Search results for "Reductases"
showing 10 items of 276 documents
Chromatin structure of the 5′ flanking region of the yeastLEU2 gene
1989
The chromatin structure of theLEU2 gene and its flanks has been studied by means of nuclease digestion, both with micrococcal nuclease and DNase I. The gene is organized in an array of positioned nucleosomes. Within the promoter region, the nucleosome positioning places the regulatory sequences, putative TATA box and upstream activator sequence outside the nucleosomal cores. The tRNA3 Leu gene possesses a characteristic structure and is protected against nucleases. Most of the 5′ flank is sensitive to DNase I digestion, although no clear hypersensitive sites were found. The chromatin structure is independent of either the transcriptional state of the gene or the chromosomal or episomal loca…
Cytochrome oxidase activity in the mitochondria of unfertilized and fertilized sea urchin eggs
1959
Abstract The cytochrome oxidase activity of isolated mitochondria of unfertilized and fertilized eggs of Paracentrotus lividus has been studied. It has been found that whereas in the mitochondria of unfertilized eggs saturation is reached at a cytochrome c concentration of 3.28 × 10−5 M, in those of fertilized eggs this occurs at a concentration of 5.74 × 10−5 M. It is shown that upon fertilization an increase of about 30 per cent of the activity of cytochrome oxidase takes place and no further changes appear to occur until blastula stage.
Ability of Kocuria varians LTH 1540 To Degrade Putrescine: Identification and Characterization of a Novel Amine Oxidase.
2015
This work describes the identification and characterization of an amine oxidase from Kocuria varians LTH 1540 (syn. Micrococcus varians) primarily acting on putrescine. Data from MALDI-TOF MS/MS and the identification of Δ(1)-pyrroline as degradation product from putrescine indicate that the enzyme is a flavin-dependent putrescine oxidase (PuO). Properties of partially purified enzyme have been determined. The enzyme oxidizes diamines, putrescine and cadaverine, and, to a lesser extent, polyamines, such as spermidine, but not monoamines. The kinetic constants (Km and Vmax) for the two major substrates were 94 ± 10 μM and 2.3 ± 0.1 μmol/min·mg for putrescine and 75 ± 5 μM and 0.15 ± 0.02 μmo…
Role of hexagonal structure-forming lipids in diadinoxanthin and violaxanthin solubilization and de-epoxidation
2005
In this study, we have examined the influence of different lipids on the solubility of the xanthophyll cycle pigments diadinoxanthin (Ddx) and violaxanthin (Vx) and on the efficiency of Ddx and Vx de-epoxidation by the enzymes Vx de-epoxidase (VDE) from wheat and Ddx de-epoxidase (DDE) from the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana, respectively. Our results show that the lipids MGDG and PE are able to solubilize both xanthophyll cycle pigments in an aqueous medium. Substrate solubilization is essential for de-epoxidase activity, because in the absence of MGDG or PE Ddx and Vx are present in an aggregated form, with limited accessibility for DDE and VDE. Our results also show that the hexagonal st…
Reduction of benzo(a)pyrene mutagenicity by dihydrodiol dehydrogenase
1979
THE enigma of how inert chemicals can exert potent mutagenic, carcinogenic, allergenic and cytotoxic effects has been much debated. It has been learned that such compounds are metabolically converted to chemically reactive species1. In the case of aromatic or olefinic compounds, monooxygenases located in the membranes of the cell can transform these compounds into epoxides2–5 which by virtue of electrophilic reactivity can bind chemically to cellular macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins, thereby disturbing biochemical control mechanisms and leading to the above mentioned toxic effects. The same membranes in which such epoxides are produced possess an enzyme, epoxide hydratase, which…
Experimental evidence for proton motive force-dependent catalysis by the diheme-containing succinate:menaquinone oxidoreductase from the Gram-positiv…
2006
In Gram-positive bacteria and other prokaryotes containing succinate:menaquinone reductases, it has previously been shown that the succinate oxidase and succinate:menaquinone reductase activities are lost when the transmembrane electrochemical proton potential, Deltap, is abolished by the rupture of the bacteria or by the addition of a protonophore. It has been proposed that the endergonic reduction of menaquinone by succinate is driven by the electrochemical proton potential. Opposite sides of the cytoplasmic membrane were envisaged to be separately involved in the binding of protons upon the reduction of menaquinone and their release upon succinate oxidation, with the two reactions linked…
Metabolic cross-talk between pathways of terpenoid backbone biosynthesis in spike lavender
2015
Abstract The metabolic cross-talk between the mevalonate (MVA) and the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways in developing spike lavender ( Lavandula latifolia Med) was analyzed using specific inhibitors and on the basis of 13 C-labeling experiments. The presence of mevinolin (MEV), an inhibitor of the MVA pathway, at concentrations higher than 0.5 μM significantly reduced plant development, but not the synthesis of chlorophylls and carotenoids. On the other hand, fosmidomycin (FSM), an inhibitor of the MEP pathway, at concentrations higher than 20 μM blocked the synthesis of chlorophyll, carotenoids and essential oils, and significantly reduced stem development. Notably, 1.2 mM MVA cou…
A Simple Complex on the Verge of Breakdown: Isolation of the Elusive Cyanoformate Ion
2014
Cyanide Hitches a Ride Cyanide is a by-product of the biosynthesis of ethylene in plants and it has been somewhat puzzling how the ion is safely removed before it can shut down enzymatic pathways by coordination to catalytic iron centers. A proposed mechanism has implicated the cyanoformate ion—essentially, a weak adduct of cyanide and carbon dioxide—as the initial product, although its lifetime was uncertain. Murphy et al. (p. 75 ; see the Perspective by Alabugin and Mohamed ) crystallized this previously elusive adduct and found that its solution-phase stability varies inversely with the dielectric properties of the medium. The results bolster a picture in which the adduct shuttles the cy…
Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of perakine reductase, a new member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superf…
2006
Perakine reductase (PR) is a novel member of the aldo-keto reductase enzyme superfamily from higher plants. PR from the plant Rauvolfia serpentina is involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by performing NADPH-dependent reduction of perakine, yielding raucaffrinoline. However, PR can also reduce cinnamic aldehyde and some of its derivatives. After heterologous expression of a triple mutant of PR in Escherichia coli, crystals of the purified and methylated enzyme were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique at 293 K with 100 mM sodium citrate pH 5.6 and 27% PEG 4000 as precipitant. Crystals belong to space group C222(1) and diffract to 2.0 A, with unit-…
Involvement of an Alkane Hydroxylase System of Gordonia sp. Strain SoCg in Degradation of Solid n-Alkanes▿
2010
ABSTRACT Enzymes involved in oxidation of long-chain n -alkanes are still not well known, especially those in Gram-positive bacteria. This work describes the alkane degradation system of the n -alkane degrader actinobacterium Gordonia sp. strain SoCg, which is able to grow on n -alkanes from dodecane (C 12 ) to hexatriacontane (C 36 ) as the sole C source. SoCg harbors in its chromosome a single alk locus carrying six open reading frames (ORFs), which shows 78 to 79% identity with the alkane hydroxylase (AH)-encoding systems of other alkane-degrading actinobacteria. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR showed that the genes encoding AlkB (alkane 1-monooxygenase), RubA3 (rubredoxin), RubA4…