ISSN:
1573-4927
Keywords:
Drosophila
;
aldox-2
;
molybdoenzymes
;
sulfite oxidase
;
molybdenum
;
tungsten
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Abstract Mutation at thealdox-2 locus inDrosophila melanogaster affects the specific activities of four molybdoenzymes differentially during development. Sulfite oxidase activity is normal during late larval and pupal stages but is reduced during early adult stages inaldox-2 organisms. There was complete concordance among the effects ofaldox-2 on sulfite oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, xanthine dehydrogenase, and pyridoxal oxidase, when 38 stocks were analyzed which were derived from single recombination events betweenc andpx, markers which flankaldox-2. Several different biochemical analyses indicate that the active molybdoenzymes present in thealdox-2 strain are normal with respect to size, shape,pH-activity profile,K m , and molecular weight. Significant differences were found between thealdox-2 strain and the OR control strain in their responses to dietary Na2MoO4 and Na2WO4. The mutant strain is much more resistant to the effects of dietary Na2WO4 and much more responsive to the administration of Na2MoO4 than the OR control strain when these effects are quantitated by measurements of molybdoenzyme specific activities. This evidence suggests that thealdox-2 + gene product has a molybdenum binding site which can also bind tungsten and that this site is altered in the mutant strain. The hypothesis presented explains the observed effects of thealdox-2 mutation and relates them to the other mutations reported in this gene-enzyme system.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00563021
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