Sample records for nadp-specific glutamate dehydrogenase

  1. Crystal structure of a chimaeric bacterial glutamate dehydrogenase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oliveira, Tânia; Sharkey, Michael A.; Engel, Paul C.

    2016-05-23

    Glutamate dehydrogenases (EC 1.4.1.2–4) catalyse the oxidative deamination of L-glutamate to α-ketoglutarate using NAD(P) +as a cofactor. The bacterial enzymes are hexameric, arranged with 32 symmetry, and each polypeptide consists of an N-terminal substrate-binding segment (domain I) followed by a C-terminal cofactor-binding segment (domain II). The catalytic reaction takes place in the cleft formed at the junction of the two domains. Distinct signature sequences in the nucleotide-binding domain have been linked to the binding of NAD +versusNADP +, but they are not unambiguous predictors of cofactor preference. In the absence of substrate, the two domains move apart as rigid bodies,more » as shown by the apo structure of glutamate dehydrogenase fromClostridium symbiosum. Here, the crystal structure of a chimaeric clostridial/Escherichia colienzyme has been determined in the apo state. The enzyme is fully functional and reveals possible determinants of interdomain flexibility at a hinge region following the pivot helix. The enzyme retains the preference for NADP +cofactor from the parentE. colidomain II, although there are subtle differences in catalytic activity.« less

  2. Amperometric L-glutamate biosensor based on bacterial cell-surface displayed glutamate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Liang, Bo; Zhang, Shu; Lang, Qiaolin; Song, Jianxia; Han, Lihui; Liu, Aihua

    2015-07-16

    A novel L-glutamate biosensor was fabricated using bacteria surface-displayed glutamate dehydrogenase (Gldh-bacteria). Here the cofactor NADP(+)-specific dependent Gldh was expressed on the surface of Escherichia coli using N-terminal region of ice nucleation protein (INP) as the anchoring motif. The cell fractionation assay and SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that the majority of INP-Gldh fusion proteins were located on the surface of cells. The biosensor was fabricated by successively casting polyethyleneimine (PEI)-dispersed multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), Gldh-bacteria and Nafion onto the glassy carbon electrode (Nafion/Gldh-bacteria/PEI-MWNTs/GCE). The MWNTs could not only significantly lower the oxidation overpotential towards NAPDH, which was the product of NADP(+) involving in the oxidation of glutamate by Gldh, but also enhanced the current response. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the current-time curve of the Nafion/Gldh-bacteria/PEI-MWNTs/GCE was performed at +0.52 V (vs. SCE) by amperometry varying glutamate concentration. The current response was linear with glutamate concentration in two ranges (10 μM-1 mM and 2-10 mM). The low limit of detection was estimated to be 2 μM glutamate (S/N=3). Moreover, the proposed biosensor is stable, specific, reproducible and simple, which can be applied to real samples detection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. GDH3 encodes a glutamate dehydrogenase isozyme, a previously unrecognized route for glutamate biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    PubMed Central

    Avendaño, A; Deluna, A; Olivera, H; Valenzuela, L; Gonzalez, A

    1997-01-01

    It has been considered that the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, like many other microorganisms, synthesizes glutamate through the action of NADP+-glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP+-GDH), encoded by GDH1, or through the combined action of glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase (GOGAT), encoded by GLN1 and GLT1, respectively. A double mutant of S. cerevisiae lacking NADP+-GDH and GOGAT activities was constructed. This strain was able to grow on ammonium as the sole nitrogen source and thus to synthesize glutamate through an alternative pathway. A computer search for similarities between the GDH1 nucleotide sequence and the complete yeast genome was carried out. In addition to identifying its cognate sequence at chromosome XIV, the search found that GDH1 showed high identity with a previously recognized open reading frame (GDH3) of chromosome I. Triple mutants impaired in GDH1, GLT1, and GDH3 were obtained. These were strict glutamate auxotrophs. Our results indicate that GDH3 plays a significant physiological role, providing glutamate when GDH1 and GLT1 are impaired. This is the first example of a microorganism possessing three pathways for glutamate biosynthesis. PMID:9287019

  4. Cloning and characterization of the glutamate dehydrogenase gene in Streptococcus bovis.

    PubMed

    Ando, Tasuke; Sugawara, Yoko; Nishio, Ryohei; Murakami, Miho; Isogai, Emiko; Yoneyama, Hiroshi

    2017-07-01

    Streptococcus bovis, an etiologic agent of rumen acidosis in cattle, is a rumen bacterium that can grow in a chemically defined medium containing ammonia as a sole source of nitrogen. To understand its ability to assimilate inorganic ammonia, we focused on the function of glutamate dehydrogenase. In order to identify the gene encoding this enzyme, we first amplified an internal region of the gene by using degenerate primers corresponding to hexameric family I and NAD(P) + binding motifs. Subsequently, inverse PCR was used to identify the whole gene, comprising an open reading frame of 1350 bp that encodes 449 amino acid residues that appear to have the substrate binding site of glutamate dehydrogenase observed in other organisms. Upon introduction of a recombinant plasmid harboring the gene into an Escherichia coli glutamate auxotroph lacking glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamate synthase, the transformants gained the ability to grow on minimal medium without glutamate supplementation. When cell extracts of the transformant were resolved by blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by activity staining, a single protein band appeared that corresponded to the size of S. bovis glutamate dehydrogenase. Based on these results, we concluded that the gene obtained encodes glutamate dehydrogenase in S. bovis. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  5. NADP(+)-dependent D-xylose dehydrogenase from pig liver. Purification and properties.

    PubMed

    Zepeda, S; Monasterio, O; Ureta, T

    1990-03-15

    An NADP(+)-dependent D-xylose dehydrogenase from pig liver cytosol was purified about 2000-fold to apparent homogeneity with a yield of 15% and specific activity of 6 units/mg of protein. An Mr value of 62,000 was obtained by gel filtration. PAGE in the presence of SDS gave an Mr value of 32,000, suggesting that the native enzyme is a dimer of similar or identical subunits. D-Xylose, D-ribose, L-arabinose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, D-glucose and D-mannose were substrates in the presence of NADP+ but the specificity constant (ratio kcat./Km(app.)) is, by far, much higher for D-xylose than for the other sugars. The enzyme is specific for NADP+; NAD+ is not reduced in the presence of D-xylose or other sugars. Initial-velocity studies for the forward direction with xylose or NADP+ concentrations varied at fixed concentrations of the nucleotide or the sugar respectively revealed a pattern of parallel lines in double-reciprocal plots. Km values for D-xylose and NADP+ were 8.8 mM and 0.99 mM respectively. Dead-end inhibition studies to confirm a ping-pong mechanism showed that NAD+ acted as an uncompetitive inhibitor versus NADP+ (Ki 5.8 mM) and as a competitive inhibitor versus xylose. D-Lyxose was a competitive inhibitor versus xylose and uncompetitive versus NADP+. These results fit better to a sequential compulsory ordered mechanism with NADP+ as the first substrate, but a ping-pong mechanism with xylose as the first substrate has not been ruled out. The presence of D-xylose dehydrogenase suggests that in mammalian liver D-xylose is utilized by a pathway other than the pentose phosphate pathway.

  6. Glutamate Dehydrogenase from Apodachlya (Oomycetes) 1

    PubMed Central

    Price, Jeffrey S.; Gleason, Frank H.

    1972-01-01

    A glutamate dehydrogenase specific for nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide has been purified 50-fold from Apodachlya brachynema (Leptomitales). Certain physical, chemical, and kinetic properties of this enzyme have been studied, particularly specificity for coenzymes and substrates. With glucose as the sole carbon source, the synthesis of glutamate dehydrogenase was repressed, whereas glutamate, proline, alanine, or ornithine plus aspartate as sole carbon sources induced synthesis of the enzyme. These data indicate that the function of this enzyme is primarily degradative, although there is no evidence for a nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide-phosphate-specific biosynthetic glutamate dehydrogenase in Apodachlya. PMID:16657902

  7. Eucalypt NADP-Dependent Isocitrate Dehydrogenase1

    PubMed Central

    Boiffin, Vincent; Hodges, Michael; Gálvez, Susana; Balestrini, Raffaella; Bonfante, Paola; Gadal, Pierre; Martin, Francis

    1998-01-01

    NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) activity is increased in roots of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. bicostata ex Maiden Kirkp. during colonization by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Pisolithus tinctorius Coker and Couch. To investigate the regulation of the enzyme expression, a cDNA (EgIcdh) encoding the NADP-ICDH was isolated from a cDNA library of E. globulus-P. tinctorius ectomycorrhizae. The putative polypeptide sequence of EgIcdh showed a high amino acid similarity with plant NADP-ICDHs. Because the deduced EgICDH protein lacks an amino-terminal targeting sequence and shows highest similarity to plant cytosolic ICDHs, it probably represents a cytoplasmic isoform. RNA analysis showed that the steady-state level of EgIcdh transcripts was enhanced nearly 2-fold in ectomycorrhizal roots compared with nonmycorrhizal roots. Increased accumulation of NADP-ICDH transcripts occurred as early as 2 d after contact and likely led to the observed increased enzyme activity. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that NADP-ICDH was preferentially accumulated in the epidermis and stele parenchyma of nonmycorrhizal and ectomycorrhizal lateral roots. The putative role of cytosolic NADP-ICDH in ectomycorrhizae is discussed. PMID:9662536

  8. Overexpression of the NADP+-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase gene (icdA) in citric acid-producing Aspergillus niger WU-2223L.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Keiichi; Hattori, Takasumi; Hayashi, Rie; Kirimura, Kohtaro

    2014-01-01

    In the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)-ICDH) catalyzes oxidative decarboxylation of isocitric acid to form α-ketoglutaric acid with NADP(+) as a cofactor. We constructed an NADP(+)-ICDH gene (icdA)-overexpressing strain (OPI-1) using Aspergillus niger WU-2223L as a host and examined the effects of increase in NADP(+)-ICDH activity on citric acid production. Under citric acid-producing conditions with glucose as the carbon source, the amounts of citric acid produced and glucose consumed by OPI-1 for the 12-d cultivation period decreased by 18.7 and 10.5%, respectively, compared with those by WU-2223L. These results indicate that the amount of citric acid produced by A. niger can be altered with the NADP(+)-ICDH activity. Therefore, NADP(+)-ICDH is an important regulator of citric acid production in the TCA cycle of A. niger. Thus, we propose that the icdA gene is a potentially valuable tool for modulating citric acid production by metabolic engineering.

  9. Guinea-pig liver testosterone 17 beta-dehydrogenase (NADP+) and aldehyde reductase exhibit benzene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed Central

    Hara, A; Hayashibara, M; Nakayama, T; Hasebe, K; Usui, S; Sawada, H

    1985-01-01

    We have kinetically and immunologically demonstrated that testosterone 17 beta-dehydrogenase (NADP+) isoenzymes (EC 1.1.1.64) and aldehyde reductase (EC 1.1.1.2) from guinea-pig liver catalyse the oxidation of benzene dihydrodiol (trans-1,2-dihydroxycyclohexa-3,5-diene) to catechol. One isoenzyme of testosterone 17 beta-dehydrogenase, which has specificity for 5 beta-androstanes, oxidized benzene dihydrodiol at a 3-fold higher rate than 5 beta-dihydrotestosterone, and showed a more than 4-fold higher affinity for benzene dihydrodiol and Vmax. value than did another isoenzyme, which exhibits specificity for 5 alpha-androstanes, and aldehyde reductase. Immunoprecipitation of guinea-pig liver cytosol with antisera against the testosterone 17 beta-dehydrogenase isoenzymes and aldehyde reductase indicated that most of the benzene dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity in the tissue is due to testosterone 17 beta-dehydrogenase. PMID:2983661

  10. Modulation of NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in aging.

    PubMed

    Kil, In Sup; Lee, Young Sup; Bae, Young Seuk; Huh, Tae Lin; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2004-01-01

    NADPH is an important cofactor in many biosynthesis pathways and the regeneration of reduced glutathione, critically important in cellular defense against oxidative damage. It is mainly produced by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenases (ICDHs). Here, we investigated age-related changes in ICDH activity and protein expression in IMR-90 human diploid fibroblast cells and tissues from Fischer 344 rats. We found that in IMR-90 cells the activity of cytosolic ICDH (IDPc) gradually increased with age up to the 46-48 population doubling level (PDL) and then gradually decreased at later PDL. 2',7'-Dichloro-fluorescein fluorescence which reflects intracellular ROS generation was increased with aging in IMR-90 cells. In ad libitum-fed rats, we noted age-related, tissue-specific modulations of IDPc and mitochondrial ICDH (IDPm) activities and protein expression in the liver, kidney and testes. In contrast, ICDH activities and protein expression were not significantly modulated in diet-restricted rats. These data suggest that modulation of ICDH is an age-dependent and a tissue-specific phenomenon.

  11. Discovery of an acidic, thermostable and highly NADP+ dependent formate dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus buchneri NRRL B-30929

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Objectives: To identify a robust NADP+ dependent formate dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus buchneri NRRL B-30929 (LbFDH) with unique biochemical properties. Results: A new NADP+ dependent formate dehydrogenase gene (fdh) was cloned from genomic DNA of L. buchneri NRRL B-30929. The recombinant constru...

  12. NADP-Malate Dehydrogenase of Sweet Sorghum Improves Salt Tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yuanyuan; Song, Yushuang; Zheng, Hongxiang; Zhang, Yi; Guo, Jianrong; Sui, Na

    2018-06-08

    Sweet sorghum is a C 4 crop that shows high salt tolerance and high yield. NADP-malate dehydrogenase ( NADP-ME) is a crucial enzyme of the C 4 pathway. The regulatory mechanism of NADP-ME remains unclear. In this study, we isolated SbNADP-ME from sweet sorghum. The open reading frame of SbNADP-ME is 1911 bp and 637 amino acid residues. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that SbNADP-ME transcription in sweet sorghum was enhanced by salt stress. The SbNADP-ME transcript level was highest under exposure to 150 mM NaCl. Arabidopsis overexpressing SbNADP-ME showed increased germination rate and root length under NaCl treatments. At the seedling stage, physiological photosynthesis parameters, chlorophyll content, PSII photochemical efficiency, and PSI oxidoreductive activity in the wild type decreased more severely than in the overexpression lines but less than in T-DNA insertion mutants under salt stress. Overexpression of SbNADP-ME in Arabidopsis may also increase osmotic adjustment and scavenging activity on DPPH and decrease membrane peroxidation. These results suggest that SbNADP-ME overexpression in Arabidopsis increases salt tolerance and alleviates PSII and PSI photoinhibition under salt stress by improving photosynthetic capacity.

  13. Regulation of NAD+- and NADP+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase in the obligate methylotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas W6.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, K H; Babel, W

    1980-01-01

    Cell-free extracts of the obligate methanol-utilizing bacterium Pseudomonas W6 catalyze the oxydation of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate in the presence of NAD+ and NADP+. After electro-focusing of the crude extract of Pseudomonas W6 actually two distinct bands each of NAD+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD+-IDH) and of NADP+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+-IDH) could be observed. The NAD+-IDH was completely separated from the NADP+-IDH by employing DEAE ion exchange chromatography and further purified by affinity chromatography using Cibacron blue F 3G-A. The NAD+-IDH was inhibited by a high energy charge, whereas the NADP+-IDH was found to be independent of energy charge. Consequently the NAD+-IDH showed the control behaviour of an enzyme of an energy-generating sequence which, however, equally fulfils a catabolic and an anabolic function. With respect to the inhibition by reduced pyridine nucleotides and alpha-ketoglutarate differences between NAD+-IDH and NADP+-IDH were also found. Only the NADP+-linked enzyme exhibited a feedback inhibition by its reaction products alpha-ketoglutarate and NADPH. This control behaviour gives evidence for the biosynthetic function of the NADP+-IDH. These results confer an amphibolic character to the sequence from citrate to alpha-ketoglutarate in the incomplete citric-acid cycle of Pseudomonas W6.

  14. Regulation of accumulation of ammonium-inducible glutamate dehydrogenase catalytic activity and antigen during the cell cycle of fully induced, synchronous Chlorella sorokiniana cells.

    PubMed

    Yeung, A T; Bascomb, N F; Turner, K J; Schmidt, R R

    1981-05-01

    By use of a rocket immunoelectrophoresis-activity stain procedure, it was shown that catalytic activity of an ammonium-inducible nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH) was accompanied by a coincident increase in enzyme antigen during the cell cycle of preinduced synchronous Chlorella sorokiniana cells growing in the continuous presence of ammonia. Between the fourth and fifth hours of the G-1 phase of the cell cycle, a three- to fourfold increase in linear accumulation of enzyme antigen was observed. Pulse-chase studies with [35S]sulfate, coupled with a specific indirect immunoadsorption procedure for enzyme antigen, showed that NADP-GDH antigen undergoes continuous degradation (i.e., a half-life of 88 to 110 min) during its linear pattern of accumulation during the cell cycle. The apparent half-life of the enzyme increased by approximately 23% of the 4.5-h positive rate change in antigen accumulation during the cell cycle. This increase in half-life is insufficient in itself to account for the large change in rate of NADP-GDH antigen accumulation. The data from immunoelectrophoresis, pulse-chase, and initial 35S incorporation rate experiments taken together support the inference that changes in the rate of NADP-GDH synthesis are primarily responsible for the accumulation patterns of NADP-GDH activity during the C. sorokiniana cell cycle.

  15. NADP-Specific Electron-Bifurcating [FeFe]-Hydrogenase in a Functional Complex with Formate Dehydrogenase in Clostridium autoethanogenum Grown on CO

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Shuning; Huang, Haiyan; Kahnt, Jörg; Mueller, Alexander P.; Köpke, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Flavin-based electron bifurcation is a recently discovered mechanism of coupling endergonic to exergonic redox reactions in the cytoplasm of anaerobic bacteria and archaea. Among the five electron-bifurcating enzyme complexes characterized to date, one is a heteromeric ferredoxin- and NAD-dependent [FeFe]-hydrogenase. We report here a novel electron-bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase that is NADP rather than NAD specific and forms a complex with a formate dehydrogenase. The complex was found in high concentrations (6% of the cytoplasmic proteins) in the acetogenic Clostridium autoethanogenum autotrophically grown on CO, which was fermented to acetate, ethanol, and 2,3-butanediol. The purified complex was composed of seven different subunits. As predicted from the sequence of the encoding clustered genes (fdhA/hytA-E) and from chemical analyses, the 78.8-kDa subunit (FdhA) is a selenocysteine- and tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase, the 65.5-kDa subunit (HytB) is an iron-sulfur flavin mononucleotide protein harboring the NADP binding site, the 51.4-kDa subunit (HytA) is the [FeFe]-hydrogenase proper, and the 18.1-kDa (HytC), 28.6-kDa (HytD), 19.9-kDa (HytE1), and 20.1-kDa (HytE2) subunits are iron-sulfur proteins. The complex catalyzed both the reversible coupled reduction of ferredoxin and NADP+ with H2 or formate and the reversible formation of H2 and CO2 from formate. We propose the complex to have two functions in vivo, namely, to normally catalyze CO2 reduction to formate with NADPH and reduced ferredoxin in the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and to catalyze H2 formation from NADPH and reduced ferredoxin when these redox mediators get too reduced during unbalanced growth of C. autoethanogenum on CO (E0′ = −520 mV). PMID:23893107

  16. NADP-specific electron-bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase in a functional complex with formate dehydrogenase in Clostridium autoethanogenum grown on CO.

    PubMed

    Wang, Shuning; Huang, Haiyan; Kahnt, Jörg; Mueller, Alexander P; Köpke, Michael; Thauer, Rudolf K

    2013-10-01

    Flavin-based electron bifurcation is a recently discovered mechanism of coupling endergonic to exergonic redox reactions in the cytoplasm of anaerobic bacteria and archaea. Among the five electron-bifurcating enzyme complexes characterized to date, one is a heteromeric ferredoxin- and NAD-dependent [FeFe]-hydrogenase. We report here a novel electron-bifurcating [FeFe]-hydrogenase that is NADP rather than NAD specific and forms a complex with a formate dehydrogenase. The complex was found in high concentrations (6% of the cytoplasmic proteins) in the acetogenic Clostridium autoethanogenum autotrophically grown on CO, which was fermented to acetate, ethanol, and 2,3-butanediol. The purified complex was composed of seven different subunits. As predicted from the sequence of the encoding clustered genes (fdhA/hytA-E) and from chemical analyses, the 78.8-kDa subunit (FdhA) is a selenocysteine- and tungsten-containing formate dehydrogenase, the 65.5-kDa subunit (HytB) is an iron-sulfur flavin mononucleotide protein harboring the NADP binding site, the 51.4-kDa subunit (HytA) is the [FeFe]-hydrogenase proper, and the 18.1-kDa (HytC), 28.6-kDa (HytD), 19.9-kDa (HytE1), and 20.1-kDa (HytE2) subunits are iron-sulfur proteins. The complex catalyzed both the reversible coupled reduction of ferredoxin and NADP(+) with H2 or formate and the reversible formation of H2 and CO2 from formate. We propose the complex to have two functions in vivo, namely, to normally catalyze CO2 reduction to formate with NADPH and reduced ferredoxin in the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway and to catalyze H2 formation from NADPH and reduced ferredoxin when these redox mediators get too reduced during unbalanced growth of C. autoethanogenum on CO (E0' = -520 mV).

  17. Structures of human cytosolic NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase reveal a novel self-regulatory mechanism of activity.

    PubMed

    Xu, Xiang; Zhao, Jingyue; Xu, Zhen; Peng, Baozhen; Huang, Qiuhua; Arnold, Eddy; Ding, Jianping

    2004-08-06

    Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to alpha-ketoglutarate, and regulation of the enzymatic activity of IDHs is crucial for their biological functions. Bacterial IDHs are reversibly regulated by phosphorylation of a strictly conserved serine residue at the active site. Eukaryotic NADP-dependent IDHs (NADP-IDHs) have been shown to have diverse important biological functions; however, their regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Structural studies of human cytosolic NADP-IDH (HcIDH) in complex with NADP and in complex with NADP, isocitrate, and Ca2+ reveal three biologically relevant conformational states of the enzyme that differ substantially in the structure of the active site and in the overall structure. A structural segment at the active site that forms a conserved alpha-helix in all known NADP-IDH structures assumes a loop conformation in the open, inactive form of HcIDH; a partially unraveled alpha-helix in the semi-open, intermediate form; and an alpha-helix in the closed, active form. The side chain of Asp279 of this segment occupies the isocitrate-binding site and forms hydrogen bonds with Ser94 (the equivalent of the phosphorylation site in bacterial IDHs) in the inactive form and chelates the metal ion in the active form. The structural data led us to propose a novel self-regulatory mechanism for HcIDH that mimics the phosphorylation mechanism used by the bacterial homologs, consistent with biochemical and biological data. This mechanism might be applicable to other eukaryotic NADP-IDHs. The results also provide insights into the recognition and specificity of substrate and cofactor by eukaryotic NADP-IDHs.

  18. Structure-Based Engineering of an Artificially Generated NADP+-Dependent d-Amino Acid Dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Junji; Seto, Tomonari; Akita, Hironaga; Watanabe, Masahiro; Hoshino, Tamotsu; Yoneda, Kazunari; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

    2017-06-01

    A stable NADP + -dependent d-amino acid dehydrogenase (DAADH) was recently created from Ureibacillus thermosphaericus meso -diaminopimelate dehydrogenase through site-directed mutagenesis. To produce a novel DAADH mutant with different substrate specificity, the crystal structure of apo-DAADH was determined at a resolution of 1.78 Å, and the amino acid residues responsible for the substrate specificity were evaluated using additional site-directed mutagenesis. By introducing a single D94A mutation, the enzyme's substrate specificity was dramatically altered; the mutant utilized d-phenylalanine as the most preferable substrate for oxidative deamination and had a specific activity of 5.33 μmol/min/mg at 50°C, which was 54-fold higher than that of the parent DAADH. In addition, the specific activities of the mutant toward d-leucine, d-norleucine, d-methionine, d-isoleucine, and d-tryptophan were much higher (6 to 25 times) than those of the parent enzyme. For reductive amination, the D94A mutant exhibited extremely high specific activity with phenylpyruvate (16.1 μmol/min/mg at 50°C). The structures of the D94A-Y224F double mutant in complex with NADP + and in complex with both NADPH and 2-keto-6-aminocapronic acid (lysine oxo-analogue) were then determined at resolutions of 1.59 Å and 1.74 Å, respectively. The phenylpyruvate-binding model suggests that the D94A mutation prevents the substrate phenyl group from sterically clashing with the side chain of Asp94. A structural comparison suggests that both the enlarged substrate-binding pocket and enhanced hydrophobicity of the pocket are mainly responsible for the high reactivity of the D94A mutant toward the hydrophobic d-amino acids with bulky side chains. IMPORTANCE In recent years, the potential uses for d-amino acids as source materials for the industrial production of medicines, seasonings, and agrochemicals have been growing. To date, several methods have been used for the production of d-amino acids, but

  19. Characterization of a novel NADP+-dependent D-arabitol dehydrogenase from the plant pathogen Uromyces fabae

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    We have identified and characterized a novel NADP+-dependent D-arabitol dehydrogenase and the corresponding gene from the rust fungus Uromyces fabae, a biotrophic plant pathogen on broad bean (Vicia faba). The new enzyme was termed ARD1p (D-arabitol dehydrogenase 1). It recognizes D-arabitol and mannitol as substrates in the forward reaction, and D-xylulose, D-ribulose and D-fructose as substrates in the reverse reaction. Co-factor specificity was restricted to NADP(H). Kinetic data for the major substrates and co-factors are presented. A detailed analysis of the organization and expression pattern of the ARD1 gene are also given. Immunocytological data indicate a localization of the gene product predominantly in haustoria, the feeding structures of these fungi. Analyses of metabolite levels during pathogenesis indicate that the D-arabitol concentration rises dramatically as infection progresses, and D-arabitol was shown in an in vitro system to be capable of quenching reactive oxygen species involved in host plant defence reactions. ARD1p may therefore play an important role in carbohydrate metabolism and in establishing and/or maintaining the biotrophic interaction in U. fabae. PMID:15796718

  20. NADP-dependent enzymes are involved in response to salt and hypoosmotic stress in cucumber plants.

    PubMed

    Hýsková, Veronika; Plisková, Veronika; Červený, Václav; Ryšlavá, Helena

    2017-07-01

    Salt stress is one of the most damaging plant stressors, whereas hypoosmotic stress is not considered to be a dangerous type of stress in plants and has been less extensively studied. This study was performed to compare the metabolism of cucumber plants grown in soil with plants transferred to distilled water and to a 100 mM NaCl solution. Even though hypoosmotic stress caused by distilled water did not cause such significant changes in the relative water content, Na+/K+ ratio and Rubisco content as those caused by salt stress, it was accompanied by more pronounced changes in the specific activities of NADP-dependent enzymes. After 3 days, the specific activities of NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, NADP-malic enzyme and non-phosphorylating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in leaves were highest under hypoosmotic stress, and lowest in plants grown in soil. In roots, salt stress caused a decrease in the specific activities of major NADP-enzymes. However, at the beginning of salt stress, NADP-galactose-1-dehydrogenase and ribose-1-dehydrogenase were involved in a plant defense response in both roots and leaves. Therefore, the enhanced demands of NADPH in stress can be replenished by a wide range of NADP-dependent enzymes.

  1. Steady-state kinetic mechanism of the NADP+- and NAD+-dependent reactions catalysed by betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed Central

    Velasco-García, R; González-Segura, L; Muñoz-Clares, R A

    2000-01-01

    Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) catalyses the irreversible oxidation of betaine aldehyde to glycine betaine with the concomitant reduction of NAD(P)(+) to NADP(H). In Pseudomonas aeruginosa this reaction is a compulsory step in the assimilation of carbon and nitrogen when bacteria are growing in choline or choline precursors. The kinetic mechanisms of the NAD(+)- and NADP(+)-dependent reactions were examined by steady-state kinetic methods and by dinucleotide binding experiments. The double-reciprocal patterns obtained for initial velocity with NAD(P)(+) and for product and dead-end inhibition establish that both mechanisms are steady-state random. However, quantitative analysis of the inhibitions, and comparison with binding data, suggest a preferred route of addition of substrates and release of products in which NAD(P)(+) binds first and NAD(P)H leaves last, particularly in the NADP(+)-dependent reaction. Abortive binding of the dinucleotides, or their analogue ADP, in the betaine aldehyde site was inferred from total substrate inhibition by the dinucleotides, and parabolic inhibition by NADH and ADP. A weak partial uncompetitive substrate inhibition by the aldehyde was observed only in the NADP(+)-dependent reaction. The kinetics of P. aeruginosa BADH is very similar to that of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, suggesting that both enzymes fulfil a similar amphibolic metabolic role when the bacteria grow in choline and when they grow in glucose. PMID:11104673

  2. Cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase plays a key role in lipid metabolism.

    PubMed

    Koh, Ho-Jin; Lee, Su-Min; Son, Byung-Gap; Lee, Soh-Hyun; Ryoo, Zae Young; Chang, Kyu-Tae; Park, Jeen-Woo; Park, Dong-Chan; Song, Byoung J; Veech, Richard L; Song, Hebok; Huh, Tae-Lin

    2004-09-17

    NADPH is an essential cofactor for many enzymatic reactions including glutathione metabolism and fat and cholesterol biosynthesis. We have reported recently an important role for mitochondrial NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in cellular defense against oxidative damage by providing NADPH needed for the regeneration of reduced glutathione. However, the role of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) is still unclear. We report here for the first time that IDPc plays a critical role in fat and cholesterol biosynthesis. During differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, both IDPc enzyme activity and its protein content were increased in parallel in a time-dependent manner. Increased expression of IDPc by stable transfection of IDPc cDNA positively correlated with adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells, whereas decreased IDPc expression by an antisense IDPc vector retarded adipogenesis. Furthermore, transgenic mice with overexpressed IDPc exhibited fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. In the epididymal fat pads of the transgenic mice, the expressions of adipocyte-specific genes including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma were markedly elevated. The hepatic and epididymal fat pad contents of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA in the transgenic mice were significantly lower, whereas the total triglyceride and cholesterol contents were markedly higher in the liver and serum of transgenic mice compared with those measured in wild type mice, suggesting that the consumption rate of those lipogenic precursors needed for fat biosynthesis must be increased by elevated IDPc activity. Taken together, our findings strongly indicate that IDPc would be a major NADPH producer required for fat and cholesterol synthesis.

  3. Coenzyme engineering of a hyperthermophilic 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from NADP + to NAD + with its application to biobatteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Hui; Zhu, Zhiguang; Huang, Rui

    Engineering the coenzyme specificity of redox enzymes plays an important role in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis, but it has rarely been applied to bioelectrochemistry. Here we develop a rational design strategy to change the coenzyme specificity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima from its natural coenzyme NADP + to NAD +. Through amino acid-sequence alignment of NADP +- and NAD +-preferred 6PGDH enzymes and computer-aided substrate-coenzyme docking, the key amino acid residues responsible for binding the phosphate group of NADP + were identified. Four mutants were obtained via site-directed mutagenesis. The best mutant N32E/R33I/T34Imore » exhibited a ~6.4 × 10 4-fold reversal of the coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. The maximum power density and current density of the biobattery catalyzed by the mutant were 0.135 mW cm -2 and 0.255 mA cm -2, ~25% higher than those obtained from the wide-type 6PGDH-based biobattery at the room temperature. By using this 6PGDH mutant, the optimal temperature of running the biobattery was as high as 65 °C, leading to a high power density of 1.75 mW cm -2. As a result, this study demonstrates coenzyme engineering of a hyperthermophilic 6PGDH and its application to high-temperature biobatteries.« less

  4. Coenzyme engineering of a hyperthermophilic 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from NADP + to NAD + with its application to biobatteries

    DOE PAGES

    Chen, Hui; Zhu, Zhiguang; Huang, Rui; ...

    2016-11-02

    Engineering the coenzyme specificity of redox enzymes plays an important role in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis, but it has rarely been applied to bioelectrochemistry. Here we develop a rational design strategy to change the coenzyme specificity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima from its natural coenzyme NADP + to NAD +. Through amino acid-sequence alignment of NADP +- and NAD +-preferred 6PGDH enzymes and computer-aided substrate-coenzyme docking, the key amino acid residues responsible for binding the phosphate group of NADP + were identified. Four mutants were obtained via site-directed mutagenesis. The best mutant N32E/R33I/T34Imore » exhibited a ~6.4 × 10 4-fold reversal of the coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. The maximum power density and current density of the biobattery catalyzed by the mutant were 0.135 mW cm -2 and 0.255 mA cm -2, ~25% higher than those obtained from the wide-type 6PGDH-based biobattery at the room temperature. By using this 6PGDH mutant, the optimal temperature of running the biobattery was as high as 65 °C, leading to a high power density of 1.75 mW cm -2. As a result, this study demonstrates coenzyme engineering of a hyperthermophilic 6PGDH and its application to high-temperature biobatteries.« less

  5. Coenzyme Engineering of a Hyperthermophilic 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase from NADP+ to NAD+ with Its Application to Biobatteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Hui; Zhu, Zhiguang; Huang, Rui; Zhang, Yi-Heng Percival

    2016-11-01

    Engineering the coenzyme specificity of redox enzymes plays an important role in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis, but it has rarely been applied to bioelectrochemistry. Here we develop a rational design strategy to change the coenzyme specificity of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima from its natural coenzyme NADP+ to NAD+. Through amino acid-sequence alignment of NADP+- and NAD+-preferred 6PGDH enzymes and computer-aided substrate-coenzyme docking, the key amino acid residues responsible for binding the phosphate group of NADP+ were identified. Four mutants were obtained via site-directed mutagenesis. The best mutant N32E/R33I/T34I exhibited a ~6.4 × 104-fold reversal of the coenzyme selectivity from NADP+ to NAD+. The maximum power density and current density of the biobattery catalyzed by the mutant were 0.135 mW cm-2 and 0.255 mA cm-2, ~25% higher than those obtained from the wide-type 6PGDH-based biobattery at the room temperature. By using this 6PGDH mutant, the optimal temperature of running the biobattery was as high as 65 °C, leading to a high power density of 1.75 mW cm-2. This study demonstrates coenzyme engineering of a hyperthermophilic 6PGDH and its application to high-temperature biobatteries.

  6. Glutamate dehydrogenase (RocG) in Bacillus licheniformis WX-02: Enzymatic properties and specific functions in glutamic acid synthesis for poly-γ-glutamic acid production.

    PubMed

    Tian, Guangming; Wang, Qin; Wei, Xuetuan; Ma, Xin; Chen, Shouwen

    2017-04-01

    Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), a natural biopolymer, is widely used in cosmetics, medicine, food, water treatment, and agriculture owing to its features of moisture sequestration, cation chelation, non-toxicity and biodegradability. Intracellular glutamic acid, the substrate of γ-PGA, is a limiting factor for high yield in γ-PGA production. Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis are both important γ-PGA producing strains, and B. subtilis synthesizes glutamic acid in vivo using the unique GOGAT/GS pathway. However, little is known about the glutamate synthesis pathway in B. licheniformis. The aim of this work was to characterize the glutamate dehydrogenase (RocG) in glutamic acid synthesis from B. licheniformis with both in vivo and in vitro experiments. By re-directing the carbon flux distribution, the rocG gene deletion mutant WX-02ΔrocG produced intracellular glutamic acid with a concentration of 90ng/log(CFU), which was only 23.7% that of the wild-type WX-02 (380ng/log(CFU)). Furthermore, the γ-PGA yield of mutant WX-02ΔrocG was 5.37g/L, a decrease of 45.3% compared to the wild type (9.82g/L). In vitro enzymatic assays of RocG showed that RocG has higher affinity for 2-oxoglutarate than glutamate, and the glutamate synthesis rate was far above degradation. This is probably the first study to reveal the glutamic acid synthesis pathway and the specific functions of RocG in B. licheniformis. The results indicate that γ-PGA production can be enhanced through improving intracellular glutamic acid synthesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Primary structure of the light-dependent regulatory site of corn NADP-malate dehydrogenase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Decottignies, P.; Schmitter, J.M.; Miginiac-Maslow, M.

    1988-08-25

    The light-activated NADP-malate dehydrogenase (NADP-MDH) catalyzes the reduction of oxaloacetate to malate in higher plant chloroplasts. This enzyme is regulated in vivo by the ferredoxin-thioredoxin system through redox reactions. NADP-MDH has been photoactivated in vitro in a chloroplast system reconstituted from the pure protein components and thylakoid membranes. Photoactivation was accompanied by the appearance of new thiol groups (followed by (14C)iodoacetate incorporation). 14C-Carboxymethylated NADP-MDH has been purified from the incubation mixture and its amino-terminal sequence analyzed. Two (14C)carboxymethylcysteines were identified at positions 10 and 15 after light activation, while they were not detected in the dark-treated protein. In addition, themore » analysis of the tryptic digest of light-activated (14C)carboxymethylated NADP-MDH revealed that the radioactive label was mostly incorporated in Cys10 and Cys15, indicating that these 2 residues play a major role in the light activation mechanism. Moreover, an activation model, in which photoreduced thio-redoxin was replaced by the dithiol reductant dithio-threitol, has been developed. When NADP-MDH was activated in this way, the same sulfhydryls were found to be labeled, and alternatively, they did not incorporate any radioactivity when dithiothreitol reduction was performed after carboxymethylation in denaturating conditions. These results indicate that activation (by light or by dithiothreitol) proceeds on each subunit by reduction of a disulfide bridge located at the amino terminus of the enzyme between Cys10 and Cys15.« less

  8. Differential Role of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Nitrogen Metabolism of Maize Tissues 1

    PubMed Central

    Loyola-Vargas, Victor Manuel; de Jimenez, Estela Sanchez

    1984-01-01

    Both calli and plantlets of maize (Zea mays L. var Tuxpeño 1) were exposed to specific nitrogen sources, and the aminative (NADH) and deaminative (NAD+) glutamate dehydrogenase activities were measured at various periods of time in homogenates of calli, roots, and leaves. A differential effect of the nitrogen sources on the tissues tested was observed. In callus tissue, glutamate, ammonium, and urea inhibited glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity. The amination and deamination reactions also showed different ratios of activity under different nitrogen sources. In roots, ammonium and glutamine produced an increase in GDH-NADH activity whereas the same metabolites were inhibitory of this activity in leaves. These data suggest the presence of isoenzymes or conformers of GDH, specific for each tissue, whose activities vary depending on the nutritional requirements of the tissue and the state of differentiation. PMID:16663876

  9. Cellular defense against UVB-induced phototoxicity by cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Jo, Seung-Hee; Lee, So-Hyun; Chun, Hang Suk; Lee, Su Min; Koh, Ho-Jin; Lee, Sung-Eun; Chun, Jang-Soo; Park, Jeen-Woo; Huh, Tae-Lin

    2002-03-29

    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is known as a major cause of skin photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. Many harmful effects of UV radiation are associated with the generation of reactive oxygen species. Recently, we have shown that NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is involved in the supply of NADPH needed for GSH production against cellular oxidative damage. In this study we investigated the role of cytosolic form of NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) against UV radiation-induced cytotoxicity by comparing the relative degree of cellular responses in three different NIH3T3 cells with stable transfection with the cDNA for mouse IDPc in sense and antisense orientations, where IDPc activities were 2.3-fold higher and 39% lower, respectively, than that in the parental cells carrying the vector alone. Upon exposure to UVB (312 nm), the cells with low levels of IDPc became more sensitive to cell killing. Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and intracellular peroxide generation were higher in the cell-line expressing the lower level of IDPc. However, the cells with the highly overexpressed IDPc exhibited enhanced resistance against UV radiation, compared to the control cells. The data indicate that IDPc plays an important role in cellular defense against UV radiation-induced oxidative injury. (c)2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

  10. [Coenzyme-induced slow transitions of NADP-sorbitol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans].

    PubMed

    Liber, E E; Dorozhko, A I; Pomortseva, N V

    1978-06-01

    The kinetic properties of NADP-dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase from G. oxydans cell extract were studied at pH 8.8 and 9.3 in the direction of D-sorbitol oxydation. It was shown that the shape of the kinetic curves of NADPH accumulation in time is characterised by initial burst whose magnitude depends on the concentration of the enzyme extract used. Preincubation of the enzyme with NADP or D-sorbitol eliminated the initial burst on these curves and transformed them into straight lines coming from the start of co-ordinates. The dependence of the stationary reaction rate on the enzyme extract concentration is not a linear one. The kinetic dependences of stationary rate of the reaction catalysed by the enzyme on the concentration of D-sorbitol and NADP at pH 8.8 and 9.3 were examined under all conditions studied; the shape of these kinetic curves altered to considerable extent with the alteration of the enzyme extract concentration in the reaction mixture and pH. At pH 9.3 several intermiediate plateaux were found on the curves of the D-sorbitol concentration dependent stationary rate of the reaction. The preincubation of the enzyme extract with NADP during 1.5 h removed the intermediate plateau on these curves and made them hyperbolic. Disk-electrophoresis of the enzyme extract in PAAG concentration gradient showed that at pH 8.8 the enzyme exists in one active form, while at pH 9.3 it exists in three major and three minor active forms of the enzyme differing in their molecular weights are found. It is assumed that the enzyme from G. oxydans cell extract can exist in a great number of molecular equilibrium forms, the rate of quilibrium being comparable or significantly less than that of the enzymatic reaction. NADP significantly influences on the equilibrium of the molecular forms of the enzyme.

  11. Multiple strategies to prevent oxidative stress in Arabidopsis plants lacking the malate valve enzyme NADP-malate dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Hebbelmann, Inga; Selinski, Jennifer; Wehmeyer, Corinna; Goss, Tatjana; Voss, Ingo; Mulo, Paula; Kangasjärvi, Saijaliisa; Aro, Eva-Mari; Oelze, Marie-Luise; Dietz, Karl-Josef; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Do, Phuc T.; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Talla, Sai K.; Raghavendra, Agepati S.; Linke, Vera; Scheibe, Renate

    2012-01-01

    The nuclear-encoded chloroplast NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase (NADP-MDH) is a key enzyme controlling the malate valve, to allow the indirect export of reducing equivalents. Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. T-DNA insertion mutants of NADP-MDH were used to assess the role of the light-activated NADP-MDH in a typical C3 plant. Surprisingly, even when exposed to high-light conditions in short days, nadp-mdh knockout mutants were phenotypically indistinguishable from the wild type. The photosynthetic performance and typical antioxidative systems, such as the Beck–Halliwell–Asada pathway, were barely affected in the mutants in response to high-light treatment. The reactive oxygen species levels remained low, indicating the apparent absence of oxidative stress, in the mutants. Further analysis revealed a novel combination of compensatory mechanisms in order to maintain redox homeostasis in the nadp-mdh plants under high-light conditions, particularly an increase in the NTRC/2-Cys peroxiredoxin (Prx) system in chloroplasts. There were indications of adjustments in extra-chloroplastic components of photorespiration and proline levels, which all could dissipate excess reducing equivalents, sustain photosynthesis, and prevent photoinhibition in nadp-mdh knockout plants. Such metabolic flexibility suggests that the malate valve acts in concert with other NADPH-consuming reactions to maintain a balanced redox state during photosynthesis under high-light stress in wild-type plants. PMID:22140244

  12. What is the role of the second "structural" NADP+-binding site in human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase?

