The mechanisms of inactivation of sulfite oxidase by periodate and arsenite

Making Moco: A Personal History

This contribution describes the path of my nearly forty-year quest to understand the special ligand coordinated to molybdenum and tungsten ions in their respective enzymes. Through this quest, I aimed to discover why nature did not simply use a methyl group on the dithiolene that chelates Mo and W but instead chose a complicated pyranopterin. My journey sought answers through the synthesis of model Mo compounds that allowed systematic investigations of the interactions between molybdenum and pterin and molybdenum and pterin-dithiolene and revealed special features of the pyranopterin dithiolene chelate bound to molybdenum.

Insight into sulfur dioxide and its derivatives metabolism in living system with visualized evidences via ultra-sensitive fluorescent probe

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and its derivatives have long been considered as hazardous environmental pollutants but commonly used as food additives in safe dose range. They also could be produced from biological metabolism process of sulfur-containing amino acids. However, their physiological roles remain extremely obscure mainly due to lack of efficient tools for monitoring and imaging strategy establishment. Furthermore, most of current studies of this aspect focus on novel probe design or just imaging them rather than on the ins and outs. Therefore, there is a high significance of establishing highly sensitive detection strategy for monitoring SO₂ derivatives in living systems, food and environment. Herein, we design a fluorescent probe MS-Bindol for sensitively detecting SO₂ derivatives with a low detection limit (0.2 nM). We have established an imaging strategy for investigation of SO₂ derivatives metabolism in living cells and zebrafish, providing visualize evidences and verified that SO₂ derivatives could be synthetized from thiosulfate and glutathione(GSH) and be hardly consumed by using sulfite oxidase inhibitors (ferricyanide or arsenite). Moreover, the probe also exhibits excellent practicability in food as well as environmental samples. Our studies may help biologist for better understanding SO₂ derivatives metabolism and deeply explore their physiological roles in biological systems.

Solid phase protein chemical synthesis

The chemical synthesis of peptides or small proteins is often an important step in many research projects and has stimulated the development of numerous chemical methodologies. The aim of this review is to give a substantial overview of the solid phase methods developed for the production or purification of polypeptides. The solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) technique has facilitated considerably the access to short peptides (<50 amino acids). However, its limitations for producing large homogeneous peptides have stimulated the development of solid phase covalent or non-covalent capture purification methods. The power of the native chemical ligation (NCL) reaction for protein synthesis in aqueous solution has also been adapted to the solid phase by the combination of novel linker technologies, cysteine protection strategies and thioester or N,S-acyl shift thioester surrogate chemistries. This review details pioneering studies and the most recent publications related to the solid phase chemical synthesis of large peptides and proteins.

α-Oxo aldehyde or glyoxylyl group chemistry in peptide bioconjugation

Since the 1990s, α-oxo aldehyde or glyoxylic acid chemistry has inspired a vast array of synthetic tools for tailoring peptide or protein structures, for developing peptides endowed with novel physicochemical properties or biological functions, for assembling a large diversity of bioconjugates or hybrid materials, or for designing peptide-based micro or nanosystems. This past decade, important developments have enriched the α-oxo aldehyde synthetic tool box in peptide bioconjugation chemistry and explored novel applications. The aim of this review is to give a large overview of this creative field.

Enhanced structural stability of Concholepas hemocyanin increases its immunogenicity and maintains its non-specific immunostimulatory effects

Hemocyanins, which boost the immune system of mammals, have been used as carrier-adjuvants to promote Ab production against haptens and peptides, as immunostimulants during therapy for bladder carcinoma and as a component in therapeutic vaccines for cancer. These biomedical applications have led to growing interest in obtaining hemocyanins with high immunogenicity. Here, we study the immunological properties of a modified oxidized Concholepas concholepas hemocyanin (Ox-CCH) obtained by the oxidation of its carbohydrates using sodium periodate. We assessed the internalization of Ox-CCH into DCs and its immunogenicity and antitumor effects. Transmission electron microscopy showed no changes in Ox-CCH quaternary structure with respect to native CCH, although proteolytic treatment followed by SDS-PAGE analysis demonstrated that Schiff bases were formed. Interestingly, DCs internalized Ox-CCH faster than CCH, mainly through macropinocytosis. During this process, Ox-CCH remained inside endosome-like structures for a longer period. Mouse immunization experiments demonstrated that Ox-CCH is more immunogenic and a better carrier than CCH. Moreover, Ox-CCH showed a significant antitumor effect in the B16F10 melanoma model similar to that produced by CCH, inducing IFN-γ secretion. Together, these data demonstrate that the aldehydes formed by the periodate oxidation of sugar moieties stabilizes the CCH structure, increasing its adjuvant/immunostimulatory carrier effects.

