Optimal Ionic Strength Research Articles

Interaction of the 3'-end of tRNA with ribonuclease P RNA.

Ribonuclease P, which contains a catalytic RNA subunit, cleaves 5' precursor-specific sequences from pre-tRNAs. It was previously shown that the RNase P RNA optimally cleaves substrates which contain the mature, 3'-terminal CCA of tRNA. In order to determine the contributions of those individual 3'-terminal nucleotides to the interaction, pre-tRNAs that have CCA, only CC or C or are without CCA at the 3'-end were synthesized by run-off transcription, tested as substrates for cleavage by RNase P RNA and used in photoaffinity crosslinking experiments to examine contact sites in the ribozyme. In order to generalize the results, analyses were carried out using three different bacterial RNase P RNAs, from Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Thermotoga maritima. At optimal (Kcat/Km) ionic strength (1 M NH4+/25 mM Mg2+), Km increases incrementally 3- to 10-fold upon stepwise removal of each nucleotide from the 3'-end. At high ionic strength (2 M NH4+/50 mM Mg2+), which suppresses conformational effects, removal of the 3'-terminal A had little effect on Km, indicating that it is not a specific contact. Analysis of the deletion and substitution mutants indicated that the C residues act specially; their contribution to binding energy at high ionic strength (approximately 1 kcal/mol) is consistent with a non-Watson-Crick interaction, possibly irregular triple-strand formation with some component of the RNase P RNA. In agreement with previous studies, we find that the RNase P holoenzyme in vitro does not discriminate between tRNAs containing or lacking CCA. The structural elements of the three RNase P RNAs in proximity to the 3'-end of tRNA were examined by photoaffinity crosslinking. Photoagent-labeled tRNAs with 3'-terminal CCA, only CC or C, or lacking all these nucleotides were covalently conjugated to the three RNase P RNAs by irradiation and the sites of crosslinks were mapped by primer extension. The main crosslink sites are located in a highly conserved loop (probably an irregular helix) that is part of the core of the RNase P RNA secondary structure. The crosslinking results orient the CCA of tRNA with respect to that region of the RNase P RNA.

Properties of pectinesterase and endo-d-polygalacturonase coimmobilized in a porous glass support

Derivatives of pectinesterase and polygalacturonase, both individually immobilized and coimmobilized, were obtained and characterized. Homologous soluble systems were also studied to establish differences between the effect of the immobilization process and the presence of the other enzyme. Immobilization or coimmobilization did not change the optima pH or temperature for the enzymes. However, optimum ionic strength was displaced toward higher values for immobilized pectinesterase, while for polygalacturonase immobilization resulted in a wider range for activity.K m value remained nearly unchanged for pectinesterase, and decreased for polygalacturonase. TheV m value decreased with the immobilization process for the two enzymes, except for polygalacturonase immobilization in presence of pectinesterase. Soluble pectinesterase activity showed a competitive inhibition by polygalacturonic acid (Ki = 0.44 mg/mL). Either immobilization or presence of polygalacturonase rendered the enzyme insensitive to the inhibitory effect. Thermal stability of pectinesterase was not improved after immobilization. On the contrary, the thermal stability of endo-D-polygalacturonase was improved slightly by presence of pectinesterase, and in a greater extent by immobilization. Individually immobilized and coimmobilized pectinesterase activities kept 90 and 60%, respectively, of their initial values after more than one year stored at 3-5 °C. The two endo-D-polygalacturonase derivatives showed the same activity decay pattern along 10 mo storage at 3-5 °C. The two immobilized pectinesterase derivatives showed similar operational stabilities during continuous operation. The presence of pectinesterase remarkably increased the operational stability of the immobilized endo-D-poly galacturonase.

Strategies for advancement of short-term mutagenicity tests: on the optimal ionic strength for the liver microsomal assay.

