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G Rotilio

Publications and source records attributed to G Rotilio.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

NMR evidence for perturbation of the copper coordination sphere upon chemical modification of arginine 141 in bovine Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase.

The reaction of the Cu,Co derivative of bovine Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase with phenylglyoxal or butanedione, which are known to inactivate the enzyme by selectively binding to Arg 141, has been studied by 1H NMR. Several 1H NMR lines of the copper-liganding histidine residues were perturbed, reproducing an effect so far observed only in the case of binding of anions to this protein. The room temperature EPR spectrum of the modified Cu,Zn protein was altered very slightly, indicating that the geometry of the copper site was not grossly affected by the modification. NMR and EPR changes were reversed by dialysis in the case of the reversible butanedione adduct. These data show that the coordination of the copper in Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase can be destabilized by modifications occurring at a neighboring but not a metal-liganding residue. It is suggested that part of the NMR effects seen on copper ligands in the case of anion binding are produced by interaction of anions with Arg 141, rather than by direct ligand replacement.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Intra-nigral infusion of Cu-free superoxide dismutase prevents paraquat-induced behavioural stimulation and ECoG epileptogenic discharges in rats.

In adult rats, with cannulae chronically implanted by a stereotactic instrument into the substantia nigra (pars compacta), the electrocortical (ECoG) and behavioural effects elicited by intranigral infusion of paraquat and the prevention of these effects by prior administration into the same site of different types of superoxide dismutase, were studied. Paraquat (50 micrograms) produced an intense pattern of behavioural stimulation, contralateral circling and repetitive discharges of high voltage ECoG spikes. The effects of paraquat were abolished in all of the animals pretreated into the same site with copper-free superoxide dismutase. Pretreatment with native Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase prolonged significantly the latency of onset but did not prevent the behavioural stimulation and ECoG spikes evoked by paraquat. On the contrary, pretreatment with albumin or saline did not confer any protection against the neurotoxicological changes induced by paraquat. In conclusion, the present experiments showed that motor, ECoG and lethal effects of paraquat were completely prevented by Cu-free superoxide dismutase, suggesting that the central effects of this herbicide are in some way related to the release in the brain of copper and/or other transition metal ions.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase isoenzymes of Xenopus laevis: purification, identification of a heterodimer and differential heat sensitivity.

The three Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase electromorphs of the amphibian Xenopus laevis were purified by an original procedure. N-terminal sequence analysis demonstrated that they are two different homodimers (AA and BB) and a hybrid heterodimer (AB), arising from the co-expression of duplicated genes. The three forms have the same pI, same enzyme activity and EPR spectra, but different heat-sensitivity, form BB being more resistant than form AA, with form AB showing intermediate sensitivity. Thermostability of BB and the control bovine enzyme was enhanced by a tenfold increase in protein concentration. It is suggested that the higher heat sensitivity of the AA isoenzyme is related to the presence of an extra Cys residue and to an easier dissociation of the protein dimer into monomers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Reconstitution of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase by the Cu(I).glutathione complex.

The reconstitution of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase from the copper-free protein by the Cu(I).GSH complex was monitored by: (a) EPR and optical spectroscopy upon reoxidation of the enzyme-bound copper; (b) NMR spectroscopy following the broadening of the resonances of the Cu(I).GSH complex after addition of Cu-free,Zn-superoxide dismutase; and (c) NMR spectroscopy of the Cu-free,Co(II) enzyme following the appearance of the isotropically shifted resonances of the Cu(I), Co enzyme, Cu(I).GSH was found to be a very stable complex in the presence of oxygen and a more efficient copper donor to the copper-free enzyme than other low molecular weight Cu(II) complexes. In particular, 100% reconstitution was obtained with stoichiometric copper at any GSH:copper ratio between 2 and 500. Evidence was obtained for the occurrence of a Cu(I).GSH.protein intermediate in the reconstitution process. In view of the inability of copper-thionein to reconstitute Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase and of the detection of copper.GSH complexes in copper-over-loaded hepatoma cells (Freedman, J.H., Ciriolo, M.R., and Peisach, J. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 5598-5605), Cu(I).GSH is proposed as a likely candidate for copper donation to Cu-free,Zn-superoxide dismutase in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Cytotoxicity of a low molecular weight Cu2Zn2 superoxide dismutase active center analog in human erythroleukemia cells.

The cytotoxicity of SOD-mimics was studied in human K562 erythroleukemia cells. CuPUPY, a low molecular weight copper complex with properties typical of a Cu2Zn2 SOD active center analog was shown to display pronounced toxicity upon incubation with human K562 erythroleukemia cells, while the ligand, CuSO4 or CuEDTA did not affect vitality. Externally added catalase decreased the cytotoxic effects of CuPUPY by 50% indicating an involvement of hydrogen peroxide in toxicity. An increased oxygen uptake and glutathione oxidation by K562 cells in the presence of CuPUPY suggested that toxicity might be due to a copper-mediated redox-cycle. In fact addition of glutathione to a solution of CuPUPY resulted in glutathione oxidation, O2-consumption and H2O2-generation. CuPUPY proved to be less toxic to human lymphocytes than to K562 cells. This selectivity may be related to the low content of antioxidative enzymes in K562 cells.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1990

Generation of daunomycin radicals on the outer side of the erythrocyte membrane.

