Overnight Dialysis Research Articles

A fast protein liquid chromatography method for purification of myoglobin from different species

The aim of this study is to describe a fast method for the purification of high-purity myoglobin for Mass Spectroscopy analyses and to use it as standard-grade material. A three-step Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) method was used to produce high-purity myoglobin. SEC 650 gel filtration followed by an Enrich Q anion exchange chromatography was used to produce myoglobin in acceptable purity for most research methods. A second filtration step was carried out by narrow field SEC 70 gel to prepare high-purity myoglobin at standard grade purity and capable of Mass Spectroscopy analyses. At least 90% pure myoglobin was obtained by applying two chromatography steps in the samples of three species, and over 99% pure myoglobin was obtained in standard material quality and suitable for mass spectroscopy when the additional narrow field SEC 70 chromatography step was applied. The proposed method provides higher purity compared to other methods and can be applied in a shorter time. FPLC columns significantly reduce the duration of the chromatography steps. At the same time, the use of solid extraction columns instead of dialysis reduced the long overnight dialysis process to a few minutes.

P1091DYNAMICS OF VASCULAR REFILLING IN EXTENDED NOCTURNAL HAEMODIALYSIS

Abstract Background and Aims Refilling volume had not been a measurable parameter in clinical practice so far, because the knowledge of absolute blood volume (BV) is necessary. Recently, we developed a simple method to determine absolute BV, thus enabling quantification of the refilling volume. The overnight dialysis is particularly suitable for studying the refilling process due to negligible external influences and the extended treatment time. Method At the beginning of the dialysis (t=0), before starting the ultrafiltration (UF), a defined online bolus of 240 ml dialysate was infused by pressing the emergency button on the haemodiafiltration (HDF) machine (5008, FMC). The subsequent increase in relative BV (RBVpost-RBVpre) was measured with the integrated BV monitor, and absolute BV at t=0 was calculated: absolute BV in ml = bolus volume 240 ml x 100% / increase in relative BV in%. Absolute BV at any other time t was calculated as: Vt = V0 x RBVt (in %) / 100 At constant UF rate refilling volume (Vref) is given for every hour (h) as: Vref h = UFV h – drop in absolute BVh (beginning – end) The refilling fraction is expressed as refilling/UF ratio: Ref% = Vref/UFV x 100, in % Before treatment, volume overload was evaluated by bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) using the body composition monitor (FMC). Results Refilling volume and refilling fraction were studied in 10 stable chronic haemodialysis (HD) patients during an extended (7 hour) nocturnal HD session. Specific BV at treatment start was 74.9 ± 11.8 mL/kg and dropped to 68.6 mL/kg at dialysis end. The constant UF rate was set to 406 ± 120 mL/h (specific UF rate 4.81 ± 1.83 mL/kg/h). In the first hour refilling volume amounted only to 23% of UF volume. Refilling fraction reached its maximum in the 2nd, 3 rd and 4th hour at about mean 90% (91.5%, 88.7%, and 91.1% respectively) of UF volume. From the 5th hour on, refilling volume and refilling fraction decreased (5th hour 81.3%, 6th hour 72.5%, and 7th hour 70.0% of UF volume). In the 5th hour, cumulative UF volume exceeded volume overload (1.1 ± 1.0 L) measured by BIS in 9 of 10 patients. Refilling fraction cumulatively increased up to the 4th hour. Thereafter, cumulative ratio remained constant at 70 – 75% due to the decrease in refilling volume. This did not change during the further course of dialysis. Cumulative refilling volume showed a strong correlation (r2 = 0.88; p<0.001) with UF volume. Conclusion After the first hour, when sufficient refilling takes place, refilling volume is in a stable ratio of approximately 90 % of UF volume. Refilling is low in the first hour, and, therefore, refilling volume amounted cumulatively only about 70 to 75% of UF volume during usual dialysis duration. Thereby, absolute BV will be reduced by approximately 250 to 300 ml per liter UF. This must be taken into account in volume management in order to avoid intradialytic complications. As expected, refilling decreases when volume overload in the interstitial space is removed. Due to the reduced refilling, there will be an additional gap in BV.

