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The fluorescent probe merocyanine 540 does not stain the plasma membrane of normal human or murine erythrocytes, nor of genetically abnormal human spherocytic erythrocytes. It does, however, stain erythrocyte membranes in several systems in which the underlying spectrin network is altered or missing. Because of the greater affinity of merocyanine 540 for fluid--phase lipid bilayers, these results suggest that the external leaflet of erythrocyte membranes becomes more disordered upon alteration or loss of the internal spectrin network. Analysis of the transbilayer arrangement of membrane phospholipids by digestion with phospholipase A2 suggests that lipid compositional asymmetry of the erythrocyte membrane is responsible for a phase-state asymmetry between the two lipid leaflets, and that spectrin is required to maintain this asymmetry and the gel-like state of the external leaflet.
Using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels stained with Coomassie blue we have studied the protein composition of the nuclear matrix obtained from mouse erythroleukemic nuclei kept at 0 degrees C throughout the isolation procedure to prepare the high ionic strength resistant fraction (control matrix) or stabilized in vitro or in vivo by different procedures prior to subfractionation (ie 37 degrees C incubation of isolated nuclei; sodium tetrathionate exposure of purified nuclei; heat shock of intact cells). When the matrix obtained from 37 degrees C incubated nuclei was compared with the control matrix, striking differences in the polypeptide pattern were seen if the protein was obtained in both cases from an equivalent number of nuclei. On the other hand, if the same amount of protein for both the samples was applied to the gels the differences were less evident. Sodium tetrathionate stabilization of isolated nuclei and heat shock of intact cells produced a matrix protein pattern that was very similar and differed from that of the in vitro heat-exposed matrix. Using specific polyclonal antisera, we demonstrate that nucleolar proteins B23/numatrin and C23/nucleolin were very abundant in the matrix obtained from chemically-treated nuclei or in vivo heat-stabilized nuclei but were recovered in very small amounts (B23) or completely absent (C23) in the matrix prepared from nuclei heated to 37 degrees C in vitro. Differences were seen also in the recovery of nuclear lamins, and especially lamin B, that was poorly represented in the sodium tetrathionate-stabilized matrix. The results demonstrate that in mouse erythroleukemia cells the increased recovery of nuclear matrix protein that is seen after in vitro heating of isolated nuclei is predominantly due to an additional recovery of the same types of polypeptides that are detected also in the absence of such a treatment. The data also indicate that in vivo heat shock of intact cells produces a nuclear matrix protein pattern that is more similar to the pattern seen after stabilization of purified nuclei with sodium tetrathionate and differs significantly from that obtained by exposing nuclei to 37 degrees C in vitro, unlike to that what previous reports have indicated.
1. The three phosphoglycerate mutase isozymes from mammals (types M, B and MB isozymes) differ in their sensitivity to the - SH group reagents. 2. Rabbit muscle phosphoglycerate mutase (type M isozyme) is reversibly inactivated by tetrathionate, rho-chloromercuribenzoate and Hg2+. 3. Titration with rho-chloromercuribenzoate shows the existence of two sulfhydryl groups per enzyme subunit, the modification of which produces a progressive decline in enzyme activity. 4. The apparent Km values for substrate and cofactor are not affected by tetrathionate treatment. 5. Phosphoglycerate mutase inactivated by tetrathionate and by rho-chloromercuribenzoate is unable to form the functionally active phosphorylenzyme when mixed with glycerate-2,3-P2, and is not protected by the cofactor against heating. 6. Glycerate-2,3-P2 protects against tetrathionate treatment, but fails to protect against Hg2+ and rho-chloromercuribenzoate inactivation.
Nuclear matrices (NM) were prepared from mouse 3T3 fibroblasts attached to growth support film in the continuous presence of the disulfide cross-linking reagent, sodium tetrathionate. Intact cells and samples at each stage of NM preparation were fixed, embedded in Epon-Araldite, sectioned and stained conventionally with uranyl-lead. Nuclear size and shape changed little during extraction, but nuclei showed a gradual reduction in internal fibrogranular elements up to 1M NaCl, after which larger spaces were visible in the nucleoplasm. In contrast to similar samples prepared under reducing conditions in other studies, final NMs contained a highly ramified internal network of fibers and granular aggregates.
