Detergent Dodecyltrimethylammonium Bromide Research Articles

Osmoprotection of Bacterial Cells from Toxicity Caused by Antimicrobial Hybrid Peptide CM15

Antimicrobial peptides exist ubiquitously as a host defense system in a broad range of species, including insects, amphibians, and mammals. The binding of these peptides is followed by the disruption of cytoplasmic membranes, leading to bacterial cell death; however, the precise mechanism of membrane destruction has remained controversial. In this study, we have examined the mechanism of action for the antimicrobial peptide, CM15 (KWKLFKKIGAVLKVL), a chimeric peptide of cecropin and mellitin. We find that the cytotoxicity of CM15 against either E. coli or Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be mitigated by the addition of sugar or poly(ethylene glycol) osmolytes to the extracellular media. The dependence of osmoprotection on solute size suggests the formation of pores with an effective diameter of 2.2-3.8 nm. In contrast, no osmoprotection was observed for cell killing by the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. Osmolytes also protected cells against the cytotoxicity of CM15 expressed intracellularly as a C-terminal extension of the carrier protein ketosteroid isomerase (KSI). Osmoprotection against the intracellularly produced peptide was also dependent on osmolyte size, in a manner that was in agreement with that observed for extracellularly added synthetic CM15. These data indicate that the formation of discrete pores in the cytoplasmic membrane is a key factor in the mechanism of bacterial killing by CM15.

A SIMPLE AND RAPID TECHNIQUE FOR THE ISOLATION OF DNA FROM MICROALGAE1

A simple method for the purification of PCR‐ quality DNA from microalgae is presented. This method uses the detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide coupled with cell breakage by agitation in the presence of glass beads and chloroform. A final purification step involves a commercial cartridge system. The procedure requires only about 1–2 mL of algal culture and can be completed in about 20 min. DNA suitable for PCR has been obtained from several algal lineages using this method, including numerous green algae and stramenopiles.

Interaction of glucose oxidase with alkyl-substituted Sepharose 4B.

Glucose oxidase (GOD) is often used in immobilized forms for determination of glucose. To examine the possibility of its adsorption by hydrophobic interactions, palmityl-substituted Sepharose 4B (Sepharoselipid) was employed as an adsorptive matrix. Various conditions were used in tests to improve the limited immobilization of the enzyme observed under normal (native) conditions, including use of high concentrations of denaturing agents. Of the denaturants used, only the cationic detergent dodecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide was effective in denaturing the protein and exposing its hydrophobic sites for interaction with alkyl residues on the support. This, followed by the process of renaturation, provided catalytically active immobilized preparations. The apoenzyme, prepared by treatment of the holoenzyme with acidified (NH4)2SO4 or thermal denaturation, was totally immobilized on the support. Furthermore, it was shown that either flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or the alkyl residues, not both, may interact with the nucleotide site at any given time. Results are discussed in terms of high rigidity of GOD molecule and limited exposure of hydrophobic sites in its native structure. The observations are in accord with suggestions in the literature that the FAD pocket is a very narrow channel of hydrophobic properties, adapted to accept its natural coenzyme.

Hydration and Lyotropic Melting of Amphiphilic Molecules: A Thermodynamic Study Using Humidity Titration Calorimetry

The hydration of the lipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and of the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been studied by means of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), gravimetry, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. During the experiments films of the amphiphiles are perfused by an inert gas of variable relative humidity. The measurement of adsorption heats using ITC represents a new adaptation of adsorption calorimetry which has been called the humidity titration technique. This method yields the partial molar enthalpy of water upon adsorption. It is found to be endothermic with respect to the molar enthalpy of water on condensation for the water molecules which interact directly with the headgroups of POPC and DTAB. Consequently, the spontaneous hydration of the amphiphiles is entropy driven in an aqueous environment. IR spectroscopy shows that hydration is accompanied by the increase in the conformational and/or motional freedom of the amphiphilic molecules upon water binding. In particular, a lyotropic chain melting transition is induced at a certain characteristic relative humidity. This event is paralleled by the adsorption of water. The corresponding exothermic adsorption heat is consumed completely (POPC) or partially (DTAB) by the hydrocarbon chains upon melting. Differential scanning calorimetry was used as an independent method to determine transition enthalpies of the amphiphiles at a definite hydration degree. Water binding onto the headgroups is discussed in terms of hydrogen bonding and polar interactions. The adsorption isotherms yield a number of ∼2.6 tightly bound water molecules per POPC and DTAB molecule.