The generation of the daunomycin semiquinone was studied in intact red blood cells under CO atmosphere by ESR spectroscopy. The undialyzed hemolysates and the spin broadening agent chromium oxalate quenched the ESR signal, suggesting external location of the ESR-detectable radicals and their slow diffusion inside. A constant outward flow of O2- was detected by monitoring the approach to the steady state of the ESR signal of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase externally added to red blood cells plus daunomycin in air. This suggests a reductase on the outer side of the erythrocyte membrane as the source of daunomycin radicals.

Daunorubicin↗
PubMed1990

Assignment of imidazole resonances from two-dimensional proton NMR spectra of bovine Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase. Evidence for similar active site conformation in the oxidized and reduced enzyme.

Two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectra were carried out on bovine Cu(I),Zn superoxide dismutase. The ring protons of the single tyrosine and of the 4 phenylalanines were identified from COSY spectra. From NOESY spectra all imidazole C-resonances could be specifically assigned to each of the 8 histidines using the crystal coordinates of the Cu(II),Zn enzyme. Since 6 histidines are involved in the structure of the active site, this result implies nearly identical active site conformations for the two oxidation states of the catalytic cycle of this enzyme, in line with its diffusion-limited rate.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Mapping the copper ligands of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase by nuclear Overhauser enhancement of the isotropically shifted 1H-NMR lines of the Cu,Co derivative.

Transient nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) experiments were made with bovine Cu,Co superoxide dismutase on the hyperfine shifted resonances of protons of the imidazole groups bound to the Cu,Zn cluster of the native enzyme. Assignments of lines based on the observed magnetization transfers were satisfactorily obtained only by altering the arrangement of the ligands around the catalytically active copper shown by X-ray crystallography.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A study of the intracellular effects of glutathione by 1H-spin echo NMR of intact human erythrocytes.

The effect of adding either reduced (GSH) or oxidized (GSSG) glutathione to intact human erythrocytes was investigated by 1H-spin echo NMR, which allows direct observation of relatively concentrated low molecular weight compounds within intact cells. A specific region of the spectrum was affected by addition of GSH, with the appearance of new peaks that were diagnostic of an increase of intracellular GSH. These changes did not occur in hemolysates, and did not involve extra-cytosol GSH either free or membrane-bound. These results indicate that the intracellular redox balance of glutathione is shifted toward the reduced state by exogenous glutathione, possibly via a signal transferring system of the cell membrane.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMed1989

Developmental expression of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase in Xenopus. Constant level of the enzyme in oogenesis and embryogenesis.

cDNA clones for Xenopus laevis Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase were isolated, sequenced and used as probes to study the expression of the corresponding gene during oogenesis and embryogenesis; Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity was also monitored throughout development. It has been observed that its mRNA is actively synthesized during early oogenesis, reaching a maximum level at stage II, and is utilized through oogenesis. This results in an accumulation of enzyme activity during oocyte growth, paralleling the accumulation of the several other cellular components which are stored in the oocyte to be utilized later on by the developing embryo. In fact, Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity is present at an approximately constant level until late embryonic development, while its mRNA disappears soon after fertilization to be accumulated again only during the last part of embryogenesis. This developmental expression behaviour can be viewed as typical of an housekeeping function and suggests that Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase activity is a constant need of the cell rather than being subject to regulation by oxygen metabolism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Electron microscopic evidence for endocytosis of superoxide dismutase by hepatocytes using protein-gold adducts.

Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase, an intracellular, carbohydrate-free protein, was found to bind to hepatocytes and endothelial cells by electron microscopy of liver treated with enzyme-gold conjugates. In cultured hepatocytes, the free enzyme, but not bovine serum albumin, competed for the binding, and at 37 degrees C, the gold-protein complexes were internalized in a typical process of receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Primary structure from amino acid and cDNA sequences of two Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase variants from Xenopus laevis.

A mixture of two different amino acid sequences was discovered in Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase purified from the amphibian Xenopus laevis. No N-terminal post-translational modification was found. The high number of substitutions in the sequence suggested that protein heterogeneity was a product of gene duplication. This was confirmed by isolation of two different cDNA clones. Nucleotide sequence analysis allowed the primary structure of the two peptide chains to be unambiguously assigned. The observed changes (19 in 150 residues) are distributed along the peptide chain to give similar protein net charges although substitutions of the same polarity and/or charge were the exception rather than the rule. The degree of diversity between the two Xenopus variants is comparable to that between mammalian sequences and shows that the putative increase of the rate of mutation for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase at later evolution stages (Y. M. Lee et al., 1985, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 241, 577-589; G. J. Steffens et al., 1986, Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 367, 1017-1024) is observed in amphibians. This is the first time complete sequences for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase variants from the same organism have been found to be products of divergent genes and not simply allelic mutations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Conservation of local electric fields in the evolution of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase.

