PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Lumsden

Publications and source records attributed to J Lumsden.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

A study of the quaternary structure of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase using bis(imido esters).

The quaternary structure of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase has been studied by cross-linking with a periodate-cleavable bis(imido ester), N,N'-bis(2-carboximidoethyl)tartaramide dimethyl ester dihydrochloride (CETD). The cross-linked holoenzyme gives a characteristic five-band pattern after electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The components of each band have been unambiguously identified by (a) molecular-weight measurements, (b) comparisons of cross-linking patterns of holoenzyme and core enzyme, and (c) periodate cleavage of cross-links followed by a second dimension sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The bands are (1) alphabeta and alphabeta', (2) sigmabeta and sigmabeta', (3) alphasigmabeta', (4) betabeta', and (5) sigmabetabeta'. Bands 2 and 4 are the most prominent at low reagent concentrations (up to 2.5 mM) but band 5 becomes the most prominent at higher concentrations. There are no bands corresponding to alphaalpha and alphasigma; a faint band has been tentatively identified as alphabetabeta'. Shorter bis(imido esters) are much less effective cross-linking reagents than CETD and they do not give rise to any other cross-linked species. On the basis of these observations, a model for the subunit arrangement of RNA polymerase is proposed.

Binding Sites↗

The subunit structure of the arom multienzyme complex of Neurospora crassa. A possible pentafunctional polypeptide chain.

A new procedure for the purification of the arom multienzyme complex from Neurospora crassa is presented. Important factors are the inactivation of proteinases by phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride and the use of cellulose phosphate as an affinity adsorbent. A homogeneous enzyme, with a specific shikimate dehydrogenase activity of 70 units/mg of protein, is obtained in 25% yield. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, combined with cross-linking studies using dimethyl suberimidate, suggest that the complex is composed of two subunits of molecular weight 165000. Glycerol-density-gradient centrifugation indicates a molecular weight for the intact complex of about 270000. Evidence for the effects of proteolysis, both during the preparation and on storage of the purified complex, is presented, and previous reports in the literature of the occurrence of multiple subunits are discussed in this light.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Purification and physicochemical properties of superoxide dismutase from two photosynthetic microorganisms.

Superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) has been isolated and characterised from the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis and from aerobically-grown Rhodopseudomonas spheroides, a purple, non-sulphur bacterium. The former enzyme contains 1 gatom of iron and the latter 1 gatom of manganese per mol; both enzymes have a molecular weight of 37 000-38 000, being composed of two non-covalently joined subunits of equal size. Various spectral studies have been carried out including absorbance, circular dichroism and electron spin resonance. Catalytic activity has been studied as a function of pH and shows a decrease at alkaline pH values. The manganoenzyme is generally more stable to various potentially denaturing conditions and is resistant to inactivation by hydrogen peroxide. Amino acid compositions and N-terminal residue determinations are presented.

Aerobiosis↗