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G Gros

Publications and source records attributed to G Gros.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Carbonic anhydrase C in white-skeletal-muscle tissue.

We investigated the activity of carbonic anhydrase in blood-free perfused white skeletal muscles of the rabbit. Carbonic anhydrase activities were measured in supernatants and in Triton extracts of the particulate fractions of white-skeletal-muscle homogenate by using a rapid-reaction stopped-flow apparatus equipped with a pH electrode. An average carbonic anhydrase concentration of about 0.5 microM was determined for white skeletal muscle. This concentration is about 1% of that inside the erythrocyte. Some 85% of the muscle enzyme was found in the homogenate supernatant, and only 15% appeared to be associated with membranes and organelles. White-skeletal-muscle carbonic anhydrase was characterized in terms of its Michaelis constant and catalytic-centre activity (turnover number) for CO2 and its inhibition constant towards ethoxzolamide. These properties were identical with those of the rabbit erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase C, suggesting that a type-C enzyme is present in white skeletal muscle. Affinity chromatography of muscle supernatant and of lysed erythrocytes showed that, whereas rabbit erythrocytes contain about equal amounts of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes B and C, the B isoenzyme is practically absent from white skeletal muscle. Similarly, ethoxzolamide-inhibition curves suggested that white skeletal muscle contains no carbonic anhydrase A. It is concluded that white skeletal muscle contains essentially one carbonic anhydrase isoenzyme, the C form, most of which is probably of cytosolic origin.

Animals↗

Analysis of bicarbonate binding to crocodilian hemoglobin.

Crocodilian hemoglobin has a high intrinsic oxygen affinity but does not react with those organic phosphate esters that normally control the oxygen affinity of blood in higher vertebrates. Instead, its oxygen affinity is greatly lowered by CO2. The present study was undertaken to determine the nature of the CO2 binding to the hemoglobin of a crocodilian species, the Caiman, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The following parameters were measured: (a) carbamino compounds of deoxy- and oxyhemoglobin, (b) the effect of CO2 (at constant pH) on the oxygen affinity of Caiman hemoglobin, (c) total CO2 concentration of hemoglobin solutions at different pH and pCO2 values, and (d) the effect of CO2 on CD spectra of Caiman aquomethemoglobin. An analysis of the results of these measurements revealed that CO2 binding in the form of carbamate was not oxygen-linked and cannot, therefore, mediate the CO2 effect on the oxygen affinity. It was found, however, that 2 mol of bicarbonate can be bound/hemoglobin tetramer and that the association constant of the bicarbonate anion greatly depends upon the state of ligation. At pH 7.02 and 25 degrees C, a numerical value of 2.0 X 10(3) M-1 was obtained for deoxyhemoglobin, while for oxyhemoglobin no significant bicarbonate binding could be observed. At more alkaline pH (pH greater than or equal to 7.5), the association constant for deoxyhemoglobin decreases. Circular dichroism of Caiman aquomethemoglobin decreased considerably in the 287-nm region upon addition of CO2 at constant pH, an effect very similar to the one caused by inositol hexaphosphate in human aquomethemoglobin.

Alligators and Crocodiles↗

The carbamate equilibrium of alpha- and epsilon-amino groups of human hemoglobin at 37 degrees C.

