Biomedical subjects

M J Merrett

Publications and source records attributed to M J Merrett.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1985

Glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-dependent) mRNA in relation to enzyme synthesis in Euglena gracilis. Evidence for post-transcriptional control.

Cells of Euglena gracilis Klebs strain z Pringsheim had high NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity when grown on glutamate as nitrogen source but activity was completely repressed in cells grown on ammonium (NH4+). A 120-fold purification of NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase (subunit Mr = 45 000) was achieved from glutamate-grown cells by affinity chromatography on blue Sepharose CL-6B. Antisera raised against the homogeneously pure protein were used to demonstrate that increase in NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase activity on transfer from NH4+ to glutamate medium resulted from an increase in the amount of protein. Glutamate NH4+-grown cells were labelled with L-[35S]methionine and anti-(NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase) used to immunoprecipitate the dehydrogenase from cell extracts. NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase protein was detected in glutamate-grown but not NH4+-grown cells. Anti-(NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase) was used to detect NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase resulting from the translation of total polyadenylated RNA from Euglena in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase mRNA was present in glutamate NH4+-grown cells, there being no apparent difference in mRNA abundance between cells showing a tenfold difference in NADPH-glutamate dehydrogenase specific activity. These results indicate that the synthesis of this dehydrogenase is regulated primarily at the post-transcriptional level.

Culture Media↗

PubMed1984

Regulation of synthesis of citrate synthase in regreening Euglena gracilis.

Exposure of dark-grown Euglena to white or red light, but not blue light, produced a twofold increase in the specific activity of citrate synthase. A 400-fold purification of mitochondrial citrate synthase (subunit Mr = 44000) was achieved from cells of Euglena gracilis by affinity chromatography on ATP-activated agarose. Antisera, raised against the homogeneously pure enzyme, were used to demonstrate that the increase in citrate synthase activity on exposure of dark-grown cells to light resulted from an increase in citrate synthase protein. Anti-(citrate synthase) was used to detect precursor citrate synthase resulting from the translation of total polyadenylated RNA from Euglena in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. Citrate synthase mRNA was found to be present in cells at all stages of regreening. However, extraction and translation of polyadenylated RNA from free polysomes isolated from darkgrown and regreening cells demonstrated that appreciable translation of citrate synthase mRNA was only occurring in regreening cells.

Chloroplasts↗

PubMed1979

Isolation and enzymic characterization of euglena proplastids.

Organelles were isolated from dark-grown Euglena gracilis Klebs by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Plastids, identified by triosephosphate isomerase and NADP glyoxylate reductase were present at an equilibrium density of 1.24 grams per cubic centimeter clearly separated from mitochondria at an equilibrium density of 1.22 grams per cubic centimeter. Assay for choline phosphotransferase and glucose-6-phosphatase showed that endoplasmic reticulum membranes were present at a density of 1.12 grams per cubic centimeter. The plastid fraction contained phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, triosephosphate isomerase and aldolase indicating the operation of a glycolytic pathway. During regreening pyruvate kinase and phosphofructokinase in the developing proplastid decreased, neither enzyme being present in the mature chloroplast. However, plastids were present in the photosynthetic cell as shown by a peak of glycolysis enzymes at an equilibrium density of 1.24 grams per cubic centimeter.The integrity of isolated plastids was demonstrated by their capacity for protein synthesis. Plastids isolated from dark-grown cells rapidly incorporated [(35)S]methionine into protein with an absolute dependence on added ATP. The large subunit of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase was the major polypeptide synthesized by these isolated plastids.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1978

Purification and immunochemical characterization of malate synthase from Euglena gracilis.

