scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of chicken thymic electrolectin

1985 ◽  
Vol 226 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Levi ◽  
V I Teichberg

We have detected the presence of a beta-D-galactoside-binding lectin (electrolectin) in extracts of the thymus of adult chickens. This lectin was purified by affinity chromatography on a lactosyl-Sepharose column to yield 1.4 mg of pure protein from 230 g of thymus. The chicken thymic electrolectin (CTE) has an Mr of 15 300 when analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and of 30 000 when analysed by gel filtration. The amino acid composition of CTE is similar to that of other electrolectins purified from human and rat lung. CTE cross-reacts immunologically, but is not identical, with electrolectins from electric-eel electric organ and from chick-embryo pectoral muscle. CTE agglutinates chicken thymocytes but does not appear to promote their mitosis.

1982 ◽  
Vol 203 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Lafuma ◽  
M Moczar ◽  
L Robert

1. Glycoproteins of hamster, rat and baboon lung parenchyma were investigated by using [14C]glucosamine incorporation in vitro followed by sequential extraction of the macromolecular components and characterization of the glycoproteins in the extracts. 2. Slices of lung parenchyma maintained in vitro incorporated [U-14C]glucosamine linearly with time into non-diffusible macromolecules for up to 5h. All the macromolecule-associated 14C label was present as [14C]glucosamine. 3. These 14C-labelled macromolecules were extracted from previously delipidated and salt-extracted lung by 5M-guanidinium chloride in the presence of dithiothreitol and proteinase inhibitors before (extract A1) and after (extract A2) hydrolysis of the collagen by collagenase. The [14C]glucosamine-labelled glycoproteins in extracts A1 and A2 contained 55 and 5% respectively of the total [14C]glucosamine incorporated in the lung of all three species studied. 4. The [14C]glucosamine-labelled glycoproteins were analysed by gel-filtration chromatography, sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. The major [14C]glucosamine-labelled glycoproteins of baboon lung parenchyma had apparent mol.wts. of about 400 000, 140 000 and 65 000 with isoelectric points respectively of 4.8, 5.4 and 5.4. The hamster lung glycoproteins with isoelectric points of 4.1 and 5.8 were devoid of hydroxyproline and contained galactose, mannose and N-acetylglucosamine. These experiments indicate that several distinct glycoproteins are synthesized in situ by the cells of pulmonary parenchyma and may well play a role in its structure and function.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 252-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuichi Saito ◽  
Kazuya Kondo ◽  
Ichiro Kojima ◽  
Atsushi Yokota ◽  
Fusao Tomita

ABSTRACT Streptomyces exfoliatus F3-2 produced an extracellular enzyme that converted levan, a β-2,6-linked fructan, into levanbiose. The enzyme was purified 50-fold from culture supernatant to give a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weights of this enzyme were 54,000 by SDS-PAGE and 60,000 by gel filtration, suggesting the monomeric structure of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be 4.7. The optimal pH and temperature of the enzyme for levan degradation were pH 5.5 and 60°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 3.5 to 8.0 and also up to 50°C. The enzyme gave levanbiose as a major degradation product from levan in an exo-acting manner. It was also found that this enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of such fructooligosaccharides as 1-kestose, nystose, and 1-fructosylnystose by liberating fructose. Thus, this enzyme appeared to hydrolyze not only β-2,6-linkage of levan, but also β-2,1-linkage of fructooligosaccharides. From these data, the enzyme from S. exfoliatus F3-2 was identified as a novel 2,6-β-d-fructan 6-levanbiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.64 ).