We have investigated the carbamate equilibrium of human adult hemoglobin, human cord blood hemoglobin, methemoglobin, and carbamylated hemoglobin using a stopped flow, rapid reaction pH apparatus described previously. The carbamate formation of human adult hemoglobin at 37 degrees C and ionic strength 0.15 was measured at pH values ranging from 6.2 to 8.8 and at CO2 partial pressures between 15 and 140 Torr. From experiments with unmodified hemoglobin as well as with hemoglobin specifically carbamylated at the four NH2 termini, it was found that already at pH 8, the epsilon-amino groups contribute significantly to carbamate formation in addition to the alpha-amino groups. At pH 8.5, about 70% of the total carbamate is due to epsilon-amino groups. The carbamate formation of alpha- and epsilon-amino groups can be suppressed by complete carbamylation of the hemoglobin. The results obtained from human adult deoxy- and oxyhemoglobin were used to calculate the equilibrium constants governing carbamate formation of these hemoglobins: Kc, the carbamate equilibrium constant, Kz, the R-NH2 ionization constant, and n, the number of binding sites per hemoglobin tetramer. Accordingly, two types of alpha-amino groups, each comprising two groups per tetramer, participate in carbamate formation of deoxyhemoglobin, one of low CO2 affinity (pKc = 5.2; pKz = 7.1; n = 2) and one of high CO2 affinity (pKc = 4.4; pKz = 6.1; n = 2). The pKz values derived from carbamate measurements agree within experimental error with figures obtained by difference titration of unmodified and specifically carbamylated hemoglobin. In addition to the alpha-amino groups, 15 epsilon-amino groups with pKc = 5.0 and pKz = 9.8 form carbamate in deoxyhemoglobin. In oxyhemoglobin, the carbamate data could be fitted with only two similar alpha-amino groups per tetramer in addition to 15 epsilon-amino groups, the latter with pKc = 4.7 and pKz = 10.2. The difference titration of the alpha-amino groups of oxyhemoglobin showed abnormal titration behavior of the beta-chain alpha-NH2. The pKc and pKz values obtained for the epsilon-amino groups of unmodified hemoglobin also provide a good description of the carbamate formed by hemoglobin specifically carbamylated at the four alpha-amino groups. The oxylabile carbamate, according to these results and in agreement with earlier reports, is only formed by alpha-amino groups; it amounts to 0.18 mol/mol of hemoglobin monomer at physiological conditions of pH 7.2 and pCO2 = 40 Torr. The amount of CO2 bound by methemoglobin equals that of oxyhemoglobin. Experiments carried out in the presence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate provided evidence for competitive binding of CO2 and diphosphoglycerate to adult and cord blood oxy- as well as deoxyhemoglobin, the sites of competition probably being alpha-amino groups.

Carbamates↗

Facilitated diffusion of lactic acid in the guinea-pig placenta.

In the guinea-pig placenta which was artificially perfused on the fetal side while maternal placental blood flow was controlled, the placental transfer per mean transplacental concentration difference (the transfer coefficient TC) was determined for lactate. TC for L-lactate (TCLL) was compared to that for D-lactate (TCDL) and measured for various concentrations of L-lactate, bicarbonate, pyruvate and CO2. Applying a "closed circuit" perfusion technique, L-lactate and proton concentrations on both sides of the placenta were followed during infusion of HCl and sodium L-lactate into the fetal circulation. It was found that TCLL is 3 times TCDL. TCLL is depressed by increasing concentrations of L-lactate while TC for Cl-36 is not. TCLL is also depressed by 50 mmol.1-1 pyruvate. Concentration changes of glucose do not affect TCLL. TCLL rises with the proton concentration, independently of the concomitant changes of the bicarbonate concentration. Transplacental proton concentration gradients produce L-lactate concentration gradients and vice versa. It is concluded that (1) facilitated diffusion of L-lactate occurs in the placenta and that (2) L-lactate transfer is coupled with proton transfer. Beside the well-known placental transport system for glucose this is the second passive transport system found in a placenta.

Animals↗

Concentration dependence of the self-diffusion of human and Lumbricus terrestris hemoglobin.