Malate synthase (EC 4.1.3.2) from dark-grown Euglena gracilis was purified to homogeneity by the criterion of polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was released from acetate-grown cells by treatment with ultrasonic waves and purified from broken-cell suspensions by high-speed centrifugation and (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, followed by gel-filtration on Sepharose 6B. The final enzyme preparation was purified 190-fold compared with the crude extract. The mol.wt. of the enzyme was about 350000 as determined by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B. Treatment with sodium dodecyl sulphate and urea dissociated the enzyme into subunits of mol.wt. 175000. The pH optimum for the enzyme was 8.0 and the Km values for glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA were 50 and 80 micron respectively. Antibodies raised to the purified enzyme were shown to be monospecific by radiochemical immunoassay. Euglena anti-(malate synthase) tested on Ouchterlony double-diffusion gels gave a sharp precipitation band against acetate-grown Escherichia coli, but no immunological correspondence was observed with acetate-grown Chlorella fusca, Zea mays (maize) scutella or purified malate synthase from Ricinus communis.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Development of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase in castor bean cotyledons.

Light was not essential for the development of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase protein or catalytic activity in the photosynthetic cotyledons of germinating castor beans (Ricinus communis). Cotyledons developing in the dark showed higher activity than those in the light. Returning cotyledons developing in the light to darkness resulted in a significant increase in ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase activity compared to cotyledons in continuous light.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1976

Enzyme levels in relation to obligate phototrophy in chlamydobotrys.

During the transition from photoheterotrophic growth on acetate to phototrophic growth on carbon dioxide, there is a decrease in isocitrate lyase and increase in ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase activity in Chlamydobotrys stellata cultures. The increase in ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase activity is the result of protein synthesis, there being a close correlation between increase in enzyme activity and protein precipitated by antibody to ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. The purified ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase was similar to the constitutive enzyme from other green algae having a molecular weight of 530,000 and composed of two types of subunit of molecular weight 53,000 and 14,000.Enzyme assays demonstrated an incomplete tricarboxylic acid cycle in cells growing photoheterotrophically on acetate or phototrophically on carbon dioxide. Although these cells lack alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinate thiokinase, a cyclic flow of acetate carbon is possible in the presence of the glyoxylate cycle enzymes but the yield of adenosine triphosphate from acetate oxidation may be insufficient to support heterotrophic growth, so rendering Chlamydobotrys an obligate phototroph.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1976

Ribulose Diphosphate Carboxylase Synthesis in Euglena: III. Serological Relationships of the Intact Enzyme and its Subunits.

Ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase was isolated from Euglena gracilis Klebs strain Z Pringsheim, Chlorella fusca var. vacuolata, and Chlamydobotrys stellata, and the subunits from each enzyme were separated and purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Rabbit antibody was elicited against purified Euglena ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase whole enzyme and the isolated large and small subunits. Euglena ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase showed partial immunological identity on Ouchterlony gels with the Chlorella and Chlamydobotrys carboxylases. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of immunoprecipitates between antibody to the Euglena large subunit and the isolated large subunits of the Chlorella and Chlamydobotrys enzymes showed this was due to determinants on the large subunit. There was no serological affinity between the small subunits of the Euglena, Chlorella, and Chlamydobotrys carboxylases, and NH(2)-terminal amino acid analyses provided further evidence of variability in the structure of the small subunits.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1975

Induction potential for glyoxylate cycle enzymes during the cell cycle of Euglena gracilis.

In light/dark synchronized cultures of Euglena gracilis Klebs Z the enzymes malate synthase, isocitrate lyase and acetate thiokinase were induced upon addition of acetate at all stages of the cell cycle. Cycloheximide and p-fluorophenylalanine inhibited the development of enzyme activity, showing that induction was dependent on protein synthesis. The maximum rate of induction for all three enzymes was constant for much of the cell cycle but doubles in a single step during the period of DNA replication. Although these data indicate that enzyme potential was regulated by gene dosage and that the structural gene for each enzyme was continuously available for transcription during the cell-cycle it was not possible by using inhibitors of RNA synthesis, to demonstrate concurrent transcription during enzyme induction.

Acetate-CoA Ligase↗

PubMed1975

The localization of glycollate-pathway enzymes in Euglena.