The aim of this work was to optimize the ionic strength (tau) in the liver microsomal assay (LMA) in performing short-term genotoxicity tests. tau optimization would increase the sensitivity (i.e. decrease false negatives) and at the same time increase the specificity (decrease false positives). Such optimization depends upon the relative activities and stabilities of the liver polysubstrate cytochrome P450- and FAD-containing monooxygenase-dependent metabolizing enzymes present in the incubation mixtures. With regard to phase-I pathway, the expression of various P450-like activities (IA1, IA2, IIB1, IIE1, IIIA P450 classes) and thiobenzamide s-oxidase (as FAD-MFO marker), were examined in terms of their exact incubation conditions for the LMA during a period of preincubation (1 h) over the tau range 0.06-1.40. As a comparison with the phase-II pathway, the behaviour of glutathione S-transferases (total and pi class), glutathione S-epoxide transferase, epoxide hydrolase and UDP-glucuronosyl transferase were studied. Lipid peroxidation (LP) was also determined. Experiments were performed on S9 fractions derived from sodium phenobarbital, beta-naphthoflavone, isosafrol, ethanol and pregnenolone 16-alpha carbonitrile super-induced mouse liver. The maximal value of the mean specific activity (Asp), up to a 46% increase, was found at tau = 0.864 for oxidative reactions considered. On the contrary, a slight modulation of Asp for post-oxidative reactions was seen. LP was not changed appreciably by varying tau. In vitro DNA binding of the well-known premutagenic agent [14C]dimethylnitrosamine ([14C]DMNA), mediated by mouse hepatic microsomal enzymes, showed a significant increase of specific activity at tau = 0.864 (2.25-fold) compared to the usual tau (0.06) used. Additional confirmation of these results stems from mutagenesis experiments using DMNA on the diploid D7 strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a biological test system. Indeed, a significant enhancement of mitotic gene conversion (up to 1.8-fold), mitotic crossing-over (2.6-fold) and reverse point mutation (2.6-fold) frequencies was achieved at tau = 0.86 compared to tau = 0.06 (traditional). These data show that tau = 0.86 can provide more convenient conditions for in vitro bioactivation (as exemplified by an increased Asp phase-I/Asp phase-II ratio), as well as DNA binding and genotoxic response.

The inositol‐phospholipid‐accelerated activation of prekallikrein by activated factor XII at physiological ionic strength requires zinc ions and high‐Mr kininogen

In a system consisting of purified proteins inositol-phospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by alpha-factor XIIa was determined by measuring the appearance of kallikrein amidolytic activity towards the chromogenic substrate, H-D-Pro-Phe-Arg-NH-PhNO2 (PhNO2, 4-nitrophenyl). The activation reaction was ionic-strength dependent. In the absence of high-Mr kininogen optimal activity was recorded at I = 50 mM. Searching for conditions, which could change this optimum towards physiological values, high-Mr kininogen was added. This resulted in an inhibition of the activity, with no change in ionic strength optimum. If, however, Zn2+ were added concomitant with high-Mr kininogen, the inhibition was abolished and optimal activity recorded at physiological ionic strength. The optimal Zn2+ concentration was found to be 0.1 mM. Kinetic analysis of the reaction demonstrated that the kcat/Km was 1.2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 in the absence and 1.1 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 in the presence of Zn2+. Zn2+ were also required for inositol-phospholipid-accelerated initiation of the contact activation in whole plasma.

Assembly of nucleosome-like structures mediated by cauliflower DNA topoisomerase

Nucleosome-like structures have been efficiently assembled in vitro by interaction of cauliflower histones, pBR322 DNA and cauliflower DNA topoisomerase, as assayed by supercoiling of relaxed circular DNA and by digestion with micrococcal nuclease. The optimum ionic strength for supercoiling was 150 mM KCl and the optimum weight ratio of histone to DNA was approximately 1.0. Four histones, H2A, H2B, H3 and H4, were necessary for the optimum assembling conditions, and the nucleosomes assembled protected DNA fragments of approximately 150 bp in length. It was found that cauliflower DNA topoisomerase acts not only as a DNA-relaxing enzyme but also as a chaperon factor for nucleosome assembly.