Tuning of salt separation efficiency by flow rate control in microfluidic dynamic dialysis

Microliter-scale separation processes are important for biomedical research and point-of-care diagnostics with small-volume clinical samples. Analytical assays such as mass spectrometry and field effect sensing necessitate sample desalting, but too low a salt concentration can disrupt protein structures and biomolecular interactions. In this work, we investigated whether salt extraction from a protein solution can be controlled by dynamic dialysis parameters. A microfluidic counter-flow dialyzer with a 5 kDa molecular weight cut-off cellulose membrane was fabricated by laser cutting and operated with a wide range of feed and dialysis flow rates. It was found that with the appropriate flow conditions, most notably the feed flow rate, retentate salt concentrations from 0.1 to 99% of the input NaCl concentration can be achieved. The experimental data were in good agreement with a theoretical diffusion-based mass transfer model. The salt dialysis performance was similar in the presence of 50 mg/mL albumin, approximating blood plasma protein content, and did not deteriorate with overnight continuous dialysis, indicating minimal membrane fouling. The dialyzer construction method is compatible with all planar membranes, enabling implementation of tuneable dynamic dialysis for a wide range of on-line microfluidic biomolecular separations.

Shear-stress-mediated refolding of proteins from aggregates and inclusion bodies.

Recombinant protein overexpression of large proteins in bacteria often results in insoluble and misfolded proteins directed to inclusion bodies. We report the application of shear stress in micrometer-wide, thin fluid films to refold boiled hen egg white lysozyme, recombinant hen egg white lysozyme, and recombinant caveolin-1. Furthermore, the approach allowed refolding of a much larger protein, cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). The reported methods require only minutes, which is more than 100 times faster than conventional overnight dialysis. This rapid refolding technique could significantly shorten times, lower costs, and reduce waste streams associated with protein expression for a wide range of industrial and research applications.

Preparation of 3D Fibrin Scaffolds for Stem Cell Culture Applications

Stem cells are found in naturally occurring 3D microenvironments in vivo, which are often referred to as the stem cell niche. Culturing stem cells inside of 3D biomaterial scaffolds provides a way to accurately mimic these microenvironments, providing an advantage over traditional 2D culture methods using polystyrene as well as a method for engineering replacement tissues. While 2D tissue culture polystrene has been used for the majority of cell culture experiments, 3D biomaterial scaffolds can more closely replicate the microenvironments found in vivo by enabling more accurate establishment of cell polarity in the environment and possessing biochemical and mechanical properties similar to soft tissue. A variety of naturally derived and synthetic biomaterial scaffolds have been investigated as 3D environments for supporting stem cell growth. While synthetic scaffolds can be synthesized to have a greater range of mechanical and chemical properties and often have greater reproducibility, natural biomaterials are often composed of proteins and polysaccharides found in the extracelluar matrix and as a result contain binding sites for cell adhesion and readily support cell culture. Fibrin scaffolds, produced by polymerizing the protein fibrinogen obtained from plasma, have been widely investigated for a variety of tissue engineering applications both in vitro and in vivo. Such scaffolds can be modified using a variety of methods to incorporate controlled release systems for delivering therapeutic factors. Previous work has shown that such scaffolds can be used to successfully culture embryonic stem cells and this scaffold-based culture system can be used to screen the effects of various growth factors on the differentiation of the stem cells seeded inside. This protocol details the process of polymerizing fibrin scaffolds from fibrinogen solutions using the enzymatic activity of thrombin. The process takes 2 days to complete, including an overnight dialysis step for the fibrinogen solution to remove citrates that inhibit polymerization. These detailed methods rely on fibrinogen concentrations determined to be optimal for embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell culture. Other groups have further investigated fibrin scaffolds for a wide range of cell types and applications - demonstrating the versatility of this approach.