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiao-Tao; Chan, Ting Fai; Lam, Veronica M S; Engel, Paul C

    2008-08-01

    Human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, purified after overexpression in E. coli, was shown to contain one molecule/subunit of acid-extractable "structural" NADP+ and no NADPH. This tightly bound NADP+ was reduced by G6P, presumably following migration to the catalytic site. Gel-filtration yielded apoenzyme, devoid of bound NADP+ but, surprisingly, still fully active. Mr of the main component of "stripped" enzyme by gel filtration was approximately 100,000, suggesting a dimeric apoenzyme (subunit Mr = 59,000). Holoenzyme also contained tetramer molecules and, at high protein concentration, a dynamic equilibrium gave an apparent intermediate Mr of 150 kDa. Fluorescence titration of the stripped enzyme gave the K d for structural NADP+ as 37 nM, 200-fold lower than for "catalytic" NADP+. Structural NADP+ quenches 91% of protein fluorescence. At 37 degrees C, stripped enzyme, much less stable than holoenzyme, inactivated irreversibly within 2 d. Inactivation at 4 degrees C was partially reversed at room temperature, especially with added NADP+. Apoenzyme was immediately active, without any visible lag, in rapid-reaction studies. Human G6PD thus forms active dimer without structural NADP+. Apparently, the true role of the second, tightly bound NADP+ is to secure long-term stability. This fits the clinical pattern, G6PD deficiency affecting the long-lived non-nucleate erythrocyte. The Kd values for two class I mutants, G488S and G488V, were 273 nM and 480 nM, respectively (seven- and 13-fold elevated), matching the structural prediction of weakened structural NADP+ binding, which would explain decreased stability and consequent disease. Preparation of native apoenzyme and measurement of Kd constant for structural NADP+ will now allow quantitative assessment of this defect in clinical G6PD mutations.

  13. Structure-Based Engineering of an Artificially Generated NADP+-Dependent d-Amino Acid Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Hayashi, Junji; Seto, Tomonari; Akita, Hironaga; Watanabe, Masahiro; Hoshino, Tamotsu; Yoneda, Kazunari; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT A stable NADP+-dependent d-amino acid dehydrogenase (DAADH) was recently created from Ureibacillus thermosphaericus meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase through site-directed mutagenesis. To produce a novel DAADH mutant with different substrate specificity, the crystal structure of apo-DAADH was determined at a resolution of 1.78 Å, and the amino acid residues responsible for the substrate specificity were evaluated using additional site-directed mutagenesis. By introducing a single D94A mutation, the enzyme's substrate specificity was dramatically altered; the mutant utilized d-phenylalanine as the most preferable substrate for oxidative deamination and had a specific activity of 5.33 μmol/min/mg at 50°C, which was 54-fold higher than that of the parent DAADH. In addition, the specific activities of the mutant toward d-leucine, d-norleucine, d-methionine, d-isoleucine, and d-tryptophan were much higher (6 to 25 times) than those of the parent enzyme. For reductive amination, the D94A mutant exhibited extremely high specific activity with phenylpyruvate (16.1 μmol/min/mg at 50°C). The structures of the D94A-Y224F double mutant in complex with NADP+ and in complex with both NADPH and 2-keto-6-aminocapronic acid (lysine oxo-analogue) were then determined at resolutions of 1.59 Å and 1.74 Å, respectively. The phenylpyruvate-binding model suggests that the D94A mutation prevents the substrate phenyl group from sterically clashing with the side chain of Asp94. A structural comparison suggests that both the enlarged substrate-binding pocket and enhanced hydrophobicity of the pocket are mainly responsible for the high reactivity of the D94A mutant toward the hydrophobic d-amino acids with bulky side chains. IMPORTANCE In recent years, the potential uses for d-amino acids as source materials for the industrial production of medicines, seasonings, and agrochemicals have been growing. To date, several methods have been used for the production of d

  14. High-Throughput Screening of Coenzyme Preference Change of Thermophilic 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase from NADP(+) to NAD(.).

    PubMed

    Huang, Rui; Chen, Hui; Zhong, Chao; Kim, Jae Eung; Zhang, Yi-Heng Percival

    2016-09-02

    Coenzyme engineering that changes NAD(P) selectivity of redox enzymes is an important tool in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis. Here we developed a high throughput screening method to identify mutants of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a thermophilic bacterium Moorella thermoacetica with reversed coenzyme selectivity from NADP(+) to NAD(+). Colonies of a 6PGDH mutant library growing on the agar plates were treated by heat to minimize the background noise, that is, the deactivation of intracellular dehydrogenases, degradation of inherent NAD(P)H, and disruption of cell membrane. The melted agarose solution containing a redox dye tetranitroblue tetrazolium (TNBT), phenazine methosulfate (PMS), NAD(+), and 6-phosphogluconate was carefully poured on colonies, forming a second semi-solid layer. More active 6PGDH mutants were examined via an enzyme-linked TNBT-PMS colorimetric assay. Positive mutants were recovered by direct extraction of plasmid from dead cell colonies followed by plasmid transformation into E. coli TOP10. By utilizing this double-layer screening method, six positive mutants were obtained from two-round saturation mutagenesis. The best mutant 6PGDH A30D/R31I/T32I exhibited a 4,278-fold reversal of coenzyme selectivity from NADP(+) to NAD(+). This screening method could be widely used to detect numerous redox enzymes, particularly for thermophilic ones, which can generate NAD(P)H reacted with the redox dye TNBT.

  15. Calcium regulates glutamate dehydrogenase and poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis in Bacillus natto.

    PubMed

    Meng, Yonghong; Dong, Guiru; Zhang, Chen; Ren, Yuanyuan; Qu, Yuling; Chen, Weifeng

    2016-04-01

    To study the effect of Ca(2+) on glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and its role in poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) synthesis in Bacillus natto HSF 1410. When the concentration of Ca(2+) varied from 0 to 0.1 g/l in the growth medium of B. natto HSF 1410, γ-PGA production increased from 6.8 to 9.7 g/l, while GDH specific activity and NH4Cl consumption improved from 183 to 295 U/mg and from 0.65 to 0.77 g/l, respectively. GDH with α-ketoglutarate as substrate primarily used NADPH as coenzyme with a K m of 0.08 mM. GDH was responsible for the synthesis of endogenous glutamate. The specific activity of GDH remained essentially unchanged in the presence of CaCl2 (0.05-0.2 g/l) in vitro. However, the specific activity of GDH and its expression was significantly increased by CaCl2 in vivo. Therefore, the regulation of GDH and PGA synthesis by Ca(2+) is an intracellular process. Calcium regulation may be an effective approach for producing γ-PGA on an industrial scale.

  16. Structural studies of Saccharomyces cerevesiae mitochondrial NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in different enzymatic states reveal substantial conformational changes during the catalytic reaction.

    PubMed

    Peng, Yingjie; Zhong, Chen; Huang, Wei; Ding, Jianping

    2008-09-01

    Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) catalyze oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate (ICT) into alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG). We report here the crystal structures of Saccharomyces cerevesiae mitochondrial NADP-IDH Idp1p in binary complexes with coenzyme NADP, or substrate ICT, or product AKG, and in a quaternary complex with NADPH, AKG, and Ca(2+), which represent different enzymatic states during the catalytic reaction. Analyses of these structures identify key residues involved in the binding of these ligands. Comparisons among these structures and with the previously reported structures of other NADP-IDHs reveal that eukaryotic NADP-IDHs undergo substantial conformational changes during the catalytic reaction. Binding or release of the ligands can cause significant conformational changes of the structural elements composing the active site, leading to rotation of the large domain relative to the small and clasp domains along two hinge regions (residues 118-124 and residues 284-287) while maintaining the integrity of its secondary structural elements, and thus, formation of at least three distinct overall conformations. Specifically, the enzyme adopts an open conformation when bound to NADP, a quasi-closed conformation when bound to ICT or AKG, and a fully closed conformation when bound to NADP, ICT, and Ca(2+) in the pseudo-Michaelis complex or with NADPH, AKG, and Ca(2+) in the product state. The conformational changes of eukaryotic NADP-IDHs are quite different from those of Escherichia coli NADP-IDH, for which significant conformational changes are observed only between two forms of the apo enzyme, suggesting that the catalytic mechanism of eukaryotic NADP-IDHs is more complex than that of EcIDH, and involves more fine-tuned conformational changes.

  17. Structural studies of Saccharomyces cerevesiae mitochondrial NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in different enzymatic states reveal substantial conformational changes during the catalytic reaction

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Yingjie; Zhong, Chen; Huang, Wei; Ding, Jianping

    2008-01-01

    Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) catalyze oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate (ICT) into α-ketoglutarate (AKG). We report here the crystal structures of Saccharomyces cerevesiae mitochondrial NADP-IDH Idp1p in binary complexes with coenzyme NADP, or substrate ICT, or product AKG, and in a quaternary complex with NADPH, AKG, and Ca2+, which represent different enzymatic states during the catalytic reaction. Analyses of these structures identify key residues involved in the binding of these ligands. Comparisons among these structures and with the previously reported structures of other NADP-IDHs reveal that eukaryotic NADP-IDHs undergo substantial conformational changes during the catalytic reaction. Binding or release of the ligands can cause significant conformational changes of the structural elements composing the active site, leading to rotation of the large domain relative to the small and clasp domains along two hinge regions (residues 118–124 and residues 284–287) while maintaining the integrity of its secondary structural elements, and thus, formation of at least three distinct overall conformations. Specifically, the enzyme adopts an open conformation when bound to NADP, a quasi-closed conformation when bound to ICT or AKG, and a fully closed conformation when bound to NADP, ICT, and Ca2+ in the pseudo-Michaelis complex or with NADPH, AKG, and Ca2+ in the product state. The conformational changes of eukaryotic NADP-IDHs are quite different from those of Escherichia coli NADP-IDH, for which significant conformational changes are observed only between two forms of the apo enzyme, suggesting that the catalytic mechanism of eukaryotic NADP-IDHs is more complex than that of EcIDH, and involves more fine-tuned conformational changes. PMID:18552125

  18. Cellular defense against singlet oxygen-induced oxidative damage by cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sun Yee; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2003-03-01

    Singlet oxygen (1O2) is a highly reactive form of molecular oxygen that may harm living systems by oxidizing critical cellular macromolecules. Recently, we have shown that NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase is involved in the supply of NADPH needed for GSH production against cellular oxidative damage. In this study, we investigated the role of cytosolic form of NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) against singlet oxygen-induced cytotoxicity by comparing the relative degree of cellular responses in three different NIH3T3 cells with stable transfection with the cDNA for mouse IDPc in sense and antisense orientations, where IDPc activities were 2.3-fold higher and 39% lower, respectively, than that in the parental cells carrying the vector alone. Upon exposure to singlet oxygen generated from photoactivated dye, the cells with low levels of IDPc became more sensitive to cell killing. Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, oxidative DNA damage and intracellular peroxide generation were higher in the cell-line expressing the lower level of IDPc. However, the cells with the highly over-expressed IDPc exhibited enhanced resistance against singlet oxygen, compared to the control cells. The data indicate that IDPc plays an important role in cellular defense against singlet oxygen-induced oxidative injury.

  19. What is the role of the second “structural” NADP+-binding site in human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase?

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Xiao-Tao; Chan, Ting Fai; Lam, Veronica M.S.; Engel, Paul C.

    2008-01-01

    Human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, purified after overexpression in E. coli, was shown to contain one molecule/subunit of acid-extractable “structural” NADP+ and no NADPH. This tightly bound NADP+ was reduced by G6P, presumably following migration to the catalytic site. Gel-filtration yielded apoenzyme, devoid of bound NADP+ but, surprisingly, still fully active. Mr of the main component of “stripped” enzyme by gel filtration was ∼100,000, suggesting a dimeric apoenzyme (subunit Mr = 59,000). Holoenzyme also contained tetramer molecules and, at high protein concentration, a dynamic equilibrium gave an apparent intermediate Mr of 150 kDa. Fluorescence titration of the stripped enzyme gave the K d for structural NADP+ as 37 nM, 200-fold lower than for “catalytic” NADP+. Structural NADP+ quenches 91% of protein fluorescence. At 37°C, stripped enzyme, much less stable than holoenzyme, inactivated irreversibly within 2 d. Inactivation at 4°C was partially reversed at room temperature, especially with added NADP+. Apoenzyme was immediately active, without any visible lag, in rapid-reaction studies. Human G6PD thus forms active dimer without structural NADP+. Apparently, the true role of the second, tightly bound NADP+ is to secure long-term stability. This fits the clinical pattern, G6PD deficiency affecting the long-lived non-nucleate erythrocyte. The K d values for two class I mutants, G488S and G488V, were 273 nM and 480 nM, respectively (seven- and 13-fold elevated), matching the structural prediction of weakened structural NADP+ binding, which would explain decreased stability and consequent disease. Preparation of native apoenzyme and measurement of K d constant for structural NADP+ will now allow quantitative assessment of this defect in clinical G6PD mutations. PMID:18493020

  20. Apollo-NADP(+): a spectrally tunable family of genetically encoded sensors for NADP(+).

    PubMed

    Cameron, William D; Bui, Cindy V; Hutchinson, Ashley; Loppnau, Peter; Gräslund, Susanne; Rocheleau, Jonathan V

    2016-04-01

    NADPH-dependent antioxidant pathways have a critical role in scavenging hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) produced by oxidative phosphorylation. Inadequate scavenging results in H2O2 accumulation and can cause disease. To measure NADPH/NADP(+) redox states, we explored genetically encoded sensors based on steady-state fluorescence anisotropy due to FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) between homologous fluorescent proteins (homoFRET); we refer to these sensors as Apollo sensors. We created an Apollo sensor for NADP(+) (Apollo-NADP(+)) that exploits NADP(+)-dependent homodimerization of enzymatically inactive glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). This sensor is reversible, responsive to glucose-stimulated metabolism and spectrally tunable for compatibility with many other sensors. We used Apollo-NADP(+) to study beta cells responding to oxidative stress and demonstrated that NADPH is significantly depleted before H2O2 accumulation by imaging a Cerulean-tagged version of Apollo-NADP(+) with the H2O2 sensor HyPer.

  1. Glutathionylation regulates cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed

    Shin, Seoung Woo; Oh, Chang Joo; Kil, In Sup; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2009-04-01

    Cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) is susceptible to inactivation by numerous thiol-modifying reagents. This study now reports that Cys269 of IDPc is a target for S-glutathionylation and that this modification is reversed by dithiothreitol as well as enzymatically by cytosolic glutaredoxin in the presence of GSH. Glutathionylated IDPc was significantly less susceptible than native protein to peptide fragmentation by reactive oxygen species and proteolytic digestion. Glutathionylation may play a protective role in the degradation of protein through the structural alterations of IDPc. HEK293 cells treated with diamide displayed decreased IDPc activity and accumulated glutathionylated enzyme. Using immunoprecipitation with an anti-IDPc IgG and immunoblotting with an anti-GSH IgG, we purified and positively identified glutathionylated IDPc from the kidneys of mice subjected to ischemia/reperfusion injury and from the livers of ethanol-administered rats. These results suggest that IDPc activity is modulated through enzymatic glutathionylation and deglutathionylation during oxidative stress.

  2. High-throughput screening of coenzyme preference change of thermophilic 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from NADP + to NAD +

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Huang, Rui; Chen, Hui; Zhong, Chao

    Coenzyme engineering that changes NAD(P) selectivity of redox enzymes is an important tool in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis. Here we developed a high throughput screening method to identify mutants of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a thermophilic bacterium Moorella thermoacetica with reversed coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. Colonies of a 6PGDH mutant library growing on the agar plates were treated by heat to minimize the background noise, that is, the deactivation of intracellular dehydrogenases, degradation of inherent NAD(P)H, and disruption of cell membrane. The melted agarose solution containing a redox dye tetranitroblue tetrazolium (TNBT), phenazine methosulfatemore » (PMS), NAD +, and 6-phosphogluconate was carefully poured on colonies, forming a second semi-solid layer. More active 6PGDH mutants were examined via an enzyme-linked TNBT-PMS colorimetric assay. Positive mutants were recovered by direct extraction of plasmid from dead cell colonies followed by plasmid transformation into E. coli TOP10. By utilizing this double-layer screening method, six positive mutants were obtained from two-round saturation mutagenesis. The best mutant 6PGDH A30D/R31I/T32I exhibited a 4,278-fold reversal of coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. Furthermore, this screening method could be widely used to detect numerous redox enzymes, particularly for thermophilic ones, which can generate NAD(P)H reacted with the redox dye TNBT.« less

  3. High-throughput screening of coenzyme preference change of thermophilic 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from NADP + to NAD +

    DOE PAGES

    Huang, Rui; Chen, Hui; Zhong, Chao; ...

    2016-09-02

    Coenzyme engineering that changes NAD(P) selectivity of redox enzymes is an important tool in metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and biocatalysis. Here we developed a high throughput screening method to identify mutants of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) from a thermophilic bacterium Moorella thermoacetica with reversed coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. Colonies of a 6PGDH mutant library growing on the agar plates were treated by heat to minimize the background noise, that is, the deactivation of intracellular dehydrogenases, degradation of inherent NAD(P)H, and disruption of cell membrane. The melted agarose solution containing a redox dye tetranitroblue tetrazolium (TNBT), phenazine methosulfatemore » (PMS), NAD +, and 6-phosphogluconate was carefully poured on colonies, forming a second semi-solid layer. More active 6PGDH mutants were examined via an enzyme-linked TNBT-PMS colorimetric assay. Positive mutants were recovered by direct extraction of plasmid from dead cell colonies followed by plasmid transformation into E. coli TOP10. By utilizing this double-layer screening method, six positive mutants were obtained from two-round saturation mutagenesis. The best mutant 6PGDH A30D/R31I/T32I exhibited a 4,278-fold reversal of coenzyme selectivity from NADP + to NAD +. Furthermore, this screening method could be widely used to detect numerous redox enzymes, particularly for thermophilic ones, which can generate NAD(P)H reacted with the redox dye TNBT.« less

  4. Functional contribution of coenzyme specificity-determining sites of 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Clostridium absonum.

    PubMed

    Lou, Deshuai; Wang, Yue; Tan, Jun; Zhu, Liancai; Ji, Shunlin; Wang, Bochu

    2017-10-01

    Studies of the molecular determinants of coenzyme specificity help to reveal the structure-function relationship of enzymes, especially with regards to coenzyme specificity-determining sites (CSDSs) that usually mediate complex interactions. NADP(H)-dependent 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Clostridium absonum (CA 7α-HSDH), a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily (SDRs), possesses positively charged CSDSs that mainly contain T15, R16, R38, and R194, forming complicated polar interactions with the adenosine ribose C2 phosphate group of NADP(H). The R38 residue is crucial for coenzyme anchoring, but the influence of the other residues on coenzyme utilization is still not clear. Hence, we performed alanine scanning mutagenesis and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. The results suggest that the natural CSDSs have the greatest NADP(H)-binding affinity, but not the best activity (k cat ) toward NADP + . Compared with the wild type and other mutants, the mutant R194A showed the highest catalytic efficiency (k cat /K m ), which was more than three-times that of the wild type. MD simulation and kinetics analysis suggested that the importance of the CSDSs of CA 7α-HSDH should be in accordance with the following order R38>T15>R16>R194, and S39 may have a supporting role in NADP(H) anchoring for mutants R16A/T194A and T15A/R16A/T194A. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Cloning of a cDNA encoding bovine mitochondrial NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase and structural comparison with its isoenzymes from different species.

    PubMed Central

    Huh, T L; Ryu, J H; Huh, J W; Sung, H C; Oh, I U; Song, B J; Veech, R L

    1993-01-01

    Mitochondrial NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDP) was co-purified with the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from bovine kidney mitochondria. The determination of its N-terminal 16-amino-acid sequence revealed that it is highly similar to the IDP from yeast. A cDNA clone (1.8 kb long) encoding this protein was isolated from a bovine kidney lambda gt11 cDNA library using a synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide. The deduced protein sequence of this cDNA clone rendered a precursor protein of 452 amino-acid residues (50,830 Da) and a mature protein of 413 amino-acid residues (46,519 Da). It is 100% identical to the internal tryptic peptide sequences of the autologous form from pig heart and 62% similar to that from yeast. However, it shares little similarity with the mitochondrial NAD(+)-specific isoenzyme from yeast. Structural analyses of the deduced proteins of IDP isoenzymes from different species indicated that similarity exists in certain regions, which may represent the common domains for the active sites or coenzyme-binding sites. In Northern-blot analysis, one species of mRNA (about 2.2 kb for both bovine and human) was hybridized with a 32P-labelled cDNA probe. Southern-blot analysis of genomic DNAs verified simple patterns of hybridization with this cDNA. These results strongly indicate that the mitochondrial IDP may be derived from a single gene family which does not appear to be closely related to that of the NAD(+)-specific isoenzyme. Images Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:8318002

  6. Thioredoxin and NADP-thioredoxin reductase from cultured carrot cells

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, T. C.; Cao, R. Q.; Kung, J. E.; Buchanan, B. B.

    1987-01-01

    Dark-grown carrot (Daucus carota L.) tissue cultures were found to contain both protein components of the NADP/thioredoxin system--NADP-thioredoxin reductase and the thioredoxin characteristic of heterotrophic systems, thioredoxin h. Thioredoxin h was purified to apparent homogeneity and, like typical bacterial counterparts, was a 12-kdalton (kDa) acidic protein capable of activating chloroplast NADP-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.82) more effectively than fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11). NADP-thioredoxin reductase (EC 1.6.4.5) was partially purified and found to be an arsenite-sensitive enzyme composed of two 34-kDa subunits. Carrot NADP-thioredoxin reductase resembled more closely its counterpart from bacteria rather than animal cells in acceptor (thioredoxin) specificity. Upon greening of the cells, the content of NADP-thioredoxin-reductase activity, and, to a lesser extent, thioredoxin h decreased. The results confirm the presence of a heterotrophic-type thioredoxin system in plant cells and raise the question of its physiological function.

  7. Ammonia assimilation and synthesis of alanine, aspartate, and glutamate in Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

    PubMed Central

    Kenealy, W R; Thompson, T E; Schubert, K R; Zeikus, J G

    1982-01-01

    The mechanism of ammonia assimilation in Methanosarcina barkeri and Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was documented by analysis of enzyme activities, 13NH3 incorporation studies, and comparison of growth and enzyme activity levels in continuous culture. Glutamate accounted for 65 and 52% of the total amino acids in the soluble pools of M. barkeri and M. thermoautotrophicum. Both organisms contained significant activities of glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, and glutamate pyruvate transaminase. Hydrogen-reduced deazaflavin-factor 420 or flavin mononucleotide but not NAD, NADP, or ferredoxin was used as the electron donor for glutamate synthase in M. barkeri. Glutamate dehydrogenase activity was not detected in either organism, but alanine dehydrogenase activity was present in M. thermoautotrophicum. The in vivo activity of the glutamine synthetase was verified in M. thermoautotrophicum by analysis of 13NH3 incorporation into glutamine, glutamate, and alanine. Alanine dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase activity varied in response to [NH4+] when M. thermoautotrophicum was cultured in a chemostat with cysteine as the sulfur source. Alanine dehydrogenase activity and growth yield (grams of cells/mole of methane) were highest when the organism was cultured with excess ammonia, whereas growth yield was lower and glutamine synthetase was maximal when ammonia was limiting. PMID:6122678

  8. An efficient ribitol-specific dehydrogenase from Enterobacter aerogenes.

    PubMed

    Singh, Ranjitha; Singh, Raushan; Kim, In-Won; Sigdel, Sujan; Kalia, Vipin C; Kang, Yun Chan; Lee, Jung-Kul

    2015-05-01

    An NAD(+)-dependent ribitol dehydrogenase from Enterobacter aerogenes KCTC 2190 (EaRDH) was cloned and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. The complete 729-bp gene was amplified, cloned, expressed, and subsequently purified in an active soluble form using nickel affinity chromatography. The enzyme had an optimal pH and temperature of 11.0 and 45°C, respectively. Among various polyols, EaRDH exhibited activity only toward ribitol, with Km, Vmax, and kcat/Km values of 10.3mM, 185Umg(-1), and 30.9s(-1)mM(-1), respectively. The enzyme showed strong preference for NAD(+) and displayed no detectable activity with NADP(+). Homology modeling and sequence analysis of EaRDH, along with its biochemical properties, confirmed that EaRDH belongs to the family of NAD(+)-dependent ribitol dehydrogenases, a member of short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SCOR) family. EaRDH showed the highest activity and unique substrate specificity among all known RDHs. Homology modeling and docking analysis shed light on the molecular basis of its unusually high activity and substrate specificity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Biochemical and molecular characterization of the isocitrate dehydrogenase with dual coenzyme specificity from the obligate methylotroph Methylobacillus Flagellatus.

    PubMed

    Romkina, Anastasia Y; Kiriukhin, Michael Y

    2017-01-01

    The isocitrate dehydrogenase (MfIDH) with unique double coenzyme specificity from Methylobacillus flagellatus was purified and characterized, and its gene was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli as a fused protein. This enzyme is homodimeric,-with a subunit molecular mass of 45 kDa and a specific activity of 182 U mg -1 with NAD+ and 63 U mg -1 with NADP+. The MfIDH activity was dependent on divalent cations and Mn2+ enhanced the activity the most effectively. MfIDH exhibited a cofactor-dependent pH-activity profile. The optimum pH values were 8.5 (NAD+) and 6.0 (NADP+).The Km values for NAD+ and NADP+ were 113 μM and 184 μM respectively, while the Km values for DL-isocitrate were 9.0 μM (NAD+), 8.0 μM (NADP+). The MfIDH specificity (kcat/Km) was only 5-times higher for NAD+ than for NADP+. The purified MfIDH displayed maximal activity at 60°C. Heat-inactivation studies showed that the MfIDH was remarkably thermostable, retaining full activity at 50°C and losting ca. 50% of its activity after one hour of incubation at 75°C. The enzyme was insensitive to the presence of intermediate metabolites, with the exception of 2 mM ATP, which caused 50% inhibition of NADP+-linked activity. The indispensability of the N6 amino group of NAD(P)+ in its binding to MfIDH was demonstrated. MfIDH showed high sequence similarity with bacterial NAD(P)+-dependent type I isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) rather than with eukaryotic NAD+-dependent IDHs. The unique double coenzyme specificity of MfIDH potentially resulted from the Lys340, Ile341 and Ala347 residues in the coenzyme-binding site of the enzyme. The discovery of a type I IDH with double coenzyme specificity elucidates the evolution of this subfamily IDHs and may provide fundamental information for engineering enzymes with desired properties.

  10. Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase regulates cadmium-induced apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Shin, Seoung Woo; Kil, In Sup; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2010-04-01

    Cadmium ions have a high affinity for thiol groups. Therefore, they may disturb many cellular functions. We recently reported that cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) functions as an antioxidant enzyme to supply NADPH, a major source of reducing equivalents to the cytosol. Cadmium decreased the activity of IDPc both as a purified enzyme and in cultured cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that the knockdown of IDPc expression in HEK293 cells greatly enhances apoptosis induced by cadmium. Transfection of HEK293 cells with an IDPc small interfering RNA significantly decreased the activity of IDPc and enhanced cellular susceptibility to cadmium-induced apoptosis as indicated by the morphological evidence of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation and condensation, cellular redox status, mitochondria redox status and function, and the modulation of apoptotic marker proteins. Taken together, our results suggest that suppressing the expression of IDPc enhances cadmium-induced apoptosis of HEK293 cells by increasing disruption of the cellular redox status. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Decrease in the cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity through porcine sperm capacitation.

    PubMed

    Katoh, Yuki; Tamba, Michiko; Matsuda, Manabu; Kikuchi, Kazuhiro; Okamura, Naomichi

    2018-02-26

    In order to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the sperm capacitation, we have identified the proteins tyrosine-phosphorylated during the capacitation especially in conjunction with the regulation of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sperm. In the present study, the effects of the tyrosine phosphorylation of cytosolic NADP + -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) on its catalytic activity and on the levels of ROS in sperm have been studied. The tyrosine phosphorylated IDPc showed a significantly lowered enzymatic activity. The immunocytochemical analyses using the highly specific antisera against IDPc revealed that IDPc was mainly localized to the principal piece of the porcine sperm flagellum. As IDPc is one of the major NADPH regenerating enzymes in porcine sperm, it is strongly suggested that the decrease in IDPc activity is involved in the increased levels of ROS, which results in the induction of hyperactivated flagellar movement and capacitation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Improved synthesis of chiral alcohols with Escherichia coli cells co-expressing pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase, NADP+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase and NAD+-dependent formate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Weckbecker, Andrea; Hummel, Werner

    2004-11-01

    Recombinant pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase (PNT) from Escherichia coli has been used to regenerate NAD+ and NADPH. The pnta and pntb genes encoding for the alpha- and beta-subunits were cloned and co-expressed with NADP+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Lactobacillus kefir and NAD+-dependent formate dehydrogenase (FDH) from Candida boidinii. Using this whole-cell biocatalyst, efficient conversion of prochiral ketones to chiral alcohols was achieved: 66% acetophenone was reduced to (R)-phenylethanol over 12 h, whereas only 19% (R)-phenylethanol was formed under the same conditions with cells containing ADH and FDH genes but without PNT genes. Cells that were permeabilized with toluene showed ketone reduction only if both cofactors were present.

  13. Co-localization of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase with ferredoxin-NADP reductase in pea leaf chloroplasts

    PubMed Central

    Negi, Surendra S.; Carol, Andrew A.; Pandya, Shivangi; Braun, Werner; Anderson, Louise E.

    2008-01-01

    In immunogold double-labeling of pea leaf thin sections with antibodies raised against ferredoxin-NADP reductase (EC 1.18.1.2, FNR) and antibodies directed against the A or B subunits of the NADP-linked glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase (GAPD) (EC 1.2.1.13), many small and large gold particles were found together over the chloroplasts. Nearest neighbor analysis of the distribution of the gold particles indicates that FNR and the NADP-linked GAPD are co-localized, in situ. This suggests that FNR might carry FADH2 or NADPH from the thylakoid membrane to GAPD, or that ferredoxin might carry electrons to FNR co-localized with GAPD in the stroma. Crystal structures of the spinach enzymes are available. When they are docked computationally, the proteins appear, as modeled, to be able to form at least two different complexes. One involves a single GAPD monomer and an FNR monomer (or dimer). The amino acid residues located at the putative interface are highly conserved on the chloroplastic forms of both enzymes. The other potential complex involves the GAPD A2B2 tetramer and an FNR monomer (or dimer). The interface residues are conserved in this model as well. Ferredoxin is able to interact with FNR in either complex. PMID:17945509

  14. Differential response of NADP-dehydrogenases and carbon metabolism in leaves and roots of two durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars (Karim and Azizi) with different sensitivities to salt stress.

    PubMed

    Bouthour, Donia; Kalai, Tawba; Chaffei, Haouari C; Gouia, Houda; Corpas, Francisco J

    2015-05-01

    Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is a common Mediterranean species of considerable agronomic importance. Salinity is one of the major threats to sustainable agricultural production mainly because it limits plant productivity. After exposing the Karim and Azizi durum wheat cultivars, which are of agronomic significance in Tunisia, to 100mM NaCl salinity, growth parameters (dry weight and length), proline content and chlorophylls were evaluated in their leaves and roots. In addition, we analyzed glutathione content and key enzymatic activities, including phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), involved in the carbon metabolism and NADPH-generating system. The sensitivity index indicates that cv Karim was more tolerant to salinity than cv Azizi. This higher tolerance was corroborated at the biochemical level, as cv Karim showed a greater capacity to accumulate proline, especially in leaves, while the enzyme activities studied were differentially regulated in both organs, with NADP-ICDH being the only activity to be unaffected in all organs. In summary, the data indicate that higher levels of proline accumulation and the differential responses of some key enzymes involved in the carbon metabolism and NADPH regeneration contribute to the salinity tolerance mechanism and lead to increased biomass accumulation in cv Karim. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  15. Regulation of glutamate level in rat brain through activation of glutamate dehydrogenase by Corydalis ternata.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kwan Ho; Huh, Jae-Wan; Choi, Myung-Min; Yoon, Seung Yong; Yang, Seung-Ju; Hong, Hea Nam; Cho, Sung-Woo

    2005-08-31

    When treated with protopine and alkalized extracts of the tuber of Corydalis ternata for one year, significant decrease in glutamate level and increase in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity was observed in rat brains. The expression of GDH between the two groups remained unchanged as determined by Western and Northern blot analysis, suggesting a post-translational regulation of GDH activity in alkalized extracts treated rat brains. The stimulatory effects of alkalized extracts and protopine on the GDH activity was further examined in vitro with two types of human GDH isozymes, hGDH1 (house-keeping GDH) and hGDH2 (nerve-specific GDH). Alkalized extracts and protopine activated the human GDH isozymes up to 4.8-fold. hGDH2 (nerve- specific GDH) was more sensitively affected by 1 mM ADP than hGDH1 (house-keeping GDH) on the activation by alkalized extracts. Studies with cassette mutagenesis at ADP-binding site showed that hGDH2 was more sensitively regulated by ADP than hGDH1 on the activation by Corydalis ternata. Our results suggest that prolonged exposure to Corydalis ternata may be one of the ways to regulate glutamate concentration in brain through the activation of GDH.

  16. Overexpression of a cytosolic NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase causes alterations in the vascular development of hybrid poplars.

    PubMed

    Pascual, María Belén; Molina-Rueda, Juan Jesús; Cánovas, Francisco M; Gallardo, Fernando

    2018-06-15

    Cytosolic NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) is one of the major enzymes involved in the production of 2-oxoglutarate for amino acid biosynthesis in plants. In most plants studied, ICDH is encoded by either one gene or a small gene family, and the protein sequence has been highly conserved during evolution, suggesting it plays different and essential roles in metabolism and differentiation. To elucidate the role of ICDH in hybrid poplar (Populus tremula x P. alba), transgenic plants overexpressing the Pinus pinaster gene were generated. Overexpression of ICDH resulted in hybrid poplar (Populus tremula × P. alba) trees with higher expression levels of the endogenous ICDH gene and higher enzyme content than control untransformed plants. Transgenic poplars also showed an increased expression of glutamine synthetase (GS1.3), glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and other genes associated with vascular differentiation. Furthermore, these plants exhibited increased growth in height, longer internodes and enhanced vascular development in young leaves and the apical region of stem. Modifications in amino acid and organic acid content were observed in young leaves of the transgenic lines, suggesting an increased biosynthesis of amino acids for building new structures and also for transport to other sink organs, as expanding leaves or young stems. Taken together, these results support an important role of ICDH in plant growth and vascular development.

  17. NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) from sugar cane leaves. Kinetic properties of different oligomeric structures.

    PubMed

    Iglesias, A A; Andreo, C S

    1990-09-24

    NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) from sugar cane leaves was inhibited by increasing the ionic strength in the assay medium. The inhibitory effect was higher at pH 7.0 than 8.0, with median inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 89 mM and 160 mM respectively, for inhibition by NaCl. Gel-filtration experiments indicated that the enzyme dissociated into dimers and monomers when exposed to high ionic strength (0.3 M NaCl). By using the enzyme-dilution approach in the absence and presence of 0.3 M NaCl, the kinetic properties of each oligomeric species of the protein was determined at pH 7.0 and 8.0. Tetrameric, dimeric and monomeric structures were shown to be active but with different V and Km values. The catalytic efficiency of the oligomers was tetramer greater than dimer greater than monomer, and each quaternary structure exhibited higher activity at pH 8.0 than 7.0. Dissociation constants for the equilibria between the different oligomeric forms of the enzyme were determined. It was established that Kd values were affected by pH and Mg2+ levels in the medium. Results suggest that the distinct catalytic properties of the different oligomeric forms of NADP-dependent malate dehydrogenase and changes in their equilibrium could be the molecular basis for an efficient physiological regulation of the decarboxylation step of C4 metabolism.

  18. Role of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse kidney.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jinu; Kim, Ki Young; Jang, Hee-Seong; Yoshida, Takumi; Tsuchiya, Ken; Nitta, Kosaku; Park, Jeen-Woo; Bonventre, Joseph V; Park, Kwon Moo

    2009-03-01

    Cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) synthesizes reduced NADP (NADPH), which is an essential cofactor for the generation of reduced glutathione (GSH), the most abundant and important antioxidant in mammalian cells. We investigated the role of IDPc in kidney ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in mice. The activity and expression of IDPc were highest in the cortex, modest in the outer medulla, and lowest in the inner medulla. NADPH levels were greatest in the cortex. IDPc expression in the S1 and S2 segments of proximal tubules was higher than in the S3 segment, which is much more susceptible to I/R. IDPc protein was also highly expressed in the mitochondrion-rich intercalated cells of the collecting duct. IDPc activity was 10- to 30-fold higher than the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, another producer of cytosolic NADPH, in various kidney regions. This study identifies that IDPc may be the primary source of NADPH in the kidney. I/R significantly reduced IDPc expression and activity and NADPH production and increased the ratio of oxidized glutathione to total glutathione [GSSG/(GSH+GSSG)], resulting in kidney dysfunction, tubular cell damage, and lipid peroxidation. In LLC-PK(1) cells, upregulation of IDPc by IDPc gene transfer protected the cells against hydrogen peroxide, enhancing NADPH production, inhibiting the increase of GSSG/(GSH+GSSG), and reducing lipid peroxidation. IDPc downregulation by small interference RNA treatment presented results contrasting with the upregulation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that IDPc is expressed differentially along tubules in patterns that may contribute to differences in susceptibility to injury, is a major enzyme in cytosolic NADPH generation in kidney, and is downregulated with I/R.

  19. Role of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse kidney

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jinu; Kim, Ki Young; Jang, Hee-Seong; Yoshida, Takumi; Tsuchiya, Ken; Nitta, Kosaku; Park, Jeen-Woo; Bonventre, Joseph V.; Park, Kwon Moo

    2009-01-01

    Cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) synthesizes reduced NADP (NADPH), which is an essential cofactor for the generation of reduced glutathione (GSH), the most abundant and important antioxidant in mammalian cells. We investigated the role of IDPc in kidney ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in mice. The activity and expression of IDPc were highest in the cortex, modest in the outer medulla, and lowest in the inner medulla. NADPH levels were greatest in the cortex. IDPc expression in the S1 and S2 segments of proximal tubules was higher than in the S3 segment, which is much more susceptible to I/R. IDPc protein was also highly expressed in the mitochondrion-rich intercalated cells of the collecting duct. IDPc activity was 10- to 30-fold higher than the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, another producer of cytosolic NADPH, in various kidney regions. This study identifies that IDPc may be the primary source of NADPH in the kidney. I/R significantly reduced IDPc expression and activity and NADPH production and increased the ratio of oxidized glutathione to total glutathione [GSSG/(GSH+GSSG)], resulting in kidney dysfunction, tubular cell damage, and lipid peroxidation. In LLC-PK1 cells, upregulation of IDPc by IDPc gene transfer protected the cells against hydrogen peroxide, enhancing NADPH production, inhibiting the increase of GSSG/(GSH+GSSG), and reducing lipid peroxidation. IDPc downregulation by small interference RNA treatment presented results contrasting with the upregulation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that IDPc is expressed differentially along tubules in patterns that may contribute to differences in susceptibility to injury, is a major enzyme in cytosolic NADPH generation in kidney, and is downregulated with I/R. PMID:19106211

  20. Glutamate Dehydrogenase Affects Resistance to Cell Wall Antibiotics in Bacillus subtilis

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Yong Heon; Kingston, Anthony W.

    2012-01-01

    The glutamate dehydrogenase RocG of Bacillus subtilis is a bifunctional protein with both enzymatic and regulatory functions. Here we show that the rocG null mutant is sensitive to β-lactams, including cefuroxime (CEF), and to fosfomycin but that resistant mutants arise due to gain-of-function mutations in gudB, which encodes an otherwise inactive glutamate dehydrogenase. In the presence of CEF, ΔrocG ΔgudB mutant cells exhibit growth arrest when they reach mid-exponential phase. Using microarray-based transcriptional profiling, we found that the σW regulon was downregulated in the ΔrocG ΔgudB null mutant. A survey of σW-controlled genes for effects on CEF resistance identified both the NfeD protein YuaF and the flotillin homologue YuaG (FloT). Notably, overexpression of yuaFG in the rocG null mutant prevents the growth arrest induced by CEF. The YuaG flotillin has been shown previously to localize to defined lipid microdomains, and we show here that the yuaFGI operon contributes to a σW-dependent decrease in membrane fluidity. We conclude that glutamate dehydrogenase activity affects the expression of the σW regulon, by pathways that are yet unclear, and thereby influences resistance to CEF and other antibiotics. PMID:22178969

  1. Glutamate dehydrogenase affects resistance to cell wall antibiotics in Bacillus subtilis.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yong Heon; Kingston, Anthony W; Helmann, John D

    2012-03-01

    The glutamate dehydrogenase RocG of Bacillus subtilis is a bifunctional protein with both enzymatic and regulatory functions. Here we show that the rocG null mutant is sensitive to β-lactams, including cefuroxime (CEF), and to fosfomycin but that resistant mutants arise due to gain-of-function mutations in gudB, which encodes an otherwise inactive glutamate dehydrogenase. In the presence of CEF, ΔrocG ΔgudB mutant cells exhibit growth arrest when they reach mid-exponential phase. Using microarray-based transcriptional profiling, we found that the σ(W) regulon was downregulated in the ΔrocG ΔgudB null mutant. A survey of σ(W)-controlled genes for effects on CEF resistance identified both the NfeD protein YuaF and the flotillin homologue YuaG (FloT). Notably, overexpression of yuaFG in the rocG null mutant prevents the growth arrest induced by CEF. The YuaG flotillin has been shown previously to localize to defined lipid microdomains, and we show here that the yuaFGI operon contributes to a σ(W)-dependent decrease in membrane fluidity. We conclude that glutamate dehydrogenase activity affects the expression of the σ(W) regulon, by pathways that are yet unclear, and thereby influences resistance to CEF and other antibiotics.

  2. Crystal structure studies of NADP{sup +} dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from Thermus thermophilus exhibiting a novel terminal domain

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kumar, S.M.; Pampa, K.J.; Manjula, M.

    2014-06-20

    Highlights: • We determined the structure of isocitrate dehydrogenase with citrate and cofactor. • The structure reveals a unique novel terminal domain involved in dimerization. • Clasp domain shows significant difference, and catalytic residues are conserved. • Oligomerization of the enzyme is quantized with subunit-subunit interactions. • Novel domain of this enzyme is classified as subfamily of the type IV. - Abstract: NADP{sup +} dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an enzyme catalyzing oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate into oxalosuccinate (intermediate) and finally the product α-ketoglutarate. The crystal structure of Thermus thermophilus isocitrate dehydrogenase (TtIDH) ternary complex with citrate and cofactor NADP{supmore » +} was determined using X-ray diffraction method to a resolution of 1.80 Å. The overall fold of this protein was resolved into large domain, small domain and a clasp domain. The monomeric structure reveals a novel terminal domain involved in dimerization, very unique and novel domain when compared to other IDH’s. And, small domain and clasp domain showing significant differences when compared to other IDH’s of the same sub-family. The structure of TtIDH reveals the absence of helix at the clasp domain, which is mainly involved in oligomerization in other IDH’s. Also, helices/beta sheets are absent in the small domain, when compared to other IDH’s of the same sub family. The overall TtIDH structure exhibits closed conformation with catalytic triad residues, Tyr144-Asp248-Lys191 are conserved. Oligomerization of the protein is quantized using interface area and subunit–subunit interactions between protomers. Overall, the TtIDH structure with novel terminal domain may be categorized as a first structure of subfamily of type IV.« less

  3. Human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: the crystal structure reveals a structural NADP(+) molecule and provides insights into enzyme deficiency.