Thermodynamic studies on the interactions of histone H 1 and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide

The thermodynamic parameters for the interaction of the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) with histone H 1 at pH 3.2, 6.4 and 10 have been measured over a wide range of DTAB concentrations by equilibrium dialysis at 27 and 37°C. The data are used to determine the free energy from the Wyman binding potential theoretical model, and the enthalpy of interaction from the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants using the van't Hoff relation. The binding data were also used to analyse Hill and Scatchard plots to interpret the cooperativity of the histone H 1-DTAB interaction. The interaction between histone H 1 and DTAB is exothermic in contrast to the histone H 1-sodium n-dodecyl sulphate interaction which is endothermic.

Isolation and characterization of gastric microsomal glycoproteins. evidence for a glycosylated β-subunit of the H +/K −-ATPase

Detergent-solubilization of hog gastric microsomal membrane proteins followed by affinity chromatography using wheat germ agglutinin or Ricinus communis I agglutinin resulted in the isolation of five glycoproteins with the apparent molecular masses on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels of (in kDa): 60–80 (two glycoproteins sharing this molecular mass); 125–150; and 190–210. In the nonionic detergent Nonidet P-40 (NP-40), the 94 kDa H +/K +-ATPase was recovered exclusively in the lectin-binding fraction; however, in the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, most of the ATPase was recovered in the nonbinding fraction. Detection of glycoproteins either by periodic acid-dansyl hydrazine staining of carbohydrate in polyacrylamide gels or by Western blots probed with lectins indicated that the majority of the ATPase molecules are not glycosylated. In addition, in the absence of microsomal glycoproteins, the NP-40-solubilized ATPase does not bind to a lectin column. Taken together, these results suggest that the recovery of NP-40-solubilized ATPase in the lectin-binding fraction is due to its noncovalent interaction with a gastric microsomal glycoprotein. Immunoprecipitation of the ATPase from NP-40-solubilized microsomal membrane proteins resulted in the co-precipitation of a single 60–80 kDa glycoprotein. Characterization of the 60–80 kDa glycoprotein associated with the ATPase revealed that: it is a transmembrane protein; it has an apparent core molecular mass of 32 kDa; and, it has five asparagine-linked oligosaccharide chains. Given its similarity to the glycosylated β-subunit of the Na +/K +-ATPase, this 60–80 kDa gastric microsomal glycoprotein is suggested to be a β-subunit of the H +/K +-ATPase.

Solubilization, characterization, and detergent interactions of lymphocyte 5′-nucleotidase

5'-Nucleotidase is a member of a recently identified class of membrane proteins that is anchored via a phosphatidylinositol-containing glycolipid. The enzyme was readily solubilized with full retention of catalytic activity by nonionic and anionic detergents such as alkylthioglucosides, deoxycholate, and 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propane-sulfonate (CHAPS), while the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) caused loss of activity. 5'-Nucleotidase was released only at high detergent concentrations, suggesting that it is tightly associated with the membrane. DTAB and deoxycholate caused a loss of heat stability, while alkylthioglucosides had no effect. CHAPS produced a remarkable increase in the heat stability of the partially purified (glycoprotein fraction) and purified enzyme. Arrhenius plots of solubilized 5'-nucleotidase showed "break points" for all detergents in the temperature range 30-37 degrees C. SDS-PAGE of pure 5'-nucleotidase showed a single subunit of molecular mass 70 kilodaltons (kDa), while sucrose density gradient sedimentation gave a peak of activity corresponding to 132 kDa, indicating that the enzyme exists as a dimer. Gel filtration of the solubilized enzyme in several detergents showed apparent molecular masses between 200-630 kDa, suggesting that lymphocyte 5'-nucleotidase may be present in high molecular mass aggregates in its native state.

Reconstitution of lymphocyte 5'-nucleotidase in lipid bilayers: behaviour and interaction with concanavalin A.

Pure 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) and a membrane glycoprotein fraction (partially purified 5'-nucleotidase) were isolated from pig lymphocyte plasma membrane by affinity chromatography techniques, using the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide as a solubilizing agent. A detergent-dialysis technique was used to reconstitute both partially purified and pure enzyme into large unilamellar phospholipid vesicles, where it remains functional. 5'-Nucleotidase is relatively unstable in detergent solutions, but is highly stable once reconstituted into lipid vesicles. Arrhenius plots of the enzyme in bilayers of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine show a break point at 22-23 degrees C, with a different activation energy above and below the phospholipid gel-to-liquid crystalline phase transition. 5'-Nucleotidase in intact plasma membrane is inhibited more than 95% by concanavalin A in a positively cooperative fashion (Hill coefficient = 2.1), as is partially purified reconstituted enzyme. Purification of the enzyme before reconstitution results in less than 50% inhibition by concanavalin A and a complete loss of positive cooperativity (Hill coefficient less than 1.0). The inhibition properties of the enzyme can be fully restored by co-reconstituting pure 5'-nucleotidase with the remaining lymphocyte glycoproteins.

