Characterization of different deoxyribonucleases in human lymphocytes. Four groups of deoxyribonuclease activities from human lymphocytes have been characterized by deoxyribonuclease assay in DNA-containing polyacrylamide gels following their separation by disc-electrophoresis. All activities hydrolyse DNA endonucleolytically. One neutral deoxyribonuclease found in the cytoplasmic fraction prefers native or UV-irradiated DNA over denatured DNA as substrate and is a 5'-monoester former. Two groups of acid deoxyribonuclease activities are detectable in the nuclear fraction. Both are 3'-monoester formers. One is as well active with denatured DNA as with native DNA, the other one shows the same activity with native and UV-irradiated DNA but lower activity with denatured DNA. An alkaline deoxyribonuclease activity, also localized in the nucleus, is a 5'-monoester former, and prefers denatured or UV-irradiated DNA as substrate.


Studies on fragments of rod outer segments from bovine retinas. Monolayers of fragments of our rod segments were formed at an air-water interface. The area of these particles was measured as a function of the pH of the aqueous phase. A maximum area was measured at pH 6.5. The film was characterised by measuring the decrease in surface pressure, after compression, and the half time required to reach constant pressure. At a pH between 6 and 7 the decrease in surface pressure was a minimum. Irradiation of films of fragments resulted in a decrease in surface potential of between 30 and 40 mV. The largest decrease occured at a pH between 6 and 6.5. A small decrease in surface pressure was also observed upon irradiation. Mixed films of fragments and phosphatidyl ethanolamine were examined. Irradiation of the mixed film resulted in a 70 mV decrease in surface potential.


The ionization and optical properties of oxoformycin. Details are given of the ultraviolet, optical rotatory dispersion and fluorescence spectra of oxoformycin. The pK of formation of the monoanion is 8.6, at 25 degrees C. As formycin B has the same pK value, the ionization of both compounds is ascribed to dissociation of a proton from N-1. Both the neutral and monoanionic forms of oxoformycin are strongly fluorescent.


Antagonistic relationships between electron transport and P700 in chloroplasts and intact algae. The effects of divalent salts and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) upon nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) reduction and P700 in isolated chloroplasts are described and compared with the influence of DCMU on oxygen evolution and P700 in intact cells. Most experiments were carried out with a steady-state relaxation spectrometer. A kinetic mechanism for the estimation of P700 fluxes is proposed and experimentally tested. Good agreement between theory and experiment was found. Concurrent measurements of P700 and NADP reduction revealed two antagonisms: addition of divalent cations caused an increase in the yield of NADP reduction and a decrease in the yield of P700. Conversely, in the presence of Mg2+ low concentrations of DCMU decreased the yield of NADP reduction and increased the yield of P700. Aging of the chloroplasts at 30 degrees C exerted a similar effect. With far-red actinic light, Mg2+ stimulated the yield of NADP reduction without affecting the flux. Also, in the absence of Mg2+, DCMU inhibited both reactions although P700 required a higher herbicide concentration for fractional inhibition than NADP reduction. In the presence of Mg2+, chloroplasts resembled intact algae in which a high rate of oxygen evolution was accompanied by little P700 turn-over. Titration with DCMU decreased the rate of photosynthesis and increased P700 flux. On the whole, the data suggest that P700 relaxing in 20 msec is not directly involved in linear electron transport.


Energy-linked pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase activity in photosynthetically grown Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Rhodopseudomonas palustris (ATCC 17001) develops energy-dependent NADP+ transhydrogenase activity while growing photosynthetically on thiosulfate, formate, or acetate as the electron donors. The enzymatic activity is present in the supernatant fraction S-144 000. -- As reported, this fraction contains small membrane fragments but no closed vesicles and was shown to drive energy-dependent reversed electron flow as well as an aerobic respiratory electron transport. The energy-dependent transhydrogenase reaction in this fraction can be driven either by ATP, ADP, or inorganic pyrophosphate, but also by acetyl phosphate or acetyl-coenzyme A in the presence of orthophosphate. -- Arsenate acts as an inhibitor and decreases preferentially the acetyl-coenzyme A-dependent and the acetyl phosphate-driven reaction; whereas, oligomycin inhibits preferentially the ATP- and the acetyl phosphate-dependent reactions. -- Acetate kinase and a phosphotransacetylase are operative in S-144 000.


[Findings of subpartal monitoring, status of the newborn infant and evaluation of cardiotocographic findings]. The parameters of the intrapartal fetal CTG and the actual pH are related to each other and to the Apgar score of the newborn. The interpretation was carried out by means of groups of 300 to 600 cases. The actual fetal pH has the most compact relation to the Apgar score of the newborn (C equals 0,31). But also this contingence is unsatisfactory. At fetal acidosis most of the Apgar scores are pathological, in that manner the pH is the most important test for indication of operative delivery. The rare CTG pattern as dip II and variable decelerations combined with tachycardia of bradycardia, the bradycardia with 80 bpm or less, are likewise indications of urgent delivery.


[Influence of low molecular dextran on the acid-base balance in mother and fetus]. 9 normal pregnant women in the active phase of labor were treated with 500 ml low molecular dextrane with a pH of 4,5 under standardised external conditions. Before and after this infusion simultaneous estimations of the maternal and fetal acid-base status were made. There was neither a maternal nor a fetal acidosis.


[Acetyl-CoA-synthetase activity of pigmented staphylococci]. In 19 strains of staphylococci a study was made of the activity of acetyl-CoA-synthetase reaction. All the strains possessed an active enzymatic system transforming the acetate into an active form. The activity of acetyl-CoA-synthetase proved to be much greater in the pigmented staphyloccus strains than in the nonpigmented ones. It is supposed that there existed an association between the acetyl-CoA-synthetase and the biogenesis of carotinoid pigments in Staph. aureus.


[Acetylcholinesterase from the electric organ of the ray Torpedo marmorata]. Studies have been made on substrate specificity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE;EC 3-1-1-7) from the electric organ of the ray T. marmorata with respect of choline and thiocholine esters, as well as on the effect of pH, salts and organophosphorus inhibitors (OPI) on the activity of the enzyme. Acetylcholine (ACh), propionycholine (PrCh) acetyl-beta-methylcholine (MeCh), acetylthiocholine ((ATCh) and propionylthiocholine (PrTCh) were hydrolyzed by the enzyme studied at the following relative rates-100: 28.8: 18.3: 87.2: 18.9 correspondingly. In all the cases, inhibition of the enzyme by high concentrations of the substrate was observed. As compared to other AChE, the enzyme from T. marmorata exhibits the highest affinity to ACh. For all the substrates studied, pH dependence of AChE activity followed the curve with maximum 7.5 for ACh and PrCh, 8.0-8.5 for ATCh and MeCh and 7.5-8.5 for PrTCh. Various salts (MgCl2), KCl, NaCl, NaBr, KI) increased AChE activity, the increase being the highest with MgCl2 (3.3 times) and NaCl (2.5X). Biomolecular rate constants ((k) II) for the interaction of AChE investigated with OPI containing cationic group-methylsulfomethylates, O-ethyl-S-(beta-ethylmercapto) ethylmethylthiophosphonate and O,O-diethyl-S-(beta-ethylmercapto) ethylthiophosphate, as well as methyl iodide O,O-disopropyl-S-(beta-phenylmethylamino) ethylphosphate-were significantly higher as compared with k(II) values for corresponding compounds without the cation. The value of k(II) sharply decreased with the increase in the size of the acyl radicals at phosphorus atom in the molecule of OPI.


Isolation and properties of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase from wheat embryos. From wheat embryos, tRNA nucleotidyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.25) was isolated. By chromatography on Sepharose 6B, DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography on tRNA-hydrazyl-Sepharose 4B, 7000-fold purification of the enzyme was achieved. The enzyme required for its activity Mg2+ or Mn2+ ion. ATP inhibited incorporation of CMP from CTP into lupin tRNA, and CTP acted as a competitive inhibitor of AMP incorporation from ATP. The regulatory role of ATP in incorporation of terminal CMP into tRNA is discussed. The incorporation of terminal CMP into tRNA deprived of terminal CCA or CA, was also studied.


[Electronmicroscopic study of the gravity receptors in ctenophores]. Secondarily sensitive receptor balancer cells comprise the gravity receptor in the aboral organ-polivalent organ of Ctenophora. Ctenophora are phylogenetically the first animals which created receptor cell supplied with a single flagellar kinocilium connected with the otolithic apparatus. The receptor balancer cells are innervated by the nerve fiber branched off the nerve cells of the aboral ganglion. The localization of AChE, BuChE products of cytochemical reaction on sodium suggests that the cholinergic mechanism may take part in the process of synaptic transmission. Our morphological data cannot exclude an adrenergic mechanizm also.


Non-specific acetyl-CoA carboxylase and methylmalonyl-CoA carboxyltransferase in Streptomyces noursei var. polifungini. 1. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2) and methylmalonyl-CoA carboxyltransferase (EC 2.1.3.1) have been isolated from mycelia of Streptomyces noursei var. polifungini, and purified about 50-fold. 2. Both enzymes carboxylate acetyl-CoA and propionyl-CoA; the respective Km values are 1.1 and 1.6 mM with acetyl-CoA carboxylase and 2.5 and 1.25 mM with carboxyltransferase. 3. The activities of both enzymes are inhibited by free fatty acids. Almost total inhibition of methylmalonyl-CoA carboxyltransferase was observed by 0.1 mM-butyrate or 0.1 mM-C14-C18 acids. Acetyl-CoA carobxylase was affected to the same extent by these compounds at concentration of about 1 mM. 4. The role of both carboxylating enzymes is biosynthesis of the antibiotic is discussed.


Preoperative treatment of thyrotoxicosis with a beta-adrenergic blocking agent. The clinical usefulness of propranolol as the sole drug in the preoperative treatment of thyrotoxicosis has been investigated. The effect of the drug on the serum levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine has also been studied. Eight consecutive patients were treated. Four of these showed good clinical response to propranolol and both pre- and postoperative periods were uneventful. Two patients also showed a good clinical response but developed accentuated thyrotoxic symptoms in the immediate postoperative period. One patient showed no clinical response to propranolol therapy and in one further patient the treatment was discontinued because of discomfort. All glands were resected without technical difficulty. They were more vascular and friable after this therapy than after pretreatment with antithyroid drugs and thyroxine. The serum levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine decreased during propranolol treatment. It is concluded that treatment with propranolol as a sole preoperative drug might be used as an alternative only in cases where conventional therapy is not suitable.


