PubMed HealthSearch

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “electron activated dissociation”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Establishing a Top-Down Proteomics Platform on a Time-of-Flight Instrument with Electron-Activated Dissociation.

Top-down proteomics is the study of intact proteins and their post-translational modifications with mass spectrometry. Historically, this field is more challenging than its bottom-up counterpart because the species are much bigger and have a larger number of possible combinations of sequences and modifications; thus, there is a great need for technological development. With improvements in instrumentation and a multiplicity of fragmentation modes available, top-down proteomics is quickly gaining in popularity with renewed attention on increasing confidence in identification and quantification. Here, we systematically evaluated the Sciex ZenoTOF 7600 system for top-down proteomics, applying standards in the field to validate the platform and further experimenting with its capabilities in electron-activated dissociation and post-translational modification site localization. The instrument demonstrated robustness in standard proteins for platform QC, as aided by zeno trapping. We were also able to apply this to histone post-translational modifications, achieving high sequence coverage that allowed PTM's site localization across protein sequences with optimized EAD fragmentation. We demonstrated the ability to analyze proteins spanning the mass range and included analysis of glycosylated proteins. This is a reference point for future top-down proteomics experiments to be conducted on the ZenoTOF 7600 system.

Proteomics

Retention and Rearrangement of Membrane Protein Complexes' Higher Order Structure by Collisionally Activated Dissociation- and Electron Capture Dissociation-Mass Spectrometry.

Membrane proteins (MPs) challenge biophysical and structural biology methods. Native mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a powerful tool to study MP structures and their modulation by lipids. We examine the pathways by which three MPs, tetrameric Aquaporin Z (AqpZ), trimeric ammonium transporter (AmtB), and pentameric mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) decompose following collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) or electron capture dissociation (ECD) in native top-down MS. MPs subjected to CAD typically decompose along well-characterized pathways releasing highly charged monomers and low-charge state complementary subunits, but a lesser pathway accessed by low pressure collisions cleaves the backbone into fragments covering much of the sequence. Collisions also rearrange structures, e.g., AmtB subunits rearrange to form novel interactions and/or salt bridges that surprisingly retain a formerly surface-exposed segment despite ejecting the binding interface. MscL dissociation pathways depend on precursor charge-state, a behavior observed in a few soluble complexes, yet unaddressed mechanistically. Salt bridges in low charge state complexes stabilize subunits from ejection while facilitating only smaller, local rearrangements that release covalently cleaved products from transmembrane regions. With fewer opposite charges, on average, higher charge state molecules can rearrange intersubunit salt bridges on the experimental time scale to partition charge asymmetrically and free a subunit. ECD with supplemental activation can retain higher order structures of proteins and inform about the strongly interacting regions that preclude product ion release. With extensive regions lacking ionizable residues, MPs enable key interactions that guide the structure and dynamics of gas phase protein assemblies to be probed.

Mass Spectrometry

The Hunt Lab Guide to De Novo Peptide Sequence Analysis by Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Donald Hunt has made seminal contributions to the fields of proteomics, immunology, epigenetics, and glycobiology. The foundation of every important work to come out of the Hunt Laboratory is de novo peptide sequencing. For decades, he taught hundreds of students, postdocs, engineers, and scientists to directly interpret mass spectral data. To honor his legacy and ensure that the art of de novo sequencing is not lost, we have adapted his teaching materials into "The Hunt Lab Guide to De Novo Peptide Sequence Analysis by Tandem Mass Spectrometry". In addition to the de novo sequencing tutorials, we present two freely available software tools that facilitate manual interpretation of mass spectra and validation of search results. The first, "Hunt Lab Peptide Fragment Calculator", calculates precursor and fragment mass-to-charge ratios for any peptide. The second program, "Predator Protein Fragment Calculator", was inspired in part by the fragment calculator developed in the Hunt Lab. Its capabilities are enhanced to facilitate interpretation of mass spectral data derived from intact proteins. We hope that the combination of these educational tools will continue to benefit students and researchers by empowering them to interpret data on their own.

Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The chemical properties of out-of-equilibrium states of proteins and the role of these states in protein functioning.