Adequacy and a new era for dialysis

I was pleased to hear that the paper “The Hemodialysis Product (HDP): A better Index of Dialysis Adequacy than Kt/V,” which I co-authored with the late Professor Belding Scribner, was elected as one of D&T's most-read papers. Since then, there have been the results of the HEMO Study, which did not confirm that increasing the dialysis time/dose would lead to clinical improvement. This contradicted the experience of many investigators that more frequent and longer sessions (such as nocturnal dialysis) would provide better results. After all, normal kidneys work seven days a week for 24 hours a day. With new studies and a renewed interest among American nephrologists in more frequent (daily) dialysis of shorter duration and nocturnal dialysis, and the improved results reported for slow nocturnal (overnight) dialysis, I believe that Dr. Scribner's position will be vindicated, and that we are entering a new era of dialysis for our patients. It was a great honor to serve as co-author with one of the giants of our specialty of nephrology, on what became one of his final papers. Congratulations to D&T.

Thiol-disulfide Redox Dependence of Heme Binding and Heme Ligand Switching in Nuclear Hormone Receptor Rev-erbβ

Rev-erbβ is a heme-binding nuclear hormone receptor that represses a broad spectrum of target genes involved in regulating metabolism, the circadian cycle, and proinflammatory responses. Here, we demonstrate that a thiol-disulfide redox switch controls the interaction between heme and the ligand-binding domain of Rev-erbβ. The reduced dithiol state of Rev-erbβ binds heme 5-fold more tightly than the oxidized disulfide state. By means of site-directed mutagenesis and by UV-visible and EPR spectroscopy, we also show that the ferric heme of reduced (dithiol) Rev-erbβ can undergo a redox-triggered switch from imidazole/thiol ligation (via His-568 and Cys-384, based on a prior crystal structure) to His/neutral residue ligation upon oxidation to the disulfide form. On the other hand, we find that change in the redox state of iron has no effect on heme binding to the ligand-binding domain of the protein. The low dissociation constant for the complex between Fe(3+)- or Fe(2+)-heme and the reduced dithiol state of the protein (K(d) = ∼ 20 nM) is in the range of the intracellular free heme concentration. We also determined that the Fe(2+)-heme bound to the ligand-binding domain of Rev-erbβ has high affinity for CO (K(d) = 60 nM), which replaces one of the internal ligands when bound. We suggest that this thiol-disulfide redox switch is one mechanism by which oxidative stress is linked to circadian and/or metabolic imbalance. Heme dissociation from Rev-erbβ has been shown to derepress the expression of target genes in response to changes in intracellular redox conditions. We propose that oxidative stress leads to oxidation of cysteine(s), thus releasing heme from Rev-erbβ and altering its transcriptional activity.

Calcium and Magnesium Flux in Automated Peritoneal Dialysis

Calcium and magnesium balance in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) has been extensively studied with several of the different formulations of fluid available. Calcium and magnesium balance in automated PD (APD) is less well studied and the effect on Ca and Mg flux is unknown. Data on glucose polymer solutions are also lacking. This prospective observational study was undertaken to examine mass transfer of Ca and Mg in APD patients. 12 patients on APD were studied for two 24-hour periods using, alternately, 1.75 mmol/L and 1.25 mmol/L Ca (Dianeal PD1 and Dianeal PD4; Baxter Healthcare, Newbury, UK) 1.36% glucose-based dialysis fluid for the 9-hour overnight dialysis, followed by a 15-hour daytime dwell of glucose polymer-based fluid (icodextrin). Serum ionized Ca, serum Mg, and dialysate Ca and Mg concentrations were measured at the beginning and end of each period. Mass transfer was calculated as millimoles per exchange. During rapid overnight exchanges with Dianeal PD1 and PD4, mass transfer of Mg and Ca did not show significant correlations with serum levels when using PD1 fluid; however, mass transfer of Mg, but not Ca, was significantly correlated to serum levels when using PD4 fluid. During the long dwell with icodextrin, dialysate drain volume was the most significant factor determining the flux of both Ca and Mg. Mass transfer of Ca and Mg in APD patients using conventional dialysis fluid was not related to drain volume in this study, which differs to studies in CAPD. Flux of Ca and Mg during icodextrin use was found to be dependent on ultrafiltration rate and not dialysate or serum concentration.

