Kinetic properties of the Ca2+-accumulation system of a rat liver microsomal fraction

1. By using Ca-EGTA buffers, the Km for Ca2+ uptake into rat liver heavy microsomes (microsomal fraction) was found to be 0.2 microM free Ca2+. 2. In the absence of oxalate, these vesicles accumulate about 20 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein. Efflux of Ca2+ from the vesicles is much faster at pH 7.6 than at pH 6.8, but does not apparently show saturation kinetics or any stringent requirement for external ions. 3. The steady-state distribution of Ca2+ between the microsomes and the medium in the presence of ATP and the absence of oxalate is dependent on Ca2+ load. When the vesicles are loaded to 50% capacity, the external free Ca2+ concentration is 70 nM. 4. The affinity of heavy microsomes for Ca2+ is such that is seems likely that they has a dominant role in the determination of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentrations.

Ca2+-sequestering smooth endoplasmic reticulum in an invertebrate photoreceptor. I. Intracellular topography as revealed by OsFeCN staining and in situ Ca accumulation

Two ultrastructural approaches were used in photoreceptor cells of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis, to (a) investigate the intracellular topography of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and (b) identify among the various subregions of the SER those which might function as Ca-sequestering sites. When the cells are prefixed with CaCl2-containing glutaraldehyde and postfixed with osmium tetroxide-ferricyanide (OsFeCN), only a part of the total SER is specifically stained. The stained SER cisternae include the submicrovillar cisternae (SMC), subsurface cisternae (SSC), the nuclear envelope, Golgi-associated SER, paracrystalline SER, and SER associated with glycogen areas. An extensive tubular SER cisternal system always remains unstained. When the cells are permeabilized by saponin and subsequently incubated with Ca2+, MgATP, and oxalate, the SMC (Walz, 1979, Eur. J. Cell Biol. 20:83-91), the SSC and the nuclear envelope contain electron-opaque Ca-oxalate precipitates indicating their ability to function as an effective Ca2+ sink. The results show that the very elaborate SER in this photoreceptor cell includes many functionally heterogeneous subregions. Of special physiological significance are those components (SMC and SSC) which are effective in Ca2+-buffering in the immediate vicinity of the plasma membrane.

Ca2+-sequestering smooth endoplasmic reticulum in an invertebrate photoreceptor. II. Its properties as revealed by microphotometric measurements

Microphotometric measurements are used to investigate the functional properties of Ca2+-sequestering smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) in leech photoreceptors. 10-30 intact cells are mounted in a perfusion chamber, placed between crossed polarizers in a microphotometer, and permeabilized by saponin treatment. Subsequent perfusion with solutions containing Ca2+, MgATP, and oxalate leads to Ca uptake by SER. When the solubility product of Ca-oxalate is exceeded in the SER, birefringent Ca-oxalate precipitates form in the cisternae, leading to a large increase in the optical signal recorded from the preparation. The rate of increase in light intensity is used to measure the rate of Ca uptake. Ca uptake rate is linear with time over much of its course, can be switched on/off by the addition/withdrawal of Ca2+, ATP, or oxalate to/from the medium, and is inhibited by mersalyl and tetracaine. The Ca uptake mechanism has a high specificity for MgATP (KM,MgATP is approximately 0.8 mM). Uptake rates observed with dATP, GTP, UTP, ITP, and CTP are only 20-30% of the rate measured in ATP. The Ca pump has a high affinity for Ca2+ ions: the threshold for activation of the pump is approximately 5 x 10(-8) M, the apparent KM,Ca is approximately 4 x 10(-7) M. When Na+ or Li+ is substituted for K+, Ca uptake rate is decreased by 40-50%. The results show that the Ca2+-sequestering SER in leech photoreceptors shares some basic properties with skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum and supports the idea that certain subregions of the SER in invertebrate photoreceptors function as effective Ca2+ sinks/buffers close to the plasmalemma.

