The dissociation of aggregate forms of dextransucrase

Effects of resin composite components on glucosyltransferase of cariogenic bacterium

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of resin composite components on glucan synthesis by glucosyltransferase (GTase) derived from a cariogenic bacterium, Streptococcus sobrinus B13. The eluates from cured composites stored in 0.05 mol/L potassium phosphate buffer (KPB) (pH 6.8) for 2 weeks at 37 degrees C stimulated the formation of water-insoluble glucan, whereas those from amalgam inhibited it. This finding suggests that the eluates from the resin composites enhance GTase activity and contribute to plaque formation. In the individual resin components, a diglycidyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate significantly enhanced GTase activity. However, most polymerization inhibitors and accelerators were potent inhibitors of enzyme activity. Thus, GTase stimulation by eluates from resin composites is hypothesized to be heavily dependent on the effect of the eluated resin monomers, even though the other eluting components had inhibitory effects on GTase.

Photolabeling of dextransucrase from Streptococcus sanguis with p-azidophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside

Dextransucrase from Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10558 was photolabeled using p-azidophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside with an apparent rate constant of inactivation of 1.40 min-1. The dissociation constant for this compound, which acts as an acceptor molecule in the enzymatic reaction, is 90 microM. Apparently two acceptor binding sites exist on dextransucrase as shown by (i.) photolabeling the enzyme with p-azidophenyl-alpha-D-[5,6-3H]glucopyranoside and (ii.) fluorescence titration experiments.

Recovery of octyl beta-glucoside from detergent/protein mixtures

Octyl beta-glucoside is a nonionic detergent which is useful in the purification and characterization of membrane proteins. However, the cost of this reagent is prohibitive for large-scale protein purifications. A simple procedure to recover pure octyl beta-glucoside from mixtures of detergents with proteins and buffer salts is described.

Glucosyltransferase production by Streptococcus sanguis Challis and comparison with other oral streptococci

Glucosyltransferase (GTF) activity in batch cultures of Streptococcus sanguis strain Challis in defined medium was maximum at peak growth and declined rapidly on further incubation into stationary phase. Activity was present in spent culture medium and was associated with 2 polypeptides of approximate Mrs 170 kDa (90% of activity) and 155 kDa (about 10% of activity). Other S. sanguis strains produced similar antigenically-related polypeptides but with varying activities, and antibodies to the S. sanguis enzyme did not react with enzymes produced by other species of oral streptococci. Increasing the [Na+] reduced GTF production by S. sanguis strains Challis and NCTC 7865, and by Streptococcus sobrinus, but not by Streptococcus salivarius. Addition of Tween 80 to cultures caused a rapid inhibition of GTF synthesis by strain Challis, but not by strain NCTC 7865. Benzyl alcohol had a slower and less inhibitory effect on GTF production by strain Challis. Tween 80 generally inhibited to varying degrees GTF production by other oral streptococci through in S. sobrinus it was stimulated. The results suggest controls operating on GTF synthesis and secretion by different strains of oral streptococci appear to be diverse.

Dynamic reactivities of dextransucrase

Dextransucrase, from Streptococcus sanguis ATCC 10558, was immobilized on hydroxylapatite and was "charged" in short pulses with labeled sucrose, as previously described [V. K. Parnaik, G. A. Luzio, D. A. Grahame, S. L. Ditson, and R. M. Mayer (1983) Carbohydr. Res. 121, 257-268]. The "charged" enzyme has been shown to contain both bound glucose and gluco-oligosaccharides. The reactivity of this form of the enzyme has been studied, and shown to have unexpected behavior. Earlier pulse-chase experiments [J. F. Robyt, B. K. Kimble, and T. F. Walseth (1979) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 165, 634-640; S. L. Ditson and R. M. Mayer (1984) Carbohydr. Res. 126, 170-175], carried out with high concentrations of unlabeled sucrose in the chase, resulted in a rapid decrease in isotope at the reducing termini of enzyme-bound oligosaccharides. However, in the present work, in which the pulsed enzyme was chased with low concentrations of unlabeled sucrose, we observed an increase in the radioactive reducing termini. The possibility that this was due to the enzymatic hydrolysis of dextran has been ruled out. Data presented demonstrate that the enzyme catalyzes the depolymerization of the bound oligosaccharides. Individual glucosyl residues of the oligosaccharides are transferred to acceptors, such as added maltose to form a trisaccharide, or water to form glucose. Similarly, the glucosyl residues can be transferred to added fructose to form sucrose. The studies also provide evidence that the oligosaccharides are slowly released from the enzyme. The ability of the enzyme to catalyze the reverse of the glucosyl transfer reaction involving acceptors was also examined. It was observed that glucose residues transferred by dextransucrase to an acceptor can also be removed to produce sucrose when fructose is added.

