein preparations and Nl-ALP2 specific antibody Nl2-I only detected a specific band in insoluble protein preparations, which provided conclusive linkages between Nl-ALP1 and a sALP and between Nl-ALP2 and a m ALP. Then, Nl-ALP1 was denoted as Nl-sALP for a sALP and Nl-ALP2 was denoted as Nl-mALP for a mALP. Only sALP activity and Nl-sALP mRNA level were induced by 20E and fenvalerate, which was confirmed by the density of specific band detected by Nl1-I in Sus strain with or without fenvalerate treatment. Additionally, the sALP activity, as well as Nl-sALP mRNA level, was significantly higher in a fenvalerate resistant population, compared with Sus strain. These results indicate that the sALP is more responsive to chemical stimulus, such as hormone and insecticide, and might play dual roles in development and insecticide tolerance. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. An organelle-free assay for pea chloroplast Mg-chelatase: Resolution of the activity into soluble and membrane bound fractions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walker, C.J.; Weinstein, J.D. (Clemson Univ, SC (United States))

    1991-05-01

    Mg-chelatase, which catalyzes the insertion of magnesium into protoporphyrin, lies at the branchpoint of heme and chlorophyll biosynthesis in chloroplasts. Since magnesium chelation is the first step unique to chlorophyll synthesis, one would expect this step to be highly regulated. However, to date little is known about the enzymology or regulation of Mg-chelatase due mostly to an inability to assay it's activity outside of the intact plastid. Here the authors report the first truly in vitro i.e. organelle-free, assay for Mg-chelatase. Mg-chelatase activity in intact pea chloroplasts which is 3 to 4 fold higher than in cucumber chloroplasts, survived chloroplast lysis and could be fractionated, by centrifugation, into supernatant and pellet components. Both of these fractions were required to reconstitute Mg-chelatase activity and both were inactivated by boiling; indicating that the enzyme is composed of soluble and membrane bound protein(s). The specific activity of the reconstituted system was typically 1 nmol Mg-Deuteroporphyrin/h/mg protein and activity was linear for at least 60 min under our assay conditions. ATP and magnesium were required for Mg-chelatase activity. The soluble component could be fractionated with ammonium sulfate. The product of the reaction was confirmed fluorometrically as the magnesium chelate of the porphyrin substrate. Crude separation of chloroplast membranes into thylakoids and envelopes, suggested that the membrane-bound component of Mg-chelatase is probably located in the envelope.

  18. Wound-induced expression of horseradish peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaoka, A; Kawamoto, T; Ohta, H; Sekine, M; Takano, M; Shinmyo, A

    1994-01-01

    Peroxidases have been implicated in the responses of plants to physiological stress and to pathogens. Wound-induced peroxidase of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) was studied. Total peroxidase activity was increased by wounding in cell wall fractions extracted from roots, stems and leaves of horseradish. On the other hand, wounding decreased the peroxidase activity in the soluble fraction from roots. The enzyme activities of the basic isozymes were induced by wounding in horseradish leaves based on data obtained by fractionation of crude enzyme in isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis followed by activity staining. We have previously isolated genomic clones for four peroxidase genes, namely, prxC1a, prxC1b, prxC2 and prxC3. Northern blot analysis using gene-specific probes showed that mRNA of prxC2, which encodes a basic isozyme, accumulated by wounding, while the mRNAs for other peroxidase genes were not induced. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants were transformed with four chimeric gene constructs, each consisting of a promoter from one of the peroxidase genes and the β-glucuronidase (GUS) structural gene. High level GUS activity induced in response to wounding was observed in tobacco plants containing the prxC2-GUS construct.

  19. New low-flux mixed matrix membranes that offer superior removal of protein-bound toxins from human plasma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlenko, Denys; van Geffen, Esmée; van Steenbergen, Mies J.; Glorieux, Griet; Vanholder, Raymond; Gerritsen, Karin G. F.; Stamatialis, Dimitrios

    2016-10-01

    Hemodialysis is a widely available and well-established treatment for patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). However, although life-sustaining, patient mortality rates are very high. Several recent studies corroborated the link between dialysis patients’ outcomes and elevated levels of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUT) that are poorly removed by conventional hemodialysis. Therefore, new treatments are needed to improve their removal. Recently, our group showed that the combination of dialysis and adsorption on one membrane, the mixed matrix membrane (MMM), can effectively remove those toxins from human plasma. However, these first MMMs were rather large in diameter and their mass transport characteristics needed improvement before application in the clinical setting. Therefore, in this study we developed a new generation of MMMs that have a smaller diameter and optimized characteristics offering superior ability in removing the PBUT indoxyl sulfate (IS) and p-cresyl sulfate (pCS) in comparison to first generation MMMs (30 and 125% respectively), as well as, a commercial dialysis membrane (more than 100% better removal).

  20. Differential expression of growth factor receptors and membrane-bound tumor markers for imaging in male and female breast cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeroen F Vermeulen

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Male breast cancer accounts for 0.5-1% of all breast cancers and is generally diagnosed at higher stage than female breast cancers and therefore might benefit from earlier detection and targeted therapy. Except for HER2 and EGFR, little is known about expression of growth factor receptors in male breast cancer. We therefore investigated expression profiles of growth factor receptors and membrane-bound tumor markers in male breast cancer and gynecomastia, in comparison with female breast cancer. METHODS: Tissue microarrays containing 133 male breast cancer and 32 gynecomastia cases were stained by immunohistochemistry for a panel of membrane-bound targets and compared with data on 266 female breast cancers. RESULTS: Growth factor receptors were variably expressed in 4.5% (MET up to 38.5% (IGF1-R of male breast cancers. Compared to female breast cancer, IGF1-R and carbonic anhydrase 12 (CAXII were more frequently and CD44v6, MET and FGFR2 less frequently expressed in male breast cancer. Expression of EGFR, HER2, CAIX, and GLUT1 was not significantly different between male and female breast cancer. Further, 48.1% of male breast cancers expressed at least one and 18.0% expressed multiple growth factor receptors. Since individual membrane receptors are expressed in only half of male breast cancers, a panel of membrane markers will be required for molecular imaging strategies to reach sensitivity. A potential panel of markers for molecular imaging, consisting of EGFR, IGF1-R, FGFR2, CD44v6, CAXII, GLUT1, and CD44v6 was positive in 77% of male breast cancers, comparable to female breast cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Expression patterns of growth factor receptors and hypoxia membrane proteins in male breast cancer are different from female breast cancer. For molecular imaging strategies, a putative panel consisting of markers for EGFR, IGF1-R, FGFR2, GLUT1, CAXII, CD44v6 was positive in 77% of cases and might be considered for development of

  1. Human Renal Normal, Tumoral, and Cancer Stem Cells Express Membrane-Bound Interleukin-15 Isoforms Displaying Different Functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandy Azzi

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Intrarenal interleukin-15 (IL-15 participates to renal pathophysiology, but the role of its different membrane-bound isoforms remains to be elucidated. In this study, we reassess the biology of membrane-bound IL-15 (mb-IL-15 isoforms by comparing primary cultures of human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTEC to peritumoral (ptumTEC, tumoral (RCC, and cancer stem cells (CSC/CD105+. RPTEC express a 14 to 16 kDa mb-IL-15, whose existence has been assumed but never formally demonstrated and likely represents the isoform anchored at the cell membrane through the IL-15 receptor α (IL-15Rα chain, because it is sensitive to acidic treatment and is not competent to deliver a reverse signal. By contrast, ptumTEC, RCC, and CSC express a novel N-hyperglycosylated, short-lived transmembrane mb-IL-15 (tmb-IL-15 isoform around 27 kDa, resistant to acidic shock, delivering a reverse signal in response to its soluble receptor (sIL-15Rα. This reverse signal triggers the down-regulation of the tumor suppressor gene E-cadherin in ptumTEC and RCC but not in CSC/CD105+, where it promotes survival. Indeed, through the AKT pathway, tmb-IL-15 protects CSC/CD105+ from non-programmed cell death induced by serum starvation. Finally, both mb-IL-15 and tmb-IL-15 are sensitive to metalloproteases, and the cleaved tmb-IL-15 (25 kDa displays a powerful anti-apoptotic effect on human hematopoietic cells. Overall, our data indicate that both mb-IL-15 and tmb-IL-15 isoforms play a complex role in renal pathophysiology downregulating E-cadherin and favoring cell survival. Moreover, “apparently normal” ptumTEC cells, sharing different properties with RCC, could contribute to organize an enlarged peritumoral “preneoplastic” environment committed to favor tumor progression.

  2. Albumin solder covalently bound to a polymer membrane: New approach to improve binding strength in laser tissue soldering in-vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiebl, B; Ascher, L; Luetzow, K; Kratz, K; Gruber, C; Mrowietz, C; Nehring, M E; Lendlein, A; Franke, R-P; Jung, F

    2018-01-01

    Laser tissue soldering (LTS) based on indocyanine green (ICG)-mediated heat-denaturation of proteins might be a promising alternative technique for micro-suturing, but up to now the problem of too weak shear strength of the solder welds in comparison to sutures is not solved. Earlier reports gave promising results showing that solder supported by carrier materials can enhance the cohesive strength of the liquid solder. In these studies, the solder was applied to the carriers by dip coating. Higher reliability of the connection between the solder and the carrier material is expected when the solder is bound covalently to the carrier material. In the present study a poly(ether imide) (PEI) membrane served as carrier material and ICG-supplemented albumin as solder substrate. The latter was covalently coupled to the carrier membrane under physiological conditions to prevent structural protein changes. As laser source a diode continuous-wave laser emitting at 808 nm with intensities between 250 mW and 1500 mW was utilized. The albumin functionalized carrier membrane was placed onto the tunica media of explanted pig thoracic aortae forming an overlapping area of approximately 0.5×0.5 cm2. All tests were performed in a dry state to prevent laser light absorption by water. Infrared spectroscopy, spectro-photometrical determination of the secondary and primary amine groups after acid orange II staining, contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy proved the successful functionalization of the PEI membrane with albumin. A laser power of 450 mW LTS could generate a membrane-blood vessel connection which was characterized by a shear strength of 0.08±0.002 MPa, corresponding to 15% of the tensile strength of the native blood vessel. Theoretically, an overlapping zone of 4.1 mm around the entire circumference of the blood vessel could have provided shear strength of the PEI membrane-blood vessel compound identical to the tensile strength of the native

  3. Autophagosomal membranes assemble at ER-plasma membrane contact sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimbeni, Anna Chiara; Codogno, Patrice; Morel, Etienne

    2017-01-01

    The biogenesis of autophagosome, the double membrane bound organelle related to macro-autophagy, is a complex event requiring numerous key-proteins and membrane remodeling events. Our recent findings identify the extended synaptotagmins, crucial tethers of Endoplasmic Reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites, as key-regulators of this molecular sequence.

  4. Peroxidase enzymes regulate collagen extracellular matrix biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeNichilo, Mark O; Panagopoulos, Vasilios; Rayner, Timothy E; Borowicz, Romana A; Greenwood, John E; Evdokiou, Andreas

    2015-05-01

    Myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase are heme-containing enzymes often physically associated with fibrotic tissue and cancer in various organs, without any direct involvement in promoting fibroblast recruitment and extracellular matrix (ECM) biosynthesis at these sites. We report herein novel findings that show peroxidase enzymes possess a well-conserved profibrogenic capacity to stimulate the migration of fibroblastic cells and promote their ability to secrete collagenous proteins to generate a functional ECM both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies conducted using cultured fibroblasts show that these cells are capable of rapidly binding and internalizing both myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase. Peroxidase enzymes stimulate collagen biosynthesis at a post-translational level in a prolyl 4-hydroxylase-dependent manner that does not require ascorbic acid. This response was blocked by the irreversible myeloperoxidase inhibitor 4-amino-benzoic acid hydrazide, indicating peroxidase catalytic activity is essential for collagen biosynthesis. These results suggest that peroxidase enzymes, such as myeloperoxidase and eosinophil peroxidase, may play a fundamental role in regulating the recruitment of fibroblast and the biosynthesis of collagen ECM at sites of normal tissue repair and fibrosis, with enormous implications for many disease states where infiltrating inflammatory cells deposit peroxidases. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Peroxidase activity as a marker for estrogenicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levy, J.; Liel, Y.; Glick, S.M.

    1981-01-01

    We examined the possibility that peroxidase activity might be a marker for estrogen activity in established estrogen-dependent tissues: dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced rat mammary tumours and human breast cancer. In DMBA-induced tumours undergoing regression after ovariectomy or tamoxifen treatment, tumour size decreased by 50%, estradiol receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) decreased by 25 and 20%, respectively, but peroxidase activity paradoxically increased six- to sevenfold. In DMBA tumours stimulated by estradiol treatment or by the cessation of tamoxifen administration in intact rats, tumour size increased threefold. ER and PgR increased two- and threefold, respectively, while peroxidase activity decreased 50%. These data indicate an inverse relation between tumour growth, ER and PgR on the one hand, and peroxidase activity on the other. In the human breast cancers there was a singificant negative relation between the presence of ER and peroxidase activity. By using a calibrated Sephadex G-100 column it was shown that uterine peroxidase differs in molecular weight from the peroxidase of rat mammary tumours and that of human breast cancer. (author)

  6. Loss of covalently linked lipid as the mechanism for radiation-induced release of membrane-bound polysaccharide and exonuclease from Micrococcus radiodurans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchel, R.E.J.

    1981-01-01

    The mechanism of γ-radiation-induced release of polysaccharide and exonuclease from the midwall membrane of Micrococcus radiodurans has been examined. These two components appear to be released independently, but by very similar processes. Direct analysis of radiation-released polysaccharide indicated the absence of an alkali-labile neutral lipid normally present in the native material. Radiation-induced release therefore probably results from the radiolytic cleavage of a covalently linked lipid which normally serves to anchor these substances to the membrane. The absence of a natural membrane-bound carotenoid had no effect on the rate of release of these components. Likewise, the absence of exonuclease in an exonuclease minus mutant did not influence the release of polysaccharide. It is suggested that the major pathway of radical transfer from the initiating .OH and culminating in the cleavage of the neutral lipid anchor may not be via the membrane

  7. Nonreutilizaton of adrenal chromaffin granule membranes following secretion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nobiletti, J.B.

    1985-01-01

    The intracellular postexocytotic fate of the adrenal chromaffin granule membrane (reutilization vs. nonreutilization) was addressed through two experimental approaches. First, ( 3 H) leucine pulse-chase labeling experiments were conducted in two systems - the isolated retrograde perfused cat adrenal gland and cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells to compare chromaffin granule soluble dopamine-B-hydroxylase (DBH) turnover (marker for granule soluble content turnover) to that of membrane-bound DBH (marker for granule membrane turnover). Experiments in cat adrenal glands showed that at all chase periods the granule distribution of radiolabeled DBH was in agreement with the DBH activity distribution (73% membrane-bound/27% soluble) - a result consistent with parallel turnover of soluble and membrane-bound DBH. Experiments in cultured bovine cells showed that labeled soluble and membrane-bound DBH had parallel turnover patterns and at all chase period, the distribution of radiolabeled DBH between the soluble contents and membranes was similar to the DBH activity distribution (50% soluble/50% membrane-bound). The above experiments showed that the soluble contents and membranes turnover in parallel and are consistent with nonreutilization of chromaffin granule membranes following exocytosis. Isolated retrograde perfused bovine adrenal glands were subjected to repetitive acetylcholine stimulation to induce exocytosis and then the dense and less-dense chromaffin granule fractions were isolated. Since both approaches gave results consistent with membrane nonreutilization, the authors conclude that once a chromaffin granule is involved in exocytosis, its membrane is not reutilized for the further synthesis, storage, and secretion of catecholamines

  8. Investigating membrane-bound Argonaute functions in Arabidopsis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barghetti, Andrea

    and how AGO1 membrane recruitment is mediated as well as its functional importance remain poorly characterized. Isoprenoid biogenesis was previously found to be required for both AGO1 activity and membrane association, but the mechanistic connection between the two pathways was not discovered. Since....... The key effectors of sRNA-guided gene regulation are ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins. A group of Heat Shock Proteins of the HSP70/HSP90 chaperone machinery mediates the process, termed loading, that allow the functional association of sRNA with AGOs. Upon loading, Argonautes regulate complementary mRNA targets...... with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). Membranelocalized argonaute functions include translational repression, production of secondary phased small interfering RNA (siRNA) and autophagy-mediated turnover. However proteins interacting with AGO1 specifically on membrane fractions have not been identified...

  9. Site-specific incorporation of 5-fluorotryptophan as a probe of the structure and function of the membrane-bound D-lactate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli: A 19F nuclear magnetic resonance study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peersen, O.B.; Pratt, E.A.; Truong, H.T. N.; Ho, C.; Rule, G.S.

    1990-01-01

    The structure and function of the membrane-bound D-lactate dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli have been investigated by fluorine-19 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of 5-fluorotryptophan-labeled enzyme in conjunction with oligonucleotide-directed, site-specific mutagenesis. 5-Fluorotryptophan has been substituted for nine phenylalanine, tyrosine, and leucine residues in the enzyme molecule without loss of activity. The 19 F signals from these additional tryptophan residues have been used as markers for sensitivity to substrate, exposure to aqueous solvent, and proximity to a lipid-bound spin-label. The nuclear magnetic resonance data show that two mutational sites, at amino acid residues 340 and 361, are near the lipid environment used to stabilize the enzyme. There are a number of amino acid residues on the carboxyl side of this region that are strongly sensitive to the aqueous solvent. The environment of the wide-type tryptophan residue at position 469 changes as a result of two of the substitution mutations, suggesting some amino acid residue-residue interactions. Secondary structure prediction methods indicate a possible binding site for the flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactor in the carboxyl end of the enzyme molecule. These results suggest that the membrane-bound D-lactate dehydrogenase may have the two-domain structure of many cytoplasmic dehydrogenases but with the addition of a membrane-binding domain between the catalytic and cofactor-binding domains. This type of three-domain structure may be of general significance for understanding the structure of membrane-bound proteins which do not traverse the lipid bilayer of membranes

  10. Oxidation of NAD dimers by horseradish peroxidase.

    OpenAIRE

    Avigliano, L; Carelli, V; Casini, A; Finazzi-Agrò, A; Liberatore, F

    1985-01-01

    Horseradish peroxidase catalyses the oxidation of NAD dimers, (NAD)2, to NAD+ in accordance with a reaction that is pH-dependent and requires 1 mol of O2 per 2 mol of (NAD)2. Horseradish peroxidase also catalyses the peroxidation of (NAD)2 to NAD+. In contrast, bacterial NADH peroxidase does not catalyse the peroxidation or the oxidation of (NAD)2. A free-radical mechanism is proposed for both horseradish-peroxidase-catalysed oxidation and peroxidation of (NAD)2.

  11. Occlusion of 22Na+ and 86Rb+ in membrane-bound and soluble protomeric alpha beta-units of Na,K-ATPase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vilsen, B.; Andersen, J.P.; Petersen, J.; Jorgensen, P.L.

    1987-01-01

    In this work, we examined occlusion of 22 Na+ and 86 Rb+ in membranous and detergent-solubilized Na,K-ATPase from outer renal medulla. Optimum conditions for occlusion of 22 Na+ were provided by formation of the phosphorylated complex from the beta,gamma-bidentate complex of chromium (III) with ATP (CrATP). Release of occluded cations occurred at equally slow rates in soluble and membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase. Values of 22 Na+ occlusion as high as 11 nmol/mg of protein were measured, corresponding to 1.8-2.7 mol of Na+/mol of phosphorylated Na,K-ATPase as determined by 32 P incorporation from [gamma- 32 P]CrATP. Maximum capacity for phosphorylation from [gamma- 32 P]CrATP was 6 nmol/mg of protein and equal to capacities for binding of [48V]vanadate and [ 3 H]ouabain. The stoichiometry for occlusion of Rb+ was close to 2 Rb+ ions/phosphorylation site. In an analytical ultracentrifuge, the soluble Na+- or Rb+-occluded complexes showed sedimentation velocities (S20,w = 6.8-7.4) consistent with monomeric alpha beta-units. The data show that soluble monomeric alpha beta-units of Na,K-ATPase can occlude Rb+ or Na+ with the same stoichiometry as the membrane-bound enzyme. The structural basis for occlusion of cations in Na,K-ATPase is suggested to be the formation of a cavity inside a monomeric alpha beta-unit constituting the minimum protein unit required for active Na,K-transport

  12. "Chitin-specific" peroxidases in plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maksimov, I V; Cherepanova, E A; Khairullin, R M

    2003-01-01

    The activity of various plant peroxidases and the ability of their individual isoforms to bind chitin was studied. Some increase in peroxidase activity was observed in crude extracts in the presence of chitin. Activated peroxidases of some species fell in the fraction not sorbed on chitin and those of other species can bind chitin. Only anionic isoperoxidases from oat (Avena sativa), rice (Oryza sativa), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), garden radish (Raphanus sativus var. radicula), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum Link et Otto) were sorbed on chitin. Both anionic and cationic isoforms from pea (Pisum sativum), galega(Galega orientalis), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) were sorbed on chitin. Peroxidase activation under the influence of chitin was correlated to the processes that occur during hypersensitive reaction and lignification of sites, in which pathogenic fungus penetrates into a plant. The role of chitin-specific isoperoxidases in inhibition of fungal growth and connection of this phenomenon with structural characteristics of isoperoxidases are also discussed.

  13. Crystallographic characterization of the radixin FERM domain bound to the cytoplasmic tail of membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Terawaki, Shin-ichi; Kitano, Ken; Aoyama, Miki; Hakoshima, Toshio

    2008-01-01

    The radixin FERM domain was shown to bind the MT1-MMP cytoplasmic peptide and crystals of the complex were obtained. ERM proteins play a role in the cross-linking found between plasma membranes and actin filaments. The N-terminal FERM domains of ERM proteins are responsible for membrane association through direct interaction with the cytoplasmic tails of integral membrane proteins. During cell migration and movement, membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) on plasma membranes sheds adhesion molecule CD44 in addition to degrading the extracellular matrix. Here, the interaction between the radixin FERM domain and the MT1-MMP cytoplasmic tail is reported and preliminary crystallographic characterization of crystals of the radixin FERM domain bound to the cytoplasmic tail of MT1-MMP is presented. The crystals belong to space group P6 1 22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 122.7, c = 128.3 Å, and contain one complex in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. The diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.4 Å

  14. Water stress induced changes in antioxidant enzymes, membrane ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2009-12-01

    Dec 1, 2009 ... membrane stability index occurred under water stress. Accession 320 ... yielding wheat varieties for areas affected by water stress. (Mujtaba ...... Peroxidase activity in golden delicious apples as a ... Food Chem. 24: 200-201.

  15. Heme-coordinated histidine residues form non-specific functional "ferritin-heme" peroxidase system: Possible and partial mechanistic relevance to oxidative stress-mediated pathology in neurodegenerative diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmaeili, Sajjad; Kooshk, Mohammad Reza Ashrafi; Asghari, Seyyed Mohsen; Khodarahmi, Reza

    2016-10-01

    Ferritin is a giant protein composed of 24 subunits which is able to sequester up to 4500 atoms of iron. We proposed two kinds of heme binding sites in mammalian ferritins and provided direct evidence for peroxidase activity of heme-ferritin, since there is the possibility that "ferritin-heme" systems display unexpected catalytic behavior like heme-containing enzymes. In the current study, peroxidase activity of heme-bound ferritin was studied using TMB(1), l-DOPA, serotonin, and dopamine, in the presence of H2O2, as oxidant substrate. The catalytic oxidation of TMB was consistent with first-order kinetics with respect to ferritin concentration. Perturbation of the binding affinity and catalytic behavior of heme-bound His-modified ferritin were also documented. We also discuss the importance of the peroxidase-/nitrative-mediated oxidation of vital molecules as well as ferritin-induced catalase inhibition using in vitro experimental system. Uncontrollable "heme-ferritin"-based enzyme activity as well as up-regulation of heme and ferritin may inspire that some oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxic effects in AD-affected cells could be correlated to ferritin-heme interaction and/or ferritin-induced catalase inhibition and describe its contribution as an important causative pathogenesis mechanism in some neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Depression of membrane-bound Na+-K+-ATPase activity induced by free radicals and by ischemia of kidney

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kako, K.; Kato, M.; Matsuoka, T.; Mustapha, A.

    1988-01-01

    A partially purified, membrane-bound Na + -K + -ATPase fraction, prepared from the outer medulla of porcine kidney, was incubated in the presence of 0.1-100 mM H 2 O 2 for either 15 or 30 min at 37 degree C. The activity of ouabain-sensitive Na + -K + -ATPase was reduced proportionally to the concentration of H 2 O 2 and the duration of incubation. There were decreases in SH contents and turnover rates of the Na + -K + -ATPase preparation, while malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes were generated from the membrane lipids in the course of the incubation. The concentrations of ethanolamine (E) plasmalogen and of arachidonic acid in the E glycerophospholipid molecules were reduced by the free radical reaction. Similarly, a reduction in Na + K + -ATPase activity and the formation of MDA and conjugated dienes, together with a decrease in E glycerophospholipids, were observed when the membrane fraction was exposed to ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm) for 30 min at 4 degree C. Microsomal fractions, prepared from the outer medulla of canine kidney after 1 h of unilateral ischemia and 1 h of reperfusion, showed a decreased Na + -K + -ATPase activity, a reduced amount of SH groups, and an increased MDA. These changes were normalized by the infusion of N-mercaptopropionylglycine. These results support the view (1) that free radical generation affects the enzyme protein as well as membrane lipids, and (2) that free radicals may be formed in the ischemic reperfused kidney

  17. Paramagnetic relaxation enhancements in NMR peptide-membrane interaction studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kosol, S.

    2011-01-01

    Small membrane-bound proteins or peptides are involved in numerous essential biological processes, like cellular recognition, signaling, channel formation, and cytolysis. The secondary structure, orientation, mode of interaction and dynamics of these peptides can be as varied as their functions. Their localization in the membrane, the immersion depth, and their binding mode are factors critical to the function of these peptides. The atomic 3D solution structure of peptides bound to micelles can be determined by NMR spectroscopy. However, by employing paramagnetic relaxation enhancements (PREs) information on the complete topology of peptide bound to a micelle can be obtained. The antimicrobial peptide maximin H6, fst, a bacterial toxin, and the human peptide hormone ghrelin served as membrane-bound model peptides of similar sizes but strongly differing amino acid sequences. Their structures and binding behavior were determined and compared.The measured PREs provided suitable data for determining and distinguishing the different topologies of the investigated peptides bound to micelles. Maximin H6 and fst fold into α-helices upon insertion into a membrane, whereas the unstructured ghrelin is freely mobile in solution and interacts only via a covalently bound octanoyl group with the lipids. Maximin H6 is oriented parallel to the membrane surface, enabling the peptide to aggregate at the membrane water interface. Fst binds in transmembrane orientation with a protruding intrinsically disordered region near the C-terminus. Aside from determining the orientation of the bound peptides from the PREs, the moieties critical for membrane binding could be mapped in ghrelin. If suitable relaxation-edited spectra are acquired, the complete orientation and immersion depth of a peptide bound to a micelle can readily be obtained. (author) [de

  18. Equilibration kinetics in isolated and membrane-bound photosynthetic reaction centers upon illumination: a method to determine the photoexcitation rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manzo, Anthony J; Goushcha, Alexander O; Barabash, Yuri M; Kharkyanen, Valery N; Scott, Gary W

    2009-07-01

    Kinetics of electron transfer, following variation of actinic light intensity, for photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) of purple bacteria (isolated and membrane-bound) were analyzed by measuring absorbance changes in the primary photoelectron donor absorption band at 865 nm. The bleaching of the primary photoelectron donor absorption band in RCs, following a sudden increase of illumination from the dark to an actinic light intensity of I(exp), obeys a simple exponential law with the rate constant alphaI(exp) + k(rec), in which alpha is a parameter relating the light intensity, measured in mW/cm(2), to a corresponding theoretical rate in units of reciprocal seconds, and k(rec) is the effective rate constant of the charge recombination in the photosynthetic RCs. In this work, a method for determining the alpha parameter value is developed and experimentally verified for isolated and membrane-bound RCs, allowing for rigorous modeling of RC macromolecule dynamics under varied photoexcitation conditions. Such modeling is necessary for RCs due to alterations of the forward photoexcitation rates and relaxation rates caused by illumination history and intramolecular structural dynamics effects. It is demonstrated that the classical Bouguer-Lambert-Beer formalism can be applied for the samples with relatively low scattering, which is not necessarily the case with strongly scattering media or high light intensity excitation.

  19. Free and membrane-bound calcium in microgravity and microgravity effects at the membrane level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belyavskaya, N. A.

    The changes of [Ca^2+]_i controlled is known to play a key regulatory role in numerous cellular processes especially associated with membranes. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated an increase in calcium level in root cells of pea seedlings grown aboard orbital station ``Salyut 6'' /1/. These results: 1) indicate that observed Ca^2+-binding sites of membranes also consist in proteins and phospholipids; 2) suggest that such effects of space flight in membrane Ca-binding might be due to the enhancement of Ca^2+ influx through membranes. In model presented, I propose that Ca^2+-activated channels in plasma membrane in response to microgravity allow the movement of Ca^2+ into the root cells, causing a rise in cytoplasmic free Ca^2+ levels. The latter, in its turn, may induce the inhibition of a Ca^2+ efflux by Ca^2+-activated ATPases and through a Ca^2+/H^+ antiport. It is possible that increased cytosolic levels of Ca^2+ ions have stimulated hydrolysis and turnover of phosphatidylinositols, with a consequent elevation of cytosolic [Ca^2+]_i. Plant cell can response to such a Ca^2+ rise by an enhancement of membranous Ca^2+-binding activities to rescue thus a cell from an abundance of a cytotoxin. A Ca^2+-induced phase separation of membranous lipids assists to appear the structure nonstable zones with high energy level at the boundary of microdomains which are rich by some phospholipid components; there is mixing of molecules of the membranes contacted in these zones, the first stage of membranous fusion, which was found in plants exposed to microgravity. These results support the hypothesis that a target for microgravity effect is the flux mechanism of Ca^2+ to plant cell.

  20. Peripheral Protein Unfolding Drives Membrane Bending.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siaw, Hew Ming Helen; Raghunath, Gokul; Dyer, R Brian

    2018-06-20

    Dynamic modulation of lipid membrane curvature can be achieved by a number of peripheral protein binding mechanisms such as hy-drophobic insertion of amphipathic helices and membrane scaffolding. Recently, an alternative mechanism was proposed in which crowding of peripherally bound proteins induces membrane curvature through steric pressure generated by lateral collisions. This effect was enhanced using intrinsically disordered proteins that possess high hydrodynamic radii, prompting us to explore whether membrane bending can be triggered by the folding-unfolding transition of surface-bound proteins. We utilized histidine-tagged human serum albumin bound to Ni-NTA-DGS containing liposomes as our model system to test this hypothesis. We found that reduction of the disulfide bonds in the protein resulted in unfolding of HSA, which subsequently led to membrane tubule formation. The frequency of tubule formation was found to be significantly higher when the proteins were unfolded while being localized to a phase-separated domain as opposed to randomly distributed in fluid phase liposomes, indicating that the steric pressure generated from protein unfolding is directly responsible for membrane deformation. Our results are critical for the design of peripheral membrane protein-immobilization strategies and open new avenues for exploring mechanisms of membrane bending driven by conformational changes of peripheral membrane proteins.

  1. Multienzyme Immobilized Polymeric Membrane Reactor for the Transformation of a Lignin Model Compound

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rupam Sarma

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available We have developed an integrated, multienzyme functionalized membrane reactor for bioconversion of a lignin model compound involving enzymatic catalysis. The membrane bioreactors were fabricated through the layer-by-layer assembly approach to immobilize three different enzymes (glucose oxidase, peroxidase and laccase into pH-responsive membranes. This novel membrane reactor couples the in situ generation of hydrogen peroxide (by glucose oxidase to oxidative conversion of a lignin model compound, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE. Preliminary investigation of the efficacy of these functional membranes towards GGE degradation is demonstrated under convective flow mode. Over 90% of the initial feed could be degraded with the multienzyme immobilized membranes at a residence time of approximately 22 s. GGE conversion product analysis revealed the formation of oligomeric oxidation products upon reaction with peroxidase, which may be a potential hazard to membrane bioreactors. These oxidation products could further be degraded by laccase enzymes in the multienzymatic membranes, explaining the potential of multi enzyme membrane reactors. The multienzyme incorporated membrane reactors were active for more than 30 days of storage time at 4 °C. During this time span, repetitive use of the membrane reactor was demonstrated involving 5–6 h of operation time for each cycle. The membrane reactor displayed encouraging performance, losing only 12% of its initial activity after multiple cycles of operation.

  2. Fungal peroxidases : molecular aspects and applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Conesa, A.; Punt, P.J.; Hondel, C.A.M.J.J.

    2002-01-01

    Peroxidases are oxidoreductases that utilize hydrogen peroxide to catalyze oxidative reactions. A large number of peroxidases have been identified in fungal species and are being characterized at the molecular level. In this manuscript we review the current knowledge on the molecular aspects of this

  3. Incorporation of membrane-bound, mammalian-derived immunomodulatory proteins into influenza whole virus vaccines boosts immunogenicity and protection against lethal challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberts Paul C

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Influenza epidemics continue to cause morbidity and mortality within the human population despite widespread vaccination efforts. This, along with the ominous threat of an avian influenza pandemic (H5N1, demonstrates the need for a much improved, more sophisticated influenza vaccine. We have developed an in vitro model system for producing a membrane-bound Cytokine-bearing Influenza Vaccine (CYT-IVAC. Numerous cytokines are involved in directing both innate and adaptive immunity and it is our goal to utilize the properties of individual cytokines and other immunomodulatory proteins to create a more immunogenic vaccine. Results We have evaluated the immunogenicity of inactivated cytokine-bearing influenza vaccines using a mouse model of lethal influenza virus challenge. CYT-IVACs were produced by stably transfecting MDCK cell lines with mouse-derived cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-2 and IL-4 fused to the membrane-anchoring domain of the viral hemagglutinin. Influenza virus replication in these cell lines resulted in the uptake of the bioactive membrane-bound cytokines during virus budding and release. In vivo efficacy studies revealed that a single low dose of IL-2 or IL-4-bearing CYT-IVAC is superior at providing protection against lethal influenza challenge in a mouse model and provides a more balanced Th1/Th2 humoral immune response, similar to live virus infections. Conclusion We have validated the protective efficacy of CYT-IVACs in a mammalian model of influenza virus infection. This technology has broad applications in current influenza virus vaccine development and may prove particularly useful in boosting immune responses in the elderly, where current vaccines are minimally effective.

  4. Enzyme Technology of Peroxidases: Immobilization, Chemical and Genetic Modification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longoria, Adriana; Tinoco, Raunel; Torres, Eduardo

    An overview of enzyme technology applied to peroxidases is made. Immobilization on organic, inorganic, and hybrid supports; chemical modification of amino acids and heme group; and genetic modification by site-directed and random mutagenesis are included. Different strategies that were carried out to improve peroxidase performance in terms of stability, selectivity, and catalytic activity are analyzed. Immobilization of peroxidases on inorganic and organic materials enhances the tolerance of peroxidases toward the conditions normally found in many industrial processes, such as the presence of an organic solvent and high temperature. In addition, it is shown that immobilization helps to increase the Total Turnover Number at levels high enough to justify the use of a peroxidase-based biocatalyst in a synthesis process. Chemical modification of peroxidases produces modified enzymes with higher thermostability and wider substrate variability. Finally, through mutagenesis approaches, it is possible to produce modified peroxidases capable of oxidizing nonnatural substrates with high catalytic activity and affinity.

  5. Production and Purification of Peroxidase from Aspergillus niger.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed A. Jebor

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted in the laboratories of Biology Department, College of Science, which deals with isolation and purification of peroxidase and optimization of process parameters to achieve maximum yield of peroxidase by Aspergillus niger. Solid-state fermentation of Aspergillus niger was carried out for enhanced production of peroxidase using hydrogen peroxide as the substrate of enzyme maximum activity of the enzyme was achieved under optimum growth conditions. The optimum conditions were the isolated of Aspergillus niger from soil and growth in synthetic medium, it gave high titer of peroxidase activity, the fructose as carbon source, peptone as nitrogen source, after 12 days of incubation, incubation temperature 25 °C and pH = 6.5. Peroxidase purified in four purification steps; precipitation with 70% saturation of ammonium sulfate, step of dialysis, the third by ion exchange chromatography using DEAE-Cellulose and fourth by gel filtration throughout Sephadex G-100. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 150U/mg with 7.75 folds. The peroxidase was shown to have molecular weight of 40kDa in SDS-PAGA and about 40kDa in gel filtration.The optimum pH and temperature for peroxidase activity 7 and 35 C0 respectively.

  6. Targeting of a chimeric human histone fusion mRNA to membrane-bound polysomes in HeLa cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zambetti, G.; Stein, J.; Stein, G.

    1987-01-01

    The subcellular location of histone mRNA-containing polysomes may play a key role in the posttranscriptional events that mediate histone mRNA turnover following inhibition of DNA synthesis. Previously, it has been shown that histone mRNA is found primarily on free polysomes that are associated with the cytoskeleton. The authors report here the construction of an Escherichia coli pBR322 β-lactamase signal peptide-human H3 histone fusion gene. The fusion transcript is targeted to membrane-bound polysomes and remains stable following interruption of DNA replication. Relocating mRNA within the cell may provide a procedure for studying the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression

  7. ER-bound protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B interacts with Src at the plasma membrane/substrate interface.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melisa C Monteleone

    Full Text Available PTP1B is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER anchored enzyme whose access to substrates is partly dependent on the ER distribution and dynamics. One of these substrates, the protein tyrosine kinase Src, has been found in the cytosol, endosomes, and plasma membrane. Here we analyzed where PTP1B and Src physically interact in intact cells, by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC in combination with temporal and high resolution microscopy. We also determined the structural basis of this interaction. We found that BiFC signal is displayed as puncta scattered throughout the ER network, a feature that was enhanced when the substrate trapping mutant PTP1B-D181A was used. Time-lapse and co-localization analyses revealed that BiFC puncta did not correspond to vesicular carriers; instead they localized at the tip of dynamic ER tubules. BiFC puncta were retained in ventral membrane preparations after cell unroofing and were also detected within the evanescent field of total internal reflection fluorescent microscopy (TIRFM associated to the ventral membranes of whole cells. Furthermore, BiFC puncta often colocalized with dark spots seen by surface reflection interference contrast (SRIC. Removal of Src myristoylation and polybasic motifs abolished BiFC. In addition, PTP1B active site and negative regulatory tyrosine 529 on Src were primary determinants of BiFC occurrence, although the SH3 binding motif on PTP1B also played a role. Our results suggest that ER-bound PTP1B dynamically interacts with the negative regulatory site at the C-terminus of Src at random puncta in the plasma membrane/substrate interface, likely leading to Src activation and recruitment to adhesion complexes. We postulate that this functional ER/plasma membrane crosstalk could apply to a wide array of protein partners, opening an exciting field of research.

  8. Aggressive re-warming at 38.5 degrees C following deep hypothermia at 21 degrees C increases neutrophil membrane bound elastase activity and pro-inflammatory factor release

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tang, Min; Zhao, Xiao-gang; He, Yi; Gu, Yan; Mei, Ju

    2016-01-01

    Background: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is often performed under hypothermic condition. The effects of hypothermia and re-warming on neutrophil activity are unclear. This study aimed to compare the effects of different hypothermia and re-warming regimens on neutrophil membrane bound elastase (MBE)

  9. Free and membrane-bound ribosomes and polysomes in hippocampal neurons during a learning experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wenzel, J; David, H; Pohle, W; Marx, I; Matthies, H

    1975-01-24

    The ribosomes of the CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells of hipocampus were investigated by morphometric methods after the acquisition of a shock-motivated brightness discrimination in rats. A significant increase in the total number of ribosomes was observed in CA1 cells of trained animals and in CA3 cells of both active controls and trained rats. A significant increase in membrane-bound ribosomes was obtained in CA1 and CA3 cells after training only. The results confirm the suggestion of an increased protein synthesis in hippocampal neurons during and after the acquisition of a brightness discrimination, as we have concluded from out previous investigations on the incorporation of labeled amino acids under identical experimental conditions. The results lead to the assumption that the protein synthesis in some neuronal cells may probably differ not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively in trained and untrained animals.

  10. Co-overexpressing a plasma membrane and a vacuolar membrane sodium/proton antiporter significantly improves salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Arabidopsis gene AtNHX1 encodes a vacuolar membrane bound sodium/proton (Sodium/Hydrogen) antiporter that transports sodium into the vacuole and exports hydrogen into the cytoplasm. The Arabidopsis gene SOS1 encodes a plasma membrane bound sodium/hydrogen antiporter that exports sodium to the ex...

  11. Metabolism of fatty acids in rat brain in microsomal membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aeberhard, E.E.; Gan-Elepano, M.; Mead, J.F.

    1980-01-01

    Using a technique in which substrate fatty acids are incorporated into microsomal membranes followd by comparison of their rates of desaturation or elongation with those of exogenous added fatty acids it has been found that the desaturation rate is more rapid for the membrane-bound substrate than for the added fatty acid. Moreover, the product of the membrane-bound substrate is incorporated into membrane phospholipid whereas the product of the exogenous substrate is found in di- and triacyl glycerols and in free fatty acids as well. These and other findings point to a normal sequence of reaction of membrane liqids with membrane-bound substrates involving transfer of fatty acid from phospholipid to the coupled enzyme systems without ready equilibration with the free fatty acid pool

  12. Role of Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC1325 in membrane-bound transport ATPases system in Alzheimer’s disease-induced rat brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nimgampalle Mallikarjuna

    2016-12-01

    Results: Chronic injection of D-Galactose caused lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction leading to the damage of neurons in the brain, finally bringing a significant decrease (-20% in the brain total membrane bound ATPases over the controls. Contrary to this, treatment of AD-induced rats with L. plantarum MTCC1325 reverted all the constituents of ATPase enzymes to near normal levels within 30 days. Conclusion: Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC1325 exerted a beneficial action on the entire ATPases system in AD-induced rat brain by delaying neurodegeneration.

  13. Trans and surface membrane bound zervamicin IIB: 13C-MAOSS-NMR at high spinning speed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raap, J.; Hollander, J.; Ovchinnikova, T. V.; Swischeva, N. V.; Skladnev, D.; Kiihne, S.

    2006-01-01

    Interactions between 15 N-labelled peptides or proteins and lipids can be investigated using membranes aligned on a thin polymer film, which is rolled into a cylinder and inserted into the MAS-NMR rotor. This can be spun at high speed, which is often useful at high field strengths. Unfortunately, substrate films like commercially available polycarbonate or PEEK produce severe overlap with peptide and protein signals in 13 C-MAOSS NMR spectra. We show that a simple house hold foil support allows clear observation of the carbonyl, aromatic and C α signals of peptides and proteins as well as the ester carbonyl and choline signals of phosphocholine lipids. The utility of the new substrate is validated in applications to the membrane active peptide zervamicin IIB. The stability and macroscopic ordering of thin PC10 bilayers was compared with that of thicker POPC bilayers, both supported on the household foil. Sidebands in the 31 P-spectra showed a high degree of alignment of both the supported POPC and PC10 lipid molecules. Compared with POPC, the PC10 lipids are slightly more disordered, most likely due to the increased mobilities of the shorter lipid molecules. This mobility prevents PC10 from forming stable vesicles for MAS studies. The 13 C-peptide peaks were selectively detected in a 13 C-detected 1 H-spin diffusion experiment. Qualitative analysis of build-up curves obtained for different mixing times allowed the transmembrane peptide in PC10 to be distinguished from the surface bound topology in POPC. The 13 C-MAOSS results thus independently confirms previous findings from 15 N spectroscopy [Bechinger, B., Skladnev, D.A., Ogrel, A., Li, X., Rogozhkina, E.V., Ovchinnikova, T.V., O'Neil, J.D.J. and Raap, J. (2001) Biochemistry, 40, 9428-9437]. In summary, application of house hold foil opens the possibility of measuring high resolution 13 C-NMR spectra of peptides and proteins in well ordered membranes, which are required to determine the secondary and

  14. Occlusion of /sup 22/Na+ and /sup 86/Rb+ in membrane-bound and soluble protomeric alpha beta-units of Na,K-ATPase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vilsen, B.; Andersen, J.P.; Petersen, J.; Jorgensen, P.L.

    1987-08-05

    In this work, we examined occlusion of /sup 22/Na+ and /sup 86/Rb+ in membranous and detergent-solubilized Na,K-ATPase from outer renal medulla. Optimum conditions for occlusion of /sup 22/Na+ were provided by formation of the phosphorylated complex from the beta,gamma-bidentate complex of chromium (III) with ATP (CrATP). Release of occluded cations occurred at equally slow rates in soluble and membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase. Values of /sup 22/Na+ occlusion as high as 11 nmol/mg of protein were measured, corresponding to 1.8-2.7 mol of Na+/mol of phosphorylated Na,K-ATPase as determined by /sup 32/P incorporation from (gamma-/sup 32/P)CrATP. Maximum capacity for phosphorylation from (gamma-/sup 32/P)CrATP was 6 nmol/mg of protein and equal to capacities for binding of (48V)vanadate and (/sup 3/H)ouabain. The stoichiometry for occlusion of Rb+ was close to 2 Rb+ ions/phosphorylation site. In an analytical ultracentrifuge, the soluble Na+- or Rb+-occluded complexes showed sedimentation velocities (S20,w = 6.8-7.4) consistent with monomeric alpha beta-units. The data show that soluble monomeric alpha beta-units of Na,K-ATPase can occlude Rb+ or Na+ with the same stoichiometry as the membrane-bound enzyme. The structural basis for occlusion of cations in Na,K-ATPase is suggested to be the formation of a cavity inside a monomeric alpha beta-unit constituting the minimum protein unit required for active Na,K-transport.

  15. Peroxidase gene expression during tomato fruit ripening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biggs, M.S.; Flurkey, W.H.; Handa, A.K.

    1987-01-01

    Auxin oxidation has been reported to play a critical role in the initiation of pear fruit ripening and a tomato fruit peroxidase (POD) has been shown to have IAA-oxidase activity. However, little is known about changes in the expression of POD mRNA in tomato fruit development. They are investigating the expression of POD mRNA during tomato fruit maturation. Fruit pericarp tissues from six stages of fruit development and ripening (immature green, mature green, breaker, turning, ripe, and red ripe fruits) were used to extract poly (A) + RNAs. These RNAs were translated in vitro in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system using L- 35 S-methionine. The 35 S-labeled products were immunoprecipitated with POD antibodies to determine the relative proportions of POD mRNA. High levels of POD mRNA were present in immature green and mature green pericarp, but declined greatly by the turning stage of fruit ripening. In addition, the distribution of POD mRNA on free vs bound polyribosomes will be presented, as well as the presence or absence of POD mRNA in other tomato tissues

  16. Comparative study of peroxidase purification from apple and orange ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper reports the isolation and purification of peroxidase from low cost material; moreover, no significant work has been done on the isolation and purification of peroxidase from such cost effective sources (apple and orange seeds). Peroxidases had attracted considerable interest in recent years because of their ...

  17. Urea-induced oxidative damage in Elodea densa leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maleva, Maria; Borisova, Galina; Chukina, Nadezda; Prasad, M N V

    2015-09-01

    Urea being a fertilizer is expected to be less toxic to plants. However, it was found that urea at 100 mg L(-1) caused the oxidative stress in Elodea leaves due to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation that are known to stimulate antioxidant pathway. Urea at a concentration of 500 and 1000 mg L(-1) decreased low-molecular-weight antioxidants. In this case, the antioxidant status of plants was supported by the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and guaiacol peroxidase. A significant increase in the soluble proteins and -SH groups was observed with high concentrations of urea (30-60 % of control). Thus, the increased activity of antioxidant enzymes, low-molecular-weight antioxidants, and induced soluble protein thiols are implicated in plant resistance to oxidative stress imposed by urea. We found that guaiacol peroxidase plays an important role in the removal of the peroxide in Elodea leaves exposed to 1000 mg L(-1)of urea.