The out-of-equilibrium states of several iron-containing proteins (cytochromes c of different origin, haemoglobin, myoglobin, ferredoxin and other non-haem iron proteins, cytochrome c oxidase, horseradish peroxidase) were recorded after fast changes in the active centre (electron reduction of iron, ligand dissociation). Strained states result in which the active centre has already been changed and undergone vibrational relaxation but the main part of protein globule is in the 'old', now out-of-equilibrium, state. Protein structure and chemical properties in these states differ considerably from those in equilibrium states. As a rule, the rate constants of protein-specific chemical reactions increase in out-of-equilibrium states by 1--3 orders of magnitude in comparison with those in equilibrium states. Spectra and reactivity of these proteins change in the course of slow (up to 10(-1) s) conformational relaxation, continuously approaching the equilibrium values. It seems that this conformational relaxation is essentially the elementary act of many enzymic reactions for which the rate of substrate-product transformation is determined by the rate of this conformational change.

Cytochrome c Group

Studies on nitrotyrosine-82 and aminotyrosine-82 derivatives of adrenodoxin. Effects of chemical modification on the complex formation with adrenodoxin reductase.

The coordination structure of the iron-sulfur center of the nitrotyrosine and the aminotyrosine derivates of bovine adrenodoxin was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The reduced form of both modified samples exhibited signals identical with those for the native protein at g= 1.94 and g=2.01. From these results together with optical absorption and chemical analyses, it was concluded that the coordination structure of the iron-sulfur chromophore for both the derivatives was identical with the binuclear tetrahedral structure of native adrenodoxin. The configuration of the iron-binding area in nitro- and amino-adrenodoxin was studied by ovserving the circular dichroism spectra between 350 and 600 nm. The maxima for the nitro or amino derivatives were all identical with those for the native protein but different in the magnitude of their molar ellipticity. The molar ellipticities at 440 nm were 45.8 X 10(3), 14.5 X 10(3), and 9.5 X 10(6) deg cm2 per mol of iron for native adrenodoxin, nitro or amino derivative, respectively. These results suggest that the chemical modification of the tyrosine residue causes a conformational change in the iron-binding area. We have previously reported that the enzymatic activities of these reconstituted nitro and amino derivatives toware cytochrome c reduction in the presence of adrenodoxin reductase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate were 19 and 7% of native adrenodoxin, respectively. The cytochrome c reductase activities of nitro- and aminoadrenodixin were drastically affected by the ionic strength of the assay medium, as found in native adrenodoxin. Fluorometric titration of the reductase with aminoadrenodoxin revealed that aminoadrenodoxin forms a 1:1 molar complex with the reductase. These results suggest that both the nitro and amino derivatives form a complex with the reductase. The dissociation constants of nitro- and aminoadrenodoxin for the reductase were 6.1 X 10(-7)M and 3.3 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.04 and 1.9 X 10(-6) M and 2.0 X 10(-6) M at mu = 0.20, respectively. Comparison of these values with those of native adrenodoxin (approximately 10(-9) M at mu = 0.04 and 2.2 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.20) suggests that an increase in the dissociation constant for the reductase is responsible for the decreased electron transferring activity of the modified adrenodoxins.

Adrenodoxin

Mandelate racemase from Pseudomonas putida. Magnetic resonance and kinetic studies of the mechanism of catalysis.

The interactions of mandelate racemase with divalent metal ion, substrate, and competitive inhibitors were investigated. The enzyme was found by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to bind 0.9 Mn2+ ion per subunit with a dissociation constant of 8 muM, in agreement with its kinetically determined activator constant. Also, six additional Mn2+ ions were found to bind to the enzyme, much more weakly, with a dissociation constant of 1.5 mM. Binding to the enzyme at the tight site enhances the effect of Mn2+ on the longitudinal relaxation rate (1/T1p) of water protons by a factor of 11.9 at 24.3 MHz. From the frequency dependence of 1/T1p, it was determined that there are similar to 3 water ligands on enzyme-bound Mn2+ which exchange at a rate larger than or equal to 10-7 sec-1. The correlation time for enzyme-bound Mn2+-water interaction is frequency-dependent, indicating it to be dominated by the electron spin relaxation time of Mn2+. Formation of the ternary enzyme-Mn2+-mandelate complex decreases the number of fast exchanging water ligands by similar to 1, but does not affect tau-c, suggesting the displacement or occlusion of a water ligand. The competitive inhibitors D,L-alpha-phenylglycerate and salicylate produce little or no change in the enzyme-Mn2+-H2O interaction, but ternary complexes are detected indirectly by changes in the dissociation constant of the enzyme-Mn2+ complex and by mutual competition experiments. In all cases the dissociation constants of substrates and competitive inhibitors from ternary complexes determined by magnetic resonance titrations agree with K-M and K-i values determined kinetically and therefore reflect kinetically active complexes. From the paramagnetic effects of Mn2+ on 1/T1 and 1/T2 of the 13C-enriched carbons of 1-[13C]-D,L-mandelate and 2-[13C]-D,L-mandelate, Mn2+ to carboxylate carbon and Mn2+ to carbinol carbon distances of 2.93 plus or minus 0.04 and 2.71 plus or minus 0.04 A, respectively, were calculated, indicating bidentate chelation in the binary Mn2+-mandelate complex. In the active ternary complex of enzyme, Mn2+, and D,L-mandelate, these distances increase to 5.5 plus or minus 0.2 and 7.2 plus or minus 0.2 A, respectively, indicating the presence of at least 98.9% of a second sphere complex in which Mn2+, and C1 and C2 carbon atoms are in a linear array. The water relaxation data suggest that a water ligand is immobilized between the enzyme-bound Mn2+ and the carboxylate of the bound substrate. This intervening water ligand may polarize or protonate the carboxyl group. From 1/T2p the rate of dissociation of the substrate from this ternary complex (larger than or equal to 5.6 times 10-4 sec-1) is at least 52 times greater than the maximal turnover number of the enzyme (1070 sec-1), indicating that the complex detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is kinetically competent to participate in catalysis. Relationships among the microscopic rate constants are considered.