Functional molecular size and structure of dextransucrase by radiation inactivation and gel electrophoresis

Robyt et al. have proposed a mechanism for dextransucrase in which dextran is synthesized by the cooperative action of two equivalent nucleophiles (Robyt, J.F., Kimble, B.K. and Walseth, T.F. (1974) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 165, 634-640). To distinguish between the possibilities that the enzyme is a monomer bearing both nucleophiles, or a dimer with each subunit bearing one nucleophile, the molecular weight of the enzyme was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by radiation inactivation. Two major forms of dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F were found on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, with Mr 177 000 and 158 000, and sometimes a minor form with Mr 168 000. No form of dextransucrase smaller than Mr 158 000 was found, either in the presence or absence of dextran T10, although levansucrase was detected at Mr 92 000 and 116 000. On irradiation with 60Co, dextransucrase behaved as a single species with a maximum size of Mr 201 000. Because Mr 201 000 is much smaller than the minimum dimer size of Mr 316 000 (= 2 X 158 000), it is concluded that both nucleophiles are probably located on the same peptide, rather than one on each subunit of a dimer, and that peptide association is probably not required for dextran synthesis.

Purification, and comparison, of two forms of dextransucrase from Streptococcus sanguis

A procedure has been developed whereby native and proteolyzed forms of dextransucrase have been purified; it involves gel filtration, and hydroxylapatite chromatography in the presence of 0.10% sodium dodecyl sulfate. This procedure is highly reproducible, and permits approximately 30% recovery of high purity (94% homogeneous) enzyme as an inactive, SDS complex that can be reactivated by the addition of Triton X-100. The purified enzymes have been compared with regard to amino acid compositions, and isoelectric and catalytic properties. An analysis of the structure of their product D-glucans was also made. Although the structural characteristics of the enzyme forms differ, proteolysis does not cause alterations in their catalytic properties.

Specific and non-specific affinities of the extracellular glucosyltransferase complex of Streptococcus mutans 6715

Glucosyltransferases (GTF) from different strains of streptococci exhibited different elution profiles when fractionated on insoluble-dextran affinity columns. The proportions of unadsorbed and adsorbed GTF were not related to their extent of stimulation by exogenous dextran, and GTF preparations exposed to, and freed from, clinical dextran prior to fractionation lost their ability to bind to the dextran columns. Different proportions of bound GTF were released by irrigation of columns with different concentrations of salt and clinical dextran, and the "specific" binding and release of GTF exhibited by a column possessing covalently linked, clinical dextran ligands was duplicated on a control column that did not possess the dextran ligands. These results, and the high affinity of GTF for hydrophobic alkyl (Shaltiel) ligands, demonstrate that ionic and hydrophobic properties of impure GTF aggregates may lead to erroneous characterization of the dextran affinity of some protein fractions. Fractionations on DEAE-Sepharose and on hydroxylapatite showed that the two dextran-dependent GTF activities (GTF-S and GTF-I) were present in the major enzyme fraction (Streptococcus mutans 6715) recovered from a Sephacryl S-200 affinity column. A minor, dextran-independent GTF was not adsorbed onto the Sephacryl column. The presence of SDS (0.005%) and Triton X100 (0.01%) stabilized GTF activity during gel filtration and improved the separation of GTF-S and GTF-I in hydroxylapatite fractionation of the highly aggregated enzyme. A comparable separation of the two enzyme forms on DEAE-Sepharose was achieved only if T10 dextran (10 mg/mL) was included with the detergent mixture in the column irrigant.

