Two endogenous ligands for cannabinoid receptors, anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, lose their biological activities by enzymatic hydrolysis. A cDNA for a rat liver enzyme hydrolyzing anandamide as well as oleamide was overexpressed in COS-7 cells. When the particulate fraction was allowed to react with 2-arachidonoylglycerol, arachidonic acid was produced. In contrast, this hydrolytic reaction did not occur with the control cells. The hydrolysis of 2-arachidonoylglycerol proceeded about 4-fold faster than the anandamide hydrolysis with a K m value as low as 6 W WM and an optimal pH of 10. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate inhibited the hydrolysis of both anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in parallel. Furthermore, the hydrolysis of [IR C]2-arachidonoylglycerol was inhibited by anandamide dose-dependently. These results suggest that anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol can be inactivated by the same enzyme.z 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

At a gold electrode on which bis(4-pyridyl) disulphide had been pre-adsorbed, horse heart ferricytochrome c exhibited a well developed quasi-reversible redox wave by cyclic voltammetry in the absence of any promoter in the solution.

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The Raman and infrared spectra of 1-chloro-, 1-bromo-, and 1-iodopropanes, CH3CH2CH2X (X=Cl, Br, and I), and 1-chloro-, 1-bromo-, and 1-iodobutanes, CH3CH2CH2CH2X (X=Cl, Br, and I), were measured for the gaseous, liquid, glassy, and crystalline states. The normal vibration frequencies were calculated, a consistent set of force constants explaining the frequencies of basic halogenoalkanes being assumed. The rotational isomerism was studied on the basis of the spectral observations and the normal coordinate calculations. The enthalpy differences among the rotational isomers were examined.