Fibrinolytic proteases in snake venoms

Zusammenfassung Fibrinolysine zweier Schlangengifte haben — im Gegensatz zu Plasmin und Trypsin — keinen Plasminogen-aktivierenden Effekt, noch sind sie durch Proteasen-Inhibitoren gehemmt. Sowohl in vivo wie auch in vitro sind sie durch Plasmaproteine inaktiviert, was jedoch nicht auf ₁ und ₂-Antiplasmine zurückzuführen ist. Die Spaltprodukte der Toxin-Fibrinogenolyse besitzen einen hohen Gehalt an Antithrombin VI.     

The presence of al-leucyl-β-napthylamide hydrolyzing enzyme in snake venoms

Résumé Pour déterminer le caractère des exo-peptidases dans le venin des serpents on a employé comme substrat dul-leucyl--napthylamide. Des venins de 49 espèces et sous-espèces des 4 familles de serpents venimeux ont été étudiés. La capacité d'hydroliser ce substrat a été rencontrée assez souvent dans les venins des serpents venimeux quelles que joient leurs origines géographiques ou leurs différences génétiques.

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This work was supported by Public Health Service Grant No. 1 RO1 GM14174 and Office of Naval Research Contract No. N00014-67-A-0220-0001.     

The isolation and amino acid sequences of new pyroglutamylpeptides from snake venoms

Zusammenfassung Die Strukturaufklärung von zwei neuen tryptophanhaltigen Peptiden im Schlangengift vonAgkistrodon halys blomhoffii ergeben:l-Pyroglutamyl-l-Glutaminyl-l-Tryptophan undl-Pyroglutamyl-l-Asparaginyl-l-Tryptophan. Diese Peptide sind in Schlangengiften der Viperidae- und Crotalidae-Arten verbreitet.

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Supported in part by a grant from the Ministry of Education (Japan).     

Effect of dipyridamole on human platelet phospholipids

Summary The effect of dipyridamole on platelet phospholipids has been studied. After the platelet incubation with dipyridamole, a 38% reduction in the concentration of the sphingomyelin and a 21% increase in phosphatidyl choline were produced.     

Self-labeling of human polymorphonuclear leucocyte myeloperoxidase with125iodine

In order to obtain a radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique for the measurement of human plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO), we purified the enzyme from polymorphonuclear granulocytes (neutrophils), and compared three methods of labeling it with¹²⁵Iodine: chloramine T, lactoperoxidase, and an original technique of self labeling based on the ability of the enzyme to oxidize and bind¹²⁵I in the presence of H₂O₂. The chloramine T technique produced a degraded protein, as well shown by a high non-specific binding of tracer to antibody. The lactoperoxidase technique did not succeed in labeling MPO with an adequate specific activity. In contrast, the self-labeling method gave a stable tracer with a specific activity of 23 Ci/gmg MPO (85 MBq), a satisfactory level of immunoreactivity, and a low-specific binding (3%). After labeling, purification of tracer was achieved by gel filtration chromatography in phosphate buffer (0.05 M; pH7) to which 0.1% poly-L-lysine was added. The labeled molecule remained stable for 40 days and could be used for RIA with a polyclonal antibody raised in rabbits.     

Hydrolysis of amino acidβ-naphthylamides by aminopeptidases in human parotid saliva and human serum

Zusammenfassung Die Aktivität der Aminopeptidasen im menschlichen Speichel von Ohrspeicheldrüsen wurde durch Fluoreszenzanalyse gemessen. Die Substratspezifität der Speichelaminopeptidasen war derjenigen der Serumenzyme ähnlich. Das Glycyl-Prolin -naphthylamidspaltende Enzym war jedoch im Speichel von Ohrspeicheldrüsen in relativ grösserer Menge vorhanden.     

Effect of dipyridamole on human platelet phospholipids.

The effect of dipyridamole on platelet phospholipids has been studied. After the platelet incubation with dipyridamole, a 38% reduction in the concentration of the sphingomyelin and a 21% increase in phosphatidyl choline were produced.     

Self-labeling of human polymorphonuclear leucocyte myeloperoxidase with 125iodine.

In order to obtain a radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique for the measurement of human plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO), we purified the enzyme from polymorphonuclear granulocytes (neutrophils), and compared three methods of labeling it with 125Iodine:chloramine T, lactoperoxidase, and an original technique of 'self labeling' based on the ability of the enzyme to oxidize and bind 125I in the presence of H2O2. The chloramine T technique produced a degraded protein, as well shown by a high non-specific binding of tracer to antibody. The lactoperoxidase technique did not succeed in labeling MPO with an adequate specific activity. In contrast, the self-labeling method gave a stable tracer with a specific activity of 23 microCi/micrograms MPO (85 MBq), a satisfactory level of immunoreactivity, and a low-specific binding (less than or equal to 3%). After labeling, purification of tracer was achieved by gel filtration chromatography in phosphate buffer (0.05 M; pH7) to which 0.1% poly-L-lysine was added. The labeled molecule remained stable for 40 days and could be used for RIA with a polyclonal antibody raised in rabbits.     

Hydrolysis of riboflavin by plants

Résumé Il a été prouvé que l'hydrolyse de la riboflavine à l'aide d'une enzyme se produit dans les extraits de plantes appartenant aux familles desLiliacées, Amaryllidacées etCannas (ou Balisier).On a trouvé le lumichrome et le ribitole parmi les produits de l'hydrolyse. La réaction est stchiométrique, les conditions favorisant une activité optimale sont les suivantes: pH 7.4, température 37°, quantités catalytiques de glutathione reduit.     

Chromosome aberrations induced by daunomycin in human leucocyte cultures,with the apparent synergistic effect of arginine

Zusammenfassung Das Antibiotikum und Zytostatikum Daunomycin induziert beträchtliche Chromosomenaberrationen in menschlichen Leukozyten in der Konzentration von 0,02 µg/cm³. Dieser Effekt wird durch Zusatz von Arginin zur Zellkultur wesentlich verstärkt, und die Aberrationen werden auch qualitativ verändert. Es ist nicht bekannt, wie Daunomycin und Arginine aufeinander einwirken.     

Hydrolysis of N-phenylacetyl-a-methyl-alpha-amino acids by benzylpenicillinacylase

Enzymatic hydrolysis of several racemic N-phenylacetyl-alpha-methyl-alpha-amino acids containing an additional aliphatic, aromatic or polar substitutent on the chiral carbon atom, has been studied by using benzylpenicillinacylase from Escherichia coli A.T.C.C.9637. Both the rate of hydrolysis and the stereoselectivity were found to be considerably lower than in the case of natural alpha-amino acids. Steric and electronic factors in the side chains influencing the stereoselectivity are discussed. Key words. Benzylpenicillinacylase; enzymatic hydrolysis; alpha-methyl-alpha-amino acids.     

Inhibition of phospholipase A by a naturally occurring peptide inBothrops venoms

Zusammenfassung Im Schlangengift vonBothrops befindet sich ein Peptid, welches als Phospholipase-Hemmer beschrieben wird.     

Hydrolysis of histones by horse urinary kallikreins

Summary Horse urinary kallikrein was shown to hydrolyze histones from calf thymus and chicken nuclei erythrocytes. The hydrolysis is inhibited by benzamidine and hyposulfite but not by soy-bean trypsin inhibitor; horse plasma kallikrein also produces this hydrolysis.Work supported by grants from Projeto BIOQ/FAPESP (São Paulo), FINEP (Rio) and CNPq (Rio).Fellow from CNPq, from Instituto Biológico (São Paulo).