In vitro reconstitution of exocytosis from plasma membrane and isolated secretory vesicles.

We describe the reconstitution of exocytotic function through recombination of purified cortical secretory vesicles (CVs) and plasma membrane from sea urchin eggs. CVs were dislodged from a cell surface complex preparation by gentle homogenization in an isotonic dissociation buffer, and purified by differential centrifugation. CV-free plasma membrane fragments were obtained by mechanically dislodging CVs from cortical lawn (CL) preparations with a jet of CL isolation buffer.

T4-induced alpha- and beta-glucosyltransferase: cloning of the genes and a comparison of their products based on sequencing data.

Bacteriophage T4 alpha- and beta-glucosyltransferases link glucosyl units to the 5-HMdC residues of its DNA. The monoglucosyl group in alpha-linkage predominates over the one in beta linkage. Having recently reported on the nucleotide sequence of gene alpha gt (1) we now determined the nucleotide sequence of gene beta gt.

High performance liquid chromatography purification and amino terminal sequence analysis of the subunits of bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase.

All five subunits of bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase have been isolated by reverse-phase HPLC and NH2-terminal sequences determined by gas phase Edman degradations. Bovine gamma exhibits 16 identities in the first 30 residues compared with the NH2-terminus of gamma from E.coli F1.

Peroxisomal beta-oxidation system of Candida tropicalis. Purification of a multifunctional protein possessing enoyl-CoA hydratase, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA epimerase activities.

A multifunctional protein from oleate-grown cells of Candida tropicalis has been purified and partially characterized. A simple two-step purification has been developed involving ion-exchange chromatography followed by dye-ligand chromatography on blue Sepharose CL-6B. Homogeneous enzyme with a subunit Mr of 102 000 is obtained in 60% yield.

Bovine heart mitochondrial F6: HPLC purification, NH2-terminal sequence and the possible structural relatedness to other components of ATPase complexes.

The mitochondrial factor F6 has been purified by reverse-phase HPLC and the molecular weight (8500), amino acid composition and about 25% of the amino acid sequence determined. In the NH2-terminal sequence of the first 18 amino acids (NKELDPVQKLFVDKIREY), six identities with the NH2-terminal sequence of the oligomycin-sensitivity conferring protein (OSCP) are apparent, as well as less striking similarities with the OSCP related subunit delta of E. coli F1.

Properties of an interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein from bovine retina.

Washes and extracts of frozen and fresh cattle retina contain a water-soluble high-molecular-weight, retinoid-binding protein that is distinct from three other retinoid-binding proteins previously isolated from this tissue. The protein can be purified to apparent homogeneity from retinal homogenates by a combination of gel filtration, lectin, and ion-exchange chromatography. Overestimation of the protein molecular weight was observed in several systems involving migration of the protein through a porous network.

Micropreparative protein purification by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Micropreparative purification of the four subunits of phosphorylase kinase (molecular weights 16,680, 43,000, 113,000 and 132,000) by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography has provided quantities sufficient for some of the first structural studies of these proteins. The best yield from a 25 X 0.46 cm I.

Xylose isomerase from Escherichia coli. Characterization of the protein and the structural gene.

The gene that codes for xylose isomerase in Escherichia coli has been cloned by complementation of a xylose isomerase-negative E. coli mutant. The structural gene is 1320 nucleotides in length and codes for a protein of 440 amino acids.

High performance liquid chromatography purification and structural characterization of the subunits of rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase.

A rapid reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is presented for isolating the alpha, beta, gamma, and delta subunits of rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase. The HPLC separation allows micropreparative purification of all the subunits with 66-88% recoveries. Relative molecular weights of the subunits as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in 4, 5, 7, and 10% acrylamide are alpha 132,000, alpha' 127,000, beta 113,000 and gamma 43,000.

Endoglycosidase f cleaves the oligosaccharides from the glucose transporter of the human erythrocyte.

