Three types of hydrogenases have been isolated from the sulfate-reducing bacteria of the genus Desulfovibrio. They differ in their subunit and metal compositions, physico-chemical characteristics, amino acid sequences, immunological reactivities, gene structures and their catalytic properties. Broadly, the hydrogenases can be considered as 'iron only' hydrogenases and nickel-containing hydrogenases. The iron-sulfur-containing hydrogenase ([Fe] hydrogenase) contains two ferredoxin-type (4Fe-4S) clusters and an atypical iron-sulfur center believed to be involved in the activation of H2. The [Fe] hydrogenase has the highest specific activity in the evolution and consumption of hydrogen and in the proton-deuterium exchange reaction and this enzyme is the most sensitive to CO and NO2-. It is not present in all species of Desulfovibrio. The nickel-(iron-sulfur)-containing hydrogenases [( NiFe] hydrogenases) possess two (4Fe-4S) centers and one (3Fe-xS) cluster in addition to nickel and have been found in all species of Desulfovibrio so far investigated. The redox active nickel is ligated by at least two cysteinyl thiolate residues and the [NiFe] hydrogenases are particularly resistant to inhibitors such as CO and NO2-. The genes encoding the large and small subunits of a periplasmic and a membrane-bound species of the [NiFe] hydrogenase have been cloned in Escherichia (E.) coli and sequenced. Their derived amino acid sequences exhibit a high degree of homology (70%); however, they show no obvious metal-binding sites or homology with the derived amino acid sequence of the [Fe] hydrogenase. The third class is represented by the nickel-(iron-sulfur)-selenium-containing hydrogenases [( NiFe-Se] hydrogenases) which contain nickel and selenium in equimolecular amounts plus (4Fe-4S) centers and are only found in some species of Desulfovibrio. The genes encoding the large and small subunits of the periplasmic hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio (D.) baculatus (DSM 1743) have been cloned in E. coli and sequenced. The derived amino acid sequence exhibits homology (40%) with the sequence of the [NiFe] hydrogenase and the carboxy-terminus of the gene for the large subunit contains a codon (TGA) for selenocysteine in a position homologous to a codon (TGC) for cysteine in the large subunit of the [NiFe] hydrogenase. EXAFS and EPR studies with the 77Se-enriched D. baculatus hydrogenase indicate that selenium is a ligand to nickel and suggest that the redox active nickel is ligated by at least two cysteinyl thiolate and one selenocysteine selenolate residues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase (W-FDH) isolated from Desulfovibrio gigas has been crystallized in space group P2(1), with cell parameters a = 73.8 A, b = 111.3 A, c = 156.6 A and beta = 93.7 degrees. These crystals diffract to beyond 2.0 A on a synchrotron radiation source. W-FDH is a heterodimer (92 kDa and 29 kDa subunits) and two W-FDH molecules are present in the asymmetric unit. Although a molecular replacement solution was found using the periplasmic nitrate reductase as a search model, additional phasing information was needed. A multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion (MAD) dataset was collected at the W- and Fe-edges, at four different wavelengths. Anomalous and dispersive difference data allowed us to unambiguously identify the metal atoms bound to W-FDH as one W atom with a Se-cysteine ligand as well as one [4Fe-4S] cluster in the 92 kDa subunit, and three additional [4Fe-4S] centers in the smaller 29 kDa subunit. The D. gigas W-FDH was previously characterized based on metal analysis and spectroscopic data. One W atom was predicted to be bound to two molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide (MGD) pterin cofactors and two [4Fe-4S] centers were proposed to be present. The crystallographic data now reported reveal a selenium atom (as a Se-cysteine) coordinating to the W site, as well as two extra [4Fe-4S] clusters not anticipated before. The EPR data were re-evaluated in the light of these new results.

We studied in this work the performance of the new ultrasonic multiprobe in terms of throughput, handling and robustness. The study was conducted using the multiprobe to speed two different proteomics workflows. The "classic" method relaying on overnight protein digestion (12h), was used as the standard procedure. This work clearly shows the importance of testing variables such as ultrasonic amplitude and ultrasonic time when adapting an ultrasonic-based treatment to a new ultrasonic device. The results here presented also shown and confirm the advantage of speed up sample treatment workflows with the aid of ultrasonic energy in combination with a 96-well plate. The methods compared were similar in terms of robustness, but the desalting free method was the fastest, requiring only 2 min/sample for completion. In addition it was also the simplest in terms of handling, since no desalting step was needed. The following standard proteins were successfully identified using the methods studied: bovine serum albumin, alpha-lactalbumin, ovalbumin, carbonic anhydrase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A, catalase, chymotrypsinogen A. As case study, the identification of the protein Split-Soret cytochrome c from D. desulfuricans ATCC 27774 was carried out.

Using a myosin preparation containing endogenous myosin light-chain (LC2) kinase and phosphatase and calmodulin, i.e. near physiological ones, the interaction of vanadate oligomers with phosphorylated myosin was evaluated. Decavanadate or metavanadate solutions (2-15 mM total vanadate) did not prevent the phosphorylation state of the regulatory myosin lightchain, as observed by urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The relative order of line broadening upon protein addition, reflecting the interaction of the vanadate oligomers with phosphorylated myosin, was V10 > V-4 > V-1 = 1 whereas, no changes were observed for monomeric vanadate. In the presence of ATP, V-1 signal was shifted upfield 2 ppm and became broadened, while V4 signal became narrowed. Moreover, a significant increase in myosin ATPase inhibition (60%) was observed when decameric vanadate species were present (1.4 mM). It is concluded that, under conditions near physiological ones, decameric vanadate differs from vanadate oligomers present in metavanadate solutions due to its strong interaction with the phosphorylated enzyme and myosin ATPase inhibition. Besides, ATP decreases the affinity of myosin for tetravanadate, induces the interaction with monomeric vanadate, whereas it does not affect decameric vanadate interaction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The contribution of decameric vanadate species to vanadate toxic effects in cardiac muscle was studied following an intravenous administration of a decavanadate solution (1mM total vanadium) in Sparus aurata. Although decameric vanadate is unstable in the assay medium, it decomposes with a half-life time of 16 allowing studying its effects not only in vitro but also in vivo. After 1, 6 and 12h upon decavanadate administration the increase of vanadium in blood plasma, red blood cells and in cardiac mitochondria and cytosol is not affected in comparison to the administration of a metavanadate solution containing labile oxovanadates. Cardiac tissue lipid peroxidation increases up to 20%, 1, 6 and 12h after metavanadate administration, whilst for decavanadate no effects were observed except 1h after treatment (+20%). Metavanadate administration clearly differs from decavanadate by enhancing, 12h after exposure, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (+115%) and not affecting catalase (CAT) activity whereas decavanadate increases SOD activity by 20% and decreases (-55%) mitochondrial CAT activity. At early times of exposure, 1 and 6h, the only effect observed upon decavanadate administration was the increase by 20% of SOD activity. In conclusion, decavanadate has a different response pattern of lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress markers, in spite of the same vanadium distribution in cardiac cells observed after decavanadate and metavanadate administration. It is suggested that once formed decameric vanadate species has a different reactivity than vanadate, thus, pointing out that the differential contribution of vanadium oligomers should be taken into account to rationalize in vivo vanadate toxicity.