    PubMed

    Au, S W; Gover, S; Lam, V M; Adams, M J

    2000-03-15

    Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) catalyses the first committed step in the pentose phosphate pathway; the generation of NADPH by this enzyme is essential for protection against oxidative stress. The human enzyme is in a dimer<-->tetramer equilibrium and its stability is dependent on NADP(+) concentration. G6PD deficiency results from many different point mutations in the X-linked gene encoding G6PD and is the most common human enzymopathy. Severe deficiency causes chronic non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia; the usual symptoms are neonatal jaundice, favism and haemolytic anaemia. We have determined the first crystal structure of a human G6PD (the mutant Canton, Arg459-->Leu) at 3 A resolution. The tetramer is a dimer of dimers. Despite very similar dimer topology, there are two major differences from G6PD of Leuconostoc mesenteroides: a structural NADP(+) molecule, close to the dimer interface but integral to the subunit, is visible in all subunits of the human enzyme; and an intrasubunit disulphide bond tethers the otherwise disordered N-terminal segment. The few dimer-dimer contacts making the tetramer are charge-charge interactions. The importance of NADP(+) for stability is explained by the structural NADP(+) site, which is not conserved in prokaryotes. The structure shows that point mutations causing severe deficiency predominate close to the structural NADP(+) and the dimer interface, primarily affecting the stability of the molecule. They also indicate that a stable dimer is essential to retain activity in vivo. As there is an absolute requirement for some G6PD activity, residues essential for coenzyme or substrate binding are rarely modified.

  4. Engineering activity and stability of Thermotoga maritima glutamate dehydrogenase. I. Introduction of a six-residue ion-pair network in the hinge region.

    PubMed

    Lebbink, J H; Knapp, S; van der Oost, J; Rice, D; Ladenstein, R; de Vos, W M

    1998-07-10

    Comparison of the recently determined three-dimensional structures of several glutamate dehydrogenases allowed for the identification of a five-residue ion-pair network in the hinge region of Pyrococcus furiosus glutamate dehydrogenase (melting temperature 113 degrees C), that is not present in the homologous glutamate dehydrogenase from Thermotoga maritima (melting temperature 93 degrees C). In order to study the role of this ion-pair network, we introduced it into the T. maritima enzyme using a site-directed mutagenesis approach. The resulting T. maritima glutamate dehydrogenases N97D, G376 K and N97D/G376 K as well as the wild-type enzyme were overproduced in Escherichia coli and subsequently purified. Elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of the double mutant N97D/G376 K at 3.0 A, showed that the designed ion-pair interactions were indeed formed. Moreover, because of interactions with an additional charged residue, a six-residue network is present in this double mutant. Melting temperatures of the mutant enzymes N97D, G376 K and N97D/G376 K, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry, did not differ significantly from that of the wild-type enzyme. Identical transition midpoints in guanidinium chloride-induced denaturation experiments were found for the wild-type and all mutant enzymes. Thermal inactivation at 85 degrees C occured more than twofold faster for all mutant enzymes than for the wild-type glutamate dehydrogenase. At temperatures of 65 degrees C and higher, the wild-type and the three mutant enzymes showed identical specific activities. However, at 58 degrees C the specific activity of N97D/G376 K and G376 K was found to be significantly higher than that of the wild-type and N97D enzymes. These results suggest that the engineered ion-pair interactions in the hinge region do not affect the stability towards temperature or guanidinium chloride-induced denaturation but rather affect the specific activity of the enzyme and the temperature

  5. The glutamate dehydrogenase GENE of Drosophila melanogaster: molecular analysis and expression.

    PubMed

    Papadopoulou, D; Louis, C

    2000-09-01

    Glutamate dehydrogenase is an enzyme that, in addition to its role in the energy metabolism in mitochondria, is involved in neuromuscular transmission. Here we present the structure and sequence of the Gdh gene of Drosophila melanogaster, as well as the analysis of its spatial and temporal pattern of expression. Unlike all other organisms analyzed so far, two forms of the enzyme, differing by the inclusion of 13 extra amino acids, are found in the fruitfly. We show the presence of Gdh mRNA in several tissues of the developing embryo, including the central nervous system, muscles and the alimentary tract. Moreover, we detect the localization of the Gdh protein in specific areas of the muscles, a fact that is consistent both with an involvement in energy metabolism and the role of glutamate as the major neuromuscular transmitter in Drosophila.

  6. A computational analysis of the three isoforms of glutamate dehydrogenase reveals structural features of the isoform EC 1.4.1.4 supporting a key role in ammonium assimilation by plants

    PubMed Central

    Jaspard, Emmanuel

    2006-01-01

    Background There are three isoforms of glutamate dehydrogenase. The isoform EC 1.4.1.4 (GDH4) catalyses glutamate synthesis from 2-oxoglutarate and ammonium, using NAD(P)H. Ammonium assimilation is critical for plant growth. Although GDH4 from animals and prokaryotes are well characterized, there are few data concerning plant GDH4, even from those whose genomes are well annotated. Results A large set of the three GDH isoforms was built resulting in 116 non-redundant full polypeptide sequences. A computational analysis was made to gain more information concerning the structure – function relationship of GDH4 from plants (Eukaryota, Viridiplantae). The tested plant GDH4 sequences were the two ones known to date, those of Chlorella sorokiniana. This analysis revealed several structural features specific of plant GDH4: (i) the lack of a structure called "antenna"; (ii) the NAD(P)-binding motif GAGNVA; and (iii) a second putative coenzyme-binding motif GVLTGKG together with four residues involved in the binding of the reduced form of NADP. Conclusion A number of structural features specific of plant GDH4 have been found. The results reinforce the probable key role of GDH4 in ammonium assimilation by plants. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Tina Bakolitsa (nominated by Eugene Koonin), Martin Jambon (nominated by Laura Landweber), Sandor Pangor and Franck Eisenhaber. PMID:17173671

  7. Cloning, expression, and biochemical characterization of a novel NADP+-dependent 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Clostridium difficile and its application for the oxidation of bile acids.

    PubMed

    Bakonyi, Daniel; Hummel, Werner

    2017-04-01

    A gene encoding a novel 7α-specific NADP + -dependent hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Clostridium difficile was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified using an N-terminal hexa-his-tag and biochemically characterized. The optimum temperature is at 60°C, but the enzyme is inactivated at this temperature with a half-life time of 5min. Contrary to other known 7α-HSDHs, for example from Clostridium sardiniense or E. coli, the enzyme from C. difficile does not display a substrate inhibition. In order to demonstrate the applicability of this enzyme, a small-scale biotransformation of the bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) into 7-ketolithocholic acid (7-KLCA) was carried out with simultaneous regeneration of NADP + using an NADPH oxidase that resulted in a complete conversion (<99%). Furthermore, by a structure-based site-directed mutagenesis, cofactor specificity of the 7α-HSDH from Clostridium difficile was altered to accept NAD(H). This mutant was biochemically characterized and compared to the wild-type. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Purification and characterization of NADP-dependent 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Peptostreptococcus productus strain b-52.

    PubMed

    Masuda, N; Oda, H; Tanaka, H

    1983-01-04

    An NADP-dependent 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was purified 11.5-fold over the activity in crude cell extracts prepared from Peptostreptococcus productus strain b-52, by using Sephadex G-200 and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. 7 beta-Dehydrogenation was the sole transformation of bile acids catalyzed by the partially purified enzyme. The enzyme preparation (spec. act. 2.781 IU per mg protein) had an optimum pH of 9.8. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed a Michaelis constant (Km) value of 0.05 mM for 3 alpha, 7 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholanoic acid whereas higher values were obtained with 3 alpha,7 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholanoyl glycine (0.20 mM), and 3 alpha,7 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholanoyl taurine (0.26 mM). NADP but not NAD could function as an electron acceptor, and had a Km value of 0.30 mM. A molecular weight of 64000 was determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The addition of 0.4 mM of either bile acid to the growth medium suppressed not only cell growth, but also the enzyme yield.

  9. Regulation of singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis by cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sun Yee; Lee, Su Min; Tak, Jean Kyoung; Choi, Kyeong Sook; Kwon, Taeg Kyu; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2007-08-01

    Singlet oxygen is a highly reactive form of molecular oxygen that may harm living systems by oxidizing critical cellular macromolecules and it also promotes deleterious processes such as cell death. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage are the primary functions of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) through supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. In this report, we demonstrate that modulation of IDPc activity in HL-60 cells regulates singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis. When we examined the protective role of IDPc against singlet oxygen-induced apoptosis with HL-60 cells transfected with the cDNA for mouse IDPc in sense and antisense orientations, a clear inverse relationship was observed between the amount of IDPc expressed in target cells and their susceptibility to apoptosis. The results suggest that IDPc plays an important protective role in apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by singlet oxygen.

  10. Optical characterization of glutamate dehydrogenase monolayers chemisorbed on SiO2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompa, P. P.; Blasi, L.; Longo, L.; Cingolani, R.; Ciccarella, G.; Vasapollo, G.; Rinaldi, R.; Rizzello, A.; Storelli, C.; Maffia, M.

    2003-04-01

    This paper describes the formation of glutamate dehydrogenase monolayers on silicon dioxide, and their characterization by means of physical techniques, i.e., fluorescence spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Detailed investigations of the intrinsic stability of native proteins in solution were carried out to elucidate the occurrence of conformational changes induced by the immobilization procedure. The enzyme monolayers were deposited on SiO2 after preexposing silicon surfaces to 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and reacting the silylated surfaces with glutaric dialdehyde. The optical characterization demonstrates that the immobilization does not interfere with the fold pattern of the native enzyme. In addition, fluorescence spectroscopy, thermal denaturation, and quenching studies performed on the enzyme in solution well describe the folding and unfolding properties of glutamate dehydrogenase. The photophysical studies reported here are relevant for nanobioelectronics applications requiring protein immobilization on a chip.

  11. The ALDH21 gene found in lower plants and some vascular plants codes for a NADP+ -dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Kopečná, Martina; Vigouroux, Armelle; Vilím, Jan; Končitíková, Radka; Briozzo, Pierre; Hájková, Eva; Jašková, Lenka; von Schwartzenberg, Klaus; Šebela, Marek; Moréra, Solange; Kopečný, David

    2017-10-01

    Lower plant species including some green algae, non-vascular plants (bryophytes) as well as the oldest vascular plants (lycopods) and ferns (monilophytes) possess a unique aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene named ALDH21, which is upregulated during dehydration. However, the gene is absent in flowering plants. Here, we show that ALDH21 from the moss Physcomitrella patens codes for a tetrameric NADP + -dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSALDH), which converts succinic semialdehyde, an intermediate of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt pathway, into succinate in the cytosol. NAD + is a very poor coenzyme for ALDH21 unlike for mitochondrial SSALDHs (ALDH5), which are the closest related ALDH members. Structural comparison between the apoform and the coenzyme complex reveal that NADP + binding induces a conformational change of the loop carrying Arg-228, which seals the NADP + in the coenzyme cavity via its 2'-phosphate and α-phosphate groups. The crystal structure with the bound product succinate shows that its carboxylate group establishes salt bridges with both Arg-121 and Arg-457, and a hydrogen bond with Tyr-296. While both arginine residues are pre-formed for substrate/product binding, Tyr-296 moves by more than 1 Å. Both R121A and R457A variants are almost inactive, demonstrating a key role of each arginine in catalysis. Our study implies that bryophytes but presumably also some green algae, lycopods and ferns, which carry both ALDH21 and ALDH5 genes, can oxidize SSAL to succinate in both cytosol and mitochondria, indicating a more diverse GABA shunt pathway compared with higher plants carrying only the mitochondrial ALDH5. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. A redox-mediated modulation of stem bolting in transgenic Nicotiana sylvestris differentially expressing the external mitochondrial NADPH dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yun-Jun; Nunes-Nesi, Adriano; Wallström, Sabá V; Lager, Ida; Michalecka, Agnieszka M; Norberg, Fredrik E B; Widell, Susanne; Fredlund, Kenneth M; Fernie, Alisdair R; Rasmusson, Allan G

    2009-07-01

    Cytosolic NADPH can be directly oxidized by a calcium-dependent NADPH dehydrogenase, NDB1, present in the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain. However, little is known regarding the impact of modified cytosolic NADPH reduction levels on growth and metabolism. Nicotiana sylvestris plants overexpressing potato (Solanum tuberosum) NDB1 displayed early bolting, whereas sense suppression of the same gene led to delayed bolting, with consequential changes in flowering time. The phenotype was dependent on light irradiance but not linked to any change in biomass accumulation. Whereas the leaf NADPH/NADP(+) ratio was unaffected, the stem NADPH/NADP(+) ratio was altered following the genetic modification and strongly correlated with the bolting phenotype. Metabolic profiling of the stem showed that the NADP(H) change affected relatively few, albeit central, metabolites, including 2-oxoglutarate, glutamate, ascorbate, sugars, and hexose-phosphates. Consistent with the phenotype, the modified NDB1 level also affected the expression of putative floral meristem identity genes of the SQUAMOSA and LEAFY types. Further evidence for involvement of the NADPH redox in stem development was seen in the distinct decrease in the stem apex NADPH/NADP(+) ratio during bolting. Additionally, the potato NDB1 protein was specifically detected in mitochondria, and a survey of its abundance in major organs revealed that the highest levels are found in green stems. These results thus strongly suggest that NDB1 in the mitochondrial electron transport chain can, by modifying cell redox levels, specifically affect developmental processes.

  13. Conversion of L-sorbosone to L-ascorbic acid by a NADP-dependent dehydrogenase in bean and spinach leaf. [Phaseolus vulgaris L. ; Spinacia oleracea L

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Loewus, M.W.; Bedgar, D.L.; Saito, Kazumi

    An NADP-dependent dehydrogenase catalyzing the conversion of L-sorbosone to L-ascorbic acid has been isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Spinacia oleracea L. and partially purified. It is stable at {minus}20{degree}C for up to 8 months. Molecular masses, as determined by gel filtration, were 21 and 29 kilodaltons for bean and spinach enzymes, respectively. K{sub m} for sorbosone were 12 {plus minus} 2 and 18 {plus minus} 2 millimolar and for NADP{sup +}, 0.14 {plus minus} 0.05 and 1.2 {plus minus} 0.5 millimolar, for bean and spinach, respectively. Lycorine, a purported inhibitor of L-ascorbic acid biosynthesis, had no effect on themore » reaction.« less

  14. Crystal structure of the NADP+ and tartrate-bound complex of L-serine 3-dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrobaculum calidifontis.

    PubMed

    Yoneda, Kazunari; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Araki, Tomohiro; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2018-05-01

    A gene encoding L-serine dehydrogenase (L-SerDH) that exhibits extremely low sequence identity to the Agrobacterium tumefaciens L-SerDH was identified in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrobaculum calidifontis. The predicted amino acid sequence showed 36% identity with that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa L-SerDH, suggesting that P. calidifontis L-SerDH is a novel type of L-SerDH, like Ps. aeruginosa L-SerDH. The overexpressed enzyme appears to be the most thermostable L-SerDH described to date, and no loss of activity was observed by incubation for 30 min at temperatures up to 100 °C. The enzyme showed substantial reactivity towards D-serine, in addition to L-serine. Two different crystal structures of P. calidifontis L-SerDH were determined using the Se-MAD and MR method: the structure in complex with NADP + /sulfate ion at 1.18 Å and the structure in complex with NADP + /L-tartrate (substrate analog) at 1.57 Å. The fold of the catalytic domain showed similarity with that of Ps. aeruginosa L-SerDH. However, the active site structure significantly differed between the two enzymes. Based on the structure of the tartrate, L- and D-serine and 3-hydroxypropionate molecules were modeled into the active site and the substrate binding modes were estimated. A structural comparison suggests that the wide cavity at the substrate binding site is likely responsible for the high reactivity of the enzyme toward both L- and D-serine enantiomers. This is the first description of the structure of the novel type of L-SerDH with bound NADP + and substrate analog, and it provides new insight into the substrate binding mechanism of L-SerDH. The results obtained here may be very informative for the creation of L- or D-serine-specific SerDH by protein engineering.

  15. Bifunctional isocitrate-homoisocitrate dehydrogenase: a missing link in the evolution of beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Miyazaki, Kentaro

    2005-05-27

    Beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenases comprise 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and homoisocitrate dehydrogenase. They share a high degree of amino acid sequence identity and occupy equivalent positions in the amino acid biosynthetic pathways for leucine, glutamate, and lysine, respectively. Therefore, not only the enzymes but also the whole pathways should have evolved from a common ancestral pathway. In Pyrococcus horikoshii, only one pathway of the three has been identified in the genomic sequence, and PH1722 is the sole beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase gene. The organism does not require leucine, glutamate, or lysine for growth; the single pathway might play multiple (i.e., ancestral) roles in amino acid biosynthesis. The PH1722 gene was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and the substrate specificity of the recombinant enzyme was investigated. It exhibited activities on isocitrate and homoisocitrate at near equal efficiency, but not on 3-isopropylmalate. PH1722 is thus a novel, bifunctional beta-decarboxylating dehydrogenase, which likely plays a dual role in glutamate and lysine biosynthesis in vivo.

  16. Regulation of replicative senescence by NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Kil, In Sup; Huh, Tae Lin; Lee, Young Sup; Lee, You Mie; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2006-01-01

    The free radical hypothesis of aging postulates that senescence is due to an accumulation of cellular oxidative damage, caused largely by reactive oxygen species that are produced as by-products of normal metabolic processes. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of cytosolic and mitochondrial redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of cytosolic (IDPc) and mitochondrial NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPm) by supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. In this paper, we demonstrate that modulation of IDPc or IDPm activity in IMR-90 cells regulates cellular redox status and replicative senescence. When we examined the regulatory role of IDPc and IDPm against the aging process with IMR-90 cells transfected with cDNA for IDPc or IDPm in sense and antisense orientations, a clear inverse relationship was observed between the amount of IDPc or IDPm expressed in target cells and their susceptibility to senescence, which was reflected by changes in replicative potential, cell cycle, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, expression of p21 and p53, and morphology of cells. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and intracellular peroxide generation were higher and cellular redox status shifted to a prooxidant condition in the cell lines expressing the lower level of IDPc or IDPm. The results suggest that IDPc and IDPm play an important regulatory role in cellular defense against oxidative stress and in the senescence of IMR-90 cells.

  17. Role of quinate dehydrogenase in quinic acid metabolism in conifers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Osipov, V.I.; Shein, I.V.

    1986-08-10

    Quinate dehydrogenase was isolated from young needles of the Siberian larch and partially purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation. It was found that in conifers, in contrast to other plants, quinate dehydrogenase is active both with NAD and with NADP. The values of K/sub m/ for quinate and NADP were 1.8 and 0.18 mM. The enzyme exhibits maximum activity at pH 9.0. It was assumed that NADP-dependent quinate dehydrogenase is responsible for quinic acid synthesis. The special features of the organization and regulation of the initial stages of the shikimate pathway in conifers are discussed.

  18. Distribution of the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex E1α subunit and glutamate dehydrogenase in the human brain and their role in neuro-metabolism.

    PubMed

    Hull, Jonathon; Usmari Moraes, Marcela; Brookes, Emma; Love, Seth; Conway, Myra E

    2018-01-01

    Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system, with the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) acting as key nitrogen donors for de novo glutamate synthesis. Despite the importance of these major metabolites, their metabolic pathway in the human brain is still not well characterised. The metabolic pathways that influence the metabolism of BCAAs have been well characterised in rat models. However, the expression of key proteins such as the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKD) complex and glutamate dehydrogenase isozymes (GDH) in the human brain is still not well characterised. We have used specific antibodies to these proteins to analyse their distribution within the human brain and report, for the first time, that the E1α subunit of the BCKD is located in both neurons and vascular endothelial cells. We also demonstrate that GDH is localised to astrocytes, although vascular immunolabelling does occur. The labelling of GDH was most intense in astrocytes adjacent to the hippocampus, in keeping with glutamatergic neurotransmission in this region. GDH was also present in astrocyte processes abutting vascular endothelial cells. Previously, we demonstrated that the branched-chain aminotransferase (hBCAT) proteins were most abundant in vascular cells (hBCATm) and neurons (hBCATc). Present findings are further evidence that BCAAs are metabolised within both the vasculature and neurons in the human brain. We suggest that GDH, hBCAT and the BCKD proteins operate in conjunction with astrocytic glutamate transporters and glutamine synthetase to regulate the availability of glutamate. This has important implications given that the dysregulation of glutamate metabolism, leading to glutamate excitotoxicity, is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Knockdown of cytosolic NADP(+) -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase enhances MPP(+) -induced oxidative injury in PC12 cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Eun Sun; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2011-05-01

    1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and its toxic metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridium ion (MPP(+)) have been shown to induce Parkinson's disease-like symptoms as well as neurotoxicity in humans and animal species. Recently, we reported that maintenance of redox balance and cellular defense against oxidative damage are primary functions of the novel antioxidant enzyme cytosolic NADP(+) -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc). In this study, we examined the role of IDPc in cellular defense against MPP(+) -induced oxidative injury using PC12 cells transfected with IDPc small interfering RNA (siRNA). Our results demonstrate that MPP(+) -mediated disruption of cellular redox status, oxidative damage to cells, and apoptotic cell death were significantly enhanced by knockdown of IDPc.

  20. Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase status modulates oxidative damage to cells.

    PubMed

    Lee, Su Min; Koh, Ho-Jin; Park, Dong-Chan; Song, Byoung J; Huh, Tae-Lin; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2002-06-01

    NADPH is an important cofactor in many biosynthesis pathways and the regeneration of reduced glutathione, critically important in cellular defense against oxidative damage. It is mainly produced by glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), malic enzyme, and the cytosolic form of NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc). Little information is available about the role of IDPc in antioxidant defense. In this study we investigated the role of IDPc against cytotoxicity induced by oxidative stress by comparing the relative degree of cellular responses in three different NIH3T3 cells with stable transfection with the cDNA for mouse IDPc in sense and antisense orientations, where IDPc activities were 3-4-fold higher and 35% lower, respectively, than that in the parental cells carrying the vector alone. Although the activities of other antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and G6PD, were comparable in all transformed cells, the ratio of GSSG to total glutathione was significantly higher in the cells expressing the lower level of IDPc. This finding indicates that IDPc is essential for the efficient glutathione recycling. Upon transient exposure to increasing concentrations of H(2)O(2) or menadione, an intracellular source of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, the cells with low levels of IDPc became more sensitive to oxidative damage by H(2)O(2) or menadione. Lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage, and intracellular peroxide generation were higher in the cell-line expressing the lower level of IDPc. However, the cells with the highly over-expressed IDPc exhibited enhanced resistance against oxidative stress, compared to the control cells. This study provides direct evidence correlating the activities of IDPc and the maintenance of the cellular redox state, suggesting that IDPc plays an important role in cellular defense against oxidative stress.

  1. Protein-Induced Fluorescence Enhancement Based Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Glutamate Dehydrogenase Using Carbon Dot Coupled Specific Aptamer.

    PubMed

    Singh, Naveen Kumar; Chakma, Babina; Jain, Priyamvada; Goswami, Pranab

    2018-06-11

    A novel 90-mer long ssDNA aptamer (NG3) covering a 40-mer random region targeting Plasmodium falciparum glutamate dehydrogenase ( PfGDH) developed through systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) technique. The binding affinity of the aptamer to PfGDH discerned by circular dichroism (CD) was 0.5 ± 0.04 μM. The specificity of the aptamer toward the target was confirmed by gel electrophoresis and CD studies. The presence of two quadruplex forming regions, two big and four small stem loop structures with a δG of -7.99 kcal mol -1 for NG3 were deduced by computational studies. The spherical carbon dots (Cdots) of size 2-4 nm, synthesized by pyrolysis method using l-glutamate as a substrate were covalently linked to the amine modified aptamer. The Cdot with a band gap of 2.8 eV and a quantum yield of 34% produced fluorescence at ∼ λ 410 nm when excited at λ 320nm . The quantum yield of Cdot-aptamer assembly was increased up to 40% in the presence of the PfGDH in solution. A linear relationship with a dynamic range of 0.5 nM to 25 nM (R 2 = 0.98) and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.48 nM was observed between the fluorescence intensity of the Cdots-aptamer conjugate and the concentration of PfGDH. The method could detect PfGDH with an LOD of 2.85 nM in diluted serum sample. This novel simple, sensitive and specific protein induced fluorescence enhancement based detection of PfGDH has a great potential to develop as a method for malaria detection.

  2. Silencing of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase gene enhances ethanol-induced toxicity in HepG2 cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Eun Sun; Lee, Su-Min; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2010-07-01

    It has been shown that acute and chronic alcohol administrations increase the production of reactive oxygen species, lower cellular antioxidant levels and enhance oxidative stress in many tissues. We recently reported that cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) functions as an antioxidant enzyme by supplying NADPH to the cytosol. Upon exposure to ethanol, IDPc was susceptible to the loss of its enzyme activity in HepG2 cells. Transfection of HepG2 cells with an IDPc small interfering RNA noticeably downregulated IDPc and enhanced the cells' vulnerability to ethanol-induced cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that suppressing the expression of IDPc enhances ethanol-induced toxicity in HepG2 cells by further disruption of the cellular redox status.

  3. The X-Ray Crystal Structure of Escherichia coli Succinic Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase; Structural Insights into NADP+/Enzyme Interactions

    PubMed Central

    Langendorf, Christopher G.; Key, Trevor L. G.; Fenalti, Gustavo; Kan, Wan-Ting; Buckle, Ashley M.; Caradoc-Davies, Tom; Tuck, Kellie L.; Law, Ruby H. P.; Whisstock, James C.

    2010-01-01

    Background In mammals succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) plays an essential role in the metabolism of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to succinic acid (SA). Deficiency of SSADH in humans results in elevated levels of GABA and γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), which leads to psychomotor retardation, muscular hypotonia, non-progressive ataxia and seizures. In Escherichia coli, two genetically distinct forms of SSADHs had been described that are essential for preventing accumulation of toxic levels of succinic semialdehyde (SSA) in cells. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we structurally characterise SSADH encoded by the E coli gabD gene by X-ray crystallographic studies and compare these data with the structure of human SSADH. In the E. coli SSADH structure, electron density for the complete NADP+ cofactor in the binding sites is clearly evident; these data in particular revealing how the nicotinamide ring of the cofactor is positioned in each active site. Conclusions/Significance Our structural data suggest that a deletion of three amino acids in E. coli SSADH permits this enzyme to use NADP+, whereas in contrast the human enzyme utilises NAD+. Furthermore, the structure of E. coli SSADH gives additional insight into human mutations that result in disease. PMID:20174634

  4. ENZYME ACTIVITIES DURING THE ASEXUAL CYCLE OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA

    PubMed Central

    Stine, G. J.

    1968-01-01

    Three enzymes, (a) nicotinamide adenine diphosphate-dependent glutamic dehydrogenase (NAD enzyme), (b) nictoinamide adenine triphosphate-dependent glutamic dehydrogenase (NADP enzyme), and (c) nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotidase (NADase), were measured in separate extracts of Neurospora crassa grown in Vogel's medium N and medium N + glutamate. Specific activities and total units per culture of each enzyme were determined at nine separate intervals phased throughout the asexual cycle. The separate dehydrogenases were lowest in the conidia, increased slowly during germination, and increased rapidly during logarithmic mycelial growth. The amounts of these enzymes present during germination were small when compared with those found later during the production of the conidiophores. The NAD enzyme may be necessary for pregermination synthesis. The NADP-enzyme synthesis was associated with the appearance of the germ tube. Although higher levels of the dehydrogenases in the conidiophores resulted in more enzyme being found in the differentiated conidia, the rate of germination was uneffected. The greatest activity for the NADase enzyme was associated with the conidia, early phases of germination, and later production of new conidia. NADase decreased significantly with the onset of logarithmic growth, remained low during the differentiation of conidiophores, and increased considerably as the conidiophores aged. PMID:4384627

  5. Enhancement of UVB radiation-mediated apoptosis by knockdown of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in HaCaT cells.

    PubMed

    Lee, Su Jeong; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2014-04-01

    Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promote apoptotic cell death. We showed that cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) plays an essential role in the control of cellular redox balance and defense against oxidative damage, by supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. In this study, we demonstrated that knockdown of IDPc expression by RNA interference enhances UVB-induced apoptosis of immortalized human HaCaT keratinocytes. This effect manifested as DNA fragmentation, changes in cellular redox status, mitochondrial dysfunction, and modulation of apoptotic marker expression. Based on our findings, we suggest that attenuation of IDPc expression may protect skin from UVB-mediated damage, by inducing the apoptosis of UV-damaged cells.

  6. Characterization of NADP-dependent 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases from Peptostreptococcus productus and Eubacterium aerofaciens.

    PubMed Central

    Hirano, S; Masuda, N

    1982-01-01

    Peptostreptococcus productus strain b-52 (a human fecal isolate) and Eubacterium aerofaciens ATCC 25986 were found to contain NADP-dependent 7 beta-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase activity. The enzyme was synthesized constitutively by both organisms, and the enzyme yields were suppressed by the addition of 0.5 mM 7 beta-hydroxy bile acid to the growth medium. Purification of the enzyme by chromatography resulted in preparations with 3.5 (P. productus b-52, on Sephadex G-200) and 1.8 (E. aerofaciens, on Bio-Gel A-1.5 M) times the activity of the crude cell extracts. A pH optimum of 9.8 and a molecular weight of approximately 53,000 were shown for the enzyme of strain b-52, and an optimum pH at 10.5 and a molecular weight of 45,000 was shown for that from strain ATCC 25986. Kinetic studies revealed that both enzyme preparations oxidized the 7 beta-hydroxy group in unconjugated and conjugated bile acids, a lower Km value being demonstrated with free bile acid than with glycine and taurine conjugates. No measureable activity against 3 alpha-, 7 alpha-, or 12 alpha-hydroxy groups was detected in either enzyme preparation. When tested with strain ATCC 25986, little 7 beta-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenase activity was detected in cells grown in the presence of glucose in excess. The enzyme from strain b-52 was found to be heat labile (90% inactivation at 50 degrees C for 3 min) and highly sensitive to sulfhydryl inhibitors. PMID:6954878

  7. Ciprofloxacin triggered glutamate production by Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Lubitz, Dorit; Wendisch, Volker F

    2016-10-07

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is a well-studied bacterium which naturally overproduces glutamate when induced by an elicitor. Glutamate production is accompanied by decreased 2-oxoglutatate dehydrogenase activity. Elicitors of glutamate production by C. glutamicum analyzed to molecular detail target the cell envelope. Ciprofloxacin, an inhibitor of bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, was shown to inhibit growth of C. glutamicum wild type with concomitant excretion of glutamate. Enzyme assays showed that 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity was decreased due to ciprofloxacin addition. Transcriptome analysis revealed that this inhibitor of DNA gyrase increased RNA levels of genes involved in DNA synthesis, repair and modification. Glutamate production triggered by ciprofloxacin led to glutamate titers of up to 37 ± 1 mM and a substrate specific glutamate yield of 0.13 g/g. Even in the absence of the putative glutamate exporter gene yggB, ciprofloxacin effectively triggered glutamate production. When C. glutamicum wild type was cultivated under nitrogen-limiting conditions, 2-oxoglutarate rather than glutamate was produced as consequence of exposure to ciprofloxacin. Recombinant C. glutamicum strains overproducing lysine, arginine, ornithine, and putrescine, respectively, secreted glutamate instead of the desired amino acid when exposed to ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin induced DNA synthesis and repair genes, reduced 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity and elicited glutamate production by C. glutamicum. Production of 2-oxoglutarate could be triggered by ciprofloxacin under nitrogen-limiting conditions.

  8. Efficient reductive amination process for enantioselective synthesis of L-phosphinothricin applying engineered glutamate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Yin, Xinjian; Wu, Jianping; Yang, Lirong

    2018-05-01

    The objective of this study was to identify and exploit a robust biocatalyst that can be applied in reductive amination for enantioselective synthesis of the competitive herbicide L-phosphinothricin. Applying a genome mining-based library construction strategy, eight NADPH-specific glutamate dehydrogenases (GluDHs) were identified for reductively aminating 2-oxo-4-[(hydroxy)(methyl)phosphinoyl]butyric acid (PPO) to L-phosphinothricin. Among them, the glutamate dehydrogenase cloned from Pseudomonas putida (PpGluDH) exhibited relatively high catalytic activity and favorable soluble expression. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity for further characterization. The specific activity of PpGluDH was 296.1 U/g-protein, which is significantly higher than the reported value for a GluDH. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been any report on protein engineering of GluDH for PPO-oriented activity. Taking full advantage of the available information and the diverse characteristics of the enzymes in the enzyme library, PpGluDH was engineered by site-directed mutation based on multiple sequence alignment. The mutant I170M, which had 2.1-fold enhanced activity, was successfully produced. When the I170M mutant was applied in the batch production of L-phosphinothricin, it showed markedly improved catalytic efficiency compared with the wild type enzyme. The conversion reached 99% (0.1 M PPO) with an L-phosphinothricin productivity of 1.35 g/h·L, which far surpassed the previously reported level. These results show that PpGluDH I170M is a promising biocatalyst for highly enantioselective synthesis of L-phosphinothricin by reductive amination.

  9. Demonstration of 3 alpha(17 beta)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase distinct from 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in hamster liver.

    PubMed Central

    Ohmura, M; Hara, A; Nakagawa, M; Sawada, H

    1990-01-01

    NAD(+)-linked and NADP(+)-linked 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases were purified to homogeneity from hamster liver cytosol. The two monomeric enzymes, although having similar molecular masses of 38,000, differed from each other in pI values, activation energy and heat stability. The two proteins also gave different fragmentation patterns by gel electrophoresis after digestion with protease. The NADP(+)-linked enzyme catalysed the oxidoreduction of various 3 alpha-hydroxysteroids, whereas the NAD(+)-linked enzyme oxidized the 3 alpha-hydroxy group of pregnanes and some bile acids, and the 17 beta-hydroxy group of testosterone and androstanes. The thermal stabilities of the 3 alpha- and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities of the NAD(+)-linked enzyme were identical, and the two enzyme activities were inhibited by mixing 17 beta- and 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid substrates, respectively. Medroxyprogesterone acetate, hexoestrol and 3 beta-hydroxysteroids competitively inhibited 3 alpha- and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities of the enzyme. These results show that hamster liver contains a 3 alpha(17 beta)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase structurally and functionally distinct from 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Images Fig. 1. Fig. 2. PMID:2317205

  10. Enhancement of UVB radiation-mediated apoptosis by knockdown of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in HaCaT cells

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Su Jeong; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2014-01-01

    Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation induces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that promote apoptotic cell death. We showed that cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) plays an essential role in the control of cellular redox balance and defense against oxidative damage, by supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. In this study, we demonstrated that knockdown of IDPc expression by RNA interference enhances UVB-induced apoptosis of immortalized human HaCaT keratinocytes. This effect manifested as DNA fragmentation, changes in cellular redox status, mitochondrial dysfunction, and modulation of apoptotic marker expression. Based on our findings, we suggest that attenuation of IDPc expression may protect skin from UVB-mediated damage, by inducing the apoptosis of UV-damaged cells. [BMB Reports 2014; 47(4): 209-214] PMID:24286310

  11. Ionization of isocitrate bound to pig hear NADP/sup +/-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase: /sup 13/C NMR study of substrate binding

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ehrlich, R.S.; Colman, R.F.

    1987-06-16

    Isocitrate and ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate have been synthesized with carbon-13 enrichment at specific positions. The /sup 13/C NMR spectra of these derivatives were measured as a function of pH. The magnitudes of the changes in chemical shifts with pH for free isocitrate and the magnesium-isocitrate complex suggest that the primary site of ionization at the ..beta..-carboxyl. In the presence of the enzyme NADP/sup +/-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and the activating metal magnesium, the carbon-13 resonances of all three carboxyls remain constant from pH 5.5 to pH 7.5. Thus, the carboxyls remain in the ionized form in the enzyme-isocitrate complex. The ..cap alpha..-hydroxylmore » carbon resonance could not be located in the enzyme-isocitrate complex, suggesting immobilization of this group. Magnesium produces a 2 ppm downfield shift of the ..beta..-carboxyl but does not change the resonances of the ..cap alpha..- and ..gamma..-carboxyls. This result is consistent with metal activation of both the dehydrogenation and decarboxylation reactions. The /sup 13/C NMR spectrum of ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate remains unchanged in the presence of isocitrate dehydrogenase, implying the absence of alterations in geometry in the enzyme-bound form. Formation of the quaternary complex with Mg/sup 2 +/ and NADPH leads to loss of the ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate resonances and the appearance of new resonances characteristic of ..cap alpha..-hydroxyglutarate. In addition, a broad peak ascribed to the enol form of ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate is observed. The substantial change in the shift of the ..beta..-carboxyl of isocitrate and the lack of significant shifts in the other carboxyls of isocitrate or ..cap alpha..-ketoglutarate suggest that interaction of the ..beta..-carboxyl with the enzyme contributes to the tighter binding of isocitrate and may be significant for the oxidative decarboxylation function of isocitrate dehydrogenase.« less

  12. Silencing of mitochondrial NADP{sup +}-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase gene enhances glioma radiosensitivity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, Sung Youl; Yoo, Young Hyun; Park, Jeen-Woo, E-mail: parkjw@knu.ac.kr

    Highlights: •Silencing of the IDPm gene enhances IR-induced autophagy in glioma cells. •Autophagy inhibition augmented apoptosis of irradiated glioma cells. •Results offer a redox-active therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. -- Abstract: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are elevated in organisms that have been exposed to ionizing radiation and are protagonists in the induction of cell death. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of mitochondrial redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage are primary functions of mitochondrial NADP{sup +}-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPm) via the supply of NADPH for antioxidant systems. In the present study, we report anmore » autophagic response to ionizing radiation in A172 glioma cells transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting the IDPm gene. Autophagy in A172 transfectant cells was associated with enhanced autophagolysosome formation and GFP–LC3 punctuation/aggregation. Furthermore, we found that the inhibition of autophagy by chloroquine augmented apoptotic cell death of irradiated A172 cells transfected with IDPm siRNA. Taken together, our data suggest that autophagy functions as a survival mechanism in A172 cells against ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis and the sensitizing effect of IDPm siRNA and autophagy inhibitor on the ionizing radiation-induced apoptotic cell death of glioma cells offers a novel redox-active therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer.« less

  13. Ebselen: Mechanisms of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Glutaminase Enzyme Inhibition.

    PubMed

    Yu, Yan; Jin, Yanhong; Zhou, Jie; Ruan, Haoqiang; Zhao, Han; Lu, Shiying; Zhang, Yue; Li, Di; Ji, Xiaoyun; Ruan, Benfang Helen

    2017-12-15

    Ebselen modulates target proteins through redox reactions with selenocysteine/cysteine residues, or through binding to the zinc finger domains. However, a recent contradiction in ebselen inhibition of kidney type glutaminase (KGA) stimulated our interest in investigating its inhibition mechanism with glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), KGA, thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and glutathione S-transferase. Fluorescein- or biotin-labeled ebselen derivatives were synthesized for mechanistic analyses. Biomolecular interaction analyses showed that only GDH, KGA, and TrxR proteins can bind to the ebselen derivative, and the binding to GDH and KGA could be competed off by glutamine or glutamate. From the gel shift assays, the fluorescein-labeled ebselen derivative could co-migrate with hexameric GDH and monomeric/dimeric TrxR in a dose-dependent manner; it also co-migrated with KGA but disrupted the tetrameric form of the KGA enzyme at a high compound concentration. Further proteomic analysis demonstrated that the ebselen derivative could cross-link with proteins through a specific cysteine at the active site of GDH and TrxR proteins, but for KGA protein, the binding site is at the N-terminal appendix domain outside of the catalytic domain, which might explain why ebselen is not a potent KGA enzyme inhibitor in functional assays. In conclusion, ebselen could inhibit enzyme activity by binding to the catalytic domain or disruption of the protein complex. In addition, ebselen is a relatively potent selective GDH inhibitor that might provide potential therapeutic opportunities for hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome patients who have the mutational loss of GTP inhibition.

  14. A General Tool for Engineering the NAD/NADP Cofactor Preference of Oxidoreductases.

    PubMed

    Cahn, Jackson K B; Werlang, Caroline A; Baumschlager, Armin; Brinkmann-Chen, Sabine; Mayo, Stephen L; Arnold, Frances H

    2017-02-17

    The ability to control enzymatic nicotinamide cofactor utilization is critical for engineering efficient metabolic pathways. However, the complex interactions that determine cofactor-binding preference render this engineering particularly challenging. Physics-based models have been insufficiently accurate and blind directed evolution methods too inefficient to be widely adopted. Building on a comprehensive survey of previous studies and our own prior engineering successes, we present a structure-guided, semirational strategy for reversing enzymatic nicotinamide cofactor specificity. This heuristic-based approach leverages the diversity and sensitivity of catalytically productive cofactor binding geometries to limit the problem to an experimentally tractable scale. We demonstrate the efficacy of this strategy by inverting the cofactor specificity of four structurally diverse NADP-dependent enzymes: glyoxylate reductase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, xylose reductase, and iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase. The analytical components of this approach have been fully automated and are available in the form of an easy-to-use web tool: Cofactor Specificity Reversal-Structural Analysis and Library Design (CSR-SALAD).

  15. Partial purification and properties of tropine dehydrogenase from root cultures of Datura stramonium.

    PubMed

    Koelen, K J; Gross, G G

    1982-04-01

    From sterile root cultures of Datura stramonium, an NADP(H)-specific tropine dehydrogenase has been isolated and characterized. The enzyme catalyzes the reversible and stereospecific oxidation of tropine and related tropane-3 alpha-ols to the corresponding ketone. Isomeric pseudotropine (tropane-3 beta-ol) is neither accepted as substrate nor produced in the reverse reaction. It is assumed that this dehydrogenase is involved in the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids.

  16. Capacitive malaria aptasensor using Plasmodium falciparum glutamate dehydrogenase as target antigen in undiluted human serum.

    PubMed

    Singh, Naveen K; Arya, Sunil K; Estrela, Pedro; Goswami, Pranab

    2018-06-08

    A capacitive aptasensor for detecting the malaria biomarker, Plasmodium falciparum glutamate dehydrogenase (PfGDH), directly in human serum samples developed. A thiolated ssDNA aptamer (NG3) that binds specifically to PfGDH antigen with high affinity (K d = 79 nM) was used to develop the aptasensor. The aptasensor produced capacitance response at an optimized frequency of 2 Hz in a non-Faradaic electrochemical impedance based signal transduction platform. The aptasensor exhibited a wide dynamic range of 100 fM-100 nM with a limits of detection of 0.77 pM in serum samples. The interference from other predominant malarial biomarkers, namely, Plasmodium falciparum -lactate dehydrogenase and -histidine rich protein-II on the aptasensor was negligible. This PfGDH aptasensor with highly sensitive and label free detection capability has great application potential for diagnosis of asymptotic malaria and monitoring the regression of malaria during treatment regime with antimalarial drugs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Oxalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase, regulates lipid peroxidation-mediated apoptosis in U937 cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Eun Sun; Yang, Joon-Hyuck; Park, Ji Eun; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2005-01-01

    Membrane lipid peroxidation processes yield products that may react with DNA and proteins to cause oxidative modifications. Recently, we demonstrated that the control of cytosolic redox balance and the cellular defense against oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of cytosolic NADP+ -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) through to supply NADPH for antioxidant systems. The protective role of IDPc against lipid peroxidation-mediated apoptosis in U937 cells was investigated in control and cells pre-treated with oxlalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of IDPc. Upon exposure to 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH) to U937 cells, which induces lipid peroxidation in membranes, the susceptibility to apoptosis was higher in oxalomalate-treated cells as compared to control cells. The results suggest that IDPc plays an important protective role in apoptosis of U937 cells induced by lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative stress.

