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The degradation of cellular proteins in fibroblasts, both those of rapid and those of slow turnover rates, was inhibited by low concentrations of chloroquine or neutral red in the medium. Cells inhibited by chloroquine can be inhibited further by fluoride. Chloroquine was taken up by the fibroblasts and the concentration in the cells reached several hundred times that in the medium. Isopycnic fractionation studies showed that within the cells the chloroquine was concentrated in the lysosomes, and that these chloroquine-containing lysosomes had a lower equilibrium density than the lysosomes of untreated cells. Chloroquine, at concentrations attained inside the lysosomes, inhibited cathepsin B(1) but not cathepsin D. It is concluded that chloroquine impairs the breakdown of cellular proteins after these have entered the lysosome system, probably through inhibition of cathepsin B(1).

The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and K(+) into K(+)-depleted cells of a marine pseudomonad (ATCC 19855) was stimulated strongly by ethanol, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), and ascorbate-reduced N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine. In the presence of the quinone inhibitor 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, only ascorbate-reduced N, N, N', N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine was active. Primary and secondary, but not tertiary, alcohols from ethanol to n-amyl alcohol stimulated both alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and K(+) transport and were oxidized by the cells. Malate and succinate, which were oxidized rapidly by the cells, had little or no capacity to energize the transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into K(+)-depleted cells but were partially effective in promoting K(+) uptake. Ethanol stimulated the transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into K(+)-preloaded cells. The transport of both alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and K(+) was inhibited 20% by iodoacetate, 85% by N-ethylmaleimide, and 90 to 100% by both NaCN and p-chloromercuribenzoate. The addition of Na(3)Fe(CN)(6) permitted the ethanol-induced transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into K(+)-preloaded cells in the presence of NaCN, but little or no uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid or of K(+) into K(+)-depleted cells under the same conditions. The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into K(+)-depleted cells required both K(+) and an electron donor. The oxidation of NADH and ethanol by K(+)-depleted cells was stimulated strongly by K(+). Parallels between these studies and those with membrane vesicles show that results with membrane vesicles of the marine pseudomonad have physiological significance for the intact cells. The results support the conclusion that the energy for the active transport of both alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and K(+) into cells of this organism is provided by electron flow through a region of the respiratory chain lying between cytochrome c and O(2).

1. Turkey liver xanthine dehydrogenase engaged in catalysing the oxidation of xanthine by dichlorophenol-indophenol was progressively inactivated by methanol. This inactivation was reversible by NAD(+). 2. Reaction with arsenite and with cyanide, in each case first-order with respect to enzyme, resulted in characteristic alterations in the visible absorption spectrum of the enzyme. The rate of spectral change on reaction with either agent paralleled the rate of loss of enzyme activity. 3. Cyanide inactivation was accompanied by elimination from the enzyme of sulphur as thiocyanate. Partial restoration of activity was effected by incubation with sulphide or with selenide. The results suggest that turkey liver xanthine dehydrogenase, like milk xanthine oxidase (Massey & Edmonson, 1970), contains at the active centre a cyanolysable persulphide group essential to catalytic activity and that selenium may replace sulphur in this group to give an active enzyme. 4. Incubation of the native enzyme with sulphide or with selenide resulted in the rapid loss of half of the xanthine-oxidizing activity, apparently by disrupting the molybdenum and (Fe/S)II loci. This may indicate non-equivalence of the intramolecular electron-transfer systems.

Knowledge of the biochemistry of Plasmodium is emerging as a new field. Previous studies showed that the parasite apparently requires electron transfer for energy, and techniques to study such energy mechanisms are available. The discovery of the existence of coenzyme Q(8) in Plasmodium implies an indispensable functionality for this redox entity in the electron transfer of the parasite, as coenzyme Q(n) similarily functions in other forms of life. Effective antimalarial activity in prophylaxis has been demonstrated in sporozoite-induced infections by Plasmodium gallinaceum in chicks by several representatives of 7-alkylmercapto-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinones. The absence of toxicity in this assay even at greatly elevated dosage underscores the achievement of selectivity and safety to the host for the potential utilization of antimetabolites of coenzyme Q(n) as medicinals. Seven new 7-alkylmercapto-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinoline-quinones were synthesized. The structural variations of the 7-alkylmercapto group in relationship to the antimalarial activities reveal substantial differences in biological activities, which can reflect molecular specificities of enzyme sites and which are not evident from the deceptively minor structural differences in the alkylmercapto groups. These analogs of coenzyme Q(8) having effective antimalarial activity are known to inhibit mammalian coenzyme Q(n) enzymes, and could be useful in elucidation of the basic electron transfer mechanisms of Plasmodium.

Rabbit antiserum against purified Electrophorus electricus acetylcholine receptor is studied using an immunoprecipitin assay to measure either antibody titer or concentration of toxin-binding sites in solubilized receptor preparations. This antiserum, unlike control serum, blocks the electrophysiological response of the electroplax to carbamylcholine. Toxin (alpha-neurotoxin, Naja naja) and several cholinergic ligands produce partial inhibition of the reaction of antiserum with purified acetylcholine receptor. Evidence is presented that some of the toxin-binding sites on receptor, purified by affinity chromatography on toxin-agarose conjugates, are occluded by toxin. In addition, evidence is presented that antireceptor antiserum will cause precipitation of more toxin-binding sites present in an initial extract than in purified receptor preparations.

A small phenolic compound, gamma-L-glutamyl-4-hydroxybenzene, and several quinoid derivatives appear in the gill tissues of the mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, during the prodromal period of sporulation. These quinoids markedly inhibit respiratory enzymes and protein synthesis. The temporal relationship of their appearance to sporulaton and their properties as metabolic inhibitors indicate that they initiate and maintain the dormant or cryptobiotic state of the spore. In very low concentrations, these quinoids show significant bacteriocidal action against a variety of microorganisms. The therapeutic potential of these antibiotic properties is considered.