Both co-ordinate and sequential inductions govern the synthesis of the enzymes required for the oxidative dissimilation of L-tryptophan by a strain of Pseudomonas$zlorescerrs. The first two enzymes of the sequence, tryptophan pyrrolase and formylkynurenine formamidase, are induced co-ordinately by L-kynurenine, the product of their successive action on L-tryptophan; L-tryptophan itself is not a...

For cells the passage from life to death can involve a regulated, programmed transition. In contrast to cell death, the mechanisms of systemic collapse underlying organismal death remain poorly understood. Here we present evidence of a cascade of cell death involving the calpain-cathepsin necrosis pathway that can drive organismal death in Caenorhabditis elegans. We report that organismal death...

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is the first and rate-limiting step along the kynurenine pathway and is thought to play a key role in immune homeostasis through depletion of tryptophan and accumulation of kynurenines. In this review we summarize recent research into the possibility of harnessing the IDO pathway for the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis. Inhibition of IDO activity, or knockout o...

N-Glycosylation is a common post-translational modification of monoclonal antibodies with a potential effect on the efficacy and safety of the drugs; detailed knowledge about this glycosylation is therefore crucial. We have developed a reversed-phase liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric method, with different fluorescent labels, for analysis of N-glycosylation, and compared the sensitivity...

Wormlike micelles are typically formed by mixing cationic and anionic surfactants because of attractive interactions in oppositely charged head-groups. The structural transitions of wormlike micelles triggered by pH in ionic liquids composed of N-alkyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bromide-based ILs (ionic liquids) and anthranilic acid were investigated. These structures were found responsible for the ...

Fe(III) oxides hydrated to various extents are the most abundant iron species in soil. Their extremely low solubility makes them almost unavailable to living organisms. To cope with iron deficiency, many microorganisms synthesize and secrete siderophores [1–5], which are low-molecular-weight compounds that specifically chelate Fe(III) to form stable complexes, into the soil (association constan...

Tryptophan metabolism is directly involved with B-group vitamins such as vitamin B2, niacin, and vitamin B6, and indirectly with vitamin B1 and pantothenic acid. We evaluated the validity of requirements of B-group vitamins set by the Dietary Reference Intakes for the Japanese (DRI-J). We investigated the fate of dietary tryptophan in 10 Japanese adult men who ate the same diet based on DRI-J d...

The acid-base chemistry of three zwitterionic compounds, namely anthranilic (2-aminobenzoic acid), N-methylanthranilic and N-phenylanthranilic acid has been characterized in terms of the macroconstants Ka1, Ka2, the isoelectric point pHI, the tautomerization constant Kz and microconstants k11, k12, k21, k22. The potentiometric titration method was used to determine the macrodissociation constan...

Facile labeling of oligosaccharides (acidic and neutral) in a nonselective manner was achieved with highly fluorescent anthranilic acid (AA, 2-aminobenzoic acid) (more than twice the intensity of 2-aminobenzamide, AB) for specific detection at very high sensitivity. Quantitative labeling in acetate-borate buffered methanol (approximately pH 5.0) at 80 degreesC for 60 min resulted in negligible ...