Search Results

open access

N-Acylethanolamines and Plant Phospholipase D

Description: Recently, three distinct isoforms of phospholipase D (PLD) were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLD α represents the well-known form found in plants, while PLD β and γ have been only recently discovered (Pappan et al., 1997b; Qin et al., 1997). These isoforms differ in substrate selectivity and cofactors required for activity. Here, I report that PLD β and γ isoforms were active toward N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), but PLD α was not. The ability of PLD β and γ to hydrolyze NAPE mar… more
Date: December 1998
Creator: Brown, Shea Austin
open access

Stretching the Flexible Myosin II Subfragment Using the Novel Gravitational Force Spectroscope, and the Uncoiling of S2

Description: Familial Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) causes ventricle walls to thicken and often leads to sudden death especially in adults. Mutations in the subfragment 2 (S2) of β-cardiac myosin are implicated in the genetic disorder. This S2 region is a coiled-coil rod region resulting from the dimeric form of myosin II. It has been proposed that an elastic quality allows normal S2 to absorb force during the powerstroke according to the sliding filament model. To test the flexibility of single mo… more
Date: May 2010
Creator: Dunn, James W.
open access

Interactions of N-Acylethanolamine Metabolism and Abscisic Acid Signaling in Arabidopsis Thaliana Seedlings

Description: N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs) are endogenous plant lipids hydrolyzed by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). When wildtype Arabidopsis thaliana seeds were germinated and grown in exogenous NAE 12:0 (35 µM and above), growth was severely reduced in a concentration dependent manner. Wildtype A. thaliana seeds sown on exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) exhibited similar growth reduction to that seen with NAE treatment. AtFAAH knockouts grew and developed similarly to WT, but AtFAAH overexpressor lines sh… more
Date: August 2010
Creator: Cotter, Matthew Q.
open access

Metabolic Engineering of Raffinose-Family Oligosaccharides in the Phloem Reveals Alterations in Patterns of Carbon Partitioning and Enhances Resistance to Green Peach Aphid

Description: Phloem transport is along hydrostatic pressure gradients generated by differences in solute concentration between source and sink tissues. Numerous species accumulate raffinose-family oligosaccharides (RFOs) in the phloem of mature leaves to accentuate the pressure gradient between source and sinks. In this study, metabolic engineering was used to generate RFOs at the inception of the translocation stream of Arabidopsis thaliana, which transports predominantly sucrose. To do this, three genes, … more
Date: August 2010
Creator: Cao, Te
open access

Hindrance of the Myosin Power Stroke Posed by the Proximity to the Troponin Complex Identified Using a Novel LRET Fluorescent Nanocircuit

Description: A novel luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) nanocircuit assay involving a donor and two acceptors in tandem was developed to study the dynamic interaction of skeletal muscle contraction proteins. The donor transmits energy relayed to the acceptors distinguishing myosin subfragment-1 (S1) lever arm orientations. The last acceptor allows the detection of S1's bound near or in between troponin complexes on the thin filament. Additionally, calcium related changes between troponin T and my… more
Date: May 2007
Creator: Coffee Castro-Zena, Pilar G.
open access

Mechanism of Activation by Autophosphorylation of an S6/H4 Kinase Isolated From Human Placenta

Description: A novel molecular mechanism of autophosphorylation-dependent activation of the ser/thr S6/H4 kinase isolated from human placenta is described. Phosphopeptide mapping of the enzyme was used to determine the rate and extent of site-specific autophosphorylation. These data were correlated to phosphotransferase activity of the protein kinase. The results indicated that a sequential phosphorylation of two sites in the catalytic domain is required for maximum activation. Kinetic analysis determined t… more
Date: December 1994
Creator: Benner, Gretchen E. (Gretchen Evonne)
open access

Tobacco Phospholipase D β1: Molecular Cloning and Biochemical Characterization

Description: Transgenic tobacco plants were developed containing a partial PLD clone in antisense orientation. The PLD isoform targeted by the insertion was identified. A PLD clone was isolated from a cDNA library using the partial PLD as a probe: Nt10B1 shares 92% identity with PLDβ1 from tomato but lacks the C2 domain. PCR analysis confirmed insertion of the antisense fragment into the plants: three introns distinguished the endogenous gene from the transgene. PLD activity was assayed in leaf homogenates … more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Hodson, Jane E.
open access

Sensitive Microtiter Assays for NAD, NADP and Protein Quantification in Human Lymphocytes

Description: Intracellular levels of NAD are of renewed interest in clinical and basic science research due to the new discovery of enzymes which utilize NAD as a substrate. Microtiter assays for the determination of NAD, NADP and protein were developed as modifications of previously published methods. The resulting assays are simple, cost effective and sensitive. An improved method of isolating lymphocytes was also developed. The resultant procedure requires one hour and removes greater than 99.9% of the p… more
Date: May 1990
Creator: Johnson, James, 1964-
open access

Studies of the Interaction of LCAT with Lipoprotein Substrates in HDL Deficient Plasma Systems