  18. Structural and biochemical insights into 7β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase stereoselectivity.

    PubMed

    Savino, Simone; Ferrandi, Erica Elisa; Forneris, Federico; Rovida, Stefano; Riva, Sergio; Monti, Daniela; Mattevi, Andrea

    2016-06-01

    Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases are of great interest as biocatalysts for transformations involving steroid substrates. They feature a high degree of stereo- and regio-selectivity, acting on a defined atom with a specific configuration of the steroid nucleus. The crystal structure of 7β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Collinsella aerofaciens reveals a loop gating active-site accessibility, the bases of the specificity for NADP(+) , and the general architecture of the steroid binding site. Comparison with 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase provides a rationale for the opposite stereoselectivity. The presence of a C-terminal extension reshapes the substrate site of the β-selective enzyme, possibly leading to an inverted orientation of the bound substrate. Proteins 2016; 84:859-865. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Gene Cloning and Characterization of the Very Large NAD-Dependent l-Glutamate Dehydrogenase from the Psychrophile Janthinobacterium lividum, Isolated from Cold Soil▿

    PubMed Central

    Kawakami, Ryushi; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2007-01-01

    NAD-dependent l-glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH) activity was detected in cell extract from the psychrophile Janthinobacterium lividum UTB1302, which was isolated from cold soil and purified to homogeneity. The native enzyme (1,065 kDa, determined by gel filtration) is a homohexamer composed of 170-kDa subunits (determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). Consistent with these findings, gene cloning and sequencing enabled deduction of the amino acid sequence of the subunit, which proved to be comprised of 1,575 amino acids with a combined molecular mass of 169,360 Da. The enzyme from this psychrophile thus appears to belong to the GDH family characterized by very large subunits, like those expressed by Streptomyces clavuligerus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (about 180 kDa). The entire amino acid sequence of the J. lividum enzyme showed about 40% identity with the sequences from S. clavuligerus and P. aeruginosa enzymes, but the central domains showed higher homology (about 65%). Within the central domain, the residues related to substrate and NAD binding were highly conserved, suggesting that this is the enzyme's catalytic domain. In the presence of NAD, but not in the presence of NADP, this GDH exclusively catalyzed the oxidative deamination of l-glutamate. The stereospecificity of the hydride transfer to NAD was pro-S, which is the same as that of the other known GDHs. Surprisingly, NAD-GDH activity was markedly enhanced by the addition of various amino acids, such as l-aspartate (1,735%) and l-arginine (936%), which strongly suggests that the N- and/or C-terminal domains play regulatory roles and are involved in the activation of the enzyme by these amino acids. PMID:17526698

  20. Gene cloning and characterization of the very large NAD-dependent l-glutamate dehydrogenase from the psychrophile Janthinobacterium lividum, isolated from cold soil.

    PubMed

    Kawakami, Ryushi; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2007-08-01

    NAD-dependent l-glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH) activity was detected in cell extract from the psychrophile Janthinobacterium lividum UTB1302, which was isolated from cold soil and purified to homogeneity. The native enzyme (1,065 kDa, determined by gel filtration) is a homohexamer composed of 170-kDa subunits (determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis). Consistent with these findings, gene cloning and sequencing enabled deduction of the amino acid sequence of the subunit, which proved to be comprised of 1,575 amino acids with a combined molecular mass of 169,360 Da. The enzyme from this psychrophile thus appears to belong to the GDH family characterized by very large subunits, like those expressed by Streptomyces clavuligerus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (about 180 kDa). The entire amino acid sequence of the J. lividum enzyme showed about 40% identity with the sequences from S. clavuligerus and P. aeruginosa enzymes, but the central domains showed higher homology (about 65%). Within the central domain, the residues related to substrate and NAD binding were highly conserved, suggesting that this is the enzyme's catalytic domain. In the presence of NAD, but not in the presence of NADP, this GDH exclusively catalyzed the oxidative deamination of l-glutamate. The stereospecificity of the hydride transfer to NAD was pro-S, which is the same as that of the other known GDHs. Surprisingly, NAD-GDH activity was markedly enhanced by the addition of various amino acids, such as l-aspartate (1,735%) and l-arginine (936%), which strongly suggests that the N- and/or C-terminal domains play regulatory roles and are involved in the activation of the enzyme by these amino acids.

  1. Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase protects macrophages from LPS-induced nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species.

    PubMed

    Maeng, Oky; Kim, Yong Chan; Shin, Han-Jae; Lee, Jie-Oh; Huh, Tae-Lin; Kang, Kwang-il; Kim, Young Sang; Paik, Sang-Gi; Lee, Hayyoung

    2004-04-30

    Macrophages activated by microbial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) produce bursts of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Redox protection systems are essential for the survival of the macrophages since the nitric oxide and ROS can be toxic to them as well as to pathogens. Using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) we found that cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) is strongly upregulated by nitric oxide in macrophages. The levels of IDPc mRNA and of the corresponding enzymatic activity were markedly increased by treatment of RAW264.7 cells or peritoneal macrophages with LPS or SNAP (a nitric oxide donor). Over-expression of IDPc reduced intracellular peroxide levels and enhanced the survival of H2O2- and SNAP-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. IDPc is known to generate NADPH, a cellular reducing agent, via oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate. The expression of enzymes implicated in redox protection, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, was relatively unaffected by LPS and SNAP. We propose that the induction of IDPc is one of the main self-protection mechanisms of macrophages against LPS-induced oxidative stress.

  2. Energetic aspects of the light activation of two chloroplast enzymes: fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and NADP-malate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Miginiac-Maslow, M; Jacquot, J P; Droux, M

    1985-09-01

    The light energy requirements for photoactivation of two chloroplast enzymes: fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and NADP-malate dehydrogenase were studied in a reconstituted chloroplast system. This system comprised isolated pea thylakoids, ferredoxin (Fd), ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase (FTR) thioredoxinm and f (Tdm, Tdf) and the photoactivatable enzyme. Light-saturation curves of the photoactivation process were established with once washed thylakoids which did not require the addition of Td for light activation. They exhibited a plateau at 10 W·m(-2) under nitrogen and 50 W·m(-2) under air, while NADP photoreduction was saturated at 240 W·m(-2). Cyclic and pseudocyclic phosphorylations saturated at identical levels as enzyme photoactivations. All these observations suggested that the shift of the light saturation plateau towards higher values under air was due to competing oxygen-dependent reactions. With twice washed thylakoids, which required Td for enzyme light-activation, photophosphorylation was stimulated under N2 by the addition of the components of the photoactivation system. Its rate increased with increasing Td concentrations, just as did the enzyme photoactivation rate, while varying the target enzyme concentration had only a weak effect. Considering that Td concentrations were in a large excess over target enzyme concentrations, it may be assumed that the observed ATP synthesis was essentially dependent on the rate of Td reduction.Under air, Fd-dependent pseudo-cyclic photophosphorylation was not stimulated by the addition of the other enzyme photoactivation components, suggesting that an important site of action of O2 was located at the level of Fd.

  3. Upregulation of cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase by hyperglycemia protects renal cells against oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Lee, Soh-Hyun; Ha, Sun-Ok; Koh, Ho-Jin; Kim, KilSoo; Jeon, Seon-Min; Choi, Myung-Sook; Kwon, Oh-Shin; Huh, Tae-Lin

    2010-02-28

    Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is widely recognized as a key mediator in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy, a complication of diabetes. We found that both expression and enzymatic activity of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) were upregulated in the renal cortexes of diabetic rats and mice. Similarly, IDPc was induced in murine renal proximal tubular OK cells by high hyperglycemia, while it was abrogated by co-treatment with the antioxidant N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC). In OK cells, increased expression of IDPc by stable transfection prevented hyperglycemia-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, subsequent cellular oxidative stress and extracellular matrix accumulation, whereas these processes were all stimulated by decreased IDPc expression. In addition, production of NADPH and GSH in the cytosol was positively correlated with the expression level of IDPc in OK cells. These results together indicate that upregulation of IDPc in response to hyperglycemia might play an essential role in preventing the progression of diabetic nephropathy, which is accompanied by ROS-induced cellular damage and fibrosis, by providing NADPH, the reducing equivalent needed for recycling reduced glutathione and low molecular weight antioxidant thiol proteins.

  4. [Effect of univalent cations on the glutamate dehydrogenase of chlorella].

    PubMed

    Shatilov, V R; Kasparova, M A; Kretovich, V L

    1976-09-01

    Effect of univalent cations (Li+, K+, Na+ and Cs+) on the activity and some kinetic properties of the constitutive and the inducible glutamate dehydrogenases (GDH) of Chlorella pyrenoidosa Pringsheim 82T has been studied. All the cations used activate the inducible GDH and produced no such effect on the constitutive GDH. From the analysis of the kinetic behaviour in the presence of K+ the conclusion was made that K+ promotes and stabilyzes a catalitically advantagenous conformation of the inducible GDH. This phenomenon appears to have a physiological meaning, because of a higher K+ concentration in Chlorella cells (about 0.1 M) and its important role in metabolism.

  5. Isolation and characterization of two cDNA clones encoding for glutamate dehydrogenase in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

    PubMed

    Ficarelli, A; Tassi, F; Restivo, F M

    1999-03-01

    We have isolated two full length cDNA clones encoding Nicotiana plumbaginifolia NADH-glutamate dehydrogenase. Both clones share amino acid boxes of homology corresponding to conserved GDH catalytic domains and putative mitochondrial targeting sequence. One clone shows a putative EF-hand loop. The level of the two transcripts is affected differently by carbon source.

  6. Substrate specific effects of calcium on metabolism of rat heart mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Panov, A V; Scaduto, R C

    1996-04-01

    Oxidative metabolism in the heart is tightly coupled to mechanical work. Because this coupling process is believed to involve Ca2+, the roles of mitochondrial Ca2+ in the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation was studied in isolated rat heart mitochondria. The electrical component of the mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi) and the redox state of the pyridine nucleotides were determined during the oxidation of various substrates under different metabolic states. In the absence of added adenine nucleotides, the NADP+ redox couple was almost completely reduced, regardless of the specific substrate and the presence of Ca2+, whereas NAD+ couple redox state was highly dependent on the substrate type and the presence of Ca2+. Titration of respiration with ADP, in the presence of excess hexokinase and glucose, showed that both respiration and NAD(P)+ reduction were very sensitive to ADP. The maximal enzyme reaction rate of ADP-stimulated respiration Michaelis constants (Km) for ADP were dependent on the particular substrate employed. delta psi was much less sensitive to ADP. With either alpha-ketoglutarate or glutamate as substrate, Ca2+ significantly increased reduction of NAD(P)+.Ca2+ did not influence NAD(P)+ reduction with either acetylcarnitine or pyruvate as substrate. In the presence of ADP, delta psi was increased by Ca2+ at all metabolic states with glutamate plus malate, 0.5 mM alpha-ketoglutarate plus malate, or pyruvate plus malate as substrates. The data presented support the hypothesis that cardiac respiration is controlled by the availability of both Ca2+ and ADP to mitochondria. The data indicate that an increase in substrate supply to mitochondria can increase mitochondrial respiration at given level of ADP. This effect can be produced by Ca2+ with substrates such as glutamate, which utilize alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity for oxidation. Increases in respiration by Ca2+ may mitigate an increase in ADP during periods of increased

  7. A de novo NADPH generation pathway for improving lysine production of Corynebacterium glutamicum by rational design of the coenzyme specificity of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Bommareddy, Rajesh Reddy; Chen, Zhen; Rappert, Sugima; Zeng, An-Ping

    2014-09-01

    Engineering the cofactor availability is a common strategy of metabolic engineering to improve the production of many industrially important compounds. In this work, a de novo NADPH generation pathway is proposed by altering the coenzyme specificity of a native NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) to NADP, which consequently has the potential to produce additional NADPH in the glycolytic pathway. Specifically, the coenzyme specificity of GAPDH of Corynebacterium glutamicum is systematically manipulated by rational protein design and the effect of the manipulation for cellular metabolism and lysine production is evaluated. By a combinatorial modification of four key residues within the coenzyme binding sites, different GAPDH mutants with varied coenzyme specificity were constructed. While increasing the catalytic efficiency of GAPDH towards NADP enhanced lysine production in all of the tested mutants, the most significant improvement of lysine production (~60%) was achieved with the mutant showing similar preference towards both NAD and NADP. Metabolic flux analysis with (13)C isotope studies confirmed that there was no significant change of flux towards the pentose phosphate pathway and the increased lysine yield was mainly attributed to the NADPH generated by the mutated GAPDH. The present study highlights the importance of protein engineering as a key strategy in de novo pathway design and overproduction of desired products. Copyright © 2014 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Intracellular NADPH Levels Affect the Oligomeric State of the Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Tramonti, Angela; Lanini, Claudio; Cialfi, Samantha; De Biase, Daniela; Falcone, Claudio

    2012-01-01

    In the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is detected as two differently migrating forms on native polyacrylamide gels. The pivotal metabolic role of G6PDH in K. lactis led us to investigate the mechanism controlling the two activities in respiratory and fermentative mutant strains. An extensive analysis of these mutants showed that the NAD+(H)/NADP+(H)-dependent cytosolic alcohol (ADH) and aldehyde (ALD) dehydrogenase balance affects the expression of the G6PDH activity pattern. Under fermentative/ethanol growth conditions, the concomitant activation of ADH and ALD activities led to cytosolic accumulation of NADPH, triggering an alteration in the oligomeric state of the G6PDH caused by displacement/release of the structural NADP+ bound to each subunit of the enzyme. The new oligomeric G6PDH form with faster-migrating properties increases as a consequence of intracellular redox unbalance/NADPH accumulation, which inhibits G6PDH activity in vivo. The appearance of a new G6PDH-specific activity band, following incubation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and human cellular extracts with NADP+, also suggests that a regulatory mechanism of this activity through NADPH accumulation is highly conserved among eukaryotes. PMID:23064253

  9. Expression and kinetic properties of a recombinant 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase isoenzyme of human liver.

    PubMed

    Deyashiki, Y; Tamada, Y; Miyabe, Y; Nakanishi, M; Matsuura, K; Hara, A

    1995-08-01

    Human liver cytosol contains multiple forms of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and dihydrodiol dehydrogenase with hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, and multiple cDNAs for the enzymes have been cloned from human liver cDNA libraries. To understand the relationship of the multiple enzyme froms to the genes, a cDNA, which has been reported to code for an isoenzyme of human liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase, was expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme showed structural and functional properties almost identical to those of the isoenzyme purified from human liver. In addition, the recombinant isoenzyme efficiently reduced 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone and 5 beta-dihydrocortisone, the known substrates of human liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and chlordecone reductase previously purified, which suggests that these human liver enzymes are identical. Furthermore, the steady-state kinetic data for NADP(+)-linked (S)-1-indanol oxidation by the recombinant isoenzyme were consistent with a sequential ordered mechanism in which NADP+ binds first. Phenolphthalein inhibited this isoenzyme much more potently than it did the other human liver dihydrodiol dehydrogenases, and was a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 20 nM) that bound to the enzyme-NADP+ complex.

  10. Robust regulation of hepatic pericentral amination by glutamate dehydrogenase kinetics.

    PubMed

    Bera, Soumen; Lamba, Sanjay; Rashid, Mubasher; Sharma, Anuj K; Medvinsky, Alexander B; Acquisti, Claudia; Chakraborty, Amit; Li, Bai-Lian

    2016-11-07

    Impaired glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) sensitivity to its inhibitors causes excessive insulin secretion by pancreatic beta-cells and defective ammonia metabolism in the liver. These symptoms are commonly associated with hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome (HI/HA), which causes recurrent hypoglycaemia in early infancy. Hepatic localization of GDH amination and deamination activities linked with the urea cycle is known to be involved in ammonia metabolism and detoxification. Although deamination activities of hepatic GDH in the periportal zones of liver lobules and its connection to the urea cycle have been exhaustively investigated, physiological roles of GDH amination activity observed at pericentral zones have often been overlooked. Using kinetic modelling approaches, here we report a new role for hepatic GDH amination kinetics in maintaining ammonia homeostasis under an excess intrahepatocyte input of ammonium. We have shown that α-ketoglutarate substrate inhibition kinetics of GDH, which include both random and obligatory ordered association/dissociation reactions, robustly control the ratio between glutamate and ammonium under a wide range of intracellular substrate variation. Dysregulation of this activity under pericentral nitrogen insufficiency contributes to the breaking down of ammonia homeostasis and thereby can significantly affect HI/HA syndrome.

  11. Biosynthesis of Germacrene A Carboxylic Acid in Chicory Roots. Demonstration of a Cytochrome P450 (+)-Germacrene A Hydroxylase and NADP+-Dependent Sesquiterpenoid Dehydrogenase(s) Involved in Sesquiterpene Lactone Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    de Kraker, Jan-Willem; Franssen, Maurice C. R.; Dalm, Marcella C. F.; de Groot, Aede; Bouwmeester, Harro J.

    2001-01-01

    Sprouts of chicory (Cichorium intybus), a vegetable grown in the dark, have a slightly bitter taste associated with the presence of guaianolides, eudesmanolides, and germacranolides. The committed step in the biosynthesis of these compounds is catalyzed by a (+)-germacrene A synthase. Formation of the lactone ring is the postulated next step in biosynthesis of the germacrene-derived sesquiterpene lactones. The present study confirms this hypothesis by isolation of enzyme activities from chicory roots that introduce a carboxylic acid function in the germacrene A isopropenyl side chain, which is necessary for lactone ring formation. (+)-Germacrene A is hydroxylated to germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-ol by a cytochrome P450 enzyme, and is subsequently oxidized to germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid by NADP+-dependent dehydrogenase(s). Both oxidized germacrenes were detected as their Cope-rearrangement products elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-ol and elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid, respectively. The cyclization products of germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-ol, i.e. costol, were also observed. The (+)-germacrene A hydroxylase is inhibited by carbon monoxide (blue-light reversible), has an optimum pH at 8.0, and hydroxylates β-elemene with a modest degree of enantioselectivity. PMID:11299372

  12. Isocitrate protects DJ-1 null dopaminergic cells from oxidative stress through NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Eun Young; Kim, Hyunjin; Lee, Yoonjeong; Min, Boram; Son, Jin H.; Park, Hwan Tae; Chung, Jongkyeong

    2017-01-01

    DJ-1 is one of the causative genes for early onset familiar Parkinson’s disease (PD) and is also considered to influence the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. DJ-1 has various physiological functions which converge on controlling intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. In RNA-sequencing analyses searching for novel anti-oxidant genes downstream of DJ-1, a gene encoding NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), which converts isocitrate into α-ketoglutarate, was detected. Loss of IDH induced hyper-sensitivity to oxidative stress accompanying age-dependent mitochondrial defects and dopaminergic (DA) neuron degeneration in Drosophila, indicating its critical roles in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and DA neuron survival. Further genetic analysis suggested that DJ-1 controls IDH gene expression through nuclear factor-E2-related factor2 (Nrf2). Using Drosophila and mammalian DA models, we found that IDH suppresses intracellular and mitochondrial ROS level and subsequent DA neuron loss downstream of DJ-1. Consistently, trimethyl isocitrate (TIC), a cell permeable isocitrate, protected mammalian DJ-1 null DA cells from oxidative stress in an IDH-dependent manner. These results suggest that isocitrate and its derivatives are novel treatments for PD associated with DJ-1 dysfunction. PMID:28827794

  13. Modulation of brain glutamate dehydrogenase as a tool for controlling seizures.

    PubMed

    Rasgado, Lourdes A Vega; Reyes, Guillermo Ceballos; Díaz, Fernando Vega

    2015-12-01

    Glutamate (Glu) is a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in epilepsy. Glu is synthesized by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, E.C. 1.4.1.3) and dysfunction of the enzymatic activity of GDH is associated with brain pathologies. The main goal of this work is to establish the role of GDH in the effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) such as valproate (VALP), diazepam (DIAZ) and diphenylhydantoin (DPH) and its repercussions on oxygen consumption. Oxidative deamination of Glu and reductive amination of αketoglutarate (αK) in mice brain were investigated. Our results show that AEDs decrease GDH activity and oxygen consumption in vitro. In ex vivo experiments, AEDs increased GDH activity but decreased oxygen consumption during Glu oxidative deamination. VALP and DPH reversed the increase in reductive amination of αK caused by the chemoconvulsant pentylenetetrazol. These results suggest that AEDs act by modulating brain GDH activity, which in turn decreased oxygen consumption. GDH represents an important regulation point of neuronal excitability, and modulation of its activity represents a potential target for metabolic treatment of epilepsy and for the development of new AEDs.

  14. Filamentous invasive growth of mutants of the genes encoding ammonia-metabolizing enzymes in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

    PubMed

    Sasaki, Yoshie; Kojima, Ayumi; Shibata, Yuriko; Mitsuzawa, Hiroshi

    2017-01-01

    The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe undergoes a switch from yeast to filamentous invasive growth in response to certain environmental stimuli. Among them is ammonium limitation. Amt1, one of the three ammonium transporters in this yeast, is required for the ammonium limitation-induced morphological transition; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be understood. Cells lacking Amt1 became capable of invasive growth upon increasing concentrations of ammonium in the medium, suggesting that the ammonium taken up into the cell or a metabolic intermediate in ammonium assimilation might serve as a signal for the ammonium limitation-induced morphological transition. To investigate the possible role of ammonium-metabolizing enzymes in the signaling process, deletion mutants were constructed for the gdh1, gdh2, gln1, and glt1 genes, which were demonstrated by enzyme assays to encode NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase, NAD-specific glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthase, respectively. Growth tests on various nitrogen sources revealed that a gln1Δ mutant was a glutamine auxotroph and that a gdh1Δ mutant had a defect in growth on ammonium, particularly at high concentrations. The latter observation indicates that the NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase of S. pombe plays a major role in ammonium assimilation under high ammonium concentrations. Invasive growth assays showed that gdh1Δ and glt1Δ mutants underwent invasive growth to a lesser extent than did wild-type strains. Increasing the ammonium concentration in the medium suppressed the invasive growth defect of the glt1Δ mutant, but not the gdh1Δ mutant. These results suggest that the nitrogen status of the cell is important in the induction of filamentous invasive growth in S. pombe.

  15. The Role of Glutamine Synthetase and Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Cerebral Ammonia Homeostasis

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Arthur J. L.

    2012-01-01

    In the brain, glutamine synthetase (GS), which is located predominantly in astrocytes, is largely responsible for the removal of both blood-derived and metabolically generated ammonia. Thus, studies with [13N]ammonia have shown that about 25% of blood-derived ammonia is removed in a single pass through the rat brain and that this ammonia is incorporated primarily into glutamine (amide) in astrocytes. Major pathways for cerebral ammonia generation include the glutaminase reaction and the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) reaction. The equilibrium position of the GDH-catalyzed reaction in vitro favors reductive amination of α-ketoglutarate at pH 7.4. Nevertheless, only a small amount of label derived from [13N]ammonia in rat brain is incorporated into glutamate and the α-amine of glutamine in vivo. Most likely the cerebral GDH reaction is drawn normally in the direction of glutamate oxidation (ammonia production) by rapid removal of ammonia as glutamine. Linkage of glutamate/α-ketoglutarate-utilizing aminotransferases with the GDH reaction channels excess amino acid nitrogen toward ammonia for glutamine synthesis. At high ammonia levels and/or when GS is inhibited the GDH reaction coupled with glutamate/α-ketoglutarate-linked aminotransferases may, however, promote the flow of ammonia nitrogen toward synthesis of amino acids. Preliminary evidence suggests an important role for the purine nucleotide cycle (PNC) as an additional source of ammonia in neurons (Net reaction: L-Aspartate + GTP + H2O → Fumarate + GDP + Pi + NH3) and in the beat cycle of ependyma cilia. The link of the PNC to aminotransferases and GDH/GS and its role in cerebral nitrogen metabolism under both normal and pathological (e.g. hyperammonemic encephalopathy) conditions should be a productive area for future research. PMID:22618691

  16. Novel Xylose Dehydrogenase in the Halophilic Archaeon Haloarcula marismortui†

    PubMed Central

    Johnsen, Ulrike; Schönheit, Peter

    2004-01-01

    During growth of the halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui on d-xylose, a specific d-xylose dehydrogenase was induced. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity. It constitutes a homotetramer of about 175 kDa and catalyzed the oxidation of xylose with both NADP+ and NAD+ as cosubstrates with 10-fold higher affinity for NADP+. In addition to d-xylose, d-ribose was oxidized at similar kinetic constants, whereas d-glucose was used with about 70-fold lower catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km). With the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the subunit, an open reading frame (ORF)—coding for a 39.9-kDA protein—was identified in the partially sequenced genome of H. marismortui. The function of the ORF as the gene designated xdh and coding for xylose dehydrogenase was proven by its functional overexpression in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme was reactivated from inclusion bodies following solubilization in urea and refolding in the presence of salts, reduced and oxidized glutathione, and substrates. Xylose dehydrogenase showed the highest sequence similarity to glucose-fructose oxidoreductase from Zymomonas mobilis and other putative bacterial and archaeal oxidoreductases. Activities of xylose isomerase and xylulose kinase, the initial reactions of xylose catabolism of most bacteria, could not be detected in xylose-grown cells of H. marismortui, and the genes that encode them, xylA and xylB, were not found in the genome of H. marismortui. Thus, we propose that this first characterized archaeal xylose dehydrogenase catalyzes the initial step in xylose degradation by H. marismortui. PMID:15342590

  17. Leukocyte glutamate dehydrogenase activity in patients with degenerative neurological disorders.

    PubMed Central

    Aubby, D; Saggu, H K; Jenner, P; Quinn, N P; Harding, A E; Marsden, C D

    1988-01-01

    Leukocyte glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity was measured in 39 normal subjects, 32 neurological controls, 66 patients with progressive ataxic disorders, 32 with multiple system atrophy, 40 with Parkinson's disease, eight with Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome, eight with juvenile Parkinsonism and four with the dystonia-Parkinsonism syndrome. GDH activity was reproducible to within 10% in leukocyte pellets stored at -70 degrees C for up to 9 months, and did not vary with sex or age in control subjects. There was marked variation in the relative proportions of heat stable and heat labile forms of GDH between control subjects and on repeated assay in the same subject. Total leukocyte GDH activity was similar in normal subjects and neurological controls. Mean total GDH activity was reduced in all patient groups by between 15 to 29% compared with controls. Fourteen patients had total GDH activity below 50% of the control mean, but low values were not specific for any one disease (five had ataxic disorders, four Parkinson's disease, three multiple system atrophy, one juvenile Parkinsonism, and one dystonia-Parkinsonism). The heat labile fraction of GDH represented about 20% of total activity in control subjects, and 27% in the patients with reduced total GDH activity. Thus low GDH activity was not disease-specific in this study, and the heat-labile GDH fraction was not selectively affected. "Reduced" leucocyte GDH activity in some patients may represent no more than the lower end of a normal distribution. PMID:3204397

  18. Broadening the cofactor specificity of a thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase using rational protein design introduces novel kinetic transient behavior.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Elliot; Wheeldon, Ian R; Banta, Scott

    2010-12-01

    Cofactor specificity in the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) superfamily has been well studied, and several groups have reported the rational alteration of cofactor specificity in these enzymes. Although most efforts have focused on mesostable AKRs, several putative AKRs have recently been identified from hyperthermophiles. The few that have been characterized exhibit a strong preference for NAD(H) as a cofactor, in contrast to the NADP(H) preference of the mesophilic AKRs. Using the design rules elucidated from mesostable AKRs, we introduced two site-directed mutations in the cofactor binding pocket to investigate cofactor specificity in a thermostable AKR, AdhD, which is an alcohol dehydrogenase from Pyrococcus furiosus. The resulting double mutant exhibited significantly improved activity and broadened cofactor specificity as compared to the wild-type. Results of previous pre-steady-state kinetic experiments suggest that the high affinity of the mesostable AKRs for NADP(H) stems from a conformational change upon cofactor binding which is mediated by interactions between a canonical arginine and the 2'-phosphate of the cofactor. Pre-steady-state kinetics with AdhD and the new mutants show a rich conformational behavior that is independent of the canonical arginine or the 2'-phosphate. Additionally, experiments with the highly active double mutant using NADPH as a cofactor demonstrate an unprecedented transient behavior where the binding mechanism appears to be dependent on cofactor concentration. These results suggest that the structural features involved in cofactor specificity in the AKRs are conserved within the superfamily, but the dynamic interactions of the enzyme with cofactors are unexpectedly complex. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Fecal hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities in vegetarian Seventh-Day Adventists, control subjects, and bowel cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Macdonald, I A; Webb, G R; Mahony, D E

    1978-10-01

    Cell-free extracts were prepared from mixed fecal anaerobic bacteria grown from stools of 14 vegetarian Seventh-Day Adventists, 16 omnivorous control subjects, and eight patients recently diagnosed with cancer of the large bowel. Preparations were assayed for NAD- and NADP-dependent 3alpha-, 7alpha- and 12alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases with bile salts and androsterone as substrates (eight substrate-cofactor combinations were tested). A significant intergroup difference was observed in the amounts of NAD- and NADP-dependent 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase produced: bowel cancer patients exceeded controls, and controls exceeded Seventh-Day Adventists. Other enzyme activity comparisons were not significant. The pH values of the stools were significantly higher in cancer patients compared to Seventh-Day Adventists; values were 7.03 +/- 0.60 and 6.46 +/- 0.58 respectively. The pH value for controls was 6.66 +/- 0.62. A plot of pH value versus NADP-dependent 7alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase tended to separate the cancer patients from the other groups. Comparative data suggest that much of the 3alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase active against bile salt is also active against androsterone.

  20. Silencing of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase by small interfering RNA enhances the sensitivity of HeLa cells toward staurosporine.

    PubMed

    Lee, Su-Min; Park, Sin Young; Shin, Seoung Woo; Kil, In Sup; Yang, Eun Sun; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2009-02-01

    Staurosporine induces the production of reactive oxygen species, which play an important causative role in apoptotic cell death. Recently, it was demonstrated that the control of cellular redox balance and the defense against oxidative damage is one of the primary functions of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) by supplying NADPH for antioxidant systems. The present report shows that silencing of IDPc expression in HeLa cells greatly enhances apoptosis induced by staurosporine. Transfection of HeLa cells with an IDPc small interfering RNA (siRNA) markedly decreased activity of IDPc, enhancing the susceptibility of staurosporine-induced apoptosis reflected by DNA fragmentation, cellular redox status and the modulation of apoptotic marker proteins. These results indicate that IDPc may play an important role in regulating the apoptosis induced by staurosporine and the sensitizing effect of IDPc siRNA on the apoptotic cell death of HeLa cells offers the possibility of developing a modifier of cancer chemotherapy.

  1. Prospects for robust biocatalysis: engineering of novel specificity in a halophilic amino acid dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Munawar, Nayla; Engel, Paul C

    2013-01-01

    Heat- and solvent-tolerant enzymes from halophiles, potentially important industrially, offer a robust framework for protein engineering, but few solved halophilic structures exist to guide this. Homology modelling has guided mutations in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from Halobacterium salinarum to emulate conversion of a mesophilic GDH to a methionine dehydrogenase. Replacement of K89, A163 and S367 by leucine, glycine and alanine converted halophilic GDH into a dehydrogenase accepting L-methionine, L-norleucine and L-norvaline as substrates. Over-expression in the halophilic expression host Haloferax volcanii and three-step purification gave ~98 % pure protein exhibiting maximum activity at pH 10. This enzyme also showed enhanced thermostability and organic solvent tolerance even at 70 °C, offering a biocatalyst resistant to harsh industrial environments. To our knowledge, this is the first reported amino acid specificity change engineered in a halophilic enzyme, encouraging use of mesophilic models to guide engineering of novel halophilic biocatalysts for industrial application. Calibrated gel filtration experiments show that both the mutant and the wild-type enzyme are stable hexamers.

  2. Human NRDRB1, an alternatively spliced isoform of NADP(H)-dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase enhanced enzymatic activity of benzil.

    PubMed

    Yan, Yinxia; Song, Xuhong; Liu, Gefei; Su, Zhongjing; Du, Yongming; Sui, Xuxia; Chang, Xiaolan; Huang, Dongyang

    2012-01-01

    Human NRDRB1, a 226 amino acid alternatively spliced isoform of the NADP(H)- dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase (NRDR), lacks the complete coding region of exon 3, but preserves all the important functional motifs for NRDR catalytic activity. Nevertheless, its tissue distribution and physiological function remain to be elucidated. Expression of NRDRB1 and NRDR in cells and tissues was analyzed by semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot. NRDRB1 was expressed as a His(6) fusion protein and subjected to kinetics assays. Recombinant NRDRB1 had 1.2 to 8.6 fold higher k(cat)/K(m) values than recombinant NRDR, depending on the substrate. NRDRB1 catalyzed the NADPH-dependent reduction of α-dicarbonyl compounds, such as isatin, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, and especially benzil. The significantly high catalytic activity and the relatively high expression in human liver of NRDRB1 conferred cellular resistance to benzil-induced cell toxicity and over-expression of NRDRB1 in low expressing Ec109 cells significantly enhanced cell tolerance toward benzil. Based on its substrate specificity, catalytic activity and relatively high expression in human liver tissue, our results suggest that NRDRB1, an alternatively spliced isoform of NRDR in vivo functions better than NRDR as a dicarbonyl reductase for xenobiotics containing reactive carbonyls. Our study is the first reporting this phenomenon of the enzymes involved in biochemical reactions. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. 17Beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) in scleractinian corals and zooxanthellae.

    PubMed

    Blomquist, Charles H; Lima, P H; Tarrant, A M; Atkinson, M J; Atkinson, S

    2006-04-01

    Steroid metabolism studies have yielded evidence of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17beta-HSD) activity in corals. This project was undertaken to clarify whether there are multiple isoforms of 17beta-HSD, whether activity levels vary seasonally, and if zooxanthellae contribute to activity. 17Beta-HSD activity was characterized in zooxanthellate and azooxanthellate coral fragments collected in summer and winter and in zooxanthellae cultured from Montipora capitata. More specifically, 17beta-HSD activity was characterized with regard to steroid substrate and inhibitor specificity, coenzyme specificity, and Michaelis constants for estradiol (E2) and NADP+. Six samples each of M. capitata and Tubastrea coccinea (three summers, three winters) were assayed with E2 and NADP+. Specific activity levels (pmol/mg protein) varied 10-fold among M. capitata samples and 6-fold among T. coccinea samples. There was overlap of activity levels between summer and winter samples. NADP+/NAD+ activity ratios varied from 1.6 to 22.2 for M. capatita, 2.3 to 3.8 for T. coccinea and 0.7 to 1.1 for zooxanthellae. Coumestrol was the most inhibitory of the steroids and phytoestrogens tested. Our data confirm that corals and zooxanthellae contain 17beta-HSD and are consistent with the presence of more than one isoform of the enzyme.

  4. RNA interference targeting cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase exerts anti-obesity effect in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Nam, Woo Suk; Park, Kwon Moo; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2012-08-01

    A metabolic abnormality in lipid biosynthesis is frequently associated with obesity and hyperlipidemia. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase (NADPH) is an essential reducing equivalent for numerous enzymes required in fat and cholesterol biosynthesis. Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) has been proposed as a key enzyme for supplying cytosolic NADPH. We report here that knockdown of IDPc expression by Ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference (RNAi) inhibited adipocyte differentiation and lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and mice. Attenuated IDPc expression by IDPc small interfering RNA (siRNA) resulted in a reduction of differentiation and triglyceride level and adipogenic protein expression as well as suppression of glucose uptake in cultured adipocytes. In addition, the attenuation of Nox activity and Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation accompanied with knockdown of IDPc was associated with inhibition of adipogenesis and lipogenesis. The loss of body weight and the reduction of triglyceride level were also observed in diet-induced obese mice transduced with IDPc short-hairpin (shRNA). Taken together, the inhibiting effect of RNAi targeting IDPc on adipogenesis and lipid biosynthesis is considered to be of therapeutic value in the treatment and prevention of obesity and obesity-associated metabolic syndrome. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Structural and kinetic basis for substrate selectivity in Populus tremuloides sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Bomati, Erin K; Noel, Joseph P

    2005-05-01

    We describe the three-dimensional structure of sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SAD) from Populus tremuloides (aspen), a member of the NADP(H)-dependent dehydrogenase family that catalyzes the last reductive step in the formation of monolignols. The active site topology revealed by the crystal structure substantiates kinetic results indicating that SAD maintains highest specificity for the substrate sinapaldehyde. We also report substantial substrate inhibition kinetics for the SAD-catalyzed reduction of hydroxycinnamaldehydes. Although SAD and classical cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases (CADs) catalyze the same reaction and share some sequence identity, the active site topology of SAD is strikingly different from that predicted for classical CADs. Kinetic analyses of wild-type SAD and several active site mutants demonstrate the complexity of defining determinants of substrate specificity in these enzymes. These results, along with a phylogenetic analysis, support the inclusion of SAD in a plant alcohol dehydrogenase subfamily that includes cinnamaldehyde and benzaldehyde dehydrogenases. We used the SAD three-dimensional structure to model several of these SAD-like enzymes, and although their active site topologies largely mirror that of SAD, we describe a correlation between substrate specificity and amino acid substitution patterns in their active sites. The SAD structure thus provides a framework for understanding substrate specificity in this family of enzymes and for engineering new enzyme specificities.

  6. A novel NADP(+)-dependent dehydrogenase activity for 7alpha/beta- and 11beta-hydroxysteroids in human liver nuclei: A third 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Robinzon, B; Prough, R A

    2009-06-15

    Human tissue from uninvolved liver of cancer patients was fractionated using differential centrifugation and characterized for 11betaHSD enzyme activity against corticosterone, dehydrocorticosterone, 7alpha- and 7beta-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone, and 7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone. An enzyme activity was observed in nuclear protein fractions that utilized either NADP(+) or NAD(+), but not NADPH and NADH, as pyridine nucleotide cofactor with K(m) values of 12+/-2 and 390+/-2microM, compared to the K(m) for microsomal 11betaHSD1 of 43+/-8 and 264+/-24microM, respectively. The K(m) for corticosterone in the NADP(+)-dependent nuclear oxidation reaction was 102+/-16nM, compared to 4.3+/-0.8microM for 11betaHSD1. The K(cat) values for nuclear activity with NADP(+) was 1687nmol/min/mg/micromol, compared to 755nmol/min/mg/micromol for microsomal 11betaHSD1 activity. Inhibitors of 11betaHSD1 decreased both nuclear and microsomal enzyme activities, suggesting that the nuclear activity may be due to an enzyme similar to 11betaHSD Type 1 and 2.

  7. Metabolic recycling of ammonia via glutamate dehydrogenase supports breast cancer biomass

    PubMed Central

    Spinelli, Jessica B.; Yoon, Haejin; Ringel, Alison E.; Jeanfavre, Sarah; Clish, Clary B.; Haigis, Marcia C.

    2017-01-01

    Ammonia is a ubiquitous by-product of cellular metabolism, however the biological consequences of ammonia production are not fully understood, especially in cancer. We find that ammonia is not merely a toxic waste product, but is recycled into central amino acid metabolism to maximize nitrogen utilization. Cancer cells primarily assimilated ammonia through reductive amination catalyzed by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and secondary reactions enabled other amino acids, such as proline and aspartate, to directly acquire this nitrogen. Metabolic recycling of ammonia accelerated proliferation of breast cancer. In mice, ammonia accumulated in the tumor microenvironment, and was used directly to generate amino acids through GDH activity. These data show that ammonia not only is a secreted waste product, but a fundamental nitrogen source that can support tumor biomass. PMID:29025995

  8. Production of gamma-aminobutyric acid from glucose by introduction of synthetic scaffolds between isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate synthase and glutamate decarboxylase in recombinant Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Pham, Van Dung; Lee, Seung Hwan; Park, Si Jae; Hong, Soon Ho

    2015-08-10

    Escherichia coli were engineered for the direct production of gamma-aminobutyric acid from glucose by introduction of synthetic protein scaffold. In this study, three enzymes consisting GABA pathway (isocitrate dehydrogenase, glutamate synthase and glutamate decarboxylase) were connected via synthetic protein scaffold. By introduction of scaffold, 0.92g/L of GABA was produced from 10g/L of glucose while no GABA was produced in wild type E. coli. The optimum pH and temperature for GABA production were 4.5 and 30°C, respectively. When competing metabolic network was inactivated by knockout mutation, maximum GABA concentration of 1.3g/L was obtained from 10g/L glucose. The recombinant E. coli strain which produces GABA directly from glucose was successfully constructed by introduction of protein scaffold. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. High-level exogenous glutamic acid-independent production of poly-(γ-glutamic acid) with organic acid addition in a new isolated Bacillus subtilis C10.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huili; Zhu, Jianzhong; Zhu, Xiangcheng; Cai, Jin; Zhang, Anyi; Hong, Yizhi; Huang, Jin; Huang, Lei; Xu, Zhinan

    2012-07-01

    A new exogenous glutamic acid-independent γ-PGA producing strain was isolated and characterized as Bacillus subtilis C10. The factors influencing the endogenous glutamic acid supply and the biosynthesis of γ-PGA in this strain were investigated. The results indicated that citric acid and oxalic acid showed the significant capability to support the overproduction of γ-PGA. This stimulated increase of γ-PGA biosynthesis by citric acid or oxalic acid was further proved in the 10 L fermentor. To understand the possible mechanism contributing to the improved γ-PGA production, the activities of four key intracellular enzymes were measured, and the possible carbon fluxes were proposed. The result indicated that the enhanced level of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity caused by oxalic acid was important for glutamic acid synthesized de novo from glucose. Moreover, isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) were the positive regulators of glutamic acid biosynthesis, while 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (ODHC) was the negative one. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A Novel NADP+- Dependent Dehydrogenase Activity for 7 α/β and 11 β-hydroxysteroids in human liver nuclei: A Third 11 β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Robinzon, B.; Prough, R.A.