The effect of deletion of the genes encoding the 40 kDa subunit II or the 17 kDa subunit VI on the steady-state kinetics of yeast ubiquinol—cytochrome- c oxidoreductase

Yeast ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase is still active after inactivation of the genes encoding the 40 kDa Core II protein or the 17 kDa subunit VI (Oudshoorn et al. (1987) Eur. J. Biochem. 163, 97-103 and Schoppink et al. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 173, 115-122). The steady-state levels of several other subunits of Complex III are severely reduced in the 40 kDa0 mutant. The level of spectrally detectable Complex III cytochrome b in the mutant submitochondrial particles is about 5% of that of the wild type. However, when the steady-state activity of Complex III with respect to the cytochrome c reduction was examined, similar maximal turnover numbers and Km values were found for the mutated and the wild-type complexes, both when yeast cytochrome c and when horse-heart cytochrome c was used as electron acceptor. We therefore conclude that the Core II subunit of yeast Complex III plays no role in the binding of cytochrome c and that it has no major influence of the overall electron transport and on the binding of ubiquinol by the enzyme. Absence of the 17 kDa subunit VI of yeast Complex III, the homologous counterpart of the hinge protein of the bovine heart enzyme, resulted in a decrease in the rate of reduction of both horse-heart cytochrome c and yeast cytochrome c by Complex III under conditions of relatively high ionic strength. However, under conditions of optimal ionic strength, no difference could be seen in the maximal turnover numbers and Km values, neither with horse-heart cytochrome c nor with yeast cytochrome c between Complex III deficient in the 17 kDa protein and the wild-type complex. Binding of ATP to ferricytochrome c inhibits its reduction by Complex III under conditions of relatively high ionic strength. But when the 17 kDa protein is absent, this inhibition is also observed under optimal ionic-strength conditions. These results can be explained by assuming a stimulating role for the acidic 17 kDa protein in the association of basic cytochrome c with Complex III. This association is (part of) the rate-limiting step in the reduction of cytochrome c by Complex III under conditions of relatively high ionic strength or when this association is hindered, for instance, by binding of ATP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Trypanothione reductase from Trypanosoma cruzi. Catalytic properties of the enzyme and inhibition studies with trypanocidal compounds.

Trypanothione reductase of Trypanosoma cruzi is a key enzyme in the antioxidant metabolism of the parasite. Here we report on the enzymic and pharmacological properties of trypanothione reductase using glutathionylspermidine disulfide as a substrate. 1. Both pH optimum (7.5) and the ionic strength optimum (at 30 mM) are unusually narrow for this enzyme. 40 mM Hepes, 1 mM EDTA, pH 7.5 was chosen as a standard assay buffer because in this system the kcat/Km ratio had the highest values for both natural substrates, glutathionylspermidine disulfide (2.65 x 10(6) M-1 s-1) and trypanothione disulfide (4.63 x 10(6) M-1 s-1). 2. Using the standardized assay, trypanothione reductase and the phylogenetically related host enzyme, human glutathione reductase, were studied as targets of inhibitors. Both enzymes, in their NADPH-reduced forms, were irreversibly modified by the cytostatic agent, 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU). Nifurtimox, the drug used in the treatment of Chagas' disease, is a stronger inhibitor of glutathione reductase (Ki = 40 microM) than of trypanothione reductase (IC50 = 200 microM). 3. Of the newly synthesized trypanocidal compounds [Henderson, G. B., Ulrich, P., Fairlamb, A. H., Rosenberg, I., Pereira, M., Sela, M. & Cerami, A. (1988) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci., 85, 5374-5378] a nitrofuran derivative, 2-(5-nitro-2-furanylmethylidene)-N,N'-[1,4-piperazinediylbis (1,3-propanediyl)]bishydrazinecarboximidamide tetrahydrobromide, was found to be a better inhibitor for trypanothione reductase (Ki = 0.5 microM) than for glutathione reductase (IC50 = 10 microM). A naphthoquinone derivative, 2,3-bis[3-(2-amidinohydrazono)-butyl]-1,4-naphthoquinone dihydrochloride, turned out to be both an inhibitor (IC50 = 1 microM) and an NADPH-oxidation-inducing substrate (Km = 14 microM). This effect was not observed with human glutathione reductase. Such compounds which lead to oxidative stress by more than one mechanism in the parasite are promising starting points for drug design based on the three-dimensional structures of glutathione and trypanothione reductases.

Purification and characterization of chitinase produced by Streptomyces erythraeus.

