Phosphate Monoester Hydrolysis by Trinuclear Alkaline Phosphatase; DFT Study of Transition States and Reaction Mechanism

Alkaline phosphatase (AP) is a trinuclear metalloenzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of a broad range of phosphate monoesters to form inorganic phosphate and alcohol (or phenol). In this paper, by using density functional theory with a model based on a crystal structure, the AP‐catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphate monoesters is investigated by calculating two substrates, that is, methyl and p‐nitrophenyl phosphates, which represent alkyl and aryl phosphates, respectively. The calculations confirm that the AP reaction employs a “ping‐pong” mechanism involving two chemical displacement steps, that is, the displacement of the substrate leaving group by a Ser102 alkoxide and the hydrolysis of the phosphoseryl intermediate by a Zn2‐bound hydroxide. Both displacement steps proceed via a concerted associative pathway no matter which substrate is used. Other mechanistic aspects are also studied. Comparison of our calculations with linear free energy relationships experiments shows good agreement.     

Fluorescence detection of adenosine-5′-triphosphate and alkaline phosphatase based on the generation of CdS quantum dots

We have developed an analytical method to detect adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) based on the generation of CdS quantum dots (QDs). We demonstrated that Cd²⁺ cation reacts with S²⁻ anion to generate fluorescent CdS QDs in the presence of some certain amount of ATP. With increase in the ATP concentration, the fluorescence intensity of CdS QDs was also enhanced. ATP can be converted into adenosine by the dephosphorylation of ALP, so that the generation of CdS QDs would be inhibited in the presence of ALP. Therefore, this novel analysis system could be applied to assay ATP and ALP based on the growth of fluorescent CdS QDs.     

Resonant-Mie-scattering of aggregates of phosphomolybdate and papaverine for measuring activities and screening inhibitors of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isozymes

A resonant-light-scattering (RLS) method was proposed to quantify phosphate for screening inhibitors of isozymes of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE). In acidified mixtures of phosphate, papaverine and molybdate, there were aggregates exhibiting micrometre sizes, no absorbance peaks over 360 nm but strong RLS peaks at 392 nm; Mie scattering thus accounted for the RLS signals. When papaverine was added before molybdate to acidified samples of phosphate, RLS signals at 392 nm were stable from 5 to 25 min since the addition of molybdate; after optimization, phosphate from 0.40 to 3.60 μM was quantifiable. This RLS method tolerated 60 mg L⁻¹ proteins besides common PDE inhibitors and dimethyl sulfoxide in acidified samples of phosphate; the integration of this RLS method with the coupled action of a phosphomonoesterase on PDE product was thus rational to measure PDE activities without the removal of proteins in samples. By quantifying activities of a truncated mutant of human PDE4B2 via this RLS method, Michaelis–Menten constant, inhibition constants of rolipram, papaverine and theophylline varied over three magnitudes and were consistent with those estimated by an improved malachite green assay of phosphate, respectively. Hence, this novel RLS method was promising for screening inhibitors of PDE isozymes.     

Platform for Highly Sensitive Alkaline Phosphatase‐Based Immunosensors Using 1‐Naphthyl Phosphate and an Avidin‐Modified Indium Tin Oxide Electrode

We report a versatile platform for highly sensitive alkaline phosphatase (ALP)‐based electrochemical biosensors that uses an avidin‐modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode as a sensing electrode and 1‐naphthyl phosphate (NPP) as an ALP substrate. Almost no electrocatalytic activity of NPP and good electrocatalytic activity of 1‐naphthol (ALP product) on the ITO electrodes allow a high signal‐to‐background ratio. The effective surface covering of avidin on the ITO electrodes allows very low levels of nonspecific binding of proteins to the sensing electrodes. The platform technology is used to detect mouse IgG with a detection limit of 1.0 pg/mL.     

