NMR and enzymatic investigation of the interaction between elastase and sodium trifluoroacetate.

At pH 5.5, sodium trifluoroacetate is a potent competitive inhibitor of porcine elastase (Ki = 2.6 mM) and human leukocyte elastase (Ki = 9.3 mM). For both enzymes the Ki increases strongly with pH. Sodium fluoride is inactive on pancreatic elastase and sodium acetate is a weak inhibitor of this enzyme. Trifluoroethanol inhibits both enzymes but is less active than trifluoroacetate in acidic pH conditions. Bovine trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin are resistant to the action of sodium trifluoroacetate and trifluoroethanol. The interaction between sodium trifluoroacetate and pancreatic elastase is also demonstrated by 19F NMR spectroscopy. Trifluoroacetyltrialanine is able to displace trifluoroacetate from its complex with pancreatic elastase. In addition, a method using turkey ovomucoid for the active site titration of leukocyte and pancreatic elastase is described.

Aspects of purine metabolism in the gill epithelium of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson.

1. Enzymes interconnecting the adenylate pool were present in high concentration. 2. AMP and adenosine were easily deaminated by the corresponding enzymes whose high levels were detected. 3. Adenylate was hydrolyzed either by deamination to yield IMP which was further dephosphorylated to inosine or by dephosphorylation to adenosine followed by deamination to inosine. 4. Incubation of gill extract with [-14C]-AMP in the presence and absence of ATP but with adenosine deaminase inhibitors allowed demonstration that ATP controlled the balance between these pathways. 5. Some biochemical properties of 5'-nucleotidase. AMP deaminase and adenosine deaminase were defined. 6. Purine salvage enzymes were also estimated.