scholarly journals β-Fructofuranosidases from roots of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber)

1972 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. P. Rutherford ◽  
A. C. Deacon

1. Three β-fructofuranosidases were separated by chromatography on a DEAE-cellulose column from the soluble protein extracted from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber) roots. 2. One enzyme, which acted on sucrose, was characterized as an invertase, with a Km of 2.00×10-2M and pH optimum of 7.5. 3. The other two enzymes are hydrolases (A and B), which act on the inulin series of oligosaccharides [general formula glucose-fructose-(fructose)n]. They both have a pH optimum of 4.0 and Km of 1.54×10-2M but differ in their chromatographic behaviour on DEAE-cellulose. Neither of the hydrolases is inhibited by sucrose. 4. The physiological role of these three hydrolytic enzymes is discussed.

2006 ◽  
Vol 291 (3) ◽  
pp. R664-R673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Canesi ◽  
Caterina Ciacci ◽  
Lucia Cecilia Lorusso ◽  
Michele Betti ◽  
Tiziana Guarnieri ◽  
...  

In mammals, estrogens have dose- and cell-type-specific effects on immune cells and may act as pro- and anti-inflammatory stimuli, depending on the setting. In the bivalve mollusc Mytilus, the natural estrogen 17β-estradiol (E2) has been shown to affect neuroimmune functions. We have investigated the immunomodulatory role of E2 in Mytilus hemocytes, the cells responsible for the innate immune response. E2 at 5–25 nM rapidly stimulated phagocytosis and oxyradical production in vitro; higher concentrations of E2 inhibited phagocytosis. E2-induced oxidative burst was prevented by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-l-arginine and superoxide dismutase, indicating involvement of NO and O2−; NO production was confirmed by nitrite accumulation. The effects of E2 were prevented by the antiestrogen tamoxifen and by specific kinase inhibitors, indicating a receptor-mediated mechanism and involvement of p38 MAPK and PKC. E2 induced rapid and transient increases in the phosphorylation state of PKC, as well as of a aCREB-like (cAMP responsive element binding protein) transcription factor, as indicated by Western blot analysis with specific anti-phospho-antibodies. Localization of estrogen receptor-α- and -β-like proteins in hemocytes was investigated by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. The effects of E2 on immune function were also investigated in vivo at 6 and 24 h in hemocytes of E2-injected mussels. E2 significantly affected hemocyte lysosomal membrane stability, phagocytosis, and extracellular release of hydrolytic enzymes: lower concentrations of E2 resulted in immunostimulation, and higher concentrations were inhibitory. Our data indicate that the physiological role of E2 in immunomodulation is conserved from invertebrates to mammals.


1978 ◽  
Vol 171 (3) ◽  
pp. 659-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
R H Tukey ◽  
R E Billings ◽  
T R Tephly

Rabbit liver UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity was resolved into two separate fractions on DEAE-cellulose, one containing most of the transferase activity toward oestrone and the other most of the activity toward p-nitrophenol. These two activities were completely separated by rechromatography of each fraction on a second DEAE-cellulose column.


1994 ◽  
Vol 298 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-598 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Itoh

An IMP-hydrolysing enzyme was purified to homogeneity from yeast extract. It was a soluble protein with an apparent molecular mass of 220 kDa, with a subunit molecular mass of 55 kDa. It was highly specific for IMP, and there was virtually no detectable activity with the other purine and pyrimidine nucleotides tested, including AMP and dIMP. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 6.0-6.5. Its activity was absolutely dependent on bivalent metal salts: Mg2+ was most potent, followed by Co2+ and Mn2+. The velocity/substrate-concentration plot of the enzyme was slightly sigmoidal (h = 1.7) and the s0.5 was 0.4 mM. ATP stimulated the enzyme by decreasing both h and s0.5. Diadenosine tetraphosphate stimulated the enzyme as effectively as ATP. Although the properties of the enzyme are similar to those of the IMP/GMP 5′-nucleotidase identified in various animals [Itoh (1993) Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 105B, 13-19], the substrate specificity of the former was much more strict than the latter.


1988 ◽  
Vol 256 (2) ◽  
pp. 461-467 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Farrés ◽  
P Julià ◽  
X Parés

The human placenta contains a considerable amount of 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase (23 +/- 6 micrograms/g; n = 12), about 25% of the concentration present in liver. The enzyme is the only form in placenta that oxidizes short- and medium-chain aldehydes, which facilitates its purification from this organ. It can be purified to homogeneity by successive chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, 5′-AMP-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-300. From 500 g of tissue, about 2.1 units of enzyme can be obtained with a 12% yield. Placental 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase is a dimer of Mr-63,000 subunits. It exhibits a pI of 6.80-6.65, and is specific for 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate, the cyclic form of glutamate gamma-semialdehyde (Km = 0.17 mM, kcat. = 870 min-1), although it also oxidizes short-chain aliphatic aldehydes such as propionaldehyde (Km = 24 mM, kcat. = 500 min-1). These properties are very close to those of the liver enzyme, indicating a strong similarity between the enzyme forms from both organs. The enzyme is highly sensitive to temperature, showing 50% inhibition after incubation for 0.8 min at 45 degrees C or after 23 min at 25 degrees C. It is irreversibly inhibited by disulfiram, and a molar ratio inhibitor: enzyme of 60:1 produced 50% inhibition after incubation for 10 min. A subcellular-distribution study indicates that the enzyme is located in two compartments: the mitochondria, with 60% of the total activity, and the cytosol, with 40% activity. The physiological role of the enzyme in placental amino acid metabolism is discussed.