Binding, Competitive

Manganese (II) And spin-labeled uridine 5'-diphosphate binding to bovine galactosyltransferase.

The kinetically observed Mn(II) activation as well as inhibition has been clarified for bovine galactosyltransferase. An electron spin resonance (ESR) titration of MnCl2 with galactosyltransferase alone at pH 8.0 clearly shows the existence of at least two metal ion binding sites with microscopic dissociation constants of 0.84 +/- 0.1 and 9.0 +/- 1.0 mM, respectively. The second site corresponds with either published kinetic constant for Mn(II) of 8.5 mM (inhibition) or 3.40 mM (activation). The contribution of the binary complex Mn(II)-UDPGal is of lesser significance, as concluded by its ESR measured Kdiss of 14.5 +/- 1.1 mM at pH 8.0. A spin-labeled inhibitor analog of UDPgalactose, UDP-4-O-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinyl-1-oxy), or UDP-R, was synthesized as a competitive inhibitor for UDPGal. It was shown from inhibition kinetics to be almost as potent an inhibitor as UDPGlu. The Ki values at pH 8.0 in the N-acetyllactosamine and lactose reactions were 0.38 +/- 0.04 and 0.63 +/- 0.06 mM, respectively, as compared with 0.10 +/- 0.01 and 0.094 +/- 0.009 mM for UDPGlu. An ESR titration of UDP-R with galactosyltransferase at pH 8.0 yielded direct physical dissociation constants of 0.40 +/- 0.07 and 0.53 +/- 0.08 mM in the absence and presence of alpha-lactalbumin, respectively. No other substrates (glucose of N-acetylglucosamine) nor Mn(II) were present.

Animals

Escherichia coli capsule bacteriophages. VIII. Fragments of bacteriophage 28-1.

As described previously, a host capsule depolymerase activity is associated with the particles of Escherichia coli capsule bacteriophage 28-1. This is a large virus with a long, contractile tail terminating in a base plate with spikes. In the present work, isolated virions were exposed to a variety of dissociative reagents and conditions. They were then tested for residual infectivity and depolymerase activity, as well as inspected under an electron microscope. Very mild acid treatment (10 to 15 min at pH 4.0 and 37 C) was found to cause a specific detachment of some phage spikes, together with a moderate drop in both infectivity and depolymerase activity. Large batches of viruses were fragmented in this manner, and the detached spikes were isolated. The host capsule depolymerase activity was found to be associated with these organelles. In negatively stained preparations, the spikes exhibited a length of approximately 18 nm and a thickness of about 5 nm. By sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, they were found to contain polypeptides with molecular weights of 80,000 and 145, 000.

Amino Acids

Disruption of Vi bacteriophage III and localization of its deacetylase activity.