A chitinase was purified from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces erythraeus (SE). The enzyme (SE chitinase) has a molecular weight of 30,000 and pI 3.7, and shows optimal activity at pH 5.0 with an optimal ionic strength of less than 0.2 M NaCl. SE chitinase could hydrolyze chitin and its derivatives, but could not hydrolyze cell walls of Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The substrate specificity of SE chitinase was compared with those of hen egg white (HEW) and SE lysozymes. The binding mode of the chitinase to substrates was investigated using chitooligosaccharides and their derivatives. The results showed that the binding mode of SE chitinase to the substrate is similar to that of HEW and SE lysozymes.

Activation of the Vaccinia Virus Nicking-Joining Enzyme by Trypsinization

The vaccinia virus nicking-joining (NJ) enzyme has been purified to homogeneity from a preparation of virus cores. The virus-specific DNA-dependent enzyme, which does not require ATP, is a single polypeptide of Mr 50,000 and possesses both endonuclease and ligase activities. The principal end product of the enzyme activity, following incubation with closed circular DNA of sufficient linking deficiency, is a linear DNA in which one of the termini has become cross-linked by the in vitro formation of a hairpin. The ability of the NJ enzyme to cross-link DNA is significantly enhanced by in vitro proteolysis. The enzymatic properties of the proteolytic digestion product, a 44-kDa polypeptide, differ in several other ways from the intact NJ enzyme. In particular, the specific activity is enhanced and the ionic strength optimum is shifted toward higher salt concentrations. It is suggested that the purified 50-kDa species is a pronuclease that is activated by proteolytic processing.

Inositolphospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by activated factor XII and its inhibition by beta 2-glycoprotein I.

Inositolphospholipid-accelerated activation of prekallikrein by alpha-factor XIIa was determined by measuring the appearance of kallikrein amidolytic activity towards the chromogenic substrate, D-prolyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl p-nitroanilide (S-2302). The activation reaction did not exhibit normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The Hill coefficient was found to be 1.6 indicating that the activation followed an allosteric reaction mechanism. The temperature dependence of the reaction showed a thermal transition at 30 degrees C, which in addition to the allosteric reaction mechanism is indicative of a conformational change of prekallikrein following binding to the inositolphospholipid. The reaction exhibited pH optimum at pH 7.2 and ionic strength optimum at 50 mM NaCl. At optimal conditions the apparent KA value and the kcat/KA value for factor XIIa on prekallikrein were calculated to be 73 nM and 9.3 x 10(6) s-1 M-1, respectively. Kinetic constants could not be calculated at salt concentrations higher than the optimal concentrations, as Lineweaver-Burk plots were curvilinear in agreement with the Hill coefficient greater than unity. The activation was inhibited competitively by beta 2-glycoprotein I with a Ki value of 77 nM as determined by the Dixon plot.

Engineering of human lysozyme as a polyelectrolyte by the alteration of molecular surface charge

The surface positive charges of human lysozyme were either increased or decreased to alter the electrostatic interaction between enzyme and substrate in the lytic action of human lysozyme using site-directed mutagenesis. The amino acid substitutions accompanying either the addition or the removal of two units of positive charge have shifted the optimal ionic strength (NaCl concentration in 10 mM Mes buffer, pH 6.2) for the lysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell from 0.04 M to 0.1 M and from 0.04 M to 0.02 M respectively. In addition to the change in ionic strength-activity profile, the pH-activity profile and the effect of a polycationic electrolyte, poly-L-Lys-HCl, on the lytic activity were significantly changed. Owing to the shifts in both ionic strength profiles and pH profiles the Arg74/Arg126 mutant has become a better catalyst than wild-type enzyme under the conditions of high ionic strength and high pH, and the Gln41/Ser101 mutant has become a better catalyst under the conditions of low ionic strength and low pH.