  18. Isobaric (vapour + liquid) equilibria of binary systems containing butyl acetate for the separation of methoxy aromatic compounds (anisole and guaiacol) from biomass fast pyrolysis oil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hao; Xia, Shuqian; Wu, Meng; Ma, Peisheng

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The two binary systems related to pyrolysis oil have been reported. • The VLE data were correlated well by the activity coefficient models. • The UNIFAC (Do) model was applied to predict the experimental VLE data. • The interaction parameter (ACOCH 3 –CH 3 COO) was obtained and proved to be reliable. • The obtained interaction parameters by NRTL model were used in the separation process design for the ternary mixture. - Abstract: Developing value-added chemicals from pyrolysis oil has been gaining increasing attention. Thus effective separation and purification of the pyrolysis oil are important and the phase equilibrium data are essential for the design and simulation of the processes. In this study, isobaric vapour–liquid equilibrium (VLE) for the two binary mixtures (butyl acetate + anisole) and (butyl acetate + guaiacol) have been determined at 101.33 kPa, a knowledge of which is essential for the separation of methoxy aromatic compounds (anisole and guaiacol) from biomass fast pyrolysis oil using butyl acetate as a solvent. All the experimental values were confirmed to be thermodynamically consistent using the van Ness method. The NRTL, UNIQUAC, and Wilson activity coefficient models were applied to regress the experimental values. The calculated results agreed well with the measured values. Furthermore, the results were calculated by the UNIFAC (Do) method (modified UNIFAC model) in which aromatic methoxyl is treated as a group (ACOCH 3 ). The new interaction parameter (ACOCH 3 –CH 3 COO) was obtained and proved to be reliable. Based on the preceding results, a feasible separation process for the ternary mixture (butyl acetate + anisole + guaiacol) has been designed to obtain the required products

  19. Induction of Laccase, Lignin Peroxidase and Manganese Peroxidase Activities in White-Rot Fungi Using Copper Complexes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Vrsanska

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccase, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase, are biotechnologically-important enzymes. The ability of five white-rot fungal strains Daedaleopsis confragosa, Fomes fomentarius, Trametes gibbosa, Trametes suaveolens and Trametes versicolor to produce these enzymes has been studied. Three different copper(II complexes have been prepared ((Him[Cu(im4(H2O2](btc·3H2O, where im = imidazole, H3btc = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, [Cu3(pmdien3(btc](ClO43·6H2O and [Cu3(mdpta3(btc](ClO43·4H2O, where pmdien = N,N,N′,N′′,N′′-pentamethyl-diethylenetriamine and mdpta = N,N-bis-(3-aminopropylmethyl- amine, and their potential application for laccase and peroxidases induction have been tested. The enzyme-inducing activities of the complexes were compared with that of copper sulfate, and it has been found that all of the complexes are suitable for the induction of laccase and peroxidase activities in white-rot fungi; however, the newly-synthesized complex M1 showed the greatest potential for the induction. With respect to the different copper inducers, this parameter seems to be important for enzyme activity, which depends also on the fungal strains.

  20. Membrane-bound Dickkopf-1 in Foxp3+ regulatory T cells suppresses T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Wook-Jin; Park, Jong-Hyun; Henegariu, Octavian; Yilmaz, Saliha; Hao, Liming; Bothwell, Alfred L M

    2017-10-01

    Induction of tolerance is a key mechanism to maintain or to restore immunological homeostasis. Here we show that Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells use Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) to regulate T-cell-mediated tolerance in the T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis model. Treg cells from DKK-1 hypomorphic doubleridge mice failed to control CD4 + T-cell proliferation, resulting in CD4 T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis. Thymus-derived Treg cells showed a robust expression of DKK-1 but not in naive or effector CD4 T cells. DKK-1 expression in Foxp3 + Treg cells was further increased upon T-cell receptor stimulation in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, Foxp3 + Treg cells expressed DKK-1 in the cell membrane and the functional inhibition of DKK-1 using DKK-1 monoclonal antibody abrogated the suppressor function of Foxp3 + Treg cells. DKK-1 expression was dependent on de novo protein synthesis and regulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway but not by the canonical Wnt pathway. Taken together, our results highlight membrane-bound DKK-1 as a novel Treg-derived mediator to maintain immunological tolerance in T-cell-mediated autoimmune colitis. © 2017 The Authors. Immunology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. The relationship between lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase production capacities and cultivation periods of mushrooms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jian Z; Zhang, Jun L; Hu, Kai H; Zhang, Wei G

    2013-05-01

    Mushrooms are able to secrete lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese peroxidase (MnP), and able to use the cellulose as sources of carbon. This article focuses on the relation between peroxidase-secreting capacity and cultivation period of mushrooms with non-laccase activity. Methylene blue and methyl catechol qualitative assay and spectrophotometry quantitative assay show LiP secreting unvaryingly accompanies the MnP secreting in mushroom strains. The growth rates of hyphae are detected by detecting the dry hyphal mass. We link the peroxidase activities to growth rate of mushrooms and then probe into the relationship between them. The results show that there are close relationships between LiP- and/or MnP-secretory capacities and the cultivation periods of mushrooms. The strains with high LiP and MnP activities have short cultivation periods. However, those strains have long cultivation periods because of the low levels of secreted LiP and/or MnP, even no detectable LiP and/or MnP activity. This study provides the first evidence on the imitate relation between the level of secreted LiP and MnP activities and cultivation periods of mushrooms with non-laccase activity. Our study has significantly increased the understanding of the role of LiP and MnP in the growth and development of mushrooms with non-laccase activity. © 2012 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. Membrane-based ethylene/ethane separation: The upper bound and beyond

    KAUST Repository

    Rungta, Meha; Zhang, Chen; Koros, William J.; Xu, Liren

    2013-01-01

    Ethylene/ethane separation via cryogenic distillation is extremely energy-intensive, and membrane separation may provide an attractive alternative. In this paper, ethylene/ethane separation performance using polymeric membranes is summarized

  3. Glycosylation and thermodynamic versus kinetic stability of horseradish peroxidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tams, J.W.; Welinder, Karen G.

    1998-01-01

    Glycoprotein stability, glycoprotein unfolding, horseradish peroxidase, thermodynamic stability, kinetik stability......Glycoprotein stability, glycoprotein unfolding, horseradish peroxidase, thermodynamic stability, kinetik stability...

  4. Interaction of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) with membrane-bound carboxypeptidase M (CPM) - a new function of ACE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiaoou; Wiesner, Burkhard; Lorenz, Dorothea; Papsdorf, Gisela; Pankow, Kristin; Wang, Po; Dietrich, Nils; Siems, Wolf-Eberhard; Maul, Björn

    2008-12-01

    Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) demonstrates, besides its typical dipeptidyl-carboxypeptidase activity, several unusual functions. Here, we demonstrate with molecular, biochemical, and cellular techniques that the somatic wild-type murine ACE (mACE), stably transfected in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) or Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, interacts with endogenous membranal co-localized carboxypeptidase M (CPM). CPM belongs to the group of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins. Here we report that ACE, completely independent of its known dipeptidase activities, has GPI-targeted properties. Our results indicate that the spatial proximity between mACE and the endogenous CPM enables an ACE-evoked release of CPM. These results are discussed with respect to the recently proposed GPI-ase activity and function of sperm-bound ACE.

  5. Formation of a tyrosine adduct involved in lignin degradation by Trametopsis cervina lignin peroxidase: a novel peroxidase activation mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuta Miki; Rebecca Pogni; Sandra Acebes; Fatima Lucas; Elena Fernandez-Fueyo; Maria Camilla Baratto; Maria I. Fernandez; Vivian De Los Rios; Francisco J. Ruiz-duenas; Adalgisa Sinicropi; Riccardo Basosi; Kenneth E. Hammel; Victor Guallar; Angel T. Martinez

    2013-01-01

    LiP (lignin peroxidase) from Trametopsis cervina has an exposed catalytic tyrosine residue (Tyr181) instead of the tryptophan conserved in other lignin-degrading peroxidases. Pristine LiP showed a lag period in VA (veratryl alcohol) oxidation. However, VA-LiP (LiP after treatment with H2O2...

  6. Effect of Vitamin C on Glutathione Peroxidase Activities in Pregnant ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Glutathione peroxidase is one of the most important antioxidant enzymes in humans. We studied the relationship between serum glutathione peroxidase activity and vitamin C ingestion during normal pregnancy in women attending antenatal clinic in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin. Glutathione peroxidase ...

  7. Growth and physiological responses to cadmium stress of two populations of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernández, R.; Bertrand, A. [Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo (Spain); Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias (Spain); Reis, R.; Mourato, M.P.; Martins, L.L. [Departamento de Química Agrícola e Ambiental, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda 1349-017, Lisboa (Portugal); González, A., E-mail: aidag@uniovi.es [Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo (Spain); Instituto Universitario de Biotecnología de Asturias (Spain)

    2013-01-15

    Highlights: ► Cd tolerance and accumulation are constitutive traits in D. viscosa. ► The physiological mechanisms involved in Cd stress differed between clones. ► The metallicolous clone was more Cd tolerant than the non-metallicolous one. ► Antioxidant enzymes had important roles in each clone, especially peroxidases. -- Abstract: Two clones of Dittrichia viscosa (L.) Greuter from contrasting populations, DV-A (metallicolous) and DV-W (non-metallicolous), were studied to compare Cd accumulation and tolerance. After 10 days of hydroponic culture with 0, 5, 10, and 15 mg Cd L{sup −1}, metal accumulation and plant growth were measured as well as other stress markers such as decrease in the content of photosynthetic pigments, lipid peroxidation, phenols, H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, and free proline. We also analyzed the activity of the antioxidant enzymes guaiacol and ascorbate peroxidases, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase as well as their isoform patterns. Our results confirmed a high Cd tolerance and accumulation in both clones of D. viscosa, which suggests that these traits are constitutive in this species. However, when the Cd concentration in solution exceeded 10 mg Cd L{sup −1}, DV-A was more tolerant than DV-W. The physiological mechanisms involved in Cd tolerance also differed between them, although phenols and guaiacol peroxidase played an important role in both clones. The effective Cd detoxification of DV-A consisted mainly in a promoted ascorbate peroxidase activity and better efficiency of catalase and glutathione reductase enzymes.

  8. Depression of membrane-bound Na sup + -K sup + -ATPase activity induced by free radicals and by ischemia of kidney

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kako, K.; Kato, M.; Matsuoka, T.; Mustapha, A. (Univ. of Ottawa, Ontario (Canada))

    1988-02-01

    A partially purified, membrane-bound Na{sup +}-K{sup +}-ATPase fraction, prepared from the outer medulla of porcine kidney, was incubated in the presence of 0.1-100 mM H{sub 2}O{sub 2} for either 15 or 30 min at 37{degree}C. The activity of ouabain-sensitive Na{sup +}-K{sup +}-ATPase was reduced proportionally to the concentration of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and the duration of incubation. There were decreases in SH contents and turnover rates of the Na{sup +}-K{sup +}-ATPase preparation, while malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated dienes were generated from the membrane lipids in the course of the incubation. The concentrations of ethanolamine (E) plasmalogen and of arachidonic acid in the E glycerophospholipid molecules were reduced by the free radical reaction. Similarly, a reduction in Na{sup +}K{sup +}-ATPase activity and the formation of MDA and conjugated dienes, together with a decrease in E glycerophospholipids, were observed when the membrane fraction was exposed to ultraviolet irradiation (254 nm) for 30 min at 4{degree}C. Microsomal fractions, prepared from the outer medulla of canine kidney after 1 h of unilateral ischemia and 1 h of reperfusion, showed a decreased Na{sup +}-K{sup +}-ATPase activity, a reduced amount of SH groups, and an increased MDA. These changes were normalized by the infusion of N-mercaptopropionylglycine. These results support the view (1) that free radical generation affects the enzyme protein as well as membrane lipids, and (2) that free radicals may be formed in the ischemic reperfused kidney.

  9. Studies of peroxidase isozyme profile in mungbean mutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Auti, S.G.; Apparao, B.J.

    2007-01-01

    Peroxidase is an important oxygen-scavenging enzyme. The activity of peroxidase is often correlated with growth, development and hormonal activity. Traditional methods of cultivar identification usually involve observation and recording of morphological characters or description such as yield, height, weight, earliness etc. which vary with environmental conditions and often misleading. So molecular markers like protein and isozymes profiles, RFLP, RAPDs markers etc. are widely employed in varietal identification of cultivars. It plays important role in respiration and is an indicator of oxidative status of plants. Electrophoretic techniques have been used to group species and identify cultivars. Such identification has various advantages including the unique pattern of protein or isozymes bands for each pure cultivar under any set of environmental conditions. Peroxidase isozyme serves as very good marker for any mutational studies. In the present investigation, peroxidase isozyme profiles of various mutants of mungbean was studied employing the technique of electrophoresis

  10. Rachiplusia nu larva as a biofactory to achieve high level expression of horseradish peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Lucía Virginia; Targovnik, Alexandra Marisa; Wolman, Federico Javier; Cascone, Osvaldo; Miranda, María Victoria

    2011-05-01

    A process based on orally-infected Rachiplusia nu larvae as biological factories for expression and one-step purification of horseradish peroxidase isozyme C (HRP-C) is described. The process allows obtaining high levels of pure HRP-C by membrane chromatography purification. The introduction of the partial polyhedrin homology sequence element in the target gene increased HRP-C expression level by 2.8-fold whereas it increased 1.8-fold when the larvae were reared at 27 °C instead of at 24 °C, summing up a 4.6-fold overall increase in the expression level. Additionally, HRP-C purification by membrane chromatography at a high flow rate greatly increase D the productivity without affecting the resolution. The V(max) and K(m) values of the recombinant HRP-C were similar to those of the HRP from Armoracia rusticana roots. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

  11. A 39-kD plasma membrane protein (IP39) is an anchor for the unusual membrane skeleton of Euglena gracilis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosiere, T.K.; Marrs, J.A.; Bouck, G.B.

    1990-01-01

    The major integral plasma membrane protein (IP39) of Euglena gracilis was radiolabeled, peptide mapped, and dissected with proteases to identify cytoplasmic domains that bind and anchor proteins of the cell surface. When plasma membranes were radioiodinated and extracted with octyl glucoside, 98% of the extracted label was found in IP39 or the 68- and 110-kD oligomers of IP39. The octyl glucoside extracts were incubated with unlabeled cell surface proteins immobilized on nitrocellulose (overlays). Radiolabel from the membrane extract bound one (80 kD) of the two (80 and 86 kD) major membrane skeletal protein bands. Resolubilization of the bound label yielded a radiolabeled polypeptide identical in Mr to IP39. Intact plasma membranes were also digested with papain before or after radioiodination, thereby producing a cytoplasmically truncated IP39. The octyl glucoside extract of truncated IP39 no longer bound to the 80-kD membrane skeletal protein in the nitrocellulose overlays. EM of intact or trypsin digested plasma membranes incubated with membrane skeletal proteins under stringent conditions similar to those used in the nitrocellulose overlays revealed a partially reformed membrane skeletal layer. Little evidence of a membrane skeletal layer was found, however, when plasma membranes were predigested with papain before reassociation. A candidate 80-kD binding domain of IP39 has been tentatively identified as a peptide fragment that was present after trypsin digestion of plasma membranes, but was absent after papain digestion in two-dimensional peptide maps of IP39. Together, these data suggest that the unique peripheral membrane skeleton of Euglena binds to the plasma membrane through noncovalent interactions between the major 80-kD membrane skeletal protein and a small, papain sensitive cytoplasmic domain of IP39

  12. Activation of the Arabidopsis membrane-bound transcription factor bZIP28 is mediated by site-2 protease, but not site-1 protease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwata, Yuji; Ashida, Makoto; Hasegawa, Chisa; Tabara, Kazuki; Mishiba, Kei-Ichiro; Koizumi, Nozomu

    2017-08-01

    The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a homeostatic cellular response conserved in eukaryotic cells to alleviate the accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Arabidopsis bZIP28 is a membrane-bound transcription factor activated by proteolytic cleavage in response to ER stress, thereby releasing its cytosolic portion containing the bZIP domain from the membrane to translocate into the nucleus where it induces the transcription of genes encoding ER-resident molecular chaperones and folding enzymes. It has been widely recognized that the proteolytic activation of bZIP28 is mediated by the sequential cleavage of site-1 protease (S1P) and site-2 protease (S2P). In the present study we provide evidence that bZIP28 protein is cleaved by S2P, but not by S1P. We demonstrated that wild-type and s1p mutant plants produce the active, nuclear form of bZIP28 in response to the ER stress inducer tunicamycin. In contrast, tunicamycin-treated s2p mutants do not accumulate the active, nuclear form of bZIP28. Consistent with these observations, s2p mutants, but not s1p mutants, exhibited a defective transcriptional response of ER stress-responsive genes and significantly higher sensitivity to tunicamycin. Interestingly, s2p mutants accumulate two membrane-bound bZIP28 fragments with a shorter ER lumen-facing C-terminal domain. Importantly, the predicted cleavage sites are located far from the canonical S1P recognition motif previously described. We propose that ER stress-induced proteolytic activation of bZIP28 is mediated by the sequential actions of as-yet-unidentified protease(s) and S2P, and does not require S1P. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Self-Assembled Complexes of Horseradish Peroxidase with Magnetic Nanoparticles Showing Enhanced Peroxidase Activity

    KAUST Repository

    Corgié , Sté phane C.; Kahawong, Patarawan; Duan, Xiaonan; Bowser, Daniel; Edward, Joseph B.; Walker, Larry P.; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2012-01-01

    Bio-nanocatalysts (BNCs) consisting of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) self-assembled with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) enhance enzymatic activity due to the faster turnover and lower inhibition of the enzyme. The size and magnetization of the MNPs

  14. Deconstructing the DGAT1 enzyme: membrane interactions at substrate binding sites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose L S Lopes

    Full Text Available Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1 is a key enzyme in the triacylglyceride synthesis pathway. Bovine DGAT1 is an endoplasmic reticulum membrane-bound protein associated with the regulation of fat content in milk and meat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interaction of DGAT1 peptides corresponding to putative substrate binding sites with different types of model membranes. Whilst these peptides are predicted to be located in an extramembranous loop of the membrane-bound protein, their hydrophobic substrates are membrane-bound molecules. In this study, peptides corresponding to the binding sites of the two substrates involved in the reaction were examined in the presence of model membranes in order to probe potential interactions between them that might influence the subsequent binding of the substrates. Whilst the conformation of one of the peptides changed upon binding several types of micelles regardless of their surface charge, suggesting binding to hydrophobic domains, the other peptide bound strongly to negatively-charged model membranes. This binding was accompanied by a change in conformation, and produced leakage of the liposome-entrapped dye calcein. The different hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions observed suggest the peptides may be involved in the interactions of the enzyme with membrane surfaces, facilitating access of the catalytic histidine to the triacylglycerol substrates.

  15. The structure of Serratia marcescens Lip, a membrane-bound component of the type VI secretion system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rao, Vincenzo A.; Shepherd, Sharon M.; English, Grant; Coulthurst, Sarah J.; Hunter, William N.

    2011-01-01

    The high-resolution crystal structure of S. marcescens Lip reveals a new member of the transthyretin family of proteins. Lip, a core component of the type VI secretion apparatus, is localized to the outer membrane and is positioned to interact with other proteins forming this complex system. Lip is a membrane-bound lipoprotein and a core component of the type VI secretion system found in Gram-negative bacteria. The structure of a Lip construct (residues 29–176) from Serratia marcescens (SmLip) has been determined at 1.92 Å resolution. Experimental phases were derived using a single-wavelength anomalous dispersion approach on a sample cocrystallized with iodide. The membrane localization of the native protein was confirmed. The structure is that of the globular domain lacking only the lipoprotein signal peptide and the lipidated N-terminus of the mature protein. The protein fold is dominated by an eight-stranded β-sandwich and identifies SmLip as a new member of the transthyretin family of proteins. Transthyretin and the only other member of the family fold, 5-hydroxyisourate hydrolase, form homotetramers important for their function. The asymmetric unit of SmLip is a tetramer with 222 symmetry, but the assembly is distinct from that previously noted for the transthyretin protein family. However, structural comparisons and bacterial two-hybrid data suggest that the SmLip tetramer is not relevant to its role as a core component of the type VI secretion system, but rather reflects a propensity for SmLip to participate in protein–protein interactions. A relatively low level of sequence conservation amongst Lip homologues is noted and is restricted to parts of the structure that might be involved in interactions with physiological partners

  16. The structure of Serratia marcescens Lip, a membrane-bound component of the type VI secretion system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rao, Vincenzo A.; Shepherd, Sharon M.; English, Grant; Coulthurst, Sarah J.; Hunter, William N., E-mail: w.n.hunter@dundee.ac.uk [College of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, Scotland (United Kingdom)

    2011-12-01

    The high-resolution crystal structure of S. marcescens Lip reveals a new member of the transthyretin family of proteins. Lip, a core component of the type VI secretion apparatus, is localized to the outer membrane and is positioned to interact with other proteins forming this complex system. Lip is a membrane-bound lipoprotein and a core component of the type VI secretion system found in Gram-negative bacteria. The structure of a Lip construct (residues 29–176) from Serratia marcescens (SmLip) has been determined at 1.92 Å resolution. Experimental phases were derived using a single-wavelength anomalous dispersion approach on a sample cocrystallized with iodide. The membrane localization of the native protein was confirmed. The structure is that of the globular domain lacking only the lipoprotein signal peptide and the lipidated N-terminus of the mature protein. The protein fold is dominated by an eight-stranded β-sandwich and identifies SmLip as a new member of the transthyretin family of proteins. Transthyretin and the only other member of the family fold, 5-hydroxyisourate hydrolase, form homotetramers important for their function. The asymmetric unit of SmLip is a tetramer with 222 symmetry, but the assembly is distinct from that previously noted for the transthyretin protein family. However, structural comparisons and bacterial two-hybrid data suggest that the SmLip tetramer is not relevant to its role as a core component of the type VI secretion system, but rather reflects a propensity for SmLip to participate in protein–protein interactions. A relatively low level of sequence conservation amongst Lip homologues is noted and is restricted to parts of the structure that might be involved in interactions with physiological partners.

  17. Peroxidase isozyme profiles in some sweet cherry rootstocks and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PERS

    2012-01-10

    , 2005). Santamour (1980) defined role of peroxidase in graft compatibility as; 1) lignification is essential for a strong and permanent graft union; 2) peroxidase isoenzymes mediate the polymeri- zation of cinnamic alcohols to ...

  18. Incorporation of carbohydrate residues into peroxidase isoenzymes in horseradish roots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lew, J Y; Shannon, L M

    1973-11-01

    Sliced root tissue of the horseradish plant (Armoracia rusticana), when incubated with mannose-U-(14)C, incorporated radioactivity into peroxidase isoenzymes. Over 90% of the radioactivity in the highly purified peroxidase isoenzymes was present in the neutral sugar residues of the molecule, i.e. fucose, arabinose, xylose, mannose. When the root slices were incubated simultaneously with leucine-4,5-(3)H and mannose-U-(14)C, cycloheximide strongly inhibited leucine incorporation into the peptide portion of peroxidase isoenzymes but had little effect on the incorporation of (14)C into the neutral sugars. These results indicated that synthesis of the peptide portion of peroxidase was completed before the monosaccharide residues were attached to the molecule. This temporal relationship between the synthesis of protein and the attachment of carbohydrate residues in the plant glycoprotein, horseradish peroxidase, appears to be similar to that reported for glycoprotein biosynthesis in many mammalian systems.

  19. Arabidopsis ATP A2 peroxidase. Expression and high-resolution structure of a plant peroxidase with implications for lignification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ostergaard, L; Teilum, K; Mirza, O

    2000-01-01

    Lignins are phenolic biopolymers synthesized by terrestrial, vascular plants for mechanical support and in response to pathogen attack. Peroxidases have been proposed to catalyse the dehydrogenative polymerization of monolignols into lignins, although no specific isoenzyme has been shown...... to be involved in lignin biosynthesis. Recently we isolated an extracellular anionic peroxidase, ATP A2, from rapidly lignifying Arabidopsis cell suspension culture and cloned its cDNA. Here we show that the Atp A2 promoter directs GUS reporter gene expression in lignified tissues of transgenic plants. Moreover......-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols are preferred by ATP A2, while the oxidation of sinapyl alcohol will be sterically hindered in ATP A2 as well as in all other plant peroxidases due to an overlap with the conserved Pro-139. We suggest ATP A2 is involved in a complex regulation of the covalent cross-linking in the plant...

  20. Specificity versus redundancy in the RAP2.4 transcription factor family of Arabidopsis thaliana: transcriptional regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rudnik, Radoslaw; Bulcha, Jote Tafese; Reifschneider, Elena; Ellersiek, Ulrike; Baier, Margarete

    2017-08-23

    The Arabidopsis ERFIb / RAP2.4 transcription factor family consists of eight members with highly conserved DNA binding domains. Selected members have been characterized individually, but a systematic comparison is pending. The redox-sensitive transcription factor RAP2.4a mediates chloroplast-to-nucleus redox signaling and controls induction of the three most prominent chloroplast peroxidases, namely 2-Cys peroxiredoxin A (2CPA) and thylakoid- and stromal ascorbate peroxidase (tAPx and sAPx). To test the specificity and redundancy of RAP2.4 transcription factors in the regulation of genes for chloroplast peroxidases, we compared the DNA-binding sites of the transcription factors in tertiary structure models, analyzed transcription factor and target gene regulation by qRT-PCR in RAP2.4, 2-Cys peroxiredoxin and ascorbate peroxidase T-DNA insertion lines and RAP2.4 overexpressing lines of Arabidopsis thaliana and performed promoter binding studies. All RAP2.4 proteins bound the tAPx promoter, but only the four RAP2.4 proteins with identical DNA contact sites, namely RAP2.4a, RAP2.4b, RAP2.4d and RAP2.4h, interacted stably with the redox-sensitive part of the 2CPA promoter. Gene expression analysis in RAP2.4 knockout lines revealed that RAP2.4a is the only one supporting 2CPA and chloroplast APx expression. Rap2.4h binds to the same promoter region as Rap2.4a and antagonizes 2CPA expression. Like the other six RAP2.4 proteins, Rap2.4 h promotes APx mRNA accumulation. Chloroplast ROS signals induced RAP2.4b and RAP2.4d expression, but these two transcription factor genes are (in contrast to RAP2.4a) insensitive to low 2CP availability, and their expression decreased in APx knockout lines. RAP2.4e and RAP2.4f gradually responded to chloroplast APx availability and activated specifically APx expression. These transcription factors bound, like RAP2.4c and RAP2.4g, the tAPx promoter, but hardly the 2CPA promoter. The RAP2.4 transcription factors form an environmentally and

  1. Identification of soil bacteria able to degrade phenanthrene bound to a hydrophobic sorbent in situ

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Regonne, Raïssa Kom [CEA, DSV/iRTSV, Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, 38054, Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Univ. Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, UMR 5249, 38042, Grenoble (France); Laboratoire de Substances Actives et Pollution, ENSAI, Université de Ngaoundéré, BP 455, Ngaoundéré (Cameroon); Martin, Florence [CEA, DSV/iRTSV, Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, 38054, Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Univ. Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, UMR 5249, 38042, Grenoble (France); Mbawala, Augustin [Laboratoire de Microbiologie, ENSAI, Université de Ngaoundéré, BP 455, Ngaoundéré (Cameroon); Ngassoum, Martin Benoît [Laboratoire de Substances Actives et Pollution, ENSAI, Université de Ngaoundéré, BP 455, Ngaoundéré (Cameroon); Jouanneau, Yves [CEA, DSV/iRTSV, Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, 38054, Grenoble cedex 9 (France); Univ. Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, UMR 5249, 38042, Grenoble (France)

    2013-09-15

    Efficient bioremediation of PAH-contaminated sites is limited by the hydrophobic character and poor bioavailability of pollutants. In this study, stable isotope probing (SIP) was implemented to track bacteria that can degrade PAHs adsorbed on hydrophobic sorbents. Temperate and tropical soils were incubated with {sup 13}C-labeled phenanthrene, supplied by spiking or coated onto membranes. Phenanthrene mineralization was faster in microcosms with PAH-coated membranes than in microcosms containing spiked soil. Upon incubation with temperate soil, phenanthrene degraders found in the biofilms that formed on coated membranes were mainly identified as Sphingomonadaceae and Actinobacteria. In the tropical soil, uncultured Rhodocyclaceae dominated degraders bound to membranes. Accordingly, ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase sequences recovered from this soil matched PAH-specific dioxygenase genes recently found in Rhodocyclaceae. Hence, our SIP approach allowed the detection of novel degraders, mostly uncultured, which differ from those detected after soil spiking, but might play a key role in the bioremediation of PAH-polluted soils. -- Highlights: •Soil bacteria with the ability to degrade sorbent-bound PAHs were investigated. •In soil, membrane-bound phenanthrene was readily mineralized. •PAH degraders found in biofilms were different in temperate and tropical soils. •Uncultured Rhodocyclaceae were dominant phenanthrene degraders in the tropical soil. •PAH-specific ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase sequences were identified in soil DNA. -- Bacteria able to degrade PAHs bound to a hydrophobic sorbent were mainly identified as uncultured Rhodocyclaceae and Sphingomonadaceae in polluted soils from tropical and temperate area, respectively.

  2. Identification of soil bacteria able to degrade phenanthrene bound to a hydrophobic sorbent in situ

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regonne, Raïssa Kom; Martin, Florence; Mbawala, Augustin; Ngassoum, Martin Benoît; Jouanneau, Yves

    2013-01-01

    Efficient bioremediation of PAH-contaminated sites is limited by the hydrophobic character and poor bioavailability of pollutants. In this study, stable isotope probing (SIP) was implemented to track bacteria that can degrade PAHs adsorbed on hydrophobic sorbents. Temperate and tropical soils were incubated with 13 C-labeled phenanthrene, supplied by spiking or coated onto membranes. Phenanthrene mineralization was faster in microcosms with PAH-coated membranes than in microcosms containing spiked soil. Upon incubation with temperate soil, phenanthrene degraders found in the biofilms that formed on coated membranes were mainly identified as Sphingomonadaceae and Actinobacteria. In the tropical soil, uncultured Rhodocyclaceae dominated degraders bound to membranes. Accordingly, ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase sequences recovered from this soil matched PAH-specific dioxygenase genes recently found in Rhodocyclaceae. Hence, our SIP approach allowed the detection of novel degraders, mostly uncultured, which differ from those detected after soil spiking, but might play a key role in the bioremediation of PAH-polluted soils. -- Highlights: •Soil bacteria with the ability to degrade sorbent-bound PAHs were investigated. •In soil, membrane-bound phenanthrene was readily mineralized. •PAH degraders found in biofilms were different in temperate and tropical soils. •Uncultured Rhodocyclaceae were dominant phenanthrene degraders in the tropical soil. •PAH-specific ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase sequences were identified in soil DNA. -- Bacteria able to degrade PAHs bound to a hydrophobic sorbent were mainly identified as uncultured Rhodocyclaceae and Sphingomonadaceae in polluted soils from tropical and temperate area, respectively

  3. Sequence and RT-PCR expression analysis of two peroxidases from Arabidopsis thaliana belonging to a novel evolutionary branch of plant peroxidases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kjaersgård, I V; Jespersen, H M; Rasmussen, S K; Welinder, K G

    1997-03-01

    cDNA clones encoding two new Arabidopsis thaliana peroxidases, ATP 1a and ATP 2a, have been identified by searching the Arabidopsis database of expressed sequence tags (dbEST). They represent a novel branch of hitherto uncharacterized plant peroxidases which is only 35% identical in amino acid sequence to the well characterized group of basic plant peroxidases represented by the horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) isoperoxidases HRP C, HRP E5 and the similar Arabidopsis isoperoxidases ATP Ca, ATP Cb, and ATP Ea. However ATP 1a is 87% identical in amino acid sequence to a peroxidase encoded by an mRNA isolated from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). As cotton and Arabidopsis belong to rather diverse families (Malvaceae and Crucifereae, respectively), in contrast with Arabidopsis and horseradish (both Crucifereae), the high degree of sequence identity indicates that this novel type of peroxidase, albeit of unknown function, is likely to be widespread in plant species. The atp 1 and atp 2 types of cDNA sequences were the most redundant among the 28 different isoperoxidases identified among about 200 peroxidase encoding ESTs. Interestingly, 8 out of totally 38 EST sequences coding for ATP 1 showed three identical nucleotide substitutions. This variant form is designated ATP 1b. Similarly, six out of totally 16 EST sequences coding for ATP 2 showed a number of deletions and nucleotide changes. This variant form is designated ATP 2b. The selected EST clones are full-length and contain coding regions of 993 nucleotides for atp 1a, and 984 nucleotides for atp 2a. These regions show 61% DNA sequence identity. The predicted mature proteins ATP 1a, and ATP 2a are 57% identical in sequence and contain the structurally and functionally important residues, characteristic of the plant peroxidase superfamily. However, they do show two differences of importance to peroxidase catalysis: (1) the asparagine residue linked with the active site distal histidine via hydrogen bonding is absent

  4. Synthetic membrane-targeted antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vooturi, S K; Firestine, S M

    2010-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance continues to evolve and presents serious challenges in the therapy of both nosocomial and community-acquired infections. The rise of resistant strains like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) suggests that antimicrobial resistance is an inevitable evolutionary response to antimicrobial use. This highlights the tremendous need for antibiotics against new bacterial targets. Agents that target the integrity of bacterial membrane are relatively novel in the clinical armamentarium. Daptomycin, a lipopeptide is a classical example of membrane-bound antibiotic. Nature has also utilized this tactic. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are found in all kingdoms, function primarily by permeabilizing the bacterial membrane. AMPs have several advantages over existing antibiotics including a broad spectrum of activity, rapid bactericidal activity, no cross-resistance with the existing antibiotics and a low probability for developing resistance. Currently, a small number of peptides have been developed for clinical use but therapeutic applications are limited because of poor bioavailability and high manufacturing cost. However, their broad specificity, potent activity and lower probability for resistance have spurred the search for synthetic mimetics of antimicrobial peptides as membrane-active antibiotics. In this review, we will discuss the different classes of synthetic membrane-bound antibiotics published since 2004.

  5. Different functions of the insect soluble and membrane-bound trehalase genes in chitin biosynthesis revealed by RNA interference.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Trehalase, an enzyme that hydrolyzes trehalose to yield two glucose molecules, plays a pivotal role in various physiological processes. In recent years, trehalase proteins have been purified from several insect species and are divided into soluble (Tre-1 and membrane-bound (Tre-2 trehalases. However, no functions of the two trehalases in chitin biosynthesis in insects have yet been reported. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The membrane-bound trehalase of Spodoptera exigua (SeTre-2 was characterized in our laboratory previously. In this study, we cloned the soluble trehalase gene (SeTre-1 and investigated the tissue distribution and developmental expression pattern of the two trehalase genes. SeTre-1 was expressed highly in cuticle and Malpighian tubules, while SeTre-2 was expressed in tracheae and fat body. In the midgut, the two trehalase genes were expressed in different locations. Additionally, the expression profiles of both trehalase mRNAs and their enzyme activities suggest that they may play different roles in chitin biosynthesis. The RNA interference (RNAi of either SeTre-1 or SeTre-2 was gene-specific and effective, with efficiency rates up to 83% at 72 h post injection. After RNAi of SeTre-1 and SeTre-2, significant higher mortality rates were observed during the larva-pupa stage and pupa-adult stage, and the lethal phenotypes were classified and analyzed. Additionally, the change trends of concentration of trehalose and glucose appeared reciprocally in RNAi-mutants. Moreover, knockdown of SeTre-1 gene largely inhibited the expression of chitin synthase gene A (CHSA and reduced the chitin content in the cuticle to two-thirds relative to the control insects. The chitin synthase gene B (CHSB expression, however, was inhibited more by the injection of dsRNA for SeTre-2, and the chitin content in the midgut decreased by about 25%. CONCLUSIONS: SeTre-1 plays a major role in CHSA expression and chitin synthesis in the cuticle, and SeTre-2

  6. Expression, purification and characterization of a peroxidase from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Peroxidase is one of the key enzymes of the cellular antioxidant defense system, which is mostly involved in the reduction of hydrogen peroxide. Here, a peroxidase gene, named ThPOD1 was isolated from a cDNA library, which was generated from root tissue of Tamarix hispida that was exposed to 0.4 M NaCl. The cDNA ...

  7. In Situ Proteolysis for Crystallization of Membrane Bound Cytochrome P450 17A1 and 17A2 Proteins from Zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Li; Egli, Martin

    2016-04-01

    Fish and human cytochrome P450 (P450) 17A1 catalyze both steroid 17α-hydroxylation and 17α,20-lyase reactions. Fish P450 17A2 catalyzes only 17α-hydroxylation. Both enzymes are microsomal-type P450s, integral membrane proteins that bind to the membrane through their N-terminal hydrophobic segment, the signal anchor sequence. The presence of this N-terminal region renders expression of full-length proteins challenging or impossible. For some proteins, variable truncation of the signal anchor sequence precludes expression or results in poor expression levels. To crystallize P450 17A1 and 17A2 in order to gain insight into their different activities, we used an alternative N-terminal sequence to boost expression together with in situ proteolysis. Key features of our approach to identify crystallizable P450 fragments were the use of an N-terminal leader sequence, a screen composed of 12 proteases to establish optimal cleavage, variations of protease concentration in combination with an SDS-PAGE assay, and analysis of the resulting fragments using Edman sequencing. Described in this unit are protocols for vector preparation, expression, purification, and in situ proteolytic crystallization of two membrane-bound P450 proteins. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  8. Changes in element accumulation, phenolic metabolism, and antioxidative enzyme activities in the red-skin roots of Panax ginseng.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Ying; Yang, Zhenming; Gao, Lingling; Liu, Wen; Liu, Rongkun; Zhao, Junting; You, Jiangfeng

    2017-07-01

    Red-skin root disease has seriously decreased the quality and production of Panax ginseng (ginseng). To explore the disease's origin, comparative analysis was performed in different parts of the plant, particularly the epidermis, cortex, and/or fibrous roots of 5-yr-old healthy and diseased red-skin ginseng. The inorganic element composition, phenolic compound concentration, reactive oxidation system, antioxidant concentrations such as ascorbate and glutathione, activities of enzymes related to phenolic metabolism and oxidation, and antioxidative system particularly the ascorbate-glutathione cycle were examined using conventional methods. Aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), magnesium, and phosphorus were increased, whereas manganese was unchanged and calcium was decreased in the epidermis and fibrous root of red-skin ginseng, which also contained higher levels of phenolic compounds, higher activities of the phenolic compound-synthesizing enzyme phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and the phenolic compound oxidation-related enzymes guaiacol peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase. As the substrate of guaiacol peroxidase, higher levels of H 2 O 2 and correspondingly higher activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were found in red-skin ginseng. Increased levels of ascorbate and glutathione; increased activities of l-galactose 1-dehydrogenase, ascorbate peroxidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, and glutathione reductase; and lower activities of dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione peroxidase were found in red-skin ginseng. Glutathione- S -transferase activity remained constant. Hence, higher element accumulation, particularly Al and Fe, activated multiple enzymes related to accumulation of phenolic compounds and their oxidation. This might contribute to red-skin symptoms in ginseng. It is proposed that antioxidant and antioxidative enzymes, especially those involved in ascorbate-glutathione cycles, are activated to protect against phenolic compound

  9. Optimization of lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and Lac production from Ganoderma lucidum under solid state fermentation of pineapple leaf

    OpenAIRE

    Sudha Hariharan; Padma Nambisan

    2013-01-01

    This study was undertaken to isolate ligninase-producing white-rot fungi for use in the extraction of fibre from pineapple leaf agriwaste. Fifteen fungal strains were isolated from dead tree trunks and leaf litter. Ligninolytic enzymes (lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and laccase (Lac)), were produced by solid-state fermentation (SSF) using pineapple leaves as the substrate. Of the isolated strains, the one showing maximum production of ligninolytic enzymes was identified...

  10. Mobility of drugs in lipid membranes by NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshii, Noriyuki; Okamura, Emiko

    2011-01-01

    Mobility of drugs and biomembrane constituents is a key to elucidate the membrane transport mechanism in the cell. Lipid bilayer membrane is a dynamic structure where molecules are always fluctuating under physiological conditions. The mechanism of drug transport is related to the molecular dynamics in such soft, fluid membrane interface. To gain insight into molecular movements in membranes, we develop a noninvasive method to monitor dynamics properties of drugs and lipid components in membranes by applying multinuclear high-resolution solution NMR in combination with the pulsed-field-gradient (PFG) technique. We have quantified the diffusivity, the kinetics of membrane binding, and the bound fraction of the drug in situ by using large unilamellar vesicles of egg phosphatidylcholine as model cell membranes. The combination of 1D and PFG NMR serves to quantify the kinetics of membrane binding where the bound and the free components are unable to distinguish because of the rapid exchange on the NMR timescale. A small-sized 5-fluorouracil and fluorinated bisphenol A are used as model drug. (author)

  11. Peroxidase gene discovery from the horseradish transcriptome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Näätsaari, Laura; Krainer, Florian W; Schubert, Michael; Glieder, Anton; Thallinger, Gerhard G

    2014-03-24

    Horseradish peroxidases (HRPs) from Armoracia rusticana have long been utilized as reporters in various diagnostic assays and histochemical stainings. Regardless of their increasing importance in the field of life sciences and suggested uses in medical applications, chemical synthesis and other industrial applications, the HRP isoenzymes, their substrate specificities and enzymatic properties are poorly characterized. Due to lacking sequence information of natural isoenzymes and the low levels of HRP expression in heterologous hosts, commercially available HRP is still extracted as a mixture of isoenzymes from the roots of A. rusticana. In this study, a normalized, size-selected A. rusticana transcriptome library was sequenced using 454 Titanium technology. The resulting reads were assembled into 14871 isotigs with an average length of 1133 bp. Sequence databases, ORF finding and ORF characterization were utilized to identify peroxidase genes from the 14871 isotigs generated by de novo assembly. The sequences were manually reviewed and verified with Sanger sequencing of PCR amplified genomic fragments, resulting in the discovery of 28 secretory peroxidases, 23 of them previously unknown. A total of 22 isoenzymes including allelic variants were successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and showed peroxidase activity with at least one of the substrates tested, thus enabling their development into commercial pure isoenzymes. This study demonstrates that transcriptome sequencing combined with sequence motif search is a powerful concept for the discovery and quick supply of new enzymes and isoenzymes from any plant or other eukaryotic organisms. Identification and manual verification of the sequences of 28 HRP isoenzymes do not only contribute a set of peroxidases for industrial, biological and biomedical applications, but also provide valuable information on the reliability of the approach in identifying and characterizing a large group of isoenzymes.

  12. Identification of a novel calcium binding motif based on the detection of sequence insertions in the animal peroxidase domain of bacterial proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santamaría-Hernando, Saray; Krell, Tino; Ramos-González, María-Isabel

    2012-01-01

    Proteins of the animal heme peroxidase (ANP) superfamily differ greatly in size since they have either one or two catalytic domains that match profile PS50292. The orf PP_2561 of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 that we have called PepA encodes a two-domain ANP. The alignment of these domains with those of PepA homologues revealed a variable number of insertions with the consensus G-x-D-G-x-x-[GN]-[TN]-x-D-D. This motif has also been detected in the structure of pseudopilin (pdb 3G20), where it was found to be involved in Ca(2+) coordination although a sequence analysis did not reveal the presence of any known calcium binding motifs in this protein. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that a peptide containing this consensus motif bound specifically calcium ions with affinities ranging between 33-79 µM depending on the pH. Microcalorimetric titrations of the purified N-terminal ANP-like domain of PepA revealed Ca(2+) binding with a K(D) of 12 µM and stoichiometry of 1.25 calcium ions per protein monomer. This domain exhibited peroxidase activity after its reconstitution with heme. These data led to the definition of a novel calcium binding motif that we have termed PERCAL and which was abundantly present in animal peroxidase-like domains of bacterial proteins. Bacterial heme peroxidases thus possess two different types of calcium binding motifs, namely PERCAL and the related hemolysin type calcium binding motif, with the latter being located outside the catalytic domains and in their C-terminal end. A phylogenetic tree of ANP-like catalytic domains of bacterial proteins with PERCAL motifs, including single domain peroxidases, was divided into two major clusters, representing domains with and without PERCAL motif containing insertions. We have verified that the recently reported classification of bacterial heme peroxidases in two families (cd09819 and cd09821) is unrelated to these insertions. Sequences matching PERCAL were detected in all kingdoms of life.

  13. Identification of a novel calcium binding motif based on the detection of sequence insertions in the animal peroxidase domain of bacterial proteins.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saray Santamaría-Hernando

    Full Text Available Proteins of the animal heme peroxidase (ANP superfamily differ greatly in size since they have either one or two catalytic domains that match profile PS50292. The orf PP_2561 of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 that we have called PepA encodes a two-domain ANP. The alignment of these domains with those of PepA homologues revealed a variable number of insertions with the consensus G-x-D-G-x-x-[GN]-[TN]-x-D-D. This motif has also been detected in the structure of pseudopilin (pdb 3G20, where it was found to be involved in Ca(2+ coordination although a sequence analysis did not reveal the presence of any known calcium binding motifs in this protein. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that a peptide containing this consensus motif bound specifically calcium ions with affinities ranging between 33-79 µM depending on the pH. Microcalorimetric titrations of the purified N-terminal ANP-like domain of PepA revealed Ca(2+ binding with a K(D of 12 µM and stoichiometry of 1.25 calcium ions per protein monomer. This domain exhibited peroxidase activity after its reconstitution with heme. These data led to the definition of a novel calcium binding motif that we have termed PERCAL and which was abundantly present in animal peroxidase-like domains of bacterial proteins. Bacterial heme peroxidases thus possess two different types of calcium binding motifs, namely PERCAL and the related hemolysin type calcium binding motif, with the latter being located outside the catalytic domains and in their C-terminal end. A phylogenetic tree of ANP-like catalytic domains of bacterial proteins with PERCAL motifs, including single domain peroxidases, was divided into two major clusters, representing domains with and without PERCAL motif containing insertions. We have verified that the recently reported classification of bacterial heme peroxidases in two families (cd09819 and cd09821 is unrelated to these insertions. Sequences matching PERCAL were detected in all kingdoms of

  14. The research and application of TPO's gene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xing Yan

    2002-01-01

    Thyro-peroxidase (TPO) is a glycosylated protein bound to the apical plasma membrane of thyrocytes. It is the key enzyme in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Its gene structure and transcriptional regulation have been deeply studied. The author reviews the development of TPO's gene structure, function, transcriptional regulation, the relationship between TPO with thyroid diseases and radioactive iodide therapy

  15. Production of lignin peroxidase by Ganoderma leucidum using solid ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The main objectives of this study were to optimize the culture conditions for the production of lignin peroxidase by Ganoderma leucidum, economic utilization of waste corn cobs as inducers substrate by pollution free fermentation technology and to optimize the solid state fermentation (SSF) process for lignin peroxidase ...

  16. Mn(II) regulation of lignin peroxidases and manganese-dependent peroxidases from lignin-degrading white rot fungi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonnarme, P.; Jeffries, T.W.