Description: Enzymatic and lipid transfer reactions involved in reverse cholesterol transport were studied in HDL deficient plasma systems. Fasting plasma samples were obtained from control and cholesterol fed guinea pigs as well as from a fish eye disease patient and were used to localize the enzyme LCAT among plasma lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, and HDL). In both guinea pig and fish eye disease patient plasma, the LCAT activity was found in association with the HDL type particles. Cholesterol feeding in guinea… more
Date: August 1989
Creator: Paranjape, Sulabha
open access

Studies on ADP-Ribose Polymer Metabolism in Cultured Mammalian Cells Following DNA Damage

Description: ADP-ribose polymer metabolism has been studied in human cells derived from a patient with Glutamyl Ribose Phosphate Storage Disease (GRPSD) and in mouse C3H1OT1/2 cells following oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H202 ). It has been postulated that GRPSD resulted from an abnormality in ADP-ribose polymer metabolism. This study has shown that these cells exhibit reduced poly(ADP ribose) polymerase activity which is proposed to result from modification of the enzyme with ribose phosp… more
Date: May 1991
Creator: Maharaj, Geeta
open access

Protein Kinase C Activation in Hyperglycemic Bovine Lens Epithelial Cells

Description: This study demonstrates the presence of protein kinase C activity in both cytosolic and membrane fractions of bovine lens epithelial cells in culture. Protein kinase C activity is similar in normal and hyperglycemic cells. Furthermore, the ability of the enzyme to translocate from the cytosol to the membrane following phorbol ester treatment is unimpeded by hyperglycemic conditions. Moreover, protein kinase C activation had no effect on myoinositol uptake either in normal cells or in cells expo… more
Date: December 1993
Creator: Fan, Wen-Lin
open access

Chemical Mechanism of the Catalytic Subunit of Camp-Dependent Protein Kinase: Methods for Determining the Primary ¹⁸O Isotope Effects Using the Remote Label Technique

Description: A description of the nature of the transition state structure for phosphoryl transfer in the cAPK reaction requires a measurement of the primary 180 isotope effect at the serine hydroxyl acceptor. Since it is difficult to obtain primary 180 isotope effect directly, the 15N/1 4N ratio of the a-amine of the C-terminal glycine in the peptide Leu Arg-Lys-Ala-Ser-Leu-Gly (when serine is phosphorylated) was used to represent on the phosphorylation at serine. 15N Glycine, ' 4N-Glycine and 180 serine w… more
Date: December 1991
Creator: Chen, Gang, 1963-
open access

Physical Mapping of Human Transfer RNA Gene Clusters

Description: Two plaque-pure phage lambda clones designated as λhtX-l and λhtX-2 that hybridized to unfractionated bovine liver tRNA were isolated from a human X chromosome-specific library. The λDNAs were characterized by restriction mapping and Southern blot hybridization techniques. The human DNA segment in λhtX-l contains five or more presumptive tRNA genes and at least one Alu family member. The 19-kilobase human DNA insert in λhtX-2 contains two or more presumptive tRNA genes and at least three Alu fa… more
Date: December 1989
Creator: Wang, Luping
open access

In Vitro Modulation of Rat Liver Glyoxalase II Activity

Description: Glyoxylase II (Glo II, E.C. 3.1.2.6) catalyzes the hydrolysis of S-D-Lactoylglutathione (SLG) to D-Lactate and glutathione. This is the rate limiting step in the conversion of methylglyoxal to D-Lactate. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether or not a relationship exists between some naturally occuring metabolites and in vivo modulation of Glo II. We have observed a non-competitive inhibition (~ 45%) of Glo II in crude preparation of rat liver by GTP (0.3 mM). A factor (appar… more
Date: August 1988
Creator: Mbamalu, Godwin E.
open access

The Regulation of HMG-CoA Reductase by Enzyme-Lipid Interactions

Description: The temperature-dependent catalytic activity of rat liver 3-hydroxy-3 -methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase) displays the nonlinear Arrhenius behavior characteristic of many membrane-bound enzymes. A two-conformer equilibrium model has been developed to characterize this behavior. In the model, HMG-CoA reductase undergoes a conformational change from a low specific activity to a high specific activity form. This conformation change is apparently driven by a temperature-depende… more
Date: May 1981
Creator: Smith, Vana L.
open access

Studies on the Biological Activity of N-nitrosamines

Description: Two aspects of the biological activity of N-nitrosamines were studied. First, the effect of ascorbate on the mutagenicity of N-nitrosopiperidines was studied in the Ames Salmanella/ mammalian microsome mutagenicity test. The addition of ascorbate significantly enhanced the mutagenicity of these compounds. This enhancement was selective for N-nitrosamines suggesting a possible role of ascorbate in N-nitrosamine induced carcinogenicity. Second, the technique of velocity sedimentation in alkaline … more
Date: August 1980
Creator: Barton, Rodney A. (Rodney Alan)
open access

