On the occurrence of multiple isoprenylated cysteine methyl ester hydrolase activities in bovine adrenal medulla.

Rab proteins intervene in the controlled exocytosis of catecholamines by chromaffin cells from the adrenal medulla. These proteins are posttranslationally modified by digeranylgeranylation and carboxymethylation. Reversible carboxymethylation terminating the isoprenylation pathway may play an important role in both the functioning and the subcellular housing of small G-proteins. Controlled methylation infers a rational interplay between the two enzymes involved i.e., the protein-S-prenylcysteine methyltransferase and the opposing esterase. Previously we have identified a methyltransferase type III in chromaffin cells. In this paper we focus on the corresponding demethylase. The methyl ester hydrolase activity was monitored using AFCM and AGGCM as artificial substrates while p-nitrophenylacetate was adopted as a pseudosubstrate for nonspecific esterase action. Based on subcellular fractionation experiments, kinetic studies and screening a battery of potential effectors, including a series of metallic ions and metal chelators, multiple sulphydryl reagents and host of specific protease/esterase inhibitors, it is suggested that at least two prenylcysteine carboxymethyl esterase isoenzymes are operational in bovine adrenal medulla. These isoenzymes are distinctly different from the nonspecific esterase.

Identification of prenylcysteine carboxymethyltransferase in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.

Chromaffin cells from bovine adrenal medulla were examined for the presence of a specific prenylcysteine carboxymethyltransferase by using N-acetyl-S-farnesyl-L-cysteine and N-acetyl-S-geranylgeranyl-L-cysteine as artificial substrates and a crude cell homogenate as the enzyme source. From Michaelis-Menten kinetics the following constants were calculated: K(m) 90 microM and V(max) 3 pmol/min per mg proteins for N-acetyl-S-farnesyl-L-cysteine; K(m) 52 microM and V(max) 3 pmol/min per mg proteins for N-acetyl-S-geranylgeranyl-L-cysteine. Both substrates were methylated to an optimal extent at the pH range 7. 4-8.0. Methylation activity increased linearly up to 20 min incubation time and was dose dependent up to at least 160 microg of protein. Sinefungin and S-adenosylhomocysteine both caused pronounced inhibition, as also to a lesser extent did farnesylthioacetic acid, deoxymethylthioadenosine and 3-deaza-adenosine. Effector studies showed that the methyltransferase activity varied depending on the concentration and chemical nature of the cations present. Monovalent cations were slightly stimulatory, while divalent metallic ions displayed diverging inhibitory effects. The inhibition by cations was validated by the stimulatory effect of the chelators EDTA and EGTA. Sulphydryl reagents inhibited methylation but to different degrees: Hg(2+)-ions: 100%, N-ethylmaleimide: 30%, dithiothreitol: 0% and mono-iodoacetate: 20%. Due to the hydrophobicity of the substrates dimethyl sulfoxide had to be included in the incubation mixture (<4%; still moderate inhibition at more elevated concentrations). The detergents tested affected the methyltransferase activity to a varying degree. The membrane bound character of the methyltransferase was confirmed.

pH-induced transitions in cholera toxin conformation: a fluorescence study.

Determination of the ratio of intrinsic fluorescence with dibrominated Bry 96 (F) relative to that with unbrominated Bry 96 (F0), at neutral pH and in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl, reveals that the A subunit of cholera toxin (CT A) has a somewhat higher affinity for this mild detergent than intact cholera toxin (CT) and its B subunit (CT B). Receptor (GM1 or oligo-GM1) binding has no influence on the very low detergent binding of CT and CT B. Activation of CT A by treatment with dithiothreitol (20 mM) also does not affect detergent binding. The weak hydrophobic nature of CT A is also reflected by the negative modulatory action of anionic phospholipids and deoxycholate on its mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity and the ability of the former to decrease its intrinsic fluorescence intensity in a salt-resistant way. Detergent binding of CT A is only slightly pH dependent whereas, upon lowering the pH, detergent binding to CT or CT B becomes significant. In the pH range 6.5-4.2 a gradual increase in detergent binding to CT and CT B occurs. In the narrow pH range 4.2-4.0 a sharp and time-dependent enhancement of brominated Bry 96 quenching is observed. The increase in detergent binding upon lowering the pH is fully reversible, salt dependent, and complete within 10 min (t1/2 = 2 min at 25 degrees C). Solute quenching experiments with the neutral polar quencher acrylamide reveal that upon lowering the pH to 5.0 a marked increase in the exposure of the lone Trp-88 residue in each beta-polypeptide chain of CT B occurs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topography, purification and characterization of thyroidal NAD+ glycohydrolase.