    1990-01-01

    Two families of peroxidases-lignin peroxidase (LiP) and manganese-dependent lignin peroxidase (MnP)-are formed by the lignin-degrading white rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium and other white rot fungi. Isoenzymes of these enzyme families carry out reactions important to the biodegradation of lignin. This research investigated the regulation of LiP and MnP production by Mn(II). In liquid culture, LiP titers varied as an inverse function of and MnP titers varied as a direct function of the Mn(II) concentration. The extracellular isoenzyme profiles differed radically at low and high Mn(II) levels, whereas other fermentation parameters, including extracellular protein concentrations, the glucose consumption rate, and the accumulation of cell dry weight, did not change significantly with the Mn(II) concentration. In the absence of Mn(II), extracellular LiP isoenzymes predominated, whereas in the presence of Mn(II), MnP isoenzymes were dominant. The release of 14 CO 2 from 14 C-labeled dehydrogenative polymerizate lignin was likewise affected by Mn(II). The rate of 14 CO 2 release increased at low Mn(II) and decreased at high Mn(II) concentrations. This regulatory effect of Mn(II) occurred with five strains of P. chrysosporium, two other species of Phanerochaete, three species of Phlebia, Lentinula edodes, and Phellinus pini

  17. Can membrane-bound carotenoid pigment zeaxanthin carry out a transmembrane proton transfer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kupisz, Kamila; Sujak, Agnieszka; Patyra, Magdalena; Trebacz, Kazimierz; Gruszecki, Wiesław I

    2008-10-01

    Polar carotenoid pigment zeaxanthin (beta,beta-carotene-3,3'-diol) incorporated into planar lipid membranes formed with diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine increases the specific electric resistance of the membrane from ca. 4 to 13 x 10(7) Omega cm2 (at 5 mol% zeaxanthin with respect to lipid). Such an observation is consistent with the well known effect of polar carotenoids in decreasing fluidity and structural stabilization of lipid bilayers. Zeaxanthin incorporated into the lipid membrane at 1 mol% has very small effect on the overall membrane resistance but facilitates equilibration of the transmembrane proton gradient, as demonstrated with the application of the H+-sensitive antimony electrodes. Relatively low changes in the electrical potential suggest that the equilibration process may be associated with a symport/antiport activity or with a transmembrane transfer of the molecules of acid. UV-Vis linear dichroism analysis of multibilayer formed with the same lipid-carotenoid system shows that the transition dipole moment of the pigment molecules forms a mean angle of 21 degrees with respect to the axis normal to the plane of the membrane. This means that zeaxanthin spans the membrane and tends to have its two hydroxyl groups anchored in the opposite polar zones of the membrane. Detailed FTIR analysis of beta-carotene and zeaxanthin indicates that the polyene chain of carotenoids is able to form weak hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Possible molecular mechanisms responsible for proton transport by polyenes are discussed, including direct involvement of the polyene chain in proton transfer and indirect effect of the pigment on physical properties of the membrane.

  18. Non-cooperative immobilization of residual water bound in lyophilized photosynthetic lamellae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harańczyk, Hubert; Baran, Ewelina; Nowak, Piotr; Florek-Wojciechowska, Małgorzata; Leja, Anna; Zalitacz, Dorota; Strzałka, Kazimierz

    2015-12-01

    This study applied 1H-NMR in time and in frequency domain measurements to monitor the changes that occur in bound water dynamics at decreased temperature and with increased hydration level in lyophilizates of native wheat photosynthetic lamellae and in photosynthetic lamellae reconstituted from lyophilizate. Proton relaxometry (measured as free induction decay = FID) distinguishes a Gaussian component S within the NMR signal (o). This comes from protons of the solid matrix of the lamellae and consists of (i) an exponentially decaying contribution L1 from mobile membrane protons, presumably from lipids, and from water that is tightly bound to the membrane surface and thus restricted in mobility; and (ii) an exponentially decaying component L2 from more mobile, loosely bound water pool. Both proton relaxometry data and proton spectroscopy show that dry lyophilizate incubated in dry air, i.e., at a relative humidity (p/p0) of 0% reveals a relatively high hydration level. The observed liquid signal most likely originates from mobile membrane protons and a tightly bound water fraction that is sealed in pores of dry lyophilizate and thus restricted in mobility. The estimations suggest that the amount of sealed water does not exceed the value characteristic for the main hydration shell of a phospholipid. Proton spectra collected for dry lyophilizate of photosynthetic lamellae show a continuous decrease in the liquid signal component without a distinct freezing transition when it is cooled down to -60ºC, which is significantly lower than the homogeneous ice nucleation temperature [Bronshteyn, V.L. et al. Biophys. J. 65 (1993) 1853].

  19. Heat stable peroxidases from Vigna species (V) | Mbassi | African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Shoots of three landraces of a Vigna species from two climatic areas of Cameroon were evaluated for their content of heat-resistant peroxidases. The peroxidase activity in the three landraces was detected with a greater catalytic efficiency for oxidation of O-dianisidine relative to ABTS (2, 2'-azino-bis-(3- ...

  20. Magnetic resonance spectral characterization of the heme active site of Coprinus cinereus peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lukat, G.S.; Rodgers, K.R.; Jabro, M.N.; Goff, H.M.

    1989-01-01

    Examination of the peroxidase isolated from the inkcap Basidiomycete Coprinus cinereus shows that the 42,000-dalton enzyme contains a protoheme IX prosthetic group. Reactivity assays and the electronic absorption spectra of native Coprinus peroxidase and several of its ligand complexes indicate that this enzyme has characteristics similar to those reported for horseradish peroxidase. In this paper, the authors characterize the H 2 O 2 -oxidized forms of Coprinus peroxidase compounds I, II, and III by electronic absorption and magnetic resonance spectroscopies. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of this Coprinus peroxidase indicate the presence of high-spin Fe(III) in the native protein and a number of differences between the heme site of Coprinus peroxidase and horseradish peroxidase. Carbon-13 (of the ferrous CO adduct) and nitrogen-15 (of the cyanide complex) NMR studies together with proton NMR studies of the native and cyanide-complexed Caprinus peroxidase are consistent with coordination of a proximal histidine ligand. The EPR spectrum of the ferrous NO complex is also reported. Protein reconstitution with deuterated hemin has facilitated the assignment of the heme methyl resonances in the proton NMR spectrum

  1. Physico-chemical characterization of SOA derived from catechol and guaiacol – a model substance for the aromatic fraction of atmospheric HULIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Whitmore

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Secondary organic aerosol (SOA was produced from the aromatic precursors catechol and guaiacol by reaction with ozone in the presence and absence of simulated sunlight and humidity and investigated for its properties as a proxy for HUmic-LIke Substances (HULIS. Beside a small particle size, a relatively low molecular weight and typical optical features in the UV/VIS spectral range, HULIS contain a typical aromatic and/or olefinic chemical structure and highly oxidized functional groups within a high chemical diversity. Various methods were used to characterize the secondary organic aerosols obtained: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR demonstrated the formation of several carbonyl containing functional groups as well as structural and functional differences between aerosols formed at different environmental conditions. UV/VIS spectroscopy of filter samples showed that the particulate matter absorbs far into the visible range up to more than 500 nm. Ultrahigh resolved mass spectroscopy (ICR-FT/MS determined O/C-ratios between 0.3 and 1 and observed m/z ratios between 200 and 450 to be most abundant. Temperature-programmed-pyrolysis mass spectroscopy (TPP-MS identified carboxylic acids and lactones/esters as major functional groups. Particle sizing using a condensation-nucleus-counter and differential-mobility-particle-sizer (CNC/DMPS monitored the formation of small particles during the SOA formation process. Particle imaging, using field-emission-gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM, showed spherical particles, forming clusters and chains. We conclude that catechol and guaiacol are appropriate precursors for studies of the processing of aromatic SOA with atmospheric HULIS properties on the laboratory scale.

  2. Poly(acrylonitrile)chitosan composite membranes for urease immobilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabrovska, Katya; Georgieva, Aneliya; Godjevargova, Tzonka; Stoilova, Olya; Manolova, Nevena

    2007-05-10

    (Poly)acrylonitrile/chitosan (PANCHI) composite membranes were prepared. The chitosan layer was deposited on the surface as well as on the pore walls of the base membrane. This resulted in the reduction of the pore size of the membrane and in an increase of their hydrophilicity. The pore structure of PAN and PANCHI membranes were determined by TEM and SEM analyses. It was found that the average size of the pore under a selective layer base PAN membrane is 7 microm, while the membrane coated with 0.25% chitosan shows a reduced pore size--small or equal to 5 microm and with 0.35% chitosan--about 4 microm. The amounts of the functional groups, the degree of hydrophilicity and transport characteristics of PAN/Chitosan composite membranes were determined. Urease was covalently immobilized onto all kinds of PAN/chitosan composite membranes using glutaraldehyde. Both the amount of bound protein and relative activity of immobilized urease were measured. The highest activity (94%) was measured for urease bound to PANCHI2 membranes (0.25% chitosan). The basic characteristics (pH(opt), pH(stability), T(opt), T(stability), heat inactivation and storage stability) of immobilized urease were determined. The obtained results show that the poly(acrylonitrile)chitosan composite membranes are suitable for enzyme immobilization.

  3. Salacia campestris root bark extract: peroxidase inhibition, antioxidant and antiradical profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Carlos Rebuglio Vellosa

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Reactive oxygen species (ROS and free radical species have been implicated in initiating or accompanying many diseases in living organisms; there is thus, a continual need for antioxidants molecules to inactivate ROS/free radicals. Many studies of plants crude extracts have demonstrated free-radical scavenging and antioxidant action. Salacia species have long been used, in several countries, as traditional medicines against certain diseases and for their anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, Salacia campestris Walp (Hippocrateaceae root bark ethanol extract (ScEtOH was assessed for its ability to scavenge free radicals and reactive oxygen species; the results were expressed as percentage inhibition of the active species. ScEtOH was efficient against studied species: DPPH radical (obtained inhibition = 30%, ABTS•+ (IC50 = 1.8±0.8 μg/mL, HOCl (IC50 = 1.7 ± 0.1 μg/mL, O2•- (obtained inhibition = 32%, and NO• (obtained inhibition = 18 %. Peroxidase activity inhibition was evaluated through the guaiacol oxidation reaction catalyzed by hemin, HRP and myeloperoxidase (MPO; data showed that ScEtOH at 10 μg/mL led to 54 and 51% of inhibition, respectively, for the hemin and HRP systems. In the MPO system, ScEtOH promoted a 50% inhibition at 8.9 μg/mL, whereas quercetin, a powerful MPO inhibitor, inhibited this system at 1.35 μg/mL.Espécies reativas do oxigênio (ERO e radicais livres estão relacionados ao início ou à exacerbação de muitas doenças em organismos vivos; existindo portanto uma necessidade contínua por moléculas antioxidantes que inativem as ERO e radicais livres. Muitos estudos com extratos brutos de plantas têm demonstrado propriedades antioxidantes e seqüestradoras de radicais livres. Espécies de Salacia são utilizadas, em muitos países, como remédio tradicional contra certas doenças e por suas propriedades antiinflamatórias. Neste estudo, o extrato bruto etanólico da casca da raiz da Salacia

  4. Chloroplast protein synthesis: thylakoid bound polysomes synthesize thylakoid proteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurewitz, J.; Jagendorf, A.T.

    1986-01-01

    Previous work indicated more polysomes bound to pea thylakoids in light than in the dark, in vivo. With isolated intact chloroplasts incubated in darkness, 24 to 74% more RNA was thylakoid-bound at pH 8.3 than at pH 7. Thus the major effect of light in vivo may be due to higher stroma pH. In isolated pea chloroplasts, initiation inhibitors (pactamycin and kanamycin) decreased the extent of RNA binding, and elongation inhibitors (lincomycin and streptomycin) increased it. Thus translation initiation and termination probably control the cycling of bound ribosomes. While only 3 to 6% of total RNA is in bound polysomes the incorporation of 3 H-Leu into thylakoids was proportional to the amount of this bound RNA. When Micrococcal nuclease-treated thylakoids were added to labeled runoff translation products of stroma ribosomes, less than 1% of the label adhered to the added membranes; but 37% of the labeled products made by thylakoid polysomes were bound. These data support the concept that stroma ribosomes are recruited into thylakoid proteins

  5. Pathogen-expanded CD11b+ invariant NKT cells feedback inhibit T cell proliferation via membrane-bound TGF-β1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Yanmei; Jiang, Zhengping; Chen, Zhubo; Gu, Yan; Liu, Yanfang; Zhang, Xiang; Cao, Xuetao

    2015-04-01

    Natural killer T cells (NKT cells) are effector cells, but also regulator of immune response, which either promote or suppress immune response through production of different cytokines. However, the subsets of NKT cells with definite phenotype and regulatory function need to be further identified. Furthermore, the mechanisms for NKT cells to regulate immune response remain to be fully elucidated. Here we identified CD11b(+) invariant NKT (CD11b(+) iNKT) cells as a new subset of regulatory NKT cells in mouse models with infection. αGalCer:CD1d complex(+)TCRβ(+)NK1.1(+) NKT cells could be categorized to CD11b(+) and CD11b(-) subsets. NKT cells are enriched in liver. During Listeria monocytogenes infection, hepatic CD11b(+) iNKT cells were significantly induced and expanded, with peak expansion on day 8. CD11b(+) iNKT cells were also expanded significantly in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes. As compared to CD11b(-) iNKT cells, CD11b(+) iNKT cells expressed higher levels of CD27, FasL, B7H1, CD69, and particularly higher level of membrane-bound TGF-β1 (mTGF-β1), but produced less IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β1. Hepatic CD11b(+) iNKT cells suppressed antigen-nonspecific and OVA-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell proliferation through mTGF-β1 both in vitro and in vivo, meanwhile, they did not interfere with activation of CD4 T cells and cytotoxicity of the activated CD8 T cells. Thus, we have identified a new subset of pathogen-expanded CD11b(+) invariant NKT cells which can feedback inhibit T cell response through cell-to-cell contact via cell surface (membrane-bound) TGF-β1, especially at the late stage of immune response against infection. CD11b(+) regulatory iNKT cells may contribute to protect host from pathological injure by preventing immune overactivation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The cDNA sequence of a neutral horseradish peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartonek-Roxå, E; Eriksson, H; Mattiasson, B

    1991-02-16

    A cDNA clone encoding a horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) peroxidase has been isolated and characterized. The cDNA contains 1378 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail and the deduced protein contains 327 amino acids which includes a 28 amino acid leader sequence. The predicted amino acid sequence is nine amino acids shorter than the major isoenzyme belonging to the horseradish peroxidase C group (HRP-C) and the sequence shows 53.7% identity with this isoenzyme. The described clone encodes nine cysteines of which eight correspond well with the cysteines found in HRP-C. Five potential N-glycosylation sites with the general sequence Asn-X-Thr/Ser are present in the deduced sequence. Compared to the earlier described HRP-C this is three glycosylation sites less. The shorter sequence and fewer N-glycosylation sites give the native isoenzyme a molecular weight of several thousands less than the horseradish peroxidase C isoenzymes. Comparison with the net charge value of HRP-C indicates that the described cDNA clone encodes a peroxidase which has either the same or a slightly less basic pI value, depending on whether the encoded protein is N-terminally blocked or not. This excludes the possibility that HRP-n could belong to either the HRP-A, -D or -E groups. The low sequence identity (53.7%) with HRP-C indicates that the described clone does not belong to the HRP-C isoenzyme group and comparison of the total amino acid composition with the HRP-B group does not place the described clone within this isoenzyme group. Our conclusion is that the described cDNA clone encodes a neutral horseradish peroxidase which belongs to a new, not earlier described, horseradish peroxidase group.

  7. Cloning and analysis of the ascorbate peroxidase gene promoter ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) is known to catalyze the reduction of H2O2 to water and enhance plants' tolerance in stress environment. An ascorbate peroxidase protein (BnAPX) was previously isolated from Brassica napus in our laboratory and it was located in the chloroplast. In order to clarify the physiological function of ...

  8. Hepatic and erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase activity in liver diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordero, R; Ortiz, A; Hernández, R; López, V; Gómez, M M; Mena, P

    1996-09-01

    Hepatic and erythrocytic glutathione peroxidase activity, together with malondialdehyde levels, were determined as indicators of peroxidation in 83 patients from whom liver biopsies had been taken for diagnostic purposes. On histological study, the patients were classified into groups as minimal changes (including normal liver), steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis, hepatic cirrhosis, light to moderately active chronic hepatitis, and severe chronic active hepatitis. The glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes showed no significant changes in any liver disease group. In the hepatic study, an increased activity was observed in steatosis with respect to the minimal changes group, this increased activity induced by the toxic agent in the initial stages of the alcoholic hepatic disease declining as the hepatic damage progressed. There was a negative correlation between the levels of hepatic malondialdehyde and hepatic glutathione peroxidase in subjects with minimal changes. This suggested the existence of an oxidative equilibrium in this group. This equilibrium is broken in the liver disease groups as was manifest in a positive correlation between malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase activity.

  9. Reconciliation of opposing views on membrane-sugar interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Heidi D.; Wang, Chunhua; Arleth, Lise

    2011-01-01

    It is well established that small sugars exert different types of stabilization of biomembranes both in vivo and in vitro. However, the essential question of whether sugars are bound to or expelled from membrane surfaces, i.e., the sign and size of the free energy of the interaction, remains...... unresolved, and this prevents a molecular understanding of the stabilizing mechanism. We have used small-angle neutron scattering and thermodynamic measurements to show that sugars may be either bound or expelled depending on the concentration of sugar. At low concentration, small sugars bind quite strongly...... to a lipid bilayer, and the accumulation of sugar at the interface makes the membrane thinner and laterally expanded. Above â¼0.2 M the sugars gradually become expelled from the membrane surface, and this repulsive mode of interaction counteracts membrane thinning. The dual nature of sugar...

  10. Detection of membrane-bound and soluble antigens by magnetic levitation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Mikkel Schou; Howard, Emily; Lu, Shulin

    2017-01-01

    blood cell-bound Epstein-Barr viral particles, and soluble IL-6, and validate the results by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy performed in parallel. Additionally, employing an inexpensive, single lens, manual focus, wifi-enabled camera, we extend the portability of our method for its...

  11. An investigation on polymeric blend mixed matrix membranes of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymeric membranes have been vastly used for gas separation purposes however they have an upper-bound trade off problem which is the reason why this research work is focusing on inorganic filler added to polymer blend membranes to enhance the selectivity and permeability of the resulted membranes. Different ...

  12. Candida albicans biofilm on titanium: effect of peroxidase precoating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Ahariz

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Mohamed Ahariz1, Philippe Courtois1,21Laboratory of Experimental Hormonology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, 2UER de Biologie Médicale, Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer, Brussels, BelgiumAbstract: The present study aimed to document Candida albicans biofilm development on titanium and its modulation by a peroxidase-precoated material which can generate antimicrobials, such as hypoiodite or hypothiocyanite, from hydrogen peroxide, iodide, or thiocyanate. For this purpose, titanium (powder or foil was suspended in Sabouraud liquid medium inoculated with C. albicans ATCC10231. After continuous stirring for 2–21 days at room temperature, the supernatant was monitored by turbidimetry at 600 nm and titanium washed three times in sterile Sabouraud broth. Using the tetrazolium salt MTT-formazan assay, the titanium-adherent fungal biomass was measured as 7.50 ± 0.60 × 106 blastoconidia per gram of titanium powder (n = 30 and 0.50 ± 0.04 × 106 blastoconidia per cm² of titanium foil (n = 12. The presence of yeast on the surface of titanium was confirmed by microscopy both on fresh preparations and after calcofluor white staining. However, in the presence of peroxidase systems (lactoperoxidase with substrates such as hydrogen peroxide donor, iodide, or thiocyanate, Candida growth in both planktonic and attached phases appeared to be inhibited. Moreover, this study demonstrates the possible partition of peroxidase systems between titanium material (peroxidase-precoated and liquid environment (containing peroxidase substrates to limit C. albicans biofilm formation.Keywords: adhesion, material, oral, yeast

  13. Mechanism of Shiga Toxin Clustering on Membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pezeshkian, Weria; Gao, Haifei; Arumugam, Senthil

    2017-01-01

    between them. The precise mechanism by which this clustering occurs remains poorly defined. Here, we used vesicle and cell systems and computer simulations to show that line tension due to curvature, height, or compositional mismatch, and lipid or solvent depletion cannot drive the clustering of Shiga...... toxin molecules. By contrast, in coarse-grained computer simulations, a correlation was found between clustering and toxin nanoparticle-driven suppression of membrane fluctuations, and experimentally we observed that clustering required the toxin molecules to be tightly bound to the membrane surface...... molecules (several nanometers), and persist even beyond. This force is predicted to operate between manufactured nanoparticles providing they are sufficiently rigid and tightly bound to the plasma membrane, thereby suggesting a route for the targeting of nanoparticles to cells for biomedical applications....

  14. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus CSY-P13 Mitigates Stress of Ferulic and p-Hydroxybenzoic Acids in Cucumber by Affecting Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Soil Bacterial Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fenghui Wu

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Ferulic acid (FA and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA are main phenolic compounds accumulated in rhizosphere of continuously cropped cucumber, causing stress in plants. Microbial degradation of a mixture of FA and PHBA is not well understood in soil. We isolated a strain CSY-P13 of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, inoculated it into soil to protect cucumber from FA and PHBA stress, and explored a mechanism underlying the protection. CSY-P13 effectively degraded a mixture of FA and PHBA in culture solution under conditions of 39.37°C, pH 6.97, and 21.59 g L-1 potassium dihydrogen phosphate, giving rise to 4-vinyl guaiacol, vanillin, vanillic acid, and protocatechuic acid. During FA and PHBA degradation, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and dehydroascorbate reductase in CSY-P13 were induced. Inoculated into cucumber-planted soil containing 220 μg g-1 mixture of FA and PHBA, CSY-P13 degraded FA and PHBA in soil, increased plant height, and decreased malonaldehyde, superoxide radical, and hydrogen peroxide levels in leaves. CSY-P13 also enhanced SOD, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase activities; increased ascorbate and glutathione contents; and elevated transcript levels of copper/zinc SOD, manganese SOD, and catalase in leaves under FA and PHBA. Moreover, CSY-P13 increased phosphatase, catalase, urease, and sucrase activities and changed bacterial richness, diversity, and community composition by high throughput sequencing in cucumber-planted soil supplemented with the mixture of FA and PHBA. So CSY-P13 degrades the mixture of FA and PHBA in soil and mitigates stress from the two phenolic compounds in cucumber by activating antioxidant enzymes, changing soil bacterial community, and inducing soil enzymes.

  15. A catalytic approach to estimate the redox potential of heme-peroxidases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayala, Marcela; Roman, Rosa; Vazquez-Duhalt, Rafael

    2007-01-01

    The redox potential of heme-peroxidases varies according to a combination of structural components within the active site and its vicinities. For each peroxidase, this redox potential imposes a thermodynamic threshold to the range of oxidizable substrates. However, the instability of enzymatic intermediates during the catalytic cycle precludes the use of direct voltammetry to measure the redox potential of most peroxidases. Here we describe a novel approach to estimate the redox potential of peroxidases, which directly depends on the catalytic performance of the activated enzyme. Selected p-substituted phenols are used as substrates for the estimations. The results obtained with this catalytic approach correlate well with the oxidative capacity predicted by the redox potential of the Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple

  16. Peroxidase synthesis and activity in the interaction of soybean with Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea (Pmg)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chibbar, R.N.; Esnault, R.; Lee, D.; van Huystee, R.B.; Ward, E.W.B.

    1986-01-01

    Changes, in peroxidase (EC1.11.1.7) have been reported following infection. However, determinations of biosynthesis of quantities of the peroxidase protein molecule have not been made! In this study hypocotyl of soybean seedlings (Glycine max; cv Harosoy, susceptible; cv Harosoy 63, resistant) were inoculated with zoospores of Pmg. Incorporation of 35 S-methionine (supplied with inoculum) in TCA precipitates was measured. Peroxidase synthesis was measured by immuno precipitation using antibodies against a cationic and an anionic peroxidase derived from peanut cells. Specific peroxidase activity increased rapidly from 5 to 9 h following infection in the resistant reaction but not in the susceptible reaction or the water controls. There was increased synthesis of the anionic peroxidase but not of the cationic peroxidase in the resistant reaction. The anionic peroxidase did not increase in the susceptible until 15 h. The ratio of peroxidase synthesis to total protein synthesis decreased in inoculated tissues compared to control. Peroxidase synthesis is, therefore, a relative minor host response to infection

  17. Tail-extension following the termination codon is critical for release of the nascent chain from membrane-bound ribosomes in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahara, Michiyo; Sakaue, Haruka; Onishi, Yukiko; Yamagishi, Marifu; Kida, Yuichiro; Sakaguchi, Masao

    2013-01-11

    Nascent chain release from membrane-bound ribosomes by the termination codon was investigated using a cell-free translation system from rabbit supplemented with rough microsomal membrane vesicles. Chain release was extremely slow when mRNA ended with only the termination codon. Tail extension after the termination codon enhanced the release of the nascent chain. Release reached plateau levels with tail extension of 10 bases. This requirement was observed with all termination codons: TAA, TGA and TAG. Rapid release was also achieved by puromycin even in the absence of the extension. Efficient translation termination cannot be achieved in the presence of only a termination codon on the mRNA. Tail extension might be required for correct positioning of the termination codon in the ribosome and/or efficient recognition by release factors. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  18. Purification and characterization of lignin peroxidases from Penicillium decumbens P6

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, J.S.; Yuan, H.L.; Wang, H.X.; Chen, W.X. [China Agricultural University, Beijing (China). College of Biological Science

    2005-06-01

    Peroxidases are essential enzymes in biodegradation of lignin and lignite which have been investigated intensively in the white-rot fungi. This is the first report of purification and characterization of lignin peroxidase from Penicillium sp. P6 as lignite degradation fungus. The results indicated that the lignin peroxidase of Penicillium decumbens P6 had physical and chemical properties and a N-terminal amino acid sequence different from the lignin peroxidases of white-rot fungi. The lignin peroxidase was isolated from a liquid culture of P. decumbens P6. This enzyme had a molecular weight of 46.3 KDa in SDS-PAGE and exhibited greater activity, temperature stability and wider pH range than those previously reported. The isolation procedure involved (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4} precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and non-denaturing, discontinuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The K{sub m} and V{sub max} values of this enzyme using veratryl alcohol as substrate were 0.565 mmol L{sup -1} and 0.088 mmol (mg protein){sup -1} min{sup -1} respectively. The optimum pH of P6 lignin peroxidase was 4.0, and 70.6% of the relative activity was remained at pH 9.0. The optimum temperature of the enzyme was 45{sup o}C.

  19. Kinetics of the flash-induced P515 response in relation to the H+-permeability of the membrane bound ATPase in spinach chloroplasts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Peters, R.L.; van Kooten, O.; Vredenberg, W.J.

    1985-08-01

    The effect of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) on the kinetics of the flash-induced P515 response and on the activity of the ATPase was investigated in isolated spinach chloroplasts. It was found that after the addition of 5 X 10(-8)mol DCCD the rate of ATP hydrolysis induced by a period of 60 sec illumination was decreased to less than 5% of its original value. At this concentration, hardly any effect, if at all, could be detected on the kinetics of the flash-induced P515 response, neither in dark-adapted nor in light-activated chloroplasts. It was concluded that the presence of concentrations of DCCD, sufficiently high to affect the ATPase activity, does not affect the kinetics of the flash-induced P515 response. Since DCCD decreases the H+ permeability of the membrane-bound ATPase, it was concluded that this permeability coefficient for protons is not an important factor in the regulation of the flash-induced membrane potential and, therefore, does not affect the kinetics of the flash-induced P515 response.

  20. Characterization and quantitation of concanavalin A binding by plasma membrane enriched fractions from soybean root

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berkowitz, R.L.; Travis, R.L.

    1981-01-01

    The binding of concanavalin A (Con A) to soybean root membranes in plasma membrane enriched fractions (recovered from the 34/45% interface of simplified discontinuous sucrose density gradients) was studied using a radiochemical assay employing tritated ( 3 H)-Con A. The effect of lectin concentration, time, and membrane protein concentration on the specific binding of 3 H-Con A by the membranes was evaluated. Kinetic analyses showed that Con A will react with membranes in that fraction in a characteristic and predictable manner. The parameters for an optimal and standard binding assay were established. Maximal binding occurred with Con A concentrations in the range of 8 to 16% of the total membrane protein with incubation times greater than 40 min at 22 C. Approximately 10 15 molecules of 3 H-Con A were bound per microgram of membrane protein at saturation. Binding was reversible. Greater than 92% of the total Con A bound at saturation was released by addition of α-methyl mannoside. A major peak of 3 H-Con A binding was also observed in fractions recovered from the 25/30% interface of a complex discontinuous sucrose density gradient when membranes were isolated in the absence of Mg 2+ . When high Mg 2+ was present in the isolation and gradient media, the peak was shifted to a fraction recovered from the 34/38% sucrose interface. These results suggest that Con A binding sites are also present on membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. The amount of Con A bound by endoplasmic reticulum membranes was at least twice the amount bound by membranes in plasma membrane enriched fractions when binding was compared on a per unit membrane protein basis. In contrast, mitochondrial inner membranes, which equilibrate at the same density as plasma membranes, had little ability to bind the lectin

  1. A novel plant glutathione S-transferase/peroxidase suppresses Bax lethality in yeast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kampranis, S C; Damianova, R; Atallah, M

    2000-01-01

    The mammalian inducer of apoptosis Bax is lethal when expressed in yeast and plant cells. To identify potential inhibitors of Bax in plants we transformed yeast cells expressing Bax with a tomato cDNA library and we selected for cells surviving after the induction of Bax. This genetic screen allows...... for the identification of plant genes, which inhibit either directly or indirectly the lethal phenotype of Bax. Using this method a number of cDNA clones were isolated, the more potent of which encodes a protein homologous to the class theta glutathione S-transferases. This Bax-inhibiting (BI) protein was expressed...... in Escherichia coli and found to possess glutathione S-transferase (GST) and weak glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. Expression of Bax in yeast decreases the intracellular levels of total glutathione, causes a substantial reduction of total cellular phospholipids, diminishes the mitochondrial membrane...

  2. Apple and quince peroxidase activity in response to essential oils ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Enzymatic browning arises by peroxidase in fruits. However, essential oils are recognized as natural antioxidant agents. So in this study, the effect of thyme, coriander and rosemary essential oils were evaluated on the reduction of peroxidase activity in apples (Malus domestica Mill. cv Golden delicious), (M. domestica Mill.

  3. Impact of the antimicrobial peptide Novicidin on membrane structure and integrity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren B; Otzen, Daniel Erik

    2010-01-01

    We have studied the impact of an 18-residue cationic antimicrobial peptide Novicidin (Nc) on the structure and integrity of partially anionic lipid membranes using oriented circular dichroism (OCD), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), dual polarization interferometry (DPI......), calcein dye leakage and fluorescence spectroscopy. OCD consistently showed that Nc is bound in an alpha-helical, surface bound state over a range of peptide to lipid (P/L) ratios up to approximately 1:15. Realignment of Nc at higher P/L ratios correlates to loss of membrane integrity as shown by Laurdan...... concentration, probably through formation of transient pores or transient disruption of the membrane integrity, followed by more extensive membrane disintegration at higher P/L ratios....

  4. Peroxidase-like activity of magnetoferritin

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Melníková, V.; Pospíšková, K.; Mitróová, Z.; Kopčanský, P.; Šafařík, Ivo

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 181, 3-4 (2014), s. 295-301 ISSN 0026-3672 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LD13021 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : magnetoferritin * magnetic nanoparticles * peroxidase-like activity * hydrogen peroxide * oxidative stress Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry Impact factor: 3.741, year: 2014

  5. Single-particle tracking: applications to membrane dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saxton, M J; Jacobson, K

    1997-01-01

    Measurements of trajectories of individual proteins or lipids in the plasma membrane of cells show a variety of types of motion. Brownian motion is observed, but many of the particles undergo non-Brownian motion, including directed motion, confined motion, and anomalous diffusion. The variety of motion leads to significant effects on the kinetics of reactions among membrane-bound species and requires a revision of existing views of membrane structure and dynamics.

  6. Drug binding and mobility relating to the thermal fluctuation in fluid lipid membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamura, Emiko; Yoshii, Noriyuki

    2008-12-01

    Drug binding and mobility in fluid lipid bilayer membranes are quantified in situ by using the multinuclear solution NMR combined with the pulsed-field-gradient technique. One-dimensional and pulsed-field-gradient F19 and H1 NMR signals of an anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5FU) are analyzed at 283-313 K in the presence of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) of egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) as model cell membranes. The simultaneous observation of the membrane-bound and free 5FU signals enables to quantify in what amount of 5FU is bound to the membrane and how fast 5FU is moving within the membrane in relation to the thermal fluctuation of the soft, fluid environment. It is shown that the mobility of membrane-bound 5FU is slowed down by almost two orders of magnitude and similar to the lipid movement in the membrane, the movement closely related to the intramembrane fluidity. The mobility of 5FU and EPC is, however, not similar at 313 K; the 5FU movement is enhanced in the membrane as a result of the loose binding of 5FU in the lipid matrices. The membrane-bound fraction of 5FU is ˜0.1 and almost unaltered over the temperature range examined. It is also independent of the 5FU concentration from 2 to 30 mM with respect to the 40-50 mM LUV. The free energy of the 5FU binding is estimated at -4 to -2 kJ/mol, the magnitude always close to the thermal fluctuation, 2.4-2.6 kJ/mol.

  7. Removal of Bound Triton X-100 from Purified Bovine Heart Cytochrome bc1

    OpenAIRE

    Varhač, Rastislav; Robinson, Neal C.; Musatov, Andrej

    2009-01-01

    Cytochrome bc1 isolated from Triton X-100 solubilized mitochondrial membranes contains up to 120 nmol of Triton X-100 bound per nmol of the enzyme. Purified cytochrome bc1 is fully active; however, protein bound Triton X-100 significantly interferes with structural studies of the enzyme. Removal of Triton X-100 bound to bovine cytochrome bc1 was accomplished by incubation with Bio-Beads SM-2 in presence of sodium cholate. Sodium cholate is critical since it does not interfere with the adsorpt...

  8. Cu–hemin metal-organic frameworks with peroxidase-like activity as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric sensing of glucose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Fenfen; He, Juan; Zeng, Mulang; Hao, Juan; Guo, Qiaohui; Song, Yonghai; Wang, Li, E-mail: lwanggroup@aliyun.com [Jiangxi Normal University, Key Laboratory of Functional Small Organic Molecule, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China)

    2016-05-15

    In this work, a facile strategy to synthesize Cu–hemin metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with peroxidase-like activity was reported. The prepared Cu–hemin MOFs were characterized by various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible absorbance spectra, and so on. The results showed that the prepared Cu–hemin MOFs looked like a ball-flower with an average diameter of 10 μm and provided a large specific surface area. The Cu–hemin MOFs possessing peroxidase-like activity could be used to catalyze the peroxidase substrate of 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine in the presence of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, which was employed to detect H{sub 2}O{sub 2} quantitatively with the linear range from 1.0 μM to 1.0 mM and the detection limit was 0.42 μM. Furthermore, with the additional help of glucose oxidase, a sensitive and selective method to detect glucose was developed by using the Cu–hemin MOFs as catalyst and the linear range was from 10.0 μM to 3.0 mM and the detection limit was 6.9 μM. This work informs researchers of the advantages of MOFs for preparing biomimetic catalysts and extends the functionality of MOFs for biosensor application.Graphical Abstract.

  9. An updated view on horseradish peroxidases: recombinant production and biotechnological applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krainer, Florian W; Glieder, Anton

    2015-02-01

    Horseradish peroxidase has been the subject of scientific research for centuries. It has been used exhaustively as reporter enzyme in diagnostics and histochemistry and still plays a major role in these applications. Numerous studies have been conducted on the role of horseradish peroxidase in the plant and its catalytic mechanism. However, little progress has been made in its recombinant production. Until now, commercial preparations of horseradish peroxidase are still isolated from plant roots. These preparations are commonly mixtures of various isoenzymes of which only a small fraction has been described so far. The composition of isoenzymes in these mixed isolates is subjected to uncontrollable environmental conditions. Nowadays, horseradish peroxidase regains interest due to its broad applicability in the fields of medicine, life sciences, and biotechnology in cancer therapy, biosensor systems, bioremediation, and biocatalysis. These medically and commercially relevant applications, the recent discovery of new natural isoenzymes with different biochemical properties, as well as the challenges in recombinant production render this enzyme particularly interesting for future biotechnological solutions. Therefore, we reviewed previous studies as well as current developments with biotechnological emphasis on new applications and the major remaining biotechnological challenge-the efficient recombinant production of horseradish peroxidase enzymes.

  10. Membrane-bound IL-12 and IL-23 serve as potent mucosal adjuvants when co-presented on whole inactivated influenza vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Tila; Heffron, Connie L; High, Kevin P; Roberts, Paul C

    2014-05-03

    Potent and safe adjuvants are needed to improve the efficacy of parenteral and mucosal vaccines. Cytokines, chemokines and growth factors have all proven to be effective immunomodulatory adjuvants when administered with a variety of antigens. We have previously evaluated the efficacy of membrane-anchored interleukins (IL) such as IL-2 and IL-4 co-presented as Cytokine-bearing Influenza Vaccines (CYT-IVACs) using a mouse model of influenza challenge. Here, we describe studies evaluating the parenteral and mucosal adjuvanticity of membrane-bound IL-12 and IL-23 CYT-IVACs in young adult mice. Mucosal immunization using IL-12 and IL-23 bearing whole influenza virus vaccine (WIV) was more effective at eliciting virus-specific nasal IgA and reducing viral lung burden following challenge compared to control WIV vaccinated animals. Both IL-12 and IL-23 bearing WIV elicited the highest anti-viral IgA levels in serum and nasal washes. This study highlights for the first time the mucosal adjuvant potential of IL-12 and IL-23 CYT-IVAC formulations in eliciting mucosal immune responses and reducing viral lung burden. The co-presentation of immunomodulators in direct context with viral antigen in whole inactivated viral vaccines may provide a means to significantly lower the dose of vaccine required for protection.

  11. Detection of proteins on blot transfer membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sasse, Joachim; Gallagher, Sean R

    2003-11-01

    In the basic and alternate protocols of this unit, proteins are stained after electroblotting from polyacrylamide gels to blot transfer membranes. If the samples of interest are electrophoresed in duplicate and transferred to a blot transfer membrane, half of the membrane can be stained to determine the efficiency of transfer to the membrane and the other half can be used for immunoblotting (i.e., western blotting). Detection limits of each staining method are given along with a list of compatible blot transfer membranes and gels. A support protocol describes a method for alkali treatment that enhances subsequent staining of bound proteins.

  12. DYNAMICS OF LEAF PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY DURING ONTOGENY OF HEMP PLANTS, IN RELATION TO SEXUAL PHENOTYPE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Truta

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available During vegetation of female and male hemp plants (Cannabis sativa L., five quantitative determinations of peroxidase activities were made (40 days, 55 days, 70 days, 85 days, 105 days. Peroxidase activity presented some differences in hemp plants, between females and males, during their vegetation cycle. In female plants, before anthesis were registered peaks of peroxidase activities. The blossoming of male plants was coincident with the increase of catalitic action of peroxidase. Generally, the male plants displayed greater levels of peroxidasic activity.

  13. Hydro-osmotic Instabilities in Active Membrane Tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Izzi, Sami C.; Rowlands, George; Sens, Pierre; Turner, Matthew S.

    2018-03-01

    We study a membrane tube with unidirectional ion pumps driving an osmotic pressure difference. A pressure-driven peristaltic instability is identified, qualitatively distinct from similar tension-driven Rayleigh-type instabilities on membrane tubes. We discuss how this instability could be related to the function and biogenesis of membrane bound organelles, in particular, the contractile vacuole complex. The unusually long natural wavelength of this instability is in agreement with that observed in cells.

  14. Purification and characterization of an intracellular catalase-peroxidase from Penicillium simplicissimum

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fraaije, Marco W.; Roubroeks, Hanno P.; Hagen, Wilfred R.; Berkel, Willem J.H. van

    1996-01-01

    The first dimeric catalase-peroxidase of eucaryotic origin, an intracellular hydroperoxidase from Penicillium simplicissimum which exhibited both catalase and peroxidase activities, has been isolated. The enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of about 170 kDa and is composed of two identical

  15. Characterization and modelling of VanT: a novel, membrane-bound, serine racemase from vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus gallinarum BM4174.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arias, C A; Martín-Martinez, M; Blundell, T L; Arthur, M; Courvalin, P; Reynolds, P E

    1999-03-01

    Sequence determination of a region downstream from the vanXYc gene in Enterococcus gallinarum BM4174 revealed an open reading frame, designated vanT, that encodes a 698-amino-acid polypeptide with an amino-terminal domain containing 10 predicted transmembrane segments. The protein contained a highly conserved pyridoxal phosphate attachment site in the C-terminal domain, typical of alanine racemases. The protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and serine racemase activity was detected in the membrane but not in the cytoplasmic fraction after centrifugation of sonicated cells, whereas alanine racemase activity was located almost exclusively in the cytoplasm. When the protein was overexpressed as a polypeptide lacking the predicted transmembrane domain, serine racemase activity was detected in the cytoplasm. The serine racemase activity was partially (64%) inhibited by D-cycloserine, whereas host alanine racemase activity was almost totally inhibited (97%). Serine racemase activity was also detected in membrane preparations of constitutively vancomycin-resistant E. gallinarum BM4174 but not in BM4175, in which insertional inactivation of the vanC-1 D-Ala:D-Ser ligase gene probably had a polar effect on expression of the vanXYc and vanT genes. Comparative modelling of the deduced C-terminal domain was based on the alignment of VanT with the Air alanine racemase from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The model revealed that almost all critical amino acids in the active site of Air were conserved in VanT, indicating that the C-terminal domain of VanT is likely to adopt a three-dimensional structure similar to that of Air and that the protein could exist as a dimer. These results indicate that the source of D-serine for peptidoglycan synthesis in vancomycin-resistant enterococci expressing the VanC phenotype involves racemization of L- to D-serine by a membrane-bound serine racemase.

  16. Axionic membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aurilia, A.; Spallucci, E.

    1992-01-01

    A metal ring removed from a soap-water solution encloses a film of soap which can be mathematically described as a minimal surface having the ring as its only boundary. This is known to everybody. In this letter we suggest a relativistic extension of the above fluidodynamic system where the soap film is replaced by a Kalb-Ramand gauge potential B μν (x) and the ring by a closed string. The interaction between the B μν field and the string current excites a new configuration of the system consisting of a relativistic membrane bounded by the string. We call such a classical solution of the equation of motion an axionic membrane. As a dynamical system, the axionic membrane admits a Hamilton-Jacobi formulation which is an extension of the HJ theory of electromagnetic strings. (orig.)

  17. Direct quantification of negatively charged functional groups on membrane surfaces

    KAUST Repository

    Tiraferri, Alberto; Elimelech, Menachem

    2012-01-01

    groups at the surface of dense polymeric membranes. Both techniques consist of associating the membrane surface moieties with chemical probes, followed by quantification of the bound probes. Uranyl acetate and toluidine blue O dye, which interact

  18. Relationship between oxidizable fatty acid content and level of antioxidant glutathione peroxidases in marine fish

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grim, Jeffrey M.; Hyndman, Kelly A.; Kriska, Tamas; Girotti, Albert W.; Crockett, Elizabeth L.

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Biological membranes can be protected from lipid peroxidation by antioxidant enzymes including catalase (CAT) and selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidases 1 and 4 (GPx1 and GPx4). Unlike GPx1, GPx4 can directly detoxify lipid hydroperoxides in membranes without prior action of phospholipase A2. We hypothesized that (1) GPx4 is enhanced in species that contain elevated levels of highly oxidizable polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and (2) activities of antioxidant enzymes are prioritized to meet species-specific oxidative stresses. In this study we examined (i) activities of the oxidative enzyme citrate synthase (CS) and antioxidant (CAT, GPx1 and GPx4) enzymes, (ii) GPx4 protein expression, and (iii) phospholipid composition in livers of five species of marine fish (Myxine glutinosa, Petromyzon marinus, Squalus acanthias, Fundulus heteroclitus and Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) that contain a range of PUFA. GPx4 activity was, on average, 5.8 times higher in F. heteroclitus and S. acanthias than in the other three marine fish species sampled. Similarly, activities of CAT and GPx1 were highest in S. acanthias and F. heteroclitus, respectively. GPx4 activity for all species correlates with membrane unsaturation, as well as oxidative activity as indicated by CS. These data support our hypothesis that GPx4 level in marine fish is a function, at least in part, of high PUFA content in these animals. GPx1 activity was also correlated with membrane unsaturation, indicating that marine species partition resources among glutathione-dependent defenses for protection from the initial oxidative insult (e.g. H2O2) and to repair damaged lipids within biological membranes. PMID:22031739

  19. Cinética de inativação da polifenoloxidase e peroxidase de abacate (Persea americana Mill. Kinetic of inactivation of polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase of avocado (Persea americana Mill.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rúbia Caroline Luíz

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Extratos enzimáticos foram preparados a partir da polpa de abacate (Persea americana Mill. dos cultivares Quintal, Fortuna e Choquete, em dois estádios de maturação (verde e maduro. A polpa de abacate (150,00g foi homogeneizada em liquidificador, com 300 mL de solução tampão fosfato de sódio 100mM em pH 7,4 para polifenoloxidase (PPO e pH 6,0 para peroxidase (POD. A peroxidase ionicamente ligada foi extraída usando solução de NaCl 1,0M, em tampão fosfato de sódio 100mM pH 6,0. Para o estudo da estabilidade térmica, os extratos foram submetidos a temperaturas de 60, 65, 70, 75 e 80ºC e por períodos que variaram de 1 à 10 minutos e a atividade enzimática foi determinada por espectrofotometria (lambda= 395nm para PPO e lambda= 460nm para POD. Pode-se observar que o declínio rápido da atividade das enzimas era maior nos primeiros quatro minutos e após esse período, com o aumento da temperatura e do tempo, a atividade continuou diminuindo, porém de forma mais lenta. A energia de ativação na faixa de temperatura estudada para as porções termolábil e termorresistente, apresentou valores dentro da faixa 12-100 kcal/mol.Enzymatic extracts were prepared from the avocado pulp (Persea americana Mill., using the cultivars Quintal, Fortuna and Choquete, in two different maturation stages (green and mature avocados. The avocado pulp (150,00g was homogenized in blender with 300 mL of sodium phosphate buffer 100mM at pH 7.4 for polyphenoloxidase (PPO and pH 6.0 for peroxidase (POD. The peroxidase ionically bound was extracted using NaCl solution 1.0M in sodium phosphate buffer 100mM pH 6.0. For the study of the thermal stability the extracts were submitted at temperatures of 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80ºC for periods that had a variation from 1 to 10 minutes and the enzymatic activity was determined using a spectrophotometer (lambda= 395nm for PPO and lambda= 460nm for POD. It was possible to observe a fast decline of the enzyme activity in

  20. COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE AND PEROXIDASE DETECTION IN MILK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    felipe Nael Seixas

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This study evaluated the performance of strips for colorimetric detection of alkaline phosphatase and peroxidase in milk, comparing them with a kit of reagents for alkaline phosphatase and the official methodology for peroxidase. The samples were analyzed at the Laboratory Inspection of Products of Animal Origin, State University of Londrina. For the comparison tests for the detection of alkaline phosphatase four treatments were made by adding different percentages of raw milk (1%, 2%, 5% and 10% in the pasteurized milk, plus two control treatments. Thirty-eight samples triplicate for each treatment were analyzed. To compare the performance of tests for peroxidase 80 pasteurized milk samples were evaluated simultaneously by official methodology and by colorimetric strips. The performance of the alkaline phosphatase were different for the treatments with 1% and 2% of raw milk which had all the strips change color as the reagent kit showed the presence of phosphatase in just 2.63% and 5.26% the cases, respectively for each treatment. The colorimetric strips for alkaline phosphatase are more sensitive for the identification of small quantities compared to the reagent kit. The performance of tests for peroxidase showed no difference. The strips for the detection of peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase were effective and can replace traditional methods.