Phenolic components of the primary cell wall. Feruloylated disaccharides of D-galactose and L-arabinose from spinach polysaccharide

1. Cell walls from rapidly growing cell suspension cultures of Spinacia oleracea L. contained ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid esterified with a water-insoluble polymer. 2. Prolonged treatment with trypsin did not release may feruloyl esters from dearabinofuranosylated cell walls, and the polymer was also insoluble in phenol/acetic acid/water (2:1:1, w/v/v). 3. Treatment of the cell walls with the fungal hydrolase preparation "Driselase' did liberate low-Mr feruloyl esters. The major esters were 4-O-(6-O-feruloyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-D-galactose and 3?-O-feruloyl-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl)-L-arabinose. These two esters accounted for about 60% of the cell-wall ferulate. 4. It is concluded that the feruloylation of cell-wall polymers is not a random process, but occurs at very specific sites, probably on the arabinogalactan component of pectin. 5. The possible role of such phenolic substituents in cell-wall architecture and growth is discussed.

Calcium accumulation by the sarcoplasmic reticulum in two populations of chemically skinned human muscle fibers. Effects of calcium and cyclic AMP

In previous efforts to characterize sarcoplasmic reticulum function in human muscles, it has not been possible to distinguish the relative contributions of fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers. In this study, we have used light scattering and 45Ca to monitor Ca accumulation by the sarcoplasmic reticulum of isolated, chemically skinned human muscle fibers in the presence and absence of oxalate. Oxalate (5 mM) increased the capacity for Ca accumulation by a factor of 35 and made it possible to assess both rate of Ca uptake and relative sarcoplasmic reticulum volume in individual fibers. At a fixed ionized Ca concentration, the rate and maximal capacity (an index of sarcoplasmic reticulum volume) both varied over a wide range, but fibers fell into two distinct groups (fast and slow). Between the two groups, there was a 2- to 2.5-fold difference in oxalate-supported Ca uptake rates, but no difference in average sarcoplasmic reticulum volumes. Intrinsic differences in sarcoplasmic reticulum function (Vmax, K0.5, and n) were sought to account for the distinction between fast and slow groups. In both groups, rate of Ca accumulation increased sigmoidally as [Ca++] was increased from 0.1 to 1 microM. Apparent affinities for Ca++ (K0.5) were similar in the two groups, but slow fibers had a lower Vmax and larger n values. Slow fibers also differed from fast fibers in responding with enhanced Ca uptake upon addition of cyclic AMP (10(-6) M, alone or with protein kinase). Acceleration by cyclic AMP was adequate to account for adrenaline-induced increases in relaxation rates previously observed in human muscles containing mixtures in fast-twitch and slow-twitch fibers.

Prolonged hypolactatemia and increased total pyruvate dehydrogenase activity by dichloroacetate

Dichloroacetate (DCA) given gastrically as a single dose to healthy, fed rats caused transient lowering of blood glucose, lactate, and pyruvate. Chronic daily dosing caused lowering of these metabolites and a delay in the return of lactate to basal levels for 48 hr after the final dose. DCA caused activation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC), with acute multiple dosing or chronic daily dosing. The elevated active PDHC persisted for 12 hr following the final dose. In addition, total PDHC activity was increased with chronic dosing and persisted for 48 hr following the final dose. This increase was not blocked by protein synthesis inhibitors. DCA increased isolated hepatocyte [14C-1]pyruvate oxidation and activated hepatocyte PDHC. Glyoxylate and oxalate, hepatic metabolites of DCA, were inhibitory at similar concentrations.

Studies of lactate dehydrogenase in the purified state and in intact erythrocytes

Lactate dehydrogenase in intact erythrocytes was studied by observing isotope exchange between lactate and pyruvate by p.m.r. The inhibition of the enzyme in intact cells by both oxalate and pyruvate was found to be similar to that of the purified enzyme. The activity of the enzyme in intact cells indicates that the free solution NAD+ + NADH concentration in erythrocytes is about 10 microM whereas the total extractable NAD+ + NADH is about 80 nmol/ml of cell water.

Some aspects of calcium uptake by human myometrial mitochondria and microsomes relevant to relaxation

Calcium uptake by mitochondria and microsomes isolated from the human myometrium was studied at physiological Ca++ concentrations. The initial rates as well as the maximum velocity of Ca uptake by mitochondria were 10-20 times higher than those by microsomes. The Ca++ concentration for half-maximal transport in the mitochondria and microsomes was about 1 microM and 0.5 microM, respectively. The Ca uptake capacity of mitochondria measured after 20 min of uptake (1 microM Ca++ in the medium) was 10-30 times higher than that of microsomes. The capacity but not the initial rates of Ca uptake by microsomes was increased in the presence of 5 mM oxalate. These were only minor differences in the Ca uptake kinetics of subcellular fraction isolated from the pregnant and non-pregnant myometria. The results of this study reinforce the argument for the domineering role of mitochondria in the relaxation of the human myometrium.