The self-diffusion coefficient of the extracellular hemoglobin of Lumbricus terrestris (mol wt 3.7 x 10(6) daltons) has been measured at protein concentrations ranging from 2 to 25 g/100 ml. The self-diffusion coefficient of human hemoglobin has been measured at concentrations between 10 and 43 g/100 ml. For these measurements, (14)C-labeled hemoglobin was made to diffuse from one Millipore filter into three consecutively arranged Millipore filters containing unlabeled hemoglobin. After a suitable time the filters were separated, and the protein diffusion coefficient was determined from the distribution of radioactivity in the four filters with a table given by Kawalki (1894, Ann. Phys. Chem.52:166-190.). The following results were obtained. The diffusion coefficient of Lumbricus hemoglobin is 1.2 x 10(-7) cm(2)s(-1) at a protein concentration of 2.1 g/100 ml, and is reduced to about 1/10 of this value when the concentration is 25 g/100 ml (T = 21 degrees C). Between 0 and 16 g/100 ml the logarithm of the diffusion coefficient of Lumbricus hemoglobin falls linearly with concentration. Above 16 g/100 ml a marked increase in the concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient is observed. Extrapolation of the data to zero hemoglobin concentration yields a limiting value of the diffusion coefficient of Lumbricus hemoglobin of 1.3 x 10(-7) cm(2)s(-1). The diffusion coefficient of human hemoglobin is 4.5 x 10(-7) cm(2)s(-1) at a hemoglobin concentration of 9.7 g/100 ml, and falls to 0.14 x 10(-7) cm(2)s(-1) at a hemoglobin concentration of 43.0 g/100 ml. In addition to diffusivities, the viscosities of human and Lumbricus hemoglobin solutions were measured in a wide range of protein concentrations.The concentration dependence of the diffusivity of Lumbricus hemoglobin is compared to that of myoglobin, ovalbumin, and tetrameric hemoglobin. Proportionality between the diffusion coefficient and the reciprocal of the viscosity of the protein solution is found for all these proteins. It is also shown that an equation proposed by Anderson (1973) gives an excellent description of the diffusivity of the various proteins up to moderate protein concentrations. Above concentrations of 16 g/100 ml for Lumbricus hemoglobin, and 30 g/100 ml for tetrameric hemoglobin, however, protein diffusivity falls much more rapidly with increasing concentration than is predicted by this equation.

Animals↗

Net charge and oxygen affinity of human hemoglobin are independent of hemoglobin concentration.

The dependence of net charge and oxygen affinity of human hemoglobin upon hemoglobin concentration was reinvestigated. In contrast to earlier reports from various laboratories, both functional properties of hemoglobin were found to be independent of hemoglobin concentration. Two findings indicate a concentration-independent net charge of carbonmonoxy hemoglobin at pH 6.6: (A) The pH value of a given carbonmonoty hemoglobin solution remains constant at 6.6 when the hemoglobin concentration is raised from 10 to 40 g/dl, indicating that there is no change in protonation of titratable groups of hemoglobin: (b) the net charge of carbonmonoxy hemoglobin as estimated from the Donnan distribution of 22Na+ shows no dependence on hemoglobin concentration in this concentration range. The oxygen affinity of human hemoglobin was determined from measurements of oxygen concentrations in equilibrated samples using a Lex-O2-Con apparatus (Lexington Instruments, Waltham, Mass.). P50 averaged 11.4 mm Hg at 37 degrees C, pH = 7.2, and ionic strength approximately 0.15. Neither P50 nor Hill's n showed any variation with hemoglobin concentrations increasing from 10 to 40 g/dl.

Electrophysiology↗

The carbamate reaction of glycylglycine, plasma, and tissue extracts evaluated by a pH stopped flow apparatus.