  1. Heterologous Expression of Peroxidases : Chapter 12

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Christien Lokman; S. de Weert

    2010-01-01

    This monograph describes many applications of peroxidase-based biocatalysis in the biotechnology industry. The need for such a book emerges from the considerable amount of new data regarding the phylogeny, reaction mechanisms, thermodynamic characterization and structural features of fungal and

  2. Oxidation of eugenol by purified human term placental peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, R; Kulkarni, K A; Kulkarni, A P

    2000-01-01

    The oxidation of eugenol by purified human term placental peroxidase (HTPP) was examined. Spectral analyses indicated that, similar to horseradish peroxidase, HTPP is capable of catalyzing the oxidation of eugenol. The accumulated stable product in the reaction medium due to eugenol oxidation by HTPP was tentatively identified as quinone methide of eugenol (EQM). The EQM formation exhibited a pH optimum of 8.0 and was dependent on incubation time, amount of HTPP and the concentration of both eugenol and hydrogen peroxide. The specific activity of approx 2.8 micromoles of EQM/min/mg protein was observed with different preparations of HTPP. The EQM formation was significantly suppressed by glutathione and ascorbic acid. The classical peroxidase inhibitors viz. potassium cyanide and sodium azide blocked the reaction in a concentration manner. Collectively, the results suggest that eugenol may undergo peroxidative metabolism in human placenta. Copyright 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

  3. Polymer-metal organic frameworks (MOFs) mixed matrix membranes for gas separation applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shahid, S.

    2015-01-01

    The performance of polymeric membranes is often limited by a trade-off between membrane permeability and selectivity, the so-called Robeson upper bound. Additionally, in high pressure CO2 capture applications, excessive swelling of the polymer membrane often leads to plasticization resulting in

  4. E.s.r. radiation studies of erythrocyte membrane-haemoglobin interaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koter, M.; Kowalska, M.A.; Leyko, W.; Waterman, M.

    1977-01-01

    The dependence of the yield of free radicals in gamma-irradiated, freeze-dried erythrocyte membranes on their haemoglobin content was studied. A non-monotonous relationship was found, different from that observed in mixtures of freeze-dried membranes and haemoglobin, which suggests the existence of radiation-energy transfer between the membranes and bound haemoglobin. (author)

  5. Recognition of GPCRs by peptide ligands and membrane compartments theory: structural studies of endogenous peptide hormones in membrane environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sankararamakrishnan, Ramasubbu

    2006-04-01

    One of the largest family of cell surface proteins, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) regulate virtually all known physiological processes in mammals. With seven transmembrane segments, they respond to diverse range of extracellular stimuli and represent a major class of drug targets. Peptidergic GPCRs use endogenous peptides as ligands. To understand the mechanism of GPCR activation and rational drug design, knowledge of three-dimensional structure of receptor-ligand complex is important. The endogenous peptide hormones are often short, flexible and completely disordered in aqueous solution. According to "Membrane Compartments Theory", the flexible peptide binds to the membrane in the first step before it recognizes its receptor and the membrane-induced conformation is postulated to bind to the receptor in the second step. Structures of several peptide hormones have been determined in membrane-mimetic medium. In these studies, micelles, reverse micelles and bicelles have been used to mimic the cell membrane environment. Recently, conformations of two peptide hormones have also been studied in receptor-bound form. Membrane environment induces stable secondary structures in flexible peptide ligands and membrane-induced peptide structures have been correlated with their bioactivity. Results of site-directed mutagenesis, spectroscopy and other experimental studies along with the conformations determined in membrane medium have been used to interpret the role of individual residues in the peptide ligand. Structural differences of membrane-bound peptides that belong to the same family but differ in selectivity are likely to explain the mechanism of receptor selectivity and specificity of the ligands. Knowledge of peptide 3D structures in membrane environment has potential applications in rational drug design.

  6. Detection of cholesterol-rich microdomains in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Masami; Shimada, Yukiko; Inomata, Mitsushi; Ohno-Iwashita, Yoshiko

    2006-01-01

    The C-terminal domain (D4) of perfringolysin O binds selectively to cholesterol in cholesterol-rich microdomains. To address the issue of whether cholesterol-rich microdomains exist in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, we expressed D4 as a fusion protein with EGFP in MEF cells. More than half of the EGFP-D4 expressed in stable cell clones was bound to membranes in raft fractions. Depletion of membrane cholesterol with β-cyclodextrin reduced the amount of EGFP-D4 localized in raft fractions, confirming EGFP-D4 binding to cholesterol-rich microdomains. Subfractionation of the raft fractions showed most of the EGFP-D4 bound to the plasma membrane rather than to intracellular membranes. Taken together, these results strongly suggest the existence of cholesterol-rich microdomains in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane

  7. The effects of xylitol and sorbitol on lysozyme- and peroxidase-related enzymatic and candidacidal activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Bum-Soo; Chang, Ji-Youn; Kim, Yoon-Young; Kho, Hong-Seop

    2015-07-01

    To investigate whether xylitol and sorbitol affect enzymatic and candidacidal activities of lysozyme, the peroxidase system, and the glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol were added to hen egg-white lysozyme, bovine lactoperoxidase, glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase, and whole saliva in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces. The enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase were determined by the turbidimetric method, the NbsSCN assay, and production of oxidized o-dianisidine, respectively. Candidacidal activities were determined by comparing colony forming units using Candida albicans ATCC strains 10231, 11006, and 18804. While xylitol and sorbitol did not affect the enzymatic activity of hen egg-white lysozyme both in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces, they did inhibit the enzymatic activity of salivary lysozyme significantly in solution, but not on the surfaces. Xylitol and sorbitol enhanced the enzymatic activities of both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase significantly in a dose-dependent manner in solution, but not on the surfaces. Sorbitol, but not xylitol, inhibited the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase significantly. Both xylitol and sorbitol did not affect candidacidal activities of hen egg-white lysozyme, the bovine lactoperoxidase system, or the glucose oxidase-mediated bovine lactoperoxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol inhibited salivary lysozyme activity, but enhanced both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase activities significantly in solution. Xylitol and sorbitol did not augment lysozyme- and peroxidase-related candidacidal activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. STRAWBERRY (FRAGARIA X ANANASSA DUCH LEAF ANTIOXIDATIVE RESPONSE TO BIOSTIMULATORS AND REDUCED FERTILIZATION WITH N AND K

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marija Špoljarević

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Strawberry cultivar Elsanta was grown in peat based substrate in a green house. Full dose and 50% reduced nitrogen and potassium fertilization were applied during fruit bearing period in spring, along with biostimulators Viva®, Megafol® and their combination. The specific activities of guaiacol peroxidase (GPXs; EC 1.11.1.7, catalase (CATs; EC 1.11.1.6, ascorbate peroxidase (APXs; EC 1.11.1.11 and glutathione reductase (GRs; EC 1.6.4.2 in strawberry leaf were stimulated by biostimulators and reduced fertilization. The strongest link seen here was between the enzymes of ascorbate-glutathione cycle (APXs and GRs, which were positively related to trifoliate leaf fresh mass (TLFM. The highest TLFM was observed in Megafol® treated plants.

  9. Inhibition of neutrophil migration by aggregated immunoglobulin attached to micropore membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemp, A S; Brown, S

    1980-01-01

    The effect of substrate-bound immunoglobulin on neutrophil migration was examined. Immunoglobulin aggregates bound to micropore membranes inhibited the neutrophil response to a chemotactic stimulus. This inhibition was reversed by the presence of aggregates in suspension suggesting competition between substrate-bound and free aggregates for neutrophil surface binding sites. The immobilization of neutrophils by substrate-bound aggregated immunoglobulin suggests a mechanism for the accumulation of neutrophils at sites of immune complex deposition and tissue-bound antibodies in vivo. PMID:7380477

  10. Class III peroxidases in cellulose deficient cultured maize cells during cell wall remodelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Rubio, Romina; Acebes, José Luis; Encina, Antonio; Kärkönen, Anna

    2018-02-21

    Maize (Zea mays L.) suspension-cultured cells habituated to a cellulose biosynthesis inhibitor 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) have a modified cell wall, in which the reduction in the cellulose content is compensated by a network of highly cross-linked feruloylated arabinoxylans and the deposition of lignin-like polymers. For both arabinoxylan cross-linking and lignin polymerization, class III peroxidases (POXs) have been demonstrated to have a prominent role. For the first time, a comparative study of POX activity and isoforms in control and cellulose-impaired cells has been addressed, also taking into account their cellular distribution in different compartments. Proteins from the spent medium (SM), soluble cellular (SC), ionically (ICW) and covalently bound cell wall protein fractions were assayed for total and specific peroxidase activity by using coniferyl and sinapyl alcohol and ferulic acid as substrates. The isoPOX profile was obtained by isoelectric focusing. POX activity was higher in DCB-habituated than in non-habituated cells in all protein fractions at all cell culture stages. For all substrates assayed, SC and ICW fractions showed higher activity at the early-log growth phase than at the late-log phase. However, the highest POX activity in the spent medium was found at the late-log phase. According to the isoPOX profiles, the highest diversity of isoPOXs was detected in the ICW and SM protein fractions. The latter fraction contained isoPOXs with higher activity in DCB-habituated cells. Some of the isoPOXs detected could be involved in cross-linking of arabinoxylans and in the lignin-like polymer formation in DCB-habituated cells. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  11. Role of myristoylation in membrane attachment and function of G alpha i-3 on Golgi membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brand, S H; Holtzman, E J; Scher, D A; Ausiello, D A; Stow, J L

    1996-05-01

    Heterotrimeric G protein alpha-subunits localized on the cytoplasmic face of Golgi membranes are involved in regulating vesicle trafficking and protein secretion. We investigated the role of myristoylation in attachment of the G alpha i-3 subunit to Golgi membranes. G alpha i-3 was epitope-tagged by insertion of a FLAG sequence at an NH2-terminal site predicted to interfere with myristoylation, and the resulting NT-alpha i-3 construct was stably transfected and expressed in polarized epithelial LLC-PK1 cells. Metabolic labeling confirmed that the translation product of NT-alpha i-3 was not myristoylated. In contrast to endogenous G alpha 1-3, which is tightly bound to Golgi membranes, the unmyristoylated FLAG-tagged NT-alpha i-3 did not attach to membranes; it was localized by immunofluorescence in the cytoplasm of LLC-PK1 cells and was detected only in the cytosol fraction of cell homogenates. Pertussis toxin-dependent ADP-ribosylation was used to test the ability of NT-alpha i-3 to interact with membrane-bound beta gamma-subunits. In both in vitro and in vivo assays, cytosolic NT-alpha i-3 alone was not ADP-ribosylated, although in the presence of membranes it could interact with G beta gamma-subunits to form heterotrimers. The expression of NT-alpha i-3 in LLC-PK1 cells altered the rate of basolateral secretion of sulfated proteoglycans, consistent with the demonstrated function of endogenous G alpha i-3. These data are consistent with a model in which G alpha i-3 utilizes NH2-terminal myristoylation to bind to Golgi membranes and to maximize its interaction with G beta gamma-subunits. Furthermore, our results show that stable attachment of G alpha i-3 to Golgi membranes is not required for it to participate as a regulatory element in vesicle trafficking in the secretory pathway.

  12. Eosinophil peroxidase signals via epidermal growth factor-2 to induce cell proliferation.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Walsh, Marie-Therese

    2011-11-01

    Eosinophils exert many of their inflammatory effects in allergic disorders through the degranulation and release of intracellular mediators, including a set of cationic granule proteins that include eosinophil peroxidase. Studies suggest that eosinophils are involved in remodeling. In previous studies, we showed that eosinophil granule proteins activate mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. In this study, we investigated the receptor mediating eosinophil peroxidase-induced signaling and downstream effects. Human cholinergic neuroblastoma IMR32 and murine melanoma B16.F10 cultures, real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunoprecipitations, and Western blotting were used in the study. We showed that eosinophil peroxidase caused a sustained increase in both the expression of epidermal growth factor-2 (HER2) and its phosphorylation at tyrosine 1248, with the consequent activation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1\\/2. This, in turn, promoted a focal adhesion kinase-dependent egress of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(kip) from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Eosinophil peroxidase induced a HER2-dependent up-regulation of cell proliferation, indicated by an up-regulation of the nuclear proliferation marker Ki67. This study identifies HER2 as a novel mediator of eosinophil peroxidase signaling. The results show that eosinophil peroxidase, at noncytotoxic levels, can drive cell-cycle progression and proliferation, and contribute to tissue remodeling and cell turnover in airway disease. Because eosinophils are a feature of many cancers, these findings also suggest a role for eosinophils in tumorigenesis.

  13. Thyroid peroxidase autoantibodies in euthyroid subjects

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prummel, Mark F.; Wiersinga, Wilmar M.

    2005-01-01

    Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) is a key enzyme in the formation of thyroid hormones and a major autoantigen in autoimmune thyroid diseases. Titers of TPO antibodies also correlate with the degree of lymphocytic infiltration in euthyroid subjects, and they are frequently present in euthyroid subjects

  14. Use of an immuno-peroxidase staining method for the detection of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Immunopurified antigens of axenic E. histolytica were used to produce rabbit hyper-immune sera. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was purified from hyper-immune sera and coupled to peroxidase using a two-step procedure. The IgG-peroxidase conjugate was then evaluated by detection of E. histolytica in 128 stool samples and ...

  15. Contemplation of wheat genotypes for enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nasim, S.; Shabbir, G.; Ilyas, M.

    2017-01-01

    Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is leading cereal crop in Pakistan but its yield is highly affected due to various abiotic factors especially drought stress, which affects the metabolism of plants. The present study was conducted at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, using thirty three genotypes during 2011 to investigate the response of anti oxidative enzymes. Seedlings were subjected to stress condition with 30 % PEG 6000 solution along with control (irrigated with water) under in vitro conditions. The experiment was conducted in pots following Complete Randomized Design in Laboratory. Results revealed that under control conditions the maximum values for Guaiacol peroxidase were found in Punjab-96 and Auqab-2000 (2.523), for superoxide in C-273 (0.294), for ascorbate peroxide in PAK-81 (2.523) and for catalase in Kohsar-95 (0.487). Under moisture stress condition the maximum value for Guaiacol peroxidase were recorded for Kohsar-95 (2.699), for superoxide in Kohsar-95 (1.259), for ascorbate peroxide in Pak-81, SA-75, Mexipak-65 and PARI-73 (3.000) and for catalase in Mexipak-65 (0.640). The genotypes which showed higher antioxidant enzyme activity under drought stress have the ability to perform better under adverse soil moisture condition. Such potential genotypes can be utilized in the future breeding programs and also in improving the wheat varieties against drought stress. (author)

  16. Cell-secreted flavins bound to membrane cytochromes dictate electron transfer reactions to surfaces with diverse charge and pH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okamoto, Akihiro; Kalathil, Shafeer; Deng, Xiao; Hashimoto, Kazuhito; Nakamura, Ryuhei; Nealson, Kenneth H

    2014-07-11

    The variety of solid surfaces to and from which microbes can deliver electrons by extracellular electron transport (EET) processes via outer-membrane c-type cytochromes (OM c-Cyts) expands the importance of microbial respiration in natural environments and industrial applications. Here, we demonstrate that the bifurcated EET pathway of OM c-Cyts sustains the diversity of the EET surface in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 via specific binding with cell-secreted flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and riboflavin (RF). Microbial current production and whole-cell differential pulse voltammetry revealed that RF and FMN enhance EET as bound cofactors in a similar manner. Conversely, FMN and RF were clearly differentiated in the EET enhancement by gene-deletion of OM c-Cyts and the dependency of the electrode potential and pH. These results indicate that RF and FMN have specific binding sites in OM c-Cyts and highlight the potential roles of these flavin-cytochrome complexes in controlling the rate of electron transfer to surfaces with diverse potential and pH.

  17. Amphitrite ornata dehaloperoxidase (DHP): investigations of structural factors that influence the mechanism of halophenol dehalogenation using "peroxidase-like" myoglobin mutants and "myoglobin-like" DHP mutants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Jing; Huang, Xiao; Sun, Shengfang; Wang, Chunxue; Lebioda, Lukasz; Dawson, John H

    2011-09-27

    Dehaloperoxidase (DHP), discovered in the marine terebellid polychaete Amphitrite ornata, is the first heme-containing globin with a peroxidase activity. The sequence and crystal structure of DHP argue that it evolved from an ancient O(2) transport and storage globin. Thus, DHP retains an oxygen carrier function but also has the ability to degrade halophenol toxicants in its living environment. Sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) in the ferric state has a peroxidase activity ∼10 times lower than that of DHP. The catalytic activity enhancement observed in DHP appears to have been generated mainly by subtle changes in the positions of the proximal and distal histidine residues that appeared during DHP evolution. Herein, we report investigations into the mechanism of action of DHP derived from examination of "peroxidase-like" Mb mutants and "Mb-like" DHP mutants. The dehalogenation ability of wild-type Mb is augmented in the peroxidase-like Mb mutants (F43H/H64L, G65T, and G65I Mb) but attenuated in the Mb-like T56G DHP variant. X-ray crystallographic data show that the distal His residues in G65T Mb and G65I are positioned ∼0.3 and ∼0.8 Å, respectively, farther from the heme iron compared to that in the wild-type protein. The H93K/T95H double mutant Mb with the proximal His shifted to the "DHP-like" position has an increased peroxidase activity. In addition, a better dehaloperoxidase (M86E DHP) was generated by introducing a negative charge near His89 to enhance the imidazolate character of the proximal His. Finally, only minimal differences in dehalogenation activities are seen among the exogenous ligand-free DHP, the acetate-bound DHP, and the distal site blocker L100F DHP mutant. Thus, we conclude that binding of halophenols in the internal binding site (i.e., distal cavity) is not essential for catalysis. This work provides a foundation for a new structure-function paradigm for peroxidases and for the molecular evolution of the dual-function enzyme DHP.

  18. Amphitrite ornata Dehaloperoxidase (DHP): Investigations of Structural Factors That Influence the Mechanism of Halophenol Dehalogenation Using ;Peroxidase-like; Myoglobin Mutants and ;Myoglobin-like; DHP Mutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Jing; Huang, Xiao; Sun, Shengfang; Wang, Chunxue; Lebioda, Lukasz; Dawson, John H. (SC)

    2012-05-14

    Dehaloperoxidase (DHP), discovered in the marine terebellid polychaete Amphitrite ornata, is the first heme-containing globin with a peroxidase activity. The sequence and crystal structure of DHP argue that it evolved from an ancient O{sub 2} transport and storage globin. Thus, DHP retains an oxygen carrier function but also has the ability to degrade halophenol toxicants in its living environment. Sperm whale myoglobin (Mb) in the ferric state has a peroxidase activity {approx}10 times lower than that of DHP. The catalytic activity enhancement observed in DHP appears to have been generated mainly by subtle changes in the positions of the proximal and distal histidine residues that appeared during DHP evolution. Herein, we report investigations into the mechanism of action of DHP derived from examination of 'peroxidase-like' Mb mutants and 'Mb-like' DHP mutants. The dehalogenation ability of wild-type Mb is augmented in the peroxidase-like Mb mutants (F43H/H64L, G65T, and G65I Mb) but attenuated in the Mb-like T56G DHP variant. X-ray crystallographic data show that the distal His residues in G65T Mb and G65I are positioned {approx}0.3 and {approx}0.8 {angstrom}, respectively, farther from the heme iron compared to that in the wild-type protein. The H93K/T95H double mutant Mb with the proximal His shifted to the 'DHP-like' position has an increased peroxidase activity. In addition, a better dehaloperoxidase (M86E DHP) was generated by introducing a negative charge near His89 to enhance the imidazolate character of the proximal His. Finally, only minimal differences in dehalogenation activities are seen among the exogenous ligand-free DHP, the acetate-bound DHP, and the distal site blocker L100F DHP mutant. Thus, we conclude that binding of halophenols in the internal binding site (i.e., distal cavity) is not essential for catalysis. This work provides a foundation for a new structure-function paradigm for peroxidases and for the

  19. Solution NMR study of the yeast cytochrome c peroxidase: cytochrome c interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Volkov, Alexander N., E-mail: ovolkov@vub.ac.be; Nuland, Nico A. J. van [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jean Jeener NMR Centre, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium)

    2013-07-15

    Here we present a solution NMR study of the complex between yeast cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a paradigm for understanding the biological electron transfer. Performed for the first time, the CcP-observed heteronuclear NMR experiments were used to probe the Cc binding in solution. Combining the Cc- and CcP-detected experiments, the binding interface on both proteins was mapped out, confirming that the X-ray structure of the complex is maintained in solution. Using NMR titrations and chemical shift perturbation analysis, we show that the interaction is independent of the CcP spin-state and is only weakly affected by the Cc redox state. Based on these findings, we argue that the complex of the ferrous Cc and the cyanide-bound CcP is a good mimic of the catalytically-active Cc-CcP compound I species. Finally, no chemical shift perturbations due to the Cc binding at the low-affinity CcP site were observed at low ionic strength. We discuss possible reasons for the absence of the effects and outline future research directions.

  20. The membrane fraction of homogenized rat kidney contains an enzyme that releases epidermal growth factor from the kidney membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nexø, Ebba; Poulsen, Steen Seier

    1991-01-01

    shows that the membrane fraction of homogenized rat kidney contains an enzyme that releases immuno and receptor reactive EGF from the kidney membranes when incubated at 37 degrees C. Gel filtration shows that the EGF reactivity released from the membranes is similar to the EGF reactivity in rat urine......High levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF) are excreted in the urine and high levels of mRNA for the EGF-precursor have been demonstrated in the kidney. The EGF-precursor is a membrane bound peptide in the kidney, but little is known about the renal processing of the precursor. The present study...

  1. Efficient DNP NMR of Membrane Proteins: Sample Preparation Protocols, Sensitivity, and Radical Location

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Shu Y.; Lee, Myungwoon; Wang, Tuo; Sergeyev, Ivan V.; Hong, Mei

    2016-01-01

    Although dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has dramatically enhanced solid-state NMR spectral sensitivities of many synthetic materials and some biological macromolecules, recent studies of membrane-protein DNP using exogenously doped paramagnetic radicals as polarizing agents have reported varied and sometimes surprisingly limited enhancement factors. This motivated us to carry out a systematic evaluation of sample preparation protocols for optimizing the sensitivity of DNP NMR spectra of membrane-bound peptides and proteins at cryogenic temperatures of ~110 K. We show that mixing the radical with the membrane by direct titration instead of centrifugation gives a significant boost to DNP enhancement. We quantify the relative sensitivity enhancement between AMUPol and TOTAPOL, two commonly used radicals, and between deuterated and protonated lipid membranes. AMUPol shows ~4 fold higher sensitivity enhancement than TOTAPOL, while deuterated lipid membrane does not give net higher sensitivity for the membrane peptides than protonated membrane. Overall, a ~100 fold enhancement between the microwave-on and microwave-off spectra can be achieved on lipid-rich membranes containing conformationally disordered peptides, and absolute sensitivity gains of 105–160 can be obtained between low-temperature DNP spectra and high-temperature non-DNP spectra. We also measured the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement of lipid signals by TOTAPOL and AMUPol, to determine the depths of these two radicals in the lipid bilayer. Our data indicate a bimodal distribution of both radicals, a surface-bound fraction and a membrane-bound fraction where the nitroxides lie at ~10 Å from the membrane surface. TOTAPOL appears to have a higher membrane-embedded fraction than AMUPol. These results should be useful for membrane-protein solid-state NMR studies under DNP conditions and provide insights into how biradicals interact with phospholipid membranes. PMID:26873390

  2. Efficient DNP NMR of membrane proteins: sample preparation protocols, sensitivity, and radical location

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liao, Shu Y.; Lee, Myungwoon; Wang, Tuo [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry (United States); Sergeyev, Ivan V. [Bruker Biospin (United States); Hong, Mei, E-mail: meihong@mit.edu [Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry (United States)

    2016-03-15

    Although dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has dramatically enhanced solid-state NMR spectral sensitivities of many synthetic materials and some biological macromolecules, recent studies of membrane-protein DNP using exogenously doped paramagnetic radicals as polarizing agents have reported varied and sometimes surprisingly limited enhancement factors. This motivated us to carry out a systematic evaluation of sample preparation protocols for optimizing the sensitivity of DNP NMR spectra of membrane-bound peptides and proteins at cryogenic temperatures of ~110 K. We show that mixing the radical with the membrane by direct titration instead of centrifugation gives a significant boost to DNP enhancement. We quantify the relative sensitivity enhancement between AMUPol and TOTAPOL, two commonly used radicals, and between deuterated and protonated lipid membranes. AMUPol shows ~fourfold higher sensitivity enhancement than TOTAPOL, while deuterated lipid membrane does not give net higher sensitivity for the membrane peptides than protonated membrane. Overall, a ~100 fold enhancement between the microwave-on and microwave-off spectra can be achieved on lipid-rich membranes containing conformationally disordered peptides, and absolute sensitivity gains of 105–160 can be obtained between low-temperature DNP spectra and high-temperature non-DNP spectra. We also measured the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement of lipid signals by TOTAPOL and AMUPol, to determine the depths of these two radicals in the lipid bilayer. Our data indicate a bimodal distribution of both radicals, a surface-bound fraction and a membrane-bound fraction where the nitroxides lie at ~10 Å from the membrane surface. TOTAPOL appears to have a higher membrane-embedded fraction than AMUPol. These results should be useful for membrane-protein solid-state NMR studies under DNP conditions and provide insights into how biradicals interact with phospholipid membranes.

  3. Direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase on Nafion-cysteine modified gold electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Jun; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali Akbar; Ghourchian, Hedayatollah; Rad, Ahmad Molaei; Rezaei-Zarchi, Saeed

    2007-01-01

    Direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase, immobilized on a functional membrane-modified gold electrode, was studied. The electrode showed a quasi-reversible electrochemical redox behavior with a formal potential of 60mV (versus Ag/AgCl) in 20mM potassium phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0 and temperature 25 o C. The cathodic transfer coefficient was 0.42 and electron transfer rate constant was evaluated to be 1.6s -1 . Furthermore, the modified electrode was used as a biosensor and exhibited a satisfactory stability and sensitivity to H 2 O 2 . The linear range of this biosensor for H 2 O 2 determination was from 5.0x10 -6 to 1.5x10 -4 M while its detection limit, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, was 1.3x10 -6 M. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K m app ) for immobilized HRP was calculated to be 1.6x10 -4 M

  4. A membrane-based ELISA assay for the herbicide Isoproturon in soil samples

    OpenAIRE

    Baskeyfield, Damian E. H.; Davis, Frank; Magan, Naresh; Tothill, Ibtisam E.

    2012-01-01

    A membrane based enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (MELISA) for the detection of a common herbicide, isoproturon is described. A heterogeneous competitive ELISA was the format chosen for isoproturon detection. An immunoassay system with a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled polyclonal antibody preparation was developed and characterized before suitable sensitivity and selectivity for isoproturon were attained. After development as a microtiter plate immunoassay, the system was transferred to...

  5. Frequency of anti thyroid peroxidase antibody in patients of vitiligo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhokhar, A.; Shaikh, Z.I.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the frequency of anti thyroid peroxidase antibody in patients suffering from vitiligo with healthy control group. Type of Study: Case control study. Settings: Dermatology Department, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from 20th March 2010 to 20th July 2011. Material and Methods: Fifty clinically diagnosed patients of vitiligo, age = 18 yrs and both genders with no history of thyroid disease, past or current use of drugs for thyroid disorder or thyroid surgery were included as cases (Group A). Fifty healthy individuals with no evidence of vitiligo or thyroid disorder on history and physical examination and with no family history of vitiligo, matched for age and gender with cases, were included as control (Group B). Serum anti thyroid peroxidase (anti TPO) antibodies were measured using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in both cases and control. Results: Eight (16%) patients in Group A were anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody positive and forty two (84%) patients were negative while one (2%) patient was anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody positive in Group B and forty nine (98%) patients were negative (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Anti TPO antibody is significantly more common in patients of vitiligo as compared to general population. (author)

  6. Blood Mixing Upregulates Platelet Membrane-Bound CD40 Ligand Expression in vitro Independent of Abo Compatibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Go-Shine; Hu, Mei-Hua; Lin, Tso-Chou; Lin, Yi-Chang; Tsai, Yi-Ting; Lin, Chih-Yuan; Ke, Hung-Yen; Zheng, Xu-Zhi; Tsai, Chien-Sung

    2017-11-30

    Platelets play a central role in the inflammation response via CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression, which may lead to transfusion reactions. The precise role of platelet CD40L-mediated inflammation in transfusion reactions is unclear. Therefore, we assessed the effects of in vitro blood mixing on platelet CD40L expression. In addition, we examined the effect of ABO compatibility on CD40L expression. Donor packed red blood cells were acquired from a blood bank, and recipient blood was obtained from patients undergoing cardiac surgery and prepared as washed platelets. Donor blood was mixed with suspended, washed recipient platelets to obtain a final mixing ratio of 1%, 5%, or 10% (vol/vol). The blood mixtures were divided into three groups: Group M, cross-matched blood-type mixing (n = 20); Group S, ABO type-specific uncross-matched blood (n = 20); and Group I, ABO incompatibility (not ABO type-specific blood and not process cross-matched) mixing (n = 20). The blood mixtures were used to detect platelet membrane-bound CD40L expression by flow cytometry. Blood mixing resulted in an increase in CD40L expression in Group M (P role in the induction of CD40L expression.

  7. Immunocytochemical localisation of phloem lectin from Cucurbita maxima using peroxidase and colloidal-gold labels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, L M; Sabnis, D D; Johnson, R P

    1987-04-01

    Antibodies were raised against lectin purified from the sieve-tube exudate of Cucurbita maxima. Immunocytochemistry, using peroxidase-labelled antibodies and Protein A-colloidal gold, was employed to determine the location of the lectin within the tissues and cells of C. maxima and other cucurbit species. The anti-lectin antibodies bound to P-protein aggregates in sieve elements and companion cells, predominantly in the extrafascicular phloem of C. maxima. This may reflect the low rate of translocation in these cells. Under the electron microscope, the lectin was shown to be a component of P-protein filaments and was also found in association with the sieve-tube reticulum which lines the plasmalemma. The anti-lectin antibodies reacted with sieve-tube proteins from other species of the genus Cucurbita but showed only limited reaction with other genera. We suggest that the lectin serves to anchor P-protein filaments and associated proteins to the parietal layer of sieve elements.

  8. Paramagnetic properties of the low- and high-spin states of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vanwetswinkel, Sophie; Nuland, Nico A. J. van; Volkov, Alexander N.

    2013-01-01

    Here we describe paramagnetic NMR analysis of the low- and high-spin forms of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a 34 kDa heme enzyme involved in hydroperoxide reduction in mitochondria. Starting from the assigned NMR spectra of a low-spin CN-bound CcP and using a strategy based on paramagnetic pseudocontact shifts, we have obtained backbone resonance assignments for the diamagnetic, iron-free protein and the high-spin, resting-state enzyme. The derived chemical shifts were further used to determine low- and high-spin magnetic susceptibility tensors and the zero-field splitting constant (D) for the high-spin CcP. The D value indicates that the latter contains a hexacoordinate heme species with a weak field ligand, such as water, in the axial position. Being one of the very few high-spin heme proteins analyzed in this fashion, the resting state CcP expands our knowledge of the heme coordination chemistry in biological systems

  9. Paramagnetic properties of the low- and high-spin states of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vanwetswinkel, Sophie; Nuland, Nico A. J. van; Volkov, Alexander N., E-mail: ovolkov@vub.ac.be [Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Jean Jeener NMR Centre, Structural Biology Brussels (Belgium)

    2013-09-15

    Here we describe paramagnetic NMR analysis of the low- and high-spin forms of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP), a 34 kDa heme enzyme involved in hydroperoxide reduction in mitochondria. Starting from the assigned NMR spectra of a low-spin CN-bound CcP and using a strategy based on paramagnetic pseudocontact shifts, we have obtained backbone resonance assignments for the diamagnetic, iron-free protein and the high-spin, resting-state enzyme. The derived chemical shifts were further used to determine low- and high-spin magnetic susceptibility tensors and the zero-field splitting constant (D) for the high-spin CcP. The D value indicates that the latter contains a hexacoordinate heme species with a weak field ligand, such as water, in the axial position. Being one of the very few high-spin heme proteins analyzed in this fashion, the resting state CcP expands our knowledge of the heme coordination chemistry in biological systems.

  10. Photoaffinity labeling of [3H]flunitrazepam- and [3H]Ro15-4513-bound pellets in rat cerebral cortex and cerebellum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiu, T.H.; Yu, Onnfoh; Rosenberg, H.C.

    1989-01-01

    Irreversible incorporation of [ 3 H]flunitrazepam and [ 3 H]Ro15-4513 into GABA/benzodiazepine receptor subunits was studied by UV/irradiation using ligand-bound membrane pellets from rat cerebral cortical and cerebellar synaptic membranes. Specific incorporation for [ 3 H]flunitrazepam was greater in the pellet than in the suspension. The incorporation was identical for [ 3 H]Ro15-4513 in both pellet and suspension. With the ligand-bound pellets, 50% of the available binding sites were photolabeled by both ligands in cortex and cerebellum. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography of [ 3 H]flunitrazepam photo-labeled receptor revealed the same number of major sites in both brain regions. In contrast, [ 3 H]Ro15-4513 appears to label fewer sites in cortex and cerebellum. Photoaffinity labeling with [ 3 H]flunitrazepam in ligand-bound membrane pellet provides a more selective and reliable method for studying the subunit structure of GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex

  11. The Enzymology of Protein Translocation across the Escherichia coli Plasma Membrane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wickner, William; Driessen, Arnold J.M.; Hartl, Franz-Ulrich

    1991-01-01

    Converging physiological, genetic, and biochemical studies have established the salient features of preprotein translocation across the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli. Translocation is catalyzed by two proteins, a soluble chaperone and a membrane-bound translocase. SecB, the major chaperone for

  12. Size-dependent tuning of horseradish peroxidase bioreactivity by gold nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Haohao; Liu, Yi; Li, Meng; Chong, Yu; Zeng, Mingyong; Lo, Y. Martin; Yin, Jun-Jie

    2015-02-01

    Molecules with diverse biological functions, such as heme peroxidases, can be useful tools for identifying potential biological effects of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at the molecular level. Here, using UV-Vis, circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy, we report tuning of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) bioactivity by reactant-free AuNPs with diameters of 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 nm (Au-5 nm, Au-10 nm, Au-15 nm, Au-30 nm and Au-60 nm). HRP conjugation to AuNPs was observed with only Au-5 nm and Au-10 nm prominently increasing the α-helicity of the enzyme to extents inversely related to their size. Au-5 nm inhibited both HRP peroxidase activity toward 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and HRP compound I/II reactivity toward 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide. Au-5 nm enhanced the HRP peroxidase activity toward ascorbic acid and the HRP compound I/II reactivity toward redox-active residues in the HRP protein moiety. Further, Au-5 nm also decreased the catalase- and oxidase-like activities of HRP. Au-10 nm showed similar, but weaker effects, while Au-15 nm, Au-30 nm and Au-60 nm had no effect. Results suggest that AuNPs can size-dependently enhance or inhibit HRP bioreactivity toward substrates with different redox potentials via a mechanism involving extension of the HRP substrate access channel and decline in the redox potentials of HRP catalytic intermediates.Molecules with diverse biological functions, such as heme peroxidases, can be useful tools for identifying potential biological effects of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at the molecular level. Here, using UV-Vis, circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy, we report tuning of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) bioactivity by reactant-free AuNPs with diameters of 5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 nm (Au-5 nm, Au-10 nm, Au-15 nm, Au-30 nm and Au-60 nm). HRP conjugation to AuNPs was observed with only Au-5 nm and Au-10 nm prominently increasing the

  13. Platelet crossmatch tests using radiolabelled staphylococcal protein A or peroxidase anti-peroxidase in alloimmunised patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yam, P.; Petz, L.D.; Scott, E.P.; Santos, S.

    1984-01-01

    Refractoriness to random-donor platelets as a result of alloimmunization remains a major problem in long-term platelet transfusion therapy despite the use of HLA-matched platelets. A study has been made of two methods for detection of platelet associated IgG as platelet crossmatch tests for the selection of platelet donors. These methods use radiolabelled staphylococcal protein A( 125 I-SPA) and peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP), respectively. One hundred and ten crossmatch tests using 125 I-SPA were performed retrospectively in 18 alloimmunized patients. The results indicated that the predictive value of a positive or a negative test was 87%; the sensitivity was 73% and the specificity was 95%. Results with the PAP test were similar. The HLA types were known for 48 donor-recipient pairs. With few exceptions, there was a correlation between the results of the platelet crossmatch tests and the effectiveness of platelet transfusion regardless of the degree of HLA match. These results indicate that platelet crossmatch tests may be valuable even when closely HLA matched donors are not available. A large-scale prospective study is warranted, particularly in highly immunized patients. (author)

  14. A putative peroxidase cDNA from turnip and analysis of the encoded protein sequence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero-Gómez, S; Duarte-Vázquez, M A; García-Almendárez, B E; Mayorga-Martínez, L; Cervantes-Avilés, O; Regalado, C

    2008-12-01

    A putative peroxidase cDNA was isolated from turnip roots (Brassica napus L. var. purple top white globe) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Total RNA extracted from mature turnip roots was used as a template for RT-PCR, using a degenerated primer designed to amplify the highly conserved distal motif of plant peroxidases. The resulting partial sequence was used to design the rest of the specific primers for 5' and 3' RACE. Two cDNA fragments were purified, sequenced, and aligned with the partial sequence from RT-PCR, and a complete overlapping sequence was obtained and labeled as BbPA (Genbank Accession No. AY423440, named as podC). The full length cDNA is 1167bp long and contains a 1077bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 358 deduced amino acid peroxidase polypeptide. The putative peroxidase (BnPA) showed a calculated Mr of 34kDa, and isoelectric point (pI) of 4.5, with no significant identity with other reported turnip peroxidases. Sequence alignment showed that only three peroxidases have a significant identity with BnPA namely AtP29a (84%), and AtPA2 (81%) from Arabidopsis thaliana, and HRPA2 (82%) from horseradish (Armoracia rusticana). Work is in progress to clone this gene into an adequate host to study the specific role and possible biotechnological applications of this alternative peroxidase source.

  15. CDNA cloning, characterization and expression of an endosperm-specific barley peroxidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Søren Kjærsgård; Welinder, K.G.; Hejgaard, J.

    1991-01-01

    A barley peroxidase (BP 1) of pI ca. 8.5 and M(r) 37000 has been purified from mature barley grains. Using antibodies towards peroxidase BP 1, a cDNA clone (pcR7) was isolated from cDNA expression library. The nucleotide sequence of pcR7 gave a derived amino acid sequence identical to the 158 C...

  16. Obtenção de nova fonte de peroxidase de folha de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. com alta atividade Obtention of a new source of peroxidase from Copaifera langsdorffii leaf, Desf. with high activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hermelinda Penha Freire Maciel

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Objetivou-se neste trabalho extrair peroxidase de folha de Copaifera langsdorffii (COP, medir sua atividade, compará-la com a peroxidase de raiz forte (Horseradish peroxidase - HRP e determinar o pH ótimo, a melhor solução extratora e o efeito de aditivos sobre a atividade da COP. Os resultados mostraram que a COP atingiu 81,6% da atividade de HRP e a faixa de pH ótimo foi de 5,5 a 6,0. A melhor solução extratora da enzima foi o tampão fosfato de sódio 50 mM, pH 6,0 e o melhor aditivo foi o PVPP. Concluindo, a COP apresenta atividade mais alta que outras peroxidases de diferentes fontes citadas na literatura.The purpose of this work was to extract peroxidase from Copaifera langsdorffii leaves (COP, measure its activity, compare it to that of Horseradish peroxidase and determine the optimum pH, the best extraction solution and the effect of additives on the COP activity. The results showed that COP has 81.6% of the activity of HRP and an optimum pH range between 5.5-6.0. The best extraction solution was a sodium phosphate buffer 50 mM, pH 6.0 and the best additive was PVPP. In conclusion, COP presents higher activity than peroxidases from different sources reported in the literature.

  17. Halide peroxidase in tissues that interact with bacteria in the host squid Euprymna scolopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Small, A L; McFall-Ngai, M J

    1999-03-15

    An enzyme with similarities to myeloperoxidase, the antimicrobial halide peroxidase in mammalian neutrophils, occurs abundantly in the light organ tissue of Euprymna scolopes, a squid that maintains a beneficial association with the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Using three independent assays typically applied to the analysis of halide peroxidase enzymes, we directly compared the activity of the squid enzyme with that of human myeloperoxidase. One of these methods, the diethanolamine assay, confirmed that the squid peroxidase requires halide ions for its activity. The identification of a halide peroxidase in a cooperative bacterial association suggested that this type of enzyme can function not only to control pathogens, but also to modulate the interactions of host animals with their beneficial partners. To determine whether the squid peroxidase functions under both circumstances, we examined its distribution in a variety of host tissues, including those that typically interact with bacteria and those that do not. Tissues interacting with bacteria included those that have specific cooperative associations with bacteria (i.e., the light organ and accessory nidamental gland) and those that have transient nonspecific interactions with bacteria (i.e., the gills, which clear the cephalopod circulatory system of invading microorganisms). These bacteria-associated tissues were compared with the eye, digestive gland, white body, and ink-producing tissues, which do not typically interact directly with bacteria. Peroxidase enzyme assays, immunocytochemical localization, and DNA-RNA hybridizations showed that the halide-dependent peroxidase is consistently expressed in high concentration in tissues that interact bacteria. Elevated levels of the peroxidase were also found in the ink-producing tissues, which are known to have enzymatic pathways associated with antimicrobial activity. Taken together, these data suggest that the host uses a common biochemical response to

  18. Polyamide membranes with nanoscale Turing structures for water purification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Zhe; Chen, Shengfu; Peng, Xinsheng; Zhang, Lin; Gao, Congjie

    2018-05-01

    The emergence of Turing structures is of fundamental importance, and designing these structures and developing their applications have practical effects in chemistry and biology. We use a facile route based on interfacial polymerization to generate Turing-type polyamide membranes for water purification. Manipulation of shapes by control of reaction conditions enabled the creation of membranes with bubble or tube structures. These membranes exhibit excellent water-salt separation performance that surpasses the upper-bound line of traditional desalination membranes. Furthermore, we show the existence of high water permeability sites in the Turing structures, where water transport through the membranes is enhanced.

  19. Kinetic mechanism and nucleotide specificity of NADH peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stoll, V.S.; Blanchard, J.S.

    1988-01-01

    NADH peroxidase is a flavoprotein isolated from Streptococcus faecalis which catalyzes the pyridine nucleotide-dependent reduction of hydrogen peroxide to water. Initial velocity, product, and dead-end inhibition studies have been performed at pH 7.5 and support a ping-pong kinetic mechanism. In the absence of hydrogen peroxide, both transhydrogenation between NADH and thioNAD, and isotope exchange between [ 14 C]NADH and NAD, have been demonstrated, although in both these experiments, the maximal velocity of nucleotide exchange was less than 1.5% the maximal velocity of the peroxidatic reaction. We propose that NADH binds tightly to both oxidized and two-electron reduced enzyme. NADH oxidation proceeds stereospecifically with the transfer of the 4S hydrogen to enzyme, and then, via exchange, to water. No primary tritium kinetic isotope effect was observed, and no statistically significant primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects on V/K were determined, although primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects on V were observed in the presence and absence of sodium acetate. NADH peroxidase thus shares with other flavoprotein reductases striking kinetic, spectroscopic, and stereochemical similarities. On this basis, we propose a chemical mechanism for the peroxide cleaving reaction catalyzed by NADH peroxidase which involves the obligate formation of a flavinperoxide, and peroxo bond cleavage by nucleophilic attack by enzymatic dithiols

  20. Nucleotide sequences of two genomic DNAs encoding peroxidase of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intapruk, C; Higashimura, N; Yamamoto, K; Okada, N; Shinmyo, A; Takano, M

    1991-02-15

    The peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7)-encoding gene of Arabidopsis thaliana was screened from a genomic library using a cDNA encoding a neutral isozyme of horseradish, Armoracia rusticana, peroxidase (HRP) as a probe, and two positive clones were isolated. From the comparison with the sequences of the HRP-encoding genes, we concluded that two clones contained peroxidase-encoding genes, and they were named prxCa and prxEa. Both genes consisted of four exons and three introns; the introns had consensus nucleotides, GT and AG, at the 5' and 3' ends, respectively. The lengths of each putative exon of the prxEa gene were the same as those of the HRP-basic-isozyme-encoding gene, prxC3, and coded for 349 amino acids (aa) with a sequence homology of 89% to that encoded by prxC3. The prxCa gene was very close to the HRP-neutral-isozyme-encoding gene, prxC1b, and coded for 354 aa with 91% homology to that encoded by prxC1b. The aa sequence homology was 64% between the two peroxidases encoded by prxCa and prxEa.

  1. Strand displacement activated peroxidase activity of hemin for fluorescent DNA sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Quanbo; Xu, Nan; Gui, Zhen; Lei, Jianping; Ju, Huangxian; Yan, Feng

    2015-10-07

    To efficiently regulate the catalytic activity of the peroxidase mimic hemin, this work designs a double-stranded DNA probe containing an intermolecular dimer of hemin, whose peroxidase activity can be activated by a DNA strand displacement reaction. The double-stranded probe is prepared by annealing two strands of hemin labelled DNA oligonucleotides. Using the fluorescent oxidation product of tyramine by H2O2 as a tracing molecule, the low peroxidase activity of the hemin dimer ensures a low fluorescence background. The strand displacement reaction of the target DNA dissociates the hemin dimer and thus significantly increases the catalytic activity of hemin to produce a large amount of dityramine for fluorescence signal readout. Based on the strand displacement regulated peroxidase activity, a simple and sensitive homogeneous fluorescent DNA sensing method is proposed. The detection can conveniently be carried out in a 96-well plate within 20 min with a detection limit of 0.18 nM. This method shows high specificity, which can effectively distinguish single-base mismatched DNA from perfectly matched target DNA. The DNA strand displacement regulated catalytic activity of hemin has promising application in the determination of various DNA analytes.

  2. Efeito da adição de glutationa peroxidase e cisteína ao diluidor de congelação do sêmen equino Effect of glutathione peroxidase and cysteine addition in an equine frozen semen medium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.O. Barros

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Foram utilizados ejaculados (n=25 de garanhões para avaliar o efeito de glutationa peroxidase (GPx e cisteína na viabilidade de espermatozoides congelados. O sêmen foi diluído em Botu Crio, com antioxidantes, e foram formados os grupos: G1, Controle; G2, 1U GPx ; G3, 5U GPx; G4, 0,5mM cisteína; G5, 1mM cisteína. Depois foi envasado em palhetas (0,5mL e congelado. Após descongelação, 37°C por 30 segundos, alíquotas foram analisadas quanto à integridade de membrana plasmática (IMP e acrossoma (IAc, potencial de membrana mitocondrial (PMM e cinética, nos tempos zero (T0 e 60 minutos (T60. GPx 5U e cisteína 0,5mM determinaram maior (PEjaculates (n=25 of horses were used to assess the effect of glutathione peroxidase (GPx and cysteine on the viability of frozen sperm cells. Semen was extended at Botu Crio with antioxidants, and divided in groups: G1, control; G2, 1 U GPx; G3, 5U GPx; G4, 0.5mM cysteine and G5, 1mM cysteine, packed in 0.5mL straws, and frozen. After thawing (37° C for 30 seconds samples were analyzed for plasma membrane (IMP and acrosome integrity (IAc, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP and kinematic, at zero (T0 and 60 minutes after (T60. GPx 5U and cysteine 0.5mM increased (P<0.05 IAc at T0, when compared to T60. Cysteine 1mM resulted in a higher (P<0.05 IAc on T60, than GPx 1 and 5U, and cysteine 0.5mM. The PMM from a stallion on T60 was higher (P<0.05 than those of two stallions. In sperm kinematic, VCL and VAP were higher (P<0.05 at T0 compared to T60 for the control group, and one stallion showed larger (P<0.05 kinematic values than other animals. It is concluded that the addition of glutathione peroxidase at concentrations 1U and 5U, and cysteine, at concentrations of 0.5mM and 1mM, does not interfere with the integrity of cryopreserved equine sperm, but preserves the kinetic parameters VCL and VAP after 60 minutes of incubation. It should be noted also that the stallion has a strong influence on sperm

  3. Calorimetric studies of the thermal denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kresheck, G.C.; Erman, J.E.