The origin and composition of multiple forms of dextransucrase from Streptococcus sanguis

Multiple forms of purified dextransucrase have been observed in the presence of low detergent concentrations ( Luzio , G.A., Grahame , D. A. and Mayer, R.M. (1982) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 216, 751-757). We now show these forms to arise partly as a result of proteolysis, and partly due to incomplete dissociation of the enzyme. Upon 25 degrees C incubation of the crude enzyme, several new bands appeared with little or no change in total activity. The electrophoretic pattern of aged, crude enzyme was similar to that of partially purified enzyme. Specific detection of dextransucrase on SDS gels revealed a single polypeptide of 174 kDa, which is converted to a 156 kDa protein during the aging process. The observation indicates the occurrence of proteolysis. The polypeptide composition of several of the enzyme forms was determined by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Forms Ia and IIa are composed exclusively of 174 kDa polypeptides. Forms III and IVa consist of 156 kDa units, as does the newly observed form Ic. It is likely that form Ib contains both 174 and 156 kDa polypeptides. The results indicate that incomplete dissociation of aggregates of the 174 kDa unit accounts for all of the bands observed on native gels run on fresh culture extracts. Additional enzyme forms result from aggregation of the 156 kDa proteolysis product alone, and from aggregation with unproteolyzed units to form hybrid aggregates.

Stabilization of dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F by nonionic detergents, poly(ethylene glycol) and high-molecular-weight dextran

Dextransucrase (sucrose: 1,6-alpha-D-glucan 6-alpha-D-glucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.5) (3 IU/ml culture supernatant) was obtained by a modification of the method of Robyt and Walseth (Robyt, J.F. and Walseth, T.F. (1979) Carbohydr. Res. 68, 95-111) from a nitrosoguanidine mutant of Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F selected for high dextransucrase production. Dialyzed, concentrated culture supernatant (crude enzyme) was treated with immobilized dextranase (EC 3.2.1.11) and chromatographed on a column of Bio-Gel A-5m. The resulting, purified enzyme lost activity rapidly at 25 degrees C or on manipulation, as did the crude enzyme when diluted below 1 U/ml. Both enzyme preparations could be stabilized by low levels of high-molecular-weight dextran (2 micrograms/ml), poly(ethylene glycol) (e.g., 10 micrograms/ml PEG 20 000), or nonionic detergents (e.g., 10 micrograms/ml Tween 80). The stabilizing capacity of poly(ethylene glycol) and of dextran increased with molecular weight. Calcium had no stabilizing action in the absence of other additions, but reduced the inactivation that occurred in the presence of 0.5% bovine serum albumin or high concentrations (greater than 0.1%) of Triton X-100. In summary, dextransucrase could be stabilized against activity losses caused by heating or by dilution through the addition of low concentrations of nonionic polymers (dextran, PEG 20000, methyl cellulose) or of nonionic detergents at or slightly below their critical micelle concentrations.

A D-glucosylated form of dextransucrase: preparation and characteristics

Dextransucrase was treated with [14C]sucrose, and the product applied to gel-permeation columns. In the absence of the detergents SDS and Triton X-100, poor recovery of enzyme was observed; however, that enzyme which was recovered was labeled. In the presence of detergents, recovery was increased, but the material appeared to be a large aggregate (mol. wt. greater than 5 X 10(6) ). In addition, the ratio of D-glucose to enzyme suggested that a polymer had been formed. Disc-gel electrophoresis in the presence of a mixture of SDS and Triton X-100 showed similar results, and indicated that the aggregate was disrupted upon treatment with dextranase. Native enzyme that had been immobilized on hydroxylapatite could also be labeled with [14C]sucrose, and the labeling followed saturation kinetics. The labeled protein could be released from the gel with 8M urea, but was aggregated. Radioactive sugars, free from protein, could be released by heating the labeled enzyme. The sugars released consisted of a mixture of D-glucose with oligosaccharides having an average chain-length of 17 D-glucosyl residues. The significance of these observations is discussed.

A D-glucosylated form of dextransucrase: demonstration of partial reactions

A D-glucosylated form of dextransucrase, whose preparation and characteristics have just been reported in Carbohydr. Res., was employed in a series of studies designed to explore the question of whether the bound sugars participate in the reactions catalyzed by the enzyme. When exposed to maltose, a good acceptor-substrate, monomeric D-glucosyl groups were rapidly transferred to the disaccharide, affording a trisaccharide. In the absence of an acceptor, monomeric D-glucose was released from the enzyme by hydrolysis. In a reaction with D-fructose, the charged enzyme catalyzed the formation of sucrose. Finally, in the presence of unlabeled sucrose, monomeric D-glucosyl groups were chased into enzyme-associated oligomers. Evidence is also presented which indicates that the various pathways for the bound D-glucosyl groups are competitive. The significance of these observations is discussed.