Isolation of organelles from broken-cell suspensions of phototrophically grown Euglena gracilis Klebs was achieved by isopycnic centrifugation on sucrose gradients. 2. Equilibrium densities of 1.23g/cm3 for peroxisome-like particles, 1.22g/cm3 for mitochondria and 1.17g/cm3 for chloroplasts were recorded. 3. The enzymes glycollate dehydrogenase, glutamate-glyoxylate aminotransferase, serineglyoxylate aminotransferase, aspartate-alpha-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, hydroxy pyruvate reductase and malate dehydrogenase were present in peroxisome-like particles. 4. Unlike higher plants glycollate dehydrogenase and glutamate-glyoxylate aminotransferase were present in the mitochondria of Euglena. 5. Rates of glycollate and D-lactate oxidation were additive in the mitochondria, and, although glycollate dehydrogenase was inhibited by cyanide, D-lactate dehydrogenase activity was unaffected. 6. Glycollate oxidation was linked to O2 uptake in mitochondria but not in peroxisome-like particles. This glycollate-dependent O2 uptake was inhibited by antimycin A or cyanide. 7. The physiological significance of glycollate metabolism in Euglena mitochondria is discussed, with special reference to its role in photorespiration in algae.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed1975

Oxidative phosphorylation during glycollate metabolism in mitochondria from phototrophic Euglena gracilis.

Mitochondria were isolated by gradient centrifugation on linear sucrose gradients from broken cell suspensions of phototrophically grown Euglena gracilis. An antimycin A-sensitive but rotenone-insensitive glycollate-dependent oxygen uptake was demonstrated in isolated mitochondria. The partial reactions of glycollate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase were demonstrated by using Euglena cytochrome c as exogenous electron acceptor/donor. Isolated mitochondria contain glycollate dehydrogenase and glyoxylate-glutamate aminotransferase and oxidize exogenous glycine. A P:O ratio of 1.7 was obtained for glycollate oxidation, consistent with glycollate electrons entering the Euglena respiratory chain at the flavoprotein level. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to photorespiration in algae.

Antimycin A↗

PubMed1975

The glycolate pathway and photosynthetic competence in euglena.

The development of glycolate pathway enzymes has been determined in relation to photosynthetic competence during the regreening of Euglena cultures. Phosphoglycolate phosphatase and glycolate dehydrogenase rapidly reached maximal levels of activity but the complete development of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and concomitant photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation were not attained until 72 hours of illumination. Specific inhibitors of protein synthesis showed that the formation of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase in both division-synchronized and regreening cultures was prevented by both cycloheximide and d-threo-chloramphenicol, whereas phosphoglycolate phosphatase formation was only inhibited by d-threo-chloramphenicol but not by l-threo-chloramphenicol or cycloheximide. Since cycloheximide prevented ribulose diphosphate carboxylase synthesis and photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation without affecting phosphoglycolate phosphatase synthesis during regreening, it was concluded that photosynthetic competence was not necessary for the development of the glycolate pathway enzymes. The inhibition of phosphoglycolate phosphatase synthesis by d-threo-chloramphenicol but not by l-threo-chloramphenicol or cycloheximide shows that the enzyme was synthesized exclusively on chloroplast ribosomes, whereas protein synthesis on both chloroplast and cytoplasmic ribosomes was required for the formation of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. Although light is required for the development of both Calvin cycle and glycolate pathway enzymes during regreening it is concluded that the two pathways are not coordinately regulated.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1975

Ribulose diphosphate carboxylase synthesis in euglena: increased enzyme activity after transferring regreening cells to darkness.