We have used a stopped flow rapid reaction pH apparatus to investigate the carbamate equilibrium in glycylglycine solutions and in three biological tissues, human plasma, sheep muscle, and sheep brain, as well as to investigate the kinetics of carbamate formation in glyclyglycine solution and in human plasma. The rapid reaction apparatus was equipped with a pH sensitive glass electrode in order to follow the time course of pH from 0.005 to 100 s after rapid mixing of a solution of amine or protein and CO2. Two phases of the pH curve were observed: a fast phase representing carbamate formation, and a slow phase due to the hydration of CO2 which was uncatalyzed since a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor was added to the biological solutions. From the time course of pH change during the fast phase K2, the R-NH2 ionization constant, and Kc, the carbamate equilibrium constant as well as the velocity constant for the formation of carbamate, ka could be calculated from data at different pH and pCO2. The carbamate formed in glycylglycine solutions over a wide range of pH and pCO2 was found consistent with the theory of carbamate formation and with published data. At ionic strength 0.16 and 37 degrees pK is 7.67. pKc 4.58. The heat of the carbamate reaction (deltaH) was calculated to be -3.2 kcal/mol between 20 degrees and 37 degrees. Kt of glycylglycine depends quantitatively on ionic strength as predicted by the Debye-Huckel theory. With ionic strength 0.16 ku was found to be 2,500 M1 S1 at 37 degrees. The activation energy of carbamate formation is 6.7 kcal/mol. Carbamate measurements in human plasma at pCO2 from 38 to 359 Torr. pH from 6.9 to 8.3, temperature 37 degrees, and ionic strength 0.15 provided evidence that two kinds of amino groups participate in carbamate formation. From the equilibrium constants computed for the two species they could be identified as alpha- and epsilon-amino groups. On the basis of a protein molecular weight of 69.000. 0.6 alpha-amino groups/molecule with pKz=7.0 and pKc=4.2, and 5.9 epsilon-amino groups/molecule with pKz=9.0 and pKc=4.3 contribute to carbamate formation. The velocity constant ka was estimated to be 4,950 M1 S1 for the alpha-amino groups and 13,800 M1 S1 for the epsilon-amino groups. Under physiological conditions (pCO2=40 Torr. pH=7.4). The concentration of carbamate in plasma is 0.6 mM and the half-time of carbamate formation is 0.05 s. In extracts prepared from sheep brain at 37 degrees pH=7 and pCO2=35 Torr. the carbamate formation was estimated to be 0.8 mM. With pCO2=70 Torr and the same pH and temperature the carbamate concentration in muscle approximates 0.3 mM and increases to 7 mM as pH rises to 8. It is concluded that, as in plasma, a considerable number of epsilon-amino groups appear to be available for carbamate formation in these tissues.

Animals↗

Proton transport by phosphate diffusion--a mechanism of facilitated CO2 transfer.

We have measured CO2 fluxes across phosphate solutions at different carbonic anhydrase concentrations, bicarbonate concentration gradients, phosphate concentrations, and mobilities. Temperature was 22-25 degrees C, the pH of the phosphate solutions was 7.0-7.3. We found that under physiological conditions of pH and pCO2 a facilitated diffusion of CO2 occurs in addition to free diffusion when (a) sufficient carbonic anhydrase is present, and (b) a concentration gradient of HCO3- is established along with a pCO2 gradient, and (c) the phosphate buffer has a mobility comparable to that of bicarbonate. When the phosphate was immobilized by attaching 0.25-mm-long cellulose particles, no facilitation of CO2 diffusion was detectable. A mechanism of facilitated CO2 diffusion in phosphate solutions analogous to that in albumin solutions was proposed on the basis of these findings: bicarbonate diffusion together with a facilitated proton transport by phosphate diffusion. A mathematical model of this mechanism was formulated. The CO2 fluxed predicted by the model agree quantitatively with the experimentally determined fluxes. It is concluded that a highly effective proton transport mechanism acts in solutions of mobile phosphate buffers. By this mechanism; CO2 transfer may be increased up to fivefold and proton transfer may be increased to 10,000-fold.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Facilitated diffusion of CO2 across albumin solutions.

The steady-state CO(2) flux across thin layers of 30 g/100 ml albumin solutions was measured in two different CO(2) partial pressure ranges (boundary PCO(2) values 3 and 8 torr, and 160 and 650 torr, respectively). From the data the apparent diffusion coefficient for CO(2), DCO(2), was calculated. In the high PCO(2) range a value of DCO(2) was found which is to be expected on the basis of diffusion of dissolved CO(2) only. In the low PCO(2) range DCO(2) was about 100% higher than in the high PCO(2) range, when carbonic anhydrase was present and the pH was approximately 7.7. DCO(2) depended on the concentration of carbonic anhydrase. It increased with increasing pH. It is concluded that an additional diffusion of bound CO(2) (facilitated CO(2) diffusion) occurs in the low PCO(2) range and that this transport involves the hydration of CO(2). From the diffusion coefficients in the two PCO(2) ranges the rate of facilitated diffusion was determined. Approximate calculations show that this rate (at pH </= 7.7) can be explained on the basis of the proposed mechanism of facilitated CO(2) diffusion: bicarbonate diffusion and simultaneous proton transport by albumin diffusion. The view that facilitated CO(2) diffusion is mediated by the diffusion of albumin is supported by the experimental finding of a considerable suppression of the facilitated CO(2) flux in the presence of gelatinized agar-agar.

Acetazolamide↗