Alamethicin is supposed to form helix-bundle-type channels by inserting the N terminus into bilayer lipid membranes under sufficient voltages. The N-terminal insertion has been studied with an alamethicin dimer (di-alm) N-terminally linked by a disulfide bond and by the asymmetric addition of dithiothreitol (DTT) and tetrathionate (TT) to the membrane. When di-alm was added to the cis-side membrane, it forms long-lasting channels with the lifetime tau of about 100 ms at cis-positive voltages. The lifetime was reduced to a few milliseconds by addition of DTT to the cis-side membrane, indicating that most of the channels were formed by the monomers (alm-SH) that resulted from the cleavage of the disulfide bond in di-alm. The succeeding addition of TT to the trans-side produced channels of tau=10-20 ms besides the channels of alm-SH. The results suggested that TT reacted with the N-terminal thiol group of alm-SH located at the trans-side of the membrane to alter the lifetime. The N-terminal insertion of alamethicin helices by voltage activation, therefore, was confirmed.
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The aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) are exposed on the outer membrane leaflet of deoxygenated and irreversibly sickled erythrocytes and senescent normal cells. PS exposure on erythrocytes results in the expression of procoagulant activity for the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin. Because liposomes or vesicles composed of aminophospholipids can activate the alternative pathway of complement, the possibility that increased exposure of PS and PE on intact erythrocytes would also make them capable of activating the alternative pathway was examined. Loss of normal membrane phospholipid asymmetry was induced by incubation of erythrocytes with calcium (Ca2+) and the calcium ionophore A23187. PS exposure on 60% of erythrocytes was confirmed by binding of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated annexin V. Expression of procoagulant activity, measured with the Russell's viper venom clotting assay, was significantly increased on the Ca2+/A23187-treated erythrocytes. In addition, the erythrocytes became capable of activating the alternative pathway of complement, as judged by an increase in cell-bound C3b after incubation with serum and a decrease in alternative pathway hemolytic activity of the serum. The effect could be reversed by incubation of the Ca2+/A23187-treated erythrocytes under conditions that induced recovery of normal membrane phospholipid asymmetry. In contrast, tetrathionate-treated erythrocytes showed no increase in binding of annexin V and no procoagulant activity and failed to activate the alternative pathway of complement. These findings demonstrate that loss of phospholipid asymmetry in erythrocytes not only results in expression of procoagulant activity but also renders the cells capable of activating the alternative pathway of complement.
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Active immunization of women against human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has been considered as a promising option for contraception. However, prototype hCG vaccines based on natural sources of antigen are expected to be costlier for use by common people. In the present report, a functionally active, cost-effective antigen of bacterial origin has been described. Sulfonation of thiol groups of the protein, anion-exchange purification, refolding with concomitant formation of disulfide bonds in the presence of cysteamine-cystamine redox buffer, and slow removal of denaturant resulted in 95% homogeneous, monomeric form of the antigen. The recombinant processed antigen [CGbeta(p)] obtained this way was highly immunopotent. Cellular DNA and endotoxin contaminants were appreciably low in the final product. The immunogenic response was drastically reduced with the unprocessed antigen. This finding envisages better prospect of a cost-effective hCG vaccine for birth control.
The morphology and the polypeptide composition of the nuclear matrix obtained from 37 degrees C incubated nuclei has been studied in mouse erythroleukemia cells. From a structural point of view, in the absence of heat treatment, the matrix lacked identifiable nucleolar remnants and the internal fibrogranular meshwork whereas a peripheral lamina was seen. On the contrary, the matrix obtained from heat exposed nuclei displayed very electrondense nucleolar remnants and an abundant inner network. These results were obtained irrespective of the type of extracting agent (2M NaCl or 0.2 M (NH4)2SO4) used to remove histones and other soluble proteins. The heat stabilization of the matrix could not be prevented by sulfhydryl blocking chemicals such as iodoacetamide and n-ethylmaleimide, thus suggesting that heat does not stabilize the matrix by inducing the formation of disulfide bonds. Only limited differences in the polypeptide pattern of matrix isolated under different conditions were seen using one-dimensional pore gradient polyacrylamide gels stained with both Coomassie Brilliant Blue and silver despite the fact that the matrix fraction from heat treated nuclei retained about three fold more protein in comparison with controls. The same results were obtained also by means of two-dimensional non-equilibrium gel electrophoresis.
