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G M Carlson

Publications and source records attributed to G M Carlson.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Phosphorylase kinase conformers. Detection by proteases.

A variety of proteases have been evaluated as potential structural and conformational probes of nonphosphorylated and phosphorylated phosphorylase kinase. In general, the enzyme's alpha subunit is rapidly degraded, followed in most cases by hydrolysis of the beta subunit; the gamma subunit is resistant to most proteases. Trypsin clearly distinguishes between the nonactivated and activated conformers of phosphorylase kinase, in that the beta subunit in phosphorylated enzyme, as opposed to nonphosphorylated enzyme, is markedly protected from tryptic attack. In contrast, only a small difference in the rates of proteolysis of the alpha subunit in phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated enzyme is seen, even when a protease is used that is highly selective for the alpha subunit, such as chymotrypsin or endoproteinase Arg C. Incubation of nonphosphorylated phosphorylase kinase with either Mg2+ or Ca2+, which are activating cations, also protects the beta subunit from tryptic hydrolysis, whereas Mn2+, which inhibits the kinase activity, has little effect on proteolysis. The allosteric activator ADP also causes the beta subunit to become refractory to trypsin and mimics the effects of phosphorylation. Similar effector-induced conformational changes in the beta subunit are also observed with enzyme in which the alpha subunit has previously been selectively destroyed. These data indicate that activation of phosphorylase kinase by dissimilar mechanisms is associated with a conformational change in the enzyme's beta subunit that is detectable by trypsin and confirm earlier studies from this laboratory employing a chemical cross-linker as a conformational probe for activated and nonactivated conformers of the enzyme (Fitzgerald, T. J., and Carlson, G. M. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 3266-3274).

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Computer aided prediction and evaluation of the tertiary structure for rat elastase II.

Predictive methods have been extended to generate a proposed tertiary structure of rat elastase II on the basis of primary amino acid sequence and structural homologies within the family of mammalian serine proteinases. Force field refinement calculations were used to relax the structure. Structurally conserved molecules of solvation were introduced and the structure was again refined by means of force-field calculations. The resulting structure suggests probable substrate cleavage preferences. An independent statistical analysis of the crystallographically refined structures of serine proteinases (0.01-0.13 A, RMS) shows a close similarity to the final predicted model of rat pancreatic elastase II (0.03-0.14 A, RMS).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Analyses of phosphorylase kinase by transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy.

Under conventional electron microscopy negatively stained phosphorylase kinase exhibits a bilobal structure resembling two bridged opposing parentheses. In this predominant particle orientation, usually only one bridge is observed; however, in many particles two bridges can be seen. Scanning transmission electron microscopy of unstained phosphorylase kinase shows very similar structures, with a particle mass equivalent to that of the hexadecameric holoenzyme. Partial digestion of the enzyme with chymotrypsin, which preferentially hydrolyzes the alpha-subunits, causes no significant changes in the structure; however, when both the alpha and beta subunits are degraded by trypsin, single lobed particles appear, i.e. the connecting bridges are missing. Mass analysis of scanning transmission electron microscopy images of trypsinized enzyme indicates that the protease does, in fact, split the particle into halves. Transmission electron microscopy of an alpha gamma delta complex isolated after incubation of the holoenzyme with LiBr shows only small particles approximately one-fourth the size of the holoenzyme. Thus, integrity of the beta subunit may be necessary in order for the two lobes of phosphorylase kinase to be bridged. These data also indicate that the subunits are arranged as a bridged dimer of octamers 2 (alpha 2 beta 2 gamma 2 delta 2).

Animals↗

Adenosine 5'-diphosphate as an allosteric effector of phosphorylase kinase from rabbit skeletal muscle.