A technique for mycelial development of ectomycorrhizal fungi on agar media

A technique was established to study ectomycorrhizal fungi on agar media. Petri dishes, 60 mm in diameter, containing 10 mL of culture medium covered with a cellophane disk were used for easy collection of the mycelium after growth. For analysis of fungal biomass production, a sterilized cellophane sheet was placed on the medium’s surface. Inoculation was achieved by placing a mycelial block onto the center of the cellophane sheet and then incubating at 25°C in the dark. Colony radial growth was measured and biomass dry wt was determined. Fresh mycelia were homogenized with 10 mL of acetate buffer (pH 5.5) for enzyme analysis. A crude extract was obtained by adding all culture medium to 90 mL of distilled water and homogenizing in a Potter. Reducing sugars, enzyme concentration, and pH were determined. Three fungal strains, Suillus collinitus, Pisosithus arrhizus, and Hebeloma cylindrosporum, were grown in different culture media (potato dextrose agar or Pintro’s medium). Parameters measured over time included glucose concentration, phosphatase activity, biomass, and pH.     

Repeated probing of Southwestern blots using alkaline phosphatase stripping

Southwestern blotting is when a DNA sequence is used to probe DNA-binding proteins on an electrophoretic gel blot. It would be highly desirable to be able to probe a blot repeatedly with different DNA sequences. Alkaline phosphatase can remove 5'-phosphoryl groups from DNA and radiolabeled 5'-(32)P-DNA probes are commonly used in Southwestern blotting. Here is shown that once probed, the radioisotope signal on the blot can be effectively removed by brief digestion with alkaline phosphatase, and the blot can then be repeatedly probed at least six times with different DNA probes. This exceeds the repetitions possible with another commonly used method using SDS. The technique can be used with either one-dimensional or multi-dimensional Southwestern blots and does not have a large effect on the phosphorylation state of the blotted proteins. An alternative method using T4 polynucleotide kinase stripping is also introduced but was less well characterized.     

金黄色葡萄球菌低分子质量双特异性磷酸酶sLMWDSP的表达、纯化及性质

双特异性磷酸酶是酪氨酸磷酸酶家族中的一员,它参与生物体内信号转导、生长调控、新陈代谢等许多基本的生理活动.金黄色葡萄球菌的低分子质量双特异性磷酸酶sLMWDSP(low molecular weight dual-specificityphosphatase,Staphylococcus aureus)基因从金黄色葡萄球菌cDNA库中克隆,并在大肠杆菌中表达.高纯度的sLMWDSP用亲和层析的方法纯化得到.酶学性质研究表明:sLMWDSP催化对硝基苯磷酸(-pnitrophenyl phos-phate,pNPP)水解反应的最适pH值为6.7,最适温度为35℃,且该酶的活性不依赖于金属离子.磷酸酶通用抑制剂岗田酸(Okadaic acid)、EDTA对sLMWDSP几乎没有抑制作用,但钒酸钠能明显地抑制该酶的活性.sLMWDSP对pSer/Thr以及pTyr的寡肽均有去磷酸化作用,这说明sLMWDSP是一个新的双特异性磷酸酶.     

文昌鱼酸性磷酸酶在甲醇溶液中的构象与活力变化

文昌鱼酸性磷酸酶（ＡＣＰａｓｅ，Ｅ．Ｃ３．１．３．２）是一种含有铁离子的金属酶，其可见光谱中５００ｎｍ的吸收峰以及荧光５１５ｎｍ的发射峰为该酶分子含铁的特征峰，与酶活力关系密切．通过荧光发射光谱和紫外可见光谱对该酶在不同浓度甲醇溶液中的构象与活力变化进行研究．不同浓度（Ｖ／Ｖ）的甲醇对酶活力有明显的抑制作用，动力学分析表明甲醇对酶的抑制为非竞争性抑制，其抑制常数为２０％．还研究了在甲醇存在下ＡＣＰａｓｅ活力中心的构象与活力变化，结果表明其构象变化快于活力变化．     

耐热碱性磷酸酯酶基因的亚克隆及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

根据耐热碱磷酸酯酶基因的酶切图谱和ＤＮＡ序列,分别在基因的起始密友子和终止密码子设计２个突变引物。引物的５‘端分别带有ＮｄｅⅠ和ＢａｍＨⅠ酶切全点。通过ＰＣＲ从质粒ｐＴＡＰ１１８Ｂ中扩增获得了ＦＤ－ＴＡＰ基因的全序列。经过酶切将基因亚克隆于高达载体ｐＪＬＡ５０３。