X-ray diffraction of actively shortening muscle

Low angle x-ray diffraction patterns were obtained from resting and activated frog sartorius muscles by means of a position-sensitive detector. Although the intensity ratio I10/I11 decreased many-fold upon activation, it was nearly the same during isometric and isotonic contraction. Thus, motion has a much smaller effect on the low order equatorial pattern than the transition from rest to activity. Analysis of the 10 and 11 reflections separately showed that I10 and I11 change reciprocally upon activation, and that they both increase by a small amount in the transition from isometric to isotonic contraction. If the intensity ratio can be taken as a measure of cross-bridge number, the results provide evidence that the drop in force in an actively shortening muscle is due primarily to the influence of motion on the configuration, rather than the number, of cross-bridges.

Photoreduction of cytochrome c1

1. Ferricytochrome c1 solution was reduced completely between pH 7 and 10 by illumination under anaerobic conditions. Photoreduction was not affected by the ionic strength of the medium. However, it did not take place at pH lower than 6 or higher than 10, or in the presence of p-hydroxymercuric benzoate. The ferricyanide-reoxidized photoreduced c1 was not further reduced upon illumination. The reductant was most probably a specific sulfhydryl group in the subunit containing the heme of the cytochrome since this subunit contained one less p-HMB-titratable group in the photoreduced sample than in the untreated preparation. 2. The photoreduced cytochrome c1 showed the same spectra as the native cytochrome, and was not reactive with carbon monoxide. The equilibrium constant of the reaction c12+ + c3+ equilibrium c13+ + c2+ for the photoreduced c1 was found to be slightly lower (Keq = 2.6) than that for the native c1 (Keq = 3.5). The antimycin A-sensitive electron acceptor activity of ferricyanide-reoxidized photoreduced c13+ catalyzed by succinate-cytochrome c reductase was about 80% of that of the native c1. 3. A somewhat simplified method for isolation of cytochrome c1 was developed. Anaerobic ammonium sulfate fractionation and calcium phosphate gel chromatography were still used in order to achieve the purity level of about 25 nmol of heme/mg of protein. The cytochrome c1 prepared by this procedure showed the same properties tested as that by the beta-mercaptoethanol method (Yu, C.A., Yu, L., and King, T.E. (1972) J. Biol. Chem. 247, 1012-1019).

Studies on cytochrome oxidase. Interactions of the cytochrome oxidase protein with phospholipids and cytochrome c

1. By the application of the principle of the sequential fragmentation of the respiratory chain, a simple-method has been developed for the isolation of phospholipid-depleted and phospholipid-rich cytochrome oxidase preparations. 2. The phospholip-rich oxidase contains about 20% lipid, including mainly phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, and cardiolipin. Its enzymic activity is not stimulated by an external lipid such as asolectin. 3. The phospholipid-depleted oxidase contains less than 0.1% lipid. It is enzymically inactive in catalyzing the oxidation of reduced cytochrome c by molecular oxygen. This activity can be fully restored by asolectin; and partially restored (approximately 75%) by purified phospholipids individually or in combination. The activity can be partially restored also by phospholipid mixtures isolated from mitochondria, from the oxidase itself, and from related preparations. Among the detergents tested only Emasol-1130 and Tween 80 show some stimulatory activity. 4. The phospholipid-depleted oxidase binds with cytochrome c evidently by "protein-protein" interactions as does the phospholipid-rich or the phospholipid-replenished oxidase to form a complex with the ratio of cytochrome c to heme a of unity. The complex prepared from phospholipid-depleted cytochrome oxidase exhibits a characteristic Soret absorption maximum at 415 nm in the difference spectrum of the carbon monoxide-reacted reduced form minus the reduced form. This 415-nm maximum is abolished by the replenishment of the complex with a phospholipid or by the dissociation of the complex in cholate or in a medium of high ionic strength. When ascorbate is used as an electron donor, the complex prepared from phospholipid-depleted cytochrome oxidase does not cause the reduction of cytochrome a3 which is in dramatic contrast to the complex from the phospholipid-rich or the phospholipid-replenished oxidase. However, dithionite reduces cytochrome a3 in all of the preparations of the cytochrome c-cytochrome oxidase complex. These facts suggest that the action of phospholipid on the electron transfer in cytochrome oxidase may be at the step between cytochromes a and a3. This conclusion is substantiated by preliminary kinetic results that the electron transfer from cytochrome a to a3 is much slower in the phospholipid-depleted than in phospholipid-rich or phospholipid-replenished oxidase. On the basis of the cytochrome c content, the enzymic activity has been found to be about 10 times higher in the system with the complex (in the presence of the replenishedhe external medium unless energy is provided, and that