Reduction of 3-oxosteroids in human liver microsomes. The 3alpha- and 3beta-reduction of the following steroids was studied in human liver microsomes: 5alpha-androstane-3,17-dione, 17beta-hydroxy-5alpha-androstan-3-one, 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione, 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione, 3-oxo-5beta-cholanoic acid and 7alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-cholestan-3-one. With NADH as cofactor there was a preferential 3alpha-reduction of the C19- and C21-3-oxo-steroids and a preferential 3beta-reduction of the C24- and C27-3-oxo-steroids. Substitution of NADH with NADPH influenced reduction of the substrates in different ways, indicating the presence of several 3alpha- and 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases with different substrate specificity and specificity towards NADH and NADPH. Only small or insignificant sex differences could be observed in the reductions studied.


The fractional post-coital test performed in a square capillary tube. A new method of examination of post-coital cervical mucus was developed, with special attention to the moving spermatozoa. The test is performed in a square capillary tube (edge 0,8 mm). The migration rate, -- velocity and -- direction are measured by means of an ocular micrometer, which is seen projected over the capillary tube.


I-cell disease (mucolipidosis II):a report on its pathology. The single most characteristic morphological feature in I-cell disease (ICD) is the accumulation of membrane-bound vacuoles in mesenchymal cells (mainly fibroblasts). No true storage can be documented in those vacuoles. That their contents could have been dissolved during fixation or embedding remains however a possibility. Remnants consisting of a few lamellar arrays and of small amounts of fibrillo-granular material are too scarce for histochemical characterization. In hepatocytes large cells in the white pulp of the spleen and in myocardial fibers, vacuoles with fixative insoluble contents have been discovered; they are nowhere very abundant and their specificity is questionable. Because the affected fibroblastic elements represent a small fraction in any organ, most secondary biochemical abnormalities are expected to be detectable only in purely fibroblastic tissues. Our pathological study contributes to the understanding of some of the clinical features characteristic of ICD and stresses major morphological differences between ICD and the many diseases classified as mucopolysaccharidoses and mucolipidoses.


Histochemical and morphological changes in human muscle spindle in upper and lower motor neuron lesions. The human intrafusal fibers were found to consist of two morphological and three histochemical (ATPase reaction) types. Two types of nuclear bag fibers were seen. Type A showed alkali stable and acid labile and Type B showed acid and alkali stable ATPase reaction. The nuclear chain fibers showed only alkali stable ATPase reaction. In the lower motor neuron atrophy, muscle spindle showed thickening of the capsule, atrophy of the nuclear chain fibers, and splitting of the nuclear bag fibers. ATPase reaction showed targetoid Type B nuclear bag fibers and 2 types of nuclear chain fibers. Oxidative enzymes also showed targetoid nuclear bag and chain fibers. In upper motor neuron atrophy the spindle showed no changes.


[Effect of an anxiolytic agent in hay fever]. In a group of 55 allergic patients with hay fever, and including patients treated by complete placebo, the action of Lorazepam has been studied from both the psycho-somatic and the allergic point of view. This most obviously allergic of all allergic diseases has been especially chosen because it was thought that the psycho-somatic hypothesis would appear at the outset in this condition to be the less apparent. Despite this fact, the anxiolitic effect of Lorazepam and its anti-allergic consequences were conclusive. A parallel study using only placebo treatment, orally and by vaccine, was performed in a few cases. 39 patients out of 45 treated by Temesta and placebo vaccine, had few or very few allergic symptoms. The 10 patients treated by complete placebo (orally and by vaccine) presented this year an acute pollinosis. We find the same parallelism between the allergy and the psycho-somatic aspect.


A case of methylmalonic and propionic acidemia due to methulmalonyl-CoA carbonylmutase apoenzyme deficiency. A patient presenting with a deep metabolic acidosis after birth is described. Gas chromatographic analysis of short chain fatty acid and non volatile organic acids revealed the presence of both propionic and methylmalonic acid. In plasma obtained immediately after death the propionic- and methylmalonic acid concentrations were measured after separation of both acids by thin layer chromatography. The propionic acid concentration was about 5 mM while the methylmalonic acid concentration was 2.6 mM. The methylmalonic acid concentration in urine was 6.8 mM. Propionyl-CoA carboxylase activity measured in leucocytes and liver-mitochondria revealed normal values (53 pmoles/min/mg protein and 6.5 nmoles/min/mg protein respectively). 2-14C-Methyl-malonate oxydation in intact fibroblasts was totally blocked in the patient's cells. The methylmalonyl-CoA carbonyl mutase activity was found to be absent in the patient's fibroblasts. Addition of vit. B12 coenzyme to the incubation mixture stimulated 14C-succinate formation in the control cells but not in the patient's cells.


Enzyme histochemical studies of rabbit bile ducts with and without bile flow. The histochemical enzyme pattern in normal, extra-hepatic bile ducts from rabbits was studied. A difference between the duct epithelium and the crypt epithelium was noted mainly in the activity of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase which only stained positively in the crypts. No difference from the normal enzyme pattern was noted after diversion of the bile flow for up to 30 days.


Survival of anaerobic bacteria during transportation. 1. Experimental investigations on the effect of evacuation of atmospheric air by flushing with carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The effect of evacuation of atmospheric air during transportation on recovery of anaerobic bacteria was investigated. Evacuation of atmospheric air from glass tubes by flushing with pure carbon dioxide lowered the content of oxygen to about 0.4 per cent. Three B. fragilis strains and one strain of Fusobacterium mortiferum and of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius were investigated. Bacterial recovery was determined one hour and 24 hours after evacuation of atmospheric air by pure carbon dioxide and pure nitrogen, was compared to bacterial recovery from samples transported with free access to atmospheric air. Evacuation by pure carbon dioxide significantly improved the recovery of one B. fragilis strain after 24 hours of transportation and significantly impaired the recovery of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius after one hour of transportation, while evacuation by pure nitrogen significantly improved the recovery of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius after 24 hours of transportation. In all other cases, however, no statistically significant effect on bacterial recovery was found.


The spread of the action potential through the T-system in hagfish twitch muscle fibres. The input impedance of twitch muscle fibres of the Atlantic hagfish has been measured with sinusoidal transmembrane currents. The apparent specific membrane resistance and capacitance decreased markedly with frequency, and were relatively independent of fibre diameter. A model of the T-system based on anatomical observations, was used to predict the input impedance in the normal solution (artificial sea water). The changes in input impedance produced by glycerol treatment, low chloride solution, reduced pH and isotonic solutions with low ionic strength were easily interpreted in terms of the same model. The model predicts severe attenuation of the action potential if conducted electrotonically by the transverse tubules towards the center of the fibre.


Withdrawal psychosis: a study of 30 consecutive cases. A study was carried out of 30 consecutive patients with withdrawal psychosis who in the period 1972 to 1975 were admitted to a psychiatric department or were attended by the department while hospitalized in a somatic department. There was a clear majority of women among cases of psychosis following drug withdrawal (15 as against four) and a clear majority of men among cases of psychosis following alcohol withdrawal (nine as against two). Competing pathogenetic factors could be considered present in most cases in the last mentioned group. In most cases the abrupt cessation took place in conjunction with admission to hospital, most frequently surgical cases or cases of acute drug toxication. In other cases abrupt cessation was decided upon by the patient himself. Frequently predelirium treatment was either omitted or was given in the form of neuroleptics. Approximately a quarter of the patients initially denied their abuse. The study indicates that withdrawal psychosis can make its debut or become manifest at so late a stage as about the 14th day of the withdrawal phase following use of benzodiazepines and d-propoxiphene. It is further indicated that abrupt cessation of benzodiazepines taken in "therapeutic" doses for several years in some instances can give rise to a withdrawal psychosis.


Nephroangiography in Wegener's granulumatosis. A comparison with panarteritis nodosa. Three cases of Wegener's granulomatosis with a classical course are described, 2 of which with fatal outcome in spite of immuno-suppressive therapy. Nephroangiography was performed during the oliguric or anuric phase. The appearances were similar to those encountered in glomerulonephritis and were compared with those in three cases of panarteritis nodosa. Two of these represented the classical form with intrarenal arterial aneurysms; the third was a case of the microscopic type presenting blurred intrarenal arteries with lumen variations and occlusions. These observations support the opinion that Wegener's granulomatosis nodosa are different diseases. Nephroangiography seems to be of value in their differentiation.


The effect of metoprolol --a new selective adrenergic beta1-receptor blocking agent-- in mild hypertension. Metoprolol, a new selective adrenergic beta1-receptor blocking drug, has been compared to placebo in a series of 24 women who previously had taken alprenolol and propranolol during a cross-over study. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were significantly reduced during metoprolol treatment compared to placebo. The occurrence of side-effects was similar during treatment with metoprolol and placebo. After the cross-over study the patients continued on metoprolol for more than two years, except for short periods on placebo or propranolol. During this follow-up period BP remained at a similar level when the metoprolol dose was unchanged. Dose reduction (from 50 or 100 mg t.i.d. to 50 or 100 mg b.i.d.) caused no, or only a very slight, increase in BP. No side-effects were reported during long-term treatment.


Comparison between metoprolol and propranolol as antihypertensive agents. A double-blind cross-over study. A new selective beta-adrenergic blocking agent--metoprolol--is compared to a non-selective beta-adrenergic blocking agent--propranolol--according to a double-blind cross-over technique in 23 hypertensive women, who had previously taken alprenolol and propranolol during different periods. No significant differences were found for blood pressure, heart rate, body weight or serum uric acid. No side-effects which could be related to the therapy were seen with either drug.


Effects of metabolic and pharmacologic interventions on myocardial infarct size following coronary occlusion. A number of hemodynamic, pharmacologic and metabolic interventions were found to change the extent of acute ischemic injury of the myocardium and subsequent necrosis following experimental coronary artery occlusion. Reduction in myocardial damage occurred by decreasing myocardial oxygen demands (beta-adrenergic blocking agents, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, external counterpulsation, nitroglycerin, decreasing afterload in hypertensive patients, inhibition of lipolysis, and digitalis in the failing heart); by increasing myocardial oxygen supply either directly (coronary artery reperfusion or elevating arterial pO2),  or through collateral vessels (elevation of coronary perfusion pressure by alpha-adrenergic agonists, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation); or by increasing plasma osmolality (mannitol, hypertonic glucose); presumably by augmenting anaerobic metabolism (glucose-insulin-potassium, hypertonic glucose); by enhancing transport to the ischemic zone of substrates utilized in energy production (hyaluronidase); by protecting against autolytic and heterolytic damage (hydrocortisone, cobra venom factor, aprotinin). Augmentation of myocardial ischemic damage occurred as a consequence of increasing myocardial oxygen requirements (isoproterenol, glucagon, ouabain, bretylium tosylate, tachycardia); by decreasing myocardial oxygen supply either directly (hypoxia, anemia) or through reduction of collateral flow (hemorrhagic hypotension, minoxidil) or by decreasing substrate availability glycemia). Pilot studies have been carried out in patients with hyaluronidase, nitroglycerin, intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation, beta-blocking agents and Arfonad and have shown that these interventions may also reduce myocardial damage, suggesting that the concept of reduction in infarct size following coronary occlusion is applicable clinically.