    2009-01-01

    Human tissue from uninvolved liver of cancer patients was fractionated using differential centrifugation and characterized for 11βHSD enzyme activity against corticosterone, dehydrocorticosterone, 7α and 7β-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone, and 7-oxodehydroepiandrosterone. An enzyme activity was observed in nuclear protein fractions that utilized either NADP+ or NAD+, but not NADPH and NADH, as pyridine nucleotide cofactor with Km values of 12 ± 2 and 390 ± 2 μM, compared to the Km for microsomal 11βHSD1 of 43 ± 8 and 264 ± 24 μM, respectively. The Km for corticosterone in the NADP+-dependent nuclear oxidation reaction was 102 ± 16 nM, compared to 4.3 ± 0.8 μM for 11βHSD1. The Kcat values for nuclear activity with NADP+ was 1,687 nmol/min/mg/μmol, compared to 755 nmol/min/mg/μmol for microsomal 11βHSD1 activity. Inhibitors of 11βHSD1 decreased both nuclear and microsomal enzyme activities, suggesting that the nuclear activity may be due to an enzyme similar to 11βHSD Type 1 and 2. PMID:19416720

  11. Activation of human liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase by sulphobromophthalein.

    PubMed Central

    Matsuura, K; Tamada, Y; Deyashiki, Y; Miyabe, Y; Nakanishi, M; Ohya, I; Hara, A

    1996-01-01

    Human liver contains at least two isoenzymes (DD2 and DD4) of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase. The NADP(H)-linked oxidoreductase activities of DD4 were activated more than 4-fold by sulphobromophthalein at concentrations above 20 microM and under physiological pH conditions. Sulphobromophthalein did not stimulate the activities of DD2 and human liver aldehyde reductase, which are functionally and/or structurally related to DD4. No stimulatory effect on the activity of DD4 was observed with other organic anions such as Indocyanine Green, haematin and Rose Bengal. The binding of sulphobromophthalein to DD4 was instantaneous and reversible, and was detected by fluorescence and ultrafiltration assays. The activation by sulphobromophthalein decreased the activation energy in the dehydrogenation reaction for the enzyme, and increased both kcat, and Km values for the coenzymes and substrates. Kinetic analyses with respect to concentrations of NADP+ and (S)-(+)-indan-1-ol indicated that sulphobromophthalein was a non-essential activator of mixed type showing a dissociation constant of 2.6 microM. Thus, the human 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoenzyme has a binding site specific to sulphobromophthalein, and the hepatic metabolism mediated by this isoenzyme may be influenced when this drug is administered. PMID:8546681

  12. Role of mannitol dehydrogenases in osmoprotection of Gluconobacter oxydans.

    PubMed

    Zahid, Nageena; Deppenmeier, Uwe

    2016-12-01

    Gluconobacter (G.) oxydans is able to incompletely oxidize various sugars and polyols for the production of biotechnologically important compound. Recently, we have shown that the organism produces and accumulates mannitol as compatible solute under osmotic stress conditions. The present study describes the role of two cytoplasmic mannitol dehydrogenases for osmotolerance of G. oxydans. It was shown that Gox1432 is a NADP + -dependent mannitol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.138), while Gox0849 uses NAD + as cofactor (EC 1.1.1.67). The corresponding genes were deleted and the mutants were analyzed for growth under osmotic stress and non-stress conditions. A severe growth defect was detected for Δgox1432 when grown in high osmotic media, while the deletion of gox0849 had no effect when cells were exposed to 450 mM sucrose in the medium. Furthermore, the intracellular mannitol content was reduced in the mutant lacking the NADP + -dependent enzyme Gox1432 in comparison to the parental strain and the Δgox0849 mutant under stress conditions. In addition, transcriptional analysis revealed that Gox1432 is more important for mannitol production in G. oxydans than Gox0849 as the transcript abundance of gene gox1432 was 30-fold higher than of gox0849. In accordance, the activity of the NADH-dependent enzyme Gox0849 in the cell cytoplasm was 10-fold lower in comparison to the NADPH-dependent mannitol dehydrogenase Gox1432. Overexpression of gox1432 in the corresponding deletion mutant restored growth of the cells under osmotic stress, further strengthening the importance of the NADP + -dependent mannitol dehydrogenase for osmotolerance in G. oxydans. These findings provide detailed insights into the molecular mechanism of mannitol-mediated osmoprotection in G. oxydans and are helpful engineering strains with improved osmotolerance for biotechnological applications.

  13. Oxalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase, enhances lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative damage in U937 cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Joon-Hyuck; Park, Jeen-Woo

    2003-08-01

    Membrane lipid peroxidation processes yield products that may react with DNA and proteins to cause oxidative modifications. Cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) in U937 cells produces NADPH, an essential reducing equivalent for the antioxidant system. The protective role of ICDH against lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative damage in U937 cells was investigated in control cells pre-treated with oxalomalate, a competitive inhibitor of ICDH. Upon exposure to 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) hydrochloride (AAPH) to U937 cells, which induces lipid peroxidation in membranes, the viability was lower and the protein oxidation, lipid peroxidation, and oxidative DNA damage, reflected by an increase in 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, were higher in oxalomalate-treated cells as compared to control cells. We also observed the significant increase in the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species, as measured by the oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescin, as well as the significant decrease in the intracellular GSH level in oxalomalate-treated U937 cells upon exposure to AAPH. These results suggest that ICDH plays an important role as an antioxidant enzyme in cellular defense against lipid peroxidation-mediated oxidative damage through the removal of reactive oxygen species.

  14. The unique kinetic behavior of the very large NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase from Janthinobacterium lividum.

    PubMed

    Kawakami, Ryushi; Oyama, Masaki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2010-01-01

    The kinetics of a very large NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase from Janthinobacterium lividum showed positive cooperativity toward alpha-ketoglutarate and NADH, and the Michaelis-Menten type toward ammonium chloride in the absence of the catalytic activator, L-aspartate. An increase in the maximum activity accompanied the decrease in the S(0.5) values for alpha-ketoglutarate and NADH with the addition of L-aspartate, and the kinetic response for alpha-ketoglutarate changed completely to a typical Michaelis-Menten type in the presence of 10 mM L-aspartate.

  15. Metabolic recycling of ammonia via glutamate dehydrogenase supports breast cancer biomass.

    PubMed

    Spinelli, Jessica B; Yoon, Haejin; Ringel, Alison E; Jeanfavre, Sarah; Clish, Clary B; Haigis, Marcia C

    2017-11-17

    Ammonia is a ubiquitous by-product of cellular metabolism; however, the biological consequences of ammonia production are not fully understood, especially in cancer. We found that ammonia is not merely a toxic waste product but is recycled into central amino acid metabolism to maximize nitrogen utilization. In our experiments, human breast cancer cells primarily assimilated ammonia through reductive amination catalyzed by glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH); secondary reactions enabled other amino acids, such as proline and aspartate, to directly acquire this nitrogen. Metabolic recycling of ammonia accelerated proliferation of breast cancer. In mice, ammonia accumulated in the tumor microenvironment and was used directly to generate amino acids through GDH activity. These data show that ammonia is not only a secreted waste product but also a fundamental nitrogen source that can support tumor biomass. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  16. Stringency of substrate specificity of Escherichia coli malate dehydrogenase.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boernke, W. E.; Millard, C. S.; Stevens, P. W.

    1995-09-10

    Malate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase are members of the structurally and functionally homologous family of 2-ketoacid dehydrogenases. Both enzymes display high specificity for their respective keto substrates, oxaloacetate and pyruvate. Closer analysis of their specificity, however, reveals that the specificity of malate dehydrogenase is much stricter and less malleable than that of lactate dehydrogenase. Site-specific mutagenesis of the two enzymes in an attempt to reverse their specificity has met with contrary results. Conversion of a specific active-site glutamine to arginine in lactate dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus generated an enzyme that displayed activity toward oxaloacetate equal to that of the nativemore » enzyme toward pyruvate (H. M. Wilks et al. (1988) Science 242, 1541-1544). We have constructed a series of mutants in the mobile, active site loop of the Escherichia coli malate dehydrogenase that incorporate the complementary change, conversion of arginine 81 to glutamine, to evaluate the role of charge distribution and conformational flexibility within this loop in defining the substrate specificity of these enzymes. Mutants incorporating the change R81Q all had reversed specificity, displaying much higher activity toward pyruvate than to the natural substrate, oxaloacetate. In contrast to the mutated lactate dehydrogenase, these reversed-specificity mutants were much less active than the native enzyme. Secondary mutations within the loop of the E. coli enzyme (A80N, A80P, A80P/M85E/D86T) had either no or only moderately beneficial effects on the activity of the mutant enzyme toward pyruvate. The mutation A80P, which can be expected to reduce the overall flexibility of the loop, modestly improved activity toward pyruvate. The possible physiological relevance of the stringent specificity of malate dehydrogenase was investigated. In normal strains of E. coli, fermentative metabolism was not affected by expression of the

  17. Inhibitors of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex alter [1-13C]glucose and [U-13C]glutamate metabolism in cerebellar granule neurons.

    PubMed

    Santos, Sónia Sá; Gibson, Gary E; Cooper, Arthur J L; Denton, Travis T; Thompson, Charles M; Bunik, Victoria I; Alves, Paula M; Sonnewald, Ursula

    2006-02-15

    Diminished activity of the alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC), an important component of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, occurs in several neurological diseases. The effect of specific KGDHC inhibitors [phosphonoethyl ester of succinyl phosphonate (PESP) and the carboxy ethyl ester of succinyl phosphonate (CESP)] on [1-13C]glucose and [U-13C]glutamate metabolism in intact cerebellar granule neurons was investigated. Both inhibitors decreased formation of [4-13C]glutamate from [1-13C]glucose, a reduction in label in glutamate derived from [1-13C]glucose/[U-13C]glutamate through a second turn of the TCA cycle and a decline in the amounts of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate, and alanine. PESP decreased formation of [U-13C]aspartate and total glutathione, whereas CESP decreased concentrations of valine and leucine. The findings are consistent with decreased KGDHC activity; increased alpha-ketoglutarate formation; increased transamination of alpha-ketoglutarate with valine, leucine, and GABA; and new equilibrium position of the aspartate aminotransferase reaction. Overall, the findings also suggest that some carbon derived from alpha-ketoglutarate may bypass the block in the TCA cycle at KGDHC by means of the GABA shunt and/or conversion of valine to succinate. The results suggest the potential of succinyl phosphonate esters for modeling the biochemical and pathophysiological consequences of reduced KGDHC activity in brain diseases.

  18. Structural and Kinetic Basis for Substrate Selectivity in Populus tremuloides Sinapyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Bomati, Erin K.; Noel, Joseph P.

    2005-01-01

    We describe the three-dimensional structure of sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SAD) from Populus tremuloides (aspen), a member of the NADP(H)-dependent dehydrogenase family that catalyzes the last reductive step in the formation of monolignols. The active site topology revealed by the crystal structure substantiates kinetic results indicating that SAD maintains highest specificity for the substrate sinapaldehyde. We also report substantial substrate inhibition kinetics for the SAD-catalyzed reduction of hydroxycinnamaldehydes. Although SAD and classical cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases (CADs) catalyze the same reaction and share some sequence identity, the active site topology of SAD is strikingly different from that predicted for classical CADs. Kinetic analyses of wild-type SAD and several active site mutants demonstrate the complexity of defining determinants of substrate specificity in these enzymes. These results, along with a phylogenetic analysis, support the inclusion of SAD in a plant alcohol dehydrogenase subfamily that includes cinnamaldehyde and benzaldehyde dehydrogenases. We used the SAD three-dimensional structure to model several of these SAD-like enzymes, and although their active site topologies largely mirror that of SAD, we describe a correlation between substrate specificity and amino acid substitution patterns in their active sites. The SAD structure thus provides a framework for understanding substrate specificity in this family of enzymes and for engineering new enzyme specificities. PMID:15829607

  19. Photosynthetic carbon fixation characteristics of fruiting structures of Brassica campestris L

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singal, H.R.; Sheoran, I.S.; Singh, R.

    1987-04-01

    Activities of key enzymes of the Calvin cycle and C/sub 4/ metabolism, rates of CO/sub 2/ fixation, and the initial products of photosynthetic /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ fixation were determined in the podwall, seed coat (fruiting structures), and the subtending leaf (leaf below a receme) of Brassica campestris L. cv Toria. Compared to activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase and other Calvin cycle enzymes, e.g. NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase and ribulose-5-phosphate kinase, the activities of phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase and other enzymes of C/sub 4/ metabolism, viz. NADP-malate dehydrogenase, NADP-malic enzyme, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, were generally much higher in seed than in podwallmore » and leaf. Podwall and leaf were comparable to each other. Pulse-chase experiments showed that in seed the major product of /sup 14/CO/sub 2/ assimilation was malate (in short time), whereas in podwall and leaf, the label initially appeared in 3-PGA. With time, the label moved to sucrose. In contrast to legumes, Brassica pods were able to fix net CO/sub 2/ during light. However, respiratory losses were very high during the dark period.« less

  20. Toxicological effects of thiomersal and ethylmercury: Inhibition of the thioredoxin system and NADP{sup +}-dependent dehydrogenases of the pentose phosphate pathway

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rodrigues, Juan, E-mail: juanricardorodrigues@gmail.com; Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Central University of Venezuela; Branco, Vasco

    Mercury (Hg) is a strong toxicant affecting mainly the central nervous, renal, cardiovascular and immune systems. Thiomersal (TM) is still in use in medical practice as a topical antiseptic and as a preservative in multiple dose vaccines, routinely given to young children in some developing countries, while other forms of mercury such as methylmercury represent an environmental and food hazard. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of thiomersal (TM) and its breakdown product ethylmercury (EtHg) on the thioredoxin system and NADP{sup +}-dependent dehydrogenases of the pentose phosphate pathway. Results show that TM and EtHg inhibitedmore » the thioredoxin system enzymes in purified suspensions, being EtHg comparable to methylmercury (MeHg). Also, treatment of neuroblastoma and liver cells with TM or EtHg decreased cell viability (GI{sub 50}: 1.5 to 20 μM) and caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the overall activities of thioredoxin (Trx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in cell lysates. Compared to control, the activities of Trx and TrxR in neuroblastoma cells after EtHg incubation were reduced up to 60% and 80% respectively, whereas in hepatoma cells the reduction was almost 100%. In addition, the activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were also significantly inhibited by all mercurials, with inhibition intensity of Hg{sup 2+} > MeHg ≈ EtHg > TM (p < 0.05). Cell incubation with sodium selenite alleviated the inhibitory effects on TrxR and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Thus, the molecular mechanism of toxicity of TM and especially of its metabolite EtHg encompasses the blockage of the electrons from NADPH via the thioredoxin system. - Highlights: • TM and EtHg inhibit Trx and TrxR both in purified suspensions and cell lysates. • TM and EtHg also inhibit the activities of G6PDH and 6PGDH in cell lysates, • Co-exposure to selenite

  1. Structure of a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase from Bacillus anthracis

    PubMed Central

    Hou, Jing; Wojciechowska, Kamila; Zheng, Heping; Chruszcz, Maksymilian; Cooper, David R.; Cymborowski, Marcin; Skarina, Tatiana; Gordon, Elena; Luo, Haibin; Savchenko, Alexei; Minor, Wladek

    2012-01-01

    The crystal structure of a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase from Bacillus anthracis strain ‘Ames Ancestor’ complexed with NADP has been determined and refined to 1.87 Å resolution. The structure of the enzyme consists of a Rossmann fold composed of seven parallel β-strands sandwiched by three α-­helices on each side. An NADP molecule from an endogenous source is bound in the conserved binding pocket in the syn conformation. The loop region responsible for binding another substrate forms two perpendicular short helices connected by a sharp turn. PMID:22684058

  2. Multiple Forms of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Animals: Structural Determinants and Physiological Implications.

    PubMed

    Bunik, Victoria; Artiukhov, Artem; Aleshin, Vasily; Mkrtchyan, Garik

    2016-12-14

    Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) of animal cells is usually considered to be a mitochondrial enzyme. However, this enzyme has recently been reported to be also present in nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes. These extramitochondrial localizations are associated with moonlighting functions of GDH, which include acting as a serine protease or an ATP-dependent tubulin-binding protein. Here, we review the published data on kinetics and localization of multiple forms of animal GDH taking into account the splice variants, post-translational modifications and GDH isoenzymes, found in humans and apes. The kinetic properties of human GLUD1 and GLUD2 isoenzymes are shown to be similar to those published for GDH1 and GDH2 from bovine brain. Increased functional diversity and specific regulation of GDH isoforms due to alternative splicing and post-translational modifications are also considered. In particular, these structural differences may affect the well-known regulation of GDH by nucleotides which is related to recent identification of thiamine derivatives as novel GDH modulators. The thiamine-dependent regulation of GDH is in good agreement with the fact that the non-coenzyme forms of thiamine, i.e., thiamine triphosphate and its adenylated form are generated in response to amino acid and carbon starvation.

  3. Multiple Forms of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Animals: Structural Determinants and Physiological Implications

    PubMed Central

    Bunik, Victoria; Artiukhov, Artem; Aleshin, Vasily; Mkrtchyan, Garik

    2016-01-01

    Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) of animal cells is usually considered to be a mitochondrial enzyme. However, this enzyme has recently been reported to be also present in nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes. These extramitochondrial localizations are associated with moonlighting functions of GDH, which include acting as a serine protease or an ATP-dependent tubulin-binding protein. Here, we review the published data on kinetics and localization of multiple forms of animal GDH taking into account the splice variants, post-translational modifications and GDH isoenzymes, found in humans and apes. The kinetic properties of human GLUD1 and GLUD2 isoenzymes are shown to be similar to those published for GDH1 and GDH2 from bovine brain. Increased functional diversity and specific regulation of GDH isoforms due to alternative splicing and post-translational modifications are also considered. In particular, these structural differences may affect the well-known regulation of GDH by nucleotides which is related to recent identification of thiamine derivatives as novel GDH modulators. The thiamine-dependent regulation of GDH is in good agreement with the fact that the non-coenzyme forms of thiamine, i.e., thiamine triphosphate and its adenylated form are generated in response to amino acid and carbon starvation. PMID:27983623

  4. Radiation-induced enzyme efflux from rat heart: sedentary animals. [Gamma radiation, lactate dehydrogenase, creative kinase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MacWilliam, L.D.; Bhakthan, N.M.G.

    1976-01-01

    Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase show initial elevations within 12 hr of exposure to 2,000 rads of ..gamma..-radiation to the thoracic region of rats. Significant decreases in heart muscle homogenate levels of these enzymes parallel initial elevations in the serum and may suggest that enhanced leakage of enzymes is a consequence of radiation injury to heart muscle. Insignificant alterations in mitochondrial glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase levels after exposure indicate that in vivo injury to the mitochondria from therapeutic levels of ..gamma..-radiation is questionable. The results support the contention that ionizing radiation instigates alterations in themore » dynamic permeability of membranes, allowing leakage of biologically active material out of the injured cell.« less

  5. The NAD(P)H-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activities of Prevotella ruminicola B(1)4 can be attributed to one enzyme (GdhA), and gdhA expression is regulated in response to the nitrogen source available for growth.

    PubMed Central

    Wen, Z; Morrison, M

    1996-01-01

    Prevotella ruminicola B(1)4 possesses both NADPH- and NADH-linked glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities, with the greatest specific activity being measured from ammonia-limited cultures. Relative to cells grown in the presence of 1 mM ammonium chloride, the NADPH-dependent activity was decreased approximately 10-fold when peptides were provided as a nitrogen source. Nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) was used to visualize the GDH protein(s) in cell extracts of P. ruminicola. For all growth conditions tested, only one GDH protein was detectable, and its relative abundance, as well as its reactivity with either NAD(P)+ or NAD(P)H, correlated well with the specific activities measured from whole-cell assays. Consistent with the findings from enzyme assays and PAGE activity gels, Northern (RNA) blot analysis revealed that expression of a gene encoding NAD(P)H-GDH activity was greatest in ammonia-grown cultures and that GDH activity is regulated in response to nitrogen source (ammonia versus peptides), probably at the level of transcription. A gene encoding the NAD(P)H-utilizing GDH activity (gdhA) was cloned, and its nucleotide sequence was determined and shown to contain an open reading frame of 1,332 bp which would encode a polypeptide of 48.8 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence possesses three highly conserved motifs typical of family I GDHs, but several unique amino acid substitutions within these motifs were evident. These results are discussed within the context of ruminal nitrogen metabolism and the growth efficiency of succinate- and propionate-producing anaerobic bacteria. PMID:8837439

  6. Enzymatic characterization of a novel bovine liver dihydrodiol dehydrogenase--reaction mechanism and bile acid dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed

    Nanjo, H; Adachi, H; Morihana, S; Mizoguchi, T; Nishihara, T; Terada, T

    1995-05-11

    Bovine liver cytosolic dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DD3) has been characterized by its unique dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity for trans-benzenedihydrodiol (trans-1,2-dihydrobenzene-1,2-diol) with the highest affinity and the greatest velocity among three multiple forms of dihydrodiol dehydrogenases (DD1-DD3). It is the first time that DD3 has shown a significant dehydrogenase activity for (S)-(+)-1-indanol with low Km value (0.33 +/- 0.022 mM) and high K(cat) value (25 +/- 0.79 min-1). The investigation of the product inhibition of (S)-(+)-1-indanol with NADP+ versus 1-indanone and NADPH clearly showed that the enzymatic reaction of DD3 may follow a typical ordered Bi Bi mechanism similar to many aldo/keto reductases. Additionally, DD3 was shown to catalyze the dehydrogenation of bile acids (lithocholic acid, taurolithocholic acid and taurochenodeoxycholic acid) having no 12-hydroxy groups with low Km values (17 +/- 0.65, 33 +/- 1.9 and 890 +/- 73 microM, respectively). In contrast, DD1, 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, shows a broad substrate specificity for many bile acids with higher affinity than those of DD3. Competitive inhibition of DD3 with androsterone against dehydrogenase activity for (S)-(+)-1-indanol, trans-benzenedihydrodiol or lithocholic acid suggests that these three substrates bind to the same substrate binding site of DD3, different from the case of human liver bile acid binder/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (Takikawa, H., Stolz, A., Sugiyama, Y., Yoshida, H., Yamamoto, M. and Kaplowitz, N. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 2132-2136). Considering the reaction mechanism, DD3 may also play an important role in bile acids metabolism as well as the detoxication of aromatic hydrocarbons.

  7. Tandem dye-ligand chromatography and biospecific elution applied to the purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

    PubMed Central

    Hey, Y; Dean, P D

    1983-01-01

    1. A total of 65 immobilized triazine dyes were screened for their ability to purify the dual-nucleotide-specific glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides. From this screen a 'negative' (Matrex Gel Purple A) and a 'positive' (Matrex Gel Orange B) adsorbent were found to be the best in terms of overall purification and yield and were therefore combined to give the best purification. 2. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides was purified approx. 56-fold in a two-step tandem chromatographic system using Matrex Gel Purple A followed by Matrex Gel Orange B chromatography to a specific activity of 228 units/mg of protein in a final yield of 73%. 3. A study of the elution characteristics of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase bound to Matrex Gel Orange B by KCl (pulse and gradient) and biospecific eluents (pulse) was carried out. NADP+, NADPH and adenosine 2',5'-bisphosphate were found to be the only effective biospecific eluents. A pulse of 50 microM-NADP+ (1/2 column vol.) was found to give a better purification than a 0-1 M-KCl gradient and therefore was the preferred method of elution. 4. Presaturation of the enzyme with various nucleotides was carried out to determine the effect on the subsequent binding of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to Matrex Gel Orange B. The results of these and biospecific-elution studies lead us to propose two possible schemes to explain the mechanism of the dye-protein interaction. 5. Reusability, capacity of the adsorbent and effect of varying the ligand concentration were also studied in the purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase on Matrex Gel Orange B. Images Fig. 1. PMID:6847623

  8. Tandem dye-ligand chromatography and biospecific elution applied to the purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

    PubMed

    Hey, Y; Dean, P D

    1983-02-01

    1. A total of 65 immobilized triazine dyes were screened for their ability to purify the dual-nucleotide-specific glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides. From this screen a 'negative' (Matrex Gel Purple A) and a 'positive' (Matrex Gel Orange B) adsorbent were found to be the best in terms of overall purification and yield and were therefore combined to give the best purification. 2. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides was purified approx. 56-fold in a two-step tandem chromatographic system using Matrex Gel Purple A followed by Matrex Gel Orange B chromatography to a specific activity of 228 units/mg of protein in a final yield of 73%. 3. A study of the elution characteristics of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase bound to Matrex Gel Orange B by KCl (pulse and gradient) and biospecific eluents (pulse) was carried out. NADP+, NADPH and adenosine 2',5'-bisphosphate were found to be the only effective biospecific eluents. A pulse of 50 microM-NADP+ (1/2 column vol.) was found to give a better purification than a 0-1 M-KCl gradient and therefore was the preferred method of elution. 4. Presaturation of the enzyme with various nucleotides was carried out to determine the effect on the subsequent binding of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to Matrex Gel Orange B. The results of these and biospecific-elution studies lead us to propose two possible schemes to explain the mechanism of the dye-protein interaction. 5. Reusability, capacity of the adsorbent and effect of varying the ligand concentration were also studied in the purification of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase on Matrex Gel Orange B.

  9. Kinetic mechanism of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase and its inhibition by glyoxylate and oxaloacetate.

    PubMed Central

    Nimmo, H G

    1986-01-01

    The inhibition of Escherichia coli isocitrate dehydrogenase by glyoxylate and oxaloacetate was examined. The shapes of the progress curves in the presence of the inhibitors depended on the order of addition of the assay components. When isocitrate dehydrogenase or NADP+ was added last, the rate slowly decreased until a new, inhibited, steady state was obtained. When isocitrate was added last, the initial rate was almost zero, but the rate increased slowly until the same steady-state value was obtained. Glyoxylate and oxaloacetate gave competitive inhibition against isocitrate and uncompetitive inhibition against NADP+. Product-inhibition studies showed that isocitrate dehydrogenase obeys a compulsory-order mechanism, with coenzyme binding first. Glyoxylate and oxaloacetate bind to and dissociate from isocitrate dehydrogenase slowly. These observations can account for the shapes of the progress curves observed in the presence of the inhibitors. Condensation of glyoxylate and oxaloacetate produced an extremely potent inhibitor of isocitrate dehydrogenase. Analysis of the reaction by h.p.l.c. showed that this correlated with the formation of oxalomalate. This compound decomposed spontaneously in assay mixtures, giving 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate, which was a much less potent inhibitor of the enzyme. Oxalomalate inhibited isocitrate dehydrogenase competitively with respect to isocitrate and was a very poor substrate for the enzyme. The data suggest that the inhibition of isocitrate dehydrogenase by glyoxylate and oxaloacetate is not physiologically significant. PMID:3521584

  10. Analysis of strain-specific genes in glutamic acid-producing Corynebacterium glutamicum ssp. lactofermentum AJ 1511.

    PubMed

    Nishio, Yousuke; Koseki, Chie; Tonouchi, Naoto; Matsui, Kazuhiko; Sugimoto, Shinichi; Usuda, Yoshihiro

    2017-07-11

    Strains of the bacterium, Corynebacterium glutamicum, are widely used for the industrial production of L-glutamic acid and various other substances. C. glutamicum ssp. lactofermentum AJ 1511, formerly classified as Brevibacterium lactofermentum, and the closely related C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 have been used as industrial strains for more than 50 years. We determined the whole genome sequence of C. glutamicum AJ 1511 and performed genome-wide comparative analysis with C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 to determine strain-specific genetic differences. This analysis revealed that the genomes of the two industrial strains are highly similar despite the phenotypic differences between the two strains. Both strains harbored unique genes but gene transpositions or inversions were not observed. The largest unique region, a 220-kb AT-rich region located between 1.78 and 2.00 Mb position in C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 genome, was missing in the genome of C. glutamicum AJ 1511. The next two largest unique regions were present in C. glutamicum AJ 1511. The first region (413-484 kb position) contains several predicted transport proteins, enzymes involved in sugar metabolism, and transposases. The second region (1.47-1.50 Mb position) encodes restriction modification systems. A gene predicted to encode NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase, which is involved in L-glutamate biosynthesis, is present in C. glutamicum AJ 1511. Strain-specific genes identified in this study are likely to govern phenotypes unique to each strain.

  11. Human placental indanol dehydrogenase: some properties of the microsomal enzyme.

    PubMed

    Kulkarni, A P; Strohm, B H; Houser, W H

    1985-06-01

    Indanol dehydrogenase activity of human placenta was examined in vitro. The enzyme, primarily localized in the particulate fractions of placenta, catalysed conversion of 1-indanol to 1-indanone in the presence of oxidized pyridine nucleotides. Both NAD+ and NADP+ supported the reaction with nearly equal efficiency.

  12. [Glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the pancreatic tissue in acute experimental pancreatitis and under the action of sodium thiosulphate].

    PubMed

    Simavorian, P S; Saakian, I L; Gevorkian, D A

    1991-04-01

    It has been established that the development of acute pancreatitis is accompanied by the reduced activity of glutamate dehydrogenase in the mitochondrial fraction of pancreas, pronounced in the focus of tissue necrosis and less expressed in the reactive inflammation focus. Besides this in the pancreas redistribution of enzyme, activity in the subcellular organelles takes place and enzyme activity emerges in the cytosol and further--in the blood and peritoneum liquid. Sodium thiosulfate has a marked correlation effect.

  13. Purification of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenases from Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E and characterization of the secondary-alcohol dehydrogenase (2 degrees Adh) as a bifunctional alcohol dehydrogenase--acetyl-CoA reductive thioesterase.

    PubMed Central

    Burdette, D; Zeikus, J G

    1994-01-01

    The purification and characterization of three enzymes involved in ethanol formation from acetyl-CoA in Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus 39E (formerly Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum 39E) is described. The secondary-alcohol dehydrogenase (2 degrees Adh) was determined to be a homotetramer of 40 kDa subunits (SDS/PAGE) with a molecular mass of 160 kDa. The 2 degrees Adh had a lower catalytic efficiency for the oxidation of 1 degree alcohols, including ethanol, than for the oxidation of secondary (2 degrees) alcohols or the reduction of ketones or aldehydes. This enzyme possesses a significant acetyl-CoA reductive thioesterase activity as determined by NADPH oxidation, thiol formation and ethanol production. The primary-alcohol dehydrogenase (1 degree Adh) was determined to be a homotetramer of 41.5 kDa (SDS/PAGE) subunits with a molecular mass of 170 kDa. The 1 degree Adh used both NAD(H) and NADP(H) and displayed higher catalytic efficiencies for NADP(+)-dependent ethanol oxidation and NADH-dependent acetaldehyde (identical to ethanal) reduction than for NADPH-dependent acetaldehyde reduction or NAD(+)-dependent ethanol oxidation. The NAD(H)-linked acetaldehyde dehydrogenase was a homotetramer (360 kDa) of identical subunits (100 kDa) that readily catalysed thioester cleavage and condensation. The 1 degree Adh was expressed at 5-20% of the level of the 2 degrees Adh throughout the growth cycle on glucose. The results suggest that the 2 degrees Adh primarily functions in ethanol production from acetyl-CoA and acetaldehyde, whereas the 1 degree Adh functions in ethanol consumption for nicotinamide-cofactor recycling. Images Figure 1 PMID:8068002

  14. Betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes of spinach

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hanson, A.D.; Weretilnyk, E.A.; Weigel, P.

    1986-04-01

    Betaine is synthesized in spinach chloroplasts via the pathway Choline ..-->.. Betaine Aldehyde ..-->.. Betaine; the second step is catalyzed by betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH). The subcellular distribution of BADH was determined in leaf protoplast lysates; BADH isozymes were separated by 6-9% native PAGE. The chloroplast stromal fraction contains a single BADH isozyme (number1) that accounts for > 80% of the total protoplast activity; the extrachloroplastic fraction has a minor isozyme (number2) which migrates more slowly than number1. Both isozymes appear specific for betaine aldehyde, are more active with NAD than NADP, and show a ca. 3-fold activity increase inmore » salinized leaves. The phenotype of a natural variant of isozyme number1 suggests that the enzyme is a dimer.« less

  15. Monoterpene alcohol metabolism: identification, purification, and characterization of two geraniol dehydrogenase isoenzymes from Polygonum minus leaves.

    PubMed

    Hassan, Maizom; Maarof, Nur Diyana; Ali, Zainon Mohd; Noor, Normah Mohd; Othman, Roohaida; Mori, Nobuhiro

    2012-01-01

    NADP(+)-dependent geraniol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.183) is an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of geraniol to geranial. Stable, highly active cell-free extract was obtained from Polygonum minus leaves using polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, Amberlite XAD-4, glycerol, 2-mercaptoethanol, thiourea, and phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride in tricine-NaOH buffer (pH 7.5). The enzyme preparation was separated into two activity peaks, geraniol-DH I and II, by DEAE-Toyopearl 650M column chromatography at pH 7.5. Both isoenzymes were purified to homogeneity in three chromatographic steps. The geraniol-DH isoenzymes were similar in molecular mass, optimal temperature, and pH, but the isoelectric point, substrate specificity, and kinetic parameters were different. The K(m) values for geraniol of geraniol-DH I and II appeared to be 0.4 mM and 0.185 mM respectively. P. minus geraniol-DHs are unusual among geraniol-DHs in view of their thermal stability and optimal temperatures, and also their high specificity for allylic alcohols and NADP(+).

  16. Intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy of glutamate dehydrogenase: Integrated behavior and deconvolution analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pompa, P. P.; Cingolani, R.; Rinaldi, R.

    2003-07-01

    In this paper, we present a deconvolution method aimed at spectrally resolving the broad fluorescence spectra of proteins, namely, of the enzyme bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). The analytical procedure is based on the deconvolution of the emission spectra into three distinct Gaussian fluorescing bands Gj. The relative changes of the Gj parameters are directly related to the conformational changes of the enzyme, and provide interesting information about the fluorescence dynamics of the individual emitting contributions. Our deconvolution method results in an excellent fitting of all the spectra obtained with GDH in a number of experimental conditions (various conformational states of the protein) and describes very well the dynamics of a variety of phenomena, such as the dependence of hexamers association on protein concentration, the dynamics of thermal denaturation, and the interaction process between the enzyme and external quenchers. The investigation was carried out by means of different optical experiments, i.e., native enzyme fluorescence, thermal-induced unfolding, and fluorescence quenching studies, utilizing both the analysis of the “average” behavior of the enzyme and the proposed deconvolution approach.

  17. Estrogen Modification of Human Glutamate Dehydrogenases Is Linked to Enzyme Activation State*

    PubMed Central

    Borompokas, Nikolas; Papachatzaki, Maria-Martha; Kanavouras, Konstantinos; Mastorodemos, Vasileios; Zaganas, Ioannis; Spanaki, Cleanthe; Plaitakis, Andreas

    2010-01-01

    Mammalian glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is a housekeeping enzyme central to the metabolism of glutamate. Its activity is potently inhibited by GTP (IC50 = 0.1–0.3 μm) and thought to be controlled by the need of the cell in ATP. Estrogens are also known to inhibit mammalian GDH, but at relatively high concentrations. Because, in addition to this housekeeping human (h) GDH1, humans have acquired via a duplication event an hGDH2 isoform expressed in human cortical astrocytes, we tested here the interaction of estrogens with the two human isoenzymes. The results showed that, under base-line conditions, diethylstilbestrol potently inhibited hGDH2 (IC50 = 0.08 ± 0.01 μm) and with ∼18-fold lower affinity hGDH1 (IC50 = 1.67 ± 0.06 μm; p < 0.001). Similarly, 17β-estradiol showed a ∼18-fold higher affinity for hGDH2 (IC50 = 1.53 ± 0.24 μm) than for hGDH1 (IC50 = 26.94 ± 1.07 μm; p < 0.001). Also, estriol and progesterone were more potent inhibitors of hGDH2 than hGDH1. Structure/function analyses revealed that the evolutionary R443S substitution, which confers low basal activity, was largely responsible for sensitivity of hGDH2 to estrogens. Inhibition of both human GDHs by estrogens was inversely related to their state of activation induced by ADP, with the slope of this correlation being steeper for hGDH2 than for hGDH1. Also, the study of hGDH1 and hGDH2 mutants displaying different states of activation revealed that the affinity of estrogen for these enzymes correlated inversely (R = 0.99; p = 0.0001) with basal catalytic activity. Because astrocytes are known to synthesize estrogens, these hormones, by interacting potently with hGDH2 in its closed state, may contribute to regulation of glutamate metabolism in brain. PMID:20628048

  18. A highly efficient sorbitol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 and improvement of its stability through immobilization

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Tae-Su; Patel, Sanjay K. S.; Selvaraj, Chandrabose; Jung, Woo-Suk; Pan, Cheol-Ho; Kang, Yun Chan; Lee, Jung-Kul

    2016-01-01

    A sorbitol dehydrogenase (GoSLDH) from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 (G. oxydans G624) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-CodonPlus RIL. The complete 1455-bp codon-optimized gene was amplified, expressed, and thoroughly characterized for the first time. GoSLDH exhibited Km and kcat values of 38.9 mM and 3820 s−1 toward L-sorbitol, respectively. The enzyme exhibited high preference for NADP+ (vs. only 2.5% relative activity with NAD+). GoSLDH sequencing, structure analyses, and biochemical studies, suggested that it belongs to the NADP+-dependent polyol-specific long-chain sorbitol dehydrogenase family. GoSLDH is the first fully characterized SLDH to date, and it is distinguished from other L-sorbose-producing enzymes by its high activity and substrate specificity. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the protein binds more strongly to D-sorbitol than other L-sorbose-producing enzymes, and substrate docking analysis confirmed a higher turnover rate. The high oxidation potential of GoSLDH for D-sorbitol was confirmed by cyclovoltametric analysis. Further, stability of GoSLDH significantly improved (up to 13.6-fold) after cross-linking of immobilized enzyme on silica nanoparticles and retained 62.8% residual activity after 10 cycles of reuse. Therefore, immobilized GoSLDH may be useful for L-sorbose production from D-sorbitol. PMID:27633501

  19. A highly efficient sorbitol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 and improvement of its stability through immobilization.

    PubMed

    Kim, Tae-Su; Patel, Sanjay K S; Selvaraj, Chandrabose; Jung, Woo-Suk; Pan, Cheol-Ho; Kang, Yun Chan; Lee, Jung-Kul

    2016-09-16

    A sorbitol dehydrogenase (GoSLDH) from Gluconobacter oxydans G624 (G. oxydans G624) was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-CodonPlus RIL. The complete 1455-bp codon-optimized gene was amplified, expressed, and thoroughly characterized for the first time. GoSLDH exhibited Km and kcat values of 38.9 mM and 3820 s(-1) toward L-sorbitol, respectively. The enzyme exhibited high preference for NADP(+) (vs. only 2.5% relative activity with NAD(+)). GoSLDH sequencing, structure analyses, and biochemical studies, suggested that it belongs to the NADP(+)-dependent polyol-specific long-chain sorbitol dehydrogenase family. GoSLDH is the first fully characterized SLDH to date, and it is distinguished from other L-sorbose-producing enzymes by its high activity and substrate specificity. Isothermal titration calorimetry showed that the protein binds more strongly to D-sorbitol than other L-sorbose-producing enzymes, and substrate docking analysis confirmed a higher turnover rate. The high oxidation potential of GoSLDH for D-sorbitol was confirmed by cyclovoltametric analysis. Further, stability of GoSLDH significantly improved (up to 13.6-fold) after cross-linking of immobilized enzyme on silica nanoparticles and retained 62.8% residual activity after 10 cycles of reuse. Therefore, immobilized GoSLDH may be useful for L-sorbose production from D-sorbitol.

  20. Tropine dehydrogenase: purification, some properties and an evaluation of its role in the bacterial metabolism of tropine.

    PubMed

    Bartholomew, B A; Smith, M J; Long, M T; Darcy, P J; Trudgill, P W; Hopper, D J

    1995-04-15

    Tropine dehydrogenase was induced by growth of Pseudomonas AT3 on atropine, tropine or tropinone. It was NADP(+)-dependent and gave no activity with NAD+. The enzyme was very unstable but a rapid purification procedure using affinity chromatography that gave highly purified enzyme was developed. The enzyme gave a single band on isoelectric focusing with an isoelectric point at approximately pH 4. The native enzyme had an M(r) of 58,000 by gel filtration and 28,000 by SDS/PAGE and therefore consists of two subunits of equal size. The enzyme displayed a narrow range of specificity and was active with tropine and nortropine but not with pseudotropine, pseudonortropine, or a number of related compounds. The apparent Kms were 6.06 microM for tropine and 73.4 microM for nortropine with the specificity constant (Vmax/Km) for tropine 7.8 times that for pseudotropine. The apparent Km for NADP+ was 48 microM. The deuterium of [3-2H]tropine and [3-2H]pseudotropine was retained when these compounds were converted into 6-hydroxycyclohepta-1,4-dione, an intermediate in tropine catabolism, showing that the tropine dehydrogenase, although induced by growth on tropine, is not involved in the catabolic pathway for this compound. 6-Hydroxycyclohepta-1,4-dione was also implicated as an intermediate in the pathways for pseudotropine and tropinone catabolism.

  1. Adrenal 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in response to stress.

    PubMed

    Zallocchi, Marisa; Matković, Laura; Damasco, María C

    2004-06-01

    This work studied the effect of stresses produced by simulated gavage or gavage with 200 mmol/L HCl two hours before adrenal extraction, on the activities of the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 isoforms present in the rat adrenal gland. These activities were determined on immediately prepared adrenal microsomes following incubations with 3H-corticosterone and NAD+ or NADP+. 11-dehydrocorticosterone was measured as an end-product by TLC, and controls were adrenal microsomes from rats kept under basal (unstressed) conditions. 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 activity, but not 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 activity, was increased under both stress-conditions. Homeostatically, the stimulation of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 activity would increase the supply of glucocorticoids. These, in turn, would activate the enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyl transferase, thereby improving the synthesis of epinephrine as part of the stress-response.

  2. Characterization and Expression of Glutamate Dehydrogenase in Response to Acute Salinity Stress in the Chinese Mitten Crab, Eriocheir sinensis

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Yueru; Li, Erchao; Yu, Na; Wang, Xiaodan; Cai, Chunfang; Tang, Boping; Chen, Liqiao; Van Wormhoudt, Alain

    2012-01-01

    Background Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is a key enzyme for the synthesis and catabolism of glutamic acid, proline and alanine, which are important osmolytes in aquatic animals. However, the response of GDH gene expression to salinity alterations has not yet been determined in macro-crustacean species. Methodology/Principal Findings GDH cDNA was isolated from Eriocheir sinensis. Then, GDH gene expression was analyzed in different tissues from normal crabs and the muscle of crabs following transfer from freshwater (control) directly to water with salinities of 16‰ and 30‰, respectively. Full-length GDH cDNA is 2,349 bp, consisting of a 76 bp 5′- untranslated region, a 1,695 bp open reading frame encoding 564 amino acids and a 578 bp 3′- untranslated region. E. sinensis GDH showed 64–90% identity with protein sequences of mammalian and crustacean species. Muscle was the dominant expression source among all tissues tested. Compared with the control, GDH expression significantly increased at 6 h in crabs transferred to 16‰ and 30‰ salinity, and GDH expression peaked at 48 h and 12 h, respectively, with levels approximately 7.9 and 8.5 fold higher than the control. The free amino acid (FAA) changes in muscle, under acute salinity stress (16‰ and 30‰ salinities), correlated with GDH expression levels. Total FAA content in the muscle, which was based on specific changes in arginine, proline, glycine, alanine, taurine, serine and glutamic acid, tended to increase in crabs following transfer to salt water. Among these, arginine, proline and alanine increased significantly during salinity acclimation and accounted for the highest proportion of total FAA. Conclusions E. sinensis GDH is a conserved protein that serves important functions in controlling osmoregulation. We observed that higher GDH expression after ambient salinity increase led to higher FAA metabolism, especially the synthesis of glutamic acid, which increased the synthesis of proline and

  3. Ebselen Reversibly Inhibits Human Glutamate Dehydrogenase at the Catalytic Site.

    PubMed

    Jin, Yanhong; Li, Di; Lu, Shiying; Zhao, Han; Chen, Zhao; Hou, Wei; Ruan, Benfang Helen

    Human glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) plays an important role in neurological diseases, tumor metabolism, and hyperinsulinism-hyperammonemia syndrome (HHS). However, there are very few inhibitors known for human GDH. Recently, Ebselen was reported to crosslink with Escherichia coli GDH at the active site cysteine residue (Cys321), but the sequence alignment showed that the corresponding residue is Ala329 in human GDH. To investigate whether Ebselen could be an inhibitor for human GDH, we cloned and expressed an N-terminal His-tagged human GDH in E. coli. The recombinant human GDH enzyme showed expected properties such as adenosine diphosphate activation and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dual recognition. Further, we developed a 2-(3-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)-2H-tetrazol-3-ium-5-yl) benzenesulfonate sodium salt (EZMTT)-based assay for human GDH, which was highly sensitive and is suitable for high-throughput screening for potent GDH inhibitors. In addition, ForteBio binding assays demonstrated that Ebselen is a reversible active site inhibitor for human GDH. Since Ebselen is a multifunctional organoselenium compound in Phase III clinical trials for inflammation, an Ebselen-based GDH inhibitor might be valuable for future drug discovery for HHS patients.