Equilibrium binding and activity studies indicate that adenosine 5'-diphosphate binds to phosphorylase kinase with high affinity at a site, or sites, distinct from the catalytic site. Equilibrium dialysis at pH 6.8 and 8.2, with and without Mg2+, and with phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated enzyme preparations revealed approximately 8 ADP binding sites per alpha 4 beta 4 gamma 4 delta 4 hexadecamer, with Kd values ranging from 0.26 to 17 microM. Decreasing the pH from 8.2 to 6.8 or removing the Mg2+ enhanced the affinity for ADP. At pH 6.8, ADP stimulated the phosphorylase conversion and autophosphorylation activities of the nonactivated enzyme. Analogs of ADP with modifications at the 2'-, 3'-, and 5'-positions allowed determination of structural requirements for the stimulation of activity. ADP seems to alter the conformation of the beta subunit because addition of the nucleotide inhibits its dephosphorylation by phosphoprotein phosphatase and its chemical cross-linking by 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. The binding affinities and effects of ADP suggest that it may function physiologically as an allosteric effector of phosphorylase kinase.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Precautions when determining kinetically the order of inactivation of enzymes by functionally irreversible inhibitors.

The number of molecules of an irreversible inhibitor that are responsible for inactivation of a catalytic site is often deduced from the slope of a plot of the log of the apparent rate of inactivation (k') at different concentrations of inhibitor versus the log of the inhibitor concentrations. The purpose of this note is to urge caution in experimental design and interpretation if one attempts to utilize this kinetic technique to characterize the order of inactivation brought about by functionally irreversible inhibitors that initially bind reversibly to an enzyme in the process of inactivation. Representative literature cases which have utilized plots of log k' versus log [I] for this type of inactivation are discussed.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Activated states of phosphorylase kinase as detected by the chemical cross-linker 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene.

When phosphorylase kinase from rabbit skeletal muscle was activated by phosphorylation and then cross-linked with 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene at pH 6.8, dimers of beta subunits were formed that were not observed during cross-linking of nonphosphorylated enzyme under the same conditions. The ability to form these dimers was due to phosphorylation of the beta subunit because when enzyme phosphorylated in the alpha and beta subunits was incubated with a protein phosphatase relatively specific for the beta subunit (Ganapathi, M.K., Silberman, S.R., Paris, H., and Lee, E.Y.C. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 3213-3217), the ability to form the cross-linked beta dimers was lost. Significant amounts of two complexes also judged to be dimers of beta subunits were observed when nonphosphorylated phosphorylase kinase was cross-linked after preincubation with Ca2+ plus Mg2+ ions, after proteolysis by chymotrypsin, or when it was cross-linked at pH 8.2, three conditions known to stimulate the activity of the nonphosphorylated enzyme. From these results, we conclude that 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene can serve as a structural probe for activated states of phosphorylase kinase. The activation is associated with a conformational change in which two beta subunits either move closer together or have a reactive group on one, or both, of them unmasked. Our results suggest that the diverse mechanisms listed above for stimulating phosphorylase kinase activity cause a common conformational change to occur.

Animals↗

Utilization of conical equilibrium dialysis cells to shorten equilibration time.

Equilibrium dialysis is commonly used to characterize the binding properties of macromolecules; however, it is not always preferred because of the lengthy time required to reach equilibrium. Consequently, other methods have been developed. This paper compares the disadvantages of various methods for obtaining binding data and shows that utilization of a conically shaped chamber can accelerate the process of equilibrium dialysis. For cylindrical and conical cells of different dimensions a linear relationship was found for the time of equilibration versus the ratio of volume to surface area. Minimizing the volume to surface area ratio by using a conical chamber shortens the time of equilibration by more than half and facilitates sampling of the chambers' contents.

Dialysis↗

Characterization of initial autophosphorylation events in rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase.