Factors of importance for the degree of ischemic injury in the isolated rat heart. Isolated working rat hearts were made ischemic by introducing a one-way aortic ball valve. After the ischemic period the hearts were perfused in a retrograde non-working way for 30 min. Flow rates, glycogen, ATP, and creatine-phosphate went down during the time of ischemia, whereas tissue lactate accumulated. For shorter periods of ischemia these values were normalized but after 30 min of ischemia the hearts seemed to be irreversibly damaged. There was a leakage of GOT, GPT, LDH, and CPK from all hearts when ischemic from 5 to 30 min. Different factors that might be of importance for the degree of ischemic injury were tested. The injury tended to be more severe at higher heart rates. Addition of adrenaline 10(-6)M resulted in excessive myocardial damage. A variation of pH from 7.1 to 7.7 did not alter the effects of the ischemic injury. One group of rats were injected with adrenaline for 8 weeks to simulate chronic stress. When hearts from these rats were made ischemic they were more prone to fail compared to controls. The failing hearts, on the other hand, had a lower leakage of enzymes, possibly due to a less severe myocardial damage. A high mechanical performance and a normal noradrenaline content of the hearts are key factors for the development of myocardial infarction, as indicated by this study.


Double-blind study of the effect of cardioselective beta-blockade on chest pain in acute myocardial infarction. A double-blind study including three different cardioselective beta-blockers, practolol, H 87/07 and metoprolol, was performed in 54 patients with acute myocardial infarction and chest pain shortly after onset of symptoms. Transmural infarctions were found in 42 patients while 12 patients had nontransmural infarctions. Chest pain and the product of heart rate and systolic blood pressure were significantly reduced in the beta-blocker groups whereas no changes were seen after saline. All patients with nontransmural infarctions and 14 out of 29 with transmural infarctions got pain relief lasting for at least 30 min. None of the patients developed signs of left ventricular backward failure, shock, or bradycardia. A decrease in ST segment elevation was observed in all the transmural infarctions after beta-blockade. No changes in ST segment elevation were found after analgesics when given after saline, but in some cases an increase was seen in this parameter when analgesics were given due to insufficient pain relief after beta-blockers or due to return of chest pain. It is suggested that pain relief by beta-blockers indicates decrease of myocardial ischemia.


Multiple endocrine adenomatosis syndromes. MEA I and II are two genetically distinct tumor endocrinopathies, both showing autosomal dominant inheritance. Little overlap exists between these conditions, and that which is present can be explained on the basis of two mutually exclusive factors: (1) the secondary consequences of hormone excess on another endocrine gland or (2) the fact that both tumor syndromes appear to result from genetically faulty differentiation of neuroectoderm. A seemingly disproportionate amount of effort has been expended on study of the MEA syndromes. However, there would seen to be ample justification for this interest: 1) The MEA syndromes, unlike most neoplastic conditions, are hereditary and can be readily detected and more expeditiously treated; 2) hormone radioimmunoassay has greatly facilitated diagnosis in asymptomatic individuals; and (3) probably most importantly, study of these syndromes has provided considerable insight into the embryologic origin of the endocrine system. It is conceivable that knowledge gained from these conditions may stimulate further inquiry into the processes whereby neoplasia occurs in endocrine tissue and thus lead the way to the development of effective therapy for a host of hormone-producing tumors.


Folic acid absorption in regional enteritis. The authors have investigated intestinal absorption of folic acid by jejunal perfusion with a triple lumen tube in five subjects with regional enteritis. The subjects' intestinal disabilities ranged from terminal ileitis to short bowel syndrome. Two had steatorrhea and two had low serum folate levels. Absorption of pteroylglutamic acid was normal in all five. This suggests that folic acid deficiency, common in this disorder, is largely caused by malnutrition, not malabsorption.


Acid, neutral, and alkaline hydrolases in arthritic synovium. The levels of six lysosomal enzymes (acid phosphatase, beta-acetylglucosaminidase, cathepsin D, beta-galactosidase, arylsulfatase A, and beta-glucuronidase) and four neutral and alkaline hydrolases (esterase, inorganic phyrophosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase) were measured in osteoarthritic, rheumatoid and control synovia. All enzyme levels in diseased synovium except esterase values in osteoarthritis were significantly elevated compared with controls. The mean values of the group of acid hydrolases and the group of neutral and alkaline hydrolases in osteoarthritic synovia were 1.9- and 2.0-fold greater than those of control specimens. In rheumatoid synovia, the values were 4.2- and 4.5 fold greater than control for the same enzymes. Levels in rheumatoid synovia were significantly higher than those in osteoarthritic synovia with the exception of 5'-nucleotidase. Only a limited correlation between the extents of inflammation present in the synovia and the levels of a lysosomal marker enzyme (cathepsin D) was observed. These results demonstrate that whatever the mechanism, increased levels of acid hydrolases as well as certain neutral and alkaline hydrolases are present in osteoarthritic and rheumatoid synovia, and these enzymes are probably contained in the synovial lining cells.


Effects of acute metabolic acidosis on parathyroid hormone action and calcium mobilization. Mechanisms through which metabolic acidosis increases calcium mobilization have been investigated in thyroparathyroidectomized rats with induction of acute metabolic acidosis by infusing NH4C1 intravenously. Acute metabolic acidosis directly raised serum calcium concentration and augmented the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) to raise serum calcium concentration. The same effects of metabolic acidosis were observed in rats with surgically removed intestines and bilateral nephrectomy, suggesting that acute metabolic acidosis directly increases calcium mobilization from bone and augments the effect of PTH to mobilize calcium from bone. In the kidney, acidosis directly inhibited the tubular reabsorption of calcium, but augmented the effect of PTH to increase tubular reabsorption of calcium. Acidosis had no measurable effect on calcitonin action.


Metabolism of histamine in secreting and isolated canine stomach. Total 14C activity in juice secreted by gastric pouches of six dogs and seven isolated canine stomachs was determined in response to intravenous and intra-arterial infusions of histamine and [14C]histamine. The proportions of 14C attributable to histamine, Nalpha-methylhistamine (NalphaMeH), Nalpha,Nalpha-dimethylhistamine (NalphaNalphaMe2H), N-telle-methylhistamine (NtauMeH), imidazole acetic acid (ImAA), N-methylimidazole acetic acid (NtauMeImAA), acetylhistamine (AcH), and histaminol (HOH) were defined using thin-layer chromatography. Similar estimates were made at the end of infusions on blood, gastric mucosa, and gastric muscle. Methylation was the major, or sole, route of metabolism of histamine in the gastric mucosa, and the major product was inactive NtauMeH. Small quantities of the active NalphaMe derivatives, particularly NalphaNalphaMe2H, were identified in both the juice and mucosa. Little or no ImAA, NtauMeImAA, AcH, and HOH were present in juice from isolated stomachs while they did occur in the juice from intact dogs, demonstrating they are extragastric metabolites of histamine. A major mucosal function of methylation of histamine is inactivation, although NalphaMe derivatives formed may play a role in the secretagogue action of histamine.


Intracellular bicarbonate of skeletal muscle under different metabolic states. Intracellular bicarbonate of single muscle fibers in vivo was measured by a direct electrometric method simultaneously with the membrane PD in rats under seven different metabolic states. From the measured intracellular bicarbonate values and the PCO2, the bicarbonate equilibrium potential and the intracellular pH were calculated. The mean intracellular [HCO3-] under normal control conditions was 10.3 +/- 0.7 mM (SE). The intracellular bicarbonate fell significantly in both chronic metabolic acidosis and chronic K+ depletion. In contrast, intracellular bicarbonate was elevated in chronic metabolic alkalosis, K+ loading, and Na+ depletion. Taking intracellular pH as an index of the acid-base status of cells, we find that whereas the calculated cell pH decreased along with the cell bicarbonate in both chronic metabolic acidosis and K+ depletion, cell pH increased along with the bicarbonate only in chronic metabolic alkalosis. Cell pH was unchanged in both chronic K+ loading and Na+ depletion.


Effect of acid lumen pH on potassium transport in renal cortical collecting tubules. In order to determine the effect of acid lumen pH on renal tubular potassium transport, cortical collecting tubules were dissected from rabbit kidneys and perfused in vitro. When the pH of the perfusate was lowered from 7.4 to 6.8, potassium secretion into the tubule lumen decreased by an average of 47%. The transepithelial voltage increased from a mean value of -32 mV (lumen negative) at pH 7.4 to -51 mV at PH 6.8. Net sodium absorption from the tubule lumen was essentially unchanged (5% mean decrease). Transepithelial voltage and potassium secretion returned to control values when the pH of the perfusate was raised to 7.4. Alterations in pH of the bath had no comparable effect on the transepithelial voltage, whether the bath pH was increased or decreased. We conclude that a decrease in the pH of the tubule fluid of itself inhibits active potassium secretion in this tubule segment, providing an additional explanation for the decrease in potassium excretion found in acidosis. The negative voltage (presumably caused by sodium absorption out of the lumen) is increased under these conditions, possibly because of reduction of a smaller counterbalancing positive voltage caused by potassium secretion into the lumen.


Reflex sympathetic tachycardia during intravenous infusions in chronic spinal cats. The reflex tachycardia elicited by rapid intravenous infusions of a blood substitute was studied in 21 chronic cats with spinal sections at C8. All animals could breath spontaneously. The day after section the average resting heart rate (HR) and arterial pressure (AP) were 109 beats/min and 98/67 mmHg, respectively. Vagal blockade with atropine (0.5-0.7 mg/kg iv) was performed prior to each infusion, increasing the average HR To 127 beats/min. In 39 infusions in 21 cats the average increase in HR was 10 beats/min (range from -6 to +22 beats/min). A tachycardia was observed in all but five trials, four of which were obtained in two cats that subsequently responded with a tachycardia. In seven animals the neural circuit mediating the response was partially or totally interrupted by section of several thoracic dorsal roots (T1-T4 or T1-T6) and of the spinal cord at the inferior level of these sections (between T6 and T7). The tachycardia response was progressively reduced and finally abolished by these procedures. These experiments indicate that spinal neural mechanisms are likely to contribute to the phenomenon first described by Bainbridge.


Sudden potential drop in bullfrog gastric mucosa. The previously reported sudden potential drop (SPD), which occurs under anoxia in 10% CO2, has been further explored. We find several conditions necessary for this effect: 1) anoxia; 2) serosal pH less than 7.1;3) presence of chloride; and 4) a PD, either spontaneous or voltage clamped, which changes across the region of 10 mV, serosal positive. With the first three conditions satisfied, a reversible decrease in measured resistance can be produced at will by changing the clamp voltage. In the anoxic, low-resistance state, changes in K+ or C1- concentration give little change in voltage, showing that the increased conductivity is not selective for either ion. A model is proposed containing a shunt-resistance element whose resistance is a step function of PD. This model can mimic the responses of the tissue and provides a working model for the SPD.


