Dispersions of alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals in aqueous media: photoluminescence and ageing.

Alkyl-capped silicon nanocrystals can be dispersed in aqueous media by shaking or stirring their solutions in organic solvents (DMSO, ether, THF) with excess water. THF is the most straightforward choice with which to prepare stable aqueous dispersions, because the nanocrystals are very soluble in THF and it is also miscible with water. As little as 0.01% v/v tetrahydrofuran is sufficient. DMSO and ether were the preferred choices for subsequent staining of live cells because THF shows some acute toxicity even when very dilute. The luminescence intensity of the aqueous dispersions is linear in particle concentration and independent of pH over the range 5-9. The sols retain their photoluminescence and are stable against flocculation for at least 6 months.

The activity of yeast ADH I and ADH II with long-chain alcohols and diols.

The activities of yeast ADH I and ADH II towards long chain alcohols and diols were studied using rather unusual conditions (1.0 M Tris pH 8.75, approximately 0.3 mg/ml enzyme and [S]<<

Identification and disruption of the gene encoding the K(+)-activated acetaldehyde dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The identity of the gene encoding the mitochondrial K(+)-activated acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (K(+)-ACDH) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been confirmed. The gene is situated on the right arm of chromosome XV, bears the systematic name YOR374w and the deduced product shows significant homology to other members of the S. cerevisiae aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family. YOR374w has now been assigned the gene name ALD7. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of K(+)-ACDHs purified from several diverse strains of S. cerevisiae were determined, and found to have 81-100% identity in alignments with the product of ALD7. Haploid mutants containing a deletion of ALD7 were constructed and, in these strains, the K(+)-ACDH was not detectable under any growth conditions examined. The activity of the Mg(2+)-activated acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (Mg(2+)-ACDH), encoded by ALD6, remained at wild-type levels in the mutants. Growth on glucose was not affected in the mutants lacking ALD7 (in contrast to the behaviour of ald6 mutants), whereas growth on ethanol was severely impaired. This observation, together with previous work by our group, shows that both the Mg(2+)- and K(+)-ACDHs are required for growth on ethanol, whilst only the former plays a role during growth on glucose.

The ALD6 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encodes a cytosolic, Mg(2+)-activated acetaldehyde dehydrogenase.

The deduced translation product of an open reading frame on the left arm of chromosome XVI of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the systematic name of YPL061w, is 500 amino acids in length and shares significant homology with aldehyde dehydrogenases. Amino acids 2 to 16 of the protein encoded by YPL061w were found to be identical to the N-terminal 15 amino acids of the purified cytosolic, Mg(2+)-activated acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ACDH) of S. cerevisiae. This enzyme is thought to be involved in the production of acetate from which cytosolic acetyl-CoA is then synthesized. Deletion of YPL061w was detrimental to the growth of haploid strains of yeast; an analysis of one deletion mutant revealed a maximum specific growth rate (in complex medium containing glucose) of one-third of that displayed by the wild-type strain. Mutants deleted in YPL061w were also unable to use ethanol as a carbon source. As expected, the cytosolic, Mg(2+)-activated ACDH activity had been lost from the mutants, although the mitochondrial, K(+)-activated ACDH was readily detected.

The purification and some properties of the Mg(2+)-activated cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A purification procedure has been developed for the cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that yields homogeneous enzyme. The enzyme seems to be a tetramer of identical 58 kDa subunits. The enzyme reaction is strongly stimulated by Mg2+ at low NADP+ concentrations but there is no absolute requirement for bivalent cations. The kinetics of the reaction have been studied in the presence and absence of MgCl2. NADP+ binding studies of the quenching of protein fluorescence in the presence and absence of MgCl2 show that the effect of Mg2+ is to increase the affinity of the enzyme for NADP+ by approx. 100-fold. NADP+ binding causes a slow conformational change in the enzyme and converts the enzyme from the inactive or low-activity form in which it is isolated into the fully active form. This conformational change seems to explain the marked lag-phases seen in enzyme assays. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by disulfiram and pyridoxal 5-phosphate.

Long-chain alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase activities in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain HO1-N.