Initial autophosphorylation of nonactivated rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase at pH 8.0 caused an increase in enzymatic activity that closely paralleled phosphorylation of the beta subunit. Peptide maps revealed that the first phosphate incorporated into the beta subunit during autophosphorylation was on the same tryptic peptide previously isolated from phosphorylase kinase that had been phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (Cohen P., Watson, D.C., and Dixon, G.H. (1975) Eur. J. Biochem. 51, 79-92). When preincubated with phosphorylase kinase for one min, Ca2+ and Mg2+ synergistically stimulated subsequent autophosphorylation at pH 6.8. After this treatment phosphorylation of both the alpha and beta subunits became linear, and the first site phosphorylated on the beta subunit at pH 6.8 corresponded to the first site phosphorylated at pH 8.0. Removal of the lag as a consequence of the synergistic action of the metal ions allowed determination of a Km for MgATP of approximately 20 microM during initial autophosphorylation at either pH 6.8 or 8.2. With phosphorylase b as the substrate the Km values for MgATP under identical conditions were determined to be approximately 30 and 60 microM at pH 6.8 and 8.2, respectively. Initial rates of autophosphorylation over a 30-fold range of phosphorylase kinase concentrations suggest that incorporation of the first 1 to 2 mol of phosphate per alpha beta gamma delta tetramer occurs through an intramolecular mechanism.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Drug-induced changes in motor activity after selective MAO inhibition.

The increase in motor activity produced in mice by phenylethylamine (PEA), L-DOPA and amphetamine was evaluated after selective inhibition of MAO Type A (by clorgyline) or Type B (by low doses of pargyline). PEA-induced motor stimulation was intensified in the presence of MAO-B inhibition, but not when MAO-A was inhibited. This was paralleled by higher concentrations of brain and plasma PEA (after injection) in mice in which there was inhibition of MAO-B compared with control or MAO-A inhibition. Conversely, L-DOPA produced significant stimulation only when MAO-A was inhibited. The clorgyline pretreatment resulted in larger increases in brain dopamine concentrations (in the striatum, olfactory tubercles and in the area containing the substantia nigra) than did MAO-B inhibition. This effect occurred both in mice receiving L-DOPA + inhibitor and in mice receiving the inhibitor alone. Amphetamine-induced stimulation was increased following the inhibition of either form of MAO, and this was not the result of changes in the distribution or metabolism of amphetamine. These results support the concept that MAO-A and MAO-B deaminate different substrates in the rodent CNS and that amphetamine may utilize either dopamine or PEA in producing its stimulant effects.

Amphetamine↗

99mTc-labeled solid-phase meal: a quantitative clinical measurement of human gastric emptying.

A solid-phase meal labeled with 99mTc-sulfur colloid provides an improved clinical test for the quantitative evaluation of human gastric emptying. We studied 12 healthy male controls and five male patients with known gastric stasis secondary to a vagotomy and drainage procedure. All subjects were fasted for 8 hours before the study, and each consumed an unbuttered biscuit and a poached egg white containing 1 mCi of 99mTc-sulfur colloid. For 2 hours, 60-second counts were measured every 10 minutes by a Pho Gamma III scintillation camera. The t1/2 for control subjects was 60 minutes, at which time patients with gastric stasis had retained 98% of the test meal. At 120 minutes, control subjects and patients with gastric stasis had 4.7% and 89%, respectively, of the meal remaining in the stomach. The solid-phase test meal labeled with 99mTc-sulfur colloid is easy to perform and can be used clinically to quantitatively measure gastric emptying in humans. This test can discriminate between control subjects and patients with known gastric stasis.

Bread↗

Escherichia coli heat-stable toxin: its effect on motility of the small intestine.

Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin is a low-molecular-weight substance that has been shown to induce the active secretion of fluid and electrolytes in the small intestine. In this study, we have characterized the effects of purified E. coli heat-stable toxin (ST, strain 18D, serotype 042:K86:H37) on the motility of rabbit small intestine by using myoelectric recording techniques. Substances, such as cholera toxin, that activate the adenylate cyclase-cAMP system induced predominantly migrating action-potential complex activity. E. coli ST, a toxin that activates the guanylate cyclase-cGMP system, was infused into isolated in vivo ileal loops of New Zealand White rabbits. Inactivated toxin was also studied by exposing the ST to 1 mM dithiothreitol for 90 min. Active E. coli ST induced only repetitive bursts of action potentials. When the toxin was inactivated with dithiothreitol, no alteration in myoelectric activity was observed. We speculate that repetitive bursts of action-potential activity may represent a virulent factor of the bacterium, altering motor activity to slow transit and allowing for bacterial proliferation and invasion.