1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 4374-4381 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. McMichael ◽  
Michael J. Fiske ◽  
Ross A. Fredenburg ◽  
Deb N. Chakravarti ◽  
Karl R. VanDerMeid ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The UspA1 and UspA2 proteins of Moraxella catarrhalisare potential vaccine candidates for preventing disease caused by this organism. We have characterized both proteins and evaluated their vaccine potential using both in vitro and in vivo assays. Both proteins were purified from the O35E isolate by Triton X-100 extraction, followed by ion-exchange and hydroxyapatite chromatography. Analysis of the sequences of internal peptides, prepared by enzymatic and chemical cleavage of the proteins, revealed that UspA1 and UspA2 exhibited distinct structural differences but shared a common sequence including an epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody 17C7. By sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), purified UspA1 exhibited a molecular weight of approximately 350,000 when unheated and a molecular weight of 100,000 after being heated for 10 min at 100°C. In contrast, purified UspA2 exhibited an apparent molecular weight of 240,000 by SDS-PAGE that did not change with the length of time of heating. Their sizes as determined by gel filtration were 1,150,000 and 830,000 for UspA1 and UspA2, respectively. Preliminary results indicate the proteins have separate functions in bacterial pathogenesis. Purified UspA1 was found to bind HEp-2 cells, and sera against UspA1, but not against UspA2, blocked binding of the O35E isolate to the HEp-2 cells. UspA1 also bound fibronectin and appears to have a role in bacterial attachment. Purified UspA2, however, did not bind fibronectin but had an affinity for vitronectin. Both proteins elicited bactericidal antibodies in mice to homologous and heterologous disease isolates. Finally, mice immunized with each of the proteins, followed by pulmonary challenge with either the homologous or a heterologous isolate, cleared the bacteria more rapidly than mock-immunized mice. These results suggest that UspA1 and UspA2 serve different virulence functions and that both are promising vaccine candidates.


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Furutani ◽  
Toshii Iida ◽  
Shigeyuki Yamano ◽  
Kei Kamino ◽  
Tadashi Maruyama

ABSTRACT A peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) was purified from a thermophilic methanogen, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus. The PPIase activity was inhibited by FK506 but not by cyclosporine. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 16 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 42 kDa by gel filtration. The enzyme was thermostable, with the half-lives of its activity at 90 and 100°C being 90 and 30 min, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies (k cat/Km ) measured at 15°C for the peptidyl substrates,N-succinyl-Ala-Leu-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide andN-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, were 0.35 and 0.20 μM−1 s−1, respectively, in chymotrypsin-coupled assays. The purified enzyme was sensitive to FK506 and therefore was called MTFK (M. thermolithotrophicusFK506-binding protein). The MTFK gene (462 bp) was cloned from anM. thermolithotrophicus genomic library. The comparison of the amino acid sequence of MTFK with those of other FK506-binding PPIases revealed that MTFK has a 13-amino-acid insertion in the N-terminal region that is unique to thermophilic archaea. The relationship between the thermostable nature of MTFK and its structure is discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisayo Ono ◽  
Kazuhisa Sawada ◽  
Nonpanga Khunajakr ◽  
Tao Tao ◽  
Mihoko Yamamoto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (ectoine) is an excellent osmoprotectant. The biosynthetic pathway of ectoine from aspartic β-semialdehyde (ASA), in Halomonas elongata, was elucidated by purification and characterization of each enzyme involved. 2,4-Diaminobutyrate (DABA) aminotransferase catalyzed reversively the first step of the pathway, conversion of ASA to DABA by transamination with l-glutamate. This enzyme required pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and potassium ions for its activity and stability. The gel filtration estimated an apparent molecular mass of 260 kDa, whereas molecular mass measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was 44 kDa. This enzyme exhibited an optimum pH of 8.6 and an optimum temperature of 25°C and had Km s of 9.1 mM forl-glutamate and 4.5 mM for dl-ASA. DABA acetyltransferase catalyzed acetylation of DABA to γ-N-acetyl-α,γ-diaminobutyric acid (ADABA) with acetyl coenzyme A and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.2 and an optimum temperature of 20°C in the presence of 0.4 M NaCl. The molecular mass was 45 kDa by gel filtration. Ectoine synthase catalyzed circularization of ADABA to ectoine and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.5 to 9.0 and an optimum temperature of 15°C in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl. This enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 19 kDa by SDS-PAGE and a Km of 8.4 mM in the presence of 0.77 M NaCl. DABA acetyltransferase and ectoine synthase were stabilized in the presence of NaCl (>2 M) and DABA (100 mM) at temperatures below 30°C.


1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 789-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliano Degrassi ◽  
Benedict C. Okeke ◽  
Carlo V. Bruschi ◽  
Vittorio Venturi

ABSTRACT Bacillus pumilus PS213 was found to be able to release acetate from acetylated xylan. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has been purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme was secreted, and its production was induced by corncob powder and xylan. Its molecular mass, as determined by gel filtration, is 190 kDa, while sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band of 40 kDa. The isoelectric point was found to be 4.8, and the enzyme activity was optimal at 55°C and pH 8.0. The activity was inhibited by most of the metal ions, while no enhancement was observed. The Michaelis constant (Km ) andV max for α-naphthyl acetate were 1.54 mM and 360 μmol min−1 mg of protein−1, respectively.