The interaction between ruthenium red and the isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum

The multivalent anions, ATP and oxalate, present at 5mM concentrations in incubation mixtures with isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) preparations, reduce the binding of ruthenium red (RR) to the SR. When oxalate is omitted from the incubation mixture and ATP is used at reduced concentrations, it is possible to observe an inhibitory effect of RR on calcium uptake by the SR and on ATPase activity. However, this inhibition is only partial and it remains clear that calcium transport in the SR is much less susceptible to inhibition by RR than is calcium transport in mitochondria. The effect of multivalent anions in suppressing the effect of RR, a hexavalent cation, is probably due to the formation of soluble complexes with RR.

Differentiation of Ca2+ pumps linked to plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum in the microsomal fraction from intestinal smooth muscle

ATP promotes 45Ca uptake by the microsomal fraction from the longitudinal smooth muscle of guinea-pig ileum and this uptake is stimulated by oxalate. As the microsomal fraction is made up of various subcellular entities, we examined the localization of the Ca2+-transport activity by density gradient centrifugation, taking advantage of the selective effect of digitonin (at low concentration) on the density of plasmalemmal elements. When the 45Ca-uptake activity was measured in the absence of oxalate, its behavior in subfractionation experiments closely paralleled that of the plasmalemmal marker 5'-nucleotidase. In contrast, the additional Ca2+-transport activity elicited by oxalate behaved like NADH-cytochrome c reductase, a putative endoplasmic reticulum marker. The endoplasmic reticulum vesicles constituted only a small part of the membranes in the microsomal fraction, which explains that their Ca2+-storage capacity was not detectable in the absence of Ca2+-trapping agent. Low digitonin concentrations selectively increased the Ca2+ permeability of the plasmalemmal vesicles. The two Ca2+-transport activities were further differentiated by their distinct sensitivity of K+, vanadate and calmodulin. In this respect, the oxalate-insensitive and oxalate-stimulated Ca2+-transport systems resembled, respectively, the sarcolemmal and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pumps in cardiac and skeletal muscle, in accordance with the subcellular locations established by density gradient centrifugation.

Possible mechanisms of stimulatory action of papaverine on calcium-uptake by rat uterine microsomal fraction

Effects of papaverine and cyclic AMP on Ca-uptake by the microsomal fraction from rat uterus were studied. Papaverine (3 x 10(-5) M) potentiated Ca-uptake by the microsomal fraction in the presence of potassium oxalate. However, cyclic AMP and MIX (3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine; 1 mM), a potent phosphodiesterase inhibitor, did not influence Ca-uptake by the microsomal fraction in the presence of potassium oxalate. Cyclic AMP in concentrations of 10(-8) to 10(-4) M did not influence Ca-uptake by the microsomal fraction in the presence of potassium oxalate. In the absence of potassium oxalate, papaverine and Aspaminol (1,1,-diphenyl-3-piperidinobutanol hydrochloride), a nonspecific smooth muscle relaxant, inhibited Ca-uptake by the microsomal fraction and cyclic AMP had no influence on this uptake. These results suggest that papaverine potentiated Ca-uptake by membranes such as sarcoplasmic reticulum, in the presence of potassium oxalate and inhibited Ca-uptake by the plasma membrane-derived vesicles in the absence of potassium oxalate. These results suggest that relaxation of smooth muscle by papaverine is related to a cyclic AMP-independent mechanism as well as to a mechanism mediated via cyclic AMP.

Metabolic consequences of pyruvate kinase inhibition by oxalate in intact rat hepatocytes

The effects of oxalate on glycolysis and glucose production from trioses were studied in hepatocytes isolated from fed and fasted rats. 1--In cells from fed rats oxalate inhibited glycolysis at the pyruvate kinase step, as shown by an increased phosphoenolpyruvate concentration, a decreased lactate and pyruvate production and a reduction of the glycolytic flux estimated by the rate of detritiation of [6-3H] glucose. The plot of 1/lactate production versus oxalate concentration showed that pyruvate kinase is a limiting step of glycolysis and allowed to determine the apparent inhibition constant for oxalate: about 3035 microM which is near the physiological concentration of blood oxalate. Under conditions where both pyruvate kinase and glycolytic flux are inhibited, oxalate had no effect on the synthesis of [14C] glucose from [14C] triose. 2--In hepatocytes prepared from fasted rats and incubated with lactate and pyruvate, oxalate decreased gluconeogenesis. In cells isolated from fasted rats and incubated with dihydroxyacetone, oxalate decreased lactate and pyruvate production whereas glucose synthesis remained unchanged. It is concluded that the inhibition of pyruvate kinase cannot by itself increase the gluconeogenic flux from triose.