Action Potentials↗

Synergistic activation by Ca2+ and Mg2+ as the primary cause for hysteresis in the phosphorylase kinase reactions.

A synergistic activation of phosphorylase kinase by Ca2+ plus Mg2+ was found to be the primary cause of the hysteresis, or lag, in the phosphorylase kinase reaction. Preincubation of the enzyme for short times with Ca2+ plus Mg2+ resulted in an approximately 7-fold increase in the kinase activity in subsequent assays with phosphorylase b or phosphorylase kinase as substrates, whereas preincubation with each metal ion by itself had no effect. Maximal activation through preincubation with Ca2+ plus Mg2+ occurred in 1 min 45 s and was readily reversed by chelation of both metal ions. As a result of the activation, the progress curve of phosphorylase b conversion at pH 6.8 was found to be nearly linear. Activation by Ca2+ plus Mg2+ was not apparent when subsequent assays were carried out at pH 8.2, or when previously autophosphorylated enzyme was used. Furthermore, the synergistic activation was found to occur significantly slower and/or to decrease in the presence of ATP, phosphorylase b, beta-glycerophosphate, and inorganic phosphate. How the synergistic activation by Ca2+ plus Mg2+ relates to autophosphorylation and the lag in the phosphorylase kinase reaction is discussed.

Animals↗

Interaction of phosphorylase kinase with the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of adenosine triphosphate. 1. Kinetics of inactivation.

The 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of ATP (oATP) was found to be a valid affinity label for rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase. Inactivation by oATP at pH 6.8 followed pseudo-first-order and saturation kinetics. An apparent Ki of approximately 6.7 microM was obtained in the presence of 0.6 mM Ca2+ plus 10 mM Mg2+. Protection against the rate of inactivation was provided by the natural substrate ATP. In addition, at pH 8.2, oATP could be used as a substrate to phosphorylate phosphorylase b, thus providing evidence that oATP can bind to the active site of phosphorylase kinase. Inactivation of phosphorylase kinase by oATP was sensitive to various effectors of the enzyme such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and pH. Ca2+ plus Mg2+ synergistically enhanced the rate of inactivation severalfold; each metal ion by itself had little effect on the rate of inactivation. This synergism was seen both at pH 6.8 and at pH 8.2; however, the rates of inactivation were much greater at pH 6.8. The enhancement of inactivation by Ca2+ plus Mg2+ was also more pronounced with activated than with nonactivated kinase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Interaction of phosphorylase kinase with the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of adenosine triphosphate. 2. Differential inactivation measured with various protein substrates.

The 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of ATP was used as an affinity label to inactivate phsosphorylase kinase in either the presence or absence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Following inactivation, the residual activity of phorphorylase kinase toward various protein substrates was measured and compared with that retained for conversion of phosphorylase b. Three different classes of substrates were distinguished by this analysis. For the first class (glycogen synthase), inactivation proceeded at the same rate as that measured with phosphorylase conversion, regardless of whether the inactivation was carried out in the presence or absence of the metal ions. For the second class of substrates (troponin I and troponin T), inactivation of the kinase in either the presence or absence of the metals was much more rapid with phosphorylase as substrate. Phosphorylation of the third class of substrates (phosphorylase kinase itself and a synthetic tetradecapeptide) was inactivated in parallel with phosphorylase b when modification was performed in the absence of metals; however, inclusion of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions in the inactivation mixture caused activity toward phosphorylase b to be lost more rapidly than that toward the alternative substrates. Our results are consistent with a model in which glycogen synthase and phosphorylase b are preferentially phosphorylated at one type of catalytic site in phosphorylase kinase and troponin I and troponin T at another.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