Effect of ATP on glucose-6-phosphate isomerase from Bacillus caldotenax.

Glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (D-glucose-6-phosphate ketol-isomerase, EC 5.3.1.9) from Bacillus caldotenax exhibits negative cooperativity in enzyme activity. Fructose 1-phosphate, fructose, 1,6-bisphosphate, phosphoenolpyruvate, 6-phosphogluconate, 3-phosphoglycerate, ATP and Pi competitively inhibit the enzyme and abolish negative cooperativity in enzyme activity, while glucose 1-phosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, ADP and AMP do not inhibit the enzyme. Among the inhibitors of which intracellular concentrations can be measured, only ATP inhibits the enzyme and abolishes negative cooperativity in enzyme activity at intracellular concentration. Such ATP inhibition is observed at 65 degrees C, but not at 30 degrees C, and the inhibition becomes less effective as the temperature decreases.

Effect of ADP on ATPASE from a strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 12016 was unable to grow at temperatures below 40 degrees C. On incubating the bacteria at the temperatures, ATP in cells disappeared, ADP was accumulated and ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) was inactivated. When the purified ATPase was incubated at the temperatures for 1 h with 0.17 mM ADP in the presence of MgCl2, the enzyme was completely inactivated. The inactivated enzyme was reactivated on dilution or dialysis or on warming at 65 degrees C. During the incubation of the enzyme sample, the absorbance spectrum of the enzyme changed. On further incubating the sample over 1.5 h, the second step of spectral change occurred together with the change of the circular dichrosim and the dissociation into a lower molecular weight species of the protein. When the enzyme was treated with ADP-MgCl2 at 65 degrees C, the inactivation and conformational change of the enzyme was not observed.

Effect of K+ on the membrane functions of an alkalophilic Bacillus.

We have examined the involvement of K+ in the membrane functions of a facultatively alkalophilic Bacillus at neutral and alkaline pH. The effects of K+ on membrane functions, such as maintenance of the membrane potential, leucine uptake and respiratory activity, were dependent on the external pH. K+ uptake, which induced alkalinization of the cytoplasm, is suggested to be electrogenic at neutral pH and 'electroneutral' at alkaline pH, resulting in a similar level of net accumulation. We suggest that the bacterial membrane is highly permeable to K+ at neutral pH, compared to alkaline pH, which results in a pH-dependent effect of K+ on the above membrane functions.

Effect of guanidination on subunit interactions in hybrid isozymes from pig lactate dehydrogenase.

The thermostability of the isozymes from pig heart (H) and muscle (M) lactate dehydrogenase (L-lactate:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27) decreased in the order of H4 greater than M4 greater than H3M greater than HM3 greater than H2M2, while the thermostability of the isozymes from guanidinated H4 and M4 increased as guanidinated H monomer was substituted by M monomer. The increased thermostability of H4 increased as guanidinated H monomer was substituted by M monomer. The increased thermostability of H4 on guanidination of five lysine residues per subunit was due to the decrease in the standard activation entropy, and no change in the standard activation enthalpy was observed. The more increased thermostability of H4 on further guanidination of lysine residues from 5 to 15 per subunit was due to the increase of the standard activation enthalpy which overcame the decrease in thermostability due to the increase of the standard activation entropy. The results indicate two different mechanisms of stabilization depending on the degree of guanidination. The increase of thermostability, as measured by the change of the standard activation free energy for thermal inactivation of H2M2, was almost the same as that of H4 on guanidination of five lysine residues in an H monomer. This result and the order of thermostability of the isozymes from unmodified and guanidinated H4 and M4 suggest that the increase of thermostability of hybrid isozymes on guanidination of H monomer is due to the change of the heterologous subunit interactions.

Hydrogen-deuterium exchange studies on guanidinated pig heart lactate dehydrogenase.

Pig heart lactate dehydrogenase becomes more thermostable on increasing the degree of guanidination (conversion of lysine to homoarginine) (Minotani, N., Sekiguchi, T., Bautista, J.G. and Nosoh, Y. (1979) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 581, 334-341). The conformational change of the protein on guanidination was then examined by hydrogen-deuterium (H-2H) exchange reactions. It ws found that (i) the fluctuation degrees of peptides and tyrosine and tryptophan residues in the protein decrease in that order, (ii) two H-2H exchangeable tryptophan residues per subunit are freely accessible to solvent and the fluctuation degrees of the residues does not change on guanidination, (iii) the H-2H exchange detectable tyrosine residues are not freely accessible to solvent and become less fluctuating when 15 lysine residues per subunit are guanidinated, and (iv) the peptides become much less fluctuating on increasing the degree of guanidination. The specific activity of the enzyme decreased on guanidination. The increased thermostability of the protein on guanidination may be related to the decrease in flexibility of the molecular structure by sacrificing the enzyme activity.

