Title: Enhancement of stability of a lipase by subjecting to three phase partitioning (TPP): structures of native and TPP-treated lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa Kumar M, Mukherjee J, Sinha M, Kaur P, Sharma S, Singh TP, Gupta MN Ref: Sustain Chem Process, 3:14, 2017 : PubMed
Background
The lipase enzyme converts long chain acyltriglycerides into di- and monoglycerides, glycerol and fatty acids. The catalytic site in lipase is situated deep inside the molecule. It is connected through a tunnel to the surface of the molecule. In the unbound state under aqueous conditions, the tunnel remains closed. The tunnel can be opened when the enzyme is exposed to a lipid bilayer or a detergent or many hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces.
Results
In the present study, the lipase was subjected to three-phase partitioning (TPP) which consisted of mixing in tert-butanol and ammonium sulphate to the solution of lipase in the aqueous buffer. The enzyme formed an interfacial precipitate between the tert-butanol rich and water rich phases. The stability of the enzyme subjected to TPP was found to be higher (Tm of 80 C) than the untreated enzyme (Tm of 77 C). The activity of the enzyme subjected to TPP (3.3 U/mg) was nearly half of that of the untreated one (5.8 U/mg). However, the activity of the treated enzyme was higher (17.8 U/mg) than the untreated one (8.6 U/mg) when a detergent was incorporated in the assay buffer.
Conclusions
The structure determination showed that the substrate binding site in the treated enzyme was more tightly closed than that of the untreated protein.
Title: Arsenic-induced oxidative cerebral disorders: protection by taurine Das J, Ghosh J, Manna P, Sinha M, Sil PC Ref: Drug & Chemical Toxicology, 32:93, 2009 : PubMed
The present study was conducted to investigate whether the conditionally essential amino acid, taurine, could play any protective role against the potent neurotoxin arsenic (As)-induced oxidative impairment in the rat brain. Administration in the form of NaAsO(2) (at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight for 2 days, orally), As increased the intracellular accumulation of metallic As, reactive oxygen species, and super oxide radicals. The toxin also augmented the extent of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, and the levels of glutathione disulphide. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes, membrane-bound enzymes, acetylcholinesterase, and the levels of reduced glutathione, as well as total thiols, have been significantly decreased due to As exposure. Oral administration of taurine (at a dose of 100 mg/kg/body weight for 5 days) was found to be very effective in the prevention of As-induced oxidative impairment in the brain tissue of the experimental rats. To validate the experimental results, a well-known water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin C, was used as the positive control in the study. Combining all, results suggest that taurine plays a beneficial role against As-induced cerebral oxidative stress.