A trypsin-resistant heme peptide from cardiac cytochrome c1

A tryptic resistant heme peptide has been prepared and purified from cardiac cytochrome c1. This purified peptide is not further hydrolyzed by reactions of other proteolytic enzymes, such as pronase. The peptide contains 2 residues each of serine, cysteine and valine, and 1 residue each of alanine, methionine, tyrosine, histidine, arginine, proline, glutamic acid (glutamine) and aspartic acid. The intensity of the absorption spectrum of the peptide has been found to be dependent upon, but the positions of the absorption maxima do not vary with, concentration. The heme peptide does not show multiple splitting of absorption peaks at liquid N2 temperatures as does the intact cytochrome C1. However, cyanide rapidly reacts with the peptide and causes significant spectral changes. CD spectra of the peptide exhibit a typical profile of a non-structured heme peptide with positive CD bands in the Soret region and around 250 nm, and a broad negative extreme of 320-360 nm. The similarities and differences between the tryptic resistant heme peptides from cytochromes c1 and c have been compared.

Chemical and physical characteristics of the deoxycholate-soluble and magnesium-reaggregated membrane nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) oxidase of Bacillus megaterium

The inactive components of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) (NADH) oxidase present in the 0.4% deoxycholate-soluble fraction obtained from Bacillus megaterium KM membranes were reaggregated into active NADH oxidase by dilution in the presence of Mg(2+). The reaggregated oxidase was different from the original membrane with respect to sedimentation behavior in a sucrose gradient and morphological appearance. The deoxycholate-insoluble portion of the membrane had membrane-like structure whereas the reaggregated oxidase appeared to be a filamentous aggregate of small particles. The reaggregated oxidase and the deoxycholate-insoluble membrane residue were similar to the original membrane with respect to total protein and total lipid content. The inactive components of the NADH oxidase system exist in deoxycholate as two molecular species which were separable by sucrose density gradient centrifugation or gel filtration in deoxycholate-containing solutions. Both components and dilution in the presence of Mg(2+) were necessary for restoration of oxidase activity. The smaller-molecular-weight component contained all of the NADH-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase activity of the original membrane.

Separation of the primary dehydrogenase from the cytochromes of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) oxidase of Bacillus megaterium

A selective extraction procedure was developed for sequentially extracting a fraction containing the primary dehydrogenase and a fraction containing the cytochromes of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) (NADH) oxidase of Bacillus megaterium KM membranes. The primary dehydrogenase (NADH-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase) activity was extracted from sonically treated membranes with 0.4% sodium deoxycholate for 30 min at 4 C. The insoluble residue was extracted with 0.4% sodium deoxycholate in 1 m KCl for 30 min at 25 C. A combination of the two extracts and dilution in Mg(2+) gave good recovery of the original membrane NADH oxidase activity. The primary dehydrogenase fraction contained 41% of the membrane protein, no cytochromes, flavine adenine dinucleotide as the sole acid-extractable flavine, and most of the membrane ribonucleic acid (RNA). The cytochrome-containing fraction had 16% of the membrane protein, 61% of the membrane cytochrome with the same relative amounts of cytochromes a and b as the original membrane, no acid-extractable flavine, little RNA, and no oxidoreductase activity. The oxidoreductase fraction remained soluble after removal of deoxycholate whereas the cytochrome fraction became insoluble after removal of deoxycholate-KCl, but the precipitated fraction could be redissolved in 0.4% sodium deoxycholate. Treatment of both fractions with ribonuclease to destroy all of the RNA present did not affect the ability of the fractions to recombine into a functional oxidase unit. Treatment of either fraction with phospholipase A prevented restoration of a functional oxidase when the oxidoreductase and cytochrome fractions were treated in solution, but no affect on restoration of oxidase was observed when the phospholipase A treatment was carried out with the soluble oxidoreductase fraction and the insoluble cytochrome fraction.

Intraspecific transduction in Staphylococcus epidermidis and interspecific transduction between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis

Phages were isolated from Staphylococcus epidermidis after exposure of cultures to mitomycin C. Using certain of these phages, genes controlling resistance to novobiocin, streptomycin, and erythromycin and genes involved in the synthesis of adenine and riboflavin were transferred from donor to recipient strains of S. epidermidis. Interspecific transduction of the Novr marker was accomplished between S. epidermidis and S. aureus. Attempts to transfer penicillin resistance were not successful.

