The oxidative generation of sulfonic acid groups in neuromelanin and lipofuscin in the human brain.

Sulfonic acid groups were oxidatively generated in the soluble lipid-free lipofuscin component of neuromelanin of human substantia nigra and in lipofuscin of human inferior olive. Exposure of these oxidized, intraneuronal pigments to low pH Alcian blue or aldehyde fuchsin demonstrated an intensity of staining that related to the type of oxidant and the conditions of its use. Utilization of the following oxidants generated increasingly strong staining reactions as signified by the following sequence; periodic acid under mild conditions, bromine in carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen peroxide, periodic acid under drastic conditions, potassium permanganate followed by oxalic acid, hydrogen peroxide followed by bromine in carbon tetrachloride, potassium permanganate followed by metabisulfite or bisulfite, and performic acid. Neither Alcian blue nor aldehyde fuchsin revealed oxidatively generated aldehyde as judged by 1) their failure or near failure to stain inferior olive lipofuscin following mildly applied periodic acid, and 2) the increase in staining intensity, from moderate to strong, displayed by the soluble lipid-free lipofuscin component of neuromelanin and by inferior olive lipofuscin when potassium permanganate was followed by a rinse with metabisulfite or bisulfite in place of one with oxalic acid.

Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. The appearance of sulpholactic acid as a marker event for sporulation.

1. The synthesis of sulpholactic acid in sporulating cultures of Bacillus subtilis was studied. 2. Sulpholactic acid was first detected about 4h after the initiation of sporulation and 1h before refractility. The rate of synthesis paralleled that of the other events of sporulation examined. 3. Sulpholactic acid accounted for 1.7% of the material of the spore. 4. Because the addition of chloramphenicol in the earlier stages of sporulation inhibited formation of the compound, it is likely that the enzymes concerned are synthesized de novo during sporulation. 5. In asporogenous mutants only those blocked at a late stage and showing partial refractility were able to produce sulpholactic acid. This correlation makes sulpholactic acid a useful marker event in sporulation.

Occurrence of taurine: -ketoglutarate aminotransferase in bacterial extracts.

High activity of taurine:alpha-ketoglutarate aminotransferase was found exclusively in cell-free extracts of Achromobacter superficialis and A. polymorph. The former was chosen for characterization of the enzymatic reaction. The enzyme activity was enhanced by addition of beta-alanine to the growth medium. The product from alpha-ketoglutarate was identified as l-glutamate. Another product has been isolated, purified, and identified as sulfoacetaldehyde (2-oxoethanesulfonate), a deamination product from taurine, by comparison between the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones of the synthetic and enzymatic products on the basis of studies by paper chromatography, by visible, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrophotometries, and by elemental analysis. This enzymatic transamination was found to proceed stoichiometrically and reversibly as follows: NH(2).CH(2).CH(2).SO(3)H + HOOC.CH(2).CH(2).CO.COOH right harpoon over left harpoon OHC.CH(2).SO(3)H + HOOC.CH(2).CH(2).CH(NH(2)).COOH.