It has been shown that particles of Vi bacteriophage III catalyse deacetylation of O-acetyl pectic (polygalacturonic) acid, a structural analogue of Vi polysaccharide (Vi antigen). Using this substrate, and determining the acetic acid liberated by gas-liquid chromatogrphy, a method for the estimation of Vi phage deacetylase activity has been developed. Purified particles of Vi phage III were exposed to a variety of mildly dissociative reagents and conditions, and then tested for plaque-forming and for deacetylase activity. They have also been inspected under the electron microscope. Osmotic shock, and incubation in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (greater than or equil 0-01 M), or of L-arginine (0-25 M), were found to cause disintegration of the virions into empty head capsids, deoxyribonucleic acid, and base plates still carrying the spikes. The mixtures of viral fragments exhibited an increased deacetylase activity. Using zonal sedimentation and ion exchange chromatography, the phage fragments obtained by treatment with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid have been fractionated and the base plates isolated. Amongst the viral components, these structures showed the highest specific deacetylase activity. They had the shape of six-pointed stars (about 9-5 nm inner, and 14-5 nm outer diam.) with a central hole or plug (approximately 3 nm), carrying six spikes, roughly cylindrical organelles of approx. 11 X 4 nm, one at each of the points. Of the polypeptides of six sizes (P.1, about 153,000 daltons; P.2, 91,000; P.3, 71,000; P.4 56,500; P.6, 22,000), detected in whole Vi phage III virions by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, only two, P.2 and P.3 were found in the base plates.

Acetates

Magnetic resonance and kinetic studies of the role of the divalent cation activator of RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli.

The interaction of Mn2+, substrates and initiators with RNA polymerase have been studied by kinetic and magnetic resonance methods. As determined by electron paramagnetic resonance, Mn2+ binds to RNA polymerase at one tight binding site with a dissociation constant less than 10 muM and at 6 +/- 1 weak binding sites with dissociation constants 100-fold greater. The binding of Mn2+ to RNA polymerase at both types of sites causes an order of magnitude enhancement of the paramagnetic effect of Mn2+ on the longitudinal relaxation rate of water protons, indicating the presence of residual water ligands on the enzyme-bound Mn2+. A kinetic analysis of the Mn2+-activated enzyme with poly(dT) as template indicates the substrate to be MnATP under steady-state conditions in the presence or absence of the initiator ApA. ATP and UTP interact with the tightly bound Mn2+ to form ternary complexes with approximately 50% greater enhancement factors. The dissociation constant of MnATP from the tight Mn2+ site as determined by longitudinal proton relaxation rate (PRR) titration (4.7 muM) is similar to the KM of MnATP in the ApA-initiated RNA polymerase reaction (10 +/- 3 muM) but not in the ATP-initiated reaction (160 +/- 30 muM). Similarly, the dissociation constant of the substrate MnUTP from the tight Mn2+ site (90 muM) is in agreement with the KM of MnUTP (101 +/- 13 muM) when poly[d(A-T)]-poly[d(A-T)] is used as template, indicating the tight Mn2+ site to be the catalytic site for RNA chain elongation. Manganese adenylyl imidodiphosphate (MnAMP-PNP) has been found to be a substrate for RNA polymerase. It has the same affinity as MnATP for the tight site but, unlike the results obtained with MnATP, the enhancement is decreased by 43% in the enzyme Mn-AMP-PNP complex. These results suggest that the enzyme-bound Mn2+ interacts with the leaving pyrophosphate group. The initiators ApA and ApU and the inhibitor rifamycin interact with the enzyme-Mn2+ complex producing small (15-20%) decreases in the enhancement. The dissociation constant of ApA estimated from PRR data (less than or equal to 1.5 muM) agrees with that determined kinetically (1.0 +/- 0.5 muM) as the concentration of ApA required to produce half-maximal change in the KM of MnATP. In the presence of the initiation specific reagents ApA, ApU, or rifamycin, the affinity of the enzyme-Mn complex for ATP or UTP shows little change. However, ATP and UTP no longer increase the enhancement factor of the tightly bound Mn2+ but decrease it by 30-55%, indicating a change in the environment of the Mn2+-substrate complex on the enzyme when the initiation site is either occupied or blocked. Although the role of the six weak Mn2+ binding sites is not clear, the presence of a single tightly bound Mn2+ at the catalytic site for chain elongation which interacts with the substrate reinforces the number of active sites as one per molecule of holoenzyme and provides a paramagnetic reference point for further structural studies.

Adenine Nucleotides

Spin-labelled AMP - an activator of phosphorylase.

