The glycosulphatase of Trichoderma viride

Arylsulphatase and glycosulphatase of Charonia lampas. Substrate specificity towards sugar sulphate derivatives

The specificity of the arylsulphatase and glycosulphatase enzymes of the marine mollusc Charonia lampas towards a number of carbohydrate sulphate esters was examined. The results confirm that the relationship between the established nomenclature of the two enzymes and their respective specificities is inconsistent.

Liberation of sulfate from sulfate esters by soils

When incubated with acid, alkaline, and neutral soils, a variety of synthetic sulfate esters representing the various classes of these compounds was hydrolyzed by enzymes, probably of microbial origin. The appearance of sulfate in the soil water occurred immediately after introduction into the soils with some esters, whereas with others it occurred only after lag periods. Heat treatment destroyed the hydrolytic acitivity in the soils. The ester sulfate groups present in humic acid extracted from the soil appeared to be resistant to hydrolysis by a variety of sulfohydrolases extracted from bacteria and other organisms.

Induction of primary alkysulphatases and metabolism of sodium hexan-1-yl sulphate by Pseudomonas C12B

Sodium hexan-1-yl sulphate and certain related alkyl sulphate esters have been shown to serve as inducers of the formation of primary alkylsulphatases (designated as P1 and P2) in Pseudomonas C12B. When the organism is grown on sodium hexan-1-yl [(35)S]sulphate as the sole source of sulphur or as the sole source of carbon and sulphur only the P2 alkylsulphatase is formed and inorganic (35)SO(4) (2-) is liberated into the media. Cell extracts contain this anion as the major (35)S-labelled metabolite although two unidentified labelled metabolites as well as choline O-[(35)S]sulphate occur in trace quantities in some extracts. Dialysed cell extracts are capable of liberating inorganic (35)SO(4) (2-) from sodium hexan-1-yl [(35)S]sulphate without the need to include cofactors known to be required for the bacterial degradation of n-alkanes. The collective results suggest that sodium hexan-1-yl sulphate can act as an inducer of P1 alkylsulphatase formation without the need for prior metabolic modification of the carbon moiety of the ester.

Carbon and sulphur utilization during growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens on potassium D-glucose 6-O-sulphate as the sole sulphur source

Pseudomonas fluorescens N.C.I.B. 8248, cultured on potassium d-glucose 6[(35)S]-O-sulphate as the sole sulphur source, liberated the 6-O-sulphate ester of d-gluconate into the culture medium. Extracts of bacteria grown under this cultural condition oxidized d-glucose 6-O-sulphate to yield the gluconate ester. Results suggest the involvement of a glucose dehydrogenase-like enzyme. The gluconate ester was apparently not oxidized further to any significant extent; however, it served as substrate for a desulphating enzyme found in extracts. Growth on d-glucose 6-O-sulphate as the sole source of sulphur was not associated with the appearance of a true glycosulphatase. Collectively, these results suggest that d-gluconate 6-O-sulphate, rather than the glucose ester, supplied the necessary sulphur for growth. Oxidative activities toward d-glucose 6-O-sulphate, d-glucose, d-gluconate 6-O-sulphate and d-gluconate found in extracts of P. fluorescens adapted to grow on d-glucose 6-O-sulphate as the sole source of carbon and sulphur are presented for comparative purposes.

Sulphur utilization during growth of pseudomonas fluorescens on potassium D-glucose 6-O-sulphate

Pseudomonas fluorescens N.C.I.B. 8248 was adapted to grow on potassium d-glucose 6-O-sulphate as the sole carbon and sulphur source. Adapted bacteria grew optimally at 37 degrees C on 1.6% (w/v) sulphate ester and growth coincided with the disappearance of the ester from the culture medium at a rate of 2.4mg/h per ml. Three sulphated compounds were detected in the culture fluid at the termination of growth. One of these was present in traces only and has not been identified. The second was present in somewhat greater amounts and was identified as the 6-O-sulphate ester of d-gluconate, and the major metabolite was identified as d-glycerate 3-O-sulphate. Sulphur utilization by the organism was not associated with the appearance of a glycosulphatase enzyme in the cells. However, a novel enzyme system (or systems) was present that liberated inorganic (35)SO(4) (2-) ions from dipotassium d-gluconate 6[(35)S]-O-sulphate and from dipotassium dl-glycerate 3[(35)S]-O-sulphate. Activity towards the latter substrate could not be detected when the adapted or parent Pseudomonas strain was cultured on d-glucose and potassium sulphate as respective carbon and sulphur sources. Some properties of the enzyme acting on the glycerate ester are recorded.

Partial characterization of a biologically active steroid glycosideisolated from the starfish Marthasterias glacialis

1. A steroid glycoside (M(2)), which induces avoidance and other reactions in the mollusc Buccinum undatum, has been isolated from extracts of the starfish Marthasterias glacialis by ion-exchange chromatography. 2. The steroid glycoside was homogeneous by t.l.c. and contained glucose, quinovose, fucose and sulphate in the molar proportions 1:2:1:1, in addition to a water-insoluble aglycone. 3. The aglycone was identified as a cholestane derivative containing an unusual Delta(24)-23-ketone system, two secondary hydroxyl groups and an olefinic double bond, and had the molecular formula C(27)H(42)O(3). 4. The rates of release of sugars and sulphate suggested that fucose was at the non-reducing end of the oligosaccharide, with glucose glycosidically linked to the steroid. The sulphate group appeared to be linked to the other hydroxyl group of the steroid.