The transfer of dark-grown cultures of Euglena gracilis Klebs strain Z regreening in the light back into darkness resulted in a dramatic increase in ribulose diphosphate carboxylase activity. On a culture volume basis activity increased 4-fold over a 24-hour dark period, although on a protein basis activity declined because of rapid cell division. Mixed assays with light- and dark-growing cell extracts provided no evidence for the removal of an inhibitor of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase upon transferring regreening cells back to darkness. Although ribulose diphosphate carboxylase activity increased over a 24-hour dark period, there was no concomitant increase in the potential of the cells for photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation.Higher light intensities than the optimum for ribulose diphosphate carboxylase synthesis during regreening resulted in a greater relative rate of synthesis on transfer to darkness so that the maximum activity of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase reached in the dark was constant, regardless of light intensity during regreening. A tentative hypothesis to explain these results is that the synthesis of the large and small subunits of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase occur at different stages of cell development, light being necessary for the synthesis of the large subunit and also for regulating the synthesis of the small subunit.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1975

Microbody-marker Enzymes during Transition from Phototrophic to Organotrophic Growth in Euglena.

Transfer of Euglena gracilis Klebs Z cells from phototrophic to organotrophic growth on acetate results in derepression of the key enzymes of the glyoxylate cycle, malate synthase and isocitrate lyase, which appear coordinately regulated. The derepression of malate synthase and isocitrate lyase was accompanied by increased specific activities of succinate dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase, but hydroxypyruvate reductase activity was unaltered.Isolation of organelles from broken cell suspensions of cells grown heterotrophically on acetate was achieved by isopycnic centrifugation on sucrose gradients. Peaks of mitochondrial enzymes were obtained at equilibrium densities of 1.22 g cm(3) and 1.16 g cm(3), and although significant differences in the distribution of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes between these two peaks were not recorded adenosine triphosphatase activity was detected only in the less dense fraction (1.16 g cm(3)) showing this contained damaged mitochondria. The peak of particulate glyoxylate cycle enzymes was at an equilibrium density of 1.25 g cm(3), this being the same as that for glycolate pathway enzymes from phototrophic cells. Citrate synthase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, and malate dehydrogenase were all present in this fraction so it was concluded that Euglena glyoxysomes contain a complete glyoxylate cycle.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1975

Peroxidative Activity in Euglena gracilis.

Cell-free homogenates of Euglena gracilis contain very low levels of catalase activity as compared to higher plants and some other algae. Purified Euglena cytochrome c acts catalytically as a peroxidase. The observed catalytic activity of cytochrome c in extracts from heterotrophically grown cells was more than enough to account for the observed rates of hydrogen peroxide destruction. The peroxidative activity of Euglena cytochrome c was completely inhibited by 20 mm 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1975

Ribulose 1,5-Diphosphate Carboxylase Synthesis in Euglena: II. Effect of Inhibitors on Enzyme Synthesis during Regreening and Subsequent Transfer to Darkness.

Dark-grown Euglena gracilis Klebs strain Z Pringsheim cells, which have been partially regreened in the light, show a striking, continued synthesis of the chloroplast enzyme ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase on transfer back into darkness. This dark synthesis of the enzyme was completely prevented by the addition of 15 mug/ml of cycloheximide to the culture medium but was unaffected, for at least 8 hours, by the addition of 1 mg/ml of d-threo-chloramphenicol. The addition of either cycloheximide or d-threo-chloramphenicol to dark-grown cultures at the onset of illumination completely inhibited the light-induced synthesis of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. When cells which had been illuminated in the presence of d-threo-chloramphenicol, and hence were unable to synthesize ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase, were transferred to darkness in the absence of this inhibitor, synthesis of the carboxylase then occurred. Dark-grown cells which had been illuminated in the presence of cycloheximide failed to synthesize the enzyme when placed in the dark in the absence of cycloheximide. The addition of 5-fluorouracil to regreening cultures to prevent light-induced transcriptional steps completely blocked the synthesis of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1974

Fractionation of the proteins of plant microbodies.