Oxalate secretion in the rat proximal tubule

Simultaneous capillary and luminal microperfusion studies in the proximal convoluted tubule of the rat were performed to examine the transepithelial secretory flux of [14C]oxalate. Increases in the concentration of oxalate in the capillary solution from 0.096 to 4.3 mM resulted in progressively higher rates of oxalate secretion into the lumen. Further increases in the capillary concentration of oxalate indicated a tendency toward a plateau. The inclusion of para-chloromercuribenzoate, sodium cyanide, indanyloxyacetic acid, furosemide, or para-aminohippurate in the capillary solution significantly lowered the secretory flux of oxalate. the addition of probenecid in a concentration of 10(-4) M inhibited oxalate secretion when the oxalate concentration in the capillary solution ranged between 1.1 and 4.3 mM, but did not affect oxalate secretion at higher capillary concentrations of oxalate. These results indicate that oxalate secretion in the rat proximal tubule is an active carrier-mediated process. When considered in conjunction with prior studies, the present investigations suggest the possibility that more than one oxalate secretory system exists in the rat proximal tubule.

Studies on the in vivo sensitivity of spindle microtubules to calcium ions and evidence for a vesicular calcium-sequestering system

I microinjected calcium ions into echinoderm eggs during mitosis to determine the calcium sensitivity of microtubules (Mts) in vivo. Spindle birefringence (BR), a measure of the number of aligned Mts in the spindle, is locally, rapidly, and reversibly abolished by small volumes of microinjected CaCl2 (1 mM). Rapid return of BR is followed by anaphase, and subsequent divisions are normal. Similar doses of MgCl2, BaCl2, KCl, NaCl, pH buffers, distilled water, or vegetable oil have no effect on spindle BR, whereas large doses of such agents sometimes cause slow, uniform loss in BR over the course of a minute or more. Of the ions tested, only Sr++ causes effects comparable to Ca++. Ca-EGTA buffers, containing greater than micromolar free Ca++, abolishes BR in a manner similar to millimolar concentrations of injected CaCl2. Caffeine, a potent uncoupler of the Ca++-pump/ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum, causes a local, transient depression in spindle BR in the injected region. Finally, injection of potassium oxalate results in the formation of small, highly BR crystals, presumably CA-oxalate, in Triton-sensitive compartments in the cytoplasm. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that spindle Mts are sensitive to levels of free Ca++ in the physiological range, provide evidence for the existence of a strong cytoplasmic Ca++-sequestering system, and support the notion that Mt assembly and disassembly in local regions of the spindle may be orchestrated by local changes in the cytoplasmic free Ca++ concentration during mitosis. An appendix offers the design of a new chamber for immobilizing echinoderm eggs for injection, a new method for determining the volume of the injected solution, and a description of the microinjection technique, which was designed, but never fully described, by Hiramoto (Y. Hiramoto, Exp. Cell. Res., 1962, 27:416-426.).

Characterization of an ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake system in mouse pancreatic microsomes

The uptake of 45Ca2+ was studied in microsomes prepared from isolated mouse pancreatic acini. These microsomes accumulated 45Ca2+ in the presence of ATP; uptake was potentiated by addition of oxalate. Sequestered microsomal 45Ca2+ was only gradually removed by ethyleneglycol-bis(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) but was readily released by the divalent cation ionophore A23187. Inhibitors of mitochondrial oxidation and mitochondrial calcium transport had little effect on microsomal 45Ca2+ uptake. A separate subcellular fraction enriched in plasma membranes took up 45Ca2+ poorly compared with the microsomal fraction. Half-maximal 45Ca2+ uptake by the microsomal fraction was observed at a free Ca2+ concentration of 1.1 microM. 45Ca2+ uptake was dependent on Mg-ATP and showed a pH optimum at 6.8-7.0. Subfractionation of the total microsomes into "heavy" and "light" microsomal fractions indicated higher 45Ca2+ uptake activity associated with the heavy fraction. A Ca2+-activated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase was demonstrated in this fraction. Stimulation of pancreatic acini with the cholecystokinin analogue caerulein prior to homogenization increased the subsequent rate of 45Ca2+ uptake by the microsomal fraction.

