scholarly journals The vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum. Purification and properties of the Fe protein

1988 ◽  
Vol 256 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
R R Eady ◽  
T H Richardson ◽  
R W Miller ◽  
M Hawkins ◽  
D J Lowe

1. Nitrogenase activity of a strain of Azotobacter chroococcum lacking the structural genes of Monitrogenase (nifHDK) was associated with a V + Fe-containing protein and an Fe-containing protein [Robson, Eady, Richardson, Miller, Hawkins & Postgate (1986) Nature (London) 322, 388-390; Eady, Robson, Richardson, Miller & Hawkins (1987) Biochem. J. 244, 197-207]. 2. The Fe protein was purified to homogeneity by the criterion of Coomassie Blue staining after electrophoresis in 10% or 17% (w/v) polyacrylamide gels in the presence of SDS. One type of subunit, of Mr 32,000 +/- 2000, was found. 3. The native protein had an Mr of 62,500 +/- 2500 and contained approximately 4 Fe atoms and 4 acid-labile sulphide groups per molecule. The amino acid composition was similar to those of other purified Fe proteins, and, characteristically, tryptophan was absent. The specific activities (nmol of protein/min per mg of protein) when assayed under optimum conditions with the VFe protein from this strain were 1211 for H2 evolution under Ar, 337 for NH3 from N2 formation and 349 for C2H2 reduction. Activity of the Fe protein was O2-labile with a t1/2 of 36 s in air. At low temperatures the dithionite-reduced protein exhibited e.p.r. signals consistent with the presence of both S = 1/2 and S = 3/2 spin states. These signals were similar to those given by other nitrogenase Fe proteins, as were the changes in their line shape that occurred in the presence of MgATP or MgADP. The absorbance spectra showed that an increase in absorption occurred in the visible range on reversible oxidation of the dithionite-reduced protein. The oxidized-minus-reduced epsilon 420 was 6000 M-1.cm-1.

1987 ◽  
Vol 244 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
R R Eady ◽  
R L Robson ◽  
T H Richardson ◽  
R W Miller ◽  
M Hawkins

1. Nitrogenase activity of a strain of Azotobacter chroococcum lacking the structural genes for conventional nitrogenase (nifHDK) was separated into two components: an Fe-containing protein and a vanadoprotein. 2. The larger protein was purified to homogeneity by the criterion of electrophoresis of 10% (w/v) acrylamide gels in the presence of SDS. Two types of subunit, of Mr 50,000 and 55,000, were present in equal amounts. 3. The protein had an Mr of 210,000 and contained 2 V atoms, 23 Fe atoms and 20 acid-labile sulphide groups per molecule. The Mo content was less than 0.06 g-atom/mol. All the common amino acids were present, with a predominance of acidic residues. Ultracentrifugal analysis gave a maximum sedimentation coefficient of 9.7 S and a symmetrical boundary at 5 mg of protein X ml-1; dissociation occurred at lower concentrations. The specific activities (nmol of product/min per mg of protein), when assayed under optimum conditions with the complementary Fe protein from this strain, were 1348 for H2 evolution, 350 for NH3 formation and 608 for acetylene reduction. Activity was O2-labile, with a t1/2 of 40 s in air. At low temperatures the dithionite-reduced protein showed e.p.r. signals at g = 5.6, 4.35, 3.77 and 1.93, consistent with an S = 3/2 ground state with an additional S = 1/2 centre giving rise to the feature at g = 1.93. The u.v. spectra of dithionite-reduced and thionine-oxidized protein were very similar. Oxidation resulted in a general increase in absorbance in the visible region. The shoulder at 380 nm in the spectrum of reduced protein was replaced with shoulders near 330 nm and 420 nm on oxidation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 256 (2) ◽  
pp. 429-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
R W Miller ◽  
R R Eady

A comparison of the effect of temperature on the reduction of N2 by purified molybdenum nitrogenase and vanadium nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum showed differences in behaviour. As the assay temperature was lowered from 30 degrees C to 5 degrees C N2 remained an effective substrate for V nitrogenase, but not Mo nitrogenase, since the specific activity for N2 reduction by Mo nitrogenase decreased 10-fold more than that of V nitrogenase. Activity cross-reactions between nitrogenase components showed the enhanced low-temperature activity to be associated with the Fe protein of V nitrogenase. The lower activity of homologous Mo nitrogenase components, although dependent on the ratio of MoFe protein to Fe protein, did not equal that of V nitrogenase even under conditions of high electron flux obtained at a 12-fold molar excess of Fe protein.


1988 ◽  
Vol 249 (3) ◽  
pp. 745-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
M J Dilworth ◽  
R R Eady ◽  
M E Eldridge

1. The vanadium (V-) nitrogenase of Azobacter chroococcum transfers up to 7.4% of the electrons used in acetylene (C2H2) reduction for the formation of ethane (C2H6). The apparent Km for C2H2 (6 kPa) is the same for either ethylene (C2H4) or ethane (C2H6) formation and much higher than the reported Km values for C2H2 reduction to C2H4 by molybdenum (Mo-) nitrogenases. Reduction of C2H2 in 2H2O yields predominantly [cis-2H2]ethylene. 2. The ratio of electron flux yielding C2H6 to that yielding C2H4 (the C2H6/C2H4 ratio) is increased by raising the ratio of Fe protein to VFe protein and by increasing the assay temperature up to at least 40 degrees C. pH values above 7.5 decrease the C2H6/C2H4 ratio. 3. C2H4 and C2H6 formation from C2H2 by V-nitrogenase are not inhibited by H2. CO inhibits both processes much less strongly than it inhibits C2H4 formation from C2H2 with Mo-nitrogenase. 4. Although V-nitrogenase also catalyses the slow CO-sensitive reduction of C2H4 to C2H6, free C2H4 is not an intermediate in C2H6 formation from C2H2. 5. Propyne (CH3C identical to CH) is not reduced by the V-nitrogenase. 6. Some implications of these results for the mechanism of C2H6 formation by the V-nitrogenase are discussed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 90 ◽  
pp. 96-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria J. Gauci ◽  
Matthew P. Padula ◽  
Jens R. Coorssen