Three alcohol dehydrogenases have been identified in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus sp. strain HO1-N: an NAD(+)-dependent enzyme and two NADP(+)-dependent enzymes. One of the NADP(+)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases was partially purified and was specific for long-chain substrates. With tetradecanol as substrate an apparent Km value of 5.2 microM was calculated. This enzyme has a pI of 4.5 and a molecular mass of 144 kDa. All three alcohol dehydrogenases were constitutively expressed. Three aldehyde dehydrogenases were also identified: an NAD(+)-dependent enzyme, an NADP(+)-dependent enzyme and one which was nucleotide independent. The NAD(+)-dependent enzyme represented only 2% of the total activity and was not studied further. The NADP(+)-dependent enzyme was strongly induced by growth of cells on alkanes and was associated with hydrocarbon vesicles. With tetradecanal as substrate an apparent Km value of 0.2 microM was calculated. The nucleotide-independent aldehyde dehydrogenase could use either Würster's Blue or phenazine methosulphate (PMS) as an artificial electron acceptor. This enzyme represents approximately 80% of the total long-chain aldehyde oxidizing activity within the cell when the enzymes were induced by growing the cells on hexadecane. It is particulate but can be solubilized using Triton X-100. The enzyme has an apparent Km of 0.36 mM for decanal.

Long-chain acyl-CoA ester intermediates of beta-oxidation of mono- and di-carboxylic fatty acids by extracts of Corynebacterium sp. strain 7E1C.

beta-Oxidation of palmitate and tetradecanedioic acid was studied in cell-free extracts of the Gram-positive bacterium Corynebacterium sp. strain 7E1C, and the acyl-CoA ester intermediates formed were analysed by h.p.l.c. beta-Oxidation assays displayed a lag phase before a constant rate of NAD+ reduction was obtained. The length of the lag phase was inversely proportional to the number of units of activity added to assays. This is a characteristic feature of a system of consecutive reactions proceeding via free intermediates. During beta-oxidation of palmitate all the saturated acyl-CoAs from C16 to C8 were detected together with trace amounts of unsaturated and 3-hydroxy-intermediates. The time-course of intermediate formation again indicated a precursor-product relationship indicative of free intermediates being formed. When 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase was inhibited by completely removing NAD+ from assays, the major acyl-CoAs, detected during palmitate beta-oxidation were palmitoyl-CoA, hexadeca-2-enoyl-CoA and 3-hydroxypalmitoyl-CoA. These compounds also displayed a precursor-product relationship. Under normal assay conditions the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase(s) are the probable rate-limiting enzyme(s) of the beta-oxidation spiral. These results indicate that in cell-free extracts of Corynebacterium sp. strain 7E1C, beta-oxidation proceeds via free acyl-CoA intermediates and is at variance with the concept of substrate channelling or of a 'leaky hose pipe' model as proposed for mitochondrial beta-oxidation in eukaryotic cells. The significant accumulation of chain-shortened acyl-CoA esters is similar to the situation observed for mammalian peroxisomal beta-oxidation.

Purification and some properties of alcohol oxidase from alkane-grown Candida tropicalis.

Alcohol oxidase was purified to homogeneity from membrane fractions obtained from alkane-grown Candida tropicalis. The enzyme appears to be a dimer of equal-sized subunits of Mr 70000. The purified enzyme is photosensitive and contains flavin-type material which is released by a combination of boiling and proteolytic digestion. The identity of the flavin material is not yet known, but it is not FMN, FAD or riboflavin. The enzyme is most active with dodecan-I-ol, but other long-chain alcohols are also attacked. The enzyme shows a weak, but significant activity towards long-chain aldehydes. Detailed kinetic studies with decan-1-ol as substrate suggest a group-transfer (Ping-Pong)-type mechanism of catalysis.

The kinetics of ox kidney biliverdin reductase in the pre-steady state. Evidence that the dissociation of bilirubin is the rate-determining step.

When the production of bilirubin by biliverdin reductase was monitored at 460 nm by stopped-flow spectrophotometry a 'burst' was observed with a first-order rate constant at pH 8 of 20 s-1. The steady-state rate was established on completion of the 'burst'. When the reaction was monitored at 401 nm there was no observed steady-state rate, but a diminished pre-steady-state 'burst' reaction was still seen with a rate constant of 22 s-1. We argue that the rate-limiting reaction is the dissociation of bilirubin from an enzyme.NADP+.bilirubin complex. With NADPH as the cofactor the hydride-transfer step was shown to exhibit pH-dependence associated with an ionizing group with a pK of 7.2. The kinetics of NADPH binding to the enzyme at pH 7.0 were measured by monitoring the quenching of protein fluorescence on binding the coenzyme.

Some comparisons of pig and sheep liver cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenases.

1. The pig enzyme was purified to homogeneity and was found to be a tetramer of apparently identical subunits. 2. The pig enzyme was found to contain 1 mol NADH/mol enzyme which is tightly bound, which is not directly involved in catalysis and which so far has not been removed from the enzyme so as to produce an active apoenzyme. 3. The pig enzyme seems to contain only one functioning active site/tetramer. 4. The pig and sheep enzymes are compared in respect of NADH binding, substrate specificity, immunological response and surface charge.