A dual action of papaverine on calcium uptake by microsomal fraction isolated from rat uterus

The effects of papaverine, cyclic AMP and MIX(3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) on calcium uptake by a microsomal fraction from rat uterus were tested in the presence of 3 mM ATP. Papaverine potentiated calcium uptake in the presence of oxalate but inhibited it in the absence of oxalate. However, cyclic AMP and MIX did not influence calcium uptake, neither in the presence nor the absence of oxalate. These results suggest that calcium uptake by plasma membrane-derived vesicles in the absence of oxalate is inhibited by papaverine and that papaverine potentiated calcium uptake by the internal membranes in the presence of oxalate. They suggest also that the stimulatory action of papaverine involves a cyclic AMP-independent mechanism in addition to the mechanism via cyclic AMP.

Geomicrobiological leaching of tin minerals by Thiobacillus ferro-oxidans and organic agents

Laboratory investigations confirm that it is possible to leach tin from synthetic minerals like stannite, kesterite, stannoidite, herzenbergite, ottemannite and berndtite, and from natural tin minerals which include stannite, cassiterite and varlamoffite, in the presence of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, and with organic agents of biological origin, especially oxalic acid and oxalic-citric acids mixture. Over a leaching period of 35 days with 0.5% pulp density, initial pH of 2.5, using minus 0.16 mm size fraction at 32 degree C, as much as 54.45, 72.66, 97.13, and 31.30% Sn were extracted from synthetic stannite, kesterite, stannoidite and natural stannite, respectively. Varlamoffite, found in the dried, leached residues of the tin sulphides, provides evidence that bacterial action can be responsible for the genesis of supergene varlamoffite.

Studies on the inhibition of gluconeogenesis by oxalate

Oxalate was shown to enter isolated rat hepatocytes and to inhibit gluconeogenesis from lactate, pyruvate, and alanine, but not from glutamine, proline, propionate or dihydroxyacetone. Oxalate apparently acts by inhibiting pyruvate carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.1.). It is known to inhibit the isolated enzyme, and inhibition of gluconeogenesis was much greater in a bicarbonate-deficient medium where pyruvate carboxylase activity limits the overall rate of the pathway. A slight inhibition of gluconeogenesis from asparagine was observed, suggesting that oxalate may also inhibit gluconeogenesis at another site. Chelation of extracellular Ca2+ does not contribute to the inhibition of gluconeogenesis. Compared to oxalate, other Ca2+ chelators have little effect upon gluconeogenesis. Also, oxalate inhibits gluconeogenesis effectively both in low Ca2+ medium and in medium containing 2.6 mM Ca2+. Chelation of intracellular Ca2+ also appears to be of little importance, since oxalate does not block the glycogenolytic effects of epinephrine, vasopressin, and angiotensin which are thought to act via Ca2+ as the second messenger. The inhibition of gluconeogenesis could conceivably contribute to the toxic actions of oxalate and to the hypoglycemic action of dichloroacetate, a compound that is metabolized to oxalate. However, oxalate did not cause hypoglycemia in the suckling rat, a model in vivo system very dependent upon gluconeogenesis for maintenance of normal blood glucose levels. Thus, inhibition of gluconeogenesis is probably of little importance in oxalate toxicity and the hypoglycemic effects of dichloroacetate.

A comparison of potato and vertebrate lactate dehydrogenases

A 2000-fold purification of L(+)-lactate dehydrogenase from potatoes is reported. Five isoenzymes of lactate dehydrogenase can be detected in crude extracts of potato, and three of these are present in the purified preparation. The enzyme (mol.wt. 150 000), which is composed of four subunits (mol.wt. 37 500), is active with the same oxo acids and hydroxy acids that have been reported as substrates with the same oxo acids and hydroxy acids that have been reported as substrates for vertebrate lactate dehydrogenases. These similarities between potato and vertebrate lactate dehydrogenases contrast sharply with some other reports on potato lactate dehydrogenase. These discrepancies are discussed in relation to the proposition that vertebrate and potato lactate dehydrogenases share a common evolutionary origin.