Cancer of the undescended or maldescended testis. An analysis of 45 cryptorchids (by history or examination) with a testicular cancer treated at Memorial Hospital, between 1934 and 1973, is presented. Twenty-five patients had the cryptorchid state repaired at ages four to 27 years, either spontaneously or by orchiopexy or hormonal therapy. Ipsilateral (24) or contralateral (one) intrascrotal testis tumors developed four to 47 years later. Twenty cryptorchid patients presented with ipsilateral inguinal (eleven), abdominal (seven), or contralateral intrascrotal (two) tumors. There were 18 pure seminomas, 17 embryonal carcinomas, nine teratocarcinomas, and one reticulum cell sarcoma. Five year survival rates as estimated by the product-limit method were 60% for the unrepaired cases and 41% for the repaired cases. The survival seems to follow histologic type and anatomical stage, whether the testis is within the scrotum or not. Five year survival similarly estimated was 78% in the seminomas and 29% in the other tumors. Twelve of thirteen survivors (including nine with seminoma) received postoperative irradiation to the regional lymphatics and eleven were without recurrent tumor for periods ranging from six to 28 years.


Use of protease inhibitor (trasylol) and heparin in cardiorespiratory resuscitation. II. Gasometric investigations of arterial blood. The purpose of the present work was to assess the effect of trasylol--an inhibitor of proteases--and heparin on gasometric values in arterial blood during cardio-respiratory resuscitation. The investigations were carried out on rabbits in three experimental groups. In group I the simplest resuscitation procedures were applied: artificial respiration with AMBU self-expanding bag and heart massage. In group II oxygen was given for respiration, heart massage was applied, cardiac, vasoactive and alkalinizing drugs were given. Group III received the above drugs and procedures but trasylol and herparin were used additionally. Cardiac arrest was obtained by means of acute hypoxia following suxamethonium administration. The investigations showed that in groups I and II despite resuscitation management arterial hypoxaemia and metabolic acidosis persisted while in group III a certain return of normal gasometric values was observed and the animals in this group survived the experiment.


Porcine malignant hyperthermia induced by halothane and succinylcholine: failure of treatment with procaine or procainamide. Metabolic, hemodynamic and neuroendocrine responses to the combined use of halothane and succinylcholine (SCh) were measured in five normal swine and five swine susceptible to malignant hyperthermia (MH). Constant-volume ventilation was used, and no therapy was instituted. The overall response in susceptible swine was fulminant, in that it involved the rapid onset of SCh-induced MH combined with the more severe metabolic, endocrine, and cardiovascular effects of halothane-induced MH. Maximal changes in VO2 were equivalent with either drug or both combined, while changes in lactate, potassium (K+), pH, and catecholamines were perhaps synergistic. Utilizing similar measurements, procaine or procainamide was used in 20 susceptible swine in attempts to prevent MH initiated by halothane, SCh, or both. Recommended therapeutic doses of either drug did not prevent characteristic MH changes in oxygen consumption, cardiac output, lactate, K+, pH, catecholamines, or temperature.


[Comparative study of neuraminidases from "Diplococcus pneumoniae" and "Clostridium perfringens"]. Neuraminidases have been purified from the culture medium of two microorganisms, one aerobic, Diplococcus neumoniae, the other anaerobic, Clostridium perfringens. The enzymatic properties of the 2 neuraminidases have been studied (pH optimum; effect of cations; activity toward different substrates: neuraminyllactose, dilactaminyllacto-N-tetraose, gangliosides, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, Collocalia glycoprotein, ovine submaxillary mucin, porcin intestinal and human bronchial mucins).


[Carbohydrate containing media for the detection of urease in "Klebsiella"]. Sone strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and K. oxytoca grown on nutrient agar may appear "urease negative" in a Ferguson type reagent medium after a 24 h incubation at 37 degrees C. Amongst such 147 so called urease negative strains, urease has been detected within a few hours in 79 strains, when bacteria have grown on media containing carbohydrates (Kligler iron agar, Drigalski lactose agar, SS agar and Worfel-Ferguson sucrose medium). Acid production by carbohydrate fermentation increases urease production by Klebsiella: pH 4 is the most convenient pH for urease synthesis by these bacteria. The other 68 strains have been considered as urease-less Klebsiella. The best results are obtained from culture on Worfel-Ferguson sucrose medium: urea hydrolysis is positive--on an average-after 1 hour and 30 minutes when detected in a Ferguson type reagent medium, and after 2 hours and 35 minutes when detected in a Christensen reagent medium.


[Ferrous ion oxidation and uranium solubilization from a lowgrade ore by "Thiobacillus ferrooxidans" (author's transl)]. The microbiological oxidation of ferrous ion and the extraction of uranium from a low-grade ore has been studied using an adapted strain of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. The effect of temperature, pH, volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient, K1a, and aeration number, Ia, on the activity of the microorganism has been determined. The activation energy for ferrous iron oxidation was calculated to be - 13.9 +/- 0.1 kcal/mole and inactivation (thermal death of bacteria) 53.3 +/- 0.2 kcal/mole. Temperature coefficient, Q10, was estimated to be 1.8. Uranium extraction varied between 80 and 100%.


Ethanol and galactose metabolism as influenced by 4-methylpyrazole in alcoholics with and without nutritional deficiencies. Preliminary report of a new approach to pathogenesis and treatment in alcoholic liver disease. 4-Methyl pyrazole (4-MP, a specific inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase) reduced ethanol elimination by 30-50% and completely removed the ethanol-induced inhibition of galactose elimination in 2 control subjects. Ethanol elimination was accelerated in 2 alcoholics with adequate nutrition, but the effect of 4-MP was comparable to that in controls. In 2 other alcoholic subjects, who reported poor nutritional intake, intermediate rates of ethanol elimination were observed and 4-MP had almost no effect on ethanol or galactose elimination. These results suggest that alcohol abuse may result in an increased contribution to ethanol elimination by pathways other than that involving alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and that the decreased contribution from ADH, possibly potentiated by inadequate nutrition, may diminish the ethanol-induced shift in the NAD-coupled redox state. Since liver damage produced by alcohol abuse is believed to be related to changes from the normal redox state caused by ethanol, these results may explain why alcoholic liver damage is uncommon in alcoholics living on a  marginal diet. Since 4-MP effectively eliminates the ethanol-induced shift in the redox state, a therapeutic trial with 4-MP in alcoholics with a high risk for liver disease is indicated.


A method for the regulation of microbial population density during continuous culture at high growth rates. A method for the continuous culture of microorganisms is described which employs growth-dependent pH changes to control the rate of addition of fresh medium to a culture vessel. The apparatus (the "phauxostat") supports, at constant pH, long-term continuous culture at rates near or at the maximum of which the organisms are capable. The buffering capacity of the inflowing medium determines the steady-state population density of the culture, but the rate of growth is independent of the buffering capacity. The fundamental theory of operation is tested and some basic parameters of growth are estimated using Escherichia coli B growing continuously in media containing glucose, glycerol or DL-lactate.


Pyruvate fermentation in Rhodospirillum rubrum and after transfer from aerobic to anaerobic conditions in the dark. The fermentative metabolism of Rhodospirillum rubrum (strain Ha, F1, S1) was studied after transfering the cells from aerobic to anaerobic dark culture conditions. Pyruvate was metabolized mainly to acetate and formate, and to a lesser extent to CO2 and priopionate, by all strains. Therefore, pyruvate formate lyase would appear to be the characteristic key enzyme of the dark anaerobic fermentation metabolism in R. rubrum. Strain F1 and S1 metabolized the formate further to H2 and CO2. It is concluded that this cleavage was catalysed by a formate hydrogen lyase system. Strain Ha was unable to metabolize formate. The cleavage of formate and the synthesis of poly-beta-hydroxy-butyric acid were increased by a low pH value (approximately 6.5). Fermentation equations and schemes of the pyruvate metabolism are discussed.


The influence of foster-home care on psychiatric patients. Adult patients placed into foster families by six administrations in three provinces of Canada were oberved at time of placement and followed up 18 months later. Over this period, they exhibited a substantial decline in symptoms-almost as great as with similar patients retained in the hospital. However, there was virtually no improvement in social functioning, despite the fact that the use of foster homes has been advocated mainly for the resocialization that was expected to occur there. In discussing the reasons for this paradoxical finding, recommendations are offered regarding the use of foster homes by mental health administrations.


Sialic acid in thyroglobulin. II. Influence of sialic acid on ionization of tyrosine residues. During electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel at pH 9-5, it was noticed that sialic acid-poor thyroglobulin contains fewer low molecular weight fragments than sialic acid-rich thyroglobulin. Splitting off of sialic acid diminishes thenumber of phenolic groups of tyrosine, MIT, DIT and T4, which dissociate below pH 12-5. This phenomenon was interpreted as a result of lowered hydrophilia of these regions of the thyroglobulin molecule which contains tyrosine and its iodinated derivatives.


Prevention of experimental gastric ulcers in rats by dial derivatives. In 111 rats divided into 5 groups, Ipronal (5-allyl-5-(beta-hydroxypropyl)-barbituric acid) protected rats from development of experimental ulceration of the gastric mucosa twice as effectively as diallylbarbituric acid and compound D2H (5-isopropyl-5-(beta-hydroxypropyl)-barbituric acid). Compound D1S (alpha-allophanyl-alpha-allyl-gamma-valerolactone) was devoid of this action.


Kawasaki disease. Relationship with infantile periarteritis nodosa. Until 1972, Kawasaki disease, or acute febrile infantile mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome (MCLS), was considered in Japan to be a nonfatal disease with a favorable prognosis. Based on the findings from two autopsy cases of MCLS, we believe that sudden and unexpected death during convalescence may be due to arterial lesions, especially those involving the coronary artery, that resemble those of periarteritis nodosa. Of 29 autopsy cases of MCLS, gathered from all over Japan, all exhibited arteritis lesions (eg, aneurysm due to coronary arteritis). Such vascular pathological findings may in fact represent the same entity as infantile periarteritis nodosa. Whether infantile periarteritis nodosa can be identified with the adult type is still debatable. The particular manifestations of infantile periarteritis nodosa might be related to severe vasculitis. Autopsy cases of infantile periarteritis nodosa without MCLS manifestations are being collected and studied.


Portal hypertension and gastric lesions in the rat. Gastric lesions occurred spontaneously and were increased in number by seven hours of restraint stress in rats with portal vein constriction (PVC). Vagotomy and pyloroplasty protected the congested stomach from erosion formation with stress. Major weight loss occurred two days after PVC, but not thereafter. Platelet counts were decreased in intact and splenectomized rats with portal hypertension, but prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and fibrinogen were unaffected, and histological stains failed to demonstrate thrombin in the gastric blood vessels. The oxygen pressure (PO2) of the gastric luminal fluid was decreased at day 2, but was normal at day 4 after PVC. Hypersection of acid and abnormal acid equilibration were not observed in the stomach. Gastric congestion, weight loss, and possibly portasystemic shunting of blood contributed to the higher incidence of gastric erosions with portal hypertension.