    1988-01-01

    Two endotherms are observed by differential scanning calorimetry during the thermal denaturation of cytochrome c peroxidase at pH 7.0. The transition midpoint temperatures (t/sub m/) were 43.9 +- 1.4 and 63.3 +- 1.6 0 C, independent of concentration. The two endotherms were observed at all pH values between 4 and 8, with the transition temperatures varying with pH. Precipitation was observed between pH 4 and 6, and only qualitative data are presented for this region. The thermal unfolding of cytochrome c peroxidase was sensitive to the presence and ligation state of the heme. Only a single endotherm was observed for the unfolding of the apoprotein, and this transition was similar to the high-temperature transition in the holoenzyme. Addition of KCN to the holoenzyme increases the midpoint of the high-temperature transition whereas the low-temperature transition was increased upon addition of KF. Binding of the natural substrate ferricytochrome c to the enzyme increases the low-temperature transition by 4.8 +- 1.3 0 C but has no effect on the high-temperature transition at pH 7. The presence of cytochrome c peroxidase decreases the stability of cytochrome c, and both proteins appear to unfold simultaneously. The results are discussed in terms of the two domains evident in the X-ray crystallographic structure of cytochrome c peroxidase

  4. Structure-activity relationships and molecular docking of thirteen synthesized flavonoids as horseradish peroxidase inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahfoudi, Reguia; Djeridane, Amar; Benarous, Khedidja; Gaydou, Emile M; Yousfi, Mohamed

    2017-10-01

    For the first time, the structure-activity relationships of thirteen synthesized flavonoids have been investigated by evaluating their ability to modulate horseradish peroxidase (HRP) catalytic activity. Indeed, a modified spectrophotometrically method was carried out and optimized using 4-methylcatechol (4-MC) as peroxidase co-substrate. The results show that these flavonoids exhibit a great capacity to inhibit peroxidase with Ki values ranged from 0.14±0.01 to 65±0.04mM. Molecular docking has been achieved using Auto Dock Vina program to discuss the nature of interactions and the mechanism of inhibition. According to the docking results, all the flavonoids have shown great binding affinity to peroxidase. These molecular modeling studies suggested that pyran-4-one cycle acts as an inhibition key for peroxidase. Therefore, potent peroxidase inhibitors are flavonoids with these structural requirements: the presence of the hydroxyl (OH) group in 7, 5 and 4' positions and the absence of the methoxy (O-CH 3 ) group. Apigenin contributed better in HRP inhibitory activity. The present study has shown that the studied flavonoids could be promising HRP inhibitors, which can help in developing new molecules to control thyroid diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Influence of fermentation liquid from waste activated sludge on anoxic/oxic- membrane bioreactor performance: Nitrogen removal, membrane fouling and microbial community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xiaomeng; Zhou, Zhen; Mei, Xiaojie; Ma, Yan; Xie, Zhenfang

    2018-02-01

    In order to investigate effects of waste activated sludge (WAS) fermentation liquid on anoxic/oxic- membrane bioreactor (A/O-MBR), two A/O-MBRs with and without WAS fermentation liquid addition were operated in parallel. Results show that addition of WAS fermentation liquid clearly improved denitrification efficiency without deterioration of nitrification, while severe membrane fouling occurred. WAS fermentation liquid resulted in an elevated production of proteins and humic acids in bound extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and release of organic matter with high MW fractions in soluble microbial product (SMP) and loosely bound EPS (LB-EPS). Measurement of deposition rate and fluid structure confirmed increased fouling potential of SMP and LB-EPS. γ-Proteobacteria and Ferruginibacter, which can secrete and export EPS, were also found to be abundant in the MBR with WAS fermentation liquid. It is implied that when WAS fermentation liquid was applied, some operational steps to control membrane fouling should be employed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Crystal structure of Na+, K(+)-ATPase in the Na(+)-bound state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyblom, Maria; Poulsen, Hanne; Gourdon, Pontus; Reinhard, Linda; Andersson, Magnus; Lindahl, Erik; Fedosova, Natalya; Nissen, Poul

    2013-10-04

    The Na(+), K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) maintains the electrochemical gradients of Na(+) and K(+) across the plasma membrane--a prerequisite for electrical excitability and secondary transport. Hitherto, structural information has been limited to K(+)-bound or ouabain-blocked forms. We present the crystal structure of a Na(+)-bound Na(+), K(+)-ATPase as determined at 4.3 Å resolution. Compared with the K(+)-bound form, large conformational changes are observed in the α subunit whereas the β and γ subunit structures are maintained. The locations of the three Na(+) sites are indicated with the unique site III at the recently suggested IIIb, as further supported by electrophysiological studies on leak currents. Extracellular release of the third Na(+) from IIIb through IIIa, followed by exchange of Na(+) for K(+) at sites I and II, is suggested.

  7. Peroxidase activity in Raphanus sativus and its relationship with soil heavy metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alipour, H.; Zare Myvan, H.; Sharifi, M.

    2009-01-01

    Today heavy metals are important environmental pollutants which generated from human activities and are one of the most important environmental stresses that cause molecular damages to plants through reactive oxygen species formation such as H2O2. Heavy metals are absorbed and accumulated by plants thus are absorbed by human bodies through the food chain. Raphanus sativus is a herbaceous plant within the Brassicaceae family that has different varieties and is used as a food plant in different parts of Iran. Peroxidase is one of the most important enzyme in oxidoreductase super family that can metabolize H2O2. In this research we studied some growth parameters, peroxidase activity and their relationships with heavy metal content and other soil factors in three different populations of radish collected from Sari, Semnan and south of Tehran. After harvesting the plants shoots and roots Peroxidase activity was assayed spectrophotometrically at 470 nm. Our results showed total heavy metal content of shomal 3 station soil and radish plants was higher than other stations, so plants collected from this station had lowest root and shoot lengths, fresh weights, dry weights, protein content and leaf collrophyll content. The peroxidase activity in both leaves and roots of these plants was higher than plants of other stations Therefore our results showed that with increasing heavy metal concentrations in soils peroxidase activity increased.

  8. HAMLET interacts with lipid membranes and perturbs their structure and integrity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mossberg, Ann-Kristin; Puchades, Maja; Halskau, Øyvind; Baumann, Anne; Lanekoff, Ingela; Chao, Yinxia; Martinez, Aurora; Svanborg, Catharina; Karlsson, Roger

    2010-02-23

    Cell membrane interactions rely on lipid bilayer constituents and molecules inserted within the membrane, including specific receptors. HAMLET (human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to tumor cells) is a tumoricidal complex of partially unfolded alpha-lactalbumin (HLA) and oleic acid that is internalized by tumor cells, suggesting that interactions with the phospholipid bilayer and/or specific receptors may be essential for the tumoricidal effect. This study examined whether HAMLET interacts with artificial membranes and alters membrane structure. We show by surface plasmon resonance that HAMLET binds with high affinity to surface adherent, unilamellar vesicles of lipids with varying acyl chain composition and net charge. Fluorescence imaging revealed that HAMLET accumulates in membranes of vesicles and perturbs their structure, resulting in increased membrane fluidity. Furthermore, HAMLET disrupted membrane integrity at neutral pH and physiological conditions, as shown by fluorophore leakage experiments. These effects did not occur with either native HLA or a constitutively unfolded Cys-Ala HLA mutant (rHLA(all-Ala)). HAMLET also bound to plasma membrane vesicles formed from intact tumor cells, with accumulation in certain membrane areas, but the complex was not internalized by these vesicles or by the synthetic membrane vesicles. The results illustrate the difference in membrane affinity between the fatty acid bound and fatty acid free forms of partially unfolded HLA and suggest that HAMLET engages membranes by a mechanism requiring both the protein and the fatty acid. Furthermore, HAMLET binding alters the morphology of the membrane and compromises its integrity, suggesting that membrane perturbation could be an initial step in inducing cell death.

  9. HDO of guaiacol over NiMo catalyst supported on activated carbon derived from castor de-oiled cake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viviana Ospina

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Physical and chemical activation methods were used to prepare two different activated carbons (ACs from castor de-oiled cake. H2O/CO2 mixture was used as the physical activating agent, and for chemical activation potassium carbonate (K2CO3 was used. For both materials, textural and chemical properties were characterized by N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, thermal programmed reduction (TPR, X-ray fluorescence (XRF, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The ACs were used as supports for NiMo sulfide catalysts, which were prepared by wetness impregnation and in-situ sulfided for the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO of guaiacol (GUA as a model compound of bio-oil. The HDO reaction was carried out in a typical batch reactor at 5 MPa of H2 and 350 °C. Under the same test conditions, commercial catalysts were also tested in the reaction. Although the commercial catalysts displayed higher GUA conversion, the prepared catalysts showed higher activity and non-oxygenated and saturated products yield.

  10. Polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase in different sugarcane cultivars, in Presidente Prudente region; Polifenoloxidases e peroxidase em diferentes variedades de cana-de-acucar na regiao de Presidente Prudente

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marques, Tadeu A.; Gomes, Danilo B.; Marques, Patricia A.A.; Alves, Vagner C. [Universidade do Oeste Paulista (UNOESTE), Presidente Prudente, SP (Brazil). Curso de Agronomia], Emails: tmarques@unoeste.br, pmarques@unoeste.br, vagner@unoeste.br

    2009-07-01

    The objective in present work was compare three sugarcane cultivars (RB 72-454, RB 86-7515, IAC 86-2480), evaluating the content of polyphenoloxidase and peroxidase. These determinations had aimed at to detect possible differences between varieties thus and being to differentiate them with regard to the products most interesting to be elaborated, ethanol production or sugar production. The varieties had presented differences of behavior for studied enzymes. The activity of polyphenoloxidase was superior the activity of peroxidase. The enzyme peroxidase was presented in bigger indices in the dry and cold periods. The enzyme polyphenoloxidase was presented well changeable, but with strong trend of bigger values in the rainy periods. It can be said that distinct periods for the best use of the varieties in the sugar production or alcohol exist. (author)

  11. UV inactivation of enzymes in supramolecular complexes of biological membranes. The phenomenon of photochemical allotropy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konev, S.V.; Volotovskij, I.D.; Sheiko, L.M.

    1978-01-01

    The photosensitivity of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is different in its free and membrane-bound states. The modification of the structure of membraneous lipids by phospholipases A 2 , C and D or by cholesterol depletion is accompanied by a change in AChE photosensitivity. UV light was demonstrated to induce cooperative structural transitions in the erythrocyte membrane. This follows from the data obtained by circular dichroism and solubilization in detergents. In contrast to free AChE, UV light acts on the membraneous enzyme as a mixed inhibitor (simultaneous change in Vsub(max) and Ksub(m)). The anomalous behaviour of membrane-bound enzyme, termed the phenomenon of photochemical allotropy, is associated with a modification of the structure within the microenvironment of the residual AChE. The phenomenon depends on membrane integrity, and disappears after treatment of erythrocyte ghosts with ultrasound, trypsin, phospholipases and neuraminidase and remains unchanged in cholesterol-depleted membranes. The nature and localization of events responsible for this phenomenon are discussed. (author)

  12. Characterization of a major 31-kilodalton peptidoglycan-bound protein of Legionella pneumophila

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butler, C.A.; Hoffman, P.S.

    1990-01-01

    A 31-kilodalton (kDa) protein was solubilized from the peptidoglycan (PG) fraction of Legionella pneumophila after treatment with either N-acetylmuramidase from the fungus Chalaropsis sp. or with mutanolysin from Streptomyces globisporus. The protein exhibited a ladderlike banding pattern by autoradiography when radiolabeled [(35S]cysteine or [35S]methionine) PG material was extensively treated with hen lysozyme. The banding patterns ranging between 31 and 45 kDa and between 55 and 60 kDa resolved as a single 31-kDa protein when the material was subsequently treated with N-acetylmuramidase. Analysis of the purified 31-kDa protein for diaminopimelic acid by gas chromatography revealed 1 mol of diaminopimelic acid per mol of protein. When outer membrane PG material containing the major outer membrane porin protein was treated with N-acetylmuramidase or mutanolysin, both the 28.5-kDa major outer membrane protein and the 31-kDa protein were solubilized from the PG material under reducing conditions. In the absence of 2-mercaptoethanol, a high-molecular-mass complex (100 kDa) was resolved. The results of this study indicate that a 31-kDa PG-bound protein is a major component of the cell wall of L. pneumophila whose function may be to anchor the major outer membrane protein to PG. Finally, a survey of other Legionella species and other serogroups of L. pneumophila suggested that PG-bound proteins may be a common feature of this genus

  13. Properties of catalase-peroxidase lacking its C-terminal domain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baker, Ruletha D.; Cook, Carma O.; Goodwin, Douglas C.

    2004-01-01

    Catalase-peroxidases have a two-domain structure. The N-terminal domain contains the bifunctional active site, but the function of the C-terminal domain is unknown. We produced catalase-peroxidase containing only its N-terminal domain (KatG Nterm ). Removal of the C-terminal domain did not result in unexpected changes in secondary structure as evaluated by CD, but KatG Nterm had neither catalase nor peroxidase activity. Partial recovery of both activities was achieved by incubating KatG Nterm with the separately expressed and isolated KatG C-terminal domain. Spectroscopic measurements revealed a shift in heme environment from a mixture of high-spin species (wtKatG) to exclusively hexacoordinate, low-spin (KatG Nterm ). Moreover, a >1000-fold lower k on for CN - binding was observed for KatG Nterm . EPR spectra for KatG Nterm and the results of site-specific substitution of active site histidines suggested that the distal histidine was the sixth ligand. Thus, one important role for the C-terminal domain may be to support the architecture of the active site, preventing heme ligation by this catalytically essential residue

  14. Monitoring voltage-sensitive membrane impedance change using radio frequency interrogation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dharia, Sameera; Rabbitt, Richard D

    2010-01-01

    Here we present a new technique to monitor dynamic conformational changes in voltage-sensitive membrane-bound proteins using radio frequency (RF) impedance measurements. Xenopus oocytes were transfected to express ShakerB-IR K(+) ion channels, and step changes in membrane potential were applied using two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC). Simultaneously, bipolar extracellular electrodes were used to measure the RF electrical impedance across the cell (300 kHz - 1 MHz). RF current will either pass through the media, around the cell, or displace charge across the cell membrane. The change in displacement current in the cell membrane during voltage clamp resulted in measurable RF impedance change. RF impedance change during DC membrane depolarization was significantly greater in ShakerB-IR expressing oocytes than in endogenous controls at 300 kHz, 500 kHz and, to a lesser extent, 1 MHz. Since the RF were too high to modulate ShakerB-IR protein conformational state (e.g. open channel probability), impedance changes are interpreted as reflections of voltage-dependent protein conformation and associated biophysics such as ion-channel dipole interactions, fluctuations in bound water, or charged lipid head-group rotations.

  15. Evolution and development of model membranes for physicochemical and functional studies of the membrane lateral heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morigaki, Kenichi; Tanimoto, Yasushi

    2018-03-14

    One of the main questions in the membrane biology is the functional roles of membrane heterogeneity and molecular localization. Although segregation and local enrichment of protein/lipid components (rafts) have been extensively studied, the presence and functions of such membrane domains still remain elusive. Along with biochemical, cell observation, and simulation studies, model membranes are emerging as an important tool for understanding the biological membrane, providing quantitative information on the physicochemical properties of membrane proteins and lipids. Segregation of fluid lipid bilayer into liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases has been studied as a simplified model of raft in model membranes, including giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs), and supported lipid bilayers (SLB). Partition coefficients of membrane proteins between Lo and Ld phases were measured to gauze their affinities to lipid rafts (raftophilicity). One important development in model membrane is patterned SLB based on the microfabrication technology. Patterned Lo/Ld phases have been applied to study the partition and function of membrane-bound molecules. Quantitative information of individual molecular species attained by model membranes is critical for elucidating the molecular functions in the complex web of molecular interactions. The present review gives a short account of the model membranes developed for studying the lateral heterogeneity, especially focusing on patterned model membranes on solid substrates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Purification and characterization of peroxidase from avocado (Persea americana Mill, cv. Hass).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas-Reyes, José O; Robles-Olvera, Victor; Carvajal-Zarrabal, Octavio; Castro Matinez, Claudia; Waliszewski, Krzysztof N; Aguilar-Uscanga, María Guadalupe

    2014-07-01

    Avocado (Persea americana Mill, cv. Hass) fruit ranks tenth in terms of the most important products for Mexico. Avocado products are quite unstable due to the presence of oxidative enzymes such as polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase. The present study is to characterize the activity of purified avocado peroxidase from avocado in order to ascertain the biochemical and kinetic properties and their inhibition conditions. Purification was performed by Sephacryl S 200 HR gel filtration chromatography and its estimated molecular weight was 40 kDa. The zymogram showed an isoelectric point of 4.7. Six substrates were tested in order to ascertain the affinity of the enzyme for these substrates. The purified peroxidase was found to have low Km (0.296 mM) and high catalytic efficiency (2688 mM(-1) s(-1)) using 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), optimum activity being reached at 51°C, pH 3.8. The addition of dithiothreitol, β-mercaptoethanol, ascorbic acid, sodium azide, L-cysteine and Tween-20 had high inhibitory effects, while metals ions such as Cu(+), Fe(2+) and Mn(2+) had weak inhibitory activity on purified avocado peroxidase. The purified avocado peroxidase exhibits high inhibition (Ki = 0.37 µM) with 1.97 µM n-propyl gallate using ABTS as substrate at 51°C, pH 3.8 for 10 min. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Purification, characterization and stability of barley grain peroxidase BP1, a new type of plant peroxidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Christine B; Henriksen, Anette; Abelskov, A. Katrine

    1997-01-01

    peroxidase isoenzyme C (HRP C). However, when measuring the specific activity of BP 1 at pH 4.0 in the presence of 1 mM CaCl2, the enzyme was as competent as HRP C at neutral pH towards a variety of substrates (mM mg(-1) min(-1)): coniferyl alcohol (930+/-48), caffeic acid (795+/-53), ABTS (2,2(1)-azino...

  18. Changes in peroxidases associated with radiation-induced sprout inhibition in garlic (Allium sativum L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Croci, C.A.; Curvetto, N.R.; Orioli, G.A.; Arguello, J.A.

    1991-01-01

    The effects of an acute dose of γ-rays (10 Gy) to post-dormant garlic cloves on inner sprout growth and changes in peroxidases and soluble proteins were evaluated up to 100 days of storage in darkness at 19±1 0 C and 42±2% relative humidity. Radiation-induced inhibition of sprout growth became evident after 25 days of treatment and was synchronous with a marked increase in peroxidase activity. Thin-layer isoelectric focusing revealed that radiation induced an increase in the number of anodic peroxidase isoenzymes at 100 days, suggesting modifications in the vascularization process. Neither the soluble protein content nor the protein pattern were affected by irradiation. These results are discussed in terms of a possible mediating effect of peroxidase on radiation-induced sprout inhibition in garlic. (author)

  19. Changes in peroxidases associated with radiation-induced sprout inhibition in garlic (Allium sativum L. )

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Croci, C.A.; Curvetto, N.R.; Orioli, G.A. (Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahia Blanca (Argentina)); Arguello, J.A. (Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Argentina). Dept. de Biologia Aplicada)

    1991-02-01

    The effects of an acute dose of {gamma}-rays (10 Gy) to post-dormant garlic cloves on inner sprout growth and changes in peroxidases and soluble proteins were evaluated up to 100 days of storage in darkness at 19+-1{sup 0}C and 42+-2% relative humidity. Radiation-induced inhibition of sprout growth became evident after 25 days of treatment and was synchronous with a marked increase in peroxidase activity. Thin-layer isoelectric focusing revealed that radiation induced an increase in the number of anodic peroxidase isoenzymes at 100 days, suggesting modifications in the vascularization process. Neither the soluble protein content nor the protein pattern were affected by irradiation. These results are discussed in terms of a possible mediating effect of peroxidase on radiation-induced sprout inhibition in garlic. (author).

  20. Simple membrane-based model of the Min oscillator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petrášek, Zdeněk; Schwille, Petra

    2015-01-01

    Min proteins in E. coli bacteria organize into a dynamic pattern oscillating between the two cell poles. This process identifies the middle of the cell and enables symmetric cell division. In an experimental model system consisting of a flat membrane with effectively infinite supply of proteins and energy source, the Min proteins assemble into travelling waves. Here we propose a simple one-dimensional model of the Min dynamics that, unlike the existing models, reproduces the sharp decrease of Min concentration when the majority of protein detaches from the membrane, and even the narrow MinE maximum immediately preceding the detachment. The proposed model thus provides a possible mechanism for the formation of the MinE ring known from cells. The model is restricted to one dimension, with protein interactions described by chemical kinetics allowing at most bimolecular reactions, and explicitly considering only three, membrane-bound, species. The bulk solution above the membrane is approximated as being well-mixed, with constant concentrations of all species. Unlike other models, our proposal does not require autocatalytic binding of MinD to the membrane. Instead, it is assumed that two MinE molecules are necessary to induce the dissociation of the MinD dimer and its subsequent detachment from the membrane. We investigate which reaction schemes lead to unstable homogeneous steady states and limit cycle oscillations, and how diffusion affects their stability. The suggested model qualitatively describes the shape of the Min waves observed on flat membranes, and agrees with the experimental dependence of the wave period on the MinE concentration. These results highlight the importance of MinE presence on the membrane without being bound to MinD, and of the reactions of Min proteins on the membrane. (paper)

  1. Evaluation of Crude Oil Biodegradation Efficiency and Peroxidase ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADOWIE PERE

    Increase in biomass enhanced degradation efficiency above 80 % after 10 days for all concentration of crude oil studied. Peroxidase ... compounds by various bacteria and fungi (Gianfreda et al, 1999) ... into a clean plastic container. Microbial.

  2. Peroxidase-Mimicking Nanozyme with Enhanced Activity and High Stability Based on Metal-Support Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhihao; Yang, Xiangdong; Yang, Yanbing; Tan, Yaning; He, Yue; Liu, Meng; Liu, Xinwen; Yuan, Quan

    2018-01-09

    Peroxidase-mimicking nanozymes offer unique advantages in terms of high stability and low cost over natural peroxidase for applications in bioanalysis, biomedicine, and the treatment of pollution. However, the design of high-efficiency peroxidase-mimicking nanozymes remains a great challenge. In this study, we adopted a structural-design approach through hybridization of cube-CeO 2 and Pt nanoparticles to create a new peroxidase-mimicking nanozyme with high efficiency and excellent stability. Relative to pure cube-CeO 2 and Pt nanoparticles, the as-hybridized Pt/cube-CeO 2 nanocomposites display much improved activities because of the strong metal-support interaction. Meanwhile, the nanocomposites also maintain high catalytic activity after long-term storage and multiple recycling. Based on their excellent properties, Pt/cube-CeO 2 nanocomposites were used to construct high-performance colorimetric biosensors for the sensitive detection of metabolites, including H 2 O 2 and glucose. Our findings highlight opportunities for the development of high-efficiency peroxidase-mimicking nanozymes with potential applications such as diagnostics, biomedicine, and the treatment of pollution. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. In silico molecular modeling and docking studies on the leishmanial tryparedoxin peroxidase

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozal Mutlu

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Leishmaniasis is one of the most common form of neglected parasitic disease that affects about 350 million people worldwide. Leishmanias have a trypanothione mediated hydroperoxide metabolism to eliminate endogenous or exogenous oxidative agents. Both of 2-Cys peroxiredoxin (Prx and glutathione peroxidase type tryparedoxin peroxidase (Px are the terminal enzymes in the trypanothione dependent detoxification system. Therefore absence of trypanothione redox system in mammals and the sensitivity of trypanosomatids against oxidative stress, enzymes of this pathway are drug targets candidates. In this study, 3D structure of tryparedoxin peroxidase (2-Cys peroxiredoxin type from Leishmania donovani (LdTXNPx was described by homology modeling method based on the template of tryparedoxin peroxidase from Crithidia fasciculata and selected compounds were docked to the active site pocket. The quality of the 3D structure of the model was confirmed by various web based validation programs. When compared secondary and tertiary structure of the model, it showed a typical thioredoxin fold containing a central beta-sheet and three alpha-helices. Docking study showed that the selected compound 2 (CID 16073813 interacted with the active site amino acids and binding energy was -118.675 kcal/mol.

  4. Cloning and characterization of an ascorbate peroxidase gene ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. NJ TONUKARI

    2012-05-29

    May 29, 2012 ... Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to explore expression patterns of. MaAPX1 in ... and the activity of a number of enzymatic systems, including ... peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase and catalase.

  5. The glucose oxidase-peroxidase assay for glucose

    Science.gov (United States)

    The glucose oxidase-peroxidase assay for glucose has served as a very specific, sensitive, and repeatable assay for detection of glucose in biological samples. It has been used successfully for analysis of glucose in samples from blood and urine, to analysis of glucose released from starch or glycog...

  6. 21 CFR 864.7675 - Leukocyte peroxidase test.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Leukocyte peroxidase test. 864.7675 Section 864.7675 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Hematology Kits and Packages § 864.7675 Leukocyte...

  7. Peroxidase-catalyzed stabilization of 2,4-dichlorophenol in alkali-extracted soils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palomo, Mónica; Bhandari, Alok

    2011-01-01

    Horseradish peroxidase- (HRP) mediated stabilization of phenolic contaminants is a topic of interest due to its potential for remediation of contaminated soils. This study evaluated the sorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) and its HRP-mediated stabilization in two alkali-extracted soils. Alkali extraction reduced the soil organic matter (SOM) contents of the geomaterials and enriched the residual SOM with humin C. Sorption of DCP on these sorbents was complete within 1 d. However, most of the sorbed DCP was removed from the geomaterials by water and methanol, suggesting weak solute-sorbent interactions. The addition of HRP resulted in the generation of DCP polymerization products (DPP), which partitioned between the aqueous and solid phases. The DPP phase distribution was rapid and complete within 24 h. Between 70 and 90% of the added DCP was converted to DPP and up to 43% of the initial aqueous phase contaminant was transformed into a residue that was resistant to extraction with methanol. Bound residues of DPP increased with initial aqueous phase solute concentration and remained fairly constant after 7 d of contact. Contaminant stabilization was noted to be high in the humin-mineral geomaterial. Results illustrate that HRP may be effective in stabilizing phenolic contaminants in subsoils that are likely to contain SOM enriched in humin C.

  8. Raman Spectroscopy of Conformational Changes in Membrane-Bound Sodium Potassium ATPase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Helix Nielsen, Claus; Abdali, Salim; Lundbæk, Jens August

    2007-01-01

    In this investigation we assess the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for probing conformational changes in membrane-spanning proteins — in this case, the sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na+,K+-ATPase). Spectral analysis of protein-lipid complexes is complicated by the presence...

  9. Towards uncovering the roles of switchgrass peroxidases in plant processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aaron eSaathoff

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Herbaceous perennial plants selected as potential biofuel feedstocks had been understudied at the genomic and functional genomic levels. Recent investments, primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy, have led to the development of a number of molecular resources for bioenergy grasses, such as the partially annotated genome for switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L., and some related diploid species. In its current version, the switchgrass genome contains 65,878 gene models arising from the A and B genomes of this tetraploid grass. The availability of these gene sequences provides a framework to exploit transcriptomic data obtained from next generation sequencing platforms to address questions of biological importance. One such question pertains to discovery of genes and proteins important for biotic and abiotic stress responses, and how these components might affect biomass quality and stress response in plants engineered for a specific end purpose. It can be expected that production of switchgrass on marginal lands will expose plants to diverse stresses, including herbivory by insects. Class III plant peroxidases have been implicated in many developmental responses such as lignification and in the adaptive responses of plants to insect feeding. Here, we have analyzed the class III peroxidases encoded by the switchgrass genome, and have mined available transcriptomic datasets to develop a first understanding of the expression profiles of the class III peroxidases in different plant tissues. Lastly, we have identified switchgrass peroxidases that appear to be orthologs of enzymes shown to play key roles in lignification and plant defense responses to hemipterans.

  10. Membrane proteins bind lipids selectively to modulate their structure and function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laganowsky, Arthur; Reading, Eamonn; Allison, Timothy M; Ulmschneider, Martin B; Degiacomi, Matteo T; Baldwin, Andrew J; Robinson, Carol V

    2014-06-05

    Previous studies have established that the folding, structure and function of membrane proteins are influenced by their lipid environments and that lipids can bind to specific sites, for example, in potassium channels. Fundamental questions remain however regarding the extent of membrane protein selectivity towards lipids. Here we report a mass spectrometry approach designed to determine the selectivity of lipid binding to membrane protein complexes. We investigate the mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and aquaporin Z (AqpZ) and the ammonia channel (AmtB) from Escherichia coli, using ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS), which reports gas-phase collision cross-sections. We demonstrate that folded conformations of membrane protein complexes can exist in the gas phase. By resolving lipid-bound states, we then rank bound lipids on the basis of their ability to resist gas phase unfolding and thereby stabilize membrane protein structure. Lipids bind non-selectively and with high avidity to MscL, all imparting comparable stability; however, the highest-ranking lipid is phosphatidylinositol phosphate, in line with its proposed functional role in mechanosensation. AqpZ is also stabilized by many lipids, with cardiolipin imparting the most significant resistance to unfolding. Subsequently, through functional assays we show that cardiolipin modulates AqpZ function. Similar experiments identify AmtB as being highly selective for phosphatidylglycerol, prompting us to obtain an X-ray structure in this lipid membrane-like environment. The 2.3 Å resolution structure, when compared with others obtained without lipid bound, reveals distinct conformational changes that re-position AmtB residues to interact with the lipid bilayer. Our results demonstrate that resistance to unfolding correlates with specific lipid-binding events, enabling a distinction to be made between lipids that merely bind from those that modulate membrane

  11. The Membrane Modulates Internal Proton Transfer in Cytochrome c Oxidase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Öjemyr, Linda Nasvik; Ballmoos, Christoph von; Faxén, Kristina

    2012-01-01

    The functionality of membrane proteins is often modulated by the surrounding membrane. Here, we investigated the effect of membrane reconstitution of purified cytochrome c oxidase (CytcO) on the kinetics and thermodynamics of internal electron and proton-transfer reactions during O-2 reduction...... DOPC lipids. In conclusion, the data show that the membrane significantly modulates internal charge-transfer reactions and thereby the function of the membrane-bound enzyme.......-glycerol) (DOPG). In addition, a small Change in the internal Cu-A-heme a electron equilibrium constant was observed. This effect was lipid-dependent and explained in terms of a lower electrostatic potential within the membrane-spanning part of the protein with the anionic DOPG lipids than with the zwitterionic...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  13. Binding of 18F by cell membranes and cell walls of Streptococcus mutans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yotis, W.W.; Zeb, M.; McNulty, J.; Kirchner, F.; Reilly, C.; Glendenin, L.

    1983-01-01

    The binding of 18 F to isolated cell membranes and cell walls of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 or other bacteria was assayed. The attachment of 18 F to these cell envelopes proceeded slowly and reached equilibrium within 60 min. 18 F binding was stimulated by Ca 2+ (1 mM). The binding of 18 F to cellular components was dependent upon the pH, as well as the amount of 18 F and dose of the binder employed. The binding of 18 F by cell walls prepared from fluoride-sensitive and fluoride-resistant cells of S. salivarius and S. mutans did not differ significantly. The pretreatment of cell walls or cell membranes for 60 min at 30 degrees C with 1 mg of RNase, DNase, or trypsin per ml did not influence the binding of 18 F by the walls and membranes of S. mutans GS-5. However, prior exposure of cell membranes to sodium dodecyl sulfate caused a significant reduction in the number of 18 F atoms bound by the membranes. In saturated assay systems, cell membranes of S. mutans GS-5 bound 10(15) to 10(16) atoms of 18 F per mg (dry weight), whereas cell walls from S. mutans GS-5, FA-1, and HS-6 or Actinomyces viscosus T14V and T14AV bound 10(12) to 10(13) atoms of 18 F per mg (dry weight). 18 F in this quantity (10(12) to 10(13) atoms) cannot be detected with the fluoride electrode. The data provide, for the first time, a demonstration of 18 F binding by cell membranes and walls of oral flora

  14. Degradation of disperse dye from textile effluent by free and immobilized Cucurbita pepo peroxidase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boucherit, N.; Abouseoud, M.; Adour, L.

    2012-06-01

    Disperse dyes constitute the largest group of dyes used in local textile industry. This work evaluates the potential of the Cucurbita peroxidase(C-peroxidase) extracted from courgette in the decolourization of disperse dye in free and immobilized form. The optimal conditions for immobilization of C-peroxidase in Ca-alginate were identified. The immobilization was optimized at 2%(w/v) of sodium alginate and 0.2 M of calcium chloride. After optimization of treatment parameters, the results indicate that at pH 2, dye concentration: 80 mg/L(for FCP) and 180 mg/L(for ICP), H2O2 dose: 0,02M (for FCP) and 0,12M(for ICP), the decolourization by free and immobilized C-peroxidase were 72.02% and 69.71 % respectively. The degradation pathway and the metabolic products formed after the degradation were also predicted using UV-vis spectroscopy analysis.

  15. Lipid nanotechnologies for structural studies of membrane-associated proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stoilova-McPhie, Svetla; Grushin, Kirill; Dalm, Daniela; Miller, Jaimy

    2014-11-01

    We present a methodology of lipid nanotubes (LNT) and nanodisks technologies optimized in our laboratory for structural studies of membrane-associated proteins at close to physiological conditions. The application of these lipid nanotechnologies for structure determination by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is fundamental for understanding and modulating their function. The LNTs in our studies are single bilayer galactosylceramide based nanotubes of ∼20 nm inner diameter and a few microns in length, that self-assemble in aqueous solutions. The lipid nanodisks (NDs) are self-assembled discoid lipid bilayers of ∼10 nm diameter, which are stabilized in aqueous solutions by a belt of amphipathic helical scaffold proteins. By combining LNT and ND technologies, we can examine structurally how the membrane curvature and lipid composition modulates the function of the membrane-associated proteins. As proof of principle, we have engineered these lipid nanotechnologies to mimic the activated platelet's phosphtaidylserine rich membrane and have successfully assembled functional membrane-bound coagulation factor VIII in vitro for structure determination by cryo-EM. The macromolecular organization of the proteins bound to ND and LNT are further defined by fitting the known atomic structures within the calculated three-dimensional maps. The combination of LNT and ND technologies offers a means to control the design and assembly of a wide range of functional membrane-associated proteins and complexes for structural studies by cryo-EM. The presented results confirm the suitability of the developed methodology for studying the functional structure of membrane-associated proteins, such as the coagulation factors, at a close to physiological environment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. The Ustilago maydis effector Pep1 suppresses plant immunity by inhibition of host peroxidase activity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christoph Hemetsberger

    Full Text Available The corn smut Ustilago maydis establishes a biotrophic interaction with its host plant maize. This interaction requires efficient suppression of plant immune responses, which is attributed to secreted effector proteins. Previously we identified Pep1 (Protein essential during penetration-1 as a secreted effector with an essential role for U. maydis virulence. pep1 deletion mutants induce strong defense responses leading to an early block in pathogenic development of the fungus. Using cytological and functional assays we show that Pep1 functions as an inhibitor of plant peroxidases. At sites of Δpep1 mutant penetrations, H₂O₂ strongly accumulated in the cell walls, coinciding with a transcriptional induction of the secreted maize peroxidase POX12. Pep1 protein effectively inhibited the peroxidase driven oxidative burst and thereby suppresses the early immune responses of maize. Moreover, Pep1 directly inhibits peroxidases in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. Using fluorescence complementation assays, we observed a direct interaction of Pep1 and the maize peroxidase POX12 in vivo. Functional relevance of this interaction was demonstrated by partial complementation of the Δpep1 mutant defect by virus induced gene silencing of maize POX12. We conclude that Pep1 acts as a potent suppressor of early plant defenses by inhibition of peroxidase activity. Thus, it represents a novel strategy for establishing a biotrophic interaction.

  17. Horseradish peroxidase-nanoclay hybrid particles of high functional and colloidal stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlovic, Marko; Rouster, Paul; Somosi, Zoltan; Szilagyi, Istvan

    2018-08-15

    Highly stable dispersions of enzyme-clay nanohybrids of excellent horseradish peroxidase activity were developed. Layered double hydroxide nanoclay was synthesized and functionalized with heparin polyelectrolyte to immobilize the horseradish peroxidase enzyme. The formation of a saturated heparin layer on the platelets led to charge inversion of the positively charged bare nanoclay and to highly stable aqueous dispersions. Great affinity of the enzyme to the surface modified platelets resulted in strong horseradish peroxidase adsorption through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions as well as hydrogen bonding network and prevented enzyme leakage from the obtained material. The enzyme kept its functional integrity upon immobilization and showed excellent activity in decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and oxidation of an aromatic compound in the test reactions. In addition, remarkable long term functional stability of the enzyme-nanoclay hybrid was observed making the developed colloidal system a promising antioxidant candidate in biomedical treatments and industrial processes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. REDOR NMR Reveals Multiple Conformers for a Protein Kinase C Ligand in a Membrane Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao Yang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Bryostatin 1 (henceforth bryostatin is in clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and for HIV/AIDS eradication. It is also a preclinical lead for cancer immunotherapy and other therapeutic indications. Yet nothing is known about the conformation of bryostatin bound to its protein kinase C (PKC target in a membrane microenvironment. As a result, efforts to design more efficacious, better tolerated, or more synthetically accessible ligands have been limited to structures that do not include PKC or membrane effects known to influence PKC–ligand binding. This problem extends more generally to many membrane-associated proteins in the human proteome. Here, we use rotational-echo double-resonance (REDOR solid-state NMR to determine the conformations of PKC modulators bound to the PKCδ-C1b domain in the presence of phospholipid vesicles. The conformationally limited PKC modulator phorbol diacetate (PDAc is used as an initial test substrate. While unanticipated partitioning of PDAc between an immobilized protein-bound state and a mobile state in the phospholipid assembly was observed, a single conformation in the bound state was identified. In striking contrast, a bryostatin analogue (bryolog was found to exist exclusively in a protein-bound state, but adopts a distribution of conformations as defined by three independent distance measurements. The detection of multiple PKCδ-C1b-bound bryolog conformers in a functionally relevant phospholipid complex reveals the inherent dynamic nature of cellular systems that is not captured with single-conformation static structures. These results indicate that binding, selectivity, and function of PKC modulators, as well as the design of new modulators, are best addressed using a dynamic multistate model, an analysis potentially applicable to other membrane-associated proteins.

  19. Krypton Derivatization of an O2 -Tolerant Membrane-Bound [NiFe] Hydrogenase Reveals a Hydrophobic Tunnel Network for Gas Transport.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalms, Jacqueline; Schmidt, Andrea; Frielingsdorf, Stefan; van der Linden, Peter; von Stetten, David; Lenz, Oliver; Carpentier, Philippe; Scheerer, Patrick

    2016-04-25

    [NiFe] hydrogenases are metalloenzymes catalyzing the reversible heterolytic cleavage of hydrogen into protons and electrons. Gas tunnels make the deeply buried active site accessible to substrates and inhibitors. Understanding the architecture and function of the tunnels is pivotal to modulating the feature of O2 tolerance in a subgroup of these [NiFe] hydrogenases, as they are interesting for developments in renewable energy technologies. Here we describe the crystal structure of the O2 -tolerant membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenase of Ralstonia eutropha (ReMBH), using krypton-pressurized crystals. The positions of the krypton atoms allow a comprehensive description of the tunnel network within the enzyme. A detailed overview of tunnel sizes, lengths, and routes is presented from tunnel calculations. A comparison of the ReMBH tunnel characteristics with crystal structures of other O2 -tolerant and O2 -sensitive [NiFe] hydrogenases revealed considerable differences in tunnel size and quantity between the two groups, which might be related to the striking feature of O2 tolerance. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Expression, purification and characterization of a peroxidase from ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Yomi

    2012-01-24

    Jan 24, 2012 ... from a cDNA library, which was generated from root tissue of Tamarix hispida that was exposed to ... enzymes, peroxidase (POD) plays an important role in .... ThPOD1 protein under various conditions, 3 month old T. hispida.

  1. Ligninolytic enzymes of the fungus Irpex lacteus (Polyporus tulipiferae): isolation and characterization of lignin peroxidase

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rothschild, N.; Novotný, Čeněk; Šašek, Václav; Dosoretz, C. G.

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 31, - (2002), s. 627-633 ISSN 0141-0229 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5020903 Keywords : lignin * peroxidase * heme peroxidase Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 1.773, year: 2002

  2. A membrane-based immunosensor for the analysis of the herbicide isoproturon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baskeyfield, Damian E H; Davis, Frank; Magan, Naresh; Tothill, Ibtisam E

    2011-08-12

    A membrane based heterogeneous competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used in this work to develop an immunosensor for the detection of a common herbicide, isoproturon. A screen-printed carbon working electrode with carbon counter and silver-silver chloride pseudo-reference electrode was utilized incorporating a membrane fixed into intimate contact with the working electrode to facilitate signal transduction. The membrane containing an immobilized isoproturon-ovalbumin conjugate was laminated onto the carbon working electrode and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled polyclonal antibody was then applied for the competitive assay. Two different amperometric systems, hydroquinone and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) mediation reduction were utilised and the properties of the resultant sensors were compared. A flow injection apparatus was also developed utilising the immunosensor. Limits of detection for isoproturon (LLD(90)) were found to be as low as 0.84 ng mL(-1). The senor was also validated using spiked extracted soil samples and also isoproturon contaminated samples. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Time-dependent association between platelet-bound fibrinogen and the Triton X-100 insoluble cytoskeleton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peerschke, E.I.

    1991-01-01

    Previous studies indicated a correlation between the formation of EDTA-resistant (irreversible) platelet-fibrinogen interactions and platelet cytoskeleton formation. The present study explored the direct association of membrane-bound fibrinogen with the Triton X-100 insoluble cytoskeleton of aspirin-treated, gel-filtered platelets, activated but not aggregated with 20 mumol/L adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or 150 mU/mL human thrombin (THR) when bound fibrinogen had become resistant to dissociation by EDTA. Conversion of exogenous 125I-fibrinogen to fibrin was prevented by adding Gly-Pro-Arg and neutralizing THR with hirudin before initiating binding studies. After 60 minutes at 22 degrees C, the cytoskeleton of ADP-treated platelets contained 20% +/- 12% (mean +/- SD, n = 14) of membrane-bound 125I-fibrinogen, representing 10% to 50% of EDTA-resistant fibrinogen binding. The THR-activated cytoskeleton contained 45% +/- 15% of platelet bound fibrinogen, comprising 80% to 100% of EDTA-resistant fibrinogen binding. 125I-fibrinogen was not recovered with platelet cytoskeletons if binding was inhibited by the RGDS peptide, excess unlabeled fibrinogen, or disruption of the glycoprotein (GP) IIb-IIIa complex by EDTA-treatment. Both development of EDTA-resistant fibrinogen binding and fibrinogen association with the cytoskeleton were time dependent and reached maxima 45 to 60 minutes after fibrinogen binding to stimulated platelets. Although a larger cytoskeleton formed after platelet stimulation with thrombin as compared with ADP, no change in cytoskeleton composition was noted with development of EDTA-resistant fibrinogen binding

  4. The ER in 3-D: a multifunctional dynamic membrane network

    OpenAIRE

    Friedman, Jonathan R.; Voeltz, Gia K.

    2011-01-01

    The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a large, singular, membrane-bound organelle that has an elaborate 3-D structure with a diversity of structural domains. It contains regions that are flat and cisternal, ones that are highly curved and tubular, and others adapted to form contact with nearly every other organelle and with the plasma membrane. ER 3-D structure is determined by both integral ER membrane proteins and by interactions with the cytoskeleton. Here, we describe some of the factors that...

  5. [Isolation and purification of Mn-peroxidase from Azospirillum brasilense Sp245].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kupriashina, M A; Selivanov, N Iu; Nikitina, V E

    2012-01-01

    Homogenous Mn-peroxidase of a 26-fold purity grade was isolated from a culture of Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 cultivated on a medium containing 0.1 mM pyrocatechol. The molecular weight of the enzyme is 43 kD as revealed by electrophoresis in SDS-PAAG. It was shown that the use of pyrocatechol and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzotiazoline-6-sulfonate) at concentrations of 0.1 and I mM as inductors increased the Mn-peroxidase activity by a factor of 3.

  6. Peroxidase and lipid peroxidation of soybean roots in response to p-coumaric and p-hydroxybenzoic acids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrícia Minatovicz F. Doblinski

    2003-03-01

    Full Text Available The scope of the present study was to investigate how the p-coumaric (p-CA and p-hydroxybenzoic (p-HD acids affect the peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7 activity, the lipid peroxidation (LP and the root growth of soybean (Glycine max (L. Merr.. Three-day-old seedlings were cultivated in nutrient solution containing p-CA or p-HD (0.1 to 1 mM for 48 h. After uptake, both compounds (at 0.5 and 1 mM decreased root length (RL, fresh weight (FW and dry weight (DW while increased soluble POD activity, cell wall (CW-bound POD activity (with 1 mM p-CA and 0.5 mM p-HD and LP.A proposta do presente trabalho foi investigar como os ácidos p-cumárico (p-CA e p-hidroxibenzóico (p-HD afetam a atividade da peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7, a peroxidação lipídica (LP e o crescimento de raízes de soja (Glycine max (L. Merr.. Plântulas de três dias foram cultivadas em solução nutritiva com p-CA ou p-HD (0,1 a 1 mM por 48 horas. Após absorção, ambos os compostos (a 0,5 e 1 mM reduziram o comprimento das raízes (RL, a biomassa fresca (FW e a biomassa seca (DW enquanto aumentaram a atividade da POD solúvel, a atividade da POD ligada à parede celular (com p-CA 1 mM e p-HD 0,5 mM, e a LP.

  7. Urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jiana; Huang, Min; Cao, Fangbo; Pardha-Saradhi, P; Zou, Yingbin

    2017-01-01

    A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of urea on nitrogen metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla pinnata. Compared to controls, the application of urea to A. pinnata resulted in a 44% decrease in nitrogenase activity, no significant change in glutamine synthetase activity, 660% higher glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, 39% increase in free amino acid levels, 22% increase in malondialdehyde levels, 21% increase in Na+/K+- levels, 16% increase in Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase levels, and 11% decrease in superoxide dismutase activity. In terms of H2O2 detoxifying enzymes, peroxidase activity did not change and catalase activity increased by 64% in urea-treated A. pinnata. These findings suggest that urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in A. pinnata.

  8. Purification and characterization of an intracellular peroxidase from Streptomyces cyaneus.

    OpenAIRE

    Mliki, A; Zimmermann, W

    1992-01-01

    An intracellular peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) from Streptomyces cyaneus was purified to homogeneity. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 185,000 and was composed of two subunits of equal size. It had an isoelectric point of 6.1. The enzyme had a peroxidase activity toward o-dianisidine with a Km of 17.8 microM and a pH optimum of 5.0. It also showed catalase activity with a Km of 2.07 mM H2O2 and a pH optimum of 8.0. The purified enzyme did not catalyze C alpha-C beta bond cleavage of 1,3-dihydr...

  9. LOCALIZATION OF POLYSOME-BOUND ALBUMIN AND SERINE DEHYDRATASE IN RAT LIVER CELL FRACTIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikehara, Yukio; Pitot, Henry C.

    1973-01-01

    The polysomes involved in albumin and serine dehydratase synthesis were identified and localized by the binding to rat liver polysomes of anti-rat serum albumin and anti-serine dehydratase [125I]Fab dimer and monomer. Techniques were developed for the isolation of undegraded free and membrane-bound polysomes and for the preparation of [125I]Fab monomers and dimers from the IgG obtained from the antisera to the two proteins, rat serum albumin and serine dehydratase. The distribution of anti-rat serum albumin [125I]Fab dimer in the polysome profile is in accordance with the size of polysomes that are expected to be synthesizing albumin. By direct precipitation, it has been demonstrated that nascent chains isolated from the membrane-bound polysomes by puromycin were precipitated by anti-rat serum albumin-IgG at a level of 5–6 times those released from free polysomes. Anti-rat serum albumin-[125I]Fab dimer reacted with membrane-bound polysomes almost exclusively compared to the binding of nonimmune, control [125I]Fab dimer; a significant degree of binding of anti-rat serum albumin-[125I]Fab to free polysomes was also obtained. The [125I]Fab dimer made from normal control rabbit serum does not react with polysomes from liver at all and this preparation will not interact with polysomes extracted from tissues that do not synthesize rat serum albumin. Both anti-serine dehydratase-[125I]Fab monomer and dimer react with free and bound polysomes from livers of animals fed a chow diet or those fed a high 90% protein diet and given glucagon. In the latter instance, however, it is clear that the majority of the binding occurs to the bound polysomes. Furthermore, the specificity of this reaction may be further shown by the use of kidney polysomes that do not normally synthesize serine dehydratase. When these latter polysomes are isolated, even after the addition of crude and purified serine dehydratase, no reaction with anti-serine dehydratase-Fab fragments could be

  10. Induction of 33-kD and 60-kD peroxidases during ethylene-induced senescence of cucumber cotyledons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abeles, F.B.; Dunn, L.J.; Morgens, P.; Callahan, A.; Dinterman, R.E.; Schmidt, J.

