Biomaterial Database

Studies on S-adenosylmethionine-magnesium protoporphyrin methyltransferase in Euglena gracilis strain Z. 1969

J G Ebbon, and G H Tait

1. An enzyme that methylates magnesium protoporphyrin was detected in extracts of light-grown and dark-grown cells of Euglena gracilis. The activity in light-grown cells is two to three times that in cells grown in the dark. 2. The activity is mainly located in the chloroplast fraction from light-grown cells and in proplastids in dark-grown cells. However, in cells grown either in the light or dark, about 15-20% is found in particle-free supernatant. 3. The chloroplast methylating enzyme was solubilized by the action of Tween 80 and partially purified. The properties were investigated. 4. From experiments in which etiolated cells were illuminated in the presence of inhibitors of chloroplast or cytoplasmic protein synthesis, it appears that the methylating enzyme is made on cytoplasmic ribosomes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008274	Magnesium	A metallic element that has the atomic symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and atomic weight 24.31. It is important for the activity of many enzymes, especially those involved in OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION.
D008745	Methylation	Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Methylations
D011166	Porphyrins	A group of compounds containing the porphin structure, four pyrrole rings connected by methine bridges in a cyclic configuration to which a variety of side chains are attached. The nature of the side chain is indicated by a prefix, as uroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, etc. The porphyrins, in combination with iron, form the heme component in biologically significant compounds such as hemoglobin and myoglobin.	Porphyrin
D002736	Chloroplasts	Plant cell inclusion bodies that contain the photosynthetic pigment CHLOROPHYLL, which is associated with the membrane of THYLAKOIDS. Chloroplasts occur in cells of leaves and young stems of plants. They are also found in some forms of PHYTOPLANKTON such as HAPTOPHYTA; DINOFLAGELLATES; DIATOMS; and CRYPTOPHYTA.	Chloroplast,Etioplasts,Etioplast
D003593	Cytoplasm	The part of a cell that contains the CYTOSOL and small structures excluding the CELL NUCLEUS; MITOCHONDRIA; and large VACUOLES. (Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990)	Protoplasm,Cytoplasms,Protoplasms
D003624	Darkness	The absence of light.	Darknesses
D005055	Euglena	A genus of EUKARYOTES, in the phylum EUGLENIDA, found mostly in stagnant water. Characteristics include a pellicle usually marked by spiral or longitudinal striations.	Euglenas
D012270	Ribosomes	Multicomponent ribonucleoprotein structures found in the CYTOPLASM of all cells, and in MITOCHONDRIA, and PLASTIDS. They function in PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS via GENETIC TRANSLATION.	Ribosome