Chloroplast Membrane Proteins

Stable isotope dilution techniques for assessing vitamin A status and bioefficacy of provitamin A carotenoids in humans

Vitamin A deficiency is a major global public health problem. Among the variety of techniques that are available for assessing human vitamin A status, evaluating the provitamin A nutritional values of foodstuffs and estimating human vitamin A requirements, isotope dilution provides the most accurate estimates. Although the relative expense of isotope dilution restricts its applications, it has an important function as the standard of reference for other techniques. Mathematical modelling plays an indispensable role in the interpretation of isotope dilution data. This review summarises recent applications of stable isotope methodology to determine human vitamin A status, estimate human vitamin A requirements, and calculate the bioconversion and bioefficacy of food carotenoids.

Spinach or carrots can supply significant amounts of vitamin A as assessed by feeding with intrinsically deuterated vegetables

BACKGROUND

The vitamin A value of spinach and carrots needs to be measured directly.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to determine the vitamin A value of intrinsically labeled dietary spinach and carrots in humans.

DESIGN

Spinach and carrots were intrinsically labeled by growing these plants in 25 atom% 2H2O nutrient solution. Growth in this medium yielded a range of trans beta-carotene (tbeta-carotene) isotopomers with a peak enrichment at molecular mass plus 10 mass units. Seven men with a mean (+/-SD) age of 59.0 +/- 6.3 y and a body mass index (in kg/m2) of 25.7 +/- 1.5 consumed puréed spinach (300 g, 20.8 micromol tbeta-carotene equivalents) or carrots (100 g, 19.2 micromol tbeta-carotene equivalents) with a standardized liquid diet (no extra fiber) in random order 4 mo apart. Seven women with a mean (+/-SD) age of 55.5 +/- 6.3 y and a body mass index of 26.4 +/- 4.2 consumed puréed spinach only (300 g, 20.0 micromol tbeta-carotene equivalents). A reference dose of [13C8]retinyl acetate (8.9 micromol) in oil was given to each subject 1 wk after each vegetable dose. Blood samples were collected over 35 d.

RESULTS

Areas under the curve for total labeled serum beta-carotene responses were 42.4 +/- 8.5 nmol.d per micromol spinach beta-carotene and 119.8 +/- 23.0 nmol.d per micromol carrot beta-carotene (P < 0.01). Compared with the [13C8]retinyl acetate reference dose, spinach tbeta-carotene conversion to retinol was 20.9 +/- 9.0 to 1 (range: 10.0-46.5 to 1) and carrot tbeta-carotene conversion to retinol was 14.8 +/- 6.5 to 1 (range: 7.7-24.5 to 1) by weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinach and carrots can provide a significant amount of vitamin A even though the amount is not as great as previously proposed. Food matrices greatly affect the bioavailability of plant carotenoids, their efficiency of conversion to vitamin A, or both.

Accumulation of a complex form of β-carotene byPhycomyces blakesleeanus cytoplasmic mutants

Phycomyces blakesleeanus colour mutants of a new class have been isolated. The mutants form red mycelia when grown in the dark and show vegetative segregation. The affected gene, amedcarE, behaves as an extranuclear genetic factor. The red phenotype ofcarE mutants is caused by the accumulation of β-carotene in a form showing spectral shift to longer wavelengths. The spectral shift is abolished in vitro by heat or protease treatment and in vivo by the presence of light or retinol.

Contribution to the structural characterization of eucaryotic PSI reaction centre-I. Critical analysis of the polypeptidic composition of different P700 enriched fractions

In thylakoid membranes, several peptides of high MW† are present which may interfere with the study of CP1's components. Modifying Cleveland's technique [7] for limited proteolysis, we have characterized the polypeptides found in the 60 kD region. Some may result from incomplete washing of the CF1 while others come from the CP1; indeed, this chlorophyll protein complex, which has a higher MW (above 100 kD), very often undergoes a dissociation into smaller components of about 60 KD MW.Analysis of the protein content of different preparations commonly used to obtain PSI reaction centre enriched fractions has been performed. The α and β subunits of CF1 are among the main contaminants of most of these preparations. A further purification step is described which can be applied to all these preparations, but numerous peptides are still present in the active fractions. It is most unlikely that all these polypeptides are required for the primary photochemical event, and this emphasizes the necessity to find a new simple method to purify PSI reaction centres.

Purification and characterization of 33 kilodalton protein of spinach chloroplasts

A protein was prepared from spinach chloroplasts in a highly purified form. The isoelectric point of the protein was 5.2. The apparent molecular weight was estimated to be 33 000 by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and urea, and 34 000 by gel filtration column chromatography with Sephadex G-100. The protein was provisionally named '33 kilodalton protein' according to the molecular weight. The absorption spectrum of the protein did not show any absorption band in the visible region. No histidine was found in the amino acid analysis of the protein. The 33 kilodalton protein was released from the thylakoid membrane by EDTA-treatment and also by sonic oscillation. The protein was bound to System II particles, but not to System I particles.