  4. Using Cryo-EM to Map Small Ligands on Dynamic Metabolic Enzymes: Studies with Glutamate Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Borgnia, Mario J.; Banerjee, Soojay; Merk, Alan; Matthies, Doreen; Bartesaghi, Alberto; Rao, Prashant; Pierson, Jason; Earl, Lesley A.; Falconieri, Veronica

    2016-01-01

    Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) methods are now being used to determine structures at near-atomic resolution and have great promise in molecular pharmacology, especially in the context of mapping the binding of small-molecule ligands to protein complexes that display conformational flexibility. We illustrate this here using glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), a 336-kDa metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of glutamate. Dysregulation of GDH leads to a variety of metabolic and neurologic disorders. Here, we report near-atomic resolution cryo-EM structures, at resolutions ranging from 3.2 Å to 3.6 Å for GDH complexes, including complexes for which crystal structures are not available. We show that the binding of the coenzyme NADH alone or in concert with GTP results in a binary mixture in which the enzyme is in either an “open” or “closed” state. Whereas the structure of NADH in the active site is similar between the open and closed states, it is unexpectedly different at the regulatory site. Our studies thus demonstrate that even in instances when there is considerable structural information available from X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM methods can provide useful complementary insights into regulatory mechanisms for dynamic protein complexes. PMID:27036132

  5. Pressure-induced thermostabilization of glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus.

    PubMed Central

    Sun, M. M.; Tolliday, N.; Vetriani, C.; Robb, F. T.; Clark, D. S.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper, elevated pressures up to 750 atm (1 atm = 101 kPa) were found to have a strong stabilizing effect on two extremely thermophilic glutamate dehydrogenases (GDHs): the native enzyme from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus (Pf), and a recombinant GDH mutant containing an extra tetrapeptide at the C-terminus (rGDHt). The presence of the tetrapeptide greatly destabilized the recombinant mutant at ambient pressure; however, the destabilizing effect was largely reversed by the application of pressure. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of a spin-label attached to the terminal cysteine of rGDHt revealed a high degree of mobility, suggesting that destabilization is due to weakened intersubunit ion-pair interactions induced by thermal fluctuations of the tetrapeptide. For both enzymes, the stabilizing effect of pressure increased with temperature as well as pressure, reaching 36-fold for rGDHt at 105 degrees C and 750 atm, the largest pressure-induced thermostabilization of an enzyme reported to date. Stabilization of both native GDH and rGDHt was also achieved by adding glycerol. Based on the kinetics of thermal inactivation and the known effects of glycerol on protein structure, a mechanism of pressure-induced thermostabilization is proposed. PMID:10338016

  6. Substrate specificity of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase.

    PubMed Central

    Lindstad, R I; Köll, P; McKinley-McKee, J S

    1998-01-01

    The substrate specificity of sheep liver sorbitol dehydrogenase has been studied by steady-state kinetics over the range pH 7-10. Sorbitol dehydrogenase stereo-selectively catalyses the reversible NAD-linked oxidation of various polyols and other secondary alcohols into their corresponding ketones. The kinetic constants are given for various novel polyol substrates, including L-glucitol, L-mannitol, L-altritol, D-altritol, D-iditol and eight heptitols, as well as for many aliphatic and aromatic alcohols. The maximum velocities (kcat) and the substrate specificity-constants (kcat/Km) are positively correlated with increasing pH. The enzyme-catalysed reactions occur by a compulsory ordered kinetic mechanism with the coenzyme as the first, or leading, substrate. With many substrates, the rate-limiting step for the overall reaction is the enzyme-NADH product dissociation. However, with several substrates there is a transition to a mechanism with partial rate-limitation at the ternary complex level, especially at low pH. The kinetic data enable the elucidation of new empirical rules for the substrate specificity of sorbitol dehydrogenase. The specificity-constants for polyol oxidation vary as a function of substrate configuration with D-xylo> D-ribo > L-xylo > D-lyxo approximately L-arabino > D-arabino > L-lyxo. Catalytic activity with a polyol or an aromatic substrate and various 1-deoxy derivatives thereof varies with -CH2OH > -CH2NH2 > -CH2OCH3 approximately -CH3. The presence of a hydroxyl group at each of the remaining chiral centres of a polyol, apart from the reactive C2, is also nonessential for productive ternary complex formation and catalysis. A predominantly nonpolar enzymic epitope appears to constitute an important structural determinant for the substrate specificity of sorbitol dehydrogenase. The existence of two distinct substrate binding regions in the enzyme active site, along with that of the catalytic zinc, is suggested to account for the lack of

  7. Tropine dehydrogenase: purification, some properties and an evaluation of its role in the bacterial metabolism of tropine.

    PubMed Central

    Bartholomew, B A; Smith, M J; Long, M T; Darcy, P J; Trudgill, P W; Hopper, D J

    1995-01-01

    Tropine dehydrogenase was induced by growth of Pseudomonas AT3 on atropine, tropine or tropinone. It was NADP(+)-dependent and gave no activity with NAD+. The enzyme was very unstable but a rapid purification procedure using affinity chromatography that gave highly purified enzyme was developed. The enzyme gave a single band on isoelectric focusing with an isoelectric point at approximately pH 4. The native enzyme had an M(r) of 58,000 by gel filtration and 28,000 by SDS/PAGE and therefore consists of two subunits of equal size. The enzyme displayed a narrow range of specificity and was active with tropine and nortropine but not with pseudotropine, pseudonortropine, or a number of related compounds. The apparent Kms were 6.06 microM for tropine and 73.4 microM for nortropine with the specificity constant (Vmax/Km) for tropine 7.8 times that for pseudotropine. The apparent Km for NADP+ was 48 microM. The deuterium of [3-2H]tropine and [3-2H]pseudotropine was retained when these compounds were converted into 6-hydroxycyclohepta-1,4-dione, an intermediate in tropine catabolism, showing that the tropine dehydrogenase, although induced by growth on tropine, is not involved in the catabolic pathway for this compound. 6-Hydroxycyclohepta-1,4-dione was also implicated as an intermediate in the pathways for pseudotropine and tropinone catabolism. Images Figure 1 PMID:7733902

  8. Fatty aldehyde dehydrogenases in Acinetobacter sp. strain HO1-N: role in hexadecanol metabolism.

    PubMed Central

    Singer, M E; Finnerty, W R

    1985-01-01

    The role of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenases (FALDHs) in hexadecane and hexadecanol metabolism was studied in Acinetobacter sp. strain HO1-N. Two distinct FALDHs were demonstrated in Acinetobacter sp. strain HO1-N: a membrane-bound, NADP-dependent FALDH activity induced 5-, 15-, and 9-fold by growth on hexadecanol, dodecyl aldehyde, and hexadecane, respectively, and a constitutive, NAD-dependent, membrane-localized FALDH. The NADP-dependent FALDH exhibited apparent Km and Vmax values for decyl aldehyde of 5.0, 13.0, 18.0, and 18.3 microM and 537.0, 500.0, 25.0, and 38.0 nmol/min in hexadecane-, hexadecanol-, ethanol-, palmitate-grown cells, respectively. FALDH isozymes ald-a, ald-b, and ald-c were demonstrated by gel electrophoresis in extracts of hexadecane- and hexadecanol-grown cells. ald-a, ald-b, and ald-d were present in dodecyl aldehyde-grown cells, while palmitate-grown control cells contained ald-b and ald-d. Dodecyl aldehyde-negative mutants were isolated and grouped into two phenotypic classes based on growth: class 1 mutants were hexadecane and hexadecanol negative and class 2 mutants were hexadecane and hexadecanol positive. Specific activity of NADP-dependent FALDH in Ald21 (class 1 mutant) was 85% lower than that of wild-type FALDH, while the specific activity of Ald24 (class 2 mutant) was 55% greater than that of wild-type FALDH. Ald21R, a dodecyl aldehyde-positive revertant able to grow on hexadecane, hexadecanol, and dodecyl aldehyde, exhibited a 100% increase in the specific activity of the NADP-dependent FALDH. The oxidation of [3H]hexadecane byAld21 yielded the accumulation of 61% more fatty aldehyde than the wild type, while Ald24 accumulated 27% more fatty aldehyde, 95% more fatty alcohol, and 65% more wax ester than the wild type. This study provides genetic and physiological evidence for the role of fatty aldehyde as an essential metabolic intermediate and NADP-dependent FALDH as a key enzyme in the dissimilation of hexadecane, hexadecanol

  9. Gene expression patterns in the hippocampus during the development and aging of Glud1 (Glutamate Dehydrogenase 1) transgenic and wild type mice.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xinkun; Patel, Nilam D; Hui, Dongwei; Pal, Ranu; Hafez, Mohamed M; Sayed-Ahmed, Mohamed M; Al-Yahya, Abdulaziz A; Michaelis, Elias K

    2014-03-04

    Extraneuronal levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in brain rise during aging. This is thought to lead to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal injury or death. To study the effects of glutamate hyperactivity in brain, we created transgenic (Tg) mice in which the gene for glutamate dehydrogenase (Glud1) is over-expressed in neurons and in which such overexpression leads to excess synaptic release of glutamate. In this study, we analyzed whole genome expression in the hippocampus, a region important for learning and memory, of 10 day to 20 month old Glud1 and wild type (wt) mice. During development, maturation and aging, both Tg and wt exhibited decreases in the expression of genes related to neurogenesis, neuronal migration, growth, and process elongation, and increases in genes related to neuro-inflammation, voltage-gated channel activity, and regulation of synaptic transmission. Categories of genes that were differentially expressed in Tg vs. wt during development were: synaptic function, cytoskeleton, protein ubiquitination, and mitochondria; and, those differentially expressed during aging were: synaptic function, vesicle transport, calcium signaling, protein kinase activity, cytoskeleton, neuron projection, mitochondria, and protein ubiquitination. Overall, the effects of Glud1 overexpression on the hippocampus transcriptome were greater in the mature and aged than the young. Glutamate hyperactivity caused gene expression changes in the hippocampus at all ages. Some of these changes may result in premature brain aging. The identification of these genomic expression differences is important in understanding the effects of glutamate dysregulation on neuronal function during aging or in neurodegenerative diseases.

  10. Bundle-sheath thylakoids from NADP-malic enzyme-type C4 plants require an exogenous electron donor for enzyme light activation.

    PubMed

    Lavergne, D; Droux, M; Jacquot, J P; Miginiac-Maslow, M; Champigny, M L; Gadal, P

    1985-10-01

    Light activation of either NADP-malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.82) or fructose-1,6-bisphosphate phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.11) was assayed in a reconstituted chloroplastic, system comprising the isolated proteins of the ferredoxin-thioredoxin light-activation system and thylakoids from either mesophyll or bundle-sheath tissues of different C4 plants. While C4-plant thylakoids functionned almost equally well with C3-or C4-plant proteins, the photosyntem-II-deficient bundle-sheath thylakoids from the NADP-malic enzyme type, were unable to perform enzyme photoactivation unless supplemented with an electron donor to photosystem I. Bundle-sheath thylakoids isolated from plants showing no photosystem-II deficiency did not require such an addition. The results are discussed with respect to a possible requirement for a physiological reductant of ferredoxin for enzyme light activation in bundle-sheath, tissues.

  11. Molecular simulation to investigate the cofactor specificity for pichia stipitis Xylose reductase.

    PubMed

    Xia, Xiao-Le; Cong, Shan; Weng, Xiao-Rong; Chen, Jin-Hua; Wang, Jing-Fang; Chou, Kuo-Chen

    2013-11-01

    Xylose is one of the most abundant carbohydrates in nature, and widely used to produce bioethanol via fermentation in industry. Xylulose can produce two key enzymes: xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase. Owing to the disparate cofactor specificities of xylose reductase and xylitol dehydrogenase, intracellular redox imbalance is detected during the xylose fermentation, resulting in low ethanol yields. To overcome this barrier, a common strategy is applied to artificially modify the cofactor specificity of xylose reductase. In this study, we utilized molecular simulation approaches to construct a 3D (three-dimensional) structural model for the NADP-dependent Pichia stipitis xylose reductase (PsXR). Based on the 3D model, the favourable binding modes for both cofactors NAD and NADP were obtained using the flexible docking procedure and molecular dynamics simulation. Structural analysis of the favourable binding modes showed that the cofactor binding site of PsXR was composed of 3 major components: a hydrophilic pocket, a hydrophobic pocket as well as a linker channel between the aforementioned two pockets. The hydrophilic pocket could recognize the nicotinamide moiety of the cofactors by hydrogen bonding networks, while the hydrophobic pocket functioned to position the adenine moiety of the cofactors by hydrophobic and Π-Π stacking interactions. The linker channel contained some key residues for ligand-binding; their mutation could have impact to the specificity of PsXR. Finally, it was found that any of the two single mutations, K21A and K270N, might reverse the cofactor specificity of PsXR from major NADP- to NADdependent, which was further confirmed by the additional experiments. Our findings may provide useful insights into the cofactor specificity of PsXR, stimulating new strategies for better designing xylose reductase and improving ethanol production in industry.

  12. Pre-steady-state kinetic studies of redox reactions catalysed by Bacillus subtilis ferredoxin-NADP(+) oxidoreductase with NADP(+)/NADPH and ferredoxin.

    PubMed

    Seo, Daisuke; Soeta, Takahiro; Sakurai, Hidehiro; Sétif, Pierre; Sakurai, Takeshi

    2016-06-01

    Ferredoxin-NADP(+) oxidoreductase ([EC1.18.1.2], FNR) from Bacillus subtilis (BsFNR) is a homodimeric flavoprotein sharing structural homology with bacterial NADPH-thioredoxin reductase. Pre-steady-state kinetics of the reactions of BsFNR with NADP(+), NADPH, NADPD (deuterated form) and B. subtilis ferredoxin (BsFd) using stopped-flow spectrophotometry were studied. Mixing BsFNR with NADP(+) and NADPH yielded two types of charge-transfer (CT) complexes, oxidized FNR (FNR(ox))-NADPH and reduced FNR (FNR(red))-NADP(+), both having CT absorption bands centered at approximately 600n m. After mixing BsFNR(ox) with about a 10-fold molar excess of NADPH (forward reaction), BsFNR was almost completely reduced at equilibrium. When BsFNR(red) was mixed with NADP(+), the amount of BsFNR(ox) increased with increasing NADP(+) concentration, but BsFNR(red) remained as the major species at equilibrium even with about 50-fold molar excess NADP(+). In both directions, the hydride-transfer was the rate-determining step, where the forward direction rate constant (~500 s(-1)) was much higher than the reverse one (<10 s(-1)). Mixing BsFd(red) with BsFNR(ox) induced rapid formation of a neutral semiquinone form. This process was almost completed within 1 ms. Subsequently the neutral semiquinone form was reduced to the hydroquinone form with an apparent rate constant of 50 to 70 s(-1) at 10°C, which increased as BsFd(red) increased from 40 to 120 μM. The reduction rate of BsFNR(ox) by BsFd(red) was markedly decreased by premixing BsFNR(ox) with BsFd(ox), indicating that the dissociation of BsFd(ox) from BsFNR(sq) is rate-limiting in the reaction. The characteristics of the BsFNR reactions with NADP(+)/NADPH were compared with those of other types of FNRs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Enhancing poly-γ-glutamic acid production in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by introducing the glutamate synthesis features from Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Feng, Jun; Quan, Yufen; Gu, Yanyan; Liu, Fenghong; Huang, Xiaozhong; Shen, Haosheng; Dang, Yulei; Cao, Mingfeng; Gao, Weixia; Lu, Xiaoyun; Wang, Yi; Song, Cunjiang; Wang, Shufang

    2017-05-22

    Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a valuable polymer with glutamate as its sole precursor. Enhancement of the intracellular glutamate synthesis is a very important strategy for the improvement of γ-PGA production, especially for those glutamate-independent γ-PGA producing strains. Corynebacterium glutamicum has long been used for industrial glutamate production and it exhibits some unique features for glutamate synthesis; therefore introduction of these metabolic characters into the γ-PGA producing strain might lead to increased intracellular glutamate availability, and thus ultimate γ-PGA production. In this study, the unique glutamate synthesis features from C. glutamicum was introduced into the glutamate-independent γ-PGA producing Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NK-1 strain. After introducing the energy-saving NADPH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADPH-GDH) pathway, the NK-1 (pHT315-gdh) strain showed slightly increase (by 9.1%) in γ-PGA production. Moreover, an optimized metabolic toggle switch for controlling the expression of ɑ-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (ODHC) was introduced into the NK-1 strain, because it was previously shown that the ODHC in C. glutamicum was completely inhibited when glutamate was actively produced. The obtained NK-PO1 (pHT01-xylR) strain showed 66.2% higher γ-PGA production than the NK-1 strain. However, the further combination of these two strategies (introducing both NADPH-GDH pathway and the metabolic toggle switch) did not lead to further increase of γ-PGA production but rather the resultant γ-PGA production was even lower than that in the NK-1 strain. We proposed new metabolic engineering strategies to improve the γ-PGA production in B. amyloliquefaciens. The NK-1 (pHT315-gdh) strain with the introduction of NADPH-GDH pathway showed 9.1% improvement in γ-PGA production. The NK-PO1 (pHT01-xylR) strain with the introduction of a metabolic toggle switch for controlling the expression of ODHC showed 66.2% higher

  14. Ethylene-Regulated Glutamate Dehydrogenase Fine-Tunes Metabolism during Anoxia-Reoxygenation.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Kuen-Jin; Lin, Chih-Yu; Ting, Chen-Yun; Shih, Ming-Che

    2016-11-01

    Ethylene is an essential hormone in plants that is involved in low-oxygen and reoxygenation responses. As a key transcription factor in ethylene signaling, ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3) activates targets that trigger various responses. However, most of these targets are still poorly characterized. Through analyses of our microarray data and the published Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) EIN3 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data set, we inferred the putative targets of EIN3 during anoxia-reoxygenation. Among them, GDH2, which encodes one subunit of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), was chosen for further studies for its role in tricarboxylic acid cycle replenishment. We demonstrated that both GDH1 and GDH2 are induced during anoxia and reoxygenation and that this induction is mediated via ethylene signaling. In addition, the results of enzymatic assays showed that the level of GDH during anoxia-reoxygenation decreased in the ethylene-insensitive mutants ein2-5 and ein3eil1 Global metabolite analysis indicated that the deamination activity of GDH might regenerate 2-oxoglutarate, which is a cosubstrate that facilitates the breakdown of alanine by alanine aminotransferase when reoxygenation occurs. Moreover, ineffective tricarboxylic acid cycle replenishment, disturbed carbohydrate metabolism, reduced phytosterol biosynthesis, and delayed energy regeneration were found in gdh1gdh2 and ethylene mutants during reoxygenation. Taken together, these data illustrate the essential role of EIN3-regulated GDH activity in metabolic adjustment during anoxia-reoxygenation. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Pre-Steady State Studies of Phosphite Dehydrogenase Demonstrate that Hydride Transfer is Fully Rate-Limiting†

    PubMed Central

    Fogle, Emily J.

    2008-01-01

    Phosphite dehydrogenase (PTDH)1 is a unique NAD-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of inorganic phosphite to phosphate. The enzyme has great potential for cofactor regeneration and mechanistic studies have provided some insight into the residues that are important for catalysis. In this investigation, pre-steady state studies were performed on the His6-tagged wild type (WT) enzyme, several active site mutants, a thermostable mutant (12X-PTDH), and a thermostable mutant with dual cofactor specificity (NADP-12X-PTDH). Stopped-flow kinetic experiments indicate that slow steps after hydride transfer do not significantly limit the rate of reaction for WT, the active site mutants, or the thermostable mutant. Pre-steady state kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and single turn-over experiments further confirm that slow steps after the chemical step do not significantly limit the rate of reaction for any of these proteins. Collectively, these results suggest that the hydride transfer step is fully rate determining in PTDH and that the observed KIE on kcat is the intrinsic effect in WT PTDH and the mutants examined. In contrast, a slow step after catalysis may partially limit the rate of phosphite oxidation by NADP-12X-PTDH with NADP as cofactor. Finally, site directed mutagenesis of Asp79 indicates that this residue is important in orienting Arg237 for proper interaction with phosphite. PMID:17949110

  16. Resolving the role of plant glutamate dehydrogenase: II. Physiological characterization of plants overexpressing the two enzyme subunits individually or simultaneously.

    PubMed

    Tercé-Laforgue, Thérèse; Bedu, Magali; Dargel-Grafin, Céline; Dubois, Frédéric; Gibon, Yves; Restivo, Francesco M; Hirel, Bertrand

    2013-10-01

    Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) is able to carry out the deamination of glutamate in higher plants. In order to obtain a better understanding of the physiological function of GDH in leaves, transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants were constructed that overexpress two genes from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia (GDHA and GDHB under the control of the Cauliflower mosiac virus 35S promoter), which encode the α- and β-subunits of GDH individually or simultaneously. In the transgenic plants, the GDH protein accumulated in the mitochondria of mesophyll cells and in the mitochondria of the phloem companion cells (CCs), where the native enzyme is normally expressed. Such a shift in the cellular location of the GDH enzyme induced major changes in carbon and nitrogen metabolite accumulation and a reduction in growth. These changes were mainly characterized by a decrease in the amount of sucrose, starch and glutamine in the leaves, which was accompanied by an increase in the amount of nitrate and Chl. In addition, there was an increase in the content of asparagine and a decrease in proline. Such changes may explain the lower plant biomass determined in the GDH-overexpressing lines. Overexpressing the two genes GDHA and GDHB individually or simultaneously induced a differential accumulation of glutamate and glutamine and a modification of the glutamate to glutamine ratio. The impact of the metabolic changes occurring in the different types of GDH-overexpressing plants is discussed in relation to the possible physiological function of each subunit when present in the form of homohexamers or heterohexamers.

  17. Laboratory evolution of Pyrococcus furiosus alcohol dehydrogenase to improve the production of (2S,5S)-hexanediol at moderate temperatures

    PubMed Central

    Leferink, Nicole G. H.; Hendriks, Annemarie; Brouns, Stan J. J.; Hennemann, Hans-Georg; Dauβmann, Thomas; van der Oost, John

    2008-01-01

    There is considerable interest in the use of enantioselective alcohol dehydrogenases for the production of enantio- and diastereomerically pure diols, which are important building blocks for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and fine chemicals. Due to the need for a stable alcohol dehydrogenase with activity at low-temperature process conditions (30°C) for the production of (2S,5S)-hexanediol, we have improved an alcohol dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus (AdhA). A stable S-selective alcohol dehydrogenase with increased activity at 30°C on the substrate 2,5-hexanedione was generated by laboratory evolution on the thermostable alcohol dehydrogenase AdhA. One round of error-prone PCR and screening of ∼1,500 mutants was performed. The maximum specific activity of the best performing mutant with 2,5-hexanedione at 30°C was tenfold higher compared to the activity of the wild-type enzyme. A 3D-model of AdhA revealed that this mutant has one mutation in the well-conserved NADP(H)-binding site (R11L), and a second mutation (A180V) near the catalytic and highly conserved threonine at position 183. PMID:18452026

  18. Site and significance of chemically modifiable cysteine residues in glutamate dehydrogenase of Clostridium symbiosum and the use of protection studies to measure coenzyme binding.

    PubMed Central

    Syed, S E; Hornby, D P; Brown, P E; Fitton, J E; Engel, P C

    1994-01-01

    Protein chemical studies of NAD(+)-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) from Clostridium symbiosum indicate only two cysteine residues/subunit, in good agreement with the gene sequence. Experiments with various thiol-modifying reagents reveal that in native clostridial GDH only one of these two cysteines is accessible for reaction. This residue does not react with iodoacetate, iodoacetamide, N-ethylmaleimide or N-phenylmaleimide, but reaction with either p-chloromercuribenzene sulphonate or 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) causes complete inactivation, preventable by NAD+ or NADH but not by glutamate or 2-oxoglutarate. Protection studies with combinations of substrates show that glutamate enhances protection by NADH, whereas 2-oxoglutarate diminishes it. These studies were also used to determine a dissociation constant (0.69 mM) for the enzyme-NAD+ complex. Similar data for NADH indicated mildly cooperative binding with a Hill coefficient of 1.32. The significance of these results is discussed in the light of the high-resolution crystallographic structure for clostridial GDH and in relation to information for GDH from other sources. PMID:8129708

  19. Central nervous system hyperexcitability associated with glutamate dehydrogenase gain of function mutations.

    PubMed

    Raizen, David M; Brooks-Kayal, Amy; Steinkrauss, Linda; Tennekoon, Gihan I; Stanley, Charles A; Kelly, Andrea

    2005-03-01

    To describe seizure phenotypes associated with the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome (HI/HA), which is caused by gain of function mutations in the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). A retrospective review of records of 14 patients with HI/HA. Nine patients had seizures as the first symptom of HI/HA, and six had seizures in the absence of hypoglycemia. No electroencephalogram (EEG) background abnormalities were identified. In four patients, EEG recordings during seizures in the setting of normal blood glucose contained generalized epileptiform discharges. EEGs of three of these patients showed 0.5- to 2-second generalized irregular spike-and-wave discharge at 3 to 6 Hz corresponding to eye blinks, eye rolling, or staring. The EEG of the fourth patient consisted of 20 seconds of generalized regular spike-and-wave discharge at 3 Hz in the clinical context of staring and unresponsiveness. In two patients, seizure control worsened with carbamezapine or oxcarbezapine treatment. In patients with HI/HA, generalized seizures are common and can occur in the absence of hypoglycemia. The drugs carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine should be used with caution for treatment. Pathogenesis of epilepsy in these patients may be related to effects of GDH mutations in the brain, perhaps in combination with effects of recurrent hypoglycemia and chronic hyperammonemia.

  20. Glutamate and GABA-metabolizing enzymes in post-mortem cerebellum in Alzheimer's disease: phosphate-activated glutaminase and glutamic acid decarboxylase.

    PubMed

    Burbaeva, G Sh; Boksha, I S; Tereshkina, E B; Savushkina, O K; Prokhorova, T A; Vorobyeva, E A

    2014-10-01

    Enzymes of glutamate and GABA metabolism in postmortem cerebellum from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have not been comprehensively studied. The present work reports results of original comparative study on levels of phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG) and glutamic acid decarboxylase isoenzymes (GAD65/67) in autopsied cerebellum samples from AD patients and matched controls (13 cases in each group) as well as summarizes published evidence for altered levels of PAG and GAD65/67 in AD brain. Altered (decreased) levels of these enzymes and changes in links between amounts of these enzymes and other glutamate-metabolizing enzymes (such as glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase-like protein) in AD cerebella suggest significantly impaired glutamate and GABA metabolism in this brain region, which was previously regarded as not substantially involved in AD pathogenesis.

  1. Analysis of nucleoside-binding proteins by ligand-specific elution from dye resin: application to Mycobacterium tuberculosis aldehyde dehydrogenases.

    PubMed

    Kim, Chang-Yub; Webster, Cecelia; Roberts, Justin K M; Moon, Jin Ho; Alipio Lyon, Emily Z; Kim, Heungbok; Yu, Minmin; Hung, Li-Wei; Terwilliger, Thomas C

    2009-12-01

    We show that Cibacron Blue F3GA dye resin chromatography can be used to identify ligands that specifically interact with proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and that the identification of these ligands can facilitate structure determination by enhancing the quality of crystals. Four native Mtb proteins of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family were previously shown to be specifically eluted from a Cibacron Blue F3GA dye resin with nucleosides. In this study we characterized the nucleoside-binding specificity of one of these ALDH isozymes (recombinant Mtb Rv0223c) and compared these biochemical results with co-crystallization experiments with different Rv0223c-nucleoside pairings. We found that the strongly interacting ligands (NAD and NADH) aided formation of high-quality crystals, permitting solution of the first Mtb ALDH (Rv0223c) structure. Other nucleoside ligands (AMP, FAD, adenosine, GTP and NADP) exhibited weaker binding to Rv0223c, and produced co-crystals diffracting to lower resolution. Difference electron density maps based on crystals of Rv0223c with various nucleoside ligands show most share the binding site where the natural ligand NAD binds. From the high degree of similarity of sequence and structure compared to human mitochondrial ALDH-2 (BLAST Z-score = 53.5 and RMSD = 1.5 A), Rv0223c appears to belong to the ALDH-2 class. An altered oligomerization domain in the Rv0223c structure seems to keep this protein as monomer whereas native human ALDH-2 is a multimer.

  2. Purification and characteristics of an inducible by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons NADP(+)-dependent naphthalenediol dehydrogenase (NDD) in Mucor circinelloides YR-1.

    PubMed

    Camacho-Morales, Reyna Lucero; Zazueta-Novoa, Vanesa; Casillas, Juana Lizbeth González; Ballesteros, Elizabeth Aranda; Bote, Juan Antonio Ocampo; Zazueta-Sandoval, Roberto

    2014-05-01

    We detected NADP(+)-dependent dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DD) activity in a cell-free extract from Mucor circinelloides YR-1, after high-speed centrifugation. We analyzed the enzymatic activity in the cytosolic fraction by zymograms, as described previously, and eight different DD activity bands were revealed. Five constitutive DD activities (DD1-5) were present when glucose was used as carbon source and three inducible activities (NDD, PDD1 and PDD2) when aromatic hydrocarbon compounds were used. NDD activity was induced all of the aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. The highest DD activity inducer was naphthalene and the lowest was pyrene. One of the enzymes showed higher activity with cis-naphthalene-diol rather than with trans-nahthalenediol as a substrate. We purified this particular enzyme to homogeneity and found that it had an isoelectric point of 4.6. The molecular weight for the native protein was 197.4kDa and 49.03±0.5kDa for the monomer that conforms it, suggesting a homotetrameric structure for the complete enzyme. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against it and obtained. NDD activity was almost totally inhibited when antibodies were used at low concentrations, and in native immunoblots only one band, which corresponds to the activity band detected in the zymograms, could be detected. In denaturing PAGE immunoblots only one band was detected. This band corresponds to the purified protein band of 49kDa detected in SDS-PAGE gels. The other two inducible enzymes PDD1 and PDD2 were present only when phenanthrene was used as sole carbon source in the culture media. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Identification of catalytic residues of a very large NAD-glutamate dehydrogenase from Janthinobacterium lividum by site-directed mutagenesis.

    PubMed

    Kawakami, Ryushi; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2014-01-01

    We previously found a very large NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase with approximately 170 kDa subunit from Janthinobacterium lividum (Jl-GDH) and predicted that GDH reaction occurred in the central domain of the subunit. To gain further insights into the role of the central domain, several single point mutations were introduced. The enzyme activity was completely lost in all single mutants of R784A, K810A, K820A, D885A, and S1142A. Because, in sequence alignment analysis, these residues corresponded to the residues responsible for glutamate binding in well-known small GDH with approximately 50 kDa subunit, very large GDH and well-known small GDH may share the same catalytic mechanism. In addition, we demonstrated that C1141, one of the three cysteine residues in the central domain, was responsible for the inhibition of enzyme activity by HgCl2, and HgCl2 functioned as an activating compound for a C1141T mutant. At low concentrations, moreover, HgCl2 was found to function as an activating compound for a wild-type Jl-GDH. This suggests that the mechanism for the activation is entirely different from that for the inhibition.

  4. Identification of an NADP/thioredoxin system in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Huppe, H. C.; Picaud, A.; Buchanan, B. B.; Miginiac-Maslow, M.

    1991-01-01

    The protein components of the NADP/thioredoxin system, NADP-thioredoxin reductase (NTR) and thioredoxin h, have been purified and characterized from the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The analysis of this system confirms that photoautotrophic Chlamydomonas cells resemble leaves in having both an NADP- and ferrodoxin-linked thioredoxin redox system. Chlamydomonas thioredoxin h, which is smaller on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis than thioredoxin m from the same source, cross-reacted with antisera to thioredoxin h from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and wheat germ (Triticum vulgaris L.) but not with antisera to m or f thioredoxins. In these properties, the thioredoxin h resembled a thioredoxin from Chlamydomonas, designated Ch1, whose sequence was reported recently (P. Decottignies et al., 1991, Eur. J. Biochem. 198, 505-512). The differential reactivity of thioredoxin h with antisera was used to demonstrate that thioredoxin h is enriched outside the chloroplast. The NTR was purified from Chlamydomonas using thioredoxin h from the same source. Similar to its counterpart from other organisms, Chlamydomonas NTR had a subunit size of approx. 36 kDa and was specific for NADPH. Chlamydomonas NTR effectively reduced thioredoxin h from the same source but showed little activity with the other thioredoxins tested, including spinach thioredoxin h and Escherichia coli thioredoxin. Comparison of the reduction of Chlamydomonas thioredoxins m and h by each of the endogenous thioredoxin reductases, NTR and ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase, revealed a differential specificity of each enzyme for thioredoxin. Thus, NTR showed increased activity with thioredoxin h and ferredoxin-thioredoxin reductase with thioredoxins m and f.

  5. Reduced levels of NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase decrease the glutamate content of ripe tomato fruit but have no effect on green fruit or leaves.

    PubMed

    Ferraro, Gisela; D'Angelo, Matilde; Sulpice, Ronan; Stitt, Mark; Valle, Estela M

    2015-06-01

    Glutamate (Glu) is a taste enhancer that contributes to the characteristic flavour of foods. In fruit of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), the Glu content increases dramatically during the ripening process, becoming the most abundant free amino acid when the fruit become red. There is also a concomitant increase in NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity during the ripening transition. This enzyme is located in the mitochondria and catalyses the reversible amination of 2-oxoglutarate to Glu. To investigate the potential effect of GDH on Glu metabolism, the abundance of GDH was altered by artificial microRNA technology. Efficient silencing of all the endogenous SlGDH genes was achieved, leading to a dramatic decrease in total GDH activity. This decrease in GDH activity did not lead to any clear morphological or metabolic phenotype in leaves or green fruit. However, red fruit on the transgenic plants showed markedly reduced levels of Glu and a large increase in aspartate, glucose and fructose content in comparison to wild-type fruit. These results suggest that GDH is involved in the synthesis of Glu in tomato fruit during the ripening processes. This contrasts with the biological role ascribed to GDH in many other tissues and species. Overall, these findings suggest that GDH has a major effect on the control of metabolic composition during tomato fruit ripening, but not at other stages of development. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. 2-Methylcitric acid impairs glutamate metabolism and induces permeability transition in brain mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Amaral, Alexandre Umpierrez; Cecatto, Cristiane; Castilho, Roger Frigério; Wajner, Moacir

    2016-04-01

    Accumulation of 2-methylcitric acid (2MCA) is observed in methylmalonic and propionic acidemias, which are clinically characterized by severe neurological symptoms. The exact pathogenetic mechanisms of brain abnormalities in these diseases are poorly established and very little has been reported on the role of 2MCA. In the present work we found that 2MCA markedly inhibited ADP-stimulated and uncoupled respiration in mitochondria supported by glutamate, with a less significant inhibition in pyruvate plus malate respiring mitochondria. However, no alterations occurred when α-ketoglutarate or succinate was used as respiratory substrates, suggesting a defect on glutamate oxidative metabolism. It was also observed that 2MCA decreased ATP formation in glutamate plus malate or pyruvate plus malate-supported mitochondria. Furthermore, 2MCA inhibited glutamate dehydrogenase activity at concentrations as low as 0.5 mM. Kinetic studies revealed that this inhibitory effect was competitive in relation to glutamate. In contrast, assays of osmotic swelling in non-respiring mitochondria suggested that 2MCA did not significantly impair mitochondrial glutamate transport. Finally, 2MCA provoked a significant decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and induced swelling in Ca(2+)-loaded mitochondria supported by different substrates. These effects were totally prevented by cyclosporine A plus ADP or ruthenium red, indicating induction of mitochondrial permeability transition. Taken together, our data strongly indicate that 2MCA behaves as a potent inhibitor of glutamate oxidation by inhibiting glutamate dehydrogenase activity and as a permeability transition inducer, disturbing mitochondrial energy homeostasis. We presume that 2MCA-induced mitochondrial deleterious effects may contribute to the pathogenesis of brain damage in patients affected by methylmalonic and propionic acidemias. We propose that brain glutamate oxidation is disturbed by 2-methylcitric acid (2MCA), which

  7. Genome-wide identification, classification, and analysis of NADP-ME family members from 12 crucifer species.

    PubMed

    Tao, Peng; Guo, Weiling; Li, Biyuan; Wang, Wuhong; Yue, Zhichen; Lei, Juanli; Zhao, Yanting; Zhong, Xinmin

    2016-06-01

    NADP-dependent malic enzymes (NADP-MEs) play essential roles in both normal development and stress responses in plants. Here, genome-wide analysis was performed to identify 65 putative NADP-ME genes from 12 crucifer species. These NADP-ME genes were grouped into five categories of syntenic orthologous genes and were divided into three clades of a phylogenic tree. Promoter motif analysis showed that NADP-ME1 genes in Group IV were more conserved with each other than the other NADP-ME genes in Groups I and II. A nucleotide motif involved in ABA responses, desiccation and seed development was found in the promoters of most NADP-ME1 genes. Generally, the NADP-ME genes of Brassica rapa, B. oleracea and B. napus had less introns than their corresponding Arabidopsis orthologs. In these three Brassica species, the NADP-ME genes derived from the least fractionated subgenome have lost less introns than those from the medium fractionated and most fractionated subgenomes. BrNADP-ME1 showed the highest expression in petals and mature embryos. Two paralogous NADP-ME2 genes (BrNADP-ME2a and BrNADP-ME2b) shared similar expression profiles and differential expression levels. BrNADP-ME3 showed down-regulation during embryogenesis and reached its lowest expression in early cotyledonary embryos. BrNADP-ME4 was expressed widely in multiple organs and showed high expression during the whole embryogenesis process. Different NADP-ME genes of B. rapa showed differential gene expression profiles in young leaves after ABA treatment or cold stress. Our genome-wide identification and characterization of NADP-ME genes extend our understanding of the evolution or function of this family in Brassicaceae.

  8. Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the gene coding for bile acid 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Eubacterium sp. strain VPI 12708.

    PubMed Central

    Baron, S F; Franklund, C V; Hylemon, P B

    1991-01-01

    Southern blot analysis indicated that the gene encoding the constitutive, NADP-linked bile acid 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase of Eubacterium sp. strain VPI 12708 was located on a 6.5-kb EcoRI fragment of the chromosomal DNA. This fragment was cloned into bacteriophage lambda gt11, and a 2.9-kb piece of this insert was subcloned into pUC19, yielding the recombinant plasmid pBH51. DNA sequence analysis of the 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase gene in pBH51 revealed a 798-bp open reading frame, coding for a protein with a calculated molecular weight of 28,500. A putative promoter sequence and ribosome binding site were identified. The 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA transcript in Eubacterium sp. strain VPI 12708 was about 0.94 kb in length, suggesting that it is monocistronic. An Escherichia coli DH5 alpha transformant harboring pBH51 had approximately 30-fold greater levels of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase mRNA, immunoreactive protein, and specific activity than Eubacterium sp. strain VPI 12708. The 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase purified from the pBH51 transformant was similar in subunit molecular weight, specific activity, and kinetic properties to that from Eubacterium sp. strain VPI 12708, and it reached with antiserum raised against the authentic enzyme on Western immunoblots. Alignment of the amino acid sequence of the 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase with those of 10 other pyridine nucleotide-linked alcohol/polyol dehydrogenases revealed six conserved amino acid residues in the N-terminal regions thought to function in coenzyme binding. Images PMID:1856160

  9. Sevoflurane protects rat mixed cerebrocortical neuronal-glial cell cultures against transient oxygen-glucose deprivation: involvement of glutamate uptake and reactive oxygen species.

    PubMed

    Canas, Paula T; Velly, Lionel J; Labrande, Christelle N; Guillet, Benjamin A; Sautou-Miranda, Valérie; Masmejean, Frédérique M; Nieoullon, André L; Gouin, François M; Bruder, Nicolas J; Pisano, Pascale S

    2006-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of glutamate and reactive oxygen species in sevoflurane-mediated neuroprotection on an in vitro model of ischemia-reoxygenation. Mature mixed cerebrocortical neuronal-glial cell cultures, treated or not with increasing concentrations of sevoflurane, were exposed to 90 min combined oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in an anaerobic chamber followed by reoxygenation. Cell death was quantified by lactate dehydrogenase release into the media and cell viability by reduction of 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium by mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase. Extracellular concentrations of glutamate and glutamate uptake were assessed at the end of the ischemic injury by high-performance liquid chromatography and incorporation of L-[H]glutamate into cells, respectively. Free radical generation in cells was assessed 6 h after OGD during the reoxygenation period using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate, which reacts with intracellular radicals to be converted to its fluorescent product, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin, in cell cytosol. Twenty-four hours after OGD, sevoflurane, in a concentration-dependent manner, significantly reduced lactate dehydrogenase release and increased cell viability. At the end of OGD, sevoflurane was able to reduce the OGD-induced decrease in glutamate uptake. This effect was impaired in the presence of threo-3-methyl glutamate, a specific inhibitor of the glial transporter GLT1. Sevoflurane counteracted the increase in extracellular level of glutamate during OGD and the generation of reactive oxygen species during reoxygenation. Sevoflurane had a neuroprotective effect in this in vitro model of ischemia-reoxygenation. This beneficial effect may be explained, at least in part, by sevoflurane-induced antiexcitotoxic properties during OGD, probably depending on GLT1, and by sevoflurane-induced decrease of reactive oxygen species generation during reoxygenation.

  10. Expression of the glutamine metabolism-related proteins glutaminase 1 and glutamate dehydrogenase in canine mammary tumours.