Cloning of beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase gene from Bacillus coagulans in Escherichia coli and purification and properties of the enzyme.

The beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase (2-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-carboxyvalerate: NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.85) gene from Baccilus coagulans was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli C600, using pBR322 as a vector plasmid. The B. coagulans enzyme was purified to a homogeneous state from the E. coli carrying a pBR322 - the B. coaglulans enzyme gene hybrid plasmid. The enzyme consists of two subunits of equal molecular weight (4.4 X 10(4) ). The enzyme activity was stimulated by 0.5 mM Mn2+, Mg2+ and Co2+. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by 0.2 mM p-chloromercuribenzoate and the inhibition was completely recovered by 1 mM dithiothreitol. The B. coagulans enzyme was thermostabilized by 1.5 M NaCl. The B. coagulans enzyme is a composite of alpha-helix, beta-sheet and remainder. The secondary structure of the enzyme was appreciably altered by 0.5 mM MgCl2 and 1.5 M NaCl.

Basis of thermostability in pig heart lactate dehydrogenase treated with O-methylisourea.

Acetamidination of pig heart lactate dehydrogenase (L-lactate:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27) with ethyl acetimidate resulted in an increase of thermostability, and covalent bridge formation between pairs of lysine residues is observed. Guanidination with O-methylisourea of the enzyme also increases the thermostability, but such a bridge seems not to be formed. Increased thermostability of guanidinated enzyme is considered to be due to the shift of the pK values of the lysine residues from 10.5 to 12.5 after guanidination. Modification experiments with carbodiimide reveals that the enzyme contains 4.6 pairs of neighboring lysine and carboxyl residues per subunit, and amide bonding between 3.2 pairs results in an increase of thermostability. Guanidination of 4.6 Lys/subunit of the enzyme yields an enzyme derivative with considerably increased thermostability. Salt bridge formation between the 4.6 pairs of neighboring carboxyl and guanidinated lysine residues per subunit might make a major contribution to the increased thermostability of the guanidinated enzyme.

Protein engineering for thermostability.

Studies with small, monomeric proteins indicate that, to some extent, the effects of amino acid substitutions can be predicted. However, conformational and other changes may complicate the prediction. Site-directed mutagenesis is leading both to a better understanding of protein stability and to the production of more stable proteins.

Loss of liposome binding of NADH dehydrogenase from alkalophilic Bacillus on subtilisin digestion.

Alkalophile NADH dehydrogenase consisting of two 65-kDa subunits was changed by subtilisin into an enzyme species consisting of two 38-kDa subunits. The amino acid composition and enzyme activity per molecule of the subtilisin-treated enzyme were almost the same as those of the native enzyme, respectively. On mixing with phospholipid liposome, the conformation of the native enzyme was changed, as suggested by the changes in the type of Arrhenius plot and of CD spectrum and enzyme activity. These conformational properties of the subtilisin-treated enzyme, on the other hand, were not affected by liposome. Gel filtration of the subtilisin-treated enzyme mixed with the liposome showed no binding of the protein to liposome.

DNA from alkalophilic Bacillus can transform B. subtilis to alkalophily.

On incubation of B. subtilis RM125(arg 15 leuA8 rM- mM-) with DNA from alkalophilic Bacillus, the transformants (Arg+Leu- or Leu-Arg+) appeared at pH 10. The transformants were able to grow even at pH 7. Alkalophilic Bacillus was resistant to bacteriophages ø105D1C2.1012 grown on B. subtilis 1012(r-mM+) and ø105D1C2.ISMR4 grown on B. subtilis ISMR4(rM+rR+mM+mR+), but the recipient B. subtilis and the transformant(Arg+Leu-) were susceptible to both of the bacteriophages. The results indicate that the transformant is a B. subtilis derivative and that alkalophilicity of alkalophilic Bacillus was transferred to B. subtilis.

Purification and some properties of 6-phosphoglucose isomerase from Bacillus caldotenax.

6-Phosphoglucose isomerase [EC 5.3.1.9] was purified from Bacillus caldotenax. The isomerase shared many common properties with the isomerase from B. stearothermophilus, i.e, pH and temperature optima, thermostability, competitive inhibition by 6-phosphogluconate and Pi, and amino acid composition. The enzyme activity of the former, however, was lower than that of the latter. The molecular weight of the B. caldotenax isomerase was estimated to be 202,000-204,000 by gel filtration and electrophoresis of the enzyme cross-linked with dimethyl adipimidate (DMA). The enzyme was shown to consist of four subunits of equal molecular weight (50,600), and the four subunits were concluded to be identical based on the results of dansylation and cyanogen bromide cleavage of the enzyme. The interaction between the subunits were shown to be isologous by cross-linking with DMA.