The chemical reaction between tetrathionate and sulphide produces colloidal sulphur and thiosulphate. This reaction can be employed to prepare agar media containing thiosulphate and finely divided colloidal sulphur particles.
Chromatographic analysis was used for studying steps of thiosulfate oxidation by Thiobacillus thioparus and Th. coproliticus strains, isolated from Egyptian soil. Th. thioparus strains oxidized S2O3 to SO4 with the formation of polythionates, tetrathionate in particular, during the course of oxidation. However, strains differed in other polythionates formed. Th. coproliticus, in turn, oxidized S2O3 to SO4 without polythionate formation. However, H2S was the only intermediate compound detected during oxidation.
A total of 481 samples of biomass from biogas plants treating slurry and other types of animal waste were examined for the presence of salmonellae by means of five different isolation methods. In 131 samples, Salmonella was isolated by means of one or more methods. A statistical evaluation of the isolation frequencies showed that Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth was significantly better than selenite broth with and without pre-enrichment and tetrathionate broth with pre-enrichment, whereas tetrathionate broth without pre-enrichment was significantly poorer than the other four methods. For each of the thirty different Salmonella serotypes, the isolation frequencies for the five methods are presented. Remarkably, Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth had very high isolation frequencies and tetrathionate broth with and without pre-enrichment had very low isolation frequencies for Salmonella typhimurium as well as Salmonella dublin.
Three enrichment broths, selenite F, Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate and Rappaport, were examined for their efficiency in salmonella isolation. The three media, prepared from single ingredients in the laboratory, were compared with their commercial equivalents. Laboratory-prepared media were more efficient for isolating salmonellas from sewage-polluted natural water samples. A pre-enrichment stage using buffered peptone water was employed throughout the investigation. The size of inoculum from the pre-enrichment medium was relevant to successful salmonella isolation. Inocula studied were 1 ml and one loopful (3 mm diameter loop). The smaller inoculum gave better results with Rappaport, the larger with selenite and tetrathionate. Using the optimal inocula, Rappaport was the most efficient enrichment broth of the three fluid media in this study.
Selenite F broth and a modified Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate broth were investigated using sewage-polluted natural water as inocula. The modification of the tetrathionate medium was necessary as commercial alternatives would not allow multiplication of small numbers of salmonellas. The wide range of molar concentrations in different tetrathionate broths was emphasized. Selenite F broth was more efficient than Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate broth, in our hands, with the material tested. Direct inoculation of the enrichment media was used. Each of the two media examined had a bias towards selection of certain serotypes. If possible, both enrichment broths should be used to obtain maximum information.
Chromatin degradation into oligonucleosomal and approximately 30-50 Kb fragments is a hallmark of apoptosis. Crude nuclear extract from apoptotic rat thymocytes is able to recapitulate both types of DNA fragmentation in an assay using HeLa cell nuclei as an exogenous substrate. Using size exclusion chromatography we have identified a novel activity (approximately 260 Kd) that produces only approximately 30-50 Kb DNA fragments, and a 25 Kd activity that generates both approximately 30-50 Kb and oligonucleosomal fragments. Both activities produced DNA fragments with 3'-OH termini, are dependent on Ca2+ and Mg2+ and are inhibited by N-ethyl-maleimide, sodium tetrathionate, aurintricarboxylic acid and sodium chloride, similar to other nucleases implicated in apoptosis. These activities were inhibited by the serine protease inhibitors N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, but not by the serine protease inhibitor diisopropyl fluorophosphate, or by calpain inhibitors I or II, or the capsase inhibitors Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-aldehyde, Ac-Tyr-Val-Ala-Asp-aldehyde, or Z-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethyl ketone. Both activities were insensitive to protease inhibitors when extracts were incubated with naked linear DNA, indicating the presence of both nuclease and protease activities in the preparation. Together, these observations suggest the involvement of non-caspase proteases in apoptosis which perhaps function by altering chromatin substructure and exposing it to nucleolytic attack.
Formate dehydrogenase, NADH dehydrogenase, a quinone and a b-type cytochrome characterized by maxima at 429 and 560 nm are shown to participate in the tetrathionate redox chain of Citrobacter.