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Biomedical subjects

J B Mudd

Publications and source records attributed to J B Mudd.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Identification of an acyl donor in steryl ester biosynthesis by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves.

A pathway for steryl ester biosynthesis in acetone powder preparations from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves has been elucidated; free sterol and 1,2-diglyceride were the substrates. Although animals synthesize cholesteryl esters by three distinct biosynthetic pathways, none of these pathways utilizes 1,2-diglyceride as an acyl donor. Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidic acid, triglyceride, 1,3-diglyceride, 1-monoglyceride, free fatty acid, and fatty acyl-CoA were not acyl donors for spinach leaf steryl ester biosynthesis in our assay system. The unstable 2 isomer of monoglyceride was not tested. It is possible that 1,2-diglyceride and 2-monoglyceride were both acyl donors for spinach leaf steryl ester biosynthesis. Acyl-labeled phosphatidylcholine and acyl-labeled phosphatidylethanolamine were rapidly degraded by acetone powder preparations to 1,2-diglyceride via phosphatidic acid. The 1,2-diglycerides were slowly metabolized to monoglycerides, triglycerides, free fatty acids, and steryl esters. The monoglycerides were rapidly degraded to free fatty acids and glycerol.

Journal Article↗

Composition and enzyme activities of Spiroplasma citri membranes.

Spiroplasma citri was cultured in three different media that supplied cholesterol and fatty acids from: (i) horse serum, (ii) pleuropneumonia-like organism (PPLO) serum fraction, or (iii) bovine serum albumin-fatty acid-cholesterol. The ability of PPLO serum fraction to support growth varied by lot number. Neither PPLO serum fraction nor the bovine serum albumin medium supported growth as well as the horse serum medium. Analysis of cholesterol, lipid phosphorus, and membrane protein showed the horse serum- and PPLO-grown cells to be indistinguishable, but the bovine serum albumin-grown cells were deficient in lipid phosphorus. The three cultures did not show markedly different fatty acid compositions, but, in all cases, the cultures preferentially incorporated palmitic acid and discriminated against linoleic acid. Cultures grown for different times from logarithmic growth through a degenerative phase showed relatively constant ratios of cholesterol/protein and lipid phosphorus/protein. Fatty acid composition was also relatively constant at the different stages. Adenosine triphosphatase and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase were mainly associated with the membrane, whereas reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase was either readily removed or not associated with the membrane. The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase was inactivated at temperatures above 35 degrees C.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Lipid composition and lipid metabolism of Spiroplasma citri.

In a horse serum-based medium containing a full complement of fatty acids, cells of Spiroplasma citri were seen to preferentially incorporate palmitic acid. In the same medium, which had a steryl ester-to-sterol ratio of 3.64, a steryl ester-to-sterol ratio of 0.23 was seen in the cells, cholesterol being preferentially incorporated over cholesteryl ester. Like most other mycoplasmas, S. citri was shown to be unable to synthesize fatty acids or esterify cholesterol. The neutral lipids of S. citri grown in a medium containing horse serum consisted of free cholesterol, cholesteryl ester, free fatty acids, triglycerides and diglycerides. All polar lipids were phospholipids, with no glycolipids detected. These phospholipids, which are characteristic of many mycoplasmas, are phosphatidyl glycerol, diphosphatidyl glycerol, and their lyso derivatives. Sphingomyelin was also incorporated when cells were grown on horse serum. A sterol requirement for the growth of S. citri was confirmed using a serum-free medium supplemented with bovine serum albumin, palmitic acid, and various concentrations of sterols dissolved in Tween 80. The addition of palmitic acid stimulated growth but was not essential for growth. S citri was shown to grow best on cholesterol and beta-sitosterol and was able to grow on stigmasterol and ergosterol to a lesser degree. No growth was obtained using mevalonate, deoxycholate, or taurodeoxycholate as an alternative to sterol. S. citri was also able to grow when palmitic acid was replaced with oleic acid, linoleic acid, or linolenic acid. Alterations in the lipid composition of the growth medium and hence in the lipid composition of S. citri induced changes in the characteristic helical morphology of the cells, concurrent with loss of cell viability. Culture, age, and pH were also factors in determining cell morphology and viability.

Cholesterol↗

Studies on Phospholipid-synthesizing Enzyme Activities during the Growth of Etiolated Cucumber Cotyledons.