    1988-01-01

    Ethylene enhanced the senescence of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv Poinsett 76) cotyledons. The effect of 10 microliters per liter ethylene was inhibited by 1 millimolar silver thiosulfate, an inhibitor of ethylene action. An increase in proteins with molecular weights of 33 to 30 kilodaltons and lower molecular weights (25, 23, 20, 16, 12 and 10 kilodaltons) were observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels after ethylene enhanced senescence. The measurement of DNase and RNase activity in gels indicated that these new proteins were not nucleases. Two proteins from ethylene-treated cotyledons were purified on the basis of their association with a red chromaphore and subsequently were identified as peroxidases. The molecular weights and isoelectric points (pI) of two of these peroxidases were 33 kilodaltons (cationic, pI = 8.9) and 60 kilodaltons (anionic, pI = 4.0). The observation that [ 35 S]Na 2 SO 4 was incorporated into these proteins during ethylene-enhanced senescence suggests that these peroxidases represent newly synthesized proteins. Antibodies to the 33-kilodalton peroxidase precipitated two in vitro translation products from RNA isolated from ethylene-treated but not from control cucumber seedlings. This indicates that the increase in 33-kilodalton peroxidase activity represents de novo protein synthesis. Both forms of peroxidase degraded chlorophyll in vitro, which is consistent with the hypothesis that peroxidases have catabolic or scavenging functions in senescent tissues

  11. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Hyunbum; Banerjee, Avik; Chavan, Tanmay S; Lu, Shaoyong; Zhang, Jian; Gaponenko, Vadim; Nussinov, Ruth

    2016-04-01

    Is nucleotide exchange sufficient to activate K-Ras4B? To signal, oncogenic rat sarcoma (Ras) anchors in the membrane and recruits effectors by exposing its effector lobe. With the use of NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we observed that in solution, farnesylated guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP)-bound K-Ras4B is predominantly autoinhibited by its hypervariable region (HVR), whereas the GTP-bound state favors an activated, HVR-released state. On the anionic membrane, the catalytic domain adopts multiple orientations, including parallel (∼180°) and perpendicular (∼90°) alignments of the allosteric helices, with respect to the membrane surface direction. In the autoinhibited state, the HVR is sandwiched between the effector lobe and the membrane; in the active state, with membrane-anchored farnesyl and unrestrained HVR, the catalytic domain fluctuates reinlessly, exposing its effector-binding site. Dimerization and clustering can reduce the fluctuations. This achieves preorganized, productive conformations. Notably, we also observe HVR-autoinhibited K-Ras4B-GTP states, with GDP-bound-like orientations of the helices. Thus, we propose that the GDP/GTP exchange may not be sufficient for activation; instead, our results suggest that the GDP/GTP exchange, HVR sequestration, farnesyl insertion, and orientation/localization of the catalytic domain at the membrane conjointly determine the active or inactive state of K-Ras4B. Importantly, K-Ras4B-GTP can exist in active and inactive states; on its own, GTP binding may not compel K-Ras4B activation.-Jang, H., Banerjee, A., Chavan, T. S, Lu, S., Zhang, J., Gaponenko, V., Nussinov, R. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane. © FASEB.

  12. Flow-alignment of bicellar lipid mixtures: orientations of probe molecules and membrane-associated biomacromolecules in lipid membranes studied with polarized light

    KAUST Repository

    Kogan, Maxim; Beke-Somfai, Tamá s; Nordé n, Bengt

    2011-01-01

    Bicelles are excellent membrane-mimicking hosts for a dynamic and structural study of solutes with NMR, but the magnetic fields required for their alignment are hard to apply to optical conditions. Here we demonstrate that bicellar mixtures can be aligned by shear forces in a Couette flow cell, to provide orientation of membrane-bound retinoic acid, pyrene and cytochrome c (cyt c) protein, conveniently studied with linear dichroism spectroscopy. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  13. Assessing two different peroxidases´ potential for application in recalcitrant organic compound bioremediation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelson Caicedo

    2001-07-01

    Full Text Available This work shows the promising future presented by the following enzymes: Chloroperoxidase (CPO from Caldariomyces fumago and royal palm peroxidase (Roystonea regia, PPR. These peroxidases were obtained from different sources (microbial and vegetable and used as biocatalysts for applicating them in bioremediation of recalcitrant organic compounds. Each one of the enzymes' peroxidase catalytic activity was evaluated in organic phase systems, using different model compounds such as: PAHs (pyrene and anthracene, organic-nitrogenated compounds (diphenylamine, monoaromatic phenolic molecules (guayacol and dyes (methyl orange and ABTS. The reaction systems were composed of mono-phase water mixtures and organic miscible solvent (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethyl formamide, on which both peroxidases' catalytic activity was evaluated. The two enzymes' catalytic activity was observed on the evaluated substrates in most of these assays. However, PPR did not show biocatalytic oxidation for methyl orange dye and some PAHs. This enzyme did show the best tolerance to the evaluated solvents. Its catalytic activity was appreciably enhanced when low hydrophobic solvents were used. The kcat was calculated from this experimental data (as kinetic parameter leading to each enzyme's biocatalytic performance on substrates being compared.

  14. Molecular Modeling of Peroxidase and Polyphenol Oxidase: Substrate Specificity and Active Site Comparison

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lalida Shank

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Peroxidases (POD and polyphenol oxidase (PPO are enzymes that are well known to be involved in the enzymatic browning reaction of fruits and vegetables with different catalytic mechanisms. Both enzymes have some common substrates, but each also has its specific substrates. In our computational study, the amino acid sequence of grape peroxidase (ABX was used for the construction of models employing homology modeling method based on the X-ray structure of cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase from pea (PDB ID:1APX, whereas the model of grape polyphenol oxidase was obtained directly from the available X-ray structure (PDB ID:2P3X. Molecular docking of common substrates of these two enzymes was subsequently studied. It was found that epicatechin and catechin exhibited high affinity with both enzymes, even though POD and PPO have different binding pockets regarding the size and the key amino acids involved in binding. Predicted binding modes of substrates with both enzymes were also compared. The calculated docking interaction energy of trihydroxybenzoic acid related compounds shows high affinity, suggesting specificity and potential use as common inhibitor to grape ascorbate peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase.

  15. Assessment of Behavior of Rice Root Peroxidase in the Presence of Silver Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammadzade

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs can change proteins function and structure. The increased production and high surface reactivity of silver nanoparticles, has interested researchers to study the interactions of these particles with biomolecules. Objectives The present study aimed to show the effects of AgNPs on rice plant root peroxidase enzyme and the interaction quality between silver nanoparticles and the enzyme. Materials and Methods Extracted peroxidase enzyme of rice plant root was treated by AgNPs at concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 80, 100mg/L for 2, 7 and 24 hours. The experiment was done with 15 treatments for measuring the peroxidase enzyme activity using the spectrophotometry method at a wavelength of 470. Results Low concentrations of AgNPs and short incubation times can have the maximum positive impact on the peroxidase activity, and in the present study the highest activity was seen at a concentration of 40 mg/L and two hours of incubation time. Conclusions This study suggests that changes of enzyme activity can occur as a result of the effect of silver nanoparticles on enzyme conformation, increase of reactive environment pH, and amount of substrate and enzyme stability.

  16. Impact of osmotic stress on seedling growth observations, membrane characteristics and antioxidant defense system of different wheat genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bardees M. Mickky

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the present study was to find out a straightforward technique for screening the tolerance of ten wheat genotypes to two levels of osmotic stress at early seedling stage. Data revealed that polyethylene glycol-induced drought had general negative effect on seedling morphological characters indicated by plumule and radicle length, number of adventitious roots as well as seedling biomass and water content. Water deficit could also suppress membrane integrity by stimulating lipid peroxidation with marked increase in membrane leakage and subsequent decrease in its stability index. For all the addressed germination parameters and seedling membrane features, the impact of severe drought was more pronounced than that of moderate drought. Simultaneously, moderate stress could activate peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and ascorbic peroxidase of the studied genotypes; but these enzymes were inhibited by severe stress. The activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase was conversely retarded by drought whether at moderate or severe level. More interestingly, a novel function “Stress Impact Index; SII” was introduced to rank the estimated morpho-physiological traits (SIItrait as well as the considered genotypes (SIIgenotype according to their sensitivity to stress. Values of SIItrait implied that germination parameters were generally affected by drought more intensively than membrane characteristics and finally came the antioxidant enzymes with the least degree of suppression when applying stress. Based on the magnitudes of SIIgenotype, Sids 13 seemed to be the most drought-tolerant wheat cultivar while Shandawel 1 could be the most sensitive one at their juvenile growth stage.

  17. Fibronectin binding to gangliosides and rat liver plasma membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matyas, G R; Evers, D C; Radinsky, R; Morre, D J

    1986-02-01

    Binding of fibronectins to gangliosides was tested directly using several different in vitro models. Using an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), gangliosides were immobilized on polystyrene tubes and relative binding of fibronectin was estimated by alkaline phosphatase activity of conjugated second antibody. Above a critical ganglioside concentration, the gangliosides bound the fibronectin (G/sub T1b/ approx. = G/sub D1b/ approx. = G/sub D1a/ > G/sub M1/ >> G/sub M2/ approx. = G/sub D3/ approx. = G/sub M3/) in approximately the same order of efficiency as they competed for the cellular sites of fibronectin binding in cell attachment assays. Alternatively, these same gangliosides bound to immobilized fibronectin. Rat erythrocytes coated with gangliosides G/sub M1/, G/sub D1a/ or G/sub T1b/ bound more fibronectin than erythrocytes not supplemented with gangliosides. Using fibronectin in which lysine residues were radioiodinated, an apparent K/sub d/ for binding to mixed rat liver gangliosides of 7.8 x 10/sup -9/ M was determined. This value compared favorably with the apparent K/sub d/ for attachment of fibronectin to isolated plasma membranes from rat liver of 3.7 x 10/sup -9/ M for fibronectin modified on the tyrosine residue, or 6.4 x 10/sup -9/ M for fibronectin modified on lysine residues. As shown previously by Grinnell and Minter, fibronectin modified on tyrosine residues did not promote spreading and attachment of CHO cells. It did, however, bind to cells. In contrast, lysine-modified fibronectin both bound to cells and promoted cell attachment. Plasma membranes isolated from hepatic tumors in which the higher gangliosides that bind fibronectin were depleted bound 43-75% less (/sup 125/I)fibronectin than did plasma membranes from control livers. The findings were consistent with binding of fibronectins to gangliosides, including the same gangliosides depleted from cell surfaces during tumorigenesis in the rat.

  18. Crystals of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase with bound cisplatin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huliciak, Miroslav; Reinhard, Linda; Laursen, Mette; Fedosova, Natalya; Nissen, Poul; Kubala, Martin

    2014-12-01

    Cisplatin is the most widely used chemotherapeutics for cancer treatment, however, its administration is connected to inevitable adverse effects. Previous studies suggested that cisplatin is able to inhibit Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA), the enzyme responsible for maintaining electrochemical potential and sodium gradient across the plasma membrane. Here we report a crystallographic analysis of cisplatin bound to NKA in the ouabain bound E2P form. Despite a moderate resolution (7.4 Å and 7.9 Å), the anomalous scattering from platinum and a model representation from a recently published structure enabled localization of seven cisplatin binding sites by anomalous difference Fourier maps. Comparison with NKA structures in the E1P conformation suggested two possible inhibitory mechanisms for cisplatin. Binding to Met151 can block the N-terminal pathway for transported cations, while binding to Met171 can hinder the interaction of cytoplasmic domains during the catalytic cycle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Quantum charged rigid membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cordero, Ruben [Departamento de Fisica, Escuela Superior de Fisica y Matematicas del I.P.N., Unidad Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Edificio 9, 07738 Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Molgado, Alberto [Unidad Academica de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Zacatecas Zac. (Mexico); Rojas, Efrain, E-mail: cordero@esfm.ipn.mx, E-mail: amolgado@fisica.uaz.edu.mx, E-mail: efrojas@uv.mx [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Fisica e Inteligencia Artificial, Universidad Veracruzana, 91000 Xalapa, Veracruz (Mexico)

    2011-03-21

    The early Dirac proposal to model the electron as a charged membrane is reviewed. A rigidity term, instead of the natural membrane tension, involving linearly the extrinsic curvature of the worldvolume swept out by the membrane is considered in the action modeling the bubble in the presence of an electromagnetic field. We set up this model as a genuine second-order derivative theory by considering a non-trivial boundary term which plays a relevant part in our formulation. The Lagrangian in question is linear in the bubble acceleration and by means of the Ostrogradski-Hamiltonian approach, we observed that the theory comprises the management of both first- and second-class constraints. We thus show that our second-order approach is robust allowing for a proper quantization. We found an effective quantum potential which permits us to compute bounded states for the system. We comment on the possibility of describing brane world universes by invoking this kind of second-order correction terms.

  20. Quantum charged rigid membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cordero, Ruben; Molgado, Alberto; Rojas, Efrain

    2011-01-01

    The early Dirac proposal to model the electron as a charged membrane is reviewed. A rigidity term, instead of the natural membrane tension, involving linearly the extrinsic curvature of the worldvolume swept out by the membrane is considered in the action modeling the bubble in the presence of an electromagnetic field. We set up this model as a genuine second-order derivative theory by considering a non-trivial boundary term which plays a relevant part in our formulation. The Lagrangian in question is linear in the bubble acceleration and by means of the Ostrogradski-Hamiltonian approach, we observed that the theory comprises the management of both first- and second-class constraints. We thus show that our second-order approach is robust allowing for a proper quantization. We found an effective quantum potential which permits us to compute bounded states for the system. We comment on the possibility of describing brane world universes by invoking this kind of second-order correction terms.

  1. Airfuge centrifugation procedure for the measurement of ligand binding to membrane-associated and detergent-solubilized plasma membrane receptors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, E L.F.; Perdue, J F [Lady Davis Institute, Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    1980-10-01

    A method is described in which high-speed centrifugation of membranes through an oil phase is used to separate membrane-bound and detergent-solubilized polypeptide receptor-iodinated ligand complexes from unbound ligands. Three centrifuges, the Brinkmann Eppendorf (5412), the Beckman Microfuge B and the Beckman Airfuge were evaluated for this capability. Under the conditions described, the Beckman Airfuge surpassed the others in recovering previously /sup 125/I- and /sup 32/P-labelled cell membranes. The Airfuge method was compared with the more classically employed membrane filtration method to measure specific (/sup 125/I)insulin and (/sup 125/I)thrombin binding to human placental membranes and an enriched plasma membrane fraction from mouse embryo fibroblasts, respectively, and found to be 4 to 5 times more sensitive. For example, specific binding of ligand to its receptor was demonstrated with 5 ..mu..g of protein. With slight modifications, the polyethyleneglycol 6000 method of precipitating /sup 125/I-labelled ligand-soluble receptor complexes can be adapted to the Airfuge sedimentation through oil procedure.

  2. Activity of Mn-Oxidizing Peroxidases of Ganoderma lucidum Depending on Cultivation Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jasmina Ćilerdžić

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Trunks and stumps of various deciduous species act as natural habitats for Ganoderma lucidum. The chemical composition of their cell wall affects the development of fungal ligninolytic enzyme system as well as its ability to degrade lignin from the plant cell wall. Additionally, numerous compounds structurally similar to lignin can be degraded by the G. lucidum enzyme system which could take important roles in various biotechnological processes. The laccases, which are the dominant enzymes synthesized by G. lucidum, have been studied more extensively than the Mn-oxidizing peroxidases. Therefore, this study aimed to create the dynamics profile of Mn-oxidizing peroxidases activities in four G. lucidum strains, classifying and determining their properties depending on the cultivation type and plant residue as a carbon source in the medium, as well as to establish whether intraspecific variety exists. The findings suggest that submerged cultivation appeared to be a more appropriate cultivation type for enzyme activities compared with solid-state cultivation, and oak sawdust was a better carbon source than wheat straw. Under the optimum conditions, on day 14, G. lucidum BEOFB 431 was characterized by the highest levels of both Mn-dependent and Mn-independent peroxidase activities (4795.5 and 5170.5 U/L, respectively. Strain, cultivation type, and carbon source were factors that affected the profiles of Mn-oxidizing peroxidases isoenzymes.

  3. Decolorization of direct dyes using peroxidase from raphanus sativus (F04 SL)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhatti, H.N.; Kalsoom, U.; Habib, A.

    2012-01-01

    An acidic peroxidase was isolated and partially purified from Raphanus sativus. The purified enzyme was characterized in terms of kinetics and thermodynamic aspects. Finally the enzyme was assessed to see its potential for decolorization of direct dyes. The specific activity of Raphanus sativus peroxidase increased from 44.77 to 65.20 U/mg of protein using 80 % ammonium sulphate precipitation. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme was 4 and 55 deg. C respectively. The activation energy of Raphanus sativus peroxidase was 25.44 kJ/mol and average value of Km was 0.25 mM. The activation energy of thermal denaturation of Raphanus sativus peroxidase was 17.79 kJ/mol. It was observed that with an increase in temperature, there was decrease in a half life and enthalpy, which showed that the enzyme was unstable at higher temperature. A maximum decolorization of 97 and 77 % was observed for Solar Blue A and Solar Flavine 5G at pH 4 and temperature 50 deg. C respectively. It was observed that % decolorization of both the dyes increased with an increase in enzyme units and incubation time. H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ dose of 0.8 mM for Solar Blue A and 0.7 mM for Solar Flavine 5G was sufficient for the maximum dye degradation. (author)

  4. The Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Safflower Plant Growth and Physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Z. Hafizi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a study of the effect of ZnO nanoparticles on safflower growth and physiology was performed. Each of these elements plays a particular role in the plant life, the presence of these elements is necessary for plant’s life cycle and growth. Zinc deficiency causes the biggest problems in safflower’s production. Considering the importance of nanoparticles in today's world, this research investigated the effect of Zinc oxide nanoparticles on the concentration of guaiacol peroxidase, polypeptide oxidase, dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde in four plant sample groups in greenhouse and laboratory conditions. Results of showed that malondialdehyde enzyme increased with different treatments of various concentrations of Zinc oxide. The enzyme guaiacol oxidase increased at concentrations of 100 mg/L and polyphenol oxide at concentrations of 10 and 500 mg/L and dehydrogenase in 1000 mg/L and decreased in other treatments. In addition to showing the effect of nanoparticles in plants, these findings determine the beneficial concentrations of nanoparticles that have a positive effect on the level of enzymes in plants.

  5. Rapid, directed transport of DC-SIGN clusters in the plasma membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ping; Weinreb, Violetta; Ridilla, Marc; Betts, Laurie; Patel, Pratik; de Silva, Aravinda M; Thompson, Nancy L; Jacobson, Ken

    2017-11-01

    C-type lectins, including dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN), are all-purpose pathogen receptors that exist in nanoclusters in plasma membranes of dendritic cells. A small fraction of these clusters, obvious from the videos, can undergo rapid, directed transport in the plane of the plasma membrane at average speeds of more than 1 μm/s in both dendritic cells and MX DC-SIGN murine fibroblasts ectopically expressing DC-SIGN. Surprisingly, instantaneous speeds can be considerably greater. In MX DC-SIGN cells, many cluster trajectories are colinear with microtubules that reside close to the ventral membrane, and the microtubule-depolymerizing drug, nocodazole, markedly reduced the areal density of directed movement trajectories, suggesting a microtubule motor-driven transport mechanism; by contrast, latrunculin A, which affects the actin network, did not depress this movement. Rapid, retrograde movement of DC-SIGN may be an efficient mechanism for bringing bound pathogen on the leading edge and projections of dendritic cells to the perinuclear region for internalization and processing. Dengue virus bound to DC-SIGN on dendritic projections was rapidly transported toward the cell center. The existence of this movement within the plasma membrane points to an unexpected lateral transport mechanism in mammalian cells and challenges our current concepts of cortex-membrane interactions.

  6. PDMS/PVDF hybrid electrospun membrane with superhydrophobic property and drop impact dynamics for dyeing wastewater treatment using membrane distillation

    KAUST Repository

    An, Alicia Kyoungjin

    2016-10-21

    Fouling in membrane distillation (MD) results in an increase in operation costs and deterioration in a water quality. In this work, a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP) electrospun (E-PH) membrane was fabricated by hybridizing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymeric microspheres with superhydrophobicity onto the E-PH membrane via electrospinning. The resulting hybrid PDMS with E-PH (E-PDMS) membrane showed a significant enhancement in surface hydrophobicity (contact angle, CA = 155.4°) and roughness (Ra = 1,285mm). The zeta potential of E-PDMS membrane surface showed a higher negative value than that of a commercial PVDF (C-PVDF) membrane. These properties of E-PDMS membrane provided an antifouling in treating of differently-charged dyes and generated a flake-like dye–dye (loosely bound foulant) structure on the membrane surface rather than in the membrane pores. This also led to a high productivity of E-PDMS membrane (34 Lm-2h-1, 50% higher than that of C-PVDF membrane) without fouling or wetting. In addition, complete color removal and pure water production were achieved during a long-term operation. An application of intermittent water flushing (WF) in direct contact MD (DCMD) operation led to a 99% CA recovery of E-PDMS membrane indicating its sustainability. Therefore, the E-PDMS membrane is a promising candidate for MD application in dyeing wastewater treatment.

  7. Characterization of structure and activity of garlic peroxidase (POX(1B)).

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Ichi, Sarra; Miodek, Anna; Sauriat-Dorizon, Hélène; Mahy, Jean-Pierre; Henry, Céline; Marzouki, Mohamed Nejib; Korri-Youssoufi, Hafsa

    2011-01-01

    Structural characterization and study of the activity of new POX(1B) protein from garlic which has a high peroxidase activity and can be used as a biosensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide and phenolic compounds were performed and compared with the findings for other heme peroxidases. The structure-function relationship was investigated by analysis of the spectroscopic properties and correlated to the structure determined by a new generation of high-performance hybrid mass spectrometers. The reactivity of the enzyme was analyzed by studies of the redox activity toward various ligands and the reactivity with various substrates. We demonstrated that, in the case of garlic peroxidase, the heme group is pentacoordinated, and has an histidine as a proximal ligand. POX(1B) exhibited a high affinity for hydrogen peroxide as well as various reducing cosubstrates. In addition, high enzyme specificity was demonstrated. The k(cat) and K(M) values were 411 and 400 mM(-1) s(-1) for 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and 2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), respectively. Furthermore, the reduction of nitro compounds in the presence of POX(1B) was demonstrated by iron(II) nitrosoalkane complex assay. In addition, POX(1B) showed a great potential for application for drug metabolism since its ability to react with 1-nitrohexane in the presence of sodium dithionite was demonstrated by the appearance of a characteristic Soret band at 411 nm. The high catalytic efficiency obtained in the case of the new garlic peroxidase (POX(1B)) is suitable for the monitoring of different analytes and biocatalysis.

  8. Peroxidase-mediated polymerization of 1-naphthol: impact of solution pH and ionic strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhandari, Alok; Xu, Fangxiang; Koch, David E; Hunter, Robert P

    2009-01-01

    Peroxidase-mediated oxidation has been proposed as a treatment method for naphthol-contaminated water. However, the impact of solution chemistry on naphthol polymerization and removal has not been documented. This research investigated the impact of pH and ionic strength on peroxidase-mediated removal of 1-naphthol in completely mixed batch reactors. The impact of hydrogen peroxide to 1-naphthol ratio and activity of horseradish peroxidase was also studied. Size exclusion chromatography was used to estimate the molecular weight distribution of oligomeric products, and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to estimate product structure. Naphthol transformation decreased with ionic strength, and substrate removal was lowest at neutral pHs. Solution pH influenced the size and the composition of the oligomeric products. An equimolar ratio of H(2)O(2):naphthol was sufficient for optimal naphthol removal. Polymerization products included naphthoquinones and oligomers derived from two, three, and four naphthol molecules. Our results illustrate the importance of water chemistry when considering a peroxidase-based approach for treatment of naphthol-contaminated waters.

  9. A peroxidase gene expressed during early developmental stages of the parasitic plant Orobanche ramosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Verdejo, Clara Isabel; Barandiaran, Xabier; Moreno, Maria Teresa; Cubero, José Ignacio; Di Pietro, Antonio

    2006-01-01

    Broomrapes (Orobanche spp.) are holoparasitic weeds that cause devastating losses in many economically important crops. The molecular mechanisms that control the early stages of host infection in Orobanche are poorly understood. In the present study, the role of peroxidase has been examined during pre-infection growth and development of O. ramosa, using an in vitro model system. Peroxidase activity was histochemically localized at the tips of actively growing radicles and nascent attachment organs. Addition of exogenous catalase resulted in a significant reduction in the apical growth rate of the radicle. The prx1 gene encoding a putative class III peroxidase was cloned from a cDNA library of O. ramosa and was found to be expressed specifically during the early stages of the parasitic life cycle. The exogenous addition of sucrose resulted in significantly reduced prx1 transcript levels and in a dramatic change in radicle development from polarized apical growth to isotropic growth and the formation of tubercle-like structures. The results indicate an important role of peroxidases during the early parasitic stages of Orobanche.

  10. Properties of a membrane-bound triglyceride lipase of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cotyledons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosnitschek, I; Theimer, R R

    1980-04-01

    The properties of the alkaline lipase activity (EC 3.1.1.3) that was recovered almost completely from a microsomal membrane fraction of 4-d-old rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) cotyledons were studied employing a titrimetric test procedure. The apparent KM was 6.5 mmol l(-1), with emulgated sunflower oil as the substrate. The products of triglyceride hydrolysis in vitro were glycerol, free fatty acids, and minor amounts of mono- and diglycerides. Maximum lipase activity depended on the preincubation of the lipolytic membrane fraction in 0.15 mol l(-1) NaCl and on the presence of at least 0.1 mol l(-1) NaCl in the test mixture. Desoxycholate and up to 0.1 mol l(-1) CaCl2 also activated the enzyme while EDTA and detergents such as trito x-100, digitonin, tween 85, and sodium dodecylsulfate were inhibitory. The rapeseed lipase displayed a conspicuous substrate selectivity among different plant triglycerides; the activity was inversely correlated with the oleic acid content of the oils. Water-soluble triacetin and the phospholipid lecithin were not hydrolyzed. Increasing amounts of free fatty acids reduced lipase activity; erucic acid, a major component of rapeseed oil, exhibited the strongest effect, suggesting a possible role in the regulation of lipase activity in vivo. The data demonstrate that the lipolytic membrane fraction houses a triglyceride lipase with properties similar to other plant and animal lipases. It can both qualitatively and quantitatively account for the fat degradation in rapeseed cotyledons. The evidence that provides further reason to acknowledge the membranous appendices of the spherosomes as the intracellular site of lipolysis is discussed.

  11. Peroxidase activity in roots of arracacha affected by pH and temperature = Atividade da peroxidase em raízes de batata-baroa afetada pelo pH e temperatura

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Nunes Menolli

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, roots of arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhyza Bancroft were stored at 5ºC to induce chilling injury symptoms and stress-related peroxidase activity. Later, peroxidase kinetic activity was determined in different pH and temperature conditions. For this, soluble crude extract was sequentially saturated with ammonium sulfate, obtaining a semi-purified enzyme solution used for the analysis. Activity of peroxidase induced by the chilling at 5oC was determined from pH 2.5 to 9.0 and at temperature ranging from 10 to80oC. The peroxidase had higher activity when the reaction occurred between pH 5.5 and 6.0 and at temperature of 30oC. Complete inactivation of the activity was observed in pH 2.5 after 60 minutes of pre-incubation or at 60oC for 10 minutes or alternatively at 70oCafter 5 minutes of pre-incubation. The enzyme is more susceptible to inactivation in acid than alkaline pHs or alternatively using heat treatment.Neste trabalho, raízes de batata-baroa (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft foram armazenadas a 5oC para induzir injúria por frio e expressar atividade da peroxidase de estresse. Posteriormente, a cinética de atividade foi determinada em diferentes condições depHs e temperatura. Para isto, extrato solúvel da raiz foi sequencialmente saturado com sulfato de amônio, obtendo-se uma preparação semi-purificada para a análise enzimática. Atividade peroxidativa induzida pela temperatura de armazenamento de 5oC foideterminada em pHs de 2,5 a 9,0 e a temperaturas de 10 a 80oC. A atividade da peroxidase foi maior quando a reação foi realizada nos pHs de 5,5 e 6,0 e temperatura de 30oC. A inativação completa da enzima ocorreu em pH de 2,5 após 60 min. de pré-incubação ou a60oC por 10 min., e alternativamente a 70oC após 5 min. de pré-incubação. A enzima foi mais susceptível à inativação em pH ácido do que alcalino, podendo também ser inativada pelo tratamento de calor.

  12. Design and development of a highly stable hydrogen peroxide biosensor on screen printed carbon electrode based on horseradish peroxidase bound with gold nanoparticles in the matrix of chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tangkuaram, Tanin; Ponchio, Chatchai; Kangkasomboon, Thippayawadee; Katikawong, Panadda; Veerasai, Waret

    2007-04-15

    The design and development of a screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) on a polyvinyl chloride substrate as a disposable sensor is described. Six configurations were designed on silk screen frames. The SPCEs were printed with four inks: silver ink as the conducting track, carbon ink as the working and counter electrodes, silver/silver chloride ink as the reference electrode and insulating ink as the insulator layer. Selection of the best configuration was done by comparing slopes from the calibration plots generated by the cyclic voltammograms at 10, 20 and 30 mM K(3)Fe(CN)(6) for each configuration. The electrodes with similar configurations gave similar slopes. The 5th configuration was the best electrode that gave the highest slope. Modifying the best SPCE configuration for use as a biosensor, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was selected as a biomaterial bound with gold nanoparticles (AuNP) in the matrix of chitosan (HRP/AuNP/CHIT). Biosensors of HRP/SPCE, HRP/CHIT/SPCE and HRP/AuNP/CHIT/SPCE were used in the amperometric detection of H(2)O(2) in a solution of 0.1M citrate buffer, pH 6.5, by applying a potential of -0.4V at the working electrode. All the biosensors showed an immediate response to H(2)O(2). The effect of HRP/AuNP incorporated with CHIT (HRP/AuNP/CHIT/SPCE) yielded the highest performance. The amperometric response of HRP/AuNP/CHIT/SPCE retained over 95% of the initial current of the 1st day up to 30 days of storage at 4 degrees C. The biosensor showed a linear range of 0.01-11.3mM H(2)O(2), with a detection limit of 0.65 microM H(2)O(2) (S/N=3). The low detection limit, long storage life and wide linear range of this biosensor make it advantageous in many applications, including bioreactors and biosensors.

  13. Peptide-membrane Interactions by Spin-labeling EPR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smirnova, Tatyana I.; Smirnov, Alex I.

    2016-01-01

    Site-directed spin labeling (SDSL) in combination with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a well-established method that has recently grown in popularity as an experimental technique, with multiple applications in protein and peptide science. The growth is driven by development of labeling strategies, as well as by considerable technical advances in the field, that are paralleled by an increased availability of EPR instrumentation. While the method requires an introduction of a paramagnetic probe at a well-defined position in a peptide sequence, it has been shown to be minimally destructive to the peptide structure and energetics of the peptide-membrane interactions. In this chapter, we describe basic approaches for using SDSL EPR spectroscopy to study interactions between small peptides and biological membranes or membrane mimetic systems. We focus on experimental approaches to quantify peptide-membrane binding, topology of bound peptides, and characterize peptide aggregation. Sample preparation protocols including spin-labeling methods and preparation of membrane mimetic systems are also described. PMID:26477253

  14. Models of dynamic extraction of lipid tethers from cell membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nowak, Sarah A; Chou, Tom

    2010-01-01

    When a ligand that is bound to an integral membrane receptor is pulled, the membrane and the underlying cytoskeleton can deform before either the membrane delaminates from the cytoskeleton or the ligand detaches from the receptor. If the membrane delaminates from the cytoskeleton, it may be further extruded and form a membrane tether. We develop a phenomenological model for this process by assuming that deformations obey Hooke's law up to a critical force at which the cell membrane locally detaches from the cytoskeleton and a membrane tether forms. We compute the probability of tether formation and show that tethers can be extruded only within an intermediate range of force loading rates and pulling velocities. The mean tether length that arises at the moment of ligand detachment is computed as are the force loading rates and pulling velocities that yield the longest tethers

  15. Identification and characterization of a selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in Setaria cervi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Anchal; Rathaur, Sushma

    2005-01-01

    Setaria cervi a bovine filarial parasite secretes selenium glutathione peroxidase during in vitro cultivation. A significant amount of enzyme activity was detected in the somatic extract of different developmental stages of the parasite. Among different stages, microfilariae showed a higher level of selenium glutathione peroxidase activity followed by males then females. However, when the activity was compared in excretory secretory products of these stages males showed higher activity than microfilariae and female worms. The enzyme was purified from female somatic extract using a combination of glutathione agarose and gel filtration chromatography, which migrated as a single band of molecular mass ∼20 kDa. Selenium content of purified enzyme was estimated by atomic absorption spectroscopy and found to be 3.5 ng selenium/μg of protein. Further, inhibition of enzyme activity by potassium cyanide suggested the presence of selenium at the active site of enzyme. This is the first report of identification of selenium glutathione peroxidase from any filarial parasite

  16. Comparison the effects of nitric oxide and spermidin pretreatment on alleviation of salt stress in chamomile plant (Matricaria recutita L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fazelian Nasrin

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Salt stress is an important environmental stress that produces reactive oxygen species in plants and causes oxidative injuries. In this investigation, salt stress reduced the shoot and root length, while increased the content of malondealdehyde, Hydrogen peroxide, and the activity of Ascorbate peroxidase andguaiacol peroxidase. Pretreatment of chamomile plants under salt stress with sodium nitroprussideand Spermidin caused enhancement of growth parameters and reduction of malondealdehyde and Hydrogen peroxide content. Pretreatment of plants with sodium nitroprusside remarkably increased Ascorbate peroxidase activity, while Spermidin pre-treatment significantly increased guaiacol peroxidase activity. Application of sodium nitroprusside or Spermidin with Methylene blue which is known to block cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling pathway, reduced the protective effects of sodium nitroprussideand Spermidin in plants under salinity condition. The result of this study indicated that Methylene blue could partially and entirely abolish the protective effect of Nitric oxide on some physiological parameter. Methylene blue also has could reduce the alleviation effect of Spermidin on some of parameters in chamomile plant under salt stress, so with comparing the results of this study it seems that Spermidin probably acts through Nitric oxide pathway, but the use of 2-4- carboxyphenyl- 4,4,5,5- tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide is better to prove.

  17. Demonstration of Lignin-to-Peroxidase Direct Electron Transfer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sáez-Jiménez, Verónica; Baratto, Maria Camilla; Pogni, Rebecca; Rencoret, Jorge; Gutiérrez, Ana; Santos, José Ignacio; Martínez, Angel T.; Ruiz-Dueñas, Francisco Javier

    2015-01-01

    Versatile peroxidase (VP) is a high redox-potential peroxidase of biotechnological interest that is able to oxidize phenolic and non-phenolic aromatics, Mn2+, and different dyes. The ability of VP from Pleurotus eryngii to oxidize water-soluble lignins (softwood and hardwood lignosulfonates) is demonstrated here by a combination of directed mutagenesis and spectroscopic techniques, among others. In addition, direct electron transfer between the peroxidase and the lignin macromolecule was kinetically characterized using stopped-flow spectrophotometry. VP variants were used to show that this reaction strongly depends on the presence of a solvent-exposed tryptophan residue (Trp-164). Moreover, the tryptophanyl radical detected by EPR spectroscopy of H2O2-activated VP (being absent from the W164S variant) was identified as catalytically active because it was reduced during lignosulfonate oxidation, resulting in the appearance of a lignin radical. The decrease of lignin fluorescence (excitation at 355 nm/emission at 400 nm) during VP treatment under steady-state conditions was accompanied by a decrease of the lignin (aromatic nuclei and side chains) signals in one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectra, confirming the ligninolytic capabilities of the enzyme. Simultaneously, size-exclusion chromatography showed an increase of the molecular mass of the modified residual lignin, especially for the (low molecular mass) hardwood lignosulfonate, revealing that the oxidation products tend to recondense during the VP treatment. Finally, mutagenesis of selected residues neighboring Trp-164 resulted in improved apparent second-order rate constants for lignosulfonate reactions, revealing that changes in its protein environment (modifying the net negative charge and/or substrate accessibility/binding) can modulate the reactivity of the catalytic tryptophan. PMID:26240145

  18. Circuit lower bounds in bounded arithmetics

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pich, Ján

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 166, č. 1 (2015), s. 29-45 ISSN 0168-0072 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA100190902 Keywords : bounded arithmetic * circuit lower bounds Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.582, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168007214000888

  19. Increased phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) receptor function associated with sickle red cell membrane ghosts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramachandran, M.; Nair, C.N.; Abraham, E.C.

    1987-01-01

    The biological receptor for tumor-promoting phorbol esters has been identified as the Ca 2+ /phospholipid dependent enzyme, protein kinase C. In the red cell, this enzyme is mainly cytosolic but becomes translocated to the membrane if the cellular Ca 2+ is allowed to rise. Since cellular Ca 2+ in sickle red cells is high, it was reasoned that this enzyme may become more membrane-bound. In fact, the authors noticed a four-fold increase in the binding of 3 H-PDBu by membrane ghosts isolated from sickle red cells compared to normal red cells (pmoles PDBu bound/mg protein; normal = 0.3 vs sickle cell = 1.4). Attempts to assay the enzyme directly as phospholipid-activated 32 P incorporation into the acid-precipitable membrane proteins also indicated a two-fold increase in the radiolabelling of sickle cell membrane ghosts. Autophosphorylation of membrane proteins and analysis of the phosphorylation profile by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography revealed phosphorylation predominantly of bands 3, 4.1 and 4.9 which are known protein kinase C substrates for the red cell enzyme. The increased membrane-associated protein kinase C in sickle red cells may have a bearing on the altered membrane properties reported in this condition

  20. A peroxidase related to the mammalian antimicrobial protein myeloperoxidase in the Euprymna-Vibrio mutualism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weis, V M; Small, A L; McFall-Ngai, M J

    1996-11-26

    Many animal-bacteria cooperative associations occur in highly modified host organs that create a unique environment for housing and maintaining the symbionts. It has been assumed that these specialized organs develop through a program of symbiosis-specific or -enhanced gene expression in one or both partners, but a clear example of this process has been lacking. In this study, we provide evidence for the enhanced production of an enzyme in the symbiotic organ of the squid Euprymna scolopes, which harbors a culture of the luminous bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Our data show that this enzyme has a striking biochemical similarity to mammalian myeloperoxidase (MPO; EC 1.11.17), an antimicrobial dianisidine peroxidase that occurs in neutrophils. MPO and the squid peroxidase catalyze the same reaction, have similar apparent subunit molecular masses, and a polyclonal antibody to native human MPO specifically localized a peroxidase-like protein to the bacteria-containing regions of the symbiotic organ. We also provide evidence that a previously described squid cDNA encodes the protein (LO4) that is responsible for the observed dianisidine peroxidase activity. An antibody made against a fragment of LO4 immunoprecipiated dianisidine peroxidase activity from extracts of the symbiotic organ, and reacted against these extracts and human MPO in Western blot analysis. These data suggest that related biochemical mechanisms for the control of bacterial number and growth operate in associations that are as functionally diverse as pathogenesis and mutualism, and as phylogenetically distant as molluscs and mammals.

  1. How membrane lipids control the 3D structure and function of receptors

    OpenAIRE

    Jacques Fantini; Francisco J. Barrantes

    2018-01-01

    The cohabitation of lipids and proteins in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells is controlled by specific biochemical and biophysical rules. Lipids may be either constitutively tightly bound to cell-surface receptors (non-annular lipids) or less tightly attached to the external surface of the protein (annular lipids). The latter are exchangeable with surrounding bulk membrane lipids on a faster time scale than that of non-annular lipids. Not only do non-annular lipids bind to membrane prote...

  2. Recovery of Lemna minor after exposure to sulfadimethoxine irradiated and non-irradiated in a solar simulator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drobniewska, Agata; Wójcik, Dorota; Kapłan, Monika; Adomas, Barbara; Piotrowicz-Cieślak, Agnieszka; Nałęcz-Jawecki, Grzegorz

    2017-12-01

    Sulfonamides are the second most widely used group of veterinary antibiotics which are often detected in the environment. They are eliminated from freshwaters mainly through photochemical degradation. The toxicity of sulfadimethoxine (SDM) was evaluated with the use of Lemna minor before and after 1- and 4-h irradiation in a SunTest CPS+ solar simulator. Eight endpoints consisting of: number and total area of fronds, fresh weight, chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids, activity of catalase and guaiacol peroxidase, and protein content were determined. The total frond area and chlorophyll b content were the most sensitive endpoints with EC50 of 478 and 554 μg  L -1 , respectively. The activity of guaiacol peroxidase and catalase increased at SDM concentrations higher than 125 and 500 μg  L -1 , respectively. The SDM photodegradation rate for first order kinetics and the half-life were 0.259 h -1 and 2.67  h, respectively. The results show that the toxicity of irradiated solutions was caused by SDM only, and the photoproducts appeared to be either non-toxic or much less toxic to L. minor than the parent compound. To study the recovery potential of L. minor, after 7 days exposure in SDM solutions, the plants were transferred to fresh medium and incubated for the next 7 days. L. minor has the ability to regenerate, but a 7-day recovery phase is not sufficient for it to return to an optimal physiological state.

  3. Lignin peroxidase isoenzyme: a novel approach to biodegrade the toxic synthetic polymer waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khatoon, Nazia; Jamal, Asif; Ali, Muhammad Ishtiaq

    2018-01-05

    Fungal metabolites are playing an immense role in developing various sustainable waste treatment processes. The present study aimed at production and characterization of fungal lignin peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.14) with a potential to degrade Polyvinyl Chloride. Optimization studies revealed that the maximum enzyme production occurred at a temperature 25°C, pH 5 in the 4th week of the incubation period with fungal strain. Enzyme assay was performed to find out the dominating enzyme in the culture broth. The molecular weight of the enzyme was found to be 46 kDa. Partially purified lignin peroxidase from Phanerocheate chrysosporium was used for the degradation of PVC films. A significant reduction in the weight of PVC film was observed (31%) in shake flask experiment. FTIR spectra of the enzyme-treated plastic film revealed structural changes in the chemical composition, indicating a specific peak at 2943 cm -1 that corresponded to alkenyl C-H stretch. Moreover, deterioration on the surface of PVC films was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy tracked through activity assay for the lignin peroxidase. Extracellular lignin peroxidases from P. chrysosporium play a significant role in the degradation of complex polymeric compounds like PVC.

  4. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Hyunbum; Banerjee, Avik; Chavan, Tanmay S.; Lu, Shaoyong; Zhang, Jian; Gaponenko, Vadim; Nussinov, Ruth

    2016-01-01

    Is nucleotide exchange sufficient to activate K-Ras4B? To signal, oncogenic rat sarcoma (Ras) anchors in the membrane and recruits effectors by exposing its effector lobe. With the use of NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we observed that in solution, farnesylated guanosine 5′-diphosphate (GDP)-bound K-Ras4B is predominantly autoinhibited by its hypervariable region (HVR), whereas the GTP-bound state favors an activated, HVR-released state. On the anionic membrane, the catalytic domain adopts multiple orientations, including parallel (∼180°) and perpendicular (∼90°) alignments of the allosteric helices, with respect to the membrane surface direction. In the autoinhibited state, the HVR is sandwiched between the effector lobe and the membrane; in the active state, with membrane-anchored farnesyl and unrestrained HVR, the catalytic domain fluctuates reinlessly, exposing its effector-binding site. Dimerization and clustering can reduce the fluctuations. This achieves preorganized, productive conformations. Notably, we also observe HVR-autoinhibited K-Ras4B-GTP states, with GDP-bound-like orientations of the helices. Thus, we propose that the GDP/GTP exchange may not be sufficient for activation; instead, our results suggest that the GDP/GTP exchange, HVR sequestration, farnesyl insertion, and orientation/localization of the catalytic domain at the membrane conjointly determine the active or inactive state of K-Ras4B. Importantly, K-Ras4B-GTP can exist in active and inactive states; on its own, GTP binding may not compel K-Ras4B activation.—Jang, H., Banerjee, A., Chavan, T. S, Lu, S., Zhang, J., Gaponenko, V., Nussinov, R. The higher level of complexity of K-Ras4B activation at the membrane. PMID:26718888

  5. Urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiana Chen

    Full Text Available A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of urea on nitrogen metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in Azolla pinnata. Compared to controls, the application of urea to A. pinnata resulted in a 44% decrease in nitrogenase activity, no significant change in glutamine synthetase activity, 660% higher glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, 39% increase in free amino acid levels, 22% increase in malondialdehyde levels, 21% increase in Na+/K+- levels, 16% increase in Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase levels, and 11% decrease in superoxide dismutase activity. In terms of H2O2 detoxifying enzymes, peroxidase activity did not change and catalase activity increased by 64% in urea-treated A. pinnata. These findings suggest that urea application promotes amino acid metabolism and membrane lipid peroxidation in A. pinnata.

  6. Polyamines, peroxidase and proteins involved in the senescence ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Senescence is the natural aging process at the cellular level or range of phenomena associated with this process. The objective of this review was to show the involvement of substances that may be related to senescence in plants, such as polyamines, peroxidase and proteins. These substances were related with the ...

  7. Effect of heat treatment on polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GREGO

    2006-12-18

    Dec 18, 2006 ... enzymes in plant and its resistance to heat has been reported by a ... sintered glass funnel and washed with cold acetone under low vacuum ... Peroxidase activity was determined by measuring the colour deve- lopment at ...

  8. Membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase: target size and radiation inactivation size of some of its enzymatic reactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jensen, J.; Norby, J.G.

    1988-12-05

    Frozen samples of membrane-bound pig kidney Na,K-ATPase were subjected to target size analysis by radiation inactivation with 10-MeV electrons at -15 degrees C. The various properties investigated decreased monoexponentially with radiation dose, and the decay constants, gamma, were independent of the presence of other proteins and of sucrose concentrations above 0.25 M. The temperature factor was the same as described by others. Irradiation of four proteins of known molecular mass, m, showed that gamma for protein integrity was proportional to m with a proportionality factor about 20% higher than that conventionally used. By this standard curve, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity used as internal standard gave a radiation inactivation size of 110 +/- 5 kDa, very close to m = 104-108 kDa for the dimer, as expected. For Na+/K+-transporting ATPase the following target sizes and radiation inactivation size values were very close to m = 112 kDa for the alpha-peptide: peptide integrity of alpha, 115 kDa; unmodified binding sites for ATP and vanadate, 108 kDa; K+-activated p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity, 106 kDa. There was thus no sign of dimerization of the alpha-peptide or involvement of the beta-peptide. In contrast, optimal Na+/K+-transporting ATPase activity had a radiation inactivation size = 189 +/- 7 kDa, and total nucleotide binding capacity corresponded to 72 +/- 3 kDa. These latter results will be extended and discussed in a forthcoming paper.

  9. Membrane-bound Na,K-ATPase: target size and radiation inactivation size of some of its enzymatic reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, J.; Norby, J.G.