Some catalytic and molecular properties of threonine deaminase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Threonine deaminase [EC 4.2.1.16] was highly purified from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity at 65 degrees and at pH 9.2--9.6. It was inactivated on dilution and on storage at 4 degrees, but was protected by egg albumin. The enzyme was labile at 65 degrees, but became stable in the presence of egg albumin and isoleucine at pH 7.0. The substrate saturation curve for the enzyme reaction at 40 or 65 degrees was hyperbolic, but in the presence of isoleucine, the curve became sigmoidal (n = 2). The enzyme was more sensitive to isoleucine at 40 degrees than at 65 degrees, while valine slightly inhibited the enzyme at both 40 and 65 degrees. Inhibition of the enzyme by isoleucine was antagonized by valine at 40 and 65 degrees. These properties were essentially similar to those of the enzymes from mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria. The enzyme existed in two forms with different molecular sizes, 1.5-5 X 10(6) and 2 X 10(5) daltons, at pH 7.0 and at temperatures below 40 degrees. The larger component disaggregated into the small one at pH 8.5 or above, at temperatures above 50 degrees or in the presence of isoleucine and valine.

Effect of lipids on a membrane-bound NADH dehydrogenase from Bacillus caldotenax.

NADH dehydrogenase [EC 1.6.99.3] in membranes of Bacillus caldotenax was solubilized with sodium N-lauroylsarcosinate and purified 50-fold from membranes to 75-80% homogeneity, as judged by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was considered to be located on the electron transport chain and to be an FAD-containing protein. The molecular weight of the subunit was estimated to be 44,000. The enzyme (or the enzyme bound to the B. caldotenax membrane lipids) follows a ping-pong mechanism. The enzyme can oxidize NADH, but not NADPH, with 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol, ferricyanide, menadione, and cytochrome c as electron acceptors. Membrane lipids or Triton X-100 stimulated the enzyme activity, except that with menadione. Lipids decreased the apparent affinity of electron acceptors and NADH to the enzyme, and increased the maximum velocity, except when menadione was used as the electron acceptor. Lipids partially protected the enzyme from thermal inactivation. The enzyme exhibited a continuous Arrhenius plot, while the lipids- or membrane-bound enzyme exhibited a discontinuous plot.

Partial purification and characterization of type I DNA topoisomerase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Type I DNA topoisomerase was partially purified from Bacillus stearothermophilus by ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatographies on phosphocellulose, DEAE-cellulose and heparin-agarose. On heparin-agarose chromatography, topoisomerase I activity was separated into three fractions (designated Fractions A, B, and C). Each fraction was further subjected to gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200. From electrophoretic analysis on polyacrylamide gel, Fraction A was found to contain two enzyme species having molecular weights of 110,000 and 100,000, and Fraction B one enzyme species with a molecular weight of 80,000. The molecular weight of the enzyme in Fraction C was estimated to be around 150,000 by gel filtration. The enzymes in Fractions A and B exhibited little activity in the presence of Mg2+, while the activity was increased remarkably by NaCl with Mg2+. No activity was observed in the presence of NaCl alone. The enzyme in Fraction C required only Mg2+ for full activity. With Fraction A, the topoisomerase I-induced cleavage sites on tetracycline-resistant plasmid pNS1 (2.55 megadaltons) were mapped. Fraction A cleaved the DNA at ten specific sites. These sites were compared to those of the Haemophilus gallinarum enzyme, which have already been mapped (Shishido et al. (1983) Biochem. Biophys. Acta 740, 108). The results showed that there is a remarkably coincidence between the cleavage sites induced by the B. stearothermophilus and H. gallinarum enzymes.

Cross-linking with diimidates of glutamine synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Glutamine synthetase [EC 6.3.2.1] from Bacillus stearothermophilus was modified with diethyl malonimidate (DEM), dimethyl adipimidate (DMA), and dimethyl suberimidate (DMS). DMA modified most epsilon-amino groups. On modification with DMA, formation of 3 to 4 cross-links/subunit resulted in a large increase in thermostability. The activity, allosteric properties and fluorescence spectrum of the enzyme were not changed on cross-linking. The SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic profiles of DEM-, DMA-, and DMS-modified enzymes suggested that the interaction berween six subunits in each of the two hexagonal rings of the protein are heterologous and are different from those between the piled subunits on different rings.