Factors affecting deoxycholate inactivation and Mg++ reactivation of Bacillus megaterium KM membrane nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) oxidase

Decay of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase of Bacillus megaterium KM membranes was prevented by storage in 10% (v/v) glycerol or 0.4% bovine serum albumin. Differential rates of solubilization of components of the oxidase system by 0.4% deoxycholate was demonstrable at 4 C. The amount of Mg(++) necessary for maximal oxidase reactivation increased with increasing amounts of deoxycholate-inactivated oxidase. Mg(++) activation of deoxycholate-inactivated oxidase was partially temperature-dependent. Maximal activation was observed at 37 C, but only partial activation took place at 4 C. A small amount of deoxycholate was required for Mg(++) activation of deoxycholate-inactivated oxidase. Two pH optima were found for Mg(++) activation of deoxycholate-inactivated oxidase, pH 5.3 and 7.3. Significant amounts of activation of the inactive oxidase occurred in the absence of Mg(++) with an optimum at pH 5.0, with essentially no Mg(++)-independent activation demonstrable at pH 7.0.

Masking of Bacillus megaterium KM membrane reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase and solubilization studies

Solubilization of a reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-2,6 dichlorophenol indophenol (DCIP) oxidoreductase associated with the membrane NADH oxidase system of Bacillus megaterium KM was effected by treatment with 0.2% sodium deoxycholate, 8 m urea, or buffer (pH 9.0) in the presence of ethyl-enediaminetetraacetate. These treatments inactivated membrane NADH oxidase. It was found that membrane NADH oxidase and NADH-DCIP oxidoreductase were masked in membranes. Several procedures, including brief sonic oscillation, treatment with 0.05% deoxycholate, prolonged stirring at 4 C with 10% glycerol, and washing in the absence of Mg(2+), unmasked the oxidase and oxidoreductase activities. It was necessary to study the masking and unmasking of these activities to quantitate adequately the effects of solubilization procedures. Further information on the localization of oxidase and oxidoreductase in subcellular fractions and the effects of electron transport inhibitors on NADH oxidation was also obtained.

Divalent cation activation of deoxycholate-solubilized and -inactivated membrane reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase of Bacillus megaterium KM

After treating Bacillus megaterium KM membranes with 0.2% sodium deoxycholate, most of the membrane reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase was inactivated, and all of the membrane NADH-2,6 dichlorophenol indophenol oxidoreductase was solubilized. Dilution of the deoxycholate-treated membranes in the presence of divalent cations restored almost all of the original membrane NADH oxidase. The effectiveness of the divalent cation activation decreased in the order Ba(2+) > Ca(2+) > Mg(2+) > Mn(2+). After centrifugation, the deoxycholate-treated membranes at 100,000 x g for 1 hr, all of the NADH oxidase that was activated by a divalent cation was soluble. Cation-activated oxidase, however, was insoluble. The results show that 0.2% deoxycholate at least partially solubilizes the total electron chain from NADH to O(2) in an inactive from which can be reactivated by divalent cations with the formation of active, insoluble NADH oxidase.

Hydrogenase measurement with photochemically reduced methyl viologen

Methyl viologen was reduced photochemically in the presence of proflavine and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The reduced methyl viologen was oxidized by hydrogenase from Vibrio succinogenes. H(2) and oxidized methyl viologen were the products. Hydrogenase activity was determined by spectrophotometric measurement of the disappearance of reduced methyl viologen at 600 nm. The extinction coefficient of reduced methyl viologen was determined and is 8.25 mm(-1) x cm(-1) at 600 nm. Optimal conditions for assaying V. succinogenes hydrogenase were developed. Extracts of Escherichia coli and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans catalyzed reduced methyl viologen oxidation in the assay system, whereas Azotobacter vinelandii extracts were inactive.

An attempt to modify the rewarding characteristics of hypothalamic stimulation

7 rats with chronically implanted electrodes in the lateral hypothalamus were allowed to self-stimulate in a Skinner box until they stabilized. Ss were then given avoidance training in a jumping apparatus. The discriminative stimulus for avoidance was reinforcing brain stimulation. All Ss were returned to the Skinner box after avoidance training and were allowed to self-stimulate. No differences were found in lever-pressing as the result of previous avoidance training.