Crystal Structures of the Lyn Protein Tyrosine Kinase Domain in Its Apo- and Inhibitor-bound State

The Src-family protein-tyrosine kinase (PTK) Lyn is the most important Src-family kinase in B cells, having both inhibitory and stimulatory activity that is dependent on the receptor, ligand, and developmental context of the B cell. An important role for Lyn has been reported in acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia, as well as certain solid tumors. Although several Src-family inhibitors are available, the development of Lyn-specific inhibitors, or inhibitors with reduced off-target activity to Lyn, has been hampered by the lack of structural data on the Lyn kinase. Here we report the crystal structure of the non-liganded form of Lyn kinase domain, as well as in complex with three different inhibitors: the ATP analogue AMP-PNP; the pan Src kinase inhibitor PP2; and the BCR-Abl/Src-family inhibitor Dasatinib. The Lyn kinase domain was determined in its "active" conformation, but in the unphosphorylated state. All three inhibitors are bound at the ATP-binding site, with PP2 and Dasatinib extending into a hydrophobic pocket deep in the substrate cleft, thereby providing a basis for the Src-specific inhibition. Analysis of sequence and structural differences around the active site region of the Src-family PTKs were evident. Accordingly, our data provide valuable information for the further development of therapeutics targeting Lyn and the important Src-family of kinases.

The Fusion Activity of HIV-1 gp41 Depends on Interhelical Interactions

Infection by human immunodeficiency virus type I requires the fusogenic activity of gp41, the transmembrane subunit of the viral envelope protein. Crystallographic studies have revealed that fusion-active gp41 is a "trimer-of-hairpins" in which three central N-terminal helices form a trimeric coiled coil surrounded by three antiparallel C-terminal helices. This structure is stabilized primarily by hydrophobic, interhelical interactions, and several critical contacts are made between residues that form a deep cavity in the N-terminal trimer and the C-helix residues that pack into this cavity. In addition, the trimer-of-hairpins structure has an extensive network of hydrogen bonds within a conserved glutamine-rich layer of poorly understood function. Formation of the trimer-of-hairpins structure is thought to directly force the viral and target membranes together, resulting in membrane fusion and viral entry. We test this hypothesis by constructing four series of gp41 mutants with disrupted interactions between the N- and C-helices. Notably, in the three series containing mutations within the cavity, gp41 activity correlates well with the stability of the N-C interhelical interaction. In contrast, a fourth series of mutants involving the glutamine layer residue Gln-653 show fusion defects even though the stability of the hairpin is close to wild-type. These results provide evidence that gp41 hairpin stability is critical for mediating fusion and suggest a novel role for the glutamine layer in gp41 function.

Functional expression, purification, and characterization of human Flt3 ligand in the Pichia pastoris system

Flt3 ligand (FL) is a potent hematopoietic cytokine that affects the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor and stem cells both in vivo and in vitro. Pichia pastoris transformants secreting high-level rhFL were obtained using ‘yeastern blotting’ method and the expression level in liquid was about 30mg/L. rhFL was purified to about 95% purity with overnight dialysis, filtration and an anion-exchange step. Further purification steps employing Sephacryl S-200 and reverse-phase HPLC raised the purity to over 99%. The purified rhFL possessed correct N-terminal amino acid sequence and positive Western blotting bands. SDS–PAGE and mass spectrometry analysis showed molecular weight of rhFL was about 21 and 34kDa, suggesting that rhFL was glycosylated. The result of capillary electrophoresis showed that its pI is 3.12–4.72. Endo H deglycosylation analysis indicated that there was O-glycosylation besides N-glycosylation in rhFL secreted from P. pastoris. Bioactivity assay showed that the purified rhFL had dose-dependent expansion activity on bone marrow nucleated cells.

Formation of a novel reversible cytochrome P450 spectral intermediate: role of threonine 303 in P450 2E1 inactivation.