    PubMed

    Ryu, J-E; Park, H-K; Choi, H-J; Lee, H-B; Lee, H-J; Lee, H; Yu, E-S; Son, W-C

    2018-06-01

    Glutamine metabolism is an important metabolic pathway for cancer cell survival, and there is a critical connection between tumour growth and glutamine metabolism. Because of their similarities, canine mammary carcinomas are useful for studying human breast cancer. Accordingly, we investigated the correlations between the expression of glutamine metabolism-related proteins and the pathological features of canine mammary tumours. We performed immunohistochemical and western blot analysis of 39 mammary tumour tissues. In immunohistochemical analysis, the expression of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) in the epithelial region increased according to the histological grade (P < .005). In the stromal region, complex-type tumours displayed significantly higher GLS1 intensity than simple-type tumours. However, glutamate dehydrogenase expression did not show the same tendencies as GLS1. The western blot results were consistent with the immunohistochemical findings. These results suggest that the expression of GLS1 is correlates with clinicopathological factors in canine mammary tumours and shows a similar pattern to human breast cancer. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Restructuring of the dinucleotide-binding fold in an NADP(H) sensor protein

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Xiaofeng; Dai, Xueyu; Zhao, Yanmei; Chen, Qiang; Lu, Fei; Yao, Deqiang; Yu, Quan; Liu, Xinping; Zhang, Chuanmao; Gu, Xiaocheng; Luo, Ming

    2007-01-01

    NAD(P) has long been known as an essential energy-carrying molecule in cells. Recent data, however, indicate that NAD(P) also plays critical signaling roles in regulating cellular functions. The crystal structure of a human protein, HSCARG, with functions previously unknown, has been determined to 2.4-Å resolution. The structure reveals that HSCARG can form an asymmetrical dimer with one subunit occupied by one NADP molecule and the other empty. Restructuring of its NAD(P)-binding Rossmann fold upon NADP binding changes an extended loop to an α-helix to restore the integrity of the Rossmann fold. The previously unobserved restructuring suggests that HSCARG may assume a resting state when the level of NADP(H) is normal within the cell. When the NADP(H) level passes a threshold, an extensive restructuring of HSCARG would result in the activation of its regulatory functions. Immunofluorescent imaging shows that HSCARG redistributes from being associated with intermediate filaments in the resting state to being dispersed in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The structural change of HSCARG upon NADP(H) binding could be a new regulatory mechanism that responds only to a significant change of NADP(H) levels. One of the functions regulated by HSCARG may be argininosuccinate synthetase that is involved in NO synthesis. PMID:17496144

  12. Knockdown of Both Mitochondrial Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Enzymes In Pancreatic Beta Cells Inhibits Insulin Secretion

    PubMed Central

    MacDonald, Michael J.; Brown, Laura J.; Longacre, Melissa J.; Stoker, Scott W.; Kendrick, Mindy A.; Hasan, Noaman M.

    2013-01-01

    Background There are three isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDHs) in the pancreatic insulin cell; IDH1 (cytosolic) and IDH2 (mitochondrial) use NADP(H). IDH3 is mitochondrial, uses NAD(H) and was believed to be the IDH that supports the citric acid cycle. Methods With shRNAs targeting mRNAs for these enzymes we generated cell lines from INS-1 832/13 cells with severe (80%–90%) knockdown of the mitochondrial IDHs separately and together in the same cell line. Results With knockdown of both mitochondrial IDH’s mRNA, enzyme activity and protein level, but not with knockdown of one mitochondrial IDH, glucose- and BCH (an allosteric activator of glutamate dehydrogenase)-plus-glutamine-stimulated insulin release were inhibited. Cellular levels of citrate, α-ketoglutarate, malate and ATP were altered in patterns consistent with blockage at the mitochondrial IDH reactions. We were able to generate only 50% knockdown of Idh1 mRNA in multiple cell lines (without inhibition of insulin release) possibly because greater knockdown of IDH1 was not compatible with cell line survival. Conclusions The mitochondrial IDHs are redundant for insulin secretion. When both enzymes are severely knocked down, their low activities (possibly assisted by transport of IDH products and other metabolic intermediates from the cytosol into mitochondria) are sufficient for cell growth, but inadequate for insulin secretion when the requirement for intermediates is certainly more rapid. The results also indicate that IDH2 can support the citric acid cycle. General Significance As almost all mammalian cells possess substantial amounts of all three IDH enzymes, the biological principles suggested by these results are probably extrapolatable to many tissues. PMID:23876293

  13. Two Pathways of Glutamate Fermentation by Anaerobic Bacteria

    PubMed Central

    Buckel, Wolfgang; Barker, H. A.

    1974-01-01

    Two pathways are involved in the fermentation of glutamate to acetate, butyrate, carbon dioxide, and ammonia—the methylaspartate and the hydroxyglutarate pathways which are used by Clostridium tetanomorphum and Peptococcus aerogenes, respectively. Although these pathways give rise to the same products, they are easily distinguished by different labeling patterns of the butyrate when [4-14C]glutamate is used as substrate. Schmidt degradation of the radioactive butyrate from C. tetanomorphum yielded equally labeled propionate and carbon dioxide, whereas nearly all the radioactivity of the butyrate from P. aerogenes was recovered in the corresponding propionate. This procedure was used as a test for the pathway of glutamate fermentation by 15 strains (9 species) of anaerobic bacteria. The labeling patterns of the butyrate indicate that glutamate is fermented via the methylaspartate pathway by C. tetani, C. cochlearium, and C. saccarobutyricum, and via the hydroxyglutarate pathway by Acidaminococcus fermentans, C. microsporum, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and F. fusiformis. Enzymes specific for each pathway were assayed in crude extracts of the above organisms. 3-Methylaspartase was found only in clostridia which use the methylaspartate pathway, including Clostridium SB4 and C. sticklandii, which probably degrade glutamate to acetate and carbon dioxide by using a second amino acid as hydrogen acceptor. High levels of 2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase were found exclusively in organisms that use the hydroxyglutarate pathway. The data indicate that only two pathways are involved in the fermentation of glutamate by the bacteria analyzed. The methylaspartate pathway appears to be used only by species of Clostridium, whereas the hydroxyglutarate pathway is used by representatives of several genera. PMID:4813895

  14. NAD(H) and NADP(H) Redox Couples and Cellular Energy Metabolism.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Wusheng; Wang, Rui-Sheng; Handy, Diane E; Loscalzo, Joseph

    2018-01-20

    The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + )/reduced NAD + (NADH) and NADP + /reduced NADP + (NADPH) redox couples are essential for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and for modulating numerous biological events, including cellular metabolism. Deficiency or imbalance of these two redox couples has been associated with many pathological disorders. Recent Advances: Newly identified biosynthetic enzymes and newly developed genetically encoded biosensors enable us to understand better how cells maintain compartmentalized NAD(H) and NADP(H) pools. The concept of redox stress (oxidative and reductive stress) reflected by changes in NAD(H)/NADP(H) has increasingly gained attention. The emerging roles of NAD + -consuming proteins in regulating cellular redox and metabolic homeostasis are active research topics. The biosynthesis and distribution of cellular NAD(H) and NADP(H) are highly compartmentalized. It is critical to understand how cells maintain the steady levels of these redox couple pools to ensure their normal functions and simultaneously avoid inducing redox stress. In addition, it is essential to understand how NAD(H)- and NADP(H)-utilizing enzymes interact with other signaling pathways, such as those regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor, to maintain cellular redox homeostasis and energy metabolism. Additional studies are needed to investigate the inter-relationships among compartmentalized NAD(H)/NADP(H) pools and how these two dinucleotide redox couples collaboratively regulate cellular redox states and cellular metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. Furthermore, recent studies suggest the utility of using pharmacological interventions or nutrient-based bioactive NAD + precursors as therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases. Thus, a better understanding of the cellular functions of NAD(H) and NADP(H) may facilitate efforts to address a host of pathological disorders effectively. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 251-272.

  15. In Vivo and in Vitro Studies of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase from Barley Root Plastids in Relation to Reductant Supply for NO2- Assimilation.

    PubMed Central

    Wright, D. P.; Huppe, H. C.; Turpin, D. H.

    1997-01-01

    Pyridine nucleotide pools were measured in intact plastids from roots of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) during the onset of NO2- assimilation and compared with the in vitro effect of the NADPH/NADP ratio on the activity of plastidic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH, EC 1.1.1.49) from N-sufficient or N-starved roots. The NADPH/NADP ratio increased from 0.9 to 2.0 when 10 mM glucose-6-phosphate was supplied to intact plastids. The subsequent addition of 1 mM NaNO2 caused a rapid decline in this ratio to 1.5. In vitro, a ratio of 1.5 inactivated barley root plastid G6PDH by approximately 50%, suggesting that G6PDH could remain active during NO2- assimilation even at the high NADPH/NADP ratios that would favor a reduction of ferredoxin, the electron donor of NO2- reductase. Root plastid G6PDH was sensitive to reductive inhibition by dithiothreitol (DTT), but even at 50 mM DTT the enzyme remained more than 35% active. In root plastids from barley starved of N for 3 d, G6PDH had a substantially reduced specific activity, had a lower Km for NADP, and was less inhibited by DTT than the enzyme from N-sufficient root plastids, indicating that there was some effect of N starvation on the G6PDH activity in barley root plastids. PMID:12223780

  16. Purification and investigation of some kinetic properties of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from parsley (Petroselinum hortense) leaves.

    PubMed

    Coban, T Abdül Kadir; Ciftçi, Mehmet; Küfrevioğlu, O Irfan

    2002-05-01

    In this study, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.49; G6PD) was purified from parsley (Petroselinum hortense) leaves, and analysis of the kinetic behavior and some properties of the enzyme were investigated. The purification consisted of three steps: preparation of homogenate, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and DEAE-Sephadex A50 ion exchange chromatography. The enzyme was obtained with a yield of 8.79% and had a specific activity of 2.146 U (mg protein)(-1). The overall purification was about 58-fold. Temperature of +4 degrees C was maintained during the purification process. Enzyme activity was spectrophotometrically measured according to the Beutler method, at 340 nm. In order to control the purification of enzyme, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was carried out in 4% and 10% acrylamide for stacking and running gel, respectively. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band for enzyme. The molecular weight was found to be 77.6 kDa by Sephadex G-150 gel filtration chromatography. A protein band corresponding to a molecular weight of 79.3 kDa was obtained on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. For the enzymes, the stable pH, optimum pH, and optimum temperature were found to be 6.0, 8.0, and 60 degrees C, respectively. Moreover, KM and Vmax values for NADP+ and G6-P at optimum pH and 25 degrees C were determined by means of Lineweaver-Burk graphs. Additionally, effects of streptomycin sulfate and tetracycline antibiotics were investigated for the enzyme activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in vitro.

  17. Structure of a short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) within a genomic island from a clinical strain of Acinetobacter baumannii

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shah, Bhumika S., E-mail: bhumika.shah@mq.edu.au; Tetu, Sasha G.; Harrop, Stephen J.

    2014-09-25

    The structure of a short-chain dehydrogenase encoded within genomic islands of A. baumannii strains has been solved to 2.4 Å resolution. This classical SDR incorporates a flexible helical subdomain. The NADP-binding site and catalytic side chains are identified. Over 15% of the genome of an Australian clinical isolate of Acinetobacter baumannii occurs within genomic islands. An uncharacterized protein encoded within one island feature common to this and other International Clone II strains has been studied by X-ray crystallography. The 2.4 Å resolution structure of SDR-WM99c reveals it to be a new member of the classical short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily. Themore » enzyme contains a nucleotide-binding domain and, like many other SDRs, is tetrameric in form. The active site contains a catalytic tetrad (Asn117, Ser146, Tyr159 and Lys163) and water molecules occupying the presumed NADP cofactor-binding pocket. An adjacent cleft is capped by a relatively mobile helical subdomain, which is well positioned to control substrate access.« less

  18. Purification and characterization of the amine dehydrogenase from a facultative methylotroph.

    PubMed

    Coleman, J P; Perry, J J

    1984-01-01

    Strain RA-6 is a pink-pigmented organism which can grow on a variety of substrates including methylamine. It can utilize methylamine as sole source of carbon via an isocitrate lyase negative serine pathway. Methylamine grown cells contain an inducible primary amine dehydrogenase [primary amine: (acceptor) oxidoreductase (deaminating)] which is not present in succinate grown cells. The amine dehydrogenase was purified to over 90% homogeneity. It is an acidic protein (isoelectric point of 5.37) with a molecular weight of 118,000 containing subunits with approximate molecular weights of 16,500 and 46,000. It is active on an array of primary terminal amines and is strongly inhibited by carbonyl reagents. Cytochrome c or artificial electron acceptors are required for activity; neither NAD nor NADP can serve as primary electron acceptor.

  19. Three-dimensional modeling of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient variants from German ancestry.

    PubMed

    Kiani, Farooq; Schwarzl, Sonja; Fischer, Stefan; Efferth, Thomas

    2007-07-18

    Loss of function of dimeric glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) represents the most common inborn error of metabolism throughout the world affecting an estimated 400 million people. In Germany, this enzymopathy is very rare. On the basis of G6PD crystal structures, we have analyzed six G6PD variants of German ancestry by three-dimensional modeling. All mutations present in the German population are either close to one of the three G6P or NADP(+) units or to the interface of the two monomers. Two of the three mutated amino acids of G6PD Vancouver are closer to the binding site of NADP(+). The G6PD Aachen mutation is also closer to the second NADP(+) unit. The G6PD Wayne mutation is closer to the G6P binding region. These mutations may affect the binding of G6P and NADP(+) units. Three mutations, i.e. G6PD Munich, G6PD Riverside and G6PD Gastonia, lie closer to the interface of the two monomers. These may also affect the interface of two monomers. None of these G6PD variants share mutations with the common G6PD variants known from the Mediterranean, Near East, or Africa indicating that they have developed independently. The G6PD variants have been compared with mutants from other populations and the implications for survival of G6PD variants from natural selection have been discussed.

  20. Effect of CDP-choline on age-dependent modifications of energy- and glutamate-linked enzyme activities in synaptic and non-synaptic mitochondria from rat cerebral cortex.

    PubMed

    Villa, Roberto Federico; Ferrari, Federica; Gorini, Antonella

    2012-12-01

    The effect of aging and CDP-choline treatment (20 mg kg⁻¹ body weight i.p. for 28 days) on the maximal rates (V(max)) of representative mitochondrial enzyme activities related to Krebs' cycle (citrate synthase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase), glutamate and related amino acid metabolism (glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate-oxaloacetate- and glutamate-pyruvate transaminases) were evaluated in non-synaptic and intra-synaptic "light" and "heavy" mitochondria from frontal cerebral cortex of male Wistar rats aged 4, 12, 18 and 24 months. During aging, enzyme activities vary in a complex way respect to the type of mitochondria, i.e. non-synaptic and intra-synaptic. This micro-heterogeneity is an important factor, because energy-related mitochondrial enzyme catalytic properties cause metabolic modifications of physiopathological significance in cerebral tissue in vivo, also discriminating pre- and post-synaptic sites of action for drugs and affecting tissue responsiveness to noxious stimuli. Results show that CDP-choline in vivo treatment enhances cerebral energy metabolism selectively at 18 months, specifically modifying enzyme catalytic activities in non-synaptic and intra-synaptic "light" mitochondrial sub-populations. This confirms that the observed changes in enzyme catalytic activities during aging reflect the bioenergetic state at each single age and the corresponding energy requirements, further proving that in vivo drug treatment is able to interfere with the neuronal energy metabolism. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  1. Improving ethanol yield in acetate-reducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae by cofactor engineering of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and deletion of ALD6.

    PubMed

    Papapetridis, Ioannis; van Dijk, Marlous; Dobbe, Arthur P A; Metz, Benjamin; Pronk, Jack T; van Maris, Antonius J A

    2016-04-26

    Acetic acid, an inhibitor of sugar fermentation by yeast, is invariably present in lignocellulosic hydrolysates which are used or considered as feedstocks for yeast-based bioethanol production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains have been constructed, in which anaerobic reduction of acetic acid to ethanol replaces glycerol formation as a mechanism for reoxidizing NADH formed in biosynthesis. An increase in the amount of acetate that can be reduced to ethanol should further decrease acetic acid concentrations and enable higher ethanol yields in industrial processes based on lignocellulosic feedstocks. The stoichiometric requirement of acetate reduction for NADH implies that increased generation of NADH in cytosolic biosynthetic reactions should enhance acetate consumption. Replacement of the native NADP(+)-dependent 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase in S. cerevisiae by a prokaryotic NAD(+)-dependent enzyme resulted in increased cytosolic NADH formation, as demonstrated by a ca. 15% increase in the glycerol yield on glucose in anaerobic cultures. Additional deletion of ALD6, which encodes an NADP(+)-dependent acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, led to a 39% increase in the glycerol yield compared to a non-engineered strain. Subsequent replacement of glycerol formation by an acetate reduction pathway resulted in a 44% increase of acetate consumption per amount of biomass formed, as compared to an engineered, acetate-reducing strain that expressed the native 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and ALD6. Compared to a non-acetate reducing reference strain under the same conditions, this resulted in a ca. 13% increase in the ethanol yield on glucose. The combination of NAD(+)-dependent 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase expression and deletion of ALD6 resulted in a marked increase in the amount of acetate that was consumed in these proof-of-principle experiments, and this concept is ready for further testing in industrial strains as well as in hydrolysates. Altering the cofactor

  2. The Differences between NAD-ME and NADP-ME Subtypes of C4 Photosynthesis: More than Decarboxylating Enzymes.

    PubMed

    Rao, Xiaolan; Dixon, Richard A

    2016-01-01

    As an adaptation to changing climatic conditions that caused high rates of photorespiration, C 4 plants have evolved to display higher photosynthetic efficiency than C 3 plants under elevated temperature, high light intensities, and drought. The C 4 plants independently evolved more than 60 times in 19 families of angiosperms to establish similar but not uniform C 4 mechanisms to concentrate CO 2 around the carboxylating enzyme Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase). C 4 photosynthesis is divided into at least two basic biochemical subtypes based on the primary decarboxylating enzymes, NAD-dependent malic enzyme (NAD-ME) and NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME). The multiple polygenetic origins of these subtypes raise questions about the association of C 4 variation between biochemical subtypes and diverse lineages. This review addresses the differences in evolutionary scenario, leaf anatomy, and especially C 4 metabolic flow, C 4 transporters, and cell-specific function deduced from recently reported cell-specific transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolic analyses of NAD-ME and NADP-ME subtypes. Current omic analysis has revealed the extent to which component abundances differ between the two biochemical subtypes, leading to a better understanding of C 4 photosynthetic mechanisms in NAD-ME and NADP-ME subtypes.

  3. The Differences between NAD-ME and NADP-ME Subtypes of C4 Photosynthesis: More than Decarboxylating Enzymes

    PubMed Central

    Rao, Xiaolan; Dixon, Richard A.

    2016-01-01

    As an adaptation to changing climatic conditions that caused high rates of photorespiration, C4 plants have evolved to display higher photosynthetic efficiency than C3 plants under elevated temperature, high light intensities, and drought. The C4 plants independently evolved more than 60 times in 19 families of angiosperms to establish similar but not uniform C4 mechanisms to concentrate CO2 around the carboxylating enzyme Rubisco (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase). C4 photosynthesis is divided into at least two basic biochemical subtypes based on the primary decarboxylating enzymes, NAD-dependent malic enzyme (NAD-ME) and NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME). The multiple polygenetic origins of these subtypes raise questions about the association of C4 variation between biochemical subtypes and diverse lineages. This review addresses the differences in evolutionary scenario, leaf anatomy, and especially C4 metabolic flow, C4 transporters, and cell-specific function deduced from recently reported cell-specific transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolic analyses of NAD-ME and NADP-ME subtypes. Current omic analysis has revealed the extent to which component abundances differ between the two biochemical subtypes, leading to a better understanding of C4 photosynthetic mechanisms in NAD-ME and NADP-ME subtypes. PMID:27790235

  4. Highly sensitive spectrofluorimetric determination of trace amounts NADP using Europium ion-doxycycline complex probe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Qian; Hou, Faju; Jiang, Chongqiu

    2006-09-01

    A new spectrofluorimetric method was developed for determination of trace amount of Coenzyme II (NADP). Using europium ion-doxycycline (DC) as a fluorescent probe, in the buffer solution of pH 8.44, NADP can remarkably enhance the fluorescence intensity of the Eu 3+-DC complex at λ = 612 nm and the enhanced fluorescence intensity is in proportion to the concentration of NADP. Optimum conditions for the determination of NADP were also investigated. The dynamic range for the determination of NADP is 3.3 × 10 -7 to 6.1 × 10 -6 mol l -1 with detection limit of 6.8 × 10 -8 mol l -1. This method is simple, practical and relatively free interference from coexisting substances and can be successfully applied to determination of NADP in synthetic water samples and in serum samples. Moreover, the enhancement mechanisms of the fluorescence intensity in the Eu 3+-DC system and the Eu 3+-DC-NADP system have been also discussed.

  5. Physiology of Growth and Sporulation in Bacillus cereus I. Effect of Glutamic and Other Amino Acids

    PubMed Central

    Buono, F.; Testa, R.; Lundgren, D. G.

    1966-01-01

    Buono, F. (Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.), R. Testa, and D. G. Lundgren. Physiology of growth and sporulation in Bacillus cereus. I. Effect of glutamic and other amino acids. J. Bacteriol. 91:2291–2299. 1966.—Growth and sporulation were studied in Bacillus cereus by use of an active culture technique and a synthetic medium. A high level of glutamic acid (70 mm) was required for optimal growth and glucose oxidation followed by sporulation even though relatively little glutamic acid was consumed (14 mm). Optimal growth occurred with a combination of 14 mm glutamic acid and 56 mm (NH4)2SO4, aspartic acid, or alanine. Ornithine or arginine at 70 mm could replace glutamic acid in the synthetic medium without affecting the normal growth cycle. Glutamic acid was not replaced by any other amino acid, by (NH4)2SO4, or by a combination of either α-ketoglutarate or pyruvate plus (NH4)2SO4. Enzyme assays of cell-free extracts prepared from cells harvested at different times were used to study the metabolism of glutamic acid. Glutamic-oxaloacetic and glutamic-pyruvate transaminases were completely activated (or derepressed) during early stages of sporulation (period of 6 to 8 hr). Alanine dehydrogenase responded in a similar manner, but the levels of this enzyme were much higher throughout the culture cycle. Neither glutamic dehydrogenase nor α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase was detected. Sporulation in a replacement salts medium was studied with cells harvested at different times from the synthetic medium. Cultures 2 to 6 hr old were unable to sporulate in the replacement salts medium unless glutamic acid (7.0 mm) was present. By the 6th hr, cells were in the early stages of sporulation, showing spore septa development. Cultures 8 hr old sporulated in the replacement salts medium. Other metabolic intermediates able to replace glutamic acid in the replacement salts medium were alanine, aspartic acid, and glutamine at equimolar concentrations. Also, ammonium ions in

  6. Crystallization of human estrogenic 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase under microgravity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Dao-Wei; Zhou, Ming; Mao, Ying; Labrie, Fernand; Lin, Sheng-Xiang

    1995-11-01

    Human 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase has been crystallized on the ground in the complex form with NADP + and a complete data set of the crystal was primarily collected at 2.9 Å [D.-W. Zhu, X. Lee, R. Breton, D. Ghosh, W. Pangborn, W.L. Duax and S.-X. Lin, J. Mol. Biol. 234 (1993) 242]. To eliminate multiseeding, formation of multicrystals and to obtain higher quality crystals, we carried out the crystallization aboard the Russian MIR space station and crystals were recovered in January, 1994. Crystals of the enzyme were formed in 9 of the total 12 sitting drops in the space mission, in the presence of NADP + or estradiol. This is a first attempt of crystallization of a membrane-associated protein under microgravity in the presence of a detergent. The space experiments showed better results in nucleation number, crystal size and morphology than the ground ones, obtaining crystals diffracting to resolutions between 2.5-2.7 Å. The too early ground mixing has limited a more important improvement of the crystallization.

  7. Cancer-associated Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutations Inactivate NADPH-dependent Reductive Carboxylation*

    PubMed Central

    Leonardi, Roberta; Subramanian, Chitra; Jackowski, Suzanne; Rock, Charles O.

    2012-01-01

    Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is a reversible enzyme that catalyzes the NADP+-dependent oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate (ICT) to α-ketoglutarate (αKG) and the NADPH/CO2-dependent reductive carboxylation of αKG to ICT. Reductive carboxylation by IDH1 was potently inhibited by NADP+ and, to a lesser extent, by ICT. IDH1 and IDH2 with cancer-associated mutations at the active site arginines were unable to carry out the reductive carboxylation of αKG. These mutants were also defective in ICT decarboxylation and converted αKG to 2-hydroxyglutarate using NADPH. These mutant proteins were thus defective in both of the normal reactions of IDH. Biochemical analysis of heterodimers between wild-type and mutant IDH1 subunits showed that the mutant subunit did not inactivate reductive carboxylation by the wild-type subunit. Cells expressing the mutant IDH are thus deficient in their capacity for reductive carboxylation and may be compromised in their ability to produce acetyl-CoA under hypoxia or when mitochondrial function is otherwise impaired. PMID:22442146

  8. A Molecular Determinant of Subtype-Specific Desensitization in Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors.

    PubMed

    Alsaloum, Matthew; Kazi, Rashek; Gan, Quan; Amin, Johansen; Wollmuth, Lonnie P

    2016-03-02

    AMPA and NMDA receptors are glutamate-gated ion channels that mediate fast excitatory synaptic transmission throughout the nervous system. In the continual presence of glutamate, AMPA and NMDA receptors containing the GluN2A or GluN2B subunit enter into a nonconducting, desensitized state that can impact synaptic responses and glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. The process of desensitization is dramatically different between subtypes, but the basis for these differences is unknown. We generated an extensive sequence alignment of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) from diverse animal phyla and identified a highly conserved motif, which we termed the "hydrophobic box," located at the extracellular interface of transmembrane helices. A single position in the hydrophobic box differed between mammalian AMPA and NMDA receptors. Surprisingly, we find that an NMDAR-to-AMPAR exchange mutation at this position in the rat GluN2A or GluN2B subunit had a dramatic and highly specific effect on NMDAR desensitization, making it AMPAR-like. In contrast, a reverse exchange mutation in AMPARs had minimal effects on desensitization. These experiments highlight differences in desensitization between iGluR subtypes and the highly specific contribution of the GluN2 subunit to this process. Rapid communication between cells in the nervous system depends on ion channels that are directly activated by neurotransmitter molecules. Here, we studied ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), which are ion channels activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. By comparing the sequences of a vast number of iGluR proteins from diverse animal species, assisted by available structural information, we identified a highly conserved motif. We showed that a single amino acid difference in this motif between mammalian iGluR subtypes has dramatic effects on receptor function. These results have implications in both the evolution of synaptic function, as well as the role of iGluRs in health and disease

  9. The investigation of plasma glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phoshogluconate dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase in premenauposal patients with iron deficiency anemia.

    PubMed

    Ozcicek, Fatih; Aktas, Mehmet; Türkmen, Kultigin; Coban, T Abdulkadir; Cankaya, Murat

    2014-07-01

    Iron is an essential element that is necessary for all cells in the body. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is one of the most common nutritional disorders in both developed and developing countries. The glutathione pathway is paramount to antioxidant defense and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient cells do not cope well with oxidative damage. The goal of this study was to check the activities of G6PD, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase in patients with IDA. We analyzed the plasma samples of 102 premenopausal women with IDA and 88 healthy control subjects. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity as compared to the reduction of NADP +, glutathione reductase activity was performed based on the oxidation of NADPH. 2 ml of plasma were used in all analyzes. SPSS program was used for all of the statistical analysis. Diagnosis of iron deficiency in patients belonging to the analysis of blood were ferritin 3.60 ± 2.7 ng / mL, hemoglobin 9.4 ± 1.5 mg / dl and hematocrit 30.7 ± 4.1% ratio; in healthy subjects ferritin 53.5 ± 41.7 ng/ml, hemoglobin level 13.9 ± 1.3 mg / dl and hematocrit ratio 42 ± 3.53%. When compared to healthy subjects the glutathione reductase level (P<0.001) was found to be significantly higher in patients with IDA. IDA patients with moderate and severe anemia had lower GR activity when compared to IDA patients with mild anemia. But the plasma levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (P<0,600) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (P<0,671) did not show any differences between healthy subjects and in patients with IDA. It was shown that Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase and 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase have no effect on iron-deficiency anemia in patients. The plasma GR levels of premenopausal women with IDA were found to be higher compared to healthy subjects, which could be secondary to erythrocyte protection against oxidative stress being commonly seen in IDA.

  10. Regulation of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes in the rat kidney by estradiol.

    PubMed

    Gomez-Sanchez, Elise P; Ganjam, Venkataseshu; Chen, Yuan Jian; Liu, Ying; Zhou, Ming Yi; Toroslu, Cigdem; Romero, Damian G; Hughson, Michael D; de Rodriguez, Angela; Gomez-Sanchez, Celso E

    2003-08-01

    The 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11betaHSD) type 1 (11betaHSD1) enzyme is an NADP+-dependent oxidoreductase, usually reductase, of major glucocorticoids. The NAD+-dependent type 2 (11betaHSD2) enzyme is an oxidase that inactivates cortisol and corticosterone, conferring extrinsic specificity of the mineralocorticoid receptor for aldosterone. We reported that addition of a reducing agent to renal homogenates results in the monomerization of 11betaHSD2 dimers and a significant increase in NAD+-dependent corticosterone conversion. Estrogenic effects on expression, dimerization, and activity of the kidney 11betaHSD1 and -2 enzymes are described herein. Renal 11betaHSD1 mRNA and protein expressions were decreased to very low levels by estradiol (E2) treatment of both intact and castrated male rats; testosterone had no effect. NADP+-dependent enzymatic activity of renal homogenates from E2-treated rats measured under nonreducing conditions was less than that of homogenates from intact animals. Addition of 10 mM DTT to aliquots from these same homogenates abrogated the difference in NADP+-dependent activity between E2-treated and control rats. In contrast, 11betaHSD2 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly increased by E2 treatment. There was a marked increase in the number of juxtamedullary proximal tubules stained by the antibody against 11betaHSD2 after the administration of E2. Notwithstanding, neither the total corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone excreted in the urine nor their ratio differed between E2- and vehicle-treated rats. NAD+-dependent enzymatic activity in the absence or presence of a reducing agent demonstrated that the increase in 11betaHSD2 protein was not associated with an increase in in vitro activity unless the dimers were reduced to monomers.

  11. Effect of biotin on transcription levels of key enzymes and glutamate efflux in glutamate fermentation by Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Cao, Yan; Duan, Zuoying; Shi, Zhongping

    2014-02-01

    Biotin is an important factor affecting the performance of glutamate fermentation by biotin auxotrophic Corynebacterium glutamicum and glutamate is over-produced only when initial biotin content is controlled at suitable levels or initial biotin is excessive but with Tween 40 addition during fermentation. The transcription levels of key enzymes at pyruvate, isocitrate and α-ketoglutarate metabolic nodes, as well as transport protein (TP) of glutamate were investigated under the conditions of varied biotin contents and Tween 40 supplementation. When biotin was insufficient, the genes encoding key enzymes and TP were down-regulated in the early production phase, in particular, the transcription level of isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) which was only 2% of that of control. Although the cells' morphology transformation and TP level were not affected, low transcription level of ICDH led to lower final glutamate concentration (64 g/L). When biotin was excessive, the transcription levels of key enzymes were at comparable levels as those of control with ICDH as an exception, which was only 3-22% of control level throughout production phase. In this case, little intracellular glutamate accumulation (1.5 mg/g DCW) and impermeable membrane resulted in non glutamate secretion into broth, even though the quantity of TP was more than 10-folds of control level. Addition of Tween 40 when biotin was excessive stimulated the expression of all key enzymes and TP, intracellular glutamate content was much higher (10-12 mg/g DCW), and final glutamate concentration reached control level (75-80 g/L). Hence, the membrane alteration and TP were indispensable in glutamate secretion. Biotin and Tween 40 influenced the expression level of ICDH and glutamate efflux, thereby influencing glutamate production.

  12. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency in Switzerland. Demonstration of a new variant (G-6-PD Aarau) with chronic nonsphaerocytic haemolytic anaemia.

    PubMed

    Gahr, M; Schröter, W; Sturzenegger, M; Bornhalm, D; Marti, H R

    1976-08-01

    A new variant of erythrocytic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase has been found in a family of Swiss origin. It is associated with chronic nonsphaerocytic haemolytic anaemia. The enzyme from the erythrocytes of a young boy of this family was partially purified 110-fold and characterized. It revealed reduced catalytic activity, increased thermolability and two maxima of the pH activity curve at pH 7.0 and 8.5. The Km value for glucose-6-phosphate was reduced, that for NADP was normal. The enzyme showed an increased inhibitor constant for NADPH with respect to NADP. Electrophoretic mobility was normal (B+). 2-Desoxyglucose-6-phosphate and galactose-6-phosphate were utilized at normal rates, whereas the analogue deamino-NADP gave an increased utilization rate. The mother of the propositus could be identified as heterozygous for this enzyme deficiency. Chronic haemolysis is possibly due to the increased thermolability of the variant enzyme.

  13. Replacing Escherichia coli NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) with a NADP-dependent enzyme from Clostridium acetobutylicum facilitates NADPH dependent pathways.

    PubMed

    Martínez, Irene; Zhu, Jiangfeng; Lin, Henry; Bennett, George N; San, Ka-Yiu

    2008-11-01

    Reactions requiring reducing equivalents, NAD(P)H, are of enormous importance for the synthesis of industrially valuable compounds such as carotenoids, polymers, antibiotics and chiral alcohols among others. The use of whole-cell biocatalysis can reduce process cost by acting as catalyst and cofactor regenerator at the same time; however, product yields might be limited by cofactor availability within the cell. Thus, our study focussed on the genetic manipulation of a whole-cell system by modifying metabolic pathways and enzymes to improve the overall production process. In the present work, we genetically engineered an Escherichia coli strain to increase NADPH availability to improve the productivity of products that require NADPH in its biosynthesis. The approach involved an alteration of the glycolysis step where glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP) is oxidized to 1,3 bisphophoglycerate (1,3-BPG). This reaction is catalyzed by NAD-dependent endogenous glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) encoded by the gapA gene. We constructed a recombinant E. coli strain by replacing the native NAD-dependent gapA gene with a NADP-dependent GAPDH from Clostridium acetobutylicum, encoded by the gene gapC. The beauty of this approach is that the recombinant E. coli strain produces 2 mol of NADPH, instead of NADH, per mole of glucose consumed. Metabolic flux analysis showed that the flux through the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway, one of the main pathways that produce NADPH, was reduced significantly in the recombinant strain when compared to that of the parent strain. The effectiveness of the NADPH enhancing system was tested using the production of lycopene and epsilon-caprolactone as model systems using two different background strains. The recombinant strains, with increased NADPH availability, consistently showed significant higher productivity than the parent strains.

  14. The Contribution of Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase to Peroxide Detoxification Is Dependent on the Respiratory State and Counterbalanced by Other Sources of NADPH in Liver Mitochondria*

    PubMed Central

    Ronchi, Juliana Aparecida; Francisco, Annelise; Passos, Luiz Augusto Correa; Figueira, Tiago Rezende; Castilho, Roger Frigério

    2016-01-01

    The forward reaction of nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) reduces NADP+ at the expense of NADH oxidation and H+ movement down the electrochemical potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane, establishing an NADPH/NADP+ ratio severalfold higher than the NADH/NAD+ ratio in the matrix. In turn, NADPH drives processes, such as peroxide detoxification and reductive biosynthesis. In this study, we generated a congenic mouse model carrying a mutated NntC57BL/6J allele from the C57BL/6J substrain. Suspensions of isolated mitochondria from Nnt+/+, Nnt+/−, and Nnt−/− mouse liver were biochemically evaluated and challenged with exogenous peroxide under different respiratory states. The respiratory substrates were also varied, and the participation of concurrent NADPH sources (i.e. isocitrate dehydrogenase-2, malic enzymes, and glutamate dehydrogenase) was assessed. The principal findings include the following: Nnt+/− and Nnt−/− exhibit ∼50% and absent NNT activity, respectively, but the activities of concurrent NADPH sources are unchanged. The lack of NNT activity in Nnt−/− mice impairs peroxide metabolism in intact mitochondria. The contribution of NNT to peroxide metabolism is decreased during ADP phosphorylation compared with the non-phosphorylating state; however, it is accompanied by increased contributions of concurrent NADPH sources, especially glutamate dehydrogenase. NNT makes a major contribution to peroxide metabolism during the blockage of mitochondrial electron transport. Interestingly, peroxide metabolism in the Nnt+/− mitochondria matched that in the Nnt+/+ mitochondria. Overall, this study demonstrates that the respiratory state and/or substrates that sustain energy metabolism markedly influence the relative contribution of NNT (i.e. varies between nearly 0 and 100%) to NADPH-dependent mitochondrial peroxide metabolism. PMID:27474736

  15. The Contribution of Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase to Peroxide Detoxification Is Dependent on the Respiratory State and Counterbalanced by Other Sources of NADPH in Liver Mitochondria.

    PubMed

    Ronchi, Juliana Aparecida; Francisco, Annelise; Passos, Luiz Augusto Correa; Figueira, Tiago Rezende; Castilho, Roger Frigério

    2016-09-16

    The forward reaction of nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT) reduces NADP(+) at the expense of NADH oxidation and H(+) movement down the electrochemical potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane, establishing an NADPH/NADP(+) ratio severalfold higher than the NADH/NAD(+) ratio in the matrix. In turn, NADPH drives processes, such as peroxide detoxification and reductive biosynthesis. In this study, we generated a congenic mouse model carrying a mutated Nnt(C57BL/6J) allele from the C57BL/6J substrain. Suspensions of isolated mitochondria from Nnt(+/+), Nnt(+/-), and Nnt(-/-) mouse liver were biochemically evaluated and challenged with exogenous peroxide under different respiratory states. The respiratory substrates were also varied, and the participation of concurrent NADPH sources (i.e. isocitrate dehydrogenase-2, malic enzymes, and glutamate dehydrogenase) was assessed. The principal findings include the following: Nnt(+/-) and Nnt(-/-) exhibit ∼50% and absent NNT activity, respectively, but the activities of concurrent NADPH sources are unchanged. The lack of NNT activity in Nnt(-/-) mice impairs peroxide metabolism in intact mitochondria. The contribution of NNT to peroxide metabolism is decreased during ADP phosphorylation compared with the non-phosphorylating state; however, it is accompanied by increased contributions of concurrent NADPH sources, especially glutamate dehydrogenase. NNT makes a major contribution to peroxide metabolism during the blockage of mitochondrial electron transport. Interestingly, peroxide metabolism in the Nnt(+/-) mitochondria matched that in the Nnt(+/+) mitochondria. Overall, this study demonstrates that the respiratory state and/or substrates that sustain energy metabolism markedly influence the relative contribution of NNT (i.e. varies between nearly 0 and 100%) to NADPH-dependent mitochondrial peroxide metabolism. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. Physiological Regulation of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase and the Role of 2-Oxoglutarate in Prochlorococcus sp. Strain PCC 9511

    PubMed Central

    Diez, Jesús; Gómez-Baena, Guadalupe; Rangel-Zúñiga, Oriol Alberto; García-Fernández, José Manuel

    2014-01-01

    The enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH; EC 1.1.1.42) catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate, to produce 2-oxoglutarate. The incompleteness of the tricarboxylic acids cycle in marine cyanobacteria confers a special importance to isocitrate dehydrogenase in the C/N balance, since 2-oxoglutarate can only be metabolized through the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase pathway. The physiological regulation of isocitrate dehydrogenase was studied in cultures of Prochlorococcus sp. strain PCC 9511, by measuring enzyme activity and concentration using the NADPH production assay and Western blotting, respectively. The enzyme activity showed little changes under nitrogen or phosphorus starvation, or upon addition of the inhibitors DCMU, DBMIB and MSX. Azaserine, an inhibitor of glutamate synthase, induced clear increases in the isocitrate dehydrogenase activity and icd gene expression after 24 h, and also in the 2-oxoglutarate concentration. Iron starvation had the most significant effect, inducing a complete loss of isocitrate dehydrogenase activity, possibly mediated by a process of oxidative inactivation, while its concentration was unaffected. Our results suggest that isocitrate dehydrogenase responds to changes in the intracellular concentration of 2-oxoglutarate and to the redox status of the cells in Prochlorococcus. PMID:25061751

  17. NADP/sup +/ enhances cholera and pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of membrane proteins

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kawai, Y.; Whitsel, C.; Arinze, I.J.

    1986-05-01

    Cholera or pertussis toxin-catalyzed (/sup 32/P)ADP-ribosylation is frequently used to estimate the concentration of the stimulatory (Ns) or inhibitory (Ni) guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins which modulate the activity of adenylate cyclase. With this assay, however, the degradation of the substrate, NAD/sup +/, by endogenous enzymes such as NAD/sup +/-glycohydrolase (NADase) present in the test membranes can influence the results. In this study the authors show that both cholera and pertussis toxin-catalyzed (/sup 32/P)ADP-ribosylation of liver membrane proteins is markedly enhanced by NADP/sup +/. The effect is concentration dependent; with 20 ..mu..M (/sup 32/P)NAD/sup +/ as substrate maximal enhancement is obtainedmore » at 0.5-1.0 mM NADP/sup +/. The enhancement of (/sup 32/P)ADP-ribosylation by NADP/sup +/ was much greater than that by other known effectors such as Mg/sup 2 +/, phosphate or isoniazid. The effect of NADP/sup +/ on ADP-ribosylation may occur by inhibition of the degradation of NAD/sup +/ probably by acting as an alternate substrate for NADase. Among inhibitors tested (NADP/sup +/, isoniazid, imidazole, nicotinamide, L-Arg-methyl-ester and HgCl/sub 2/) to suppress NADase activity, NADP/sup +/ was the most effective and, 10 mM, inhibited activity of the enzyme by about 90%. In membranes which contain substantial activities of NADase the inclusion of NADP/sup +/ in the assay is necessary to obtain maximal ADP-ribosylation.« less

  18. Highly Stable l-Lysine 6-Dehydrogenase from the Thermophile Geobacillus stearothermophilus Isolated from a Japanese Hot Spring: Characterization, Gene Cloning and Sequencing, and Expression

    PubMed Central

    Heydari, Mojgan; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Nunoura-Kominato, Naoki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

    2004-01-01

    l-Lysine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of l-lysine in the presence of NAD, was found in the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus UTB 1103 and then purified about 3,040-fold from a crude extract of the organism by using four successive column chromatography steps. This is the first report showing the presence of a thermophilic NAD-dependent lysine dehydrogenase. The product of the enzyme catalytic activity was determined to be Δ1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, indicating that the enzyme is l-lysine 6-dehydrogenase (LysDH) (EC 1.4.1.18). The molecular mass of the purified protein was about 260 kDa, and the molecule was determined to be a homohexamer with subunit molecular mass of about 43 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of the enzyme were about 10.1 and 70°C, respectively. No activity was lost at temperatures up to 65°C in the presence of 5 mM l-lysine. The enzyme was relatively selective for l-lysine as the electron donor, and either NAD or NADP could serve as the electron acceptor (NADP exhibited about 22% of the activity of NAD). The Km values for l-lysine, NAD, and NADP at 50°C and pH 10.0 were 0.73, 0.088, and 0.48 mM, respectively. When the gene encoding this LysDH was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, a crude extract of the recombinant cells had about 800-fold-higher enzyme activity than the extract of G. stearothermophilus. The nucleotide sequence of the LysDH gene encoded a peptide containing 385 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 42,239 Da. PMID:14766574

  19. Highly stable L-lysine 6-dehydrogenase from the thermophile Geobacillus stearothermophilus isolated from a Japanese hot spring: characterization, gene cloning and sequencing, and expression.