1970 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 565-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas C. Spitzer

Low resistance junctions were demonstrated between cells in anthers from young buds of Lilium longiflorum Croft by standard electrophysiological techniques. Electrodes containing a dye were used to stain impaled cells for later histological identification. Electrical coupling is widespread; germinal cells are coupled to one another; coupling is also observed between somatic elements, and germinal and somatic cells are similarly interconnected. Cytoplasmic bridges are implicated in the first case; plasmodesmata are probably responsible for the interactions in the other two. Although the physiological role of the low resistance junctions shown here and present in embryonic animal tissues is unknown, the possible function of this form of intercellular communication in the development of the anther is discussed.


1975 ◽  
Vol 151 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
P E Hickman ◽  
M J Weidemann

Pig spleen phosphofructokinase has been purified 800-fold with a yield of 17%. Two isoenzymes that appear to be kinetically identical can be separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. In common with the enzyme from other mammalian sources, the spleen enzyme has a pH optimum of 8.2. At pH 7.0 it displays sigmoidal kinetics with respect to fructose 6-phosphate concentration but its co-operative behaviour is very dependent on pH, protein concentration and the concentration of MgATP. MgGTP and MgITP can replace MgATP as phosphate donors but, unlike MgATP, these nucleotides do not cause significant inhibition. Mn2+ and Co2+ (as the metal ion-ATP complexes) act as cofactors and in the free form are far more inhibitory than free Mg2+. The spleen enzyme responds to a wide variety of potential effector molecules: ADP, AMP, cyclic AMP, aspartate, NH4+, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate and Pi all act as either activators or protectors, whereas Mg-ATP, Mg2+, citrate, phosphoenol-pyruvate and the phosphoglucerates are inhibitors.


1957 ◽  
Vol 106 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar D. Ratnoff ◽  
Irwin H. Lepow

Studies on an esterase derived from partially purified preparations of the first component of complement are described. The esterase hydrolyzed certain synthetic amino acid esters, among which N-acetyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester was most susceptible. This was hydrolyzed maximally between pH 7.5 and 8.2, and at 41°C. The esterase could not be identified with other previously described hydrolytic enzymes. An esterase with similar properties could also be eluted from antigen-antibody aggregates which had been treated with serum. Human serum contained a heat-labile inhibitor of the esterase which could not be identified with any of the known components of complement. The esterase was also inhibited by certain reducing agents. The experiments described support the early hypothesis that complement exerts its action enzymatically, but the physiological role of the esterase derived from preparations of complement is not yet clear.


1971 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. Palmer

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


Microbiology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Hartman ◽  
N. T. Keen

The pyruvate carboxylase of Verticillium albo-atrum had a pH optimum of 7·8 and a specific requirement for ATP. At the optimum pH, magnesium ions were required for maximum activity, while at pH 6·8 manganese was more effective than magnesium. Potassium was stimulatory while sodium was ineffective. Avidin and p-chloromercuribenzoate strongly inhibited the enzyme while biotin and dithiothreitol, respectively, reversed the effect of the inhibitors. Aspartate and oxalacetate were inhibitory while acetyl-CoA and CoA reversed the inhibition by aspartate. These cofactors were ineffective in the absence of aspartate. None of the tested metabolic intermediates was stimulatory to pyruvate carboxylase activity while NADP+ and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate were the most effective inhibitors (75%) at a concentration of 6·7 mM. Levels of pyruvate carboxylase in cells grown on glucose, acetate, malate, xylose, glycerol or aspartate differed only slightly. The data indicated that the physiological role of pyruvate carboxylase in V. albo-atrum is the anaplerotic biosynthesis of C4 Krebs-cycle intermediates from pyruvate.


2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronnie Machielsen ◽  
Agustinus R. Uria ◽  
Servé W. M. Kengen ◽  
John van der Oost

ABSTRACT The gene encoding a novel alcohol dehydrogenase that belongs to the aldo-keto reductase superfamily has been identified in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. The gene, referred to as adhD, was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and subsequently purified to homogeneity. The enzyme has a monomeric conformation with a molecular mass of 32 kDa. The catalytic activity of the enzyme increases up to 100°C, and a half-life value of 130 min at this temperature indicates its high thermostability. AdhD exhibits a broad substrate specificity with, in general, a preference for the reduction of ketones (pH optimum, 6.1) and the oxidation of secondary alcohols (pH optimum, 8.8). Maximal specific activities were detected with 2,3-butanediol (108.3 U/mg) and diacetyl-acetoin (22.5 U/mg) in the oxidative and reductive reactions, respectively. Gas chromatrography analysis indicated that AdhD produced mainly (S)-2-pentanol (enantiomeric excess, 89%) when 2-pentanone was used as substrate. The physiological role of AdhD is discussed.


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