Solvent isotope effects on the structure and function of mitochondrial membranes in aqueous media

Heat protection by deuterium oxide of heat sensitive and wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells

The ability of deuterium oxide (D2O) to protect a heat-sensitive and thermotolerance-impaired Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) mutant cell line, HS-36 (Harvey and Bedford 1988), from heat killing was examined and compared to the parent CHO 10B cell line (WT). Both non-thermotolerant (NT) and thermotolerant (TT) G1 populations were examined. D2O differentially protected the NT cell lines from heat killing, with thermal protection ratios (D0) of 2 x 5 and 4 x 3 for HS-36 and WT cells, respectively. D2O provided additional protection to TT cells, but now protected the TT HS-36 cells more than the TT WT cells when the thermal protection ratios of TT cells are compared with those of NT cells (1.15 versus 0.82). The differential protection from heat of the mutant and wild-type lines by D2O may be useful in studies of induced lesions in proteinaceous cellular systems (e.g. the nuclear matrix, cytoskeleton and plasma membrane) using these two paired cell lines.

Inhibition by capsaicin of NADH-quinone oxidoreductases is correlated with the presence of energy-coupling site 1 in various organisms

The NADH-ubiquinone reductase activity of the respiratory chains of several organisms was inhibited by capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, which are the pungent principles of red pepper. This inhibition was correlated with the presence of an energy transducing site in this segment of the respiratory chain. Where the NADH-quinone oxidoreductase segment involved an energy coupling site (e.g., in Paracoccus denitrificans, Escherichia coli, and Thermus thermophilus HB-8 membranes and bovine heart mitochondria), capsaicin acted as an inhibitor of ubiquinone reduction by NADH. In contrast, where this energy coupling site was absent (e.g., in Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria and Bacillus subtilis membranes), there was no inhibition of NADH-ubiquinone reductase activity by capsaicin. The capsaicin inhibition of Paracoccus membranes was reversed by washing the membranes with medium containing bovine serum albumin. In the E. coli and Paracoccus membranes and bovine submitochondrial particles, capsaicin acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor for ubiquinone-1 at lower concentrations of ubiquinone-1 (less than 20 microM) and as a competitive inhibitor at higher concentrations of ubiquinone-1 (greater than 50 microM). In addition, the concentrations of capsaicin required for 50% inhibition of NADH oxidase activity of bovine submitochondrial particles were increased when ubiquinone-10 was added to the particles. The mechanism by which capsaicin inhibits the energy-transducing NADH-quinone oxidoreductase is discussed.

Deuterons cannot replace protons in active transport processes in yeast

Replacement of ordinary water with heavy water causes a sharp reduction of the rates of both primary hydrogen ion transport (at the plasma membrane ATPase) and secondary symports (H(+)-associated transports of sugars and amino acids) in several species of yeast. At the same time, the hydrolytic activity of the ATPase is affected only very little. Likewise, the membrane potential, the delta pH and, correspondingly, the accumulation ratios of the various symported solutes are altered much less. This serves as evidence that H+ or H3O+ ions are direct participants in the various active transports of nutrients in yeast.

Inhibition of heat shock (stress) protein induction by deuterium oxide and glycerol: additional support for the abnormal protein hypothesis of induction

The patterns of radioactively labeled proteins from cultured chicken embryo cells stressed in the presence of either D2O or glycerol were analyzed by using one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These hyperthermic protectors blocked the induction of stress proteins during a 1-hour heat shock at 44 degrees C. The inhibitory effect of glycerol but not D2O on the induction of heat shock proteins could be overcome by increased temperature. By using transcriptional run-on assays of isolated nuclei and cDNA probes to detect hsp70- and hsp88-specific RNA transcripts, it was shown that the D2O and glycerol blocks occurred at or before transcriptional activation of the hsp70 and hsp88 genes. After heat-stressed cells were returned to 37 degrees C and the protectors were removed, heat shock proteins were inducible by a second heating. This result and the fact that the chemical stressor sodium arsenite induced stress proteins in glycerol medium indicated that the treatments did not irreversibly inhibit the induction pathways and that the stress response could be triggered even in the presence of glycerol by a stressor other than heat. In principle then, cells incurring thermal damage during a 1-hour heat shock at 44 degrees C in D2O or glycerol medium should be competent to respond by inducing heat shock proteins during a subsequent recovery period at 37 degrees C in normal medium. We found that heat shock proteins were not induced in recovering cells, suggesting that glycerol and D2O protected heat-sensitive targets from thermal damage. Evidence that the heat-sensitive target(s) is likely to be a protein(s) is summarized. During heat shocks of up to 3 hours duration, neither D2O nor glycerol significantly altered hsp23 gene activity, a constitutively expressed chicken heat shock gene whose RNA transcripts and protein products are induced by stabilization (increased half-life). During a 2-hour heat shock, glycerol treatment blocked the heat-induced stabilization of hsp23 RNA and proteins; however, D2O treatment only blocked RNA transcript stabilization, effectively uncoupling the hsp23 protein stabilization pathway from hsp23 RNA stabilization and transcriptional activation of hsp70 and hsp88 genes.

Simultaneous synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP regulated by the inhibitor protein in submitochondrial particles

Coupled submitochondrial particles from bovine heart with ATP synthases devoid of control by the inhibitor protein of Pullman and Monroy [J. Biol. Chem. 238, 3762-3769 (1963)] can be prepared by incubation of Mg-ATP particles in 50 mM phosphate, 250 mM sucrose, and greater than 95% D2O (pD 7.8) at 38 degrees C. As monitored with oxonol, the respiring particles build up and maintain a delta psi about 5-10% lower than that of the starting preparation. With oligomycin delta psi of the two preparations is the same. In the presence of an ATP trap (hexokinase and glucose), the two types of particles carry out oxidative phosphorylation at comparable rates. Low concentrations of oligomycin induce a small enhancement of the rate of ATP synthesis in non-controlled particles. In the absence of an ATP trap, net accumulation of ATP, as driven by electron transport in particles without control by the inhibitor protein, is low. Apparently this is due to lack of control by the inhibitor protein of ATP hydrolysis that occurs during oxidative phosphorylation.

Modification of bovine heart succinate dehydrogenase with ethoxyformic anhydride and rose bengal: evidence for essential histidyl residues protectable by substrates

Purified and membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) from bovine heart mitochondria was inhibited by the histidine-modifying reagents ethoxyformic anhydride (EFA) and Rose Bengal in the presence of light. Succinate and competitive inhibitors protected against inhibition, and decreased the number of histidyl residues modified by EFA. The essential residue modified by EFA was not the essential thiol of SDH, but modification of the essential thiol abolished the protective effect of malonate against inhibition of SDH by EFA. The EFA inhibition was reversed by hydroxylamine nearly completely when the inhibition was less than or equal to 35%, and only partially when the inhibition was more extensive. The uv spectrum of EFA-modified SDH before and after hydroxylamine treatment suggested that extensive inhibition of SDH with EFA may result in ethoxyformylation at both imidazole nitrogens of histidyl residues. Such a modification is not reversed by hydroxylamine. Succinate dehydrogenases and fumarate reductases from several different sources have similar compositions, and the two enzymes from Escherichia coli have considerable homology in the amino acid composition of their respective flavoprotein and iron-sulfur protein subunits. In the former, there is a short stretch containing conserved histidine, cysteine, and arginine residues. These residues, if also conserved in the bovine enzyme, may be the essential active site residues suggested by this work (histidine) and previously (cysteine, arginine).

Possible occurrence and role of an essential histidyl residue in succinate dehydrogenase

Diethylpyrocarbonate (Et2PC) inhibits the succinate dehydrogenase [succinate:(acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.99.1] activity of submitochondrial particles, Complex II (succinate:ubiquinone oxidoreductase), and the soluble, pure succinate dehydrogenase. The reaction order with respect to Et2PC concentration is close to unity, suggesting modification of one essential residue per active unit of the enzyme. The pH profile of Et2PC inhibition, the partial reversal of inhibition by hydroxylamine, and the spectral change of the Et2PC-treated enzyme in the UV region suggest modification of a histidyl residue. Succinate dehydrogenase activity can be protected against Et2PC inhibition by succinate, fumarate, malonate, or oxaloacetate (also by activating anions such as ClO4(-) and Br-), suggesting that the Et2PC-modified essential residue might be at the active site. In both submitochondrial particles and the purified enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase activity is highest and relatively constant at pH greater than or equal to 7.0 and diminishes precipitously at pH less than 7.0. By contrast, fumarate reductase activity is highest at pH less than or equal to 7.0 and diminishes at pH greater than 7.0. These results are consistent with the possible participation of the unprotonated and protonated forms of the imidazole moiety of the putative histidyl residue, respectively, in succinate oxidation and fumarate reduction.

A selected bibliography of biomedical and environmental applications of stable isotopes. I--Deuterium 1971-1976

A compilation of selected references to the use of deuterium in biochemical, pharmacological, clinical and environmental applications for the period 1971-1976 is presented. As a further aid, author and subject indices have been compiled.