Subcellular fractionation of bovine thyroid tissue by differential pelleting and isopycnic gradient centrifugation in a zonal rotor indicated that NAD(+) glycohydrolase is predominantly located and rather uniformly distributed in the plasma membrane. Comparison of NAD(+) glycohydrolase activities of intact thyroid tissue slices, functional rat thyroid cells in culture (FRT(l)) and their respective homogenates indicated that most if not all of the enzyme (catalytic site) is accessible to extracellular NAD(+). The reaction product nicotinamide was predominantly recovered from the extracellular medium. The diazonium salt of sulphanilic acid, not penetrating into intact cells, was able to decrease the activity of intact thyroid tissue slices to the same extent as in the homogenate. Under the same conditions this reagent almost completely abolished NAD(+) glycohydrolase activity associated with intact thyroid cells in culture. The triazine dye Cibacron Blue F3GA and its high-M(r) derivative Blue Dextran respectively completely eliminated or caused a severe depression in the NAD(+) glycohydrolase activity of FRT(l) cells. The enzyme could be readily solubilized from bovine thyroid membranes by detergent extraction, and was further purified by gel filtration and affinity chromatography on Blue Sepharose CL-6B. The overall procedure resulted in a 1940-fold purification (specific activity 77.6mumol of nicotinamide released/h per mg). The purified enzyme displays a K(m) of 0.40mm for beta-NAD(+), a broad pH optimum around pH7.2 (0.1 m-potassium phosphate buffer) and an apparent M(r) of 120000. Nicotinamide is an inhibitor (K(i) 1.9mm) of the non-competitive type. The second reaction product ADP-ribose acts as a competitive inhibitor (K(i) 2.7mm). The purified enzyme splits beta-NAD(+), beta-NADP(+), beta-NADH and alpha-NAD(+) at rates in the relative proportions 1:0.75:<0.02:<0.02 and exhibits transglycosidase (pyridine-base exchange) activity. Anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine inhibit the partially purified enzyme. A stimulating effect was observed upon the addition of histones.

Occurrence and subcellular localization of glucose 6-phosphatase in bovine thyroid.

In bovine thyroid tissue the glucose 6-phosphatase activity is not entirely due to the presence of an unspecific acid phenylphosphatase nor to beta-glycerophosphatase. This glucose 6-phosphatase is very probably localized within endoplasmic reticulum membranes. It is not a good marker for distribution patterns obtained after differential pelleting. However it can be used as a marker for endoplasmic reticulum membranes after centrifugation in a zonal rotor.

Structure of the major gangliosides from bovine thyroid.

After preparative isolation, the carbohydrate, long chain base, and fatty acid composition of the major gangliosides from bovine thyroid have been analyzed. The structures were elucidated by determining the molar ratio of the building blocks, permethylation analysis, and enzymatic degradation studies. The following structures are identified: N-Acetylneuraminyl(2,3)-galactosyl(1,4)glucosyl(1,1)ceramidie; N-glycolyneuraminyl(2,3)galactosyl(1,4)glucosyl(1,1)ceramide; galactosyl(1,3)N-acetylgalactosaminyl[(3,2)N-acetylneuraminyl](1,4)galactosyl(1,4)glucosyl(1,1)ceramide; fucosyl(1,2)galactosyl(1,3)N-acetylgalactosaminyl[(3,2)N-acetylneuraminyl](1,4)galactosyl(1,4)glucosyl(1,1)-ceramide. The structures were confirmed by direct inlet mass spectrometry of the permethylated gangliosides and the corresponding asialo derivatives. Structures are proposed for common ions in the different mass spectra.