The enzymatic incorporation of sn-glycerol 3-phosphate into lipid by extracts of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cotyledons showed an absolute requirement for ATP (saturation 2 mM). The incorporation was stimulated 4-fold by 0.2 mM oleate. Ethyldiaminetetraacetate stimulated the incorporation at concentrations below 1 mM and inhibited at higher concentrations. Mg(2+) did not affect the reaction. Triton X-100 and Cutscum inhibited the reaction, while a third detergent, Span 80, was stimulatory. p-Mercuribenzoate was inhibitory. The enzymatic reaction has a pH optimum in the range of 8.8 to 9.6. The Michaelis constant was 112 muM for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. The major amount of product was phosphatidic acid, the remainder was diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol, and an unknown phospholipid.The activity profiles for two glyoxysmal enzymes, malate synthetase and catalase, were compared to the activities of four enzymes involved in phospholipid synthesis. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis paralleled the activity profiles of catalase and malate synthetase, as well as the levels of endogenous diglycerides. sn-Glycerol 3-phosphate incorporation peaked at a later stage of cucumber cotyledon growth than the glyoxysomal enzymes and seemed to be the major pathway of phosphatidic acid synthesis. Diglyceride phosphokinase activity did not reach appreciable levels during the first 11 days of cucumber cotyledon growth.

Journal Article↗

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine by enzyme preparations from plant tissues.

The enzymic utilization of cytidine diphosphoethanolamine in the synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine is localized in the microsomal fraction of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves. The metal ion requirement can be satisfied by Mn(2+) (saturation approximately 0.6 mm) or Mg(2+) (saturation approximately 25 mm). The enzyme has a pH optimum of 8.0 in the presence of Mn(2+) and 7.5 in the presence of Mg(2+). A Michaelis constant of 20 mum was determined for cytidinediphos-phoethanolamine. Enzyme activity was stimulated by thiol compounds and inhibited by thiol reagents. No inhibition was obtained with cytidine monophosphate and Tween 80.The in vitro biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine was inhibited by cytidine diphosphocholine and the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine was inhibited by cytidine diphosphoethanolamine. Activities of the two synthetic systems were indistinguishable on the basis of susceptibility to lyophilization and inhibition by thiol reagents.

Journal Article↗

S-acyl glutathione thioesterase of plant tissue.

The enzymic hydrolysis of S-acyl glutathione has been observed in extracts of various plant tissues. The richest source found in this study was avocado mesocarp. No enzymic activity was observed with acetyl coenzyme A or acetylthiocholine as substrates. Hydrolytic activity was essentially constant in the pH range 7 to 9. There was a break in the activation energy plot at 25 C with activation energy above that point being 6800 calories and 2600 calories below it. The Michaelis constants for S-acetyl, S-propionyl, and S-butyryl glutathione were 200, 80, and 15 mum, respectively. The data are not consistent with the hypothesis that variation in the phytotoxicity of peroxyacyl nitrates is a function of the ability of the plant to hydrolyze glutathione thioesters.

Journal Article↗

Regulation by cytidine nucleotides of the acylation of sn-(14C)glycerol 3-phosphate. Regional and subcellular distribution of the enzymes responsible for phosphatidic acid synthesis de novo in the central nervous system of the rat.

1. The regional and subcellular distribution of the incorporation of sn-[(14)C]glycerol 3-phosphate into rat brain lipids in vitro was investigated and compared with the relative specific activity of various chemical and enzyme markers. The similarity between the subcellular distribution of this incorporation and of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity indicated that the synthesis of phosphatidic acid via this route correlated with the presence of endoplasmic reticulum. 2. Experiments in which various amounts of the microsomal fraction were added to fixed amounts of nuclear, myelin, nerve-ending and mitochondrial preparations clearly demonstrated that the endoplasmic-reticulum contamination of these fractions was entirely responsible for the incorporation of sn-[(14)C]glycerol 3-phosphate. 3. The presence of CMP or CTP inhibited the incorporation of sn-[(14)C]glycerol 3-phosphate into the whole homogenate. Similar effects were observed with individual fractions, except for the mitochondria. With the mitochondrial fraction the effect of these cytidine nucleotides varied with the preparation, stimulating in some preparations and inhibiting with other preparations. The presence of CDP-choline stimulated the incorporation into the whole homogenate and to a lesser extent into the subcellular fractions. 4. These results indicate that the various organelles of the central nervous system are more dependent on endoplasmic reticulum for the production of glycerolipids de novo than has previously been appreciated.

Acylation↗

Some aspects of carnitine metabolism in avocado (Persea americana) (Short Communication).

The fact that palmitoyl-l-carnitine is oxidized by avocado mitochondria at a rate comparable with that of succinate oxidation suggests that there are at least two systems for beta-oxidation in higher plants. The carnitine-associated system is located in a mitochondrial fraction, whereas the glyoxylate-cycle-associated system is located in the glyoxysomes.

Journal Article↗

Inhibition of glycolipid biosynthesis in chloroplasts by ozone and sulfhydryl reagents.

