Enzymatic assay for chloride ion with chloride-dependent sarcosine oxidase created by site-directed mutagenesis

Thiol-tolerant assay for quantitative colorimetric determination of chloride released from whole-cell biodehalogenations

Determination of inorganic chloride released from a chloro-organic compound by whole-cell or enzymatic dehalogenation can be affected by free thiols, phosphate, sugars, pH, the chloro-organic substrate, and its dehalogenation product. For these reasons a highly sensitive, colorimetric chloride assay on the basis of [FeCl]2+ (lambda(max) = 340 nm) formed in highly acidic medium which is insensitive to composition of culture medium, free thiols, substrate, and dehalogenation product was developed. It is applicable to both fungal and bacterial high-cell-density cultures. The [FeCl]2+ method provides reliable data and is convenient for the rapid and facile determination of dehalogenation kinetics.

Creatine and creatinine metabolism

The goal of this review is to present a comprehensive survey of the many intriguing facets of creatine (Cr) and creatinine metabolism, encompassing the pathways and regulation of Cr biosynthesis and degradation, species and tissue distribution of the enzymes and metabolites involved, and of the inherent implications for physiology and human pathology. Very recently, a series of new discoveries have been made that are bound to have distinguished implications for bioenergetics, physiology, human pathology, and clinical diagnosis and that suggest that deregulation of the creatine kinase (CK) system is associated with a variety of diseases. Disturbances of the CK system have been observed in muscle, brain, cardiac, and renal diseases as well as in cancer. On the other hand, Cr and Cr analogs such as cyclocreatine were found to have antitumor, antiviral, and antidiabetic effects and to protect tissues from hypoxic, ischemic, neurodegenerative, or muscle damage. Oral Cr ingestion is used in sports as an ergogenic aid, and some data suggest that Cr and creatinine may be precursors of food mutagens and uremic toxins. These findings are discussed in depth, the interrelationships are outlined, and all is put into a broader context to provide a more detailed understanding of the biological functions of Cr and of the CK system.