Equilibrium and kinetic studies of oxygen binding by gastropod (Lymnaea stagnalis) haemocyanin

1981 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 446-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNE DAWSON ◽  
DAVID A. BAXENDALE ◽  
EDWARD J. WOOD
1983 ◽  
Vol 209 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Dawson ◽  
E J Wood

Functional fragments of the haemocyanin from the gastropod mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis (freshwater snail) were obtained by partial digestion with trypsin and plasmin. The fragments were purified by ion-exchange chromatography and characterized by detergent/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Three types of single-functional unit fragment were isolated from the trypsin digest, and two immunologically distinct three-functional unit fragments and a single-functional unit fragment were isolated from the plasmin digest. The O2-binding behaviour of the fragments was investigated by equilibrium and kinetic methods. Over the pH range 7.0-8.2, in the presence of 10-20 mM-CaCl2, all of the single-functional unit fragments displayed non-co-operative O2 binding and showed no evidence of a Bohr or a salt effect. A Hill coefficient of less than 1.0 was obtained with one of the two three-functional unit fragments studied, whereas both of these fragments displayed a Bohr effect. Functional heterogeneity of the fragments was indicated by the variation in the O2 affinity, the P50 (partial pressure of O2 at half saturation) ranging between 0.26 and 0.77 kPa (approx. 2-6 mmHg). Stopped-flow data reflected the O2 equilibrium behaviour. Thus there was a fall in the value of the O2 dissociation rate constant from approx. 15 to 1s-1 in parallel with the increase in O2 affinity.


1982 ◽  
Vol 207 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Dawson ◽  
E J Wood

The binding of oxygen by the haemocyanin of the gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis was studied by equilibrium and kinetic methods. The studies were performed under conditions in which the haemocyanin molecule was in the native state. Over the pH range 6.8-7.6, in the presence of 10mM-CaCl2 the haemocyanin bound O2 cooperatively. Over this pH range the haemocyanin molecule displayed a normal Bohr effect whereby the O2 affinity of the molecule decreased with a fall in the pH of the solution. The maximum slope of the Hill plot (hmax.) was 3.5, obtained at pH 7.5. An increase in the CaCl2 concentration from 5 to 20 mM at pH 6.8 resulted in a slight increase in the oxygen affinity, with hmax. remaining virtually unchanged. At constant pH and CaCl2 concentration, an increase in NaCl concentration from 0 to 50 mM resulted in a small decrease in O2 affinity, but a significant increase in the value of hmax. from 3.5 to 8.6. Temperature-jump relaxation experiments over a range of O2 concentrations produced single relaxation times. The dependence of the relaxation time on the reactant concentrations indicated a simple bimolecular binding process. The calculated association and dissociation rate constants for this process at pH 7.5 are 29.5×10(6) M-1 X S-1 and 49 S-1 respectively. The association rate constant kon was found to be essentially independent of pH and CaCl2 concentration. The dissociation rate constant, koff, however, increased with a decrease in the pH, but was also independent of CaCl2 concentration. These results indicate that the stability of the haemocyanin-O2 complex is determined by the dissociation rate constant.


1981 ◽  
Vol 197 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Gullick ◽  
E J Head ◽  
E J Wood

Haemocyanin from the gastropod mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis (pond snail) was partially digested with plasmin under a variety of experimental conditions and the products of digestion analysed by detergent/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and crossed immunoelectrophoresis. Fragments were obtained corresponding to one, two, three, four and five oxygen-binding domains, one domain having a mol.wt. of approx. 50000 and containing 2 ions of Cu. The fragments obtained after extensive digestion were non-identical immunologically, and summation of their molecular weights allowed a minimal mol.wt. of 413000 to be calculated for the original, undigested, eight-domain polypeptide chain. The use of mild-digestion conditions allowed the time course and sequence of the digestion to be monitored. An initial cleavage gave a three-domain and a five-domain fragment. The three-domain fragment was resistant to further digestion. The five-domain fragment could be digested further to give, successively a four-domain, a three-domain, and finally a two-domain fragment, single-domain units being cleaved. These data form the basis for a proposed sequence for the different domains in the original chain.


