Superoxide dismutase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

1. A superoxide dismutase [EC 1.15.1.1] was purified about 275-fold with a yield of 34% from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, strain H37Ra (attenuated strain), grown on a Sauton medium for two months. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and by analytical ultracentrifugation and sedimentation equilibrium studies. 2. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be approximately 88,000 by sedimentation equilibrium analysis. Since the molecular weight of the subunit was 21,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the enzyme appears to be composed of four subunits of equal size. 3. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra showed that the enzyme contained ferric iron, and metal analysis showed that the enzyme contained ferric iron, and metal analysis showed that approximately 3.7 atoms of iron were present per mole of the enzyme, indicating the occurrence of 1 atom of iron per subunit. 4. The amino acid composition was apparently similar to those of the iron-containing superoxide dismutases from Escherichia coli, luminous bacteria, Pseudomonas ovalis, and blue-green alga. 5. Antibodies against the enzyme were raised in rabbits and immunological studies were performed. The enzyme from M. tuberculosis, strain H37Rv (virulent strain), was found to have antigenic structures identical with those of the H37Ra enzyme. On the other hand, the manganese-containing superoxide dismutases from other species of mycobacteria, i.e., Mycobacterium species, strain Takeo, M. phlei and M. lepraemurium, showed only partial immunological identity with the H37Ra enzyme. 6. During the growth of M. tuberculosis, strain H37Ra, the enzyme was found to be secreted into the culture medium.

Superoxide dismutase from Mycobacterium species, strain Takeo

Superoxide dismutase from Mycobacterium species, strain Takeo, has been purified to homogeneity as judged by disc gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. The enzyme was found to have a molecular weight of approximately 61 500 by sedimentation equilibrium and to contain manganese by atomic absorption and electron spin resonance spectra. The amino acid composition was also determined. The enzyme was considerably stable to the treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate; unless incubating at 80 degrees C for 2 min, it was not completely dissociated into the subunits. The molecular weight of the subunit was found to be approximately 21 000. Antibodies against the superoxide dismutase were produced by immunization of rabbits with the enzyme, and the gamma-globulin fraction was purified. Superoxide dismutase preparations obtained from various species of mycobacteria and nocardia cross-reacted to different degrees with these antibodies on the Ouchterlony double diffusion plates. Comparative immunological studies indicated that strain Takeo might be most closely related to Myobacterium smegmatis among species of mycobacteria and nocardia tested. The antibodies against superoxide dismutase may be used as a valuable tool for the classification of mycobacteria.

Neuronal and glial activity during spreading depression in cerebral cortex of cat

1. Extra- and intracellular potentials were recorded from neurons and glia during spreading depression (SD) in cerebral cortex of cats. The glial membrane depolarized during SD and the time course of depolarization was concurrent with the surface DC change of SD. The glial depolarization evoked by 20-Hz repetitive cortical stimulation disappeared during the negative DC shift of SD. Simultaneous recording of the extra- and intracellular potentials from a single glial cell with a coaxial microelectrode showed that the extracellular DC potential change was of opposite polarity to the glial intracellular potential, which suggests that the slow glial depolarization concurrent with SD is not the field potential. In contrast to glial cells, the neuronal burst discharges as well as the neuronal membrane depolarization associated with SD did not show a close relationship to SD: the neuronal membrane depolarization and discharge were frequently delayed by 10-3- s from the onset of the SD slow wave. Sometimes SD was observed without accompanying neuronal depolarization. The degree of neuronal depolarization was not always correlated with the amplitude of the negative wave of SD. 2. The effect of tetrodotoxin (TTX) on the negative DC potential of SD was examined. Simultaneous recording of glial membrane potential and the neuronal unit activity as well as extracellular DC potential and surface DC potential during SD was performed and the TTX-treated cortex was compared with the normal state. TTX did not change the DC level of the cerebral cortex. SD could be evoked by KCl when neuronal discharge was completely abolished by TTX application...

Effects of physostigmine on the afterdischarge and slow postsynaptic potentials of bullfrog sympathetic ganglia

1. The effects of anticholinesterases (anti-ChEs) (physostigmine, prostigmine and TEPP) on the afterdischarges and the extracellular and intracellular slow potentials of bullfrog sympathetic ganglia were studied.2. The anti-ChEs augmented the early afterdischarge, the late negative potential and the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential. This indicated that the nature of the early afterdischarge was cholinergic (muscarinic) and that the late negative potential or the slow excitatory postsynaptic potential generated the early afterdischarge.3. Since the anti-ChEs increased the positive potential, the depression of the early afterdischarge observed in the presence of an antiChE was explained to be caused by the increased inhibitory effect of the enhanced positive potential.4. Prostigmine and tetraethyl pyrophosphate did not show any appreciable effects on the late afterdischarge, the late late negative potential nor the late slow excitatory postsynaptic potential. This indicated that the nature of the late afterdischarge was non-cholinergic and that the late late negative potential or the late slow excitatory postsynaptic potential generated the late afterdischarge.5. Physostigmine reversibly depressed the late afterdischarge, the late late negative potential and the late slow excitatory postsynaptic potential. The depressant action of physostigmine was not due to its anti-ChE action.