Purification and characterization of a lysozome from wheat germ

Several proteins of wheat germ were able to lyse Micrococcus luteus cells. One lysozyme, named W1A, was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion-exchange chromatography, gel filtration and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) under native conditions. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 25 400 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-PAGE. The reducing groups released from the lysis of Micrococcus cell walls by W1A lysozyme were N- acetylmuramic acid residues as for hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL). Chitin substrates were hydrolyzed to some extent by this enzyme. With Micrococcus cells as substrate, the pH optimum for W1A lysozyme was 6.0 at an optimal ionic strength of 0.05. Under these conditions, the K m value was 166 mg/l with purified Micrococcus cell walls and the V max value was 0.56 A 540 unit/min at 22°C. W1A lysozyme exhibited the highest lytic activity at 60°C whereas the enzyme was inactive above 90°C. W1A lysozyme was strongly inhibited by poly- l-lysine and glycol chitosan. This is the first report of the presence of multiple electrophoretic forms of plant lysozyme activity as determined by native PAGE.

Generation of allantoin from the oxidation of urate by cytochrome c and its possible role in Reye's syndrome

Allantoin in the presence of calcium ions has been implicated as a potential toxic agent in Reye's syndrome. An investigation of possible alternative sources of allantoin in humans, which lack the enzyme uricase, has been initiated. Urate is a strong reducing agent which can reduce cytochrome c nonenzymatically, with the concomitant production of CO 2 and H +. The stoichiometries measured for the various reactants and products were 1 urate:2 cytochrome c:1 H +:1 CO 2. The initial reaction rate depended on the concentrations of both urate and cytochrome c, with reaction kinetics that were first order with respect to urate and second order with respect to cytochrome c. The participation of molecular oxygen in this reaction could not be detected. The pH and ionic strength optima for this reaction were determined to be 9.5–10.5 and 10 −5 m, respectively. Based on the results reported here, the following balanced equation can be written: urate −2 + 2 cytochrome c +3 + 2 H 2O → allantoin + 2 cytochrome c +2 + H + + HCO 3 −. We propose that allantoin can be generated from the oxidation of urate by cytochrome c +3, and that this is a potential source of allantoin in human tissues.

Purification and properties of an aminopeptidase fromTreponema phagedenis (Reiter strain)

An aminopeptidase was highly purified from a cellular extract ofTreponema phagedenis (Reiter strain) by ammonium sulfate precipitation and successive chromatography on Sepharose 6B, DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B and CM-Sepharose CL-6B. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 74,500. The enzyme was stable in the pH region 5.0–7.0 and up to 50°C. The optimal pH, ionic strength, and temperature were pH 7.9–8.0,I 0.13, and 37°C, respectively. Co2+ was essential for the enzyme activity with an optimal concentration of 0.3 mM, and EDTA and such divalent cations as Hg2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Sn2+, and Cd2+ were inhibitory against the Co2+-activated enzyme. The enzyme exhibited a preference for hydrophobic residues as well as Arg in the N-terminal position and cleaved in the order of Tyr > Trp > Phe > Leu > Arg > Ala ≫ His, Met, and Ser, but did not cleave the other amino acids including Pro, Glu, Asp, and Lys.

Characterization of NADPH-cytochrome [formula omitted] reductase from house flies ( Musca domestica, L.) susceptible and resistant to insecticides, and the blow fly ( Phormia regina, meigen)

NADPH-cytochrome c reductase was purified by affinity chromatographic techniques from microsomes prepared from the abdomens of insecticide-resistant (R) and -susceptible (S) house flies Musca domestica and of the black blow fly Phormia regina. Data are presented which describe (1) the ability of the purified enzymes to support an in vitro reconstitution of mono-oxygenase activity, (2) the changes in activity of these preparations observed in buffers of varying ionic strength, (3) comparative kinetic behaviour between microsomal and purified forms of the enzymes, (4) the immunochemical characteristics of these preparations, and (5) their amino acid composition. The reductases from the three sources were found to be very similar in all of these tests. Substrate binding constants were 5 μM for NADPH, 12 μM for cytochrome c, and the catalytic mechanism was interpreted as ordered Bi Bi. The inhibitory constant of the reductase from the resistant fly for 2′-AMP, an analogue of NADP +, was 187 μM; whereas no assciation of the inhibitor was observed below concentrations of 400 μM for the enzyme of either the susceptible house fly or the blow fly. However, the data are insufficient to suggest that the reductase is a significant factor in insecticide resistance. Compared to the same enzymes from rat and rabbit liver, the insect reductases show a different ionic strength optimum (0.14), have distinct antigenic determinants, and have different levels of acidic and basic amino acids in the membrane-binding peptide.