Arsenite oxidase from Ralstonia sp. 22: characterization of the enzyme and its interaction with soluble cytochromes

We characterized the aro arsenite oxidation system in the novel strain Ralstonia sp. 22, a beta-proteobacterium isolated from soil samples of the Salsigne mine in southern France. The inducible aro system consists of a heterodimeric membrane-associated enzyme reacting with a dedicated soluble cytochrome c(554). Our biochemical results suggest that the weak association of the enzyme to the membrane probably arises from a still unknown interaction partner. Analysis of the phylogeny of the aro gene cluster revealed that it results from a lateral gene transfer from a species closely related to Achromobacter sp. SY8. This constitutes the first clear cut case of such a transfer in the Aro phylogeny. The biochemical study of the enzyme demonstrates that it can accommodate in vitro various cytochromes, two of which, c(552) and c(554,) are from the parent species. Cytochrome c(552) belongs to the sox and not the aro system. Kinetic studies furthermore established that sulfite and sulfide, substrates of the sox system, are both inhibitors of Aro activity. These results reinforce the idea that sulfur and arsenic metabolism are linked.

Genetic studies of a cluster of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases in Churchill County, Nevada

OBJECTIVE

In a study to identify exposures associated with 15 cases of childhood leukemia, we found levels of tungsten, arsenic, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene in participants to be higher than mean values reported in the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals. Because case and comparison families had similar levels of these contaminants, we conducted genetic studies to identify gene polymorphisms that might have made case children more susceptible than comparison children to effects of the exposures.

DESIGN

We compared case with comparison children to determine whether differences existed in the frequency of polymorphic genes, including genes that code for enzymes in the folate and purine pathways. We also included discovery of polymorphic forms of genes that code for enzymes that are inhibited by tungsten: xanthine dehydrogenase, sulfite oxidase (SUOXgene), and aldehyde oxidase.

PARTICIPANTS

Eleven case children were age- and sex-matched with 42 community comparison children for genetic analyses. Twenty parents of case children also contributed to the analyses.

RESULTS

One bilalleleic gene locus in SUOX was significantly associated with either case or comparison status, depending on which alleles the child carried (without adjusting for multiple comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

Although genetic studies did not provide evidence that a common agent or genetic susceptibility factor caused the leukemias, the association between a SUOXgene locus and disease status in the presence of high tungsten and arsenic levels warrants further investigation.

RELEVANCE

Although analyses of community clusters of cancer have rarely identified causes, these findings have generated hypotheses to be tested in subsequent studies.

A novel thermostable sulfite oxidase from Thermus thermophilus: characterization of the enzyme, gene cloning and expression in Escherichia coli

A novel sulfite oxidase has been identified from Thermus thermophilus AT62. Despite this enzyme showing significant amino-acid sequence homology to several bacterial and eukaryal putative and identified sulfite oxidases, the kinetic analysis, performed following the oxidation of sulfite and with ferricyanide as the electron acceptor, already pointed out major differences from representatives of bacterial and eukaryal sources. Sulfite oxidase from T. thermophilus, purified to homogeneity, is a monomeric enzyme with an apparent molecular mass of 39.1 kDa and is almost exclusively located in the periplasm fraction. The enzyme showed sulfite oxidase activity only when ferricyanide was used as electron acceptor, which is different from most of sulfite-oxidizing enzymes from several sources that use cytochrome c as co-substrate. Spectroscopic studies demonstrated that the purified sulfite oxidase has no cytochrome like domain, normally present in homologous enzymes from eukaryotic and prokaryotic sources, and for this particular feature it is similar to homologous enzyme from Arabidopsis thaliana. The identified gene was PCR amplified on T. thermophilus AT62 genome, expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein identified and characterized.

Involvement of both a Zn2+ site and an anionic binding site in the selective inhibition of a Zn(2+)-glycerophosphocholine cholinephosphodiesterase by thiols and tellurites

Inhibition of a Zn(2+)-glycerophosphocholine cholinephosphodiesterase by thiols or tellurites were examined mechanistically. Inactivation of the phosphodiesterase by thio-carboxylates, which was due to the removal of Zn2+ in the catalytic site, was enhanced by introduction of an amino group in the structure of thiols, suggesting the presence of an anionic site adjacent to a Zn2+ site. In support of the suggestion, it was found that thiols, associable with both a Zn2+ site and an anionic site, were more potent reversible inhibitors; dimethylaminoethanethiol (Ki, 17 microM), diethylaminoethanethiol (Ki, 1.2 microM) and thiocholine (Ki, 2.6 microM). Meanwhile, the inhibition of the phosphodiesterase by tellurites is ascribed to the binding of tellurite anions to a Zn2+ site, based on the protective action of tellurite anions against the inactivation of the enzyme by EDTA. Moreover, the inhibition of the phosphodiesterase by tellurites was prevented by phosphate ions, which expressed the protective effect against EDTA inactivation. In further support, it was observed that tellurite and thiocholine appeared to interact with active site in an additive manner, in contrast to a synergistic action between tellurites and quaternary ammonium compounds such as acetylcholine or choline.