1. Glyoxysomes and peroxisomes have been isolated from dark- and light-grown seedlings of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. 2. Pumpkin microbodies and castor-bean (Ricinus communis) glyoxysomes may be fractionated, by a combination of osmotic shock and treatment with KCl, into three distinct groups of proteins: readily soluble (matrix enzymes), solubilized in the presence of KCl (membrane-bound enzymes) and relatively insoluble (membrane ;ghost' proteins). 3. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of ;ghost' fractions indicated that the membrane proteins were generally of low molecular weight; one gel band (mol.wt. 27000-28000) was common to all three microbodies. 4. Although there were major differences in the soluble protein components of pumpkin glyoxysomes and peroxisomes, electrophoresis of the pumpkin microbody ;ghosts' indicated that the membrane proteins were similar, four main components being common to each class of microbody (monomer molecular weights 42000, 34000, 27000 and 17000).

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗

PubMed1974

The Effect of Light on the Synthesis of Mitochondrial Enzymes in Division-synchronized Euglena Cultures.

The development of the mitochondrial enzymes fumarase and succinate dehydrogenase has been followed in Euglena cultures division-synchronized by 14-hour light periods alternating with 12-hour dark periods. The activity of both enzymes was unaltered over the light phase, doubled in early dark phase, and thereafter remained constant over the rest of the cycle. The increase in enzyme activity in early dark phase probably represented de novo enzyme synthesis because it was prevented by the addition of cycloheximide at a concentration known to inhibit protein synthesis on Euglena cytoplasmic ribosomes.When division-synchronized cultures were darkened in early light phase, a doubling of both fumarase and succinate dehydrogenase activity resulted, showing that light was repressing enzyme synthesis. The addition of acetate did not have a similar effect to darkening cultures: enzyme activity being unaltered over the light phase of the cycle. Enzyme expression was also unaffected by the addition of 3-(3,4 dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, a potent inhibitor of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation. The addition of 6-methylpurine (an inhibitor of transcription) at the beginning of the light phase inhibited enzyme increase in early dark phase, but when added at a later stage of the light phase (hour 8), increase in enzyme activity in early dark phase was unaffected. We concluded that transcription for these enzymes occurs in early light phase but light exerts a post-transcriptional control so that enzyme synthesis does not result until cells enter the dark phase of the cell cycle.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1973

Malate dehydrogenase isoenzymes in division synchronized cultures of euglena.

Sucrose density gradient centrifugation of broken cell suspensions of autotrophically grown Euglena gracilis Klebs. has allowed the separation of chloroplasts, mitochondria, and peroxisomes. Chlorophyll was taken as a marker for chloroplasts, fumarase and succinate dehydrogenase for mitochondria, and glycolate oxidoreductase for peroxisomes. Peaks of malate dehydrogenase (l-malate-NAD oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.37) activity were found in the mitochondrial and peroxisomal fractions. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis showed specific isoenzymes in the mitochondrial and peroxisomal fractions and a third isoenzyme in the supernatant. The mitochondrial isoenzyme which had a Km (oxaloacetate) of 30mum was inhibited by oxaloacetate concentrations above 0.17 mm, an inhibition of 50% being given by 0.9 mm oxaloacetate. The peroxisomal isoenzyme had a Km (oxaloacetate) of 24 mum, was inhibited by oxaloacetate concentrations above 0.13 mm, 50% inhibition being given by 0.25 mm oxaloacetate. Malate dehydrogenase activity in the supernatant did not show inhibition by increasing oxaloacetate concentration, the Km (oxaloacetate) being 91 mum.In division synchronized cultures of Euglena, all three isoenzymes of malate dehydrogenase were synthesized over the light phase of the cycle. Darkening light phase cultures did not affect malate dehydrogenase activity. The addition to cultures of cycloheximide at a concentration previously shown to inhibit protein synthesis on Euglena cytoplasmic ribosomes completely inhibited increase in malate dehydrogenase activity over the cell cycle. Malate dehydrogenase activity was unaffected by the addition of chloramphenicol in amounts known to inhibit preferentially protein synthesis on 70S ribosomes.

Journal Article↗