The Nucleotide Sequences of a Mammalian Tyrosine Transfer RNA and a Cluster of Human Transfer RNA Genes

Description: Tyrosine tRNA was isolated from bovine liver and its nucleotide sequence was determined using in vitro 32p_ labeling techniques. Several important structural features of the tRNA are: the presence of gal-Q in the first position of the anticodon, acp3U at position 20, and a pair of adjacent N,N-dimethylguanosines (residues 26 and 27). A human DNA fragment harbored in a lambda phage clone was isolated, and restriction enzyme analysis revealed the presence of three tRNA genes in a 6.0-kb BamHI sub… more
Date: August 1986
Creator: Johnson, Gary D. (Gary Dean), 1960-
open access

Structural Analyses of a Human Valine Transfer RNA Gene and of a Transfer RNA Pseudogene Cluster

Description: Two different cloned human DNA segments encompassing transfer RNA gene and pseudogene clusters have been isolated from a human gene library harbored in bacteriophage lambda Charon 4-A. One clone (designated as λhVal7) encompassing a 20.5-kilobase (Kb) human DNA insert was found to contain a valine transfer RNA_AAC gene and several Alu-like elements by Southern blot hybridization analysis and DNA sequencing with the dideoxyribonucleotide chain-termination method in the bacteriophage M13mp19 vect… more
Date: December 1987
Creator: Lee, Mike Ming-Jen
open access

Synthesis and Kinetic Mechanism Study of Phosphonopeptide as a Dead-End Inhibitor of cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

Description: DL-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid, an isostere of phosphoserine, was incorporated into the heptapeptide sequence, Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala-(DL-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid)-Leu-Gly, for kinetic mechanistic studies of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. To block the phosphono hydroxyl groups, methyl, ethyl and 4nitrobenzyl esters were studied as possible protecting groups. The phosphono diethyl ester of the N-Fmoc-protected amino acid was utilized in the synthesis of the heptapeptide. Two configuratio… more
Date: December 1991
Creator: Yang, Chunhua
open access

Homologous Recombination in Q-Beta Rna Bacteriophage

Description: Q-Beta phage RNAs with inactivating insertion (8 base) or deletion (17 base) mutations within their replicase genes were transfected into Escherichia coli spheroplasts containing QB replicase provided in trans by a resident plasmid. Replicase-defective (Rep~) Q3 phage produced by these spheroplasts were unable to form plaques on cells lacking this plasmid. When individual Rep~ phage were isolated and grown to high titer in cells containing plasmid derived Q3 replicase, revertant Q3 phage (Rep')… more
Date: May 1992
Creator: Palasingam, Kampan
open access

Pre-Steady State Kinetics of the NAD-Malic Enzyme from Ascaris suum in the Direction of Oxidative Decarboxylation of L-Malate

Description: Stopped-flow experiments in which the NAD-malic enzyme was preincubated with different reactants at near saturating substrate concentrations suggest a slow isomerization of the E:NAD:Mg complex. The lag is eliminated by preincubation with Mg˙² and malate suggesting that the formation of E:Mg:Malate either bypasses or speeds up the slow isomerization step. Circular dichroic spectral studies of the secondary structural changes of the native enzyme in the presence and absence of substrates support… more
Date: December 1991
Creator: Rajapaksa, Ranjani, 1949-
open access

N-Acylethanolamine (NAE) Profiles Change During Arabidopsis Thaliana Seed Germination and Seedling Growth

Description: An understanding of the potential roles as lipid mediators of a family of bioactive metabolites called N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) depends on their accurate identification and quantification. The levels of 18C unsaturated NAEs (e.g. NAE18:2, NAE 18:3, etc.) in wild-type seeds (about 2000 ng/g fw) generally decreased by about 80% during germination and post-germinative growth. In addition, results suggest NAE-degradative fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) expression does not play a major role in … more
Date: August 2006
Creator: Wiant, William C.
open access

Identification and quantification of lipid metabolites in cotton fibers: Reconciliation with metabolic pathway predictions from DNA databases.

Description: The lipid composition of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, L) fibers was determined. Fatty acid profiles revealed that linolenate and palmitate were the most abundant fatty acids present in fiber cells. Phosphatidylcholine was the predominant lipid class in fiber cells, while phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and digalactosyldiacylglycerol were also prevalent. An unusually high amount of phosphatidic acid was observed in frozen cotton fibers. Phospholipase D activity assays revealed that… more
Date: May 2004
Creator: Wanjie, Sylvia W.
open access

Use of luminescence energy transfer probes to detect genetic variants.

Description: The purpose of this research was to study the hybridization of molecular beacons under different conditions and designs. Data collected suggest that the inconsistency found in the emission intensity of several of these probes may be caused by 3 important factors: length of the probe, nucleotide sequence and, the formation of an alternative complex structure such as a dimer. Of all three factors, dimer formation is the most troublesome, since it reduces the emission of the reporter molecules. A … more
Date: August 2004
Creator: Vaccaro, Carlos
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