    1988-01-01

    Frozen samples of membrane-bound pig kidney Na,K-ATPase were subjected to target size analysis by radiation inactivation with 10-MeV electrons at -15 degrees C. The various properties investigated decreased monoexponentially with radiation dose, and the decay constants, gamma, were independent of the presence of other proteins and of sucrose concentrations above 0.25 M. The temperature factor was the same as described by others. Irradiation of four proteins of known molecular mass, m, showed that gamma for protein integrity was proportional to m with a proportionality factor about 20% higher than that conventionally used. By this standard curve, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity used as internal standard gave a radiation inactivation size of 110 +/- 5 kDa, very close to m = 104-108 kDa for the dimer, as expected. For Na+/K+-transporting ATPase the following target sizes and radiation inactivation size values were very close to m = 112 kDa for the alpha-peptide: peptide integrity of alpha, 115 kDa; unmodified binding sites for ATP and vanadate, 108 kDa; K+-activated p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity, 106 kDa. There was thus no sign of dimerization of the alpha-peptide or involvement of the beta-peptide. In contrast, optimal Na+/K+-transporting ATPase activity had a radiation inactivation size = 189 +/- 7 kDa, and total nucleotide binding capacity corresponded to 72 +/- 3 kDa. These latter results will be extended and discussed in a forthcoming paper

  10. Involvement of an antioxidant defense system in the adaptive response to cadmium in maize seedlings (Zea mays L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xianghua; Liu, Cuiying; Zhao, Xiaoyan; Li, Renying; Deng, Wenjing

    2014-11-01

    Chemical and biological analyses were used to investigate the growth response and antioxidant defense mechanism of maize seedlings (Zea mays L.) grown in soils with 0-100 mg kg(-1) Cd. Results showed that maize seedlings have strong abilities to accumulate and tolerate high concentrations of Cd. For soil with 50 mg kg(-1) Cd, the Cd contents in roots and shoots of maize seedlings are as large as 295.6 and 153.0 mg kg(-1) DW, respectively, without visible symptoms of toxicity. Lower soil Cd concentrations lead to a decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) content in leaves of maize seedlings, whereas higher soil Cd concentrations resulted in an increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Maize seedlings have strong capacities to adapt to low concentrations of Cd by consuming GSH and to develop an antioxidative enzyme system to defend against high-Cd stress.

  11. Engineering a horseradish peroxidase C stable to radical attacks by mutating multiple radical coupling sites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Su Jin; Joo, Jeong Chan; Song, Bong Keun; Yoo, Young Je; Kim, Yong Hwan

    2015-04-01

    Peroxidases have great potential as industrial biocatalysts. In particular, the oxidative polymerization of phenolic compounds catalyzed by peroxidases has been extensively examined because of the advantage of this method over other conventional chemical methods. However, the industrial application of peroxidases is often limited because of their rapid inactivation by phenoxyl radicals during oxidative polymerization. In this work, we report a novel protein engineering approach to improve the radical stability of horseradish peroxidase isozyme C (HRPC). Phenylalanine residues that are vulnerable to modification by the phenoxyl radicals were identified using mass spectrometry analysis. UV-Vis and CD spectra showed that radical coupling did not change the secondary structure or the active site of HRPC. Four phenylalanine (Phe) residues (F68, F142, F143, and F179) were each mutated to alanine residues to generate single mutants to examine the role of these sites in radical coupling. Despite marginal improvement of radical stability, each single mutant still exhibited rapid radical inactivation. To further reduce inactivation by radical coupling, the four substitution mutations were combined in F68A/F142A/F143A/F179A. This mutant demonstrated dramatic enhancement of radical stability by retaining 41% of its initial activity compared to the wild-type, which was completely inactivated. Structure and sequence alignment revealed that radical-vulnerable Phe residues of HPRC are conserved in homologous peroxidases, which showed the same rapid inactivation tendency as HRPC. Based on our site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical characterization, we have shown that engineering radical-vulnerable residues to eliminate multiple radical coupling can be a good strategy to improve the stability of peroxidases against radical attack. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. IL-6 inhibits upregulation of membrane-bound TGF-beta 1 on CD4+ T cells and blocking IL-6 enhances oral tolerance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Chantal; Rezende, Rafael Machado; M'Hamdi, Hanane; da Cunha, Andre Pires; Weiner, Howard L.

    2016-01-01

    Oral administration of antigen induces regulatory T cells that express latent membrane-bound TGF-beta (LAP) and that have been shown to play an important role in the induction of oral tolerance. We developed an in vitro model to study modulation of LAP+ on CD4+ T cells. The combination of anti-CD3 mAb, anti-CD28 mAb and recombinant IL-2 induced expression of LAP on naïve CD4+ T cells, independent of FoxP3 or exogenous TGF-β. In vitro generated CD4+LAP+FoxP3− T cells were suppressive in vitro, inhibiting proliferation of naïve CD4+ T cells and IL-17A secretion by Th17 cells. Assessing the impact of different cytokines and neutralizing antibodies against cytokines we found that LAP induction was decreased in the presence of IL-6 and IL-21, and to a lesser extent by IL-4 and TNFα. IL-6 abrogated the in vitro induction of CD4+LAP+ T cells by STAT3 dependent inhibition of Lrrc32 (GARP), the adapter protein that tethers TGF-beta to the membrane. Oral tolerance induction was enhanced in mice lacking expression of IL-6R by CD4+ T cells and by treatment of wild-type mice with neutralizing anti-IL-6 mAb. These results suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines interfere with oral tolerance induction and that blocking the IL-6 pathway is a potential strategy for enhancing oral tolerance in the setting of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. PMID:28039301

  13. Aluminium and Acrylamide Disrupt Cerebellum Redox States, Cholinergic Function and Membrane-Bound ATPase in Adult Rats and Their Offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghorbel, Imen; Amara, Ibtissem Ben; Ktari, Naourez; Elwej, Awatef; Boudawara, Ons; Boudawara, Tahia; Zeghal, Najiba

    2016-12-01

    Accumulation of aluminium and acrylamide in food is a major source of human exposure. Their adverse effects are well documented, but there is no information about the health problems arising from their combined exposure. The aim of the present study was to examine the possible neurotoxic effects after co-exposure of pregnant and lactating rats to aluminium and acrylamide in order to evaluate redox state, cholinergic function and membrane-bound ATPases in the cerebellum of adult rats and their progeny. Pregnant female rats have received aluminium (50 mg/kg body weight) via drinking water and acrylamide (20 mg/kg body weight) by gavage, either individually or in combination from the 14th day of pregnancy until day 14 after delivery. Exposure to these toxicants provoked an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) levels and a decrease in SOD, CAT, GPx, Na + K + -ATPase, Mg 2+ -ATPase and AChE activities in the cerebellum of mothers and their suckling pups. A reduction in GSH, NPSH and vitamin C levels was also observed. These changes were confirmed by histological results. Interestingly, co-exposure to these toxicants exhibited synergism based on physical and biochemical variables in the cerebellum of mothers and their progeny.

  14. Inhibition of Heme Peroxidase During Phenol Derivatives Oxidation. Possible Molecular Cloaking of the Active Center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juozas Kulys

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Ab initio quantum chemical calculations have been applied to the study of the molecular structure of phenol derivatives and oligomers produced during peroxidasecatalyzed oxidation. The interaction of substrates and oligomers with Arthromyces ramosus peroxidase was analyzed by docking methods. The most possible interaction site of oligomers is an active center of the peroxidase. The complexation energy increases with increasing oligomer length. However, the complexed oligomers do not form a precise (for the reaction hydrogen bonding network in the active center of the enzyme. It seems likely that strong but non productive docking of the oligomers determines peroxidase inhibition during the reaction.

  15. Effect of caffeine on peroxidase activity and gamma-ray-induced oxic and anoxic damage in Hordeum vulgare

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balachandran, R.; Kesavan, P.C.

    1978-01-01

    The influence of caffeine during and after gamma radiation of barley seeds was studied using seedling injury and peroxidase activity as parameters. The radiation-induced stimulation of peroxidase activity is evident in eight-day only seedlings but not in embryos (i.e. immediately after irradiation). Caffeine present during irradiation of seeds soaked in oxygenated water diminishes seedling injury and also reduces the peroxidase activity to the level observed in eight-day old seedlings of unirradiated seeds. Caffeine, however, produces just the opposite effect (i.e. enhances the seedling injury and peroxidase activity of eight-day old seedlings) when applied during irradiation of seeds soaked in oxygen-free water. There is no evidence that caffeine effects enzyme activity under in vitro conditions. (author)

  16. Mitochondrial AAA proteases--towards a molecular understanding of membrane-bound proteolytic machines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerdes, Florian; Tatsuta, Takashi; Langer, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    Mitochondrial AAA proteases play an important role in the maintenance of mitochondrial proteostasis. They regulate and promote biogenesis of mitochondrial proteins by acting as processing enzymes and ensuring the selective turnover of misfolded proteins. Impairment of AAA proteases causes pleiotropic defects in various organisms including neurodegeneration in humans. AAA proteases comprise ring-like hexameric complexes in the mitochondrial inner membrane and are functionally conserved from yeast to man, but variations are evident in the subunit composition of orthologous enzymes. Recent structural and biochemical studies revealed how AAA proteases degrade their substrates in an ATP dependent manner. Intersubunit coordination of the ATP hydrolysis leads to an ordered ATP hydrolysis within the AAA ring, which ensures efficient substrate dislocation from the membrane and translocation to the proteolytic chamber. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying the versatile functions of mitochondrial AAA proteases and their relevance to those of the other AAA+ machines. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Towards Co-evolution of Membranes and Metabolism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chenyu; Wilson, Michael A.; Pohorille, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    Conceptually, the most robust way to explain how primitive cell-like structures acquired and increased their capabilities is on the basis of Darwinian evolution. A population of protocells containing material that produced more environmentally fit progeny would increase in time at the expense of other protocells. In this scenario, protocellular boundaries were inextricably connected to the metabolism they encapsulated: to be inheritable, early metabolism must have led to an increased rate of growth and division of vesicles and, similarly, transport through vesicle boundaries must have supported the evolution of metabolism. Everything that could not be delivered from the environment had to be produced and retained inside protocells. Despite their importance to the understanding of the origin of life, only a few cases of coupling between metabolism and membrane-related processes have been identified so far. For example, reactions inside fatty-acid vesicles have been linked to their competitive growth and division, and mechanisms by which membrane permeability might have coupled to information polymers have been proposed and explained. Most recently, it has been shown that a dipeptide inside fatty-acid vesicles catalyzes the formation of another dipeptide that binds to vesicle walls and, by doing so, promotes their growth at the expense of other vesicles, thus demonstrating evolutionary advantage of small, membrane-bound peptides. It has been shown that the appearance of phospholipids imparted selective advantage to protocells bound by phospholipid-containing membranes, eventually driving fatty-acid vesicles to extinction. Phospholipid membranes, however, are nearly impermeable to charged species. Yet, the ability to transport ions across membranes was vital for regulating cellular volume, pH homeostasis, generating energy and sensing the environment. To account for this, evolutionary scenarios for the emergence of simple ion channels, protein structures surrounding

  18. Peroxidase activity of the rat blood at prolonged intake of 137Cs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. P. Grynevych

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Investigated peroxidase activity of blood white nonlinear rats-males by daily oral administration of 15 kBq 137Cs by chemiluminescence. Discovered oscillatory nature of the changes chemiluminescent indicators peroxi-dase oxidation of blood, the maximum deviation of the control are registered during the 4th and 60th days, and the minimum at the 1st, 7th and 135th days. Recovering kinetic parameters CL does not occur within 135 days of ob-servation (the 90th day of the completion of the introduction of radioactive cesium.

  19. Enzymatic Browning: a practical class

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Teresa Pedrosa Silva Clerici

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a practical class about the enzymes polyphenol oxidases, which have been shown to be responsible for the enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables. Vegetables samples were submitted to enzymatic inactivation process with chemical reagents, as well as by bleaching methods of applying heat by conventional oven and microwave oven. Process efficiency was assessed qualitatively by both observing the guaiacol peroxidase activity and after the storage period under refrigeration or freezing. The practical results obtained in this class allow exploring multidisciplinary knowledge in food science, with practical applications in everyday life.

  20. The long-range organization of a native photosynthetic membrane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frese, Raoul N.; Siebert, C. Alistair; Niederman, Robert A.; Hunter, C. Neil; Otto, Cees; van Grondelle, Rienk

    2004-01-01

    Photosynthesis relies on the delicate interplay between a specific set of membrane-bound pigment–protein complexes that harvest and transport solar energy, execute charge separation, and conserve the energy. We have investigated the organization of the light-harvesting (LH) and reaction-center (RC)

  1. The long-range organization of a native photosynthetic membrane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frese, R.N.; Siebert, C.A.; Niederman, R.A.; Hunter, C.N.; Otto, C.; van Grondelle, R.

    2004-01-01

    Photosynthesis relies on the delicate interplay between a specific set of membrane-bound pigment-protein complexes that harvest and transport solar energy, execute charge separation, and conserve the energy. We have investigated the organization of the light-harvesting (LH) and reaction-center (RC)

  2. Molecular cloning and characterization of a new peroxidase gene ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    length cDNA of O.violaceus peroxidase gene (OvRCI, GenBank. Acc. No. AY428037) was 1220 bp and contained an 1128 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 375 amino acids. Homology analysis and molecular modeling revealed that ...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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.

  4. The effect of acid rain stress on chlorophyll, peroxidase of the conservation of rare earth elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chongling, Y.; Yetang, H.; Xianke, Y.; Shunzhen, F.; Shanql, W.

    1998-01-01

    Full text: Based on pot experiment, the effect of acid rain stress on chlorophyll, peroxidase of wheat, the relationship of them and the conservation of rare earth elements has been studied. The result showed: stress of acid rain resulted in decrease of chlorophyll content and a/b values, chlorophyll a/b value and chlorophyll content is positive correlation with pH value of acid rain: peroxidase activity was gradually rise with pH value decrease, which indirectly increased decomposition intensity of chlorophyll. Decreased content and a/b value of chlorophyll further speeded blade decay affected the transport and transformation of light energy and metabolism of carbohydrates. After being treated by rare earth elements content and pH value of chlorophyll and peroxidase activity could be relatively stable. Therefore, under lower acidity condition, rare earth elements can influence the effect of acid rain on chlorophyll and peroxidase activity of wheat

  5. Interdependence of plant water status with photosynthetic performance and root defense responses in Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek under progressive drought stress and recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengupta, Debashree; Guha, Anirban; Reddy, Attipalli Ramachandra

    2013-10-05

    The present study investigates the interdependence of plant water status with foliar and root responses in Vigna radiata L.Wilczek under progressive drought. Vegetatively-mature V. radiata plants were subjected to water withdrawal for 3 and 6days (D3 and D6, respectively) and then re-watered subsequently for 6days (6R) for stress-recovery. Changes in plant water status were expressed in terms of leaf and root moisture contents (LMC and RMC, respectively) and leaf relative water content (LRWC). Progressive drought caused apparent decrease in LRWC, LMC and RMC depicting significant level of dehydration of leaf and root tissues. Stomatal limitation alone could not account for the observed decrease in net CO2 assimilation rates (Pn) due to comparatively less decrease in sub-stomatal CO2 (Ci) concentrations with respect to other gas exchange parameters indicating possible involvement of non-stomatal limitations. Analysis of polyphasic chl a fluorescence kinetics during progressive drought showed decreased energy connectivity among PSII units as defined by a positive L-band with highest amplitude during D6. Efficiency of electron flux from OEC towards PSII acceptor side was not significantly affected during drought conditions as evidenced by the absence of a positive K-band. Increasing root-level water-limitation enforced a gradual oxidative stress through H2O2 accumulation and membrane lipid peroxidation in V. radiata roots exhibiting drastic enhancement of proline content and a significant but gradual increase in ascorbic acid content as well as guaiacol peroxidase activity under progressive drought. Expression analysis of Δ(1) pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) through real time PCR and enzyme activity studies showed a strong positive correlation between VrP5CS gene expression, enzyme activity and proline accumulation in the roots of V. radiata under progressive drought and recovery. Drought-induced changes in root moisture content (RMC) showed positive linear

  6. Effective separation of propylene/propane binary mixtures by ZIF-8 membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Pan, Yichang

    2012-02-01

    The separation of propylene/propane mixtures is one of the most important but challenging processes in the petrochemical industry. A novel zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-8) membrane prepared by a facile hydrothermal seeded growth method showed excellent separation performances for a wide range of propylene/propane mixtures. The membrane showed a permeability of propylene up to 200. barrers and a propylene to propane separation factor up to 50 at optimal separation conditions, well surpassing the "upper-bound trade-off" lines of existing polymer and carbon membranes. The experimental data also showed that the membranes had excellent reproducibility, long-term stability and thermal stability. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  7. Rapid and direct spectrophotometric method for kinetics studies and routine assay of peroxidase based on aniline diazo substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirazizi, Fatemeh; Bahrami, Azita; Haghbeen, Kamahldin; Shahbani Zahiri, Hossein; Bakavoli, Mehdi; Legge, Raymond L

    2016-12-01

    Peroxidases are ubiquitous enzymes that play an important role in living organisms. Current spectrophotometrically based peroxidase assay methods are based on the production of chromophoric substances at the end of the enzymatic reaction. The ambiguity regarding the formation and identity of the final chromophoric product and its possible reactions with other molecules have raised concerns about the accuracy of these methods. This can be of serious concern in inhibition studies. A novel spectrophotometric assay for peroxidase, based on direct measurement of a soluble aniline diazo substrate, is introduced. In addition to the routine assays, this method can be used in comprehensive kinetics studies. 4-[(4-Sulfophenyl)azo]aniline (λmax = 390 nm, ɛ = 32 880 M(-1) cm(-1) at pH 4.5 to 9) was introduced for routine assay of peroxidase. This compound is commercially available and is indexed as a food dye. Using this method, a detection limit of 0.05 nmol mL(-1) was achieved for peroxidase.

  8. Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

    2015-07-15

    Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity.

  9. Perceptron Mistake Bounds

    OpenAIRE

    Mohri, Mehryar; Rostamizadeh, Afshin

    2013-01-01

    We present a brief survey of existing mistake bounds and introduce novel bounds for the Perceptron or the kernel Perceptron algorithm. Our novel bounds generalize beyond standard margin-loss type bounds, allow for any convex and Lipschitz loss function, and admit a very simple proof.

  10. Preferential hydroxylation over epoxidation catalysis by a horseradish peroxidase mutant: a cytochrome P450 mimic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Visser, Sam P

    2007-10-25

    Density functional theory calculations are presented on the catalytic properties of a horseradish peroxidase mutant whereby the axial nitrogen atom is replaced by phosphorus. This mutant has never been studied experimentally and only one theoretical report on this system is known (de Visser, S. P. J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 20759-20761). Thus, a one-atom substitution in horseradish peroxidase changes the properties of the catalytic center of the enzyme to more cytochrome P450-type qualities. In particular, the phosphorus-substituted horseradish peroxidase mutant reacts with substrates via a unique reactivity pattern, whereby alkanes are regioselectively hydroxylated even in the presence of a double bond. Reaction barriers of propene epoxidation and hydroxylation are almost identical to ones observed for a cytochrome P450 catalyst and significantly higher than those obtained for a horseradish peroxidase catalyst. It is shown that the regioselectivity difference is entropy and thermally driven and that the electron-transfer processes that occur during the reaction mechanism follow cytochrome P450-type patterns in the hydroxylation reaction.

  11. Recognition of acidic phospholipase A2 activity in plasma membranes of resident peritoneal macrophages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibata, Y.; Abiko, Y.; Ohno, H.; Araki, T.; Takiguchi, H.

    1988-01-01

    Phospholipase (PLase) activities in the plasma membrane of guinea pig peritoneal macrophages were studied, as these enzymes having such activity may be candidates for the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from phosphatidylcholine (PC). An AA release system operating at acidic pH was identified in the macrophage plasma membrane and characterized. This membrane-bound acidic PLase A 2 had an optimum pH at 4.5, and enzyme activation was observed in Ca ++ -free medium; but the maximum activity was found at 0.5 mM Ca ++ concentration. The Km value for PC of acidic PLase A 2 was 4.2 μM, and a Michaelis-Menten relationship was evident. Calcium might act as a cofactor at some intermediate step during the activation of acidic PLase A 2 in light of the uncompetitive manner of Ca ++ action. Furthermore, the release of [ 3 H]-AA from preradiolabelled macrophage plasma membranes occurred with the addition of Ca ++ at pH 4.5. These data suggest that the acid PLase A 2 is a component of the plasma membrane and is not due to lysosomal contamination since membrane-bound acidic PLase A 2 properties are opposite to those found for lysosomal PLase A 2

  12. Removal of 125I from radioactive experimental waste with an anion exchange paper membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inoue, Hiroyoshi; Kagoshima, Mayumi

    2000-01-01

    The behavior of radioactive iodide and chloride ions through an anion exchange paper membrane to remove 125 I from radioactive experimental waste has been studied with nonequilibrium thermodynamic analyses. Anion exchange paper membrane was found to be electroconductively more permeable to iodide ion than to chloride ion. The iodide ion bound more strongly to the anion exchange site within a membrane phase than the chloride ion by more than twice. The results suggested that an anion exchange paper membrane was appropriate for the filtration removal system

  13. Glutathione peroxidases of the potato cyst nematode Globodera Rostochiensis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jones, J.T.; Reavy, B.; Smant, G.; Prior, A.E.

    2004-01-01

    We report the cloning and characterisation of full-length DNAs complementary to RNA (cDNAs) encoding two glutathione peroxidases (GpXs) from a plant parasitic nematode, the potato cyst nematode (PCN) Globodera rostochiensis. One protein has a functional signal peptide that targets the protein for

  14. Efficient production of Arthromyces ramosus peroxidase by Aspergillus awamori

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lokman, B.C.; Joosten, V.; Hovenkamp, J.; Gouka, R.J.; Verrips, C.T.; Hondel, C.A.M.J.J. van den

    2003-01-01

    The heterologous production of Arthromyces ramosus peroxidase (ARP) was analysed in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori under control of the inducible endoxylanase promoter. Secretion of active ARP was achieved up to 800 mg l-1 in shake flask cultures. Western blot analysis showed that an

  15. Lipid bilayer-bound conformation of an integral membrane beta barrel protein by multidimensional MAS NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eddy, Matthew T.; Su, Yongchao; Silvers, Robert; Andreas, Loren; Clark, Lindsay; Wagner, Gerhard; Pintacuda, Guido; Emsley, Lyndon; Griffin, Robert G.

    2015-01-01

    The human voltage dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC) is a 32 kDa β-barrel integral membrane protein that controls the transport of ions across the outer mitochondrial membrane. Despite the determination of VDAC solution and diffraction structures, a structural basis for the mechanism of its function is not yet fully understood. Biophysical studies suggest VDAC requires a lipid bilayer to achieve full function, motivating the need for atomic resolution structural information of VDAC in a membrane environment. Here we report an essential step toward that goal: extensive assignments of backbone and side chain resonances for VDAC in DMPC lipid bilayers via magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS NMR). VDAC reconstituted into DMPC lipid bilayers spontaneously forms two-dimensional lipid crystals, showing remarkable spectral resolution (0.5–0.3 ppm for 13 C line widths and <0.5 ppm 15 N line widths at 750 MHz). In addition to the benefits of working in a lipid bilayer, several distinct advantages are observed with the lipid crystalline preparation. First, the strong signals and sharp line widths facilitated extensive NMR resonance assignments for an integral membrane β-barrel protein in lipid bilayers by MAS NMR. Second, a large number of residues in loop regions were readily observed and assigned, which can be challenging in detergent-solubilized membrane proteins where loop regions are often not detected due to line broadening from conformational exchange. Third, complete backbone and side chain chemical shift assignments could be obtained for the first 25 residues, which comprise the functionally important N-terminus. The reported assignments allow us to compare predicted torsion angles for VDAC prepared in DMPC 2D lipid crystals, DMPC liposomes, and LDAO-solubilized samples to address the possible effects of the membrane mimetic environment on the conformation of the protein. Concluding, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the reported

  16. Ultra-selective defect-free interfacially polymerized molecular sieve thin-film composite membranes for H2 purification

    KAUST Repository

    Ali, Zain; Pacheco Oreamuno, Federico; Litwiller, Eric; Wang, Yingge; Han, Yu; Pinnau, Ingo

    2017-01-01

    method for reverse osmosis membranes. Defect-free thin-film composite membranes were formed demonstrating unprecedented mixed-gas H2/CO2 selectivity of ≈ 50 at 140 °C with H2 permeance of 350 GPU, surpassing the permeance/selectivity upper bound of all

  17. Contribution of liver mitochondrial membrane-bound glutathione transferase to mitochondrial permeability transition pores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hossain, Quazi Sohel; Ulziikhishig, Enkhbaatar; Lee, Kang Kwang; Yamamoto, Hideyuki; Aniya, Yoko

    2009-01-01

    We recently reported that the glutathione transferase in rat liver mitochondrial membranes (mtMGST1) is activated by S-glutathionylation and the activated mtMGST1 contributes to the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore and cytochrome c release from mitochondria [Lee, K.K., Shimoji, M., Quazi, S.H., Sunakawa, H., Aniya, Y., 2008. Novel function of glutathione transferase in rat liver mitochondrial membrane: role for cytochrome c release from mitochondria. Toxcol. Appl. Pharmacol. 232, 109-118]. In the present study we investigated the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS), generator gallic acid (GA) and GST inhibitors on mtMGST1 and the MPT. When rat liver mitochondria were incubated with GA, mtMGST1 activity was increased to about 3 fold and the increase was inhibited with antioxidant enzymes and singlet oxygen quenchers including 1,4-diazabicyclo [2,2,2] octane (DABCO). GA-mediated mtMGST1 activation was prevented by GST inhibitors such as tannic acid, hematin, and cibacron blue and also by cyclosporin A (CsA). In addition, GA induced the mitochondrial swelling which was also inhibited by GST inhibitors, but not by MPT inhibitors CsA, ADP, and bongkrekic acid. GA also released cytochrome c from the mitochondria which was inhibited completely by DABCO, moderately by GST inhibitors, and somewhat by CsA. Ca 2+ -mediated mitochondrial swelling and cytochrome c release were inhibited by MPT inhibitors but not by GST inhibitors. When the outer mitochondrial membrane was isolated after treatment of mitochondria with GA, mtMGST1 activity was markedly increased and oligomer/aggregate of mtMGST1 was observed. These results indicate that mtMGST1 in the outer mitochondrial membrane is activated by GA through thiol oxidation leading to protein oligomerization/aggregation, which may contribute to the formation of ROS-mediated, CsA-insensitive MPT pore, suggesting a novel mechanism for regulation of the MPT by mtMGST1

  18. The Molecular Mechanism of the Catalase-like Activity in Horseradish Peroxidase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campomanes, Pablo; Rothlisberger, Ursula; Alfonso-Prieto, Mercedes; Rovira, Carme

    2015-09-02

    Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is one of the most relevant peroxidase enzymes, used extensively in immunochemistry and biocatalysis applications. Unlike the closely related catalase enzymes, it exhibits a low activity to disproportionate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The origin of this disparity remains unknown due to the lack of atomistic information on the catalase-like reaction in HRP. Using QM(DFT)/MM metadynamics simulations, we uncover the mechanism for reduction of the HRP Compound I intermediate by H2O2 at atomic detail. The reaction begins with a hydrogen atom transfer, forming a peroxyl radical and a Compound II-like species. Reorientation of the peroxyl radical in the active site, concomitant with the transfer of the second hydrogen atom, is the rate-limiting step, with a computed free energy barrier (18.7 kcal/mol, ∼ 6 kcal/mol higher than the one obtained for catalase) in good agreement with experiments. Our simulations reveal the crucial role played by the distal pocket residues in accommodating H2O2, enabling formation of a Compound II-like intermediate, similar to catalases. However, out of the two pathways for Compound II reduction found in catalases, only one is operative in HRP. Moreover, the hydrogen bond network in the distal side of HRP compensates less efficiently than in catalases for the energetic cost required to reorient the peroxyl radical at the rate-determining step. The distal Arg and a water molecule in the "wet" active site of HRP have a substantial impact on the reaction barrier, compared to the "dry" active site in catalase. Therefore, the lower catalase-like efficiency of heme peroxidases compared to catalases can be directly attributed to the different distal pocket architecture, providing hints to engineer peroxidases with a higher rate of H2O2 disproportionation.

  19. Radioimmunoassay of adjuvant-associated porcine parvovirus using a monoclonal antibody in a nitrocellulose membrane system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katz, J.B.; Van Deusen, R.A.

    1985-01-01

    A quantitative and simple indirect radioimmunoassay (IRIA) was developed for porcine parvovirus (PPV), employing a monoclonal antibody directed against PPV adsorbed to nitrocellulose membrane. The IRIA was equally sensitive to live or inactivated PPV. There was a linear relationship between membrane-bound radioactivity and PPV quantity within a range of 10-80 hemagglutinating (HA) units of virus. Two commercially used adjuvants, aluminum hydroxide (AH) and carboxyvinyl polymer (CP), reduced bound radioactivity in a concentration-dependent manner. At fixed adjuvant concentrations, there were, nevertheless, linear relationships between bound radioactivity and HA units of PPV. Known amounts of PPV were prepared in adjuvants according to commercial vaccine formulations. Using these standards, the PPV content of 16 commercial PPV vaccines was estimated by IRIA. The IRIA may be one practical method of in vitro estimation of antigenic mass in adjuvanted vaccines. (Auth.)

  20. Determinación de antioxidantes enzimáticos en variedades e híbridos de Morus alba Determination of enzymatic antioxidants in Morus alba varieties and hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available En el presente trabajo se evaluó la actividad específica de las enzimas antioxidantes catalasa y guaiacol peroxidasa en extractos frescos de variedades e híbridos de morera (Morus alba, obtenidos a partir de las raíces, los tallos y las hojas. Las muestras de los diferentes órganos en estudio fueron colectadas aleatoriamente, maceradas en nitrógeno líquido, resuspendidas en tampón fosfato de sodio y centrifugadas. El sobrenadante se utilizó para las determinaciones enzimáticas. Se empleó el ANOVA de clasificación simple y la prueba de rangos múltiples de Duncan para la comparación de medias (PIn this work the specific activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and guaiacol peroxidase was evaluated in fresh extracts of mulberry (Morus alba varieties and hybrids, obtained from the roots, stems and leaves. The samples of the different organs under study were randomly collected, macerated in liquid nitrogen, resuspended in sodium phosphate buffer and centrifuged. The supernatant was used for the enzymatic determinations. The simple classification ANOVA and Duncan´s multiple range test were used for mean comparison (P<0,05. The highest values of specific catalase and peroxidase activity were found, in general, in the leaves, followed by stems and roots. The varieties and hybrids with higher specific activity for both enzymes were: Tigreada, Criolla, IZ 15-9 and IZ 64. The results showed the protective antioxidant role of the extracts, mainly from leaves, from the important functions played by these enzymatic systems in the elimination of reactive oxygen species. The potential of this species for animal nutrition and health is corroborated, which gives it more value as a multipurpose forage plant. It is recommended to continue making other determinations of compounds with antioxidant activities and studying the catalase and peroxidase enzymatic systems in multipurpose species, such as M. alba, used in animal feeding and traditional

  1. Peroxidase Activity in Poplar Inoculated with Compatible and Incompetent Isolates of Paxillus involutus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ABDUL GAFUR

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Peroxidase activity of the hybrid poplar Populus×canescens (Ait. Sm. (= P. tremula L. × P. alba L. inoculated with compatible and incompetent isolates of Paxillus involutus (Batsch Fr. was investigated. Screening of the ectomycorrhizal fungal isolates was initiated with exploration of mycelial growth characteristics and mycorrhizal ability in vitro with poplar. Both traits varied within the fungus although they did not seem to be genetically correlated. While isolates SCO1, NAU, and 031 grew faster than others, only isolates MAJ, SCO1, and 031 were able to form ectomycorrhiza with poplar. Isolates MAJ (compatible and NAU (incompetent were subsequently selected for further experiments. Activity of peroxidase, one of the defense-related enzymes, was examined in pure culture and short root components of compatible and incompetent interactions between poplar and P. involutus. Peroxidase activities increased significantly in poplar inoculated with incompetent isolate of the fungus compared to control, while induction of the same enzyme was not detected in compatible associations.

  2. Study on serum thyroid peroxidase antibody levels in autoimmune thyroid disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zhixiang; Zheng Lan; Xu Shujin; Guan Jinghua

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of changes of serum thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) in patients with hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and simple goiter. Methods: Serum TPO-Ab, TMA,TGA and FT 3 , FT 4 , TSH levels were measured with radioimmunoassay(RIA) in 69 patients with hyperthyroidism, 53 patients with hypothyroidism, 45 patients with simple goiter and 20 controls. Results: The positive rate of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) (82%-92.5%) was higher than that of thyroidglobulim antibody(TGA) (44.2%) and thyroid microsome antibody(TMA) (60.4-69.8%) in all patients with AICD. Conclusion: TPO-Ab could be taken as an important indicator in assessment of treatment and prognosis in patients with auto- immune thyroid diseases. (authors)

  3. Cross reactivities of rabbit anti-chicken horse radish peroxidase ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The cross reactivities of rabbit anti chicken horse radish peroxidase (conjugate) was tested with sera of Chicken, Ducks, Geese, Guinea fowl, Hawks, Pigeons and Turkeys in indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. Sera from mammalian species (Bat, Equine and swine) were used as negative ...

  4. Effect of industrial wastewater ontotal protein and the peroxidase ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of industrial wastewaters on protein and the peroxidase activity in Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., Capsicum annuum L., Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Vicia faba L. Industrial wastewaters were taken from Dardanel Fisheries Company, Tekel alcoholic drinks companies' ...

  5. Calculation of separation selectivity of aqueous electrolytic solutions with reverse osmosis membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ognevskij, A.V.; Fomichev, S.V.; Khvostov, V.F.; Kochergin, N.V.; AN SSSR, Moscow

    1988-01-01

    Viscosity and dielectric permittivity of a bound water layer in micropores of cellulose acetate membranes used for electrolyte ion separation by reverse osmosis method are calculated using the water cluster model and the proposed structural temperature parameter. Based on the model representations presented an algorithmof reverse osmosis membrane selectivity calculation in diluted aqueous solutions ofelectrolytes containing Cs + , Sr 2+ , I - and other ions is constructed

  6. Apple and quince peroxidase activity in response to essential oils ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Jane

    2011-09-28

    Sep 28, 2011 ... activities of edible coatings enriched with natural plant extracts such as rosemary ..... its oxidation by ascorbate peroxidase activity (Talano et al., 2008). ... delicious and quince improved the antioxidant protection of the fruits ...

  7. Production of manganese peroxidase by white rot fungi from potato ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRECIOUS

    2010-01-18

    Jan 18, 2010 ... production rate of the MnP using the potato-processing wastewater-based medium were higher (ca. 2.5- ... Ligninolytic enzymes, such as manganese peroxidase ... not currently reached industrial levels except for the laccase.

  8. Evidence for alteration of the membrane-bound ribosomes in Micrococcus luteus cells exposed to lead

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrow, W; Himmel, M; Squire, P G; Tornabene, T G

    1978-01-01

    Micrococcus luteus cells exposed to Pb(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ contained cytosol ribosomal particles and disaggregated membranal ribosomal particles as determined by ultracentrifugation and spectral studies. Approximately 60% of the membrane ribosome fraction from lead exposed cells had a sedimentation value of 8.4S. Cytosol ribosome from lead exposed cells as well as membranal and cytosol ribosomes from control cells were comparable by their contents of predominantly the 70S type with the 50S and 100S present in relatively small amounts. The lead content of the 8.4S components was more than 200 times higher than the components with higher sedimentation coefficients from lead exposed cells and approximately 650 times more than that of control cell ribosomes. The cells exposed to lead, however, showed no adverse effects from the lead in respect to their growth rates and cellular yields. These results indicate that lead is interacting only at specific sites of the membrane and is inducing events initiated only in strategic cellular regions. These data further substantiate that subtle changes do occur in lead exposed cells that show no obvious effects. It is assumed that these minor alterations are, in toto, biologically significant. 24 references, 2 figures, 1 table.

  9. Peroxidase activity in Spondias dulcis = Atividade da peroxidase em Spondias dulcis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lúcio Cardozo-Filho

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the best conditions to obtain crude extracts showingPeroxidase activity from Spondia dulcis (caja-mango were evaluated. Fresh fruits (25 g were blended in different sodium phosphate buffer (0.05 to 0.2 M with a pH varying from 3.0 to 9.0. The muddy material was centrifuged for 20 minutes. In order to improve POD activity, the crude extract was submitted to precipitation with ammonium sulfate at 90% saturation. This precipitated was re-suspended in sodium phosphate buffer 0.2 M pH 6.5 and then, optimum pH for activity assay (pH varying from 5.0 to 9.0 and thermal stability (exposure to different temperatures varying from 30 to 75ºC for periods between 0 to 15 minutes were determined. The best conditions for activity assay were in phosphate buffer 0.2 M at pH7.0. The results obtained for thermal inactivation study suggest that the heating at 75ºCfor 15 minutes inactivated 95% of initial POD activity.Foram avaliadas, neste trabalho, algumas condições para a obtenção de extratos brutos com atividade peroxidase de Spondias dulcis (cajá-manga. Frutas frescas (25 g foram trituradas com tampão fosfato de sódio (0,05 a 0,2 M em pHs diferentes (3,0 a 9,0. O material obtido foi centrifugado por 20 min. O extrato bruto foi submetido à precipitação com sulfato de amônio até 90% de saturação. Este precipitado foi ressuspenso em tampão fosfato de sódio 0,2 M pH 6,5 e, assim, o pH ótimo para o ensaio de atividade (pH que varia de 5,0 a 9,0 e a estabilidade térmica (exposição a temperaturas de 30, 60, 65, 70 e 75ºC por um período de 0 a 15 min. deste foram determinados. As melhores condições encontradas para o ensaio de atividade foram em tampão fosfato 0,2 M pH 7,0. Os resultados para a inativação térmica sugerem que o aquecimento a 75ºC por 15 mininativa 95% da atividade de POD inicial.

  10. Improved exogenous DNA uptake in bovine spermatozoa and gene expression in embryos using membrane destabilizing agents in ICSI-SMGT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Villalba, Esther; Arias, María Elena; Zambrano, Fabiola; Loren, Pía; Felmer, Ricardo

    2018-02-01

    Sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) is a simple, fast, and economical biotechnological tool for producing transgenic animals. However, transgene expression with this technique in bovine embryos is still inefficient due to low uptake and binding of exogenous DNA in spermatozoa. The present study evaluated the effects of sperm membrane destabilization on the binding capacity, location and quantity of bound exogenous DNA in cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa using Triton X-100 (TX-100), lysolecithin (LL) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Effects of these treatments were also evaluated by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-SMGT. Results showed that all treatments bound exogenous DNA to spermatozoa including the control. Spermatozoa treated with different membrane destabilizing agents bound the exogenous DNA throughout the head and tail of spermatozoa, compared with the control, in which binding occurred mainly in the post-acrosomal region and tail. The amount of exogenous DNA bound to spermatozoa was much higher for the different sperm treatments than the control (P Exogenous gene expression in embryos was also improved by these treatments. These results demonstrated that sperm membrane destabilization could be a novel strategy in bovine SMGT protocols for the generation of transgenic embryos by ICSI.

  11. Structure of Thermobifida fusca DyP-type peroxidase and activity towards Kraft lignin and lignin model compounds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahmanpour, Rahman; Rea, Dean; Jamshidi, Shirin; Fülöp, Vilmos; Bugg, Timothy D H

    2016-03-15

    A Dyp-type peroxidase enzyme from thermophilic cellulose degrader Thermobifida fusca (TfuDyP) was investigated for catalytic ability towards lignin oxidation. TfuDyP was characterised kinetically against a range of phenolic substrates, and a compound I reaction intermediate was observed via pre-steady state kinetic analysis at λmax 404 nm. TfuDyP showed reactivity towards Kraft lignin, and was found to oxidise a β-aryl ether lignin model compound, forming an oxidised dimer. A crystal structure of TfuDyP was determined, to 1.8 Å resolution, which was found to contain a diatomic oxygen ligand bound to the heme centre, positioned close to active site residues Asp-203 and Arg-315. The structure contains two channels providing access to the heme cofactor for organic substrates and hydrogen peroxide. Site-directed mutant D203A showed no activity towards phenolic substrates, but reduced activity towards ABTS, while mutant R315Q showed no activity towards phenolic substrates, nor ABTS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. IL-6 Inhibits Upregulation of Membrane-Bound TGF-β 1 on CD4+ T Cells and Blocking IL-6 Enhances Oral Tolerance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhn, Chantal; Rezende, Rafael Machado; M'Hamdi, Hanane; da Cunha, Andre Pires; Weiner, Howard L

    2017-02-01

    Oral administration of Ag induces regulatory T cells that express latent membrane-bound TGF-β (latency-associated peptide [LAP]) and have been shown to play an important role in the induction of oral tolerance. We developed an in vitro model to study modulation of LAP + on CD4 + T cells. The combination of anti-CD3 mAb, anti-CD28 mAb, and recombinant IL-2 induced expression of LAP on naive CD4 + T cells, independent of Foxp3 or exogenous TGF-β. In vitro generated CD4 + LAP + Foxp3 - T cells were suppressive in vitro, inhibiting proliferation of naive CD4 + T cells and IL-17A secretion by Th17 cells. Assessing the impact of different cytokines and neutralizing Abs against cytokines, we found that LAP induction was decreased in the presence of IL-6 and IL-21, and to a lesser extent by IL-4 and TNF-α. IL-6 abrogated the in vitro induction of CD4 + LAP + T cells by STAT3-dependent inhibition of Lrrc32 (glycoprotein A repetitions predominant [GARP]), the adapter protein that tethers TGF-β to the membrane. Oral tolerance induction was enhanced in mice lacking expression of IL-6R by CD4 + T cells and by treatment of wild-type mice with neutralizing anti-IL-6 mAb. These results suggest that proinflammatory cytokines interfere with oral tolerance induction and that blocking the IL-6 pathway is a potential strategy for enhancing oral tolerance in the setting of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  13. The ER in 3D: a multifunctional dynamic membrane network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friedman, Jonathan R; Voeltz, Gia K

    2011-12-01

    The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a large, singular, membrane-bound organelle that has an elaborate 3D structure with a diversity of structural domains. It contains regions that are flat and cisternal, ones that are highly curved and tubular, and others adapted to form contacts with nearly every other organelle and with the plasma membrane. The 3D structure of the ER is determined by both integral ER membrane proteins and by interactions with the cytoskeleton. In this review, we describe some of the factors that are known to regulate ER structure and discuss how this structural organization and the dynamic nature of the ER membrane network allow it to perform its many different functions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Olefins-selective asymmetric carbon molecular sieve hollow fiber membranes for hybrid membrane-distillation processes for olefin/paraffin separations

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Liren

    2012-12-01

    In this paper, the development of asymmetric carbon molecular sieve (CMS) hollow fiber membranes and advanced processes for olefin/paraffin separations based on the CMS membranes are reported. Membrane-based olefin/paraffin separations have been pursued extensively over the past decades. CMS membranes are promising to exceed the performance upper bound of polymer materials and have demonstrated excellent stability for gas separations. Previously, a substructure collapse phenomenon was found in Matrimid ® precursor derived CMS fiber. To overcome the permeance loss due to the increased separation layer thickness, 6FDA-DAM and 6FDA/BPDA-DAM precursors were selected as potential new precursors for carbon membrane formation. Defect-free asymmetric 6FDA-DAM and 6FDA/BPDA-DAM hollow fibers were successfully fabricated from a dry-jet/wet-quench spinning process. Polymer rigidity, glass-rubber transition and asymmetric morphology were correlated. CMS hollow fiber membranes produced from 6FDA-polymer precursors showed significant improvement in permeance for ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane separations. Further studies revealed that the CMS membranes are olefins-selective, which means the membranes are able to effectively separate olefins (ethylene and propylene) from paraffins (ethane and propane). This unique feature of CMS materials enables advanced hybrid membrane-distillation process designs. By using the olefins-selective membranes, these new processes may provide advantages over previously proposed retrofitting concepts. Further applications of the membranes are explored for hydrocarbons processes. Significant energy savings and even reduced footprint may be achieved in olefins production units. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  15. Membrane-Assisted Growth of DNA Origami Nanostructure Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Biological membranes fulfill many important tasks within living organisms. In addition to separating cellular volumes, membranes confine the space available to membrane-associated proteins to two dimensions (2D), which greatly increases their probability to interact with each other and assemble into multiprotein complexes. We here employed two DNA origami structures functionalized with cholesterol moieties as membrane anchors—a three-layered rectangular block and a Y-shaped DNA structure—to mimic membrane-assisted assembly into hierarchical superstructures on supported lipid bilayers and small unilamellar vesicles. As designed, the DNA constructs adhered to the lipid bilayers mediated by the cholesterol anchors and diffused freely in 2D with diffusion coefficients depending on their size and number of cholesterol modifications. Different sets of multimerization oligonucleotides added to bilayer-bound origami block structures induced the growth of either linear polymers or two-dimensional lattices on the membrane. Y-shaped DNA origami structures associated into triskelion homotrimers and further assembled into weakly ordered arrays of hexagons and pentagons, which resembled the geometry of clathrin-coated pits. Our results demonstrate the potential to realize artificial self-assembling systems that mimic the hierarchical formation of polyhedral lattices on cytoplasmic membranes. PMID:25734977

  16. Membrane-assisted growth of DNA origami nanostructure arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocabey, Samet; Kempter, Susanne; List, Jonathan; Xing, Yongzheng; Bae, Wooli; Schiffels, Daniel; Shih, William M; Simmel, Friedrich C; Liedl, Tim

    2015-01-01

    Biological membranes fulfill many important tasks within living organisms. In addition to separating cellular volumes, membranes confine the space available to membrane-associated proteins to two dimensions (2D), which greatly increases their probability to interact with each other and assemble into multiprotein complexes. We here employed two DNA origami structures functionalized with cholesterol moieties as membrane anchors--a three-layered rectangular block and a Y-shaped DNA structure--to mimic membrane-assisted assembly into hierarchical superstructures on supported lipid bilayers and small unilamellar vesicles. As designed, the DNA constructs adhered to the lipid bilayers mediated by the cholesterol anchors and diffused freely in 2D with diffusion coefficients depending on their size and number of cholesterol modifications. Different sets of multimerization oligonucleotides added to bilayer-bound origami block structures induced the growth of either linear polymers or two-dimensional lattices on the membrane. Y-shaped DNA origami structures associated into triskelion homotrimers and further assembled into weakly ordered arrays of hexagons and pentagons, which resembled the geometry of clathrin-coated pits. Our results demonstrate the potential to realize artificial self-assembling systems that mimic the hierarchical formation of polyhedral lattices on cytoplasmic membranes.