The trend of the electric field and the value of the electric field flux, sensed by the superoxide substrate in the proximity of the active site, were found to be constant in three highly homologous Cu,Zn superoxide dismutases from ox, pig and sheep, which display large differences in net protein charge and distribution of electrically charged surface residues but very similar catalytic rate constants. The spatial relationship of charges on the protein surface apparently has been conserved during the evolution of this enzyme to create electrostatic facilitation of catalysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Crystallographic characterization and three-dimensional model of yeast Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase.

The Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase from yeast was crystallized in the orthorhombic space group P21212 with unit cell dimension a = 105.1 A,b = 142.2 A, c = 62.1 A. The crystals grow in 25 mM citrate, 10 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.5, and 6% (W/V) polyethylene glycol, with a Vm of 3,4 A3/dalton, for two dimers/asymmetric unit. The crystals were unstable in the mother liquor, but were stabilized by transfer to a 35% polyethylene glycol solution. This crystalline form diffracts at high resolution and is suitable for determination of the atomic structure. The three dimensional structure of the yeast enzyme could be model-built by computer graphics techniques using the bovine enzyme atomic coordinates as template. The proposed model requires removal of some salt bridges and non equivalence of the metal-binding sites in the subunits, in line with reported functional properties of the yeast enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Room temperature electron spin resonance of superoxide dismutase-loaded liposomes and erythrocytes. A direct approach to the interaction of O2- with cells.

Human erythrocytes were enriched with bovine superoxide dismutase by fusion with liposomes containing the entrapped enzyme. Liquid solution ESR of intact cells at room temperature was used to measure directly the increase in the superoxide dismutase content. From the spectral characteristics (g-value and hyperfine splitting tensor), the structural integrity of the Cu site of the enzyme was found to be unaffected by the liposome preparation procedure or the incubation with cells. Changes in the ESR signal size were used to test directly the interaction of superoxide with the enzyme entrapped in liposomes or delivered to erythrocytes. It was found that the liposome-entrapped enzyme does not react with externally generated O2-, but once delivered to red blood cells this reaction can take place. This is the first demonstration of O2- -scavenging activity by superoxide dismutase delivered into an intact cell structure and is therefore to be considered as strong evidence for activity of this enzyme under in vivo conditions.

Ascorbic Acid↗
PubMed1989

Manganese accumulation in yeast cells. Electron-spin-resonance characterization and superoxide dismutase activity.

Manganese accumulation was studied by room-temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy in Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown in the presence of increasing amounts of MnSO4. Mn2+ retention was nearly linear in intact cells for fractions related to both low-molecular-mass and macromolecular complexes ('free' and 'bound' Mn2+, respectively). A deviation from linearity was observed in cell extracts between the control value and 0.1 mM Mn2+, indicating more efficient accumulation at low Mn2+ concentrations. The difference in slopes between the two straight lines describing Mn2+ retention at concentrations lower and higher than 0.1 mM, respectively, was quite large for the free Mn2+ fraction. Furthermore it was unaffected by subsequent dialyses of the extracts, showing stable retention in the form of low-molecular-mass complexes. In contrast, the slope of the line describing retention of 'bound' Mn2+ at concentrations higher than 0.1 mM became less steep after subsequent dialyses of the cell extracts. This result indicates that the macromolecule-bound Mn2+ was essentially associated with particulate structures. In contrast to Cu2+, Mn2+ had no effect on the major enzyme activities involved in oxygen metabolism except for a slight increase of cyanide-resistant Mn-superoxide dismutase activity, due to dialyzable Mn2+ complexes.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗
PubMed1988

Oxygen-independent induction of enzyme activities related to oxygen metabolism in yeast by copper.

Aerobic growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the presence of CuSO4 (between 0.1 and 1 mM) caused a generalized induction of major enzyme activities involved in 'housekeeping' routes of oxygen metabolism (cytochrome oxidase, glutathione peroxidases and catalase) which were comparable to or higher than that observed with Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase. Fumarase and glutathione transferase, tested as controls for oxygen-unrelated activities, were found to decrease under the same conditions. In the absence of oxygen, copper addition to yeast resulted in significant increases of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidases and a slight increase of cytochrome oxidase, with catalase remaining undetectable irrespective of whether or not copper was present. Other metal ions tested (Mn2+, Co2+) were unable to produce such effects. It is concluded that copper has a general inducing effect on enzymes related to metabolism of oxygen and oxygen derivatives, which is mediated neither by formation of O2-. and H2O2 nor by interaction with copper-specific apoproteins. These results point to a general role of copper as regulator of the expression of major enzyme activities involved in biological oxygen activation.

Aerobiosis↗