Polypeptide profiles of chlorophyll . protein complexes and thylakoid membranes of spinach chloroplasts

In addition to the major chlorophyll . protein complexes I and II, two minor chlorophyll proteins have been observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS))-polyacrylamide gels of spinach chloroplast membranes. These minor pigmented zones appeared to be derived from the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b . protein and from the reaction centre complex of Photosystem II. Data are presented on the polypeptide profiles of purified digitonin-subschloroplast particles, with special regard to the effect of solubilization temperature and extraction of lipids. The results are compared with the SDS-polypeptide pattern of spinach thylakoids obtained under exactly the same conditions with respect to electrophoresis technique, solubilization method and presence of lipid. In addition, the effects of temperature and lipid extraction on the distinct chlorophyll . protein complexes appearing in SDS gel electrophoretograms of chloroplast membranes were studied by slicing the chlorophyll-containing regions and subjecting them to a second run with or without heating or extraction with acetone. By supplementing these data with an examination of the polypeptide composition of cytochrome f and coupling factor, it has been possible to identify most of the major chloroplast membrane polypeptides.

Chemical modification by trinitrobenzenesulfonate of a lipid and proteins of intracytoplasmic membranes isolated from Chromatium vinosum and Azotobacter vinelandii

1. The structure of intracytoplasmic membranes of a photosynthetic bacterium chromatium vinosum and a nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii was studied by chemical modification of amino groups of phosphatidylethanolamine and proteins with trinitrobenzenesulfonate. 2. Almost all the constituents of intracytoplasmic membranes of C. vinosum were solubilized in a mixture of chloroform, methanol and trichloroacetic acid. One-third of proteins in the intracytoplasmic membranes of C. vinosum was found solubilized in a mixture of chloroform and methanol. By using a column chromatography with Sephadex LH-20 in organic solvents, the unmodified as well as the trinitrophenylated proteins and also the trinitrophenylated phosphatidylethanolamine were separated from the other colored substances. 3. In the chemical modification of the intracytoplasmic membrane preparations, 30% of phosphatidylethanolamine and 15% of protein amino groups in C. vinosum and 45% of phosphatidylethanolamine and 20% of protein amino groups in A. vinelandii were estimated to be exposed to the aqueous phase. In the single-layered liposomes composed of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol with a ratio of 2:1, 40% of phosphatidylethanolamine were estimated to be exposed to the aqueous phase.

Glycine transport by hemolysed and restored pigeon red cells. Effects of a Donnan-induced electrical potential on entry and exit kinetics

The influence of a Donnan effect on the transport of glycine by hemolysed and restored pigeon red cells was examined. The Donnan effect was produced by replacing Cl- with 2,4-toluenedisulfonate or glutamate. The effects of the associated membrane potential and inside-outside pH difference on glycine entry and exit rates were examined. The effects of pH on entry and exit rates in the absence of a Donnan effect were also examined. In the absence of a Donnan effect, Na+-dependent glycine entry requires the protonated form of a group with a pKapp of 7.9 and the deprotonated form of another group with a pKapp of 6.8. Neither of these are required for exit but the deprotonated form of a group(s) with a pKapp of 6.2 is required. The pK 7.9 group and pK 6.2 group probably react with H+ at the inner face of the membrane and the pK 6.8 group probably reacts at the outer face. The V for glycine entry was determined for cells with their Cl- largely replaced by toluenedisulfonate and without such replacement. Between pH 6.1 and 7, the ratio of the respective V values, VT/VC1, was 1.5-1.7. VT/VC1 rose above pH 7 to near 4 at pH 8.3. At pH 6.9, with glutamate replacing cell Cl-, the analogous ratio (VGlu/VC1) was 1.7. The increase of VT/VC1 above pH 7 could be quantitatively accounted for by the increase in cell [H+]/medium [H+] caused by the Donnan effect together with the assumption that the pK 7.9 group reacts with H+ at the inner face of the membrane. When cell Cl- was replaced by toluenedisulfonate or glutamate there was a drop in the term in the glycine Km describing Na+ dependence of glycine entry. When cell Cl- was replaced by toluenedisulfonate therewas a rise in the Na+-independent term in the glycine entry Km. By replacing varying amounts of cell Cl- with either toluenedisulfonate or glutamate, plots were obtained of entry rates vs. the cell [Cl-]/ medium [Cl-] ratio consistent with the assumption that the Donnan-induced membrane potential acts on a "moving" charge. Glycine exit was only slightly accelerated by trans-toluenedisulfonate. The ratio, exit rate into toluenedisulfonate medium/exit rate into Cl- medium rose with decreasing pH. This rise could be accounted for by a Donnan-induced inside-outside pH difference which affects a pKapp 6.2 group reacting with internal H+. The observed influences of the Donnan effect on V (glycine entry), on both components of Km (glycine entry), on the shape of the plot of glycine entry rate vs. the cell [Cl-]/medium [Cl-] ratio and on glycine exit all fit the assumptions that when the empty porter reorients, one unit of negative charge accompanies it "across" the membrane and that no other steps involve charge movement. The properties of the system seem inconsistent with a translational ("ferry boat") mobile carrier.