Scanning electron microscopy studies in muscular dystrophy. Scanning electron microscopy of unmanipulated erythrocytes from patients with myotonic dystrophy or Duchenne dystrophy and patients who were Duchenne carriers showed a large increase in the number of stomatocytes over the number in normal controls. No specific morhologic changes that would differentiate any of the dystrophic patients from one another were seen. Adverse conditions such as washing before fixation or extreme pH produced a greater change in erythrocytes from these patients than in those from normal controls.


Comparison of the biological effects in rat of high doses of two 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline derivatives: chloroquine and glafenine. When given orally in elevated but nonlethal doses (150 to 450 mg/kg, on 2 consecutive days), glafenine induces in rats (body weight 100 g) a transient nephritis with an increase in blood urea, hypertrophy of adrenals, and some changes in the serum proteinogram. These effects do not appear to be due to the 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline structure from which glafenine is derived, as they are not observed with the structural analogue chloroquine given at equimolar doses under the same conditions. Further, they do not appear to be due to glycerol, the by-product of metabolic glafenine hydrolysis. The responsible molecule appears to be either glafenine itself or its acid metabolite 4-(0-carboxyphenylamino) 7-chloroquinoline.


A comparative study on the irreversible binding of labeled halothane trichlorofluoromethane, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride to hepatic protein and lipids in vitro and in vivo. 1) After intraperitoneal injection of labeled CCl4, CHCl3, and halothane in mice, 14C is preferentially bound to liver endoplasmic protein and lipid. A considerable activity is also associated with mitochondrial constituents. Maximal protein binding (nmol/mg): CCl4: 2.8 (0.5 hrs); CHCl3: 11.5 (6 hrs); halothane: 5 (6 hrs). Lipid binding: CCl4: 6.4 (5 min); CHCl3: 8 (4 hrs); halothane: 13.5 (2 hrs). The form of the binding curves in microsomal and mitochondrial protein and lipid differed with the individual haloalkanes. 2) The irreversible (covalent) binding of 14C from labeled haloalkanes in anaerobic suspensions of isolated rabbit liver microsomes and NADPH after 30 min was for protein (lipid) (nmol/mg): CCl4: 15 (58); CHCl3: 3.4 (3.2); halothane: 2.3 (10); trichlorofluoromethane: 6.5 (30). Anerobic incubation favored dehalogenation, but CHCl3 metabolism and irreversible binding requires oxygen. The greatest differences in the in vitro "covalent" binding rates were observed with CHCl3 in rat, mouse, and rabbit. 3) Altered microsomal cytochrome P-450 concentrations in newborn animals, or produced by pretreatment of rats with phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene (MC), or CoCl2 effected similar, but not proportional changes in the rates of irreversible protein and lipid binding. Upon addition of CCl4 the difference of light absorption of reduced liver microsomes from MC-pretreated rats containing cytochrome P-448 appeared at 452 nm. The irreversible binding rate in these microsomes was also increased. The small accleration in irreversible binding in liver microsomes from rats pretreated with isopropanol is not proportional to the high increase of CCl4 toxicity. 4) Practically no binding to added, soluble albumin or RNA was observed in microsomal incubates. However, 14C is bound to the nicotine-adenine dinucleotides of the NADPH system. All haloalkanes produced a similar increase of NADPH oxidation in incubates of rabbit liver microsomes and NADPH.


Interaction of thermostable direct hemolysin of Vibrio parahaemolyticus with human erythrocytes. The interaction between thermostable direct hemolysin produced by Vibrio parahaemolyticus WP-1 and human erythrocytes was studied. The lysis of human erythrocytes by the hemolysin was dependent of temperature and no hemolysis occurred at low temperature (0-4 C), but the hemolysin was adsorbed on human erythrocytes even at low temperature. No hemolysis was observed when antihemolysin antiserum was mixed with the hemolysin and human erythrocytes at zero time. On the other hand, lysis of the cells by hemolysin was not completely inhibited when the antiserum was added during the lag time and the inhibitory effect decreased with delay in the time of addition of antiserum. The inhibitory effect of the antiserum decreased with increase in the incubation temperature, increase in the concentration of divalent cations, and decrease in pH. These results suggest that lysis of human erythrocytes by the hemolysin is at least a two-step process consisting of adsorption of the hemolysin to human erythrocytes and the step(s) following adsorption.


Deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases of Euglena gracilis. Purification and properties of two distinct deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases of high molecular weight. Two DNA polymerases of high molecular weight, pol A (mol.wt. 190 000) and pol B (mol.wt. 240 ooo), have been purified 6300-fold and 1600-fold respectively from an extramitochondrial supernatant of a bleached strain of Euglena gracilis. They have very similar requirements when assayed with an 'activated'-DNA primer-template [the optimum conditions of pH and ionic (K+ and Mn2+) composition being 7.2, 25 mM and 0.2 mM respectively]. 0.2 mM-Mn2+ was about 1.5-2-fold as effective as 2 mM-Mg2+, owing to substrate activation by deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates in the presence of Mn2+. Km values for the triphosphates in the absence of activation were about 10(-6)M with Mn2+ and 8 X 10(-6) M with Mg2+ for both enzymes. They were inhibited to the same extent by N-ethylmaleimide, novobiocin and o-phenanthroline, but differed in their chromatographic behaviour on DEAE-cellulose and in their electrophoretic mobilities on polyacrylamide gel. No evidence was found for the existence in these cells of a DNA polymerase of low molecular weight, but there were indications that a third enzyme of high molecular weight might exist.


Deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases of Euglena gracilis. Primer-template utilization of and enzyme activities associated with the two deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases of high molecular weight. The two high-molecular-weight DNA polymerases from Euglena gracilis, pol A (mol. wt. 190 000) and pol B (mol. wt. 240 000), were differentiated on the basis of associated enzymic activities and primer-template utilization. Neither enzyme had endodeoxyribonuclease activity, but pol B, like pol B of yeast and the corresponding enzyme from Tetrahymena pyriformis, exhibited at least one other nuclease activity directed against denatured DNA and the RNA of an RNA-DNA hybrid. These nuclease functions preferred an alkaline pH and Mg2+. Pol B also exhibited nucleoside diphosphokinase activity. Both enzymes were active with 'activated' DNA and poly[d(A-T)] as primer-templates and were sensitive, especially pol B, to inhibition by excess of native or heat-denatured DNA. Pol B also utilized oligo[d(T)] and poly(A) templates under certain conditions, whereas pol A exhibited only slight activity with poly[d(A)]. (U)6 was not used as a primer by either enzyme.


Purification and properties of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from rabbit mammary gland. 1. 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from rabbit mammary gland was purified to homogeneity by the criterion of polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The molecular weight of the subunit is 52 000. The enzyme was purified 150-fold with a final specific activity of 20 mumol of NADP+ reduced/min per mg of protein and overall yield of 3%. The molecular weight of the native enzyme is estimated to be 104 000 from gel-filtration studies. The final purification step was carried out by affinity chromatography with NADP+-Sepharose. 2. The Km values for 6-phosphogluconate and NADP+ are approx. 54 muM and 23 muM respectively. 3. Citrate and pyrophosphate are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme with respect to both 6-phosphogluconate and NADP+. 4. MgCl2 affects the apparent Km for NADP+ at saturating concentrations of 6-phosphogluconate.


Protein chromatography on adsorbents with hydrophobic and ionic groups. Some properties of N-(3-carboxypropionyl)aminodecyl-sepharose and its interaction with wheat-germ aspartate transcarbamoylase. 1. The charge state of two derivatives of Sepharose prepared by the CNBr activation method were studied by acid-base titration and by ion-exchange chromatography. Dodecyl-Sepharose exhibited cationic groups (21mumol/ml of settled gel; pKa=9.6) that were tentatively assigned to the coupling isourea group. 2. CPAD-Sepharose [N-(3-carboxypropionyl)aminodecyl-Sepharose] has anionic (carboxyl) groups (pKa=4.5) and cationic groups (pKa=9.6) in roughly equal concentrations (e coupling group. CPAD-Sepharose is slightly negatively charged at pH 7.0 and substantially negatively charged at pH 8.5. 3. The pKa values of dodecyl-Sepharose and CPAD-Sepharose are unaffected by a 100-fold increase in the concentration of KCl. 4. CPAD-Sepharose has considerable affinity for wheat-germ aspartate transcarbamoylase at pH 8.5 when the adsorbent and enzyme are both negatively charged. The interaction involves the C10 chain but is relatively moderate compared with C10 chains associated only with positive charge. 5. Desorption of the enzyme adsorbed to CPAD-Sepharose can be achieved by raising the pH to increase the electrostatic repulsion, or by introducing the detergent sodium deoxycholate. Acetone and butan-1-ol also weaken the adsorption at pH 8.5. 6. High concentrations of sodium acetate or sodium phosphate induced the enzyme to bind more tightly to CPAD-Sepharose. 7. These results are discussed in terms of a 'repulsion-controlled' model or hydrophobic chromatography.


The effect of acid proteinase inhibitors on chicken pepsin. 1. The activity of chicken pepsin was partially inhibited by dimethyl-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl)sulphonium bromide, but was unaffected by p-bromophenacyl bromide. 2. In the presence of Cu2+, diazoacetylnorleucine methyl ester completely inactivated chicken pepsin with the incorporation of 1 mol/mol. The mechanism of the reaction was similar to that with pig pepsin. 3. Chicken pepsin was completely inactivated by 2-diazo-4-bromoacetophenone in the presence of Cu2+. 4. Chicken pepsin was almost completely inactivated by 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane at 25 degrees C, 3-4mol of inhibitor/mol being incorporated. The reaction at 10 degrees C was investigated briefly. 5. Calf chymosin was inactivated by 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane at 10 degrees C, the incorporation of 1 mol/mol being required for complete inhibition. 6. The characteristics of the reactions of chicken pepsin with the above compounds were compared with those of other acid proteinases.


The purification and properties of pig spleen phosphofructokinase. Pig spleen phosphofructokinase has been purified 800-fold with a yield of 17%. Two isoenzymes that appear to be kinetically identical can be separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. In common with the enzyme from other mammalian sources, the spleen enzyme has a pH optimum of 8.2. At pH 7.0 it displays sigmoidal kinetics with respect to fructose 6-phosphate concentration but its co-operative behaviour is very dependent on pH, protein concentration and the concentration of MgATP. MgGTP and MgITP can replace MgATP as phosphate donors but, unlike MgATP, these nucleotides do not cause significant inhibition. Mn2+ and Co2+ (as the metal ion-ATP complexes) act as cofactors and in the free form are far more inhibitory than free Mg2+. The spleen enzyme responds to a wide variety of potential effector molecules: ADP, AMP, cyclic AMP, aspartate, NH4+, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate and Pi all act as either activators or protectors, whereas Mg-ATP, Mg2+, citrate, phosphoenol-pyruvate and the phosphoglucerates are inhibitors.