tert-Butyl acetylene (tBA) is a mechanism-based inactivator of cytochromes P450 2E1 and 2E1 T303A; however, the inactivation of the T303A mutant could be reversed by overnight dialysis. The inactivation of P450 2E1 T303A, but not the wild-type 2E1 enzyme, by tBA resulted in the formation of a novel reversible acetylene-iron spectral intermediate with an absorption maximum at 485 nm. The formation of this intermediate required oxygen and could be monitored spectrally with time. Although the alternate oxidants tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) and cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) supported the inactivation of wild-type P450 2E1 by tBA in a reductase- and NADPH-free system, only tBHP supported the inactivation of the 2E1 T303A mutant. The losses in enzymatic activity occurred concomitantly with losses in the native P450 heme, which were accompanied by the formation of tBA-adducted heme products. The inactivations supported by tBHP and CHP were completely irreversible with overnight dialysis. Spectral binding constants (K(s)) for the binding of tBA to the 2E1 P450s together with models of the enzymes with the acetylenic inactivator bound in the active site suggest that the T303A mutation results in increased hydrophobic interactions between tBA and nearby P450 residues, leading to a higher binding affinity for the acetylene compound in the mutant enzyme. Together, these data support a role for the highly conserved T303 residue in proton delivery to the active site of P450 2E1 and in the inactivation of the 2E1 P450s by small acetylenic compounds.

Oligomeric stability of Rapana venosa hemocyanin (RvH) and its structural subunits

The two structural subunits RvH1 and RvH2 were separated after overnight dialysis of Rapana venosa Hc against 130 mM Gly/NaOH buffer, pH 9.6, on an ion exchange column Hiload 26/10 Sepharose Q using a fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) system. The reassociation characteristics of these two RvH isoforms and the native molecule were studied in buffers with different pH values and concentrations of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+. Reassociation of mixed RvH subunits was performed over a period of several days using a stabilizing buffer (SB) of pH 7.0 containing different concentrations of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ions. After 2 days of dialysis, an RvH subunit mixture of didecamers and multidecamers was observed in the presence of 100 mM CaCl 2 and MgCl 2, though RvH1 and RvH2 are biochemically and immunologically different and have also different dissociation properties. The reassociation, performed at pH 9.6 with 2 mM CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 at 4 °C over a period of one to several weeks, led to the formation of decameric oligomers, while didecamers formed predominately in the SB at pH 7.0. Higher concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions led to a more rapid reassociation of RvH1 resulting in long stable multidecamers and helical tubules, which were stable and slowly dissociated into shorter multidecamers and decamers at higher pH values. The reassociation of the RvH2 structural subunit in the same buffers processed slowly and yielded didecamers, shorter tubule polymers and long multidecamers which are less stable at higher pH values. The stability of RvH isoforms under varying ionic conditions is compared with the stability of keyhole limpet (KLH, Megathura crenulata) hemocyanin (KLH) and Haliotis tuberculata hemocyanin (HtH) isoforms. The process of dissociation and reassociation is connected with changes of the fluorescence intensity at 600 nm, which can be explained by differences in opalescence of the solutions of these two isoforms. The solutions of longer tubule polymers and multidecamers of RvH1 show a higher opalescence compared to the solutions of shorter helical tubules and multidecamers of RvH2.

Analysis of the peritoneal cellular immune system during CAPD shortly before a clinical peritonitis.

We analysed the peritoneal cellular immune system 24-48 h before the onset of a clinical peritonitis. Peritoneal cells were obtained from the overnight dialysis effluents 1 or 2 days (day-1 and day-2) preceding the day of peritonitis, the last overnight effluent before the peritonitis effluent (day P), and the first peritonitis effluent. Nine peritonitis episodes of six patients were studied. The number of Fc receptor positive cells, the chemotactic activity, and immunophenotype of the peritoneal cell population at day-2 and day-1 were similar to the postperitonitis control effluent. However, immunophagocytosis and phagocytosis capacity of the peritoneal macrophages was decreased in five of six episodes at day-2 and -1 compared to control peritoneal macrophages. The overnight effluents of day P revealed a moderate influx of neutrophilic granulocytes and an increase of bacterial killing capacity and chemotactic activity. Activation of the peritoneal T cells at day P was shown by the increase in MHC class II positive T cells and an increase in the CD4/CD8 ratio. Bacterial cell cultures of the effluents were positive in three episodes 24-48 h before peritonitis, and of all overnight effluents at day P. These results indicate that malfunctioning of phagocytosis by peritoneal macrophages may contribute to the development of a CAPD peritonitis.

Prolactin granulogenesis is associated with increased secretogranin expression and aggregation in the Golgi apparatus of GH4C1 cells.