The vacuolar ATPase: sulfite stabilization and the mechanism of nitrate inactivation

Using vacuolar membranes from Neurospora crassa, we observed that sulfite prevented the loss of vacuolar ATPase activity that otherwise occurred during 36 h at room temperature. Sulfite neither activated nor changed the kinetic behavior of the enzyme. Further, in the presence of sulfite, the vacuolar ATPase was not inhibited by nitrate. We tested the hypothesis that sulfite acts as a reducing agent to stabilize the enzyme, while nitrate acts as an oxidizing agent, inhibiting the enzyme by promoting the formation of disulfide bonds. All reducing agents tested, dithionite, selenite, thiophosphate, dithiothreitol and glutathione, prevented the loss of ATPase activity. On the other hand, all oxidizing agents tested, bromate, iodate, arsenite, perchlorate, and hydrogen peroxide, were potent inhibitors of ATPase activity. The inhibitory effect of the oxidizing agents was specific for the vacuolar ATPase. The mitochondrial ATPase, assayed under identical conditions, was not inhibited by any of the oxidizing agents. Analysis of proteins with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that nitrate can promote the formation of disufide bonds between proteins in the vacuolar membrane. These data suggest a mechanism to explain why nitrate specifically inhibits vacuolar ATPases, and they support the proposal by Feng and Forgac (Feng, Y., and Forgac, M. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13244-13230) that oxidation and reduction of critical cysteine residues may regulate the activity of vacuolar ATPases in vivo.

Investigation of the early steps of molybdopterin biosynthesis in Escherichia coli through the use of in vivo labeling studies

The early steps in the biosynthesis of the molybdopterin portion of the molybdenum cofactor have been investigated through the use of radiolabeled precursors. Labeled guanosine was added to growing cultures of the molybdopterin-deficient Escherichia coli mutant, moeB, which accumulates large amounts of precursor Z, the final intermediate in molybdopterin biosynthesis (Wuebbens, M. M., and Rajagopalan, K. V. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 13493-13498). Precursor Z is readily oxidized to the stable, fluorescent pterin, compound Z, which contains all 10 of the carbon atoms present in molybdopterin. For these experiments, compound Z was isolated from both the cells and culture media and analyzed for the presence of label. The development of a method for sequential cleavage of the compound Z side chain carbons facilitated determination of the distribution of label between the ring and the side chain of compound Z. Addition of uniformly labeled [14C]guanosine to moeB cultures produced compound Z labeled in both the ring and the side chain. Growth on [8-14C]guanosine resulted in transfer of label to the C-1' position of compound Z. The label present in compound Z purified from cultures grown on [8,5'-3H]guanosine was lost by removal of the three terminal side chain carbons. These results indicate that although a guanosine compound serves as the initial precursor for molybdopterin biosynthesis, the early steps of this pathway in E. coli proceed via a pathway unlike that of any known pteridine biosynthetic pathway.

Microbial metabolism of quinoline and related compounds. XVIII. Purification and some properties of the molybdenum- and iron-containing quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase from Serratia marcescens 2CC-1

Serratia marcecens 2CC-1 utilizes quinaldic acid (quinoline 2-carboxylic acid) as sole source of carbon, nitrogen and energy. Growth of strain 2CC-1 on quinaldic acid as well as on nicotinic acid and hypoxanthine was inhibited completely by the molybdate antagonist tungstate, whereas growth on kynurenic acid and 6-hydroxynicotinic acid was not affected by tungstate. The synthesis of the molybdenum-containing hydroxylases quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase and nicotinic acid 6-oxidoreductase was found to be inducible. In addition, Serratia marcescens 2CC-1 produced a constitutively expressed xanthine oxidoreductase. Quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase was purified 1075-fold with a recovery of 5%. For catalytic activity, artificial electron acceptors were necessary. The 95-100-kDa enzyme was a heterodimer with subunit molecular masses of 75-80 kDa and 18-19 kDa. Quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase contained 2.3-3.7 g atom of iron and 0.5-0.6 g atom of molybdenum per mol of enzyme. The absorption spectrum exhibited maxima at 280 nm, 334 nm, 480 nm and a shoulder at 550 nm, with A280/A334 = 4.8, A280/A450 = 10.0, A280/A480 = 9.4, and A450/A550 = 1.6, suggesting the absence of a flavin cofactor. Acridine, quinacrine, ethylenediaminetetraacetate, 2,2'-dipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline and iodoacetate did not affect enzyme activity. p-Hydroxymercuribenzoate, m-arsenite, cyanide and methanol were effective inhibitors of quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase. Cyanide-inhibited enzyme was reactivated by treatment with S2-, indicating the presence of a pterin molybdenum cofactor with a monooxo-monosulfidotype molybdenum center. Quinaldic acid 4-oxidoreductase showed a very high substrate specificity, quinaldic acid being the only substrate found to be transformed significantly.