  17. Diphtheria toxin translocation across cellular membranes is regulated by sphingolipids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spilsberg, Bjorn; Hanada, Kentaro; Sandvig, Kirsten

    2005-01-01

    Diphtheria toxin is translocated across cellular membranes when receptor-bound toxin is exposed to low pH. To study the role of sphingolipids for toxin translocation, both a mutant cell line lacking the first enzyme in de novo sphingolipid synthesis, serine palmitoyltransferase, and a specific inhibitor of the same enzyme, myriocin, were used. The serine palmitoyltransferase-deficient cell line (LY-B) was found to be 10-15 times more sensitive to diphtheria toxin than the genetically complemented cell line (LY-B/cLCB1) and the wild-type cell line (CHO-K1), both when toxin translocation directly across the plasma membrane was induced by exposing cells with surface-bound toxin to low pH, and when the toxin followed its normal route via acidified endosomes into the cytosol. Toxin binding was similar in these three cell lines. Furthermore, inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase activity by addition of myriocin sensitized the two control cell lines (LY-B/cLCB1 and CHO-K1) to diphtheria toxin, whereas, as expected, no effect was observed in cells lacking serine palmitoyltransferase (LY-B). In conclusion, diphtheria toxin translocation is facilitated by depletion of membrane sphingolipids

  18. Changes in Peroxidase Activity in the Peel of Unshiub Mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc. Fruit with Different Storage Treatments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hrvoje Lepeduš

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available The Unshiu mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc. is the major Citrus crop in Croatia. Limiting factors for longer consumption of Unshiu mandarin are low storage performance and the appearance of chilling injuries during storage. Previous studies indicated that oxidative stress might be involved in cold-induced peel damage of harvested Citrus fruit. The aim of the present study was to investigate peroxidase distribution, isoenzyme pattern and activity in the peel of Unshiu mandarin fruit. Special goal of our study was to investigate the changes of peroxidase activity in respect to two different hot water dipping (HWD treatments (3 min at 48 and 52 °C and two different storage temperatures (1 and 3 °C combined. Peroxidase activity was detected at the border of oil glands, in the peel surface and in the conducting elements positioned in the inner part of the peel. Electrophoretic analysis revealed the presence of two peroxidase isoenzymes. There were no differences in the electrophoretic pattern after the HWD treatments and cold storage. Lowering of both total and specific peroxidase activity was measured in HWD-treated samples in comparison with the control ones. However, it appeared that significant decrease in total peroxidase activity was influenced by the storage temperatures, while the increase in total soluble protein content was influenced by the HWD pretreatment.

  19. The effect of progesterone and 17-β estradiol on membrane-bound HLA-G in adipose derived stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moslehi, Akram; Hashemi-Beni, Batool; Moslehi, Azam; Akbari, Maryam Ali; Adib, Minoo

    2016-07-01

    Membrane-bound HLA-G (mHLA-G) discovery on adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) as a tolerogenic and immunosuppressive molecule was very important. Many documents have shown that HLA-G expression can be controlled via some hormones such as progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2). Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate progesterone and estradiol effects on mHLA-G in ADSCs at restricted and combination concentrations. Three independent cell lines were cultured in complete free phenol red DMEM and subcultured to achieve suffi cient cells. These cells were treated with P4, E2 and P4 plus E2 at physiologic and pregnancy concentrations for 3 days in cell culture conditions. The HLA-G positive ADSCs was measured via monoclonal anti HLA-G-FITC/MEMG-09 by means of flow cytometry in nine groups. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests. There were no signifi cant values of the mean percentage of HLA-G positive cells in E2-treated and the combination of P4 plus E2-treated ADSCs compared to control cells (p value>0.05) but P4 had a signifi cant increase on mHLA-G in ADSCs (p value<0.05). High P4 concentration increased mHLA-G but E2 and the combination of P4 plus E2 could not change mHLA-G on ADSCs.

  20. Evidence for a plasma-membrane-bound nitrate reductase involved in nitrate uptake of Chlorella sorokiniana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tischner, R.; Ward, M. R.; Huffaker, R. C.

    1989-01-01

    Anti-nitrate-reductase (NR) immunoglobulin-G (IgG) fragments inhibited nitrate uptake into Chlorella cells but had no affect on nitrate uptake. Intact anti-NR serum and preimmune IgG fragments had no affect on nitrate uptake. Membrane-associated NR was detected in plasma-membrane (PM) fractions isolated by aqueous two-phase partitioning. The PM-associated NR was not removed by sonicating PM vesicles in 500 mM NaCl and 1 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and represented up to 0.8% of the total Chlorella NR activity. The PM NR was solubilized by Triton X-100 and inactivated by Chlorella NR antiserum. Plasma-membrane NR was present in ammonium-grown Chlorella cells that completely lacked soluble NR activity. The subunit sizes of the PM and soluble NRs were 60 and 95 kDa, respectively, as determined by sodium-dodecyl-sulfate electrophoresis and western blotting.

  1. Screening of Coprinus species for the production of extracellular peroxidase and evaluation of its applicability to the treatment of aqueous phenol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikehata, K.; Buchanan, I.D.

    2002-01-01

    Twenty-nine strains of Coprinus species comprising 16 strains from 12 identified species and 13 unidentified strains as well as one Arthromyces ramosus strain were screened for the production of extracellular peroxidase. Among the fungi examined, three strains of C. cinereus, UAMH 4103, UAMH 7907 and IFO 30116, as well as one Coprinus sp., UAMH 10067, which was isolated from urea treated soil, were shown to produce large amounts of extracellular peroxidase. The performance of crude peroxidase, obtained from liquid culture of C. cinereus, (CIP) on phenol removal from synthetic wastewater was evaluated and compared with that of purified horseradish peroxidase and A. ramosus peroxidase. Although crude CIP performed better than both purified enzymes, its superiority vanished in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol), a known protective agent of peroxidase. This suggests that the residual soluble substances present in crude CIP have protective effects similar to those of poly(ethylene glycol). (author)

  2. The functional state of cellular antioxidant defence system of shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to the chronic ionizing radiation in the Chornobyl exclusion zone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morozova, V.S.; Kashparov, V.A.; Levchuk, S.Ye.; Umanska, A.O.; Bishchuk, Ye.V.; Otreshko, L.M

    2016-01-01

    The functional state of the cellular antioxidant defence system of shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana plants that grow in natural conditions in the areas of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone with the values of the external dose rate of 0.45, 0.61, 1.05, 4.81 and 6.80 .Gy/h was evaluated. The decrease of the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive compounds in the shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana was revealed under the external dose rate of 4.81 and 6.80 .Gy/h by 38 and 48 %, respectively, compared to this parameter value under the external dose rate of 0.45 .Gy/h. In the investigated samples the capacity of guaiacol peroxidase increases, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase decreases significantly with the increase of the external dose rate from 0.45 to 6.80 .Gy/h. Probably, revealed changes in the functional state of the cellular antioxidant defence system of the shoots of Arabidopsis thaliana in the conditions of radioactive contamination are adaptive in nature.

  3. Biochemical Responses of Peach Leaves Infected with Taphrina Deformans Berk/Tul.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lyubka Koleva-Valkova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The phytopathogenic fungus Taphrina deformans causing the so called “leaf curl disease” in peach trees leads to severe yield losses due to the development of leaf hypertrophy and subsequent necrosis and scission. Because of its economic importance, the molecular mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of the disease are of considerable interest to the agricultural science. In this study various biochemical parameters, including the activities of the antioxidant enzymes guaiacol peroxidase, syringaldazine peroxidase and catalase, total polyphenols and anthocyanin content, concentration of free proline, antiradical activity and quantity of plastid pigments, were characterized. All these were measured in both leaves with clear symptoms and distally situated leaves from the same plant that show no signs of the infection. The results demonstrate that the pathogen induces considerable biochemical changes concerning enzymatic and non‑enzymatic elements of the plant defense and antioxidant systems. Moreover, it seems that the fungus provokes a systemic response detectable even in the tissues without observable symptoms.

  4. The Effect of Citrus Aurantium, Foeniculum Vulgare and Rosmarinus Officinalis Essential Oils on Peroxidase Activity

    OpenAIRE

    Maryam Mohajerani (PhD); Afsaneh Aghae i ( MSc )

    2016-01-01

    Background and objective: Peroxidases catalyze protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation. The activity of these enzymes in nerve cells is involved in causing disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This study investigated the effect of Citrus aurantium, Foeniculum vulgare and Rosmarinus officinalis essential oils on activity of peroxidase enzyme. Methods: All three medicinal plants were dried at room temperature. Their essential oil was extracted by steam distillation ...

  5. High-resolution imaging of selenium in kidneys: a localized selenium pool associated with glutathione peroxidase 3

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Malinouski, M.; Kehr, S.; Finney, L.; Vogt, S.; Carlson, B.A.; Seravalli, J.; Jin, R.; Handy, D.E.; Park, T.J.; Loscalzo, J.; Hatfield, D.L.; Gladyshev, V.N. (Harvard-Med)

    2012-04-17

    Recent advances in quantitative methods and sensitive imaging techniques of trace elements provide opportunities to uncover and explain their biological roles. In particular, the distribution of selenium in tissues and cells under both physiological and pathological conditions remains unknown. In this work, we applied high-resolution synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) to map selenium distribution in mouse liver and kidney. Liver showed a uniform selenium distribution that was dependent on selenocysteine tRNA{sup [Ser]Sec} and dietary selenium. In contrast, kidney selenium had both uniformly distributed and highly localized components, the latter visualized as thin circular structures surrounding proximal tubules. Other parts of the kidney, such as glomeruli and distal tubules, only manifested the uniformly distributed selenium pattern that co-localized with sulfur. We found that proximal tubule selenium localized to the basement membrane. It was preserved in Selenoprotein P knockout mice, but was completely eliminated in glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) knockout mice, indicating that this selenium represented GPx3. We further imaged kidneys of another model organism, the naked mole rat, which showed a diminished uniformly distributed selenium pool, but preserved the circular proximal tubule signal. We applied XFM to image selenium in mammalian tissues and identified a highly localized pool of this trace element at the basement membrane of kidneys that was associated with GPx3. XFM allowed us to define and explain the tissue topography of selenium in mammalian kidneys at submicron resolution.

  6. Isolation of an ascorbate peroxidase in Brassica napus and analysis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    2010-04-05

    Apr 5, 2010 ... domain; APX, ascorbate peroxidase; Bn-APX, Brassica napus ascorbate ... Brassica napus, which is widely grown as the oilseed crop of rape or canola, .... grew on the SD-Leu-Trp-His-Ade medium and were verified by PCR.

  7. Changes in gametophyte physiology of Pteris multifida induced by the leaf leachate treatment of the invasive Bidens pilosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kai-Mei; Shen, Yu; Fang, Yan-Ming; Liu, Ying

    2016-02-01

    In recent years, the response of fern gametophytes to environment has raised much attention. However, studies on the influence of plant invasion to fern gametophytes are scarce. Allelopathy plays an important role in biological invasion. Hence, it is necessary to study the allelopathic effects of invasive plants on fern gametophytes and elucidate the mechanisms by which invasive plants cause phytotoxicity. As one of the main invasive plants in China, Bidens pilosa exhibits allelopathic effects on spermatophyte growth. Field investigation shows that many ferns are threatened by the invasion of B. pilosa. The distribution of Pteris multifida overlaps with that of B. pilosa in China. To examine the potential involvement of allelopathic mechanisms of B. pilosa leaves, changes in the physiology in P. multifida gametophytes are analyzed. We found that cell membrane and antioxidant enzyme activities as well as photosynthesis pigment contents of the gametophytes were affected by B. pilosa leachates. Gametophytes of P. multifida exposed to B. pilosa had increased damages to cell membranes, expressed in thiobarbituric acid reacting substance (TBARS) concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA), electrolyte leakage (membrane permeability), and degree of injury. Enzyme activities, assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) enhanced with the increase in leachate concentration after 2-day exposure. Meanwhile, lower chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), carotenoid (Car), and the total chlorophyll were measured as leachate concentrations increased. At day 10, leaf leachates of B. pilosa exhibited the greatest inhibition. These results suggest that the observed inhibitory or stimulatory effects on the physiology studied can have an adverse effect on P. multifida and that allelopathic interference seems to have involved in this process.

  8. High frequency of positive anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (ATPO) in adult subjects without known thyroid disease, Santiago de Chile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanas, Alejandra; Letelier, Carolina; Caamano, Edgardo; Massardo, Teresa; Gonzalez, Patricio; Araya, Veronica

    2010-01-01

    Background: Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies have a pathogenic role in Hashimoto thyroiditis. Between 10 and 19% of individuals without thyroid disease, have positive titers of these antibodies. Aim: To study the frequency of positive titers of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies in healthy individuals. Material and Methods: A blood sample, to measure anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) by chemiluminescence assay, was obtained from 67 women and 62 men aged 45 ± 14 years, without a personal or familiar history of thyroid diseases and normal thyroid palpation. The cutoff point of the manufacturer to consider positive a titer of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies was set at 35 IU/ml. Results: Twenty-eight women and 28 men had positive antibody titers (43% of the sample). Subjects in the upper tercile of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody titers had a higher TSH than those in the second tercile, although within normal limits (1.73 ± 0.74 and 1.37 ± 0.59 mlU/L, respectively p = 0.02) Conclusions: Forty three percent of the studied subjects without personal or familial history of thyroid diseases had positive titers of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Further prospective studies should evaluate whether this observation discloses an increase in thyroid autoimmune disease in a population with increased iodine intake

  9. Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

    2015-01-01

    Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity. (topical review)

  10. Defining the extreme substrate specificity of Euonymus alatus diacylglycerol acetyltransferase, an unusual membrane-bound O-acyltransferase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Sunil; Durrett, Timothy P.

    2016-01-01

    Euonymus alatus diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT) synthesizes the unusually structured 3-acetyl-1,2-diacylglycerols (acetyl-TAG) found in the seeds of a few plant species. A member of the membrane-bound O-acyltransferase (MBOAT) family, EaDAcT transfers the acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (DAG) to produce acetyl-TAG. In vitro assays demonstrated that the enzyme is also able to utilize butyryl-CoA and hexanoyl-CoA as acyl donors, though with much less efficiency compared with acetyl-CoA. Acyl-CoAs longer than eight carbons were not used by EaDAcT. This extreme substrate specificity of EaDAcT distinguishes it from all other MBOATs which typically catalyze the transfer of much longer acyl groups. In vitro selectivity experiments revealed that EaDAcT preferentially acetylated DAG molecules containing more double bonds over those with less. However, the enzyme was also able to acetylate saturated DAG containing medium chain fatty acids, albeit with less efficiency. Interestingly, EaDAcT could only acetylate the free hydroxyl group of sn-1,2-DAG but not the available hydroxyl groups in sn-1,3-DAG or in monoacylglycerols (MAG). Consistent with its similarity to the jojoba wax synthase, EaDAcT could acetylate fatty alcohols in vitro to produce alkyl acetates. Likewise, when coexpressed in yeast with a fatty acyl-CoA reductase capable of producing fatty alcohols, EaDAcT synthesized alkyl acetates although the efficiency of production was low. This improved understanding of EaDAcT specificity confirms that the enzyme preferentially utilizes acetyl-CoA to acetylate sn-1,2-DAGs and will be helpful in engineering the production of acetyl-TAG with improved functionality in transgenic plants. PMID:27688773

  11. Cellulose microfibril deposition: coordinated activity at the plant plasma membrane

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lindeboom, J.J.; Mulder, B.; Vos, J.W.; Ketelaar, M.J.; Emons, A.M.C.

    2008-01-01

    Plant cell wall production is a membrane-bound process. Cell walls are composed of cellulose microfibrils, embedded inside a matrix of other polysaccharides and glycoproteins. The cell wall matrix is extruded into the existing cell wall by exocytosis. This same process also inserts the cellulose

  12. Self-assembling peptides form nanodiscs that stabilize membrane proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Midtgaard, Søren Roi; Pedersen, Martin Cramer; Kirkensgaard, Jacob Judas Kain

    2014-01-01

    -ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) supported by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The detailed structure of the discs was determined in unprecedented detail and it was found that they adopt a discoidal structure very similar to the ApoA1 based nanodiscs. We furthermore...... show that, like the ApoA1 and derived nanodiscs, these peptide discs can accommodate and stabilize a membrane protein. Finally, we exploit their dynamic properties and show that the 18A discs may be used for transferring membrane proteins and associated phospholipids directly and gently......New methods to handle membrane bound proteins, e.g. G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), are highly desirable. Recently, apoliprotein A1 (ApoA1) based lipoprotein particles have emerged as a new platform for studying membrane proteins, and it has been shown that they can self...

  13. Possible evidence that dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) stimulates cervical ripening by a membrane-mediated process: Specific binding-sites in plasma membrane from human uterine cervix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohno, T.; Imai, A.; Tamaya, T.

    1991-01-01

    Fetal adrenal steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) is well known to promote cervical ripening in late pregnancy. The presence of sites specifically binding the DHA-S in plasma membrane was studied in human cervical fibroblasts prepared from pregnant uterus. The fibroblasts were incubated with 3 H DHA-S and then fractionated into plasma membranes, cytosol, nuclei, and other organella debris. The specific activity of 3H-count in the plasma membrane fraction was enriched ∼ 7-fold compared with the whole homogenate. When the isolated plasma membrane preparations from the fibroblasts were exposed to 3 H DHA-S, the binding showed saturation kinetics; an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 12 nM, and the binding capacity (Bmax) of 1.25 pmol/mg protein. The present results suggest that DHA is bound to and recognized by components in plasma membrane, and may exert its action on cervical ripening through the membrane-mediated processes

  14. Airway Peroxidases Catalyze Nitration of the β2-Agonist Salbutamol and Decrease Its Pharmacological Activity

    OpenAIRE

    Reszka, Krzysztof J.; Sallans, Larry; Macha, Stephen; Brown, Kari; McGraw, Dennis W.; Kovacic, Melinda Butsch; Britigan, Bradley E.

    2011-01-01

    β2-Agonists are the most effective bronchodilators for the rapid relief of asthma symptoms, but for unclear reasons, their effectiveness may be decreased during severe exacerbations. Because peroxidase activity and nitrogen oxides are increased in the asthmatic airway, we examined whether salbutamol, a clinically important β2-agonist, is subject to potentially inactivating nitration. When salbutamol was exposed to myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase or lactoperoxidase in the presence of hy...

  15. The peripheral binding of 14-3-3γ to membranes involves isoform-specific histidine residues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helene J Bustad

    Full Text Available Mammalian 14-3-3 protein scaffolds include seven conserved isoforms that bind numerous phosphorylated protein partners and regulate many cellular processes. Some 14-3-3-isoforms, notably γ, have elevated affinity for membranes, which might contribute to modulate the subcellular localization of the partners and substantiate the importance of investigating molecular mechanisms of membrane interaction. By applying surface plasmon resonance we here show that the binding to phospholipid bilayers is stimulated when 14-3-3γ is complexed with its partner, a peptide corresponding to the Ser19-phosphorylated N-terminal region of tyrosine hydroxylase. Moreover, membrane interaction is dependent on salts of kosmotropic ions, which also stabilize 14-3-3γ. Electrostatic analysis of available crystal structures of γ and of the non-membrane-binding ζ-isoform, complemented with molecular dynamics simulations, indicate that the electrostatic potential distribution of phosphopeptide-bound 14-3-3γ is optimal for interaction with the membrane through amphipathic helices at the N-terminal dimerization region. In addition, His158, and especially His195, both specific to 14-3-3γ and located at the convex lateral side, appeared to be pivotal for the ligand induced membrane interaction, as corroborated by site-directed mutagenesis. The participation of these histidine residues might be associated to their increased protonation upon membrane binding. Overall, these results reveal membrane-targeting motifs and give insights on mechanisms that furnish the 14-3-3γ scaffold with the capacity for tuned shuffling from soluble to membrane-bound states.

  16. Particle-bound phytochrome: differential pigment release by surfactants, ribonuclease and phospholipase C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gressel, J.; Quail, P.H.

    1976-01-01

    Surfactants and hydrolytic enzymes were used to probe the nature of the constituent(s) to which phytochrome binds in particulate fractions from red-irradiated Cucurbita, [ 14 C]-choline and [ 3 H]-uridine pre-labelled tissue was used to monitor the release of phospholipids and RNA by these agents. Ribonuclease (RNase) digestion of 20,000 x g pellets eliminates both the phytochrome and ribonucleprotein (RNP) which cosediment at 31S. Little [ 14 C]-choline occurs in the 31S fraction and the amount is not changed by RNase digestion. This is further evidence that phytochrome binds directly to the RNP in the 31S fraction rather than to any membranous material present. The distribution profile of the RNA in a second (='heavy') phytochrome fraction does not correlate with that of the pigment. This suggests that the phytochrome in this fraction is not bound to RNP. The RNA is of ribosomal origin but much less degraded than that of the 31S RNP and is resistant to RNase digestion. Phospholipase C releases 80% of the [ 14 C]-choline from the 'heavy' fraction without freeing phytochrome. This indicates that the pigment does not bind to the polar head groups of the membrane phospholipids present. Low concentrations of deoxycholate dissociate phytochrome from this fraction without releasing substantial quantities of integral membrane proteins or phospholipids. Some RNP is dislodged by the surfactant but the phytochrome and RNP are not released as a complex. The data suggest that the pigment in the 'heavy' fraction may be loosely bound to a protein constituent rather than to RNP or polar phospholipids. (auth.)

  17. Formation of oriented membrane multilayers of Na/K-ATPase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pachence, J.M.; Knott, R.; Edelman, I.S.; Schoenborn, B.P.; Wallace, B.A.

    1982-01-01

    The isolated membrane-bound enzyme retains its ouabain-sensitive ATP hydrolysis activity, and produces ATP-dependent Na + and K + fluxes when incorporated into phospholipid vesicles. The ultimate goal of this work is to determine its low resolution structure using both X-ray and neutron diffraction. A number of methods were used to impart lamellar stacking order to highly purified pig Na/K-ATPase membranes. Upon partial dehydration, x-ray diffraction from Na/K-ATPase membrane multilayers at 98% relative humidity yielded discrete reflections of 118 A periodicity, diffracting to 1/14.8 A -1 , additionally, continuous diffraction to 1/10 A -1 was obtained. Subjecting the membrane multilayers to high magnetic fields improved the quality of the lamellar diffraction dramatically. Neutron diffraction studies of the partially dehydrated Na/K-ATPase membrane multilayers detected a mosaic spread of 2 0 when the samples were subjected to a magnetic field of 5 Tesla perpendicular to the membrane surface; the reflections were narrower than the camera line width; hence, the lattice disorder has also decreased significantly, although only four orders were measured

  18. Induced mitochondrial membrane potential for modeling solitonic conduction of electrotonic signals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R R Poznanski

    Full Text Available A cable model that includes polarization-induced capacitive current is derived for modeling the solitonic conduction of electrotonic potentials in neuronal branchlets with microstructure containing endoplasmic membranes. A solution of the nonlinear cable equation modified for fissured intracellular medium with a source term representing charge 'soakage' is used to show how intracellular capacitive effects of bound electrical charges within mitochondrial membranes can influence electrotonic signals expressed as solitary waves. The elastic collision resulting from a head-on collision of two solitary waves results in localized and non-dispersing electrical solitons created by the nonlinearity of the source term. It has been shown that solitons in neurons with mitochondrial membrane and quasi-electrostatic interactions of charges held by the microstructure (i.e., charge 'soakage' have a slower velocity of propagation compared with solitons in neurons with microstructure, but without endoplasmic membranes. When the equilibrium potential is a small deviation from rest, the nonohmic conductance acts as a leaky channel and the solitons are small compared when the equilibrium potential is large and the outer mitochondrial membrane acts as an amplifier, boosting the amplitude of the endogenously generated solitons. These findings demonstrate a functional role of quasi-electrostatic interactions of bound electrical charges held by microstructure for sustaining solitons with robust self-regulation in their amplitude through changes in the mitochondrial membrane equilibrium potential. The implication of our results indicate that a phenomenological description of ionic current can be successfully modeled with displacement current in Maxwell's equations as a conduction process involving quasi-electrostatic interactions without the inclusion of diffusive current. This is the first study in which solitonic conduction of electrotonic potentials are generated by

  19. A sensitive colorimetric aptasensor based on trivalent peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme and magnetic nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shuwen; Xu, Naihan; Tan, Chunyan; Fang, Wei; Tan, Ying; Jiang, Yuyang

    2018-08-14

    In this study, a novel colorimetric aptasensor was prepared by coupling trivalent peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme and magnetic nanoparticles for highly sensitive and selective detection of target proteins. A three G-quadruplex (G4) DNA-hemin complex was employed as the trivalent peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme, in which hemin assisted the G4-DNA to fold into a catalytic conformation and act as an enzyme. The design of the aptasensor includes magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), complementary DNA (cDNA) modified with biotin, and a label-free single strand DNA (ssDNA) including the aptamer and trivalent peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme. The trivalent DNAzyme, which has the highest catalytic activity among multivalent DNAzymes, catalyzed the H 2 O 2 -mediated oxidation of ABTS. The colorless ABTS was oxidized to produce a blue-green product that can be clearly distinguished by the naked eye. The aptamer and trivalent peroxidase-mimic DNAzyme promote the specificity and sensitivity of this detection method, which can be generalized for other targets by simply replacing the corresponding aptamers. To demonstrate the feasible use of the aptasensor for target detection, a well-known tumor biomarker MUC1 was evaluated as the model target. The limits of detection were determined to be 5.08 and 5.60 nM in a linear range of 50-1000 nM in a buffer solution and 10% serum system, respectively. This colorimetric and label-free aptasensor with excellent sensitivity and strong anti-interference ability has potential application in disease diagnoses, prognosis tracking, and therapeutic evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effect of heat treatment on polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of heat treatment (55°C/20 min) on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities and total phenolic compounds was investigated in Algerian dates (Deglet Nour variety) at Tamar (fully ripe) stage and in dates stored for 5 months at ambient temperature and in cold storage (10°C). Results obtained ...

  1. THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETICS OF THERMAL INACTIVATION OF PEROXIDASE FROM MANGOSTEEN (GARCINIA MANGOSTANA L. PERICARP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAHSA ZIABAKHSH DEYLAMI

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L. pericarp is an abundant source of phytochemicals. Blanching prior to further process stabilizes these valuable compounds. In this research, crude peroxidase (POD was extracted from mangosteen peel using Triton X-100. Kinetics of POD inactivation was studied over temperature range of 60- 100°C. The inactivation kinetics followed a monophasic first-order model with k values between 1.93×10-2- 8.14×10-2 min-1. The decreasing trend of k values with increasing temperature indicates a faster inactivation of peroxidase from mangosteen pericarp at higher temperatures. The activation energy (Ea of 35.06 kJ/mol was calculated from the slope of Arrhenius plot. Thermodynamic parameters (∆H, ∆G, ∆S for inactivation of peroxidase at different temperatures (60-100°C were studied in detail. The results of this research will help to design pre-processing conditions of mangosteen pericarp as a source of antioxidants.

  2. Antimetastatic effect of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide, against the B16-BL6 mouse melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsunaga, K; Ohhara, M; Oguchi, Y; Iijima, H; Kobayashi, H

    1996-01-01

    We examined the effect of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide, upon in vivo metastasis and in vitro invasion of the B16-BL6 mouse melanoma cells. (1) PSK suppressed in vivo artificial and spontaneous lung metastases of B16-BL6 in C57BL/6 mice. (2) PSK in a dose-dependent fashion suppressed in vitro invasion and chemotaxis of the tumor cells using filters coated with a reconstituted basement membrane. (3) PSK had little effect on DNA synthesis in tumor cells in vitro, but suppressed tumor cell adhesion to, degradation of, and haptotaxis to components of the basement membrane. (4) PSK suppressed the binding of tumor cells to components of the basement membrane. These findings suggest that PSK may suppress metastasis through inhibition of tumor cell invasion and that this effect is the result of interactions between PSK and components of the basement membrane.

  3. Effect of irradiation on membrane-bound rabit liver mitochondrial enzymes in embryogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mirakhmedov, A.K.; Muradillaev, A.; Khan, M.Z.; Khamidov, D. Kh.

    1982-01-01

    Effect of irradiation on protein content of inner mitochondrial membrane and on activity of certain enzymes of respiratory chain of hepatic mitochondria has been studied. Within 24 and 48 hr after total irradiation (200 R) of pregnant rabbits, the protein content of the inner membranes of 25-30 day-old embryos and the mothers was broken with the increase in the thickness and densitometric height of the protein spots. Changes were seen in NADH-oxidase, succinate oxidase and in cytochrome-c-oxidase activities of mitochondria of 20 day-old embryos within 4 hr after irradiation and within 1 hr after irradiation in adult rabbits. The NADH-oxidase and the succinate oxidase activities of 30 day-old embryos were insensitive to the effect of irradiation. The cytochrome-c-oxidase activity increased in mitochondria of 25-30 day-old embryos upon 24 hr of irradiation. Substantial depression of the thermostability of the NADH-oxidase system was seen within 24 hr after irradiation while cytochrome-c-oxidase did not change its thermostability. The unequal disturbances of the emzyme activity and thermostability upon the total irradiation are connected with the different state of mitochondria and with the specificity of enzymes of the respiratory chain. (author)

  4. Fluorescence energy transfer on erythrocyte membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchs, H.M.; Hof, M.; Lawaczeck, R.

    1995-08-01

    Stationary and time-dependent fluorescence have been measured for a donor/acceptor (DA) pair bound to membrane proteins of bovine erythrocyte ghosts. The donor N-(p-(2-benzoxazolyl)phenyl)-maleimid (BMI) and the acceptor fluram bind to SH- and NH 2 -residues, respectively. The fluorescence spectra and the time-dependent emission are consistent with a radiationless fluorescence energy transfer (RET). The density of RET-effective acceptor binding sites c=0.072 nm -2 was calculated on the basis of the two-dimensional Foerster-kinetic. Band3 protein is the only membrane spanning protein with accessible SH-groups, and therefore only effective binding sites on the band3 protein are counted for the RET measurements performed. (author). 23 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs

  5. Membrane-bound human orphan cytochrome P450 2U1: Sequence singularities, construction of a full 3D model, and substrate docking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ducassou, Lionel; Dhers, Laura; Jonasson, Gabriella; Pietrancosta, Nicolas; Boucher, Jean-Luc; Mansuy, Daniel; André, François

    2017-09-01

    Human cytochrome P450 2U1 (CYP2U1) is an orphan CYP that exhibits several distinctive characteristics among the 57 human CYPs with a highly conserved sequence in almost all living organisms. We compared its protein sequence with those of the 57 human CYPs and constructed a 3D structure of a full-length CYP2U1 model bound to a POPC membrane. We also performed docking experiments of arachidonic acid (AA) and N-arachidonoylserotonin (AS) in this model. The protein sequence of CYP2U1 displayed two unique characteristics when compared to those of the human CYPs, the presence of a longer N-terminal region upstream of the putative trans-membrane helix (TMH) containing 8 proline residues, and of an insert of about 20 amino acids containing 5 arginine residues between helices A' and A. Its N-terminal part upstream of TMH involved an additional short terminal helix, in a manner similar to what was reported in the crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae CYP51. Our model also showed a specific interaction between the charged residues of insert AA' and phosphate groups of lipid polar heads, suggesting a possible role of this insert in substrate recruitment. Docking of AA and AS in this model showed these substrates in channel 2ac, with the terminal alkyl chain of AA or the indole ring of AS close to the heme, in agreement with the reported CYP2U1-catalyzed AA and AS hydroxylation regioselectivities. This model should be useful to find new endogenous or exogenous CYP2U1 substrates and to interpret the regioselectivity of their hydroxylation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and Société Française de Biochimie et Biologie Moléculaire (SFBBM). All rights reserved.

  6. Virial Expansion Bounds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tate, Stephen James

    2013-10-01

    In the 1960s, the technique of using cluster expansion bounds in order to achieve bounds on the virial expansion was developed by Lebowitz and Penrose (J. Math. Phys. 5:841, 1964) and Ruelle (Statistical Mechanics: Rigorous Results. Benjamin, Elmsford, 1969). This technique is generalised to more recent cluster expansion bounds by Poghosyan and Ueltschi (J. Math. Phys. 50:053509, 2009), which are related to the work of Procacci (J. Stat. Phys. 129:171, 2007) and the tree-graph identity, detailed by Brydges (Phénomènes Critiques, Systèmes Aléatoires, Théories de Jauge. Les Houches 1984, pp. 129-183, 1986). The bounds achieved by Lebowitz and Penrose can also be sharpened by doing the actual optimisation and achieving expressions in terms of the Lambert W-function. The different bound from the cluster expansion shows some improvements for bounds on the convergence of the virial expansion in the case of positive potentials, which are allowed to have a hard core.

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

    OpenAIRE

    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, w...

  8. Interfacial Design of Mixed Matrix Membranes for Improved Gas Separation Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenggong; Wang, Dong; Zhang, Shenxiang; Hu, Liang; Jin, Jian

    2016-05-01

    High-performance metal-organic framework (MOF)/polyimide (PI) mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) are fabricated by a facile strategy by designing the MOF/PI matrix interface via poly dopamine coating. The overall separation performance of the designed MMMs surpasses the state-of-the-art 2008 Robeson upper bound for the H2 /CH4 and H2 /N2 gas pairs and approaches the 2008 upper bound for the O2 /N2 gas pair. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Upper bounds on superpartner masses from upper bounds on the Higgs boson mass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabrera, M E; Casas, J A; Delgado, A

    2012-01-13

    The LHC is putting bounds on the Higgs boson mass. In this Letter we use those bounds to constrain the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) parameter space using the fact that, in supersymmetry, the Higgs mass is a function of the masses of sparticles, and therefore an upper bound on the Higgs mass translates into an upper bound for the masses for superpartners. We show that, although current bounds do not constrain the MSSM parameter space from above, once the Higgs mass bound improves big regions of this parameter space will be excluded, putting upper bounds on supersymmetry (SUSY) masses. On the other hand, for the case of split-SUSY we show that, for moderate or large tanβ, the present bounds on the Higgs mass imply that the common mass for scalars cannot be greater than 10(11)  GeV. We show how these bounds will evolve as LHC continues to improve the limits on the Higgs mass.

  10. Irreversible fouling of membrane bioreactors due to formation of a non-biofilm gel layer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poorasgari, Eskandar; Larsen, Poul; Zheng, Xing

    2014-01-01

    Extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS), known to contribute to fouling in membrane bio-reactors (MBRs), are generally divided into bound and free EPS. The free EPS are able to form a gel layer on the membrane active surface. The mechanisms involved in formation of such layer and its effects...... on performance of the MBR membranes were studied. The free EPS, extracted by centrifugation and microfiltration, contained a significant amount of humic-like substances. Under static contact to the membrane, adsorption of humic-like substances to the membrane occurred and could be explained by conventional...... adsorption kinetics. Due to static adsorption, surface roughness of the membrane declined significantly, indicating that adsorbed matters to the membranefilled the cavities of the membrane surface. Filtration of the free EPS caused 50% waterflux decline. The fouling resistance linearly increased...

  11. Effect of γ-radiation on the activities of superoxide dimutase, catalase and peroxidase on the germinating wheat grain (Triticum aestivum,L.)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chakraborti, M.; Chatterjee, G.C.

    1983-01-01

    Effect of γ-radiation on several enzymes like catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in different parts of germinating wheat seeds has been studied. It was found that superoxide dismutase activity under the influence of γ-radiation was highest in the embryo part and showed maximum activity, 24 hours after germination. The activity exhibited a gradual decline with time. catalase and peroxidase, the stimulatory efect being maximum in the case of catalase activity. The catalase and peroxidase activities were found to be maximally localised in the embryo part and the highest value was attained after 72 hrs. in the case of catalase and after 48 hrs in the case of peroxidase activity. The results indicate that γ-radiation stimulates free radical generation in the embryo along with subsequent increase in the activities of superoside dismutase, catalase and peroxidase. (author)

  12. Fenóis totais, peroxidase e suas relações com a compatibilidade de mudas de pessegueiro interenxertadas Total phenols content, peroxidase activity and their relationship with the compatibility of the intergrafted seedlings of peach tree

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Allan Telles

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available O conhecimento das relações entre porta-enxerto e copa é vital para produção de mudas sem problemas de compatibilidade. Nesse sentido, a atividade de peroxidases e a concentração de fenóis apresentam grande importância na união entre enxerto e porta-enxerto, influenciando na resposta de compatibilidade de enxertia. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, avaliar a compatibilidade de enxertia em mudas de pessegueiro interenxertadas, quantificando a atividade da peroxidase e a concentração dos fenóis totais em cultivares do gênero Prunus, no período de crescimento vegetativo e de repouso. Amostras da casca foram processadas e quantificadas por espectrofotometria. Os tratamentos foram a combinação de dois porta-enxertos de pessegueiro ('Okinawa' e 'Capdeboscq', com dois interenxertos de ameixeira ('Irati' e 'Reubennel' e duas copas ('Chimarrita' e 'Coral', mais o damasqueiro Japonês e cerejeira 'Capulin', cultivados no viveiro da Embrapa Transferência de Tecnologia, Canoinhas-SC. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, com três repetições e três plantas por parcela. Concluiu-se que a atividade da peroxidase e os fenóis totais apresentaram baixa variação entre o pessegueiro e a ameixeira, sendo compatíveis entre si. A atividade da peroxidase e os fenóis totais foram superiores no período de repouso das mudas. O damasqueiro e a cerejeira apresentaram alta incompatibilidade, quando enxertados sobre porta-enxertos de pessegueiro.The understanding of the biochemical relation between rootstock and scion is very important for the production of seedlings without incompatibility problems. The activity of peroxidases and the phenol concentration are very important to the union between scion and rootstock, influencing the graft compatibility. This work aimed to analyze the compatibility of graft in peach tree intergrafted seedlings, to determine the peroxidase activity and total phenols in cultivars of Prunus, during the

  13. A Novel Colorimetric Immunoassay Utilizing the Peroxidase Mimicking Activity of Magnetic Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyun Gyu Park

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available A simple colorimetric immunoassay system, based on the peroxidase mimicking activity of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs, has been developed to detect clinically important antigenic molecules. MNPs with ca. 10 nm in diameter were synthesized and conjugated with specific antibodies against target molecules, such as rotaviruses and breast cancer cells. Conjugation of the MNPs with antibodies (MNP-Abs enabled specific recognition of the corresponding target antigenic molecules through the generation of color signals arising from the colorimetric reaction between the selected peroxidase substrate, 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB and H2O2. Based on the MNP-promoted colorimetric reaction, the target molecules were detected and quantified by measuring absorbance intensities corresponding to the oxidized form of TMB. Owing to the higher stabilities and economic feasibilities of MNPs as compared to horseradish peroxidase (HRP, the new colorimetric system employing MNP-Abs has the potential of serving as a potent immunoassay that should substitute for conventional HRP-based immunoassays. The strategy employed to develop the new methodology has the potential of being extended to the construction of simple diagnostic systems for a variety of biomolecules related to human cancers and infectious diseases, particularly in the realm of point-of-care applications.

  14. Engineering of the E. coli Outer Membrane Protein FhuA to overcome the Hydrophobic Mismatch in Thick Polymeric Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fioroni Marco

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Channel proteins like the engineered FhuA Δ1-159 often cannot insert into thick polymeric membranes due to a mismatch between the hydrophobic surface of the protein and the hydrophobic surface of the polymer membrane. To address this problem usually specific block copolymers are synthesized to facilitate protein insertion. Within this study in a reverse approach we match the protein to the polymer instead of matching the polymer to the protein. Results To increase the FhuA Δ1-159 hydrophobic surface by 1 nm, the last 5 amino acids of each of the 22 β-sheets, prior to the more regular periplasmatic β-turns, were doubled leading to an extended FhuA Δ1-159 (FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The secondary structure prediction and CD spectroscopy indicate the β-barrel folding of FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The FhuA Δ1-159 Ext insertion and functionality within a nanocontainer polymeric membrane based on the triblock copolymer PIB1000-PEG6000-PIB1000 (PIB = polyisobutylene, PEG = polyethyleneglycol has been proven by kinetic analysis using the HRP-TMB assay (HRP = Horse Radish Peroxidase, TMB = 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. Identical experiments with the unmodified FhuA Δ1-159 report no kinetics and presumably no insertion into the PIB1000-PEG6000-PIB1000 membrane. Furthermore labeling of the Lys-NH2 groups present in the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext channel, leads to controllability of in/out flux of substrates and products from the nanocontainer. Conclusion Using a simple "semi rational" approach the protein's hydrophobic transmembrane region was increased by 1 nm, leading to a predicted lower hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and polymer membrane, minimizing the insertion energy penalty. The strategy of adding amino acids to the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext hydrophobic part can be further expanded to increase the protein's hydrophobicity, promoting the efficient embedding into thicker/more hydrophobic block copolymer membranes.

  15. Engineering of the E. coli outer membrane protein FhuA to overcome the hydrophobic mismatch in thick polymeric membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhammad, Noor; Dworeck, Tamara; Fioroni, Marco; Schwaneberg, Ulrich

    2011-03-17

    Channel proteins like the engineered FhuA Δ1-159 often cannot insert into thick polymeric membranes due to a mismatch between the hydrophobic surface of the protein and the hydrophobic surface of the polymer membrane. To address this problem usually specific block copolymers are synthesized to facilitate protein insertion. Within this study in a reverse approach we match the protein to the polymer instead of matching the polymer to the protein. To increase the FhuA Δ1-159 hydrophobic surface by 1 nm, the last 5 amino acids of each of the 22 β-sheets, prior to the more regular periplasmatic β-turns, were doubled leading to an extended FhuA Δ1-159 (FhuA Δ1-159 Ext). The secondary structure prediction and CD spectroscopy indicate the β-barrel folding of FhuA Δ1-159 Ext. The FhuA Δ1-159 Ext insertion and functionality within a nanocontainer polymeric membrane based on the triblock copolymer PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) (PIB = polyisobutylene, PEG = polyethyleneglycol) has been proven by kinetic analysis using the HRP-TMB assay (HRP = Horse Radish Peroxidase, TMB = 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine). Identical experiments with the unmodified FhuA Δ1-159 report no kinetics and presumably no insertion into the PIB(1000)-PEG(6000)-PIB(1000) membrane. Furthermore labeling of the Lys-NH(2) groups present in the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext channel, leads to controllability of in/out flux of substrates and products from the nanocontainer. Using a simple "semi rational" approach the protein's hydrophobic transmembrane region was increased by 1 nm, leading to a predicted lower hydrophobic mismatch between the protein and polymer membrane, minimizing the insertion energy penalty. The strategy of adding amino acids to the FhuA Δ1-159 Ext hydrophobic part can be further expanded to increase the protein's hydrophobicity, promoting the efficient embedding into thicker/more hydrophobic block copolymer membranes.

  16. Membrane-associated insulin-like growth factor (IGF binding structures in placental cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ROMANA MASNIKOSA

    2003-11-01

    Full Text Available The biological activities of IGF-I and –II are mediated mainly by the type 1 IGF receptor (IGF 1R and controlled by their interaction with soluble proteins, the IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs. Although there is a growing body of evidence that some IGFBPs may be cell surface-bound, published data concerning cell association of IGFBP-1 are scarce and none of them concern placental cells. The cell membranes used in this study were isolated from term human placentae. Detergent-solubilized membranes were shown to contain two types of IGF binding structures that were separated by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-100 column. Proteins in the first peak were eluted at V0 (Mr > 100 kD and they bound IGF-I with greater specificity and affinity than IGF-II and insulin. Most likely, they represented the IGF 1R. Small proteins (Mr ~ 45 kD were eluted with the membrane proteins in the second maximum. They were able to bind IGF-I and IGF-II, but not insulin. The identity of these proteins was shown to be IGFBP-1 on the basis of their reaction with specific anti-IGFBP-1 antibodies. To the best of our knowledge, the existence of IGFBP-1 associated with human placental cell membranes has not been reported in the literature before. Colocalisation of IGFBP-1 with IGF 1R in cell membranes could provide efficient modulation of IGF 1R receptor-ligand interactions.

  17. A new look at lipid-membrane structure in relation to drug research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mouritsen, Ole G.; Jørgensen, Kent

    1998-01-01

    Lipid-bilayer membranes are key objects in drug research in relation to (i) interaction of drugs with membrane-bound receptors, (ii) drug targeting, penetration, and permeation of cell membranes, and (iii) use of liposomes in micro-encapsulation technologies for drug delivery. Rational design...... of new drugs and drug-delivery systems therefore requries insight into the physical properties of lipid-bilayer membranes. This mini-review provides a perspective on the current view of lipid-bilayer structure and dynamics based on information obtained from a variety of recent experimental...... and theoretical studies. Special attention is paid to trans-bilayer structure, lateral molecular organization of the lipid bilayer, lipid-mediated protein assembly, and lipid-bilayer permeability. It is argued that lipids play a major role in lipid membrane-organization and functionality....

  18. Molecular cloning and tissue-specific transcriptional regulation of the first peroxidase family member, Udp1, in stinging nettle (Urtica dioica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douroupi, Triantafyllia G; Papassideri, Issidora S; Stravopodis, Dimitrios J; Margaritis, Lukas H

    2005-12-05

    A full-length cDNA clone, designated Udp1, was isolated from Urtica dioica (stinging nettle), using a polymerase chain reaction based strategy. The putative Udp1 protein is characterized by a cleavable N-terminal signal sequence, likely responsible for the rough endoplasmic reticulum entry and a 310 amino acids mature protein, containing all the important residues, which are evolutionary conserved among different members of the plant peroxidase family. A unique structural feature of the Udp1 peroxidase is defined into the short carboxyl-terminal extension, which could be associated with the vacuolar targeting process. Udp1 peroxidase is differentially regulated at the transcriptional level and is specifically expressed in the roots. Interestingly, wounding and ultraviolet radiation stress cause an ectopic induction of the Udp1 gene expression in the aerial parts of the plant. A genomic DNA fragment encoding the Udp1 peroxidase was also cloned and fully sequenced, revealing a structural organization of three exons and two introns. The phylogenetic relationships of the Udp1 protein to the Arabidopsis thaliana peroxidase family members were also examined and, in combination with the homology modelling approach, dictated the presence of distinct structural elements, which could be specifically involved in the determination of substrate recognition and subcellular localization of the Udp1 peroxidase.

  19. Survival, mobility, and membrane-bound enzyme activities of freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica, exposed to synthetic and natural surfactants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mei-Hui

    2012-04-01

    Surfactants are a major class of emerging pollutants widely used in large quantities in everyday life and commonly found in surface waters worldwide. Freshwater planarian was selected to examine the effects of different surfactants by measuring mortality, mobility, and membrane-bound enzyme activities. Among the 10 surfactants tested, the acute toxicities of betaine and polyethylene glycol (PEG-200) to planarians were relatively low, with a median lethal concentration (LC50) greater than 10,000 mg/L. The toxicity to planarians of the other eight surfactants based on 48-h LC50 could be arranged in the descending order of cetylpyridinum chloride (CPC) > 4-tert-octylphenol (4-tert-OP) > ammonium lauryl sulfate > benzalkonium chloride > saponin > sodium lauroylsarcosinate > dioctyl sulfosuccinate > dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB). Both CPC and 4-tert-OP were very toxic to planarians, with 48-h LC50 values <1 mg/L. The median effective concentrations (EC50s) of planarian mobility were in the 0.1 to 50 mg/L range and were in the same range as the 24-h LC50 of planarians exposed to different surfactants, except for DTAB. In addition, significant inhibition of cholinesterase activity activities was found in planarians exposed to 4-tert-OP at 2.5 and 5 mg/L and to saponin at 10 mg/L after 2-h treatments. This result suggests that planarian mobility responses can be used as an alternative indicator for acute toxicity of surfactants after a very short exposure period. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

  20. Degradation of textile dyes using immobilized lignin peroxidase-like metalloporphines under mild experimental conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zucca Paolo

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Synthetic dyes represent a broad and heterogeneous class of durable pollutants, that are released in large amounts by the textile industry. The ability of two immobilized metalloporphines (structurally emulating the ligninolytic peroxidases to bleach six chosen dyes (alizarin red S, phenosafranine, xylenol orange, methylene blue, methyl green, and methyl orange was compared to enzymatic catalysts. To achieve a green and sustainable process, very mild conditions were chosen. Results IPS/MnTSPP was the most promising biomimetic catalyst as it was able to effectively and quickly bleach all tested dyes. Biomimetic catalysis was fully characterized: maximum activity was centered at neutral pH, in the absence of any organic solvent, using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant. The immobilized metalloporphine kept a large part of its activity during multi-cycle use; however, well-known redox mediators were not able to increase its catalytic activity. IPS/MnTSPP was also more promising for use in industrial applications than its enzymatic counterparts (lignin peroxidase, laccase, manganese peroxidase, and horseradish peroxidase. Conclusions On the whole, the conditions were very mild (standard pressure, room temperature and neutral pH, using no organic solvents, and the most environmental-friendly oxidant and a significant bleaching and partial mineralization of the dyes was achieved in approximately 1 h. Therefore, the process was consistent with large-scale applications. The biomimetic catalyst also had more promising features than the enzymatic catalysts.