The glucose transporter from human erythrocytes is a heterogeneously glycosylated protein that runs as a very broad band of average apparent Mr 55 000 upon sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the purified preparation of transporter, solubilized in Triton X-100, was treated with endoglycosidase F, much of it ran as a sharp band of Mr 46 000 upon electrophoresis. Moreover, endoglycosidase F released 80% of the radioactivity in a preparation of the transporter labeled in its oligosaccharides with galactose oxidase and tritiated borohydride, and almost none of the remaining radioactivity was located in the Mr 46 000 band.

Purification of a major membrane protein of Toxoplasma gondii by immunoabsorption with a monoclonal antibody.

The principal iodinatable surface protein (P30) of our cloned RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii has an apparent molecular weight of 30,000, as measured by acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate under reducing conditions. Monoclonal antibody B specifically immunoprecipitated protein P30 from a detergent extract of surface radioiodinated T. gondii.

Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of hydrophobic proteins and fragments thereof.

Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) resolution and recovery of cytochrome P-450 and bovine rhodopsin, both integral membrane proteins, and large peptides derived from P-450 LM2 were enhanced by utilizing ternary solvents. Surprisingly, most test materials eluted later in the gradient when using mixtures of acetonitrile and propanol in the mobile phase compared to using either solvent alone. Of the supports tested, the best recovery of hydrophobic cytochrome P-450 LM4 was experienced on the less retentive CN-bonded phase.

Isolation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody-resistant antigenic mutant of Toxoplasma gondii.

Several monoclonal antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii were parasiticidal in the presence of normal human serum as measured by reduction in plaque titer or in assays that detected lysis. One monoclonal antibody, G, was used to select a resistant mutant from a large population of chemically mutagenized wild-type parasites. This mutant retained the wild-type sensitivity to other monoclonal antibodies and to polyclonal antisera.

Sequence homology in the amino-terminal and active-site regions of thermolabile glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from a thermophile.

The unusual thermolability of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from the facultative thermophile Bacillus coagulans KU (Crabb et al., Biochemistry 16:4840-4847, 1977) has provided the first opportunity to study a homologous enzyme from the same genus that exhibits a marked difference in thermostability. In pursuit of the structural bases for the thermostability of proteins, the sequences of the amino terminus (residues 1 through 27) and the active-site cysteine cyanogen bromide peptide (residues 130 through 167) of this enzyme have been determined and compared with sequences of the enzyme from other sources.

Protective efficacy of immunization with capsular antigen against experimental infection with Bacteroides fragilis.

The protective efficacy afforded by immunization with the capsular antigen of Bacteroides fragilis against abscess formation and bacteremia due to this organism was studied in an experimental rat model of intraabdominal sepsis. Of unimmunized animals, animals immunized with methylated bovine serum albumin and complete Freund's adjuvant, and animals immunized with lipopolysaccharide of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, greater than 90% developed abscesses when challenged intraperitoneally with strains of B. fragilis or Bacteroides distasonis (given with an enterococcus) or with the cecal contents of meat-fed rats.

Immunodeterminant specificity of human immunity to type III group B streptococcus.

The type III polysaccharides of group B Streptococcus in its native state chemically consists of glucose, galactose, glucosamine, and sialic acid. The core of this polysaccharide lacks sialic acid and precipitates with type III antiserum to give a partial identity with the precipitate between the native antigen and this serum. The core determinant is immunochemically similar to the capsular polysaccharide of type XIV Streptococcus pneumoniae, while the native type III group B streptococcal polysaccharide does not cross-react with type XIV pneumococcal antiserum.

A rapid method of measuring the palatal surface area of cleft palate infants.

A method is described for rapidly measuring the surface area of the palate by adapting a piece of soft plastic to a model of the upper jaw using a vacuum moulding technique. Tests with a hemisphere of known surface area showed the method to be consistent and to have a low degree of systematic error. When measuring models with unrepaired cleft palates, the error was found to be 2.

Growth defects in unrepaired unilateral cleft lip and palate.

The positional relationships of the dentoalveolar segments in ten subjects with unrepaired unilateral complete clefts of lip and palate were studied in order to assess the effects of the cleft malformation on dentoalveolar growth. The findings suggest that there are localized growth defects, particularly in lateral and vertical growth at the region of the alveolar cleft, which cannot be accounted for by operative trauma. The position and shape of the central incisor nearest the cleft was also found to be defective in some subjects.