1978 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
J G Heathcote ◽  
C H J Sear ◽  
M E Grant

1. Isolated rat lens capsules synthesized hydroxy[3H]proline-containing polypeptides when incubated with [3H]proline. 2. The collagenous polypeptides synthesized during a 2 h incubation were analyzed by both gel-filtration chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and shown to have an apparent mol.wt. of approx. 180,000. 3. No evidence was obtained for conversion of these polypeptides into a lower-molecular-weight species in experiments where capsules were labelled for 2 h and chased with non-radioactive proline for up to 22 h. However, a time-dependent incorporation of the 180,000-mol.wt. species into a larger collagenous component was observed and this could be prevented by the inclusion of beta-aminopropionitrile in the incubation medium. 4. The radioactive components synthesized by the capsules correspond to subunits of the intact lens capsule and the direct incorporation of the polypeptide of mol.wt. 180,000 into deoxycholate-insoluble basement membrane was demonstrated.


1976 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Saklatvala ◽  
G C Wood ◽  
D D White

1. alpha 1-Proteinase inhibitor was isolated from human plasma by a five-step procedure. Isoelectric focusing showed that six components focused between pH4.85 and 4.95. 2. The mol.wt. of the inhibitor was 52000 by sedimentation equilibrium and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The amino acid and carbohydrate compositions of the inhibitor were also determined. 3. The far-u.v.c.d. (circular-dichroism) spectrum indicated that the inhibitor had about 36% alpha-helical content. 4. The loss of proteinase-inhibitory activity when the inhibitor was exposed to pH values less than 5.0 or greater than 10.5 was accompanied by small changes in the far-u.v.c.d. spectrum and large changes in the near-u.v.c.d. spectrum. The change at alkaline pH was associated with ionization of tyrosine residues. 5. Interaction of inhibitor with chymotrypsin caused perturbation of the c.d. spectrum and this was used to follow the interaction and show a 1:1 stoicheiometry. 6. C.d., electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing showed that the inhibitor-enzyme complex is degraded by free enzyme. 7. Parallel studies with trypsin indicated that it too forms a 1:1 complex with inhibitor and is degraded by excess of enzyme.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Manganaro ◽  
A. Kuksis

We have purified the monoacylglycerol acyltransferase from rat small intestinal mucosa to homogeneity by a combination of hydrophobic absorption, guanidine dissociation, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme gives a single band of 37 000 daltons on sodium dodecyl sulphate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has a specific activity of about 5900 nmol/mg per hour and represents 0.12% of total cell protein, corresponding to about a 600-fold purification. The enzyme does not acylate diacylglycerols to triacylglycerols, which is consistent with the separate physical existence of the mono- and di-acylglycerol acyltransferases. The enzyme acylates the 2-monoacylglycerols to yield an essentially racemic mixture of diacylglycerols. It does not acylate glycerol 3-phosphate.


1979 ◽  
Vol 181 (3) ◽  
pp. 667-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Wohllebe ◽  
D J Carmichael

alpha- and beta-Chains were isolated by sequential ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography of guanidinium chloride-soluble dentine collagen obtained from Tris/NaCl-extracted EDTA-demineralized lathyritic-rat incisors. The alpha-chains were identified as alpha 1 I and alpha 2 by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis of the intact chains and their CNBr peptides. The dentine alpha-chains exhibited higher lysine hydroxylation and phosphate content, but lower hydroxylysine glycosylation, than alpha-chains from skin. Increased lysine hydroxylation was observed in the helical sequences. The alpha 1 I/alpha 2 ratio was approx. 3:1, and was presumably due to the presence of (alpha 1 I)3 molecules along with (alpha 1 I)2 alpha 2 molecules as shown recently for neutral-salt-soluble dentine collagen [Wohllebe & Carmichael (1978) Eur. J. Biochem. 92, 183–188]. In the borohydride-reduced beta 11- and beta 12-chains from guanidinium chloride-soluble dentine collagen, the reduced cross-links hydroxylysinohydroxynorleucine and hydroxylysinonorleucine were present. A higher proportion of hydroxylysinonorleucine in the reduced beta 12-chain probably reflects differences in extent of hydroxylation of specific lysine residues of the alpha 1 I- and alpha 2-chains.


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