1. A spin-labelled AMP derivative and its diamagnetic analogue activate phosphorylase b in the same way, but do not activate phosphorylase a. 2. The electron-spin-resonance spectra of the spin-labelled AMP derivative bound to phosphorylase b and a have "powderlike" characteristics indicating that the spin label is immobilised on the protein. From changes in the electron-spin-resonance spectrum of spin-labelled AMP as phosphorylase b or a is added, the dissociation constants were calculated. 3. The interactions of spin-labelled AMP and the diamagnetic analogue with phosphorylase b and a have been monitored by observing changes in the spectral properties of fluorescent and spin-label probes covalently attached to the enzyme. 4. The dissociation constants of spin-labelled AMP and phosphorylase b or a are 175 +/- 25 muM and 15 +/- 5 muM respectively. Similar dissociation constants are obtained for the diamagnetic analogue. The effect of these AMP derivatives on the covalently attached probe groups and on phosphorylase activity is compared to the effect of AMP and IMP.

Adenosine Monophosphate

Magnetic resonance and kinetic studies of pyruvate, phosphate dikinase. Interaction of oxalate with the phosphorylated form of the enzyme.

Pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (EC 2.7.9.1) carries out its catalytic function in three successive partial reactions, the final step being the reaction of pyruvate with a stable phosphoenzyme intermediate to give phosphoenolpyruvate and free enzyme (Evans, H.J., and Wood, H. G. (1968), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 61, 1448). Interactions of oxalate, a structural analog of enolpyruvate, with the phosphorylated form of the enzyme have been investigated by kinetic inhibition measurements and by magnetic resonance studies of manganous ion complexes with the enzyme. Oxalate inhibits the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate, phosphate dikinase, and the inhibition is linearly competitive with respect to pyruvate. The inhibitor constant for oxalate of 25 mu-M is fourfold lower than the Michaelis constant for pyruvate. The enhancement in the longitudinal relaxation rate of water protons (PRR) which occurs upon binding of Mn(II) to the enzyme has been used to monitor binding of oxalate to Mn(II)-enzyme complexes. PRR titrations indicate that the dissociation constant of oxalate from the Mn(II) complex of the free form of the enzyme is an order of magnitude weaker than the kinetically determined Ki. On the other hand, titrations of solutions which contain the phosphorylated form of the enzyme reveal a much stronger binding of oxalate. Moreover, the strength of oxalate binding to the phosphorylated enzyme is a function both of the species and of the concentration of monovalent cations in the solution. In the presence of Tl+, which has the most favorable activator constant for the final partial reaction, the dissociation constant for oxalate from its complex with the phosphorylated enzyme is less than 1 mu-M. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra for the enzyme-bound Mn(II) are sensitive to structural perturbations which occur upon binding of substrates or of oxalate to the enzyme. The EPR spectrum for the Mn(II)-phosphoenzyme-oxalate species is distinguished from spectra for other complexes of the enzyme by unusually narrow line widths and consequent resolution of fine structure from electronic quadrupole splitting. The narrow lines in the EPR spectrum are indicative of a rigid, pseudocrystalline environment for the bound Mn(II). The magnitude and frequency dependence of the PRR for the Mn(II)-phosphoenzyme-oxalate complex indicate that if any water molecules are bound to the Mn(II), their exchange with the bulk water is severely retarded. The kinetic and magnetic resonance studies support the hypothesis that oxalate mimics the reactive intermediate, enolpyruvate, in a complex with the phosphorylated enzyme which may resemble the structure of the transition state of the final partial reaction.

Bacillus

Purification and characterization of NADPH-dependent flavin reductase. An enzyme required for the activation of chorismate synthase in Bacillus subtilis.

NADPH-dependent flavin reductase (required for the activation of chorismate synthase) was purified to homogeneity from cell-free extracts of Bacillus subtilis. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 13,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, is specific for NADPH, and requires a divalent metal ion and either FMN or FAD for maximal rates of NADPH oxidation. The enzyme is able to reduce 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) in the presence of NADPH and a divalent metal ion. Both catalytic activities were completely inhibited by EDTA. The Km for FMN is 1.25 X 10(-5) M and for NADPH 7.8 X 10(-5) M with oxygen as the final electron acceptor, and 3.85 X 10(-4) M with DCIP as the final electron acceptor. The enzyme was also isolated in association with chorismate synthase and dehydroquinate synthase. The enzyme associated with the complex has the same catalytic properties as the dissociated enzyme except that it requires both a divalent metal ion and FMN for DCIP reduction. Maximal enzyme activity was observed when the enzyme was preincubated with FMN and the divalent metal ion. The enzyme complex is easily dissociable and the dissociation of the enzyme complex resulted in the failure of NADPH-dependent flavin reductase to adsorb to phosphocellulose.

Bacillus subtilis

Development of synaptic ultrastructure at neuromuscular contacts in an amphibian cell culture system.