The metabolism of uridine 5'-pyrophosphate-galactose by spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplast preparations was inhibited by ozone. The formation of digalactosyl diglyceride and trigalactosyl diglyceride was inhibited much more than the formation of monogalactosyl diglyceride, steryl glycoside, and acylated steryl glycoside. Essentially identical results were obtained when glycolipid synthesis was inhibited by N-ethyl maleimide, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, and CdCl(2). Iodoacetate and iodoacetamide affected neither the total incorporation of sugar from uridine 5'-pyrophosphate-galactose nor distribution of the incorporated sugar in the various glycolipids.Ozone reacted with model membrane systems prepared with egg lecithin. In the absence of reduced glutathione, products included malonaldehyde and hydrogen peroxide. In the presence of glutathione, malonaldehyde was still produced, but the glutathione was oxidized and no peroxide was detected. When these studies were extended to chloroplast preparations, it was also found that malonaldehyde was produced and glutathione was oxidized.It was concluded that ozone inhibits glycolipid biosynthesis in chloroplast preparations by way of oxidation of enzyme sulfhydryl groups but that this reaction may be a secondary effect of oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids.

Journal Article↗

Structural analysis of phosphatidylcholine of plant tissue.

Pure preparations of phosphatidylcholine were isolated from spinach leaf chloroplasts, spinach leaf microsomes, and cauliflower inflorescence. The isolated phosphatidylcholine was treated with snake venom phospholipase A, and the fatty acid distribution and composition of the fatty acid methyl esters prepared from the lysophosphatidylcholine and the freed fatty acid were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The results showed that saturated fatty acids were preferentially esterified at position 1 and unsaturated fatty acids at position 2. The phosphatidylcholine from cauliflower was also treated with phospholipase C. The resulting diglycerides were fractionated on AgNO(3)-impregnated thin-layer plates. The diglyceride fractions were transesterified and the fatty acid composition of each was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. The predominant species contained linolenic acid only (22% of the total), linolenic and oleic acids (19%), and linolenic and palmitic acids (37%). These molecular species could not be accounted for by random distribution of the fatty acids.

Animals↗

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves.

The enzymic incorporation of choline-1,2-(14)C from CDP-choline-1,2-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine by spinach leaf preparations was characterized. The enzyme catalyzing the incorporation, choline phosphotransferase, had a pH optimum of about 8.0 and required either Mn(2+) or Mg(2+) as cofactor. The saturation concentration of Mn(2+) was 0.3 mm and that for Mg(2+) was 13 mm. The K(m) for CDP-choline was 10 micro m. The choline phosphotransferase was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. The enzyme was inactivated at 30 degrees C, but this inactivation could be prevented by dithiothreitol and Mn(2+). Preincubation of the enzyme with Mn(2+) prevented inhibition by sulfhydryl reagents. The incorporation of diglyceride-U-(14)C into phosphatidylcholine was also studied. The enzyme did not show any diglyceride specificity when exogenous diglyceride was added, indicating that fatty acid distribution in phosphatidylcholine of spinach is not controlled by choline phosphotransferase.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

Control of fatty acid distribution in phosphatidylcholine of spinach leaves.

The acylation of lysophosphatidylcholine by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves was studied. The acylation reaction was followed by the incorporation of (14)C-labeled fatty acids from the respective coenzyme A derivatives into phosphatidylcholine. The subcellular fraction with the highest specific activity was the microsomal fraction. Contaminating thioesterase activity which was encountered was inhibited by treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate. The acyltransferase activity was only mildly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents. Labeled fatty acid was primarily incorporated into phosphatidylcholine. When saturated and unsaturated fatty acyl CoA derivatives were used, the saturated derivatives were incorporated primarily into the 1-position of the glycerol moiety, and the unsaturated fatty acids went primarily to the 2-position. This pattern of incorporation agrees with the fatty acid distribution in vivo.

Acyltransferases↗

The biosynthesis of steryl glucosides in plants.

Mitochondrial preparations from pea root (Pisum sativum L. var. Alaska) cauliflower inflorescence (Brassica cauliflora Gars.) and avocado inner mesocarp (Persea americana Mill. var. Fuerte), and chloroplast preparations from spinach leaf (Spinacia oleracea L. var. Bloomsdale) incorporate glucose into steryl glucoside and acylated steryl glucoside when either uridine diphosphate-glucose or uridine diphosphate-galactose is supplied as precursor. In the case of pea root mitochondria, galactosyl diglycerides are not formed from either nucleotide sugar. In the case of spinach chloroplasts only 3% of the metabolized uridine diphosphate-galactose is found as steryl glycosides. Time course experiments indicate that the steryl glucoside is the precursor of the acylated steryl glucoside. The effect of pH on the over-all reaction and analysis of the reaction products suggest that the glucosylation of the sterol has a pH optimum of 8 to 9, and the pH optimum for the acylation of the steryl glucoside is 6.5 to 7. The synthesis of steryl glucoside and acylated steryl glucoside, catalyzed by acetone powders of pea root mitochondria, is stimuated by added sitosterol and stigmasterol.

Galactose↗