BioTechniques ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connie Wong ◽  
Srinavas Sridhara ◽  
James C.A. Bardwell ◽  
Ursula Jakob

1977 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 988-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. McGeer ◽  
B. Lavers ◽  
G. R. Williams

Beef heart cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) prepared in this laboratory consistently presents 10 Coomassie blue staining zones on SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. At pH 7.0 only two of these polypeptides (III and VIa) are labelled by radioactive N-ethyl maleimide (NEM). The labelling of VIa is variable and correlates with the activity of particular oxidase preparations. When cytochrome oxidase is isolated from alkylated membranes, either mitochondria or electron transport particles, polypeptide VIa is found not to be labelled; polypeptide III is more strongly labelled than when isolated oxidase is alkylated, and label now appears in polypeptide I which is not alkylated upon treatment of isolated oxidase with NEM.


1987 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah A Rathjen ◽  
Carolyn L Geczy

To study the role of anticoagulants, particularly antithrombin III (AT III) and heparin, on the activation of coagulation by monocytes/macrophages which have been stimulated with a soluble lymphocyte activation product, macrophage procoagulant inducing factor, we have prepared monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to human AT III.In fusion experiments, in contrast to wells containing peritoneal feeder cells, positive hybrids were only found in wells containing medium conditioned by the macrophage cell line J774 (Rathjen and Geczy, 1986). Of 5 hybrids which initially produced antibody, only one hybrid, showed stable Ab production. The MAb, designated 22/23, was not cross-reactive with either 1 antitrypsin or ovalbumin and did not inhibit the biological activity of AT III in chromogenic assays which measured inhibition of thrombin and Factor Xa by AT III. An immunoadsorbent prepared using MAb 22/23 depleted AT III activity from a purified AT III preparation. Reduction and alkylat ion of the disulphide bonds of the protein portion of AT III completely abbrogated MAb binding indicating that the native configuration of AT III was important. Isoelectric focussing of AT III, followed by transfer of the focussed protein to nitrocellulose by diffusion and probing with MAb 22/23, revealed at least 8 bands in the region of pH 5.2 to 5.85. Coomassie blue staining of a gel run in parallel showed 9 bands in this region. The MAb provides a useful tool for the detection of AT III on both cultured cells (bovine aortic endothelial cells are positive by immunofluorescence) and tissue sections.Rathjen, D.A. and Geczy, C.L. Hybridomo. 5s 255-261 (1986)


Blood ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 1212-1219 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Kieffer ◽  
B Boizard ◽  
D Didry ◽  
JL Wautier ◽  
AT Nurden

Abstract We report the immunochemical characterization of a new platelet- specific alloantigen detected using an IgG antibody isolated from the serum of a patient with posttransfusion purpura (PTP). In indirect immunoprecipitation experiments, the antibody, termed anti-Leka, predominantly precipitated glycoprotein (GP) IIb from Triton X-100 lysates of normal human platelets. In an immunoblot procedure, which involved the transfer of platelet polypeptides separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to nitrocellulose membrane, anti-Leka bound exclusively to GP IIb. Under identical conditions, four anti-PlA1 antibodies each reacted with GP IIIa. No binding of anti-Leka IgG occurred to Leka (-) platelets or to their separated polypeptides although GP IIb was normally detected by Coomassie blue staining. After electrophoresis of reduced platelet proteins, the Leka determinant was localized to the IIb alpha chain. Thus, unlike the PlA1 antigen, the Leka determinant was not destroyed by disulfide reduction. Analysis of platelets from a patient with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia revealed little or no binding in the GP IIb position. Anti-Leka permitted the identification of 76,000 and 60,000 dalton fragments of GP IIb retained by the platelet following chymotrypsin treatment. Our results further highlight the immunogenicity of the GP IIb-IIIa complex. They also suggest that antibodies against GP IIb can cause the thrombocytopenia observed in PTP and that anti-PlA1 antibodies do not account exclusively for the pathophysiology of this immune disorder.


1992 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Paliwal ◽  
B Malaviya ◽  
VP Kamboj

Oviducts were obtained from monkeys on Days 8, 14, 19 and 25 of the menstrual cycle and changes in the pattern of luminal fluid proteins were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Densitometric analysis after periodic acid Schiff's reagent (PAS) and coomassie blue staining of the gels revealed 85 and 95 kDa proteins only up to Day 14 whereas a 130 kDa glycoprotein persisted up to Day 19 and reached a nadir at mid-menstrual cycle (Day 14). The absence of the 130 kDa glycoprotein in the serum and its presence in cytosolic preparations up to Day 19 suggest that it is of oviductal origin. The 130 kDa glycoprotein is of particular interest since it was present in the oviductal fluid during mid cycle, a period when the oviduct participates in gamete transport, fertilization and embryo development. The conclusion drawn from this study is that the protein profile of monkey oviductal fluid changes during the menstrual cycle.


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