Cultures of dissociated myotomal muscle and spinal cord derived from embryos of Xenopus laevis were grown in the presence of curare in order to abolish neuromuscular activity and were examined by electron microscopy. In one-day-old cultures a few of the neuromuscular contacts already displayed several synaptic specializations including 500 A vesicles clustered against the axolemma, increased axolemmal densities, basal lamina in the cleft, an increased sarcolemmal density and subsarcolemmal filamentous material. Contacts with these specializations were observed more frequently in two and three-day-old cultures. Throughout the three-day culture period nerve fibres and neuromuscular contacts were devoid of Schwann cells. Isolated patches of basal lamina were relatively scarce and were usually accompanied by an increase in sarcolemmal density and subsarcolemmal filamentous material even in cultures in which spinal cord cells were not included. These observations indicate that the myotomal neuromuscular synapse differentiates in culture in much the same way as it does in vivo, that muscle contractions are not required for its differentiation, and that apparent postsynaptic specializations can develop in the absence of innervation.

Animals

Purification and properties of the polymeric fatty acid synthetase from a filamentous fungus.

Fatty acid synthetase was purified from the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus to a specific activity of 4000--5000 munits/mg protein. Its purity was established by its appearance in electron micrographs, on sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gels and by analytical ultracentrifugation, and also by its behaviour upon sucrose gradient centrifugation. This enzyme comprises two large polypeptides with molecular weights of 190 000 and 186 000. Evidence from electron microscopy indicates that it consists of three equivalent loops of protein. It dissociates into different-sized circular subunits on ageing or upon dissolution in buffer of low ionic strength. Differences in properties between this fungal synthetase and that found in yeast have been noted and relate, for example, to inhibition by acetyl CoA and malonyl-CoA, cold-lability and pH optimum. The synthetase from A. fumigatus, purified by different procedures, consistently exists in two forms of similar specific activity, with sedimentation coefficients approx. 40 S and 60 S. Synthetase activity present in crude extracts has been identified as a very heavy component with sedimentation coefficient greater than 100 S.

Acetyl Coenzyme A

Ionic effects on adrenal steroidogenic electron transport. The role of adrenodoxin as an electron shuttle.

We have shown (Seybert, D., Lambeth, D., and Kamin, H. (1978), J. Biol. Chem. 253, 8355-8358) that, whereas the 1:1 complex between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin is the active species for cytochrome c reduction, the complex is not sufficient to allow cytochrome P-45011 beta-mediated hydroxylations;adrenodoxin in excess of reductase is required. In the present studies, reduction by NADPH of excess adrenodoxin is shown to occur at a rate sufficient to support both cytochrome P-450 11 beta-mediated hydroxylation of deoxycorticosterone, and cytochrome P-450sec-mediated side chain cleavage of cholesterol. Oxidation-reduction potential and ion effect studies indicate that the mechanism of steroidogenic electron transport involves an adrenodoxin electron "shuttle" rather than a macromolecular complex of reductase, adrenodoxin, and cytochrome. The oxidation-reduction potential of adrenodoxin is shifted about -100 mV when bound to reductase, and reduction of the iron-sulfur protein thus promotes dissociation of the complex. The rate of adrenodoxin reduction is first stimulated, then inhibited by increasing salt; the effect is ion-specific, with Ca2+ approximately Mg2+ greater than Na+ greater than NH/+. Similar ion-specific rate effects are observed for both of the cytochrome P-450-mediated hydroxylations, indicating that the same reduction mechanism is required for these reactions. Increasing salt concentrations caused dissociation of the complex; dissociation of the form of the complex containing reduced adrenodoxin occurred at lower salt concentrations than that containing oxidized adrenodoxin. The order of effectiveness of ions in causing dissociation is the same as the order for stimulation of adrenodoxin reduction, suggesting a dissociation step in the mechanism. This proposed model, together with dissociation constants for the form of the complex containing either oxidized or reduced adrenodoxin, allows accurate prediction of the salt rate effects curve. For all ions, an activity maximum is seen at the ion concentration which produces the largest molar difference between associated-oxidized and dissociated-reduced states, and the model predicts the positions of the maxima for adrenodoxin reduction, 11 beta-hydroxylation, and side chain cleavage. Thus reduction-induced dissociation of adrenodoxin from adrenodoxin reductase appears to be a required step in steroidogenic electron transport by this system, and a role for adrenodoxin as a mobile electron shuttle is proposed.

Adrenal Cortex