The effect of disulfiram on the aldehyde dehydrogenases of sheep liver. 1. The effect of disulfiram on the activity of the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenases of sheep liver was studied. 2. Disulfiram causes an immediate inhibition of the enzyme reaction. The effect on the cytoplasmic enzyme is much greater than on the mitochondrial enzyme. 3. In both cases, the initial partial inhibition is followed by a gradual irreversible loss of activity. 4. The pH-rate profile of the inactivation of the mitochondrial enzyme by disulfiram and the pH-dependence of the maximum velocity of the enzyme-catalysed reaction are both consistent with the involvement of a thiol group. 5. Excess of 2-mercaptoethanol or GSH abolishes the effect of disulfiram. However, equimolar amounts of either of these reagents and disulfiram cause an effect greater than does disulfiram alone. It was shown that the mixed disulphide, Et2N-CS-SS-CH2-CH2OH, strongly inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase. 6. The inhibitory effect of diethyldithiocarbamate in vitro is due mainly to contamination by disulfiram.


A reporter group delivery system with both absolute and selective specificity for thiol groups and an improved fluorescent probe containing the 7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole moiety. 1. 4-(N-2-Aminoethyl2'-pyridyl disulphide)-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (compound I) was synthesized and evaluated as a fluorescent labelling reagent for thiol groups. 2. The design of compound (I) as one example of a general type of reporter group delivery reagent (2-pyridyl-S-S-X, where X contains an environmentally sensitive spectroscopic probe) is discussed. 3. The electronic absorption spectrum of compound (I) was determined over a wide range of pH and the spectral changes that accompany its reaction with low-molecular-weight thiols, e.g. L-cysteine, and with papain (EC 3.4.22.2) and bovine serum albumin are discussed. 4. A new value of epsilon343 for 2-thiopyridone (Py-2-SH) was determined as 8.08 X 10(3) +/- 0.08 X 10(3)M-1-cm-1. 5. Spectral analysis of the reactions of compound (I) with L-cysteine and with papain (in the pH range 3.5-8.0) showed that even under equimolar conditions the reaction (thiol-disulphide interchange to release Py-2-SH) is essentially stoicheimoetric and probably proceeds by specific attack at the sulphur atom distal from the pyridyl ring of compound (I). 6. The fluorescence-emission spectra of compound (I) and of the products of its reaction with papain and with ficin (EC 3.4.22.3) were determined. Compound (I) is highly fluorescent in aqueous solution. Excitation within the intense visible absorption band (lambda max. 481 nm, epsilon max. 2.52 X 10(4)M-1-cm-1) provides green fluorescence with an emission maximum at 540 nm. Both papain and ficin labelled by reaction with compound (I) are characterized by fluorescence-emission maxima (535 nm and 530 nm respectively) of even higher intensity. The fluorescence emission of the product of the reaction of papain with compound (I) was shown to be 25 times more intense than that of the product of the reaction of papain with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (Nbd chloride). 7. The second-order rate constants (k2) for the reactions of compound (I) and of Nbd chloride with GSH, papain, albumin, ficin, 2-benzimidazolylmethanethiol and 2-benzimidazolylethanethiol were determined at 25.0 degrees C and various pH values. At pH4 the values of k2(compound I)/k2(Nbd chloride) are: GSH, 288; albumin, 36; papain 3 X 10(3); ficin, 3 X 10(4). 8. The pH-k2 profiles for the reactions of compound (I) and of Nbd chloride with the two 2-benzimidazolylalkanethiols were determined. Of the four profiles only that for the reaction of compound (I) with 2-benzimidazolylmethanethiol is characterized by a striking rate maximum in acidic media.


Differential effects of temperature on a membrane adenosine triphosphatase and associated phosphatase. Arrhenius plots of a membrane (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) activity showed characteristic discontinuities, whereas those of the associated K+-dependent phosphatase activity did not. These findings support the contention that the phosphatase activity does not depend on phospholipid in the same way as does the ATPase activity.


The action of chelating agents on human liver aldehyde dehydrogenase. Human liver aldehyde dehydrogenase was inhibited by aromatic chelating agents. However, structurally related compounds with much lower metal-complexing ability displayed affinities for enzyme essentially equal to those of their respective chelating analogues. Inhibition was competitive with respect to the coenzyme. It is suggested that hydrophobic interactions between the inhibitors and the coenzyme-binding site of the enzyme are responsible for the observed effects on activity.


An improved assay for bacterial methane mono-oxygenase: some properties of the enzyme from Methylomonas methanica. Extracts of Methylomonas methanica catalyse the O2-and NAD(P)H-dependent disappearance of bromomethane. The activity is unstable at 2 degrees C but is stable at --70 degrees C for several weeks. Bromomethane mono-oxygenase is particulate and is inhibited by metal-binding reagents, by compounds SKF 525A and Lilly 53325, by some metal ions and by acetylene. Evidence is presented that indicates that bromomethane mono-oxygenase is the enzyme responsible for methane oxidation in vivo.


Iron oxidation and transferrin formation by phosvitin. The catalytic activity of phosvitin in Fe(II) oxidation and the addition of iron to transferrin were studied under various conditions. It was concluded that the Fe(II) oxidized by phosvitin would bind to apotransferrin, although an appreciable fraction of Fe(III) remained bound to phosvitin. Fe(III) also migrated from phosvitin to apotransferrin. This reaction was first-order with respect to Fe(III)-phosvitin concentration with a half-time (t1/2) of 10 min, and a first-order rate constant, k=0.069min-1, in 700 muM-phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, at 30 degrees C. The catalysis of the oxidation of Fe(III) by phosvitin was proportional to O2 concentration, and is quite different from the relative O2 independence of Fe(II) oxidation as catalysed by ferroxidase. A scheme for the mobilization and transfer of iron in the chicken, including the role of ferroxidase, phosyitin and transferrin, is presented.


The substrate specificity of thermomycolase, an extracellular serine proteinase from the thermophilic fungus Malbranchea pulchella var. sulfurea. The specificity of thermomycolase toward glucagon and the oxidized A and B chains of insulin was investigated. Extensive digestion of glucagon occurred when conducted at pH 7.0 and 45 degrees C for 40 min, whereas hydrolysis of only three peptide bonds occurred at pH 7.0 and 28 degrees C for 5 min. A similar situation was observed for the oxidized B chain of insulin, which exhibited only a single major cleavage after 5 min at 25 degrees C. No well-defined specificity for particular amino acid residues was evident, but ready hydrolysis of peptide bonds occurred within sequences containing non-polar residues. This endoproteinase must therefore possess an extended hydrophobic binding site for polypeptides. Thermomycolase hydrolysed acetylalanylalanylalanine methyl ester and elastin-Congo Red at 22 and 8.5 times the rate of porcine elastase respectively. A limited degradation of native collagen and significant hydrolysis of benzyloxycarbonyl-Gly-Pro-Leu-Gly-Pro were suggestive of some collagenase-like activity. No keratinase activity was apparent.


Stimulation of rat liver beta-galactosidase activity by ions. 1.  The p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactosidase asctivity in rat liver homogenates of lysosome-rich fractions was shown to be markedly affected by the ionic composition of the medium.  A stimulation of the reaction rate at pH 5 was produced by most of the salts tested, which contained anions such as acetate, SO4(2-) and Cl-, and cations such as Na+, K= and Mg2+.  The most pronounced effect was observed with MgCl2.  Only potassium glutamate was inhibitory. 2. Five peaks of beta-galactosidase activity obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography were equally sensitive to changes in the ionic composition of the medium.  In the presence of added NaC1, the whole rate-pH curve was displaced towards higher pH values, the optimum being shifted from 2.0-2.5 to 3.5.  The stimulation at pH 5.0 appeared to be mainly due to changes in Vmax., whereas the apparent Km was slightly modified. 3. Unlike the total, the free beta-galactosidase activity remained unchanged or even declined when KC1 was added to the reaction medium.


Pig heart lactate dehydrogenase. Binding of pyruvate and the interconversion of pyruvate-containing ternary complexes. 1. Lactate oxidation catalysed by pig heart lactate dehydrogenase was studied in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of pyruvate. Experimental results show the presence of an intermediate which occurs immediately after the hydride transfer step, but before the dissociation of pyruvate and the H+ produced by the reaction. The rate constant for pyruvate dissociation and the dissociation constant for pyruvate from the ternary complex differ from those obtained in pyruvate reduction experiments. 2. In single-turnover pyruvate reduction by pig heart lactate dehydrogenase at pH8.0 pyruvate can bind to the enzyme before a H+ is taken up, and the subsequent uptake of a H+ is governed by a step that is also rate-limiting for single-turnover and steady-state NADH oxidation. 3. Observation of various intermediates in the single-turnover pyruvate reduction experiments has made it possible to determine separately the dissociation constant and Km value for pyruvate at pH8.0, and also the catalytic turnover rate and Km for pyruvate under first-order conditions at different pH values. 4. Further studies on single-turnover pyruvate reduction carried out in 2H2O, or in water at low temperature, show another step which, under these conditions, is slower than that controlling H+ uptake and rate-limiting for NADH oxidation. A scheme is presented which explains these results.


[Analytical profile of purified hexetidine (author's transl)]. Physico-chemical, spectroscopic (UV, IR, NMR, mass), chromatographic (GLC, TLC) properties and synthesis of 1,3-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-5-amino-5-methyl-hexahydropyrimidine (hexetidine) are reported and discussed. Moreover, the difference between commercial and purified hexetidine is demonstrated.


[Ditertiary diamine compounds (author's transl)]. The preparation of ditertiary aliphatic diamines 3 designed as drugs protecting CNS acetylcholinesterase against organophosphate inhibition, is described. Owing to the radicals at the basic nitrogen atoms, these compounds should exist in appreciable amounts both as base and as diammonium ion at biological pH's.


[Intracellular pH of cardiac muscle after administration of potassium-magnesium-aspartate (author's transl)]. 27 Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital. Artificial ventilation was given by a Starling pump respirator via a tracheal tube. Intracellular pH of cardiac muscle was determined by means of the indirect procedure of measuring the distribution of 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione (DMO) in intra- and extracellular spaces (DMO-method). 12 rats were injected i.p. with 0.33 mval potassium-magnesium-aspartate/100 g body weight and 15 rats served as controls. Using a regression analysis, the following relationships were obtained: 1. animals injected with potassium-magnesium-aspartate pHa = --0.75 log PaCO2 + 8.535, PHi = --0.30 log PaCO2 + 7.509, pHi = 0.41 pHa + 4.036; 2. control animals pHa = --0.59 log PaCO2 + 8.308, pHi = --0.27 log PaCO2 + 7.381, pHi = 0.47 pHa + 3.503. At a pCO2 of 40 torr a pHa of 7.33 (7.36) and a pHi of 7.03 (6.95) was obtained. At an arterial pH of 7.40 the pHi was 7.07 (6.98). The results of the control group are written in brackets. -- The experiments demonstrate an increase in the intracellular buffer bases after administration of potassium-magnesium-aspartate. This effect can be recognized by a concomitant increase in the intracellular pH of 0.09 compared to the control group.


