Chemical models of oxidative phosphorylation

Chemical models for coupling oxidation to phosphorylation are summarized and examined both from the standpoint of organic reaction mechanisms and with respect to their relevance to mitochondria and chloroplasts. In order to accelerate the progress of our research in bioenergetics, it is suggested to focus at least as much attention on structural biochemistry as on phenomenological observations of energy-transducing membranes.

Ridge augmentation: an evaluation and follow-up report

An evaluation was made of results of follow-up studies, ranging from nine months to about 3 1/2 years, of six patients who had mandibular ridge augmentations at the University of Minnesota Hospitals. Clinical observations, patients' subjective feelings, and measurements of vertical loss of the original graft were the main considerations in the studies. Although there was almost continual resorption of the bone grafts after surgery patients were satisfied with the procedure and the current dental function.

Catalytic and regulatory properties of two forms of bovine heart cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

The soluble supernatant fraction of bovine heart homogenates may be fractionated on a DEAE cellulose column into two cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (EC 3.1.4.-):PI and PII phosphodiesterases, in the order of emergence from the column. In the presence of free Ca2+, the PI enzyme may be activated several fold by the protein activator which was discovered by Cheung((1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 2859-2869). The PII enzyme is refractory to this activator, and is not inhibited by the Ca2+ chelating agent, ethylene glycol bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N'-tetraacetate (EGTA). The activated activity of PI phosphodiesterase may be further stimulated by imidazole or NH+4, and inhibited by high concentrations of Mg2+. These reagents have no significant effect on either the PII enzyme or the basal activity of PI phosphodiesterase. Although both forms of phosphodiesterase can hydrolyze either cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP, they exhibit different relative affinities towards these two cyclic nucleotides. The PI enzyme appears to have much higher affinities toward cyclic GMP than cyclic AMP. Km values for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP are respectively 1.7 and 0.33 mM for the non-activated PI phosphodiesterase; and 0.2 and 0.007 mM for the activated enzyme. Each cyclic nucleotide acts as a competitive inhibitor for the other with Ki values similar to the respective Km values. In contrast with PI phosphodiesterase, PII phosphodiesterase exhibits similar affinity toward cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. The apparent Km values of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP for the PII enzyme are approx. 0.05 and 0.03 mM, respectively. The kinetic plot with respect to cyclic GMP shows positive cooperativity. Each cyclic nucleotide acts as a non-competitive inhibitor for the other nucleotide. These kinetic properties of PI and PII phosphodiesterase of bovine heart are very similar to those of rat liver cyclic GMP and high Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases, respectively (Russel, Terasaki and Appleman, (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 1334).

Equilibrium potentials of membrane electrodes

A simple thermodynamic theory of the equilibrium potentials of membrane electrodes is formulated and applied to the glass electrode for measurement of pH. The new formulation assumes the selective adsorption or binding of specific ions on the surface of the membrane which may or may not be permeable to the ion, and includes the conventional derivation based on reversible ion transport across membranes as a special case. To test the theory, a platinum wire was coated with a mixture of stearic acid and methyl-tri-n-octyl-ammonium stearate. When this coated electrode was immersed in aqueous phosphate solution, its potential was found to be a linear function of pH from pH 2 to 12 with a slope equal to the theoretical value of 59.0 mV per pH unit at 24 degrees .