Chemical modification of epsilon-amino groups in glutamine synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus with ethyl acetimidate.

The activity of glutamine synthetase [EC 6.3.2.1] from Bacillus stearothermophilus decreased slightly on modification with ethyl acetimidate. Acetamidination of 25--26 of the 2 epsilon-amino groups/subunit of the enzyme affected the maximum velocity, but not the Michaelis constant. The thermostability of the enzyme was considerably increased on acetamidination. Acetamidination of the enzyme did not affect the circular dichroism, the tryptophan fluorescence or the quenching effects of KI and acrylamide on the tryptophan emission. The fluorescence spectrum of p-toluidinylnaphthalene sulfonate bound to the enzyme changed on acetamidination.

Tryptic digestion of NADH dehydrogenase from alkalophilic Bacillus.

The alkalophile NADH dehydrogenase (NADH: 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase) [EC 1.6.99.3] consists of two identical subunits of 65 kDa, and each subunit contains the catalytic and liposome-binding regions. On treatment with trypsin, the polypeptide exhibiting the liposome-binding property in one of the subunits was digested to form an enzymatically active hetero-dimer (40 and 65 kDa), and then the polypeptide in the other subunit was digested to form an active homo-dimer (40 and 40 kDa). The hetero-dimer bound to liposomes, but the homo-dimer did not. Kinetic analysis showed that removal of one or two of the polypeptides in the enzyme slightly affects its kinetic parameters. For all the enzyme species, NAD inhibited competitively with respect to NADH and non-competitively with respect to 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. The partially determined amino acid sequence of this alkalophile enzyme suggested that (i) a long random-coiled peptide (58 amino acid residues) or a portion of the peptide is located between the polypeptides with liposome-binding and catalytic properties, (ii) the polypeptide exhibiting liposome-binding property is in the amino terminal region of the enzyme, (iii) the amino acid sequences around the subtilisin and trypsin cleavage sites of the peptide are hydrophilic and on the surface of the protein molecule and therefore are susceptible to digestion, and (iv) the FAD-binding site is located near the amino terminal region of the catalytic region.

Nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding NADH dehydrogenase from an alkalophile, Bacillus sp. strain YN-1.

The gene encoding NADH dehydrogenase from an alkalophile, Bacillus sp., was cloned and sequenced. The cloned DNA fragment contained an open reading frame of 1,557 nucleotides which encodes a polypeptide composed of 519 amino acid residues (Mr 55,830). The predicted amino acid sequence was consistent with the partial amino acid sequences including the N-terminal and C-terminal sequences determined in a previous study. Sequence comparison with other flavoenzymes revealed high homology between the present dehydrogenase and Escherichia coli thioredoxin reductase.

The modification of sulfhydryl groups of glutamine synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus with 5, 5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid).

The SH groups of glutamine synthetase [EC 6.3.1.2] from Bacillus stearothermophilus were modified with 5, 5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) in order to determine the number of SH groups in the molecule as well as the effect of the modification on the enzyme activity. Three SH groups per subunit were detected after complete denaturation of the enzyme with 6 M urea, one of which was essential for the enzyme activity in view of its reactivity with 5, 5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) on addition of MgCl2 with loss of the activity. The CD spectra of the modified enzyme in the near ultraviolet region changed from that of the native enzyme, indicating that aromatic amino acid residues were affected by modification of the SH group. The fluorescence derived from tryptophanyl residue(s) was quenched depending on the extent of modification of the SH group, suggesting that the tryptophanyl residue(s) was located in the proximity of the SH group. The thermostability of the enzyme was remarkably decreased by modification of the SH group.

[Increased cytotoxic effects of various anticancer drugs by alpha-interferon (HLBI) on human tumor xenografts in nude mice].

Since interferon (IFN) has a mechanism of action very different from chemotherapeutic agents, it is possible that a combination of two may be of therapeutic value. The authors studied increased cytotoxic effects of anticancer drugs by IFN on human tumors xenografts in nude mice. Tumor used in this study were "SH-10", "S-7379" (gastric cancer) and "O-7294" (malignant melanoma), serially transplanted subcutaneously. IFN was injected, 5 X 10(5) mu/mouse, every day for 2 weeks and a single drug was administered 3 times every fourth day. Cytotoxic effect was determined by tumor size on day 16 after treatment. Of the 7 drugs, MMC and ADM were most effective. Other drugs showed a slight inhibition of tumor growth by combination therapy with drugs and IFN.