Phosphorylation of ovine rhodopsin. Identification of the phosphorylated sites

Light-dependent phosphorylation of sheep opsin was obtained in purified discs to which was added a partially purified preparation of rhodopsin kinase. A maximum ratio of 1.8 mol of phosphate/mol of rhodopsin bleached was obtained. Perturbing the lipid bilayer did not alter the phosphorylation ratio. Dephosphorylation in both segments and discs was only achieved when the supernatant fraction from a retina homogenate was added. Complete dephosphorylation required the presence of the detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide in the incubation medium. Treatment of phosphorylated disc membranes with Staphylococcal aureus V8 proteinase generated two membrane-bound fragments, only one of which (V8-S, Mr 12 000) was labelled, together with a soluble seven-residue peptide that contained [32P]phosphoserine. Peptide sequencing, together with subdigestion procedures, localized the phosphorylation sites to serine residues at positions 334, 338 and 343 in the whole sequence and threonine residues at positions 335 and 336.

Functional reassembly of lymphocyte lentil lectin receptor glycoproteins into lipid bilayer vesicles

Plasma membrane vesicles purified from pig mesenteric lymph nodes were solubilized using the mild, readily-dialyzable detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, and lentil lectin receptor glycoproteins were isolated by affinity chromatography. The receptor fraction showed 12 major bands on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis representing 8–9% of the membrane protein. 5′-Nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) was very effectively solubilized by the detergent and was recovered in high yield in the receptor fraction. Receptor glycoproteins were reassembled into large unilamellar vesicles of phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine (mean diameter 0.235 μm) using a detergent dialysis technique. Sixty to seventy percent of the glycoprotein and most of the 5′-nucleotidase activity is associated with the phospholipid vesicles. 5′-Nucleotidase is reassembled in a symmetrical fashion and is inhibited by binding of concanavalin A, lentil lectin and pea lectin but not by succinyl-concanavalin A. Measured values for K i and maximal inhibition are similar to those observed with intact plasma membrane vesicles. Hemagglutination inhibition studies showed that the reassembled receptors effectively bind lentil lectin. Thus lymphocyte membrane glycoproteins reassembled into phospholipid vesicles seem to retain at least part of their function in that enzyme activities such as 5′-nucleotidase remain intact and the receptors effectively bind lentil lectin.

The concanavalin a receptor from human erythrocytes in lipid bilayer membranes. Interaction with concanavalin A and succinyl-concanavalin A

The concanavalin A receptor from human erythrocyte membranes has been isolated by affinity chromatography using the mild, readily-dialyzable detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The purified protein has been reincorporated into large unilamellar phospholipid vesicles using a detergent dialysis technique. The mean diameter of these vesicles increases as the lipid: protein ratio decreases. Binding of succinyl-concanavalin A to these vesicles was quantitated using 125I-labelled lectin in a filtration assay. The concanavalin A receptor in lipid bilayer vesicles provides specific high affinity binding sites for succinyl-concanavalin A with an association constant of 2.13·10 6 M −1. Scatchard plots indicate positive cooperativity of binding at very low lectin concentrations, a characteristic also seen in concanavalin A binding to intact human erythrocytes. The presence of bovine serum albumin has little effect on lectin binding and is not required for expression of cooperativity. Concanavalin A effectively competes with succinyl-concanavalin A for binding to the vesicles with an association constant of 4.83·10 6 M −1. Receptor-bearing vesicles are readily agglutinated by concanavalin A but not by its succinylated derivative. The kinetics of vesicle agglutination are biphasic, with an initial rapid phase followed by a pseudo-first order process. We suggest that studies on reassembled receptor proteins in lipid bilayers can provide valuable insight into receptor involvement in transmembrane signalling events and the factors involved in cell membrane behaviour and cell agglutination.

Biochemical aspects of the visual process. XXXIII. A convenient purification procedure of rhodopsin by means of affinity chromatography

An improved technique is described for the purification of the visual pigment rhodopsin by means of affinity chromatography over a concanavalin A-sepharose 4B column in the presence of the detergent dodecyltrimethylammoniumbromide. All phospholipids and all proteins other than rhodopsin appear to be separated from the rhodopsin during this purification procedure. The resulting concentrated rhodopsin solutions show excellent spectral properties. They are very suitable for the preparation of lipid- and detergent-free rhodopsin and for the assembly of lipid-rhodopsin vesicles, since the detergent can be removed by dialysis.