Effects of polyamine hydrochlorides on dephosphorylation of phosphorylated H2B histone integrated into nucleosome core particles.

The rate of dephosphorylation of isolated P-H2B histone by pig heart phosphoprotein phosphatase (Mr = 224,000) and its catalytic subunit (Mr = 31,000) was suppressed more than 95% at low ionic strength when the substrate was integrated into nucleosome core particles. The suppressed rate was increased 13-43-fold by polyamine hydrochlorides and Mg(CH3COO)2 at the optimal ionic strength of 0.2-0.38 M. Phosphatase activity toward integrated P-H2B histone was distributed in both rat liver cytosol and nuclear extracts. The phosphatase activities in these fractions showed similar specific activities and were also increased 10-32-fold by 10 mM spermine.4HCl.

Purification and characterization of aβ-galactosidase fromTreponema phagedenis (Reiter strain)

A β-galactosidase was highly purified from a cellular extract ofTreponema phagedenis (Reiter strain) by ammonium sulfate precipitation and successive chromatography on Sepharose 6B and DEAE-Sephadex. The purified enzyme was homogeneous in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight estimated was 580,000. The optimal pH, ionic strength, and temperature were 6.5, 0.1, and 50°C, respecitvely. The enzyme was stable only at around pH 6.5 and at temperatures lower than 35°C. The enzyme was irreversibly inhibited byp-chloromercuribenzoate and divalent cations such as Hg2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+. The Km values forp-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside,o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside, and lactose were 0.29, 0.36, and 5.4 mM, respectively.

Knotting of the circular duplex DNA by type II DNA topoisomerase from Drosophila melanogaster.

DNA molecules with topological knots can be detected in a reaction mixture of circular DNA and type II DNA topoisomerase purified from the embryos of Drosophila melanogaster. Similar to the DNA knotting reaction by bacteriophage T4-induced topoisomerase (Liu, L. F., Liu, C. C., and Alberts, B. M. (1980) Cell 19, 697-707), the knotting reaction by the Drosophila topoisomerase II requires a high ratio of enzyme/DNA. However, they differ in the following aspects: 1) the knotting reaction by the Drosophila enzyme is greatly stimulated by the presence of ATP; 2) the knotted DNA is a stable product in the reaction mixture over prolonged incubation; and 3) both the covalently closed circular DNA and its nicked form, which is devoid of any superhelical structure, can be knotted. The knotted DNA generated by the Drosophila topoisomerase II can be efficiently unknotted by a catalytic amount of Drosophila topoisomerase II, but not by topoisomerase I. The ionic strength optimum for the knotting reaction is close, but not identical, to the optimal condition for the unknotting and supercoil relaxation reactions. Aspects of DNA knotting are discussed.

Purification and some properties of bacteriophage T4 particle-associated lysozyme.

Bacteriophage T4 particle-associated lysozyme, purified to electrophoretic homogeneity, was found to be a protein with a relative molecular mass of 15000. The lysozyme was purified from the particles of bacteriophage T4 e mutant and from the lysates of the 5tsl e T4 mutant, in which the enzyme is in soluble form. In the purification procedure advantage was taken of the affinity of the enzyme for GlcNAc-MurNac-LAla-DGlu-msA2pm-DAla (C6 muropeptide), one of the products of the digestion of Escherichia coli murein with lysozyme. The test for the quick estimation of bacteriolytic activity of the enzyme, using E. coli B freeze-dried cells, is described. The pH optimum of the particle-associated lysozyme was equal to about 6.0, ionic strength optimum to 0.05-0.1 M, and optimum Triton X-100 concentration to 1%, when this substrate was used. Some of the aspects of the possible biological significance of the particle-associated lysozyme in bacteriophage T4 infection are discussed.

A DNA-nicking activity associated with the nucleocapsid of human cytomegalovirus.

Purified human cytomegalovirus nucleocapsids are able to transform supercoiled plasmid DNA into nicked circular DNA. The activity exhibits a ionic strength optimum of 0.15 M; has a broad pH and temperature dependence and is enhanced after pre-incubation of the nucleocapsids with NP40.