Studies on the unusual behaviour of bovine liver UDP-glucose dehydrogenase in assays at acid and neutral pH and on the presence of tightly bound nucleotide material in purified preparations of this enzyme.

Assays of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase at pH 6.0 show long (10-15 min) lag periods before the steady-state rate is established, but at pH 9.0 no lag is observed. At intermediate pH values the lag is progressively shorter as the pH becomes more alkaline. The behaviour of the enzyme in assays at neutral and acid pH depends on the pH and concentration of the enzyme used to initiate the assay. The steady-state rate at pH 6.0 is strongly concentration-dependent. It is suggested that these phenomena arise because of the slow dissociation of an inactive enzyme species to an active one. Purified preparations of the enzyme release approx. 1 mol of a UDP-sugar/mol of enzyme subunit on denaturation. The identity of the UDP-sugar is unknown.

The role of the metal ion in the mechanism of the K+-activated aldehyde dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The effect of K+ on assays of the enzyme was studied and it appears that the activation occurs slowly by a two-step process. Kinetic measurements suggest that the enzyme-catalysed reaction can proceed slowly (0.4%) in the complete absence of K+. The enzyme exhibits a K+-activated esterase activity, which is further activated by NAD+ or NADH. Stopped-flow studies indicated that the principal effect of K+ on the dehydrogenase reaction is to accelerate a step (possibly acyl-enzyme hydrolysis) associated with a fluorescence and small absorbance transient that occurs after hydride transfer and before NADH dissociation from the terminal E-NADH complex. The variation of activity of the enzyme with pH was studied. An enzyme group with pKa approx. 7.1 apparently promotes enzyme activity when in its alkaline form.

Studies on the mechanism of sheep liver cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase. The effect of pH on the aldehyde binding reactions and a re-examination of the problem of the site of proton release in the mechanism.

Initial-rate measurements and stopped-flow spectrophotometric experiments over a wide range of pH implicate an enzyme group of pKa approximately 6.6 affecting the aldehyde binding reactions. It is possible, though not proved, that the group involved is the cysteine residue involved in catalysis. Stopped-flow fluorescence studies show that a group of pKa greater than 8.5 facilitates hydrolysis of the NADH-containing acyl-enzyme species. The identity of this group is quite unknown. Studies with 4-nitrobenzaldehyde show that this substrate gives marked substrate inhibition at quite low (less than 20 microM) concentrations. The mechanism of catalysis seems to be the same as for propionaldehyde oxidation. It is argued that proton release occurs with both substrates on hydrolysis of the NADH-containing acyl-enzyme and not before hydride transfer, as has been previously suggested [Bennett, Buckley & Blackwell (1982) Biochemistry 21, 4407-4413].

The effects of Mg2+ on certain steps in the mechanisms of the dehydrogenase and esterase reactions catalysed by sheep liver aldehyde dehydrogenase. Support for the view that dehydrogenase and esterase activities occur at the same site on the enzyme.

Stopped-flow experiments in spectrophotometric and fluorescence modes reveal different aspects of the aldehyde dehydrogenase mechanism. Spectrophotometric experiments show a rapid burst of NADH production whose course is not affected by Mg2+. The slower burst seen in the fluorescence mode is markedly accelerated by Mg2+. It is argued that the fluorescence burst accompanies acyl-enzyme hydrolysis and, therefore, that Mg2+ increases the rate of this process. Experiments on the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl propionate indicate that acyl-enzyme hydrolysis is indeed accelerated by Mg2+ and a combination of Mg2+ and NADH. Vmax. values for p-nitrophenyl propionate hydrolysis in the presence of NADH and NADH and Mg2+ agree closely with the specific rates of acyl hydrolysis from the E . NADH . acyl and E . NADH . acyl . Mg2+ complexes seen in the dehydrogenase reaction with propionaldehyde. These observations support the view that esterase and dehydrogenase activities occur at the same site on the enzyme. Other evidence is presented to support this conclusion.

Concentration effects in assays of sheep liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase and their interpretation in terms of enzyme dissociation.

Enzyme assays exhibit lag-phases during which the rate of acetaldehyde oxidation or p-nitrophenylacetate hydrolysis accelerates. A steady-state rate is achieved, but the time taken for this to occur increases as the enzyme concentration is decreased. With 0.009 microM enzyme this takes about 15 minutes. Analysis of experimental results suggests that the activation occurs because the tetrameric enzyme dissociates to a more active species. Gel filtration behaviour of the enzyme at different concentrations and stability tests with urea provide some general support for this hypothesis.