Trimming glucosidase I has been purified about 400‐fold from pig liver crude microsomes by fractional salt/detergent extraction, affinity chromatography and poly(ethylene glycol) precipitation. The purified enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 85 kDa, and is an N‐glycoprotein as shown by its binding to concanavalin A—Sepharose and its susceptibility to endo‐β‐N‐acetylglucosaminidase (endo H). The native form of glucosidase I is unusually resistant to non‐specific proteolysis. The enzyme can, however, be cleaved at high, that is equimolar, concentrations of trypsin into a defined and enzymatically active mixture of protein fragments with molecular mass of 69 kDa, 45 kDa and 29 kDa, indicating that it is composed of distinct protein domains. The two larger tryptic fragments can be converted by endo H to 66 kDa and 42 kDa polypeptides, suggesting that glucosidase I contains one N‐linked high‐mannose sugar chain. Purified pig liver glucosidase I hydrolyzes specifically the terminal α1–2‐linked glucose residue from natural Glc3‐Man9‐GlcNAc2, but is inactive towards Glc2‐Man9‐GlcNAc2 or nitrophenyl‐/methyl‐umbelliferyl‐α‐glucosides. The enzyme displays a pH optimum close to 6.4. does not require metal ions for activity and is strongly inhibited by 1‐deoxynojirimycin (Ki∼ 2.1 μM), N,N‐dimethyl‐1‐deoxynojirimycin (Ki∼ 0.5 μM) and N‐(5‐carboxypentyl)‐1‐deoxynojirimycin (Ki∼ 0.45 μM), thus closely resembling calf liver and yeast glucosidase I. Polyclonal antibodies raised against denatured pig liver glucosidase I, were found to recognize specifically the 85 kDa enzyme protein in Western blots of crude pig liver microsomes. This antibody also detected proteins of similar size in crude microsomal preparations from calf and human liver, calf kidney and intestine, indicating that the enzymes from these cells have in common one or more antigenic determinants. The antibody failed to cross‐react with the enzyme from chicken liver, yeast and Volvox carteri under similar experimental conditions, pointing to a lack of sufficient similarity to convey cross‐reactivity.

Aims:  The aim of the work is to exploit the yeast pheromone system for controlled cell–cell communication and as an amplification circuit in technical applications, e.g. biosensors or sensor‐actor systems. Methods and Results:  As a proof of principle, we developed recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells that express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in response to different concentrations of the alpha (α)‐factor mating pheromone. A respective reporter construct allowing the pheromone‐driven expression of EGFP was transformed into the S. cerevisiae strains BY4741 and BY4741 bar1Δ. Upon addition of synthetic α‐factor, the fluorescence strongly increases after 4 h. Furthermore, cells with constitutive α‐factor expression were able to induce the expression of EGFP in co‐cultivation with sensor cells only if both cell types were deleted for the gene BAR1, encoding α‐factor protease. For technical applications, the immobilization of functionalized cells may be beneficial. We show that pheromone‐induced expression of EGFP is effective in alginate‐immobilized cells. Conclusions:  Based on S. cerevisiaeα‐factor, we developed a controlled cell–cell communication system and amplification circuit for pheromone‐driven expression of a target protein. The system is effective both in suspension and after cell immobilization. Significance and Impact of the Study:  The developed set of recombinant yeast strains is the basis to apply the yeast pheromone system for signal production and amplification in biosensors or sensor‐actor systems.

With N-methylhydantoin (NMH) as the main organic substrate, two strictly anaerobic spore forming Gram-positive bacterial strains were isolated from sewage sludge. These strains, named Clostridium sp. FS23 and Clostridium sp. FS41, totally degraded NMH, via N-carbamoylsarcosine (CS) and sarcosine as intermediates. Strain FS23 grew also with creatinine, which was converted to NMH by creatinine iminohydrolase (EC 3.5.4.21). This enzyme was formed at high rates with all substrates tested. Cytosine and 5-fluorocytosine were not utilized as substrates by creatinine iminohydrolase preparations purified to a homogeneity of 98%. NMH amidohydrolase (NMHase) and N-carbamoylsarcosine amidohydrolase (CSHase) turned out to be inducible in both strains. Other than in aerobic organisms, NMHase from these two isolated did not require ATP for enzymatic activity. SH-group protecting agents were not necessary for stability.

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The application of fluid extraction in combination with fluid chromatography with packed column and flame ionization detection is described. Fluid chromatographic equipment is shown. Applications of this system to drug characterization are demonstrated.