The GH4C1 pituitary tumor cell line (GH cells) serves as a model system to study the role of the granins in the packaging of PRL into secretory granules. The number of secretory granules containing PRL and two members of the granin family, chromogranin-B (CgB) and secretogranin-II (SgII), can be hormonally manipulated. In the present study we have investigated whether 1) granulogenesis in GH cells is preceded by condensation of the granins and PRL in the Golgi; 2) granulogenesis is preceded by an increase in granin expression in GH cells; and 3) PRL and the granins aggregate in vitro under high calcium, low pH conditions. GH cells were treated for up to 3 days with 17 beta-estradiol (1 nM), insulin (300 nM), and epidermal growth factor (10 nM) and were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for immunocytochemistry or harvested for RNA isolation and Northern blot analysis. After 1 day of hormone treatment, there was a significant increase in staining for PRL and the granins in the Golgi apparatus, which was identified using an antibody to MG-160. After 3 days of hormone treatment, PRL and granin staining was also found in a perinuclear region that was not stained with anti-MG-160 antibody, most likely representing secretory granules. An increase in PRL and granin expression contributed to increased Golgi staining, as the steady state levels of CgB, SgII, and PRL mRNA increased 186 +/- 14%, 203 +/- 7%, and 337 +/- 5% above control levels, respectively, within 6 h after hormone treatment. An in vitro aggregation system was used to determine whether PRL and the granins coprecipitate under high calcium, low pH conditions, which are thought to be characteristic of the trans-Golgi and secretory granules. Aggregation of the granins CgB and SgII was negligible during overnight dialysis against a buffer containing 150 mM NaCl and 10 mM 2[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid-NaOH (pH 5.5) in the absence of calcium. There was significant aggregation of PRL under these conditions. When dialysis was performed in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2, PRL, CgB, and SgII coaggregated. This study indicates that increased expression and aggregation of the granins is associated with PRL granulogenesis in hormone-treated GH cells. However, the role of the granins may not be obligatory, as some cells can store PRL in the absence of detectable levels of CgB and SgII, and PRL has the capacity to self-aggregate.

Prolactin granulogenesis is associated with increased secretogranin expression and aggregation in the Golgi apparatus of GH4C1 cells

The GH4C1 pituitary tumor cell line (GH cells) serves as a model system to study the role of the granins in the packaging of PRL into secretory granules. The number of secretory granules containing PRL and two members of the granin family, chromogranin-B (CgB) and secretogranin-II (SgII), can be hormonally manipulated. In the present study we have investigated whether 1) granulogenesis in GH cells is preceded by condensation of the granins and PRL in the Golgi; 2) granulogenesis is preceded by an increase in granin expression in GH cells; and 3) PRL and the granins aggregate in vitro under high calcium, low pH conditions. GH cells were treated for up to 3 days with 17 beta-estradiol (1 nM), insulin (300 nM), and epidermal growth factor (10 nM) and were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde for immunocytochemistry or harvested for RNA isolation and Northern blot analysis. After 1 day of hormone treatment, there was a significant increase in staining for PRL and the granins in the Golgi apparatus, which was identified using an antibody to MG-160. After 3 days of hormone treatment, PRL and granin staining was also found in a perinuclear region that was not stained with anti-MG-160 antibody, most likely representing secretory granules. An increase in PRL and granin expression contributed to increased Golgi staining, as the steady state levels of CgB, SgII, and PRL mRNA increased 186 +/- 14%, 203 +/- 7%, and 337 +/- 5% above control levels, respectively, within 6 h after hormone treatment. An in vitro aggregation system was used to determine whether PRL and the granins coprecipitate under high calcium, low pH conditions, which are thought to be characteristic of the trans-Golgi and secretory granules. Aggregation of the granins CgB and SgII was negligible during overnight dialysis against a buffer containing 150 mM NaCl and 10 mM 2[N-morpholino]ethanesulfonic acid-NaOH (pH 5.5) in the absence of calcium. There was significant aggregation of PRL under these conditions. When dialysis was performed in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2, PRL, CgB, and SgII coaggregated. This study indicates that increased expression and aggregation of the granins is associated with PRL granulogenesis in hormone-treated GH cells. However, the role of the granins may not be obligatory, as some cells can store PRL in the absence of detectable levels of CgB and SgII, and PRL has the capacity to self-aggregate.

Virosomes reconstituted from Human Immunodeficiency Virus proteins and lipids

Purified Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was solubilized in octylglucopyranoside. After centrifugation, the supernatant was added to lipid-detergent mixed micelles. Formation of virosomes occurred during overnight dialysis. Centrifugation on a continuous glycerol gradient showed that envelope glycoproteins (gp120 and gp41) and matrix protein p17 but not core protein p25 were associated to virosomes. Proteolytic treatment of virosomes indicates that gp120 is oriented toward the outside as in the virus particles, whereas p17 protein is anchored on both sides of the liposomal membrane. Virosomes are spherical vesicles with approximately the size of the virus as shown by electron microscopy.

Catalytic irreversible inhibition of bacterial and plant arginine decarboxylase activities by novel substrate and product analogues.

Arginine decarboxylase (ADC) activity from Escherichia coli and two plant species (oats and barley) was inhibited by five new substrate (arginine) and product (agmatine) analogues. The five compounds, (E)-alpha-monofluoromethyldehydroarginine (delta-MFMA), alpha-monofluoromethylarginine (MFMA), alpha-monofluoromethylagatine (FMA), alpha-ethynylagmatine (EA) and alpha-allenylagmatine (AA), were all more potent inhibitors of ADC activity than was alpha-difluoromethylarginine (DFMA), the only irreversible inhibitor of this enzyme described previously. The inhibition caused by the five compounds was apparently enzyme-activated and irreversible, since the loss of enzyme activity followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, was time-dependent, the natural substrate of ADC (arginine) blocked the effects of the inhibitors, and the inhibition remained after chromatography of inhibited ADC on Sephadex G-25 or on overnight dialysis of the enzyme. DFMA, FMA, delta-MFMA and MFMA were effective at very low concentrations (10 nM-10 microM) at inhibiting ADC activity in growing E. coli. FMA was also shown to deplete putrescine effectively in E. coli, particularly when combined with an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, alpha-monofluoromethyl-putrescine. The potential uses of the compounds for the study of the role of polyamine biosynthesis in bacteria and plants is discussed.

Effects of adenine on the stability and expression of xanthine dehydrogenase from Drosophila melanogaster

The in vivo effect of adenine on xanthine dehydrogenase from Drosophila melanogaster has been studied by feeding adult flies for 48 hr on regular undefined media buffered with phosphate and containing 15 mM adenine. Extracts of adenine-fed flies show 25–30% reduction in xanthine dehydrogenase activity, and 35–40% reduction in uric acid production. The adenine exposed enzyme, however, is now more stable during overnight dialysis with the loss of activity never more than 30%, while controls show losses of over 50%. Thermal stability studies reveal that the enzyme from adenine-fed flies, in contrast to that from controls, is resistant to high temperature (50°C). During the 48-hr period of feeding, enzyme activity decreases in the control flies whereas this ageing effect is less pronounced in the adenine-fed flies. Column chromatography and gel electrophoresis, using [8- 14C]adenine show that adenine appears to bind to xanthine dehydrogenase, with the radioactivity peaks always corresponding with enzyme activity peaks.

Microflora in the alimentary tract of gray mullet. V. Studies on the chitinolytic enzymes of Enterobacter and Vibrio.

Crude chitinase preparations were obtained from cultural filtrates of Enterobacter and Vibrio which were isolated from the intestinal tract of gray mullet (Mugil cephalus). The Enterobacter preparations after overnight dialysis lost virtually all chitinase activity whereas the enzymic activity of Vibrio preparations did not decrease during similar dialysis. The addition of calcium ions prevented the loss of chitinase activity during dialysis in Enterobacter preparations. Calcium chloride was the best co-factor, among all the chemicals tested. Using calcium chloride it was possible to isolate two different chitinases from Enterobacter by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The Vibrio preparations showed only one band in the absence of calcium chloride. The enzyme preparations from Enterobacter lost its activity at 50°C and the Vibrio preparations did not lose its activity at similar temperature.