Author(s):  
T. Wichertjes ◽  
E.J. Kwak ◽  
E.F.J. Van Bruggen

Hemocyanin of the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) has been studied in nany ways. Recently the structure, dissociation and reassembly was studied using electron microscopy of negatively stained specimens as the method of investigation. Crystallization of the protein proved to be possible and X-ray crystallographic analysis was started. Also fluorescence properties of the hemocyanin after dialysis against Tris-glycine buffer + 0.01 M EDTA pH 8.9 (so called “stripped” hemocyanin) and its fractions II and V were studied, as well as functional properties of the fractions by NMR. Finally the temperature-jump method was used for assaying the oxygen binding of the dissociating molecule and of preparations of isolated subunits. Nevertheless very little is known about the structure of the intact molecule. Schutter et al. suggested that the molecule possibly consists of two halves, combined in a staggered way, the halves themselves consisting of four subunits arranged in a square.


2004 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
David Leys ◽  
Jaswir Basran ◽  
François Talfournier ◽  
Kamaldeep K. Chohan ◽  
Andrew W. Munro ◽  
...  

TMADH (trimethylamine dehydrogenase) is a complex iron-sulphur flavoprotein that forms a soluble electron-transfer complex with ETF (electron-transferring flavoprotein). The mechanism of electron transfer between TMADH and ETF has been studied using stopped-flow kinetic and mutagenesis methods, and more recently by X-ray crystallography. Potentiometric methods have also been used to identify key residues involved in the stabilization of the flavin radical semiquinone species in ETF. These studies have demonstrated a key role for 'conformational sampling' in the electron-transfer complex, facilitated by two-site contact of ETF with TMADH. Exploration of three-dimensional space in the complex allows the FAD of ETF to find conformations compatible with enhanced electronic coupling with the 4Fe-4S centre of TMADH. This mechanism of electron transfer provides for a more robust and accessible design principle for interprotein electron transfer compared with simpler models that invoke the collision of redox partners followed by electron transfer. The structure of the TMADH-ETF complex confirms the role of key residues in electron transfer and molecular assembly, originally suggested from detailed kinetic studies in wild-type and mutant complexes, and from molecular modelling.


1975 ◽  
Vol 14 (04) ◽  
pp. 330-338
Author(s):  
L. G. Colombetti ◽  
J. S. Arnold ◽  
W. E. Barnes

SummaryTc-99m pyridoxylidene glutamate has proven to be an excellent biliary scanning agent, far superior in many respect to the commonly used 1-131 rose bengal. The preparation of the compound as previously reported by Baker et al is too time consuming and requires the use of an autoclave which is not available in most nuclear medicine departments. In our facility, we have been preparing similar compounds using several aldehydes and monosodium glutamate to make labeled complexes having the same pharmacological characteristics. The mixture of monosodium glutamate, aldehyde, and Tc-99m pertechnetate is made slightly alkaline, purged with helium, and placed in a sealed vial. The vial, which is protected by a wire basket, is then heated in a laboratory oven at 130° C for a period of 15 to 20 minutes. During this time, the technetium is reduced to a lower valence state and bound to the complex formed. Chromatographic data show that these compounds are chemically similar to that previously reported. The compounds prepared concentrate in the gall bladder of the rabbit in less than 10 minutes. Kinetic studies have been performed on dogs with a scintillation camera and small digital computer to measure rates of blood clearance, liver and gall bladder uptake, and excretion into the intestine. The aldehyde — glutamate complex promises to be a useful scanning agent for the diagnosis of biliary and hepatocellular diseases.


1961 ◽  
Vol 05 (01) ◽  
pp. 001-020
Author(s):  
Douglas M. Surgenor ◽  
Nancy A. Wilson ◽  
Anne S. Henry

SummaryA method is described for the partial purification of a human plasma factor which accelerates the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin in the presence of tissue thromboplastin. This factor may be dried from the frozen state, and may be kept in stable dry form for long periods of time. The quantitative assay of this activity is done in a classical two-stage prothrombin system using tissue thromboplastin and calcium. From its properties, it is concluded that this activity corresponds to factor V, labile factor and plasma Ac-globulin.Chemical and kinetic studies reveal that human factor V is active in plasma and is destroyed by thrombin. Human serum has little or no factor V activity.These results thus fail to support the postulated activation of factor V during clotting. All of the kinetic data are consistent with an enzymatic role for factor V in the formation of tissue prothrombin activator (thromboplastin).


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