Pharmacological properties of 2-(2-chloro-p-toluidino)-2-imidazoline-nitrate (tolonidine), a new antihypertensive agent. III. Action on the secretions of the digestive tract and on the central nervous system, acute toxicity. The pharmacological properties of 2-(2-chloro-p-toluidino)-2-imidazoline-nitrate (tolonidine) a new synthetic derivative of imidazoline are reported in a series of three successive articles. This compound has been shown to possess hypotensive and antihypertensive properties. After i.v. administration, the hypotensive phase was preceded by hypertension related to the potent direct alpha-sympatheticomimetic properties of the product. This pressor response, which was not seen after oral administration, was accompanied by a marked decrease in cardiac output and a significant increase in peripheral vascular resistance. The hypotensive action of the product was due to a drop in cardiac output probably reinforced by a decrease in vasoconstrictor sympathetic tone due to a central action. Whatever the route of administration, tolonidine slowed heart rate independently of blood pressure variations, due essentially to an increase in vagal tone. In studies of diuresis, liquid and salt loss were observed in the cat, not in the dog. At doses which induce a drop in blood pressure tolonidine did not produce a reduction in pilocarpine-induced salivary secretion and only partially inhibited gastric secretion. In the central nervous system, tolonidine produced a sedation which first appeared at doses having an antihypertensive effect but which was only fully apparent with increased doses. A decrease in the release of cerebral amines, serotonin and noradrenaline by tolonidine is proposed. Tolonidine was compared with three other antihypertensive agents: clonidine, which is structurally related, and guanethidine and mecamylamine, which are structurally unrelated and have a different mode of action. A close resemblance of the pharmacological properties of tolonidine and clonidine was established due to the chemical relationship between the two substances.


[On the influence of a special preparation of oxytetracycline and sodiumbituminosulfonates on amount and composition of skin surface lipids in acne vulgaris (author's transl)]. Two groups of 27 and 23 patients with acne vulgaris were first treated for a period of one week with 1 g oxytetracycline a day p.o. In a second treatment period of 6 weeks the first group received 100 mg oxytetracycline a day p.o. and the second group a combination of 100 mg oxytetracycline and 1.2 g sodiumbituminosulfonates a day p.o. In the third treatment period, similarly continued for 6 weeks, the method was reversed. Gastric juice-insoluble preparations were used for the investigation. All criteria for a double-blind study were considered. Amount and composition of the skin surface lipids were analysed before beginning the treatment, at the end of the 2nd and at the end of the 3rd treatment period. The combination of both agents in gastric juice-insoluble preparations suppresses to a great extent the known effects brought about by the substances separately, namely the reduction in free fatty acids and the decrease in the skin surface lipids. The findings also show that the reduction of the free fatty acids was in a limited time observed only in patients treated with 100 mg oxytetracycline a day p.o. if they had been treated in the beginning of this therapy with a higher dosage of tetracycline.


[Influence of ethanol on the in vitro and in vivo drug release from some sustained release tablets (author's transl)]. The in vitro and in vivo liberation of acetylsalicylic acid from sustained release tablets in presence of ethanol is described. Simultaneous uptake of 120 ml commercial brandy resulted in a faster release of the active substance from the tablets prepared with Eudragit ret-l (PM), as has been proved by urinary excretion data. These results were supported by experiments with a pH-endoaradio transmitter and by radiography.


Changes in liver function after different types of surgery. Liver function tests carried out after minor surgical procedures, under anaesthesia lasting for 1 hr, showed no abnormalities. Tests after body surface operations under the same anaesthetic techniques showed transient derangements. After intra-abdominal procedures, liver dysfunction was more marked, although no patients with evidence of preoperative liver dysfunction or postoperative surgical complications were studied and none received blood transfusions. Measurements of the serum bilirubin concentration showed the most frequent abnormalities, but the pseudocholinesterase concentration decreased progressively after intra-abdominal surgery and b.s.p. retention increased significantly. Serum concentration of intracellular enzymes (LDH, s.g.o.t. and s.g.p.t.) increased within an hour of starting surgery, changes which were probably not related to liver function.


Studies on the energy metabolism in lichen planus. Various epidermal enzymes and cofactors were measured in patients with lichen planus and in healthy controls with the aid of Lowry's microtechniques, including enzymatic cycling. The steady-state levels of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides NAD and NADP were decreased and this was evident even in areas still free from lesions. The oxidized and reduced portions of NAD were altered indicating changed equilibria of NAD dependent dehydrogenases. Reduced NADP was more tightly controlled at the normal level which is regarded as evidence of an unaltered biosynthetic potential in this disease. In conjunction with earlier data the results indicate a preserved glycolytic and pentose shunt activity while the mitochondria display signs of dysfunction.


The lichen planus-like eruption after bone marrow transplantation. A lichen planus-like eruption was seen in four patients after bone marrow transplantation. The skin and mucous membrane appearance closely mimicked lichen planus. The histopathology was also very similar to lichen planus. The occurrence of a lichen planus-like eruption (LPLE) after an immune basal cell damage related to the graft-versus-host reaction raised the question of the immune nature of this eruption. The correlation found between biological signs of graft-versus-host reaction and the out-break or relapse of the lichen planus-like eruption supports the hypothesis that the skin changes could be a sign of a chronic immune response against recipient epidermis.


The effect of pH upon human transferrin: selective labelling of the two iron-binding sites. The influence of pH changes upon the iron-binding properties of transferrin was investigated in the absence of chelating agents. The effects were demonstrated by spectrophotometry, gel filtration, and by studies of the intermolecular transfer of 59Fe from transferrin to conalbumin. At pH values below 6.7, diferric transferrin readily loses iron. The monoferric molecule, which is relatively resistant to acid dissociation, is preferentially formed. A temporary reduction of pH provides a simple method for selectively attaching iron to one metal-binding site, and allows double isotopic labelling of the transferrin molecule. This technique may permit further investigation of the physiological properties of the two iron-binding sites.


The effect of parturition on amniotic fluid lecithin concentration. Amniotic fluid lecithin has been measured during the antenatal period and at comparable periods of gestation at the onset of spontaneous labour. Lecithin values were higher in labour, the difference being statistically significant in two of the three groups studied. Lecithin values were also measured serially during induced labour in 14 normal women at term. A significant fall was observed throughout labour. Creatinine levels were measured in the amniotic fluid in five of these patients and showed no significant change.


The effects of narcotics on fetal acid base status. This paper reports two randomized control trials on the effects of nalorphine, pethidine, morphine and heroin on fetal and maternal acid base status. The drugs decreased pH and increased pCO2 in the mother, and decreased pH and base excess in the fetus. The changes in the fetus were independent of the changes in the mother. In equivalent dosages, nalorphine increased maternal pCO2 more than pethidine and morphine. The effects of heroin were found to be greater than that of other drugs, and we suggest that heroin should be avoided where the fetus is already at risk.


On the solution conformation of bradykinin and certain fragments. A circular dichroism (CD) study of [D-Pro2]- and [D-Pro3]-bradykinin, selected peptide fragments, and the model compound. N-acetyl-L-phenylalaninamide, support our previous conclusion (Biochemistry 12, 3780, 1973) that the positive 221-nm CD band of bradykinin is a composite of bands due to two chromophores, the 217-nm band characteristic of the Phe residues overlying the 223-nm band of the N-terminal sequence, Arg-Pro-Pro. The results also indicate that the 223-nm band of Arg-Pro-Pro is associated with the configuration of the Pro-Pro sequence, Arg-D-Pro-Pro and Arg-Pro-D-Pro virtually being diastereoisomers. Accordingly, the conformation of Arg-Pro-Pro was probed in further detail. Upon increasing the temperature from about 27 to 65 degrees C, Arg-Pro-Pro undergoes a conformational transition characterized by large positive values of deltaHdegrees and deltaSdegrees, which is interpreted to mean that the structure of water and, thus, solute-solvent interactions play a dominant role in determining the conformation of the peptide 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicates that the effect of lowering the pH on the CD of Arg-Pro-Pro is explicable in terms of hydrogen-bond formation between the carboxyl group and Pro2 carbonyl oxygen at acid pH with concomitant cis to trans isomerization.


The activation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase by carbon dioxide and magnesium ions. Equilibria, kinetics, a suggested mechanism, and physiological implications. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase was activated by incubation with CO2 and Mg2++, and inactivated upon removal of CO2 and Mg2+ by gel filtration. The activation process involved CO2 rather than HCO3-. The activity of the enzyme was dependent upon the preincubation concentrations of CO2 and Mg2+ and upon the preincubation pH, indicating that activation involved the reversible formation of an equilibrium complex of enzyme-CO2-Mg. The initial rate of activation was linearly dependent upon the CO2 concentration but independent of the Mg2+ concentration. Kinetic analyses indicated that the enzyme reacted first with CO2 in a rate-determining and reversible step, followed by a rapid reaction with Mg2+ to form an active ternary complex (see eq 1 in text). The pseudo-first order rate constant, kobsd, for the activation process at constant pH was derived: kobsd=k1[CO2] + (k2k4/k3[Mg2+]). Experimentally, kobsd was shown to be linearly dependent upon the CO2 concentration and inversely dependent upon the Mg2+ concentration. The activity of the enzyme after preincubation to equilibrium at constant concentrations of CO2 and Mg2+ increased as the preincubation pH was raised, indicating that CO2 reacted with an enzyme group whose pK was distinctly alkaline. It is proposed that the activation of ribulose-1, 5-biphosphate carboxylane involves the formation of a carbamate.


Manganese (II) and substrate interaction with unadenylylated glutamine synthetase (Escherichia coli w). II. Electron paramagnetic resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance studies of enzyme-bound manganese(II) with substrates and a potential transition-state analogue, methionine sulfoximine. The enhancement of the longitudinal proton relaxation rate of solvent water protons which occurs when Mn(II) is bound to the "tight" metal ion site of unadenylylated glutamine synthetase (GS) was used to determine the binding constant of L-methionine (SR)-sulfoximine to GS-Mn(II) complexes. The binary enhancement for GS-Mn(II) is 22 at 24 MHz, 25 degrees C. The enhancement is lowered in the presence of the sulfoximine and the computed dissociation constant is 30 muM with epsilont, the enhancement for the ternary complex, equal to 3.0. Titration curves for the sulfoximine were also obtained in the presence of Mg-ADP, Mg-ADP plus Pi, and Mg-ATP. The dissociation constants were 9, 5, and 0.8 muM, respectively. The progressive tightening of the dissociation constants is symptomatic of conformational changes at the active site as the total subsite occupied by ATP is filled. The number of rapidly exchanging water molecules drops from 2 to approximately 0.1 when saturating concentrations of L-methionine (SR)-sulfoximine and nucleotide are present. The kinetically determined KI value of approximately 4 muM for the sulfoximine is about three orders of magnitude tighter than thee Km' value of approximately 3 mM for L-glutamate. The previously mentioned dissociation constants obtained by enhancement titrations are also orders of magnitude tighter than Km'. These data suggest that L-methionine (SR)-sulfoximine is a "transition-state" analogue for the glutamine synthetase reaction. ...


