Transglycosylation by wild type and mutants of a beta-1,4-glycosidase from Cellulomonas fimi (Cex) for synthesis of oligosaccharides.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C A Haynes.
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Conserved tyrosine-12 of Ectothiorhodospira halophila high-potential iron sulphur protein (HiPIP) iso-I was substituted with phenylalanine (Y12F), histidine (Y12H), tryptophan (Y12W), isoleucine (Y12I), and alanine (Y12A). Variants Y12A and Y12I were expressed to reasonable levels in cells grown at lower temperatures, but decomposed during purification. Variants Y12F, Y12H, and Y12W were substantially destabilized with respect to the recombinant wild-type HiPIP (rcWT) as determined by differential scanning calorimetry over a pH range of 7.0-11.0. Characterization of the Y12F variant by NMR indicates that the principal structural differences between this variant and the rcWT HiPIP result from the loss of the two hydrogen bonds of the Tyr-12 hydroxyl group with Asn-14 O delta 1 and Lys-59 NH, respectively. The effect of the loss of the latter interaction is propagated through the Lys-59/Val-58 peptide bond, thereby perturbing Gly-46. The delta delta GDapp of Y12F of 2.3 kcal/mol with respect to rcWT HiPIP (25 degrees C, pH 7.0) is entirely consistent with the contribution of these two hydrogen bonds to the stability of the latter. CD measurements show that Tyr-12 influences several electronic transitions within the cluster. The midpoint reduction potentials of variants Y12F, Y12H, and Y12W were 17, 19, and 22 mV (20 mM MOPS, 0.2 M sodium chloride, pH 6.98, 25 degrees C), respectively, higher than that of rcWT HiPIP. The current results indicate that, although conserved Tyr-12 modulates the properties of the cluster, its principle function is to stabilize the HiPIP through hydrogen bonds involving its hydroxyl group and electrostatic interactions involving its aromatic ring.
Several commercially available DNA-staining dyes can yield highly sensitive fluorimetric assays under optimized conditions. However, the high cost of most dyes, coupled with the need for elaborate or expensive instrumentation and/or mL sample volumes, makes assays of this type very costly for routine use. We present a rapid, highly sensitive double-stranded DNA assay based on the new and relatively inexpensive monomeric cyanine dye PO-PRO-3. This dye exhibits maximum excitation/emission wavelengths that are compatible with one of the standard filter sets available on multi-well plate fluorimeters such as the Pandex FCA. The assay does not depend on DNA tertiary structure and is relatively insensitive to protein contamination (up to 1 mg/mL protein), although the bound dye fluorescence does diminish significantly at ionic strengths above approximately 25 mM. Under the assay conditions described here, subnanogram detection limits (in 60-microL sample volumes) are achievable. This assay makes high-sensitivity DNA quantification cost-effective and convenient for many routine analytical applications.
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to investigate the dynamics of alpha-chymotrypsin in solvents ranging in dielectric constant from 72 to 1.9. EPR measurements showed that motions in the vicinity of two spin-labeled amino acids (Met-192 and Ser-195) decreased dramatically with decreasing solvent dielectric constant, a trend consistent with changes in the electrostatic force between charged residues of the protein. EPR results and MD simulations revealed a very similar functional dependence between rates of motion in the protein and the dielectric constant of the bulk solvent; however, predicted motions of protein atoms were markedly faster than measured motions of the spin labels. MD calculations for dielectric constants of 5 and 72 showed the greatest differences near the outer surface of the protein. In general, at the lower dielectric constant many atoms of the protein move more slowly, and many of the slowest residues are near the exterior. These results suggest that altered dynamics may contribute to the unusual properties--e.g., modified stereoselectivities--of enzymes in nearly dry organic solvents.
A genetic component in the etiology of Alzheimer disease (AD) has been supported by indirect evidence for several years, with autosomal dominant inheritance with age-dependent penetrance being suggested to explain the familial aggregation of affecteds. St. George Hyslop et al. reported linkage of familial AD (FAD) in four early-onset families (mean age at onset [M] less than 50 years). Subsequent studies have been inconsistent in their results; Goate et al. also reported positive lod scores. However, both Pericak-Vance et al.'s study of a series of mainly late-onset FAD families (M greater than 60 years) and Schellenberg et al.'s study failed to confirm linkage to chromosome 21 (CH21). These various studies suggest the possibility of genetic heterogeneity, with some families linked to CH21 and others unlocalized. Recently, St. George Hyslop et al. extended their analysis to include additional families. The extended analyses supported their earlier finding of linkage to CH21, while showing strong evidence of heterogeneity between early-onset (M less than 65 years) and late-onset (M greater than 60 years) FAD families. Because our families did not show linkage to CH21, we undertook a genomic search for an additional locus for FAD. Because of both the confounding factor of late age at onset of FAD and the lack of clear evidence of Mendelian transmission in some of our families, we employed the affected-pedigree-member (APM) method of linkage analysis as an initial screen for possible linkage. Using this method, we identified two regions suggesting linkage: the proximal long arm of chromosome 19 (CH19) and the CH21 region of FAD linkage reported by St. George Hyslop et al. Application of standard likelihood (LOD score) analysis to these data support the possibility of an FAD gene locate on CH19, particularly in the late-onset FAD families. These data further suggest genetic heterogeneity and delineate this region of CH19 as an area needing additional investigation in FAD.