    PubMed

    Heydari, Mojgan; Ohshima, Toshihisa; Nunoura-Kominato, Naoki; Sakuraba, Haruhiko

    2004-02-01

    L-Lysine dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-lysine in the presence of NAD, was found in the thermophilic bacterium Geobacillus stearothermophilus UTB 1103 and then purified about 3,040-fold from a crude extract of the organism by using four successive column chromatography steps. This is the first report showing the presence of a thermophilic NAD-dependent lysine dehydrogenase. The product of the enzyme catalytic activity was determined to be Delta1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, indicating that the enzyme is L-lysine 6-dehydrogenase (LysDH) (EC 1.4.1.18). The molecular mass of the purified protein was about 260 kDa, and the molecule was determined to be a homohexamer with subunit molecular mass of about 43 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for the catalytic activity of the enzyme were about 10.1 and 70 degrees C, respectively. No activity was lost at temperatures up to 65 degrees C in the presence of 5 mM L-lysine. The enzyme was relatively selective for L-lysine as the electron donor, and either NAD or NADP could serve as the electron acceptor (NADP exhibited about 22% of the activity of NAD). The Km values for L-lysine, NAD, and NADP at 50 degrees C and pH 10.0 were 0.73, 0.088, and 0.48 mM, respectively. When the gene encoding this LysDH was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, a crude extract of the recombinant cells had about 800-fold-higher enzyme activity than the extract of G. stearothermophilus. The nucleotide sequence of the LysDH gene encoded a peptide containing 385 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 42,239 Da.

  20. Synthetic regulators of the 2-oxoglutarate oxidative decarboxylation alleviate the glutamate excitotoxicity in cerebellar granule neurons.

    PubMed

    Kabysheva, Maria S; Storozhevykh, Tatiana P; Pinelis, Vsevolod G; Bunik, Victoria I

    2009-05-01

    Impairment of the 2-oxoglutarate oxidative decarboxylation by the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC) is associated with the glutamate accumulation, ROS production and neuropathologies. We hypothesized that correct function of OGDHC under metabolic stress is essential to overcome the glutamate excitotoxic action on neurons. We show that synthetic phosphono analogs of 2-oxoglutarate, succinyl phosphonate and its phosphono ethyl ester, improve the catalysis by brain OGDHC through inhibiting the side reaction of irreversible inactivation of its first component, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase. Under the substrate and cofactor saturation, the component and complex undergo the inactivation during catalysis with the apparent rate constant 0.2 min(-1). The inactivation rate is reduced by 90% and 60% in the presence of 50 microM succinyl phosphonate and its phosphono ethyl ester, correspondingly. In cultured cerebellar granule neurons exposed to excitotoxic glutamate, the phosphonates (100 microM) protect from the irreversible impairment of mitochondrial function and delayed calcium deregulation. The deregulation amplitude is decreased by succinyl phosphonate and its phosphono ethyl ester by 50% and 30%, correspondingly. Thus, succinyl phosphonate is more potent than its phosphono ethyl ester in protecting both the isolated brain OGDHC from inactivation and cultured neurons from the glutamate-induced calcium deregulation. The correlation of the relative efficiency of the phosphonates in vitro and in situ indicates that their cellular effects are due to targeting OGDHC, which is in accord with independent studies. We conclude that the compounds preserving the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity are of neuroprotective value upon metabolic disbalance induced by glutamate excess.

  1. Activity of select dehydrogenases with sepharose-immobilized N(6)-carboxymethyl-NAD.

    PubMed

    Beauchamp, Justin; Vieille, Claire

    2015-01-01

    N(6)-carboxymethyl-NAD (N(6)-CM-NAD) can be used to immobilize NAD onto a substrate containing terminal primary amines. We previously immobilized N(6)-CM-NAD onto sepharose beads and showed that Thermotoga maritima glycerol dehydrogenase could use the immobilized cofactor with cofactor recycling. We now show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae alcohol dehydrogenase, rabbit muscle L-lactate dehydrogenase (type XI), bovine liver L-glutamic dehydrogenase (type III), Leuconostoc mesenteroides glucose-6-phosphate dehydro-genase, and Thermotoga maritima mannitol dehydrogenase are active with soluble N(6)-CM-NAD. The products of all enzymes but 6-phospho-D-glucono-1,5-lactone were formed when sepharose-immobilized N(6)-CM-NAD was recycled by T. maritima glycerol dehydrogenase, indicating that N(6)-immobilized NAD is suitable for use by a variety of different dehydrogenases. Observations of the enzyme active sites suggest that steric hindrance plays a greater role in limiting or allowing activity with the modified cofactor than do polarity and charge of the residues surrounding the N(6)-amine group on NAD.

  2. Geraniol dehydrogenase, the key enzyme in biosynthesis of the alarm pheromone, from the astigmatid mite Carpoglyphus lactis (Acari: Carpoglyphidae).

    PubMed

    Noge, Koji; Kato, Makiko; Mori, Naoki; Kataoka, Michihiko; Tanaka, Chihiro; Yamasue, Yuji; Nishida, Ritsuo; Kuwahara, Yasumasa

    2008-06-01

    Geraniol dehydrogenase (GeDH), which plays an important role in the biosynthesis of neral, an alarm pheromone, was purified from the astigmatid mite Carpoglyphus lactis. The enzyme was obtained in an apparently homogeneous and active form after 1879-fold purification through seven steps of chromatography. Car. lactis GeDH was determined to be a monomer in its active form with a relative molecular mass of 42 800, which is a unique subunit structure in comparison with already established alcohol dehydrogenases. Car. lactis GeDH oxidized geraniol into geranial in the presence of NAD+. NADP+ was ineffective as a cofactor, suggesting that Car. lactis GeDH is an NAD+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase. The optimal pH and temperature for geraniol oxidation were determined to be pH 9.0 and 25 degrees C, respectively. The Km values for geraniol and NAD+ were 51.0 microm and 59.5 microm, respectively. Car. lactis GeDH was shown to selectively oxidize geraniol, whereas its geometrical isomer, nerol, was inert as a substrate. The high specificity for geraniol suggests that Car. lactis GeDH specializes in the alarm pheromone biosynthesis of Car. lactis. Car. lactis GeDH is composed of 378 amino acids. Structurally, Car. lactis GeDH showed homology with zinc-dependent alcohol dehydrogenases found in mammals and a mosquito (36.6-37.6% identical), and the enzyme was considered to be a member of the medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase family, in view of the highly conserved sequences of zinc-binding and NAD+-binding sites. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Car. lactis GeDH could be categorized as a new class, different from other established alcohol dehydrogenases.

  3. Performance of Glutamate Dehydrogenase and Triose Phosphate Isomerase Genes in the Analysis of Genotypic Variability of Isolates of Giardia duodenalis from Livestocks

    PubMed Central

    Fava, Natália M. N.; Soares, Rodrigo M.; Scalia, Luana A. M.; Kalapothakis, Evanguedes; Pena, Isabella F.; Vieira, Carlos U.; Faria, Elaine S. M.; Cunha, Maria J.; Couto, Talles R.; Cury, Márcia Cristina

    2013-01-01

    Giardia duodenalis is a small intestinal protozoan parasite of several terrestrial vertebrates. This work aims to assess the genotypic variability of Giardia duodenalis isolates from cattle, sheep and pigs in the Southeast of Brazil, by comparing the standard characterization between glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) primers. Fecal samples from the three groups of animals were analyzed using the zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation technique. Out of 59 positive samples, 30 were from cattle, 26 from sheep and 3 from pigs. Cyst pellets were stored and submitted to PCR and nested-PCR reactions with gdh and tpi primers. Fragment amplification of gdh and tpi genes was observed in 25 (42.4%) and 36 (61.0%) samples, respectively. Regarding the sequencing, 24 sequences were obtained with gdh and 20 with tpi. For both genes, there was a prevalence of E specific species assemblage, although some isolates have been identified as A and B, by the tpi sequencing. This has also shown a larger number of heterogeneous sequences, which have been attribute to mixed infections between assemblages B and E. The largest variability of inter-assemblage associated to the frequency of heterogeneity provided by tpi sequencing reinforces the polymorphic nature of this gene and makes it an excellent target for studies on molecular epidemiology. PMID:24308010

  4. Cloning and Characterization of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa zwf Gene Encoding Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase, an Enzyme Important in Resistance to Methyl Viologen (Paraquat)

    PubMed Central

    Ma, Ju-Fang; Hager, Paul W.; Howell, Michael L.; Phibbs, Paul V.; Hassett, Daniel J.

    1998-01-01

    In this study, we cloned the Pseudomonas aeruginosa zwf gene, encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), an enzyme that catalyzes the NAD+- or NADP+-dependent conversion of glucose-6-phosphate to 6-phosphogluconate. The predicted zwf gene product is 490 residues, which could form a tetramer with a molecular mass of ∼220 kDa. G6PDH activity and zwf transcription were maximal in early logarithmic phase when inducing substrates such as glycerol, glucose, or gluconate were abundant. In contrast, both G6PDH activity and zwf transcription plummeted dramatically when bacteria approached stationary phase, when inducing substrate was limiting, or when the organisms were grown in a citrate-, succinate-, or acetate-containing basal salts medium. G6PDH was purified to homogeneity, and its molecular mass was estimated to be ∼220 kDa by size exclusion chromatography. Estimated Km values of purified G6PDH acting on glucose-6-phosphate, NADP+, and NAD+ were 530, 57, and 333 μM, respectively. The specific activities with NAD+ and NADP+ were calculated to be 176 and 69 μmol/min/mg. An isogenic zwf mutant was unable to grow on minimal medium supplemented with mannitol. The mutant also demonstrated increased sensitivity to the redox-active superoxide-generating agent methyl viologen (paraquat). Since one by-product of G6PDH activity is NADPH, the latter data suggest that this cofactor is essential for the activity of enzymes critical in defense against paraquat toxicity. PMID:9537370

  5. Glutamate antagonism fails to reverse mitochondrial dysfunction in late phase of experimental neonatal asphyxia in rats.

    PubMed

    Reddy, Nagannathahalli Ranga; Krishnamurthy, Sairam; Chourasia, Tapan Kumar; Kumar, Ashok; Joy, Keerikkattil Paily

    2011-04-01

    Neonatal asphyxia is a primary contributor to neonatal mortality and neuro-developmental disorders. It progresses in two distinct phases, as initial primary process and latter as the secondary process. A dynamic relationship exists between excitotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction during the progression of asphyxic injury. Study of status of glutamate and mitochondrial function in tandem during primary and secondary processes may give new leads to the treatment of asphyxia. Neonatal asphyxia was induced in rat pups on the day of birth by subjecting them to two episodes (10min each) of anoxia, 24h apart by passing 100% N(2) into an enclosed chamber. The NMDA antagonist ketamine (20mg/kg/day) was administered either for 1 day or 7 days after anoxic exposure. Tissue glutamate and nitric oxide were estimated in the cerebral cortex, extra-cortex and cerebellum. The mitochondria from the above brain regions were used for the estimation of malondialdehyde, and activities of superoxide dismutase and succinate dehydrogenase. Mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated by using Rhodamine dye. Anoxia during the primary process increased glutamate and nitric oxide levels; however the mitochondrial function was unaltered in terms of succinate dehydrogenase and membrane potential. Acute ketamine treatment reversed the increase in both glutamate and nitric oxide levels and partially attenuated mitochondrial function in terms of succinate dehydrogenase activity. The elevated glutamate and nitric oxide levels were maintained during the secondary process but however with concomitant loss of mitochondrial function. Repeated ketamine administration reversed glutamate levels only in the cerebral cortex, where as nitric oxide was decreased in all the brain regions. However, repeated ketamine administration was unable to reverse anoxia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. The failure of glutamate antagonism in the treatment of asphyxia may be due to persistence of mitochondrial

  6. Trehalose and sorbitol alter the kinetic pattern of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase during drying in levitated microdroplets.

    PubMed

    Lorenzen, Elke; Lee, Geoffrey

    2013-12-01

    A single-droplet acoustic levitator was used to determine the drying rate and the kinetics of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of added trehalose or sorbitol. The solution was also spray dried under the same process condition of drying gas temperature on a bench-top machine. Both trehalose and sorbitol delay the point of onset of enzyme inactivation which lies after the critical point of drying. Both carbohydrates also reduce the apparent rate constant of inactivation calculated during the subsequent inactivation phase. The carbohydrates stabilise, therefore, the enzyme during droplet drying and particle formation mainly during the falling rate drying period. There is no difference between the stabilising effects of the two carbohydrates when examined as levitated single droplets. This suggests the importance of water replacement as a stabilising mechanism in the levitated droplets/particles. On spray drying, the trehalose stabilises the enzyme better than does the sorbitol at a drying gas (outlet) temperature of 60°C. This suggests glass formation with the trehalose but not the sorbitol during the very rapid drying process of small-atomised droplets in the spray dryer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  7. Oxidoreductases Involved in Cell Carbon Synthesis of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

    PubMed Central

    Zeikus, J. G.; Fuchs, G.; Kenealy, W.; Thauer, R. K.

    1977-01-01

    Cell-free extracts of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum were found to contain high activities of the following oxidoreductases (at 60°C): pyruvate dehydrogenase (coenzyme A acetylating), 275 nmol/min per mg of protein; α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (coenzyme A acylating), 100 nmol/min per mg; fumarate reductase, 360 nmol/min per mg; malate dehydrogenase, 240 nmol/min per mg; and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 100 nmol/min per mg. The kinetic properties (apparent Vmax and KM values), pH optimum, temperature dependence of the rate, and specificity for electron acceptors/donors of the different oxidoreductases were examined. Pyruvate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase were shown to be two separate enzymes specific for factor 420 rather than for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), NADP, or ferredoxin as the electron acceptor. Both activities catalyzed the reduction of methyl viologen with the respective α-ketoacid and a coenzyme A-dependent exchange between the carboxyl group of the α-ketoacid and CO2. The data indicate that the two enzymes are similar to pyruvate synthase and α-ketoglutarate synthase, respectively. Fumarate reductase was found in the soluble cell fraction. This enzyme activity coupled with reduced benzyl viologen as the electron donor, but reduced factor 420, NADH, or NADPH was not effective. The cells did not contain menaquinone, thus excluding this compound as the physiological electron donor for fumarate reduction. NAD was the preferred coenzyme for malate dehydrogenase, whereas NADP was preferred for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The organism also possessed a factor 420-dependent hydrogenase and a factor 420-linked NADP reductase. The involvement of the described oxidoreductases in cell carbon synthesis is discussed. PMID:914779

  8. Central Role of Glutamate Metabolism in the Maintenance of Nitrogen Homeostasis in Normal and Hyperammonemic Brain

    PubMed Central

    Cooper, Arthur J. L.; Jeitner, Thomas M.

    2016-01-01

    Glutamate is present in the brain at an average concentration—typically 10–12 mM—far in excess of those of other amino acids. In glutamate-containing vesicles in the brain, the concentration of glutamate may even exceed 100 mM. Yet because glutamate is a major excitatory neurotransmitter, the concentration of this amino acid in the cerebral extracellular fluid must be kept low—typically µM. The remarkable gradient of glutamate in the different cerebral compartments: vesicles > cytosol/mitochondria > extracellular fluid attests to the extraordinary effectiveness of glutamate transporters and the strict control of enzymes of glutamate catabolism and synthesis in well-defined cellular and subcellular compartments in the brain. A major route for glutamate and ammonia removal is via the glutamine synthetase (glutamate ammonia ligase) reaction. Glutamate is also removed by conversion to the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) via the action of glutamate decarboxylase. On the other hand, cerebral glutamate levels are maintained by the action of glutaminase and by various α-ketoglutarate-linked aminotransferases (especially aspartate aminotransferase and the mitochondrial and cytosolic forms of the branched-chain aminotransferases). Although the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction is freely reversible, owing to rapid removal of ammonia as glutamine amide, the direction of the glutamate dehydrogenase reaction in the brain in vivo is mainly toward glutamate catabolism rather than toward the net synthesis of glutamate, even under hyperammonemia conditions. During hyperammonemia, there is a large increase in cerebral glutamine content, but only small changes in the levels of glutamate and α-ketoglutarate. Thus, the channeling of glutamate toward glutamine during hyperammonemia results in the net synthesis of 5-carbon units. This increase in 5-carbon units is accomplished in part by the ammonia-induced stimulation of the anaplerotic enzyme pyruvate

  9. In vivo operation of the pentose phosphate pathway in frog oocytes is limited by NADP+ availability.

    PubMed

    Preller, A; Guixé, V; Ureta, T

    1999-03-05

    Evolution of CO2 from labelled glucose microinjected into frog oocytes in vivo may be ascribed to the pentose-P pathway, as measured by radioactive CO2 production from [1-(14)C] and [6-(14)C]glucose. Coinjection of NADP+ and [14C]glucose significantly stimulated 14CO2 production. The effect depends on the amount of NADP+ injected, half maximal stimulation being obtained at 0.13 mM. The increase in CO2 production was also observed with microinjected glucose-1-P, glucose-6-P or fructose-6-P used as substrates. Phenazine methosulfate, mimicked the effects of NADP+. A high NADPH/NADP+ ratio of 4.3 was found in the cells, the intracellular concentration of NADP+ being 19 microM.

  10. Role of NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+-ICDH) on cellular defence against oxidative injury by gamma-rays.

    PubMed

    Lee, S H; Jo, S H; Lee, S M; Koh, H J; Song, H; Park, J W; Lee, W H; Huh, T L

    2004-09-01

    To investigate the regulation of NADPH-producing isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) in cytosol (IDPc) and mitochondria (IDPm) upon gamma-ray irradiation, and the roles of IDPc and IDPm in the protection against cellular damage induced by gamma-ray irradiation. Changes of IDPc and IDPm proteins upon gamma-ray irradiation to NIH3T3 cells were analysed by immunoblotting. To increase or decrease the expression of IDPc or IDPm, NIH3T3 cells were stably transfected with mouse IDPc or IDPm cDNA in either the sense or the antisense direction. The transfected cells with either increased or decreased IDPc or IDPm were exposed to gamma-rays, and the levels of reactive oxygen species generation, protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation were measured. Both IDPc and IDPm activities were induced by gamma-ray in NIH3T3 cells. Cells with decreased expression of IDPc or IDPm had elevated reactive oxygen species generation, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Conversely, overproduction of IDPc or IDPm protein partially protected the cells from oxidative damage induced by gamma-ray irradiation. The protective role of IDPc and IDPm against gamma-ray-induced cellular damage can be attributed to elevated NADPH, reducing equivalents needed for recycling reduced glutathione in the cytosol and mitochondria. Thus, a primary biological function of the ICDHs may be production of NADPH, which is a prerequisite for some cellular defence systems against oxidative damage.

  11. Deletion of genes involved in glutamate metabolism to improve poly-gamma-glutamic acid production in B. amyloliquefaciens LL3.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; He, Yulian; Gao, Weixia; Feng, Jun; Cao, Mingfeng; Yang, Chao; Song, Cunjiang; Wang, Shufang

    2015-02-01

    Here, we attempted to elevate poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) production by modifying genes involved in glutamate metabolism in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens LL3. Products of rocR, rocG and gudB facilitate the conversion from glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate in Bacillus subtillis. The gene odhA is responsible for the synthesis of a component of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex that catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate to succinyl coenzyme A. In-frame deletions of these four genes were performed. In shake flask experiments the gudB/rocG double mutant presented enhanced production of γ-PGA, a 38 % increase compared with wild type. When fermented in a 5-L fermenter with pH control, the γ-PGA yield of the rocR mutant was increased to 5.83 g/L from 4.55 g/L for shake flask experiments. The gudB/rocG double mutant produced 5.68 g/L γ-PGA compared with that of 4.03 g/L for the wild type, a 40 % increase. Those results indicated the possibility of improving γ-PGA production by modifying glutamate metabolism, and identified potential genetic targets to improve γ-PGA production.

  12. Application of nitrogen metabolism in autotrophic bacteria to chemosynthetic bioregeneration in space missions, supplement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wixom, R. L.

    1974-01-01

    The chemolithotroph, Hydrogenomonas eutropha, was considered as a life support, bioregenerative system. This project focuses on several metabolic functions that are related to the proposed nitrogen cycle between man and this microbe. Specifically this organism has the capability to utilize as the sole nitrogen source such urine components as urea and fifteen individual amino acids, but not nine other amino acids. The effectiveness of utilization was high for many amino acids. Several specific growth inhibitions were also observed. The enzyme that catalyzes the incorporation of ammonia in the medium into amino acids was identified as a NADP-specific, L-glutamate dehydrogenase. This enzyme has a constitutive nature. This organism can synthesize all of its amino acids from carbon dioxide and ammonia. Therefore with the background literature of multiple pathways of individual amino acid biosyntheses, our evidence to date is consistent with the Hydrogeneomonas group having the same pathway of valine-isoleucine formation as the classical E. coli.

  13. Metabolic Mapping: Quantitative Enzyme Cytochemistry and Histochemistry to Determine the Activity of Dehydrogenases in Cells and Tissues.

    PubMed

    Molenaar, Remco J; Khurshed, Mohammed; Hira, Vashendriya V V; Van Noorden, Cornelis J F

    2018-05-26

    Altered cellular metabolism is a hallmark of many diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and infection. The metabolic motor units of cells are enzymes and their activity is heavily regulated at many levels, including the transcriptional, mRNA stability, translational, post-translational and functional level. This complex regulation means that conventional quantitative or imaging assays, such as quantitative mRNA experiments, Western Blots and immunohistochemistry, yield incomplete information regarding the ultimate activity of enzymes, their function and/or their subcellular localization. Quantitative enzyme cytochemistry and histochemistry (i.e., metabolic mapping) show in-depth information on in situ enzymatic activity and its kinetics, function and subcellular localization in an almost true-to-nature situation. We describe a protocol to detect the activity of dehydrogenases, which are enzymes that perform redox reactions to reduce cofactors such as NAD(P) + and FAD. Cells and tissue sections are incubated in a medium that is specific for the enzymatic activity of one dehydrogenase. Subsequently, the dehydrogenase that is the subject of investigation performs its enzymatic activity in its subcellular site. In a chemical reaction with the reaction medium, this ultimately generates blue-colored formazan at the site of the dehydrogenase's activity. The formazan's absorbance is therefore a direct measure of the dehydrogenase's activity and can be quantified using monochromatic light microscopy and image analysis. The quantitative aspect of this protocol enables researchers to draw statistical conclusions from these assays. Besides observational studies, this technique can be used for inhibition studies of specific enzymes. In this context, studies benefit from the true-to-nature advantages of metabolic mapping, giving in situ results that may be physiologically more relevant than in vitro enzyme inhibition studies. In all, metabolic mapping is an

  14. Alteration in substrate specificity of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase by an acyclic nicotinamide analog of NAD(+).

    PubMed

    Malver, Olaf; Sebastian, Mina J; Oppenheimer, Norman J

    2014-11-01

    A new, acyclic NAD-analog, acycloNAD(+) has been synthesized where the nicotinamide ribosyl moiety has been replaced by the nicotinamide (2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl moiety. The chemical properties of this analog are comparable to those of β-NAD(+) with a redox potential of -324mV and a 341nm λmax for the reduced form. Both yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) catalyze the reduction of acycloNAD(+) by primary alcohols. With HLADH 1-butanol has the highest Vmax at 49% that of β-NAD(+). The primary deuterium kinetic isotope effect is greater than 3 indicating a significant contribution to the rate limiting step from cleavage of the carbon-hydrogen bond. The stereochemistry of the hydride transfer in the oxidation of stereospecifically deuterium labeled n-butanol is identical to that for the reaction with β-NAD(+). In contrast to the activity toward primary alcohols there is no detectable reduction of acycloNAD(+) by secondary alcohols with HLADH although these alcohols serve as competitive inhibitors. The net effect is that acycloNAD(+) has converted horse liver ADH from a broad spectrum alcohol dehydrogenase, capable of utilizing either primary or secondary alcohols, into an exclusively primary alcohol dehydrogenase. This is the first example of an NAD analog that alters the substrate specificity of a dehydrogenase and, like site-directed mutagenesis of proteins, establishes that modifications of the coenzyme distance from the active site can be used to alter enzyme function and substrate specificity. These and other results, including the activity with α-NADH, clearly demonstrate the promiscuity of the binding interactions between dehydrogenases and the riboside phosphate of the nicotinamide moiety, thus greatly expanding the possibilities for the design of analogs and inhibitors of specific dehydrogenases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Two-step glutamate dehydrogenase antigen real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of toxigenic Clostridium difficile.

    PubMed

    Goldenberg, S D; Cliff, P R; Smith, S; Milner, M; French, G L

    2010-01-01

    Current diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) relies upon detection of toxins A/B in stool by enzyme immunoassay [EIA(A/B)]. This strategy is unsatisfactory because it has a low sensitivity resulting in significant false negatives. We investigated the performance of a two-step algorithm for diagnosis of CDI using detection of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). GDH-positive samples were tested for C. difficile toxin B gene (tcdB) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The performance of the two-step protocol was compared with toxin detection by the Meridian Premier EIA kit in 500 consecutive stool samples from patients with suspected CDI. The reference standard among samples that were positive by either EIA(A/B) or GDH testing was culture cytotoxin neutralisation (culture/CTN). Thirty-six (7%) of 500 samples were identified as true positives by culture/CTN. EIA(A/B) identified 14 of the positive specimens with 22 false negatives and two false positives. The two-step protocol identified 34 of the positive samples with two false positives and two false negatives. EIA(A/B) had a sensitivity of 39%, specificity of 99%, positive predictive value of 88% and negative predictive value of 95%. The two-step algorithm performed better, with corresponding values of 94%, 99%, 94% and 99% respectively. Screening for GDH before confirmation of positives by PCR is cheaper than screening all specimens by PCR and is an effective method for routine use. Current EIA(A/B) tests for CDI are of inadequate sensitivity and should be replaced; however, this may result in apparent changes in CDI rates that would need to be explained in national surveillance statistics. Copyright 2009 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Method To Identify Specific Inhibiutors Of Imp Dehydrogenase

    DOEpatents

    Collart, Frank R.; Huberman, Eliezer

    2000-11-28

    This invention relates to methods to identify specific inhibitors of the purine nucleotide synthesis enzyme, IMP dehydrogenase (IMPDH). IMPDH is an essential enzyme found in all free-living organisms from humans to bacteria and is an important therapeutic target. The invention allows the identification of specific inhibitors of any IMPDH enzyme which can be expressed in a functional form in a recombinant host cell. A variety of eukaryotic or prokaryotic host systems commonly used for the expression of recombinant proteins are suitable for the practice of the invention. The methods are amenable to high throughput systems for the screening of inhibitors generated by combinatorial chemistry or other methods such as antisense molecule production. Utilization of exogenous guanosine as a control component of the methods allows for the identification of inhibitors specific for IMPDH rather than other causes of decreased cell proliferation.

  17. Cloning, functional expression and characterization of a bifunctional 3-hydroxybutanal dehydrogenase /reductase involved in acetone metabolism by Desulfococcus biacutus.

    PubMed

    Frey, Jasmin; Rusche, Hendrik; Schink, Bernhard; Schleheck, David

    2016-11-25

    The strictly anaerobic, sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfococcus biacutus can utilize acetone as sole carbon and energy source for growth. Whereas in aerobic and nitrate-reducing bacteria acetone is activated by carboxylation with CO 2 to acetoacetate, D. biacutus involves CO as a cosubstrate for acetone activation through a different, so far unknown pathway. Proteomic studies indicated that, among others, a predicted medium-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (MDR) superfamily, zinc-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (locus tag DebiaDRAFT_04514) is specifically and highly produced during growth with acetone. The MDR gene DebiaDRAFT_04514 was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli. The purified recombinant protein required zinc as cofactor, and accepted NADH/NAD + but not NADPH/NADP + as electron donor/acceptor. The pH optimum was at pH 8, and the temperature optimum at 45 °C. Highest specific activities were observed for reduction of C 3 - C 5 -aldehydes with NADH, such as propanal to propanol (380 ± 15 mU mg -1 protein), butanal to butanol (300 ± 24 mU mg -1 ), and 3-hydroxybutanal to 1,3-butanediol (248 ± 60 mU mg -1 ), however, the enzyme also oxidized 3-hydroxybutanal with NAD + to acetoacetaldehyde (83 ± 18 mU mg -1 ). The enzyme might play a key role in acetone degradation by D. biacutus, for example as a bifunctional 3-hydroxybutanal dehydrogenase/reductase. Its recombinant production may represent an important step in the elucidation of the complete degradation pathway.

  18. L-Malate dehydrogenase activity in the reductive arm of the incomplete citric acid cycle of Nitrosomonas europaea.

    PubMed

    Deutch, Charles E

    2013-11-01

    The autotrophic nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea does not synthesize 2-oxoglutarate (α-ketoglutarate) dehydrogenase under aerobic conditions and so has an incomplete citric acid cycle. L-malate (S-malate) dehydrogenase (MDH) from N. europaea was predicted to show similarity to the NADP(+)-dependent enzymes from chloroplasts and was separated from the NAD(+)-dependent proteins from most other bacteria or mitochondria. MDH activity in a soluble fraction from N. europaea ATCC 19718 was measured spectrophotometrically and exhibited simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In the reductive direction, activity with NADH increased from pH 6.0 to 8.5 but activity with NADPH was consistently lower and decreased with pH. At pH 7.0, the K m for oxaloacetate was 20 μM; the K m for NADH was 22 μM but that for NADPH was at least 10 times higher. In the oxidative direction, activity with NAD(+) increased with pH but there was very little activity with NADP(+). At pH 7.0, the K m for L-malate was 5 mM and the K m for NAD(+) was 24 μM. The reductive activity was quite insensitive to inhibition by L-malate but the oxidative activity was very sensitive to oxaloacetate. MDH activity was not strongly activated or inhibited by glycolytic or citric acid cycle metabolites, adenine nucleotides, NaCl concentrations, or most metal ions, but increased with temperature up to about 55 °C. The reductive activity was consistently 10-20 times higher than the oxidative activity. These results indicate that the L-malate dehydrogenase in N. europaea is similar to other NAD(+)-dependent MDHs (EC 1.1.1.37) but physiologically adapted for its role in a reductive biosynthetic sequence.

  19. Increasing anaerobic acetate consumption and ethanol yields in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with NADPH-specific alcohol dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Henningsen, Brooks M; Hon, Shuen; Covalla, Sean F; Sonu, Carolina; Argyros, D Aaron; Barrett, Trisha F; Wiswall, Erin; Froehlich, Allan C; Zelle, Rintze M

    2015-12-01

    Saccharomyces cerevisiae has recently been engineered to use acetate, a primary inhibitor in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, as a cosubstrate during anaerobic ethanolic fermentation. However, the original metabolic pathway devised to convert acetate to ethanol uses NADH-specific acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase and quickly becomes constrained by limited NADH availability, even when glycerol formation is abolished. We present alcohol dehydrogenase as a novel target for anaerobic redox engineering of S. cerevisiae. Introduction of an NADPH-specific alcohol dehydrogenase (NADPH-ADH) not only reduces the NADH demand of the acetate-to-ethanol pathway but also allows the cell to effectively exchange NADPH for NADH during sugar fermentation. Unlike NADH, NADPH can be freely generated under anoxic conditions, via the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. We show that an industrial bioethanol strain engineered with the original pathway (expressing acetylating acetaldehyde dehydrogenase from Bifidobacterium adolescentis and with deletions of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase genes GPD1 and GPD2) consumed 1.9 g liter(-1) acetate during fermentation of 114 g liter(-1) glucose. Combined with a decrease in glycerol production from 4.0 to 0.1 g liter(-1), this increased the ethanol yield by 4% over that for the wild type. We provide evidence that acetate consumption in this strain is indeed limited by NADH availability. By introducing an NADPH-ADH from Entamoeba histolytica and with overexpression of ACS2 and ZWF1, we increased acetate consumption to 5.3 g liter(-1) and raised the ethanol yield to 7% above the wild-type level. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  20. Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated disease: examination of multiple algorithms using toxin EIA, glutamate dehydrogenase EIA and loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

    PubMed

    Bamber, A I; Fitzsimmons, K; Cunniffe, J G; Beasor, C C; Mackintosh, C A; Hobbs, G

    2012-01-01

    The laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) needs to be accurate and timely to ensure optimal patient management, infection control and reliable surveillance. Three methods are evaluated using 810 consecutive stool samples against toxigenic culture: CDT TOX A/B Premier enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kit (Meridian Bioscience, Europe), Premier EIA for C. difficile glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (Meridian Bioscience, Europe) and the Illumigene kit (Meridian Bioscience, Europe), both individually and within combined testing algorithms. The study revealed that the CDT TOX A/B Premier EIA gave rise to false-positive and false-negative results and demonstrated poor sensitivity (56.47%), compared to Premier EIA for C. difficile GDH (97.65%), suggesting this GDH EIA can be a useful negative screening method. Results for the Illumigene assay alone showed sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) of 91.57%, 98.07%, 99.03% and 84.44%, respectively. A two-stage algorithm using Premier EIA for C. difficile GDH/Illumigene assay yielded superior results compared with other testing algorithms (91.57%, 98.07%, 99.03% and 84.44%, respectively), mirroring the Illumigene performance. However, Illumigene is approximately half the cost of current polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, has a rapid turnaround time and requires no specialised skill base, making it an attractive alternative to assays such as the Xpert C. difficile assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA). A three-stage algorithm offered no improvement and would hamper workflow.

  1. Two new glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase variants associated with congenital nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia found in Japan: GD(-) Tokushima and GD(-) Tokyo.

    PubMed

    Miwa, S; Ono, J; Nakashima, K; Abe, S; Kageoka, T

    1976-01-01

    Two new variants of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency associated with chronic nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia were discovered in Japan. Gd(-) Tokushima was found in a 17-years-old male whose erythrocytes contained 4.4% of normal enzyme activity. Partially purified enzyme revealed a main band of normal electrophoretic mobility with additional two minor bands of different mobility; normal Km G6P, and Km NADP five-to sixfold higher than normal; normal utilization of 2-deoxy-G6P, galactose-6P, and deamino-NADP; marked thermal instability; a normal pH curve; and normal Ki NADPH. The hemolytic anemia was moderate to severe. Gd(-) Tokyo was characterized from a 15-year-old male who had chronic nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia of mild degree. The erythrocytes contained 3% of normal enzyme activity, and partially purified enzyme revealed slow electrophoretic mobility (90% of normal for both a tris-hydrochloride buffer system and a tris-EDTA-borate buffer system, and 70% of normal for a phosphate buffer system); normal Km G6P and Km NADP; normal utilization of 2-deoxy-G6P, galactose-6P, and deamino-NADP; greatly increased thermal instability; a normal pH curve; and normal Ki NADPH. These two variants are clearly different from hitherto described G6PD variants, including the Japanese variants Gd(-) Heian and Gd(-) Kyoto. The mothers of both Gd(-) Tokushima and Gd(-) Tokoyo were found to be heterozygote by an ascorbate-cyanide test.

  2. Basolateral amygdala rapid glutamate release encodes an outcome-specific representation vital for reward-predictive cues to selectively invigorate reward-seeking actions

    PubMed Central

    Malvaez, Melissa; Greenfield, Venuz Y.; Wang, Alice S.; Yorita, Allison M.; Feng, Lili; Linker, Kay E.; Monbouquette, Harold G.; Wassum, Kate M.

    2015-01-01

    Environmental stimuli have the ability to generate specific representations of the rewards they predict and in so doing alter the selection and performance of reward-seeking actions. The basolateral amygdala participates in this process, but precisely how is unknown. To rectify this, we monitored, in near-real time, basolateral amygdala glutamate concentration changes during a test of the ability of reward-predictive cues to influence reward-seeking actions (Pavlovian-instrumental transfer). Glutamate concentration was found to be transiently elevated around instrumental reward seeking. During the Pavlovian-instrumental transfer test these glutamate transients were time-locked to and correlated with only those actions invigorated by outcome-specific motivational information provided by the reward-predictive stimulus (i.e., actions earning the same specific outcome as predicted by the presented CS). In addition, basolateral amygdala AMPA, but not NMDA glutamate receptor inactivation abolished the selective excitatory influence of reward-predictive cues over reward seeking. These data the hypothesis that transient glutamate release in the BLA can encode the outcome-specific motivational information provided by reward-predictive stimuli. PMID:26212790

  3. Nutritional Status, DNA Damage, and Tumor Pathology

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-08-01

    tetrazolium bromide (MTT), 4.8 mM EDTA, 1 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 50 µg/ml (U) alcohol dehydrogenase (yeast; 507 U/mg prot), and 1.9 mM phenazine ...NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (porcine heart; 26-29 U/mg prot), and 1.9 mM phenazine ethosulfate. After incubation of assays for NAD or

  4. Characterization of human DHRS4: an inducible short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase enzyme with 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed

    Matsunaga, Toshiyuki; Endo, Satoshi; Maeda, Satoshi; Ishikura, Shuhei; Tajima, Kazuo; Tanaka, Nobutada; Nakamura, Kazuo T; Imamura, Yorishige; Hara, Akira

    2008-09-15

    Human DHRS4 is a peroxisomal member of the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily, but its enzymatic properties, except for displaying NADP(H)-dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase activity, are unknown. We show that the human enzyme, a tetramer composed of 27kDa subunits, is inactivated at low temperature without dissociation into subunits. The cold inactivation was prevented by a mutation of Thr177 with the corresponding residue, Asn, in cold-stable pig DHRS4, where this residue is hydrogen-bonded to Asn165 in a substrate-binding loop of other subunit. Human DHRS4 reduced various aromatic ketones and alpha-dicarbonyl compounds including cytotoxic 9,10-phenanthrenequinone. The overexpression of the peroxisomal enzyme in cultured cells did not increase the cytotoxicity of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone. While its activity towards all-trans-retinal was low, human DHRS4 efficiently reduced 3-keto-C(19)/C(21)-steroids into 3beta-hydroxysteroids. The stereospecific conversion to 3beta-hydroxysteroids was observed in endothelial cells transfected with vectors expressing the enzyme. The mRNA for the enzyme was ubiquitously expressed in human tissues and several cancer cells, and the enzyme in HepG2 cells was induced by peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor alpha ligands. The results suggest a novel mechanism of cold inactivation and role of the inducible human DHRS4 in 3beta-hydroxysteroid synthesis and xenobiotic carbonyl metabolism.

  5. Light Driven CO2 Fixation by Using Cyanobacterial Photosystem I and NADPH-Dependent Formate Dehydrogenase

    PubMed Central

    Ihara, Masaki; Kawano, Yusuke; Urano, Miho; Okabe, Ayako

    2013-01-01

    The ultimate goal of this research is to construct a new direct CO2 fixation system using photosystems in living algae. Here, we report light-driven formate production from CO2 by using cyanobacterial photosystem I (PS I). Formate, a chemical hydrogen carrier and important industrial material, can be produced from CO2 by using the reducing power and the catalytic function of formate dehydrogenase (FDH). We created a bacterial FDH mutant that experimentally switched the cofactor specificity from NADH to NADPH, and combined it with an in vitro-reconstituted cyanobacterial light-driven NADPH production system consisting of PS I, ferredoxin (Fd), and ferredoxin-NADP+-reductase (FNR). Consequently, light-dependent formate production under a CO2 atmosphere was successfully achieved. In addition, we introduced the NADPH-dependent FDH mutant into heterocysts of the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 and demonstrated an increased formate concentration in the cells. These results provide a new possibility for photo-biological CO2 fixation. PMID:23936519

  6. Light driven CO2 fixation by using cyanobacterial photosystem I and NADPH-dependent formate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Ihara, Masaki; Kawano, Yusuke; Urano, Miho; Okabe, Ayako

    2013-01-01

    The ultimate goal of this research is to construct a new direct CO2 fixation system using photosystems in living algae. Here, we report light-driven formate production from CO2 by using cyanobacterial photosystem I (PS I). Formate, a chemical hydrogen carrier and important industrial material, can be produced from CO2 by using the reducing power and the catalytic function of formate dehydrogenase (FDH). We created a bacterial FDH mutant that experimentally switched the cofactor specificity from NADH to NADPH, and combined it with an in vitro-reconstituted cyanobacterial light-driven NADPH production system consisting of PS I, ferredoxin (Fd), and ferredoxin-NADP(+)-reductase (FNR). Consequently, light-dependent formate production under a CO2 atmosphere was successfully achieved. In addition, we introduced the NADPH-dependent FDH mutant into heterocysts of the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 and demonstrated an increased formate concentration in the cells. These results provide a new possibility for photo-biological CO2 fixation.

  7. Effect of neutral red incorporation on Al-doped ZnO thin films and its bio-electrochemical interaction with NAD+/NADP+ dependent enzymes.

    PubMed

    V T, Fidal; T S, Chandra

    2018-09-01

    A new approach to deposition of electroactive ZnO thin films have been carried out, by one-pot chemical bath deposition with Al dopant and incorporation of neutral red as organic mediator. The morphological, structural and functional characterization of the neutral red incorporated, Al-doped ZnO (NR-AZO) film was carried out using electron microscopy, FTIR, XRD and EIS respectively. The incorporated neutral red was found to induce strain in the crystal of AZO proportional to the concentration used in depositing solution which further affected the charge transfer resistance of the films in solution. One mM neutral red was found to be the optimum concentration for both conductivity and response to NADH/NADPH. The response of the films was further validated by immobilizing NAD + dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and NADP + dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) independently. The ADH/NR-AZO showed a sensitivity of 3.2 μA cm -2  mM -1 with a LoD of 1.7 μM of ethanol in the range 5.6 μM-7 mM, whereas GDH/NR-AZO showed a sensitivity of 4.33 μA cm -2  mM -1 with a LoD of 27 μM of glucose in the range 90 μM-4 mM. This method serves as a simple alternative to immobilize the organic redox dyes into the inorganic thin films in a single step making it electroactive towards specific biomolecules. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: correlation between the genotype, biochemistry and phenotype.

    PubMed

    Chan, Daisy K L

    2008-12-01

    Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is a common genetic enzyme defect present in many people from African, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian countries. Individuals with the enzyme deficiency may remain asymptomatic, develop an acute haemolytic crises to infections or Fava beans, neonatal jaundice or chronic non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia. Electrophoretic mobility may be fast, slow or normal. Over 160 mutations have been described, mostly due to single amino acid substitution. Although correlation of the genotype and biochemistry with the clinical phenotype of G6PD deficient individuals remains somewhat variable, there is better correlation among individuals presenting with chronic non-spherocytic haemolytic anaemia, which is related to the NADP structure of the enzyme.

  9. Surface Induced Dissociation Yields Quaternary Substructure of Refractory Noncovalent Phosphorylase B and Glutamate Dehydrogenase Complexes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Xin; Zhou, Mowei; Wysocki, Vicki H.

    2014-03-01

    Ion mobility (IM) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) coupled with native MS are useful for studying noncovalent protein complexes. Collision induced dissociation (CID) is the most common MS/MS dissociation method. However, some protein complexes, including glycogen phosphorylase B kinase (PHB) and L-glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) examined in this study, are resistant to dissociation by CID at the maximum collision energy available in the instrument. Surface induced dissociation (SID) was applied to dissociate the two refractory protein complexes. Different charge state precursor ions of the two complexes were examined by CID and SID. The PHB dimer was successfully dissociated to monomers and the GDH hexamer formed trimeric subcomplexes that are informative of its quaternary structure. The unfolