The effects of substrates and inhibitors on the conformation of yeast cytoplasmic pyruvate decarboxylase (Z-oxo-acid carboxy-lyase, EC 4 .l .l .l) has been examined using the technique of automated tritium-hydrogen exchange. This experimental approach, as used in this study, reflects primarily the number of solvent-inaccessible or “core” hydrogens in the protein. Yeast cytoplasmic pyruvate deca...

1. A method is described for the estimation of thiol ester groups. The thiol ester is converted into the corresponding thiol by reaction with ammonia; the thiol is then titrated amperometrically with mercuric chloride. 2. The method may be used in the presence of SH and S.S groups. The SH groups are titrated at pH3 in the presence of excess of chloride; under these conditions thiol esters do no...

A method is presented for the rapid determination of total mercury in blood. The reagent used is alkaline sodium borohydride, and no digestion of the sample is needed. The detection limit and sensitivity are 1.15 and 1.59 ng of Hg, respectively. The method gives reproducible results (the CV ranged from 5.3 to 6.7% for low and high mercury blood samples, respectively), comparable to those obtain...

Proximal tubular epithelial cells are major sites of homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism and are the primary sites for the accumulation and intoxication of inorganic mercury (Hg(2+)). Previous in vivo data from our laboratory have demonstrated that mercuric conjugates of Hcy are transported into these cells by unknown mechanisms. Recently, we established that the mercuric conjugate of cysteine [2-ami...

Curcumin, a safe nutritional component and a highly promising natural antioxidant with a wide spectrum of biological functions, has been examined in several metal toxicity studies, but its role in protection against mercury toxicity has not been investigated. Therefore, the detoxification and antioxidant effects of curcumin were examined to determine its prophylactic/therapeutic role in rats ex...