Cross partition and determination of net charge of the isoenzymes of enolase

Inhibition of purified enolases from oral bacteria by fluoride

Enolase activity in strains of oral streptococci previously has been found to be inhibited by 50% (Ki) by fluoride concentrations ranging from 50 to 300 microM or more in the presence of 0.5 to 1.0 mM inorganic phosphate ions. In this study, enolase was extracted and partly purified by a two-step process from five oral bacterial species and the effect of fluoride on the kinetics of enolase examined. The molecular weight of the putative enolase proteins was 46-48 kDa. The Vmax values ranged from 20 to 323 IU/mg and K(m) for glycerate-2-phosphate from 0.22 to 0.74 mM. Enolase activity was inhibited competitively by fluoride, with Ki values ranging from 16 to 54 microM in the presence of 5 mM inorganic phosphate ions. Ki values for phosphate ranged from 2 to 8 mM. The enolase from Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10556 was more sensitive to fluoride (Ki = 16 +/- 2) than was enolase from Streptococcus salivarius ATCC 10575 (Ki = 19 +/- 2) or Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 (Ki = 40 +/- 4) and all three streptococcal strains were more sensitive to fluoride than either Actinomyces naeslundii WVU 627 (Ki = 46 +/- 6) or Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469 (Ki = 54 +/- 6) enolases. The levels of fluoride found to inhibit the streptococcal enolases in this study are much lower than previously reported and are likely to be present in plaque, especially during acidogenesis, and could exert an anti-glycolytic effect.

Phosphorylation of Escherichia coli enolase

In vivo labeling of Escherichia coli JA200 pLC 11-8 resulted in 32P incorporation into enolase as demonstrated by immunoaffinity chromatography and electrophoresis followed by autoradiography. Complete acid hydrolysis, followed by thin layer chromatography was employed for determination of the phosphoamino acid residue. Comparison with phosphoamino acid standards resulted in the identification of a labeled residue corresponding to phosphoserine. In vitro labeling of cell extracts from glucose and acetate grown cells resulted in differential labeling of enolase. When specific radioactivities of in vivo labeled enolase were compared, 7 times more label was incorporated at late log phase in glucose grown cells than in late log acetate grown cells. At stationary phase, only 2.5 times more label was incorporated into glucose compared to acetate. When 32P-labeled enolase from glucose grown cells was subjected to treatment with potato acid phosphatase, dephosphorylation of the enzyme could be observed. Monitoring enzyme activity during the acid phosphatase treatment revealed a 70% decrease for the forward enzyme reaction, and a 3-fold increase, followed by a gradual decrease to almost zero, for the reverse enzyme reaction. Complete reversal of the changes in activity was possible by adding an aliquot of partially purified enolase kinase plus ATP.

Analysis of the domain structure of membranes by fragmentation and separation in aqueous polymer two-phase systems

This paper consists of three parts. The first describes theoretically a general strategy for fragmentation and separation of membranes which can be used in the elucidation of their structure and function. The second part describes a practical separation method, partition in liquid aqueous polymer two-phase systems, which can be used for separation of macromolecules and membrane particles of biological origin. The third part gives examples of the application of this method to membrane vesicles, and how this separation in combination with the strategy described in the first part can be used for analysis of the structure of biological membranes.

Influence of the conformational state on the isoelectric points of rat brain synaptosomes, mitochondria and mitoplasts

The isoelectric points of rat brain synaptosomes, mitochondria and mitoplasts have been determined by using different charged two-phase systems containing dextran and poly(ethylene glycol). The cross-partition diagrams of these organelles show isoelectric points at pH 4.1, 4.5 and 4.7, respectively. The influence of the conformational state of mitochondrial membranes upon their partition in two-phase systems has been studied. Shrunk mitoplasts showed a large change in their partition behavior as reflected by an increased affinity for the lower dextran phase, while shrinkage of mitochondria did not affect their partition. Shrunk mitoplasts showed the same isoelectric point of pH 4.7 as swollen mitoplasts, which indicates that no charge changes occurred on the outer side of the inner mitochondrial membrane during shrinkage of mitoplasts.

Purification of three distinct enolase isoenzymes from yeast

A method for the rapid isolation of yeast enolases, yielding three distinct isoenzymes, has been devised. In the first step anionic proteins were precipitated with polyethyleneimine, whereas hydrophobic enolase isoenzymes remained in the supernatant. Secondly, the supernatant was 45% saturated with ammonium sulfate and bound to phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B. Decreasing ammonium sulfate and simultaneously increasing ethylene glycol concentrations were used for elution. Finally, enolase isoenzymes were separated by chromatofocusing. The purified isoenzymes gave single bands after isoelectric focusing.

Yeast enolase: mechanism of activation by metal ions

Yeast enolase as prepared by current procedures is inherently chemically homogeneous, though deamidation and partial denaturation can produce electrophoretically distinct forms. A true isozyme of the enzyme exists but does not survive the purification procedure. The chemical sequence for both has been established. The enzyme behaves in solution like a compact, nearly spherical molecule of moderate hydration. Strong intramolecular forces maintain the structure of the individual subunits. The enzyme as isolated is dimeric. If dissociated in the presence of magnesium ions and substrate, then the subunits are active, but if the dissociation occurs in the absence of metal ions, they are inactive until they have reassociated and undergone a first order "annealing" process. Magnesium (II) enhances association. The interaction between the subunits is hydrophobic in character. The enzyme can bind up to 2 mol of most metal ions in "conformational" sites which then allows up to 2 mol of substrate or some substrate analogue to bind. This is not sufficient for catalysis, but conformational metal ions do more than just allow substrate binding. A change in the environment of the metal ions occurs on substrate or substrate analogue binding. There is an absolute correlation between the occurrence of a structural change undergone by the 3-amino analogue of phosphoenolpyruvate and whether the metal ions produce any level of enzymatic activity. For catalysis, two more moles of metal ions, called "catalytic", must bind. There is evidence that the enzymatic reaction involves a carbanion mechanism. It is likely that two more moles of metal ion can bind which inhibit the reaction. The requirement for 2 mol of metal ion per subunit which contribute in different ways to catalysis is exhibited by a number of other enzymes.

Phylogenetic distribution of neuron-specific enolase

Neurons and neuroendocrine cells contain a unique isoenzyme of the glycolytic enzyme enolase which is not found in other cells. This acidic enolase isoenzyme has been designated neuron specific enolase or NSE and is easily identified by its elution on DEAE sephadex. The present study shows that brain tissue from species such as yeast, fish and frog do not contain appreciable amounts of acidic "NSE-like" enolase suggesting that lower species do not have this neuronal isoenzyme.

Isoelectric points of spinach thylakoid membrane surfaces as determined by cross partition

The isoelectric points of unbroken chloroplast lamellae and various subchloroplast fractions, including a preparation of inside-out thylakoids, have been determined using aqueous two-phase systems containing dextran and charged polyethylene glycol. When the amounts of material in the top phase in a phase system with the positively charged trimethylamino polyethylene glycol are plotted against pH the curve intersects the corresponding curve obtained from phase systems with the negatively charged polyethylene glycol sulfonate. This cross-point can be correlated with the isoelectric point of the material. The cross-point for unbroken chloroplast lamellae was found to be around pH 4.7. Mechanical disintegration lowered the cross-point to around pH 4.4, probably because of exposure of new membrane surfaces. The disintegrated chloroplasts were fractionated by differential centrifugation to separate the grana and stroma lamellae. The stroma lamellae vesicles showed the same isoelectric point as the unbroken lamellae, while a cross-point at pH 4.3 was obtained for the grana-enriched fraction. For thylakoid membranes destacked under low salt conditions the cross-point was 0.3 pH unit lower than for membranes originating exclusively from the stroma lamellae. The most acidic crosspoint (pH 4.1) was observed for the fraction enriched in inside-out granathylakoids. It is suggested that the differences in isoelectric point between various subchloroplast fractions reflect a heterogeneous arrangement of surface charge along and across the thylakoid membrane.