The interaction of borate and sulfite with pyridine nucleotides. The kinetics and equilibria of the borate interaction at ribose with NAD+ and NMN+ have been measured using as a chromophoric probe the perturbation effect borate has on the addition of sulfite to the 4 position of the nicotinamide ring. NAD+ and NMN+ have more favorable borate association constants than do their corresponding sulfite addition complexes. The rate of interaction of the ribose moiety with borate at low borate buffer concentration is dependent on the concentration of both borate and boric acid. At high borate concentration the rate becomes independent of borate concentration, indicating the existence of a two-step process for the interaction of NAD-sulfite with borate with a change of rate-determining step from the interaction of the ribose hydroxyl group with borate at low borate to an elimination of sulfite at high borate concentration. A linear free energy relationship with a slope of 0.94 describes an increased reactivity of the nucleotide for sulfite as the affinity of the nucleotide for sulfite increases.


Oxidation of corticosteroids to steroidal-21-oic acids by human liver enzyme. An enzyme that oxidizes corticosteroids to acidic metabolites has been purified from postmortem human liver. The most rapidly oxidized substrate was 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC). Other corticosteroids were oxidized at rates that were 10% or less of DOC. The products of DOC oxidation were 3, 20-dioxopregn-4-en-21-oic acid and 20-hydroxy-3-oxopregn-4-en-21-oic acid. The 20-keto acid was the predominant metabolite in all enzyme preparations. Keto acid and hydroxy acid were not interconverted. Enzyme activity was assayed by measuring the transfer of tritium from [21-3H]DOC to water. The enzyme is yellow, and has spectral maxima at 278 and 405 nm. Inhibition by o-phenanthroline suggests that it may be a metalloenzyme. Molecular weight was estimated at 74 000 +/- 8 000; a pH maximum occurred at pH 8-8.5. This enzyme may participate in the in vivo conversion of corticosteroids to the acidic metabolites that we have described previously (H.L. Bradlow et al. (1973), J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 37, 811).


A spectrophotometric and fluorimetric study of alkaline transitions of Euglena cytochrome c 552. The behavior of the photosynthetic cytochrome c552 upon titration with alkali depends on the ionic composition of the medium. In water the disappearance of the 695-nm band, indicating the displacement of the methionine ligand, as well as a remarkable tryptophan fluorescense enhancement, follow a single proton titration curve with pK of 10.0 and n=1.0. The product is a low spin type protein. In salt-containing media two successive steps are observed: in the first one, completed at about pH 10.3, a high-spin form of cytochrome c 552 is obtained and relatively small fluorescence enhancement is detected. In the second step, more profound fluorometric changes occur, while the material reverts to its low-spin form. Addition of salts to an alkaline solution of cytochrome c 552 in water results in the formation of a 600-nm high-spin band with a concomitant quenching of tryptophan fluorescence. The results imply that at high pH unfolding of the molecule is evident only when the low-spin product is obtained. In the high-spin alkaline form, the methionine ligand is probably displaced from iron coordination by hydroxyl ions, while in the low-spin alkaline form methionine may be replaced by a lysyl residue of the cytochrome c 552 protein. The results imply that the lysyl residue is available for coordination in salt solutions at a higher pH than in water.


Synthetic flavinyl peptides related to the active site of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase II. Fluorescence properties. The fluorescence properties of various 8alpha-sulfur-linked flavinyl peptides and related flavin analogues were investigated as the pH solvent, temperature, and flavin concentration were varied. Substitution in the 8alpha position by a thioether-linked peptide brings about a marked quenching of fluorescence (up to 98% in water), a slight bathochromic shift and broadening of the fluorescence emission spectra, and a slight decrease in the fluorescence lifetimes. Oxidation of the thioether function to a sulfone partially releases this fluorescence quenching without further changes in the fluorescence emission spectra. The primary effect on the fluorescence intensity is due to an interaction between the nonbonding electrons of the thioether, the hydrogen-bonding, polar solvent, and the isoalloxazine ring. Dissolving these flavinyl peptides in nonaqueous solvents increases the fluorescence intensity as much as  20-fold. A secondary effect on flavinyl fluorescence can be attributed to a collisional quenching by the vicinal tyrosyl residue within tyrosine-containing flavinyl peptides. The fluorescence properties provide further confirmation of the identity of the synthetic and naturally obtained flavinyl peptides and of the interaction between the free-hydroxyl functions of the ribityl side chain and the thioether.


High molecular weight deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase from crown gall tumor cells of periwinkle (Vinca rosea). A high molecular weight (6 S) plant DNA polymerase from axenic Vinca rosea tissue culture cells has been purified 2200-fold and characterized. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 105 000 (+/-5000). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme yields polypeptide subunits having molecular weights of 70 000 and 34 000. The purified enzyme has a pH optimum of 7.5; a cation requirement optimum of 6 mM Mg2+ or 0.5 mM Mn2+; an apparent requirement for Zn2+; a Km of 1 muM for dTTP; and a 3.5-fold stimulation by 50 mM KCl. The enzyme is sensitive to N-ethylmaleimide (1 mM), heparin (0.1 muM), ethanol (5%), pyrophosphate (0.05 muM), and o-phenanthroline (0.1 mM) but is insensitive to rifamycin. Denatured DNA is found to be the best natural template, and only negligible activity can be demonstrated with the ribopolymer templates poly(dT)n-poly(rA)n and p(dT)10-poly(rA)n. In addition to the polymerization reaction, the enzyme catalyzes a pyrophosphate exchange reaction. Antibody to calf thymus 6-8S DNA polymerase does not inhibit DNA polymerase from Vinca rosea, suggesting no antigenic relationships between the mammalian and plant enzymes.


Preparation, characterization, and chemical properties of the flavin coenzyme analogues 5-deazariboflavin, 5-deazariboflavin 5'-phosphate, and 5-deazariboflavin 5'-diphosphate, 5'leads to5'-adenosine ester. In order to facilitate interpretation of the deazaisoalloxazine system as a valid mechanistic probe of flavoenzyme catalysis, we have examined some of the fundamental chemical properties of this system. The enzymatic synthesis, on a micromole scale, of the flavin coenzyme analogues 5-deazariboflavin 5'-phosphate (deazaFMN) and 5-deazariboflavin 5'-diphosphate, 5' leads to 5'adenosine ester (deazaFAD) has been achieved. This latter synthesis is accomplished with a partially purified FAD synthetase complex (from Brevibacterium ammoniagenes), containing both phosphorylating and adenylylating activities, allowing direct conversion of the riboflavin analogue to the flavin adenine dinucleotide level. The structure of the reduced deazaflavin resulting from enzymatic and chemical reduction is established as the 1,5-dihydrodeazaflavin by proton magnetic resonance. Similarly, the C-5 position of the deazaflavins is demonstrated to be the locus for hydrogen transfer in deazaflavin redox reactions. Preparation of 1,5-dihydrodeazaflavins by sodium borohydride reduction stabilized them to autoxidation (t 1/2 approximately 40 h, 22 degrees C) although dihydrodeazaflavins are rapidly oxidized by other electron acceptors, including riboflavin, phenazine methosulfate, methylene blue, and dichlorophenolindophenol. Mixtures of oxidized and reduced deazaflavins undergo a rapid two-electron disproportionation (k = 22 M-1 S-1 0 degrees C), and oxidized deazaflavins form transient covalent adducts with nitroalkane anions at pH less than 5. Generalized methods for the synthesis of isotopically labeled flavin and deazaflavin coenzymes and their purification by adsorptive chromatography are given.


Enzyme-catalyzed redox reactions with the flavin analogues 5-deazariboflavin, 5-deazariboflavin 5'-phosphte, and 5-deazariboflavin 5'-diphosphate, 5' leads to 5'-adenosine ester. The ability of 5-deazaisoalloxazines to substitute for the isoalloxazine (flavin) coenzyme has been examined with several flavoenzymes. Without exception, the deazaflavin is recognized at the active site and undergoes a redox change in the presence of the specific enzyme substrate. Thus, deazariboflavin is reduced catalytically by NADH in the presence of the Beneckea harveyi NAD(P)H:(flavin) oxidoreductase, the reaction proceeding to an equilibrium with an equilibrium constant near unity. This implies an E0 of -0.310 V for the deazariboflavindihydrodeazariboflavin couple, much lower than that for isoalloxazines. With this enzyme, both riboflavin and deazariboflavin show the same stereospecificity with respect to the pyridine nucleotide, and despite a large difference in Vmax for the two, both have the same rate-determining step (hydrogen transfer). Direct transfer of the hydrogen is seen between the nicotinamide and deazariboflavin in both reaction directions. DeazaFMN reconstituted yeast NADPH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase (Old Yellow Enzyme), and deazaFAD reconstituted D-amino acid:O2 oxidoreductase and Aspergillus niger D-glucose O2 oxidoreductase are all reduced by substrate at approximately 10(-5) the rate of holoenzyme; none are reoxidized by oxygen or any of the tested artificial electron acceptors, though deazaFADH-bound to D-amino acid:O2 oxidoreductase is rapidly oxidized by the imino acid product. Direct hydrogen transfer from substrate to deazaflavin has been demonstrated for both deazaFAD-reconstituted oxidases. These data implicate deazaflavins as a unique probe of flavin catalysis, in that any mechanism for the flavin catalysis must account for the deazaflavin reactivity as well.


Electrofocusing and kinetic studies of adult and embryonic chicken pyruvate kinases. Chicken embryos less than 15 days old contain only the K isozyme of pyruvate kinase, which appears to exist in vivo as an R,T conformational set with pI values of 7.2 and 6.6, respectively. Sets of lower pI and higher pI K-isozyme variants also are obtained. Whole embryos of 15 days or more of development show progressively increasing amounts of higher pI, lower K0.5S enzymatic variants. Tissue distribution and kinetic properties suggest that the highest pI form (pH 8.8-9.0) is an M-isozyme analogue. The intermediate forms are postulated to be hybrids. Adult liver extracts contain only the embryonic K isozyme; no evidence for an L-isozyme analogue was obtained. All major forms of the enzymes are compared with respect to saturation by phosphoenolpyruvate in the absence of effector and in the presence of fructose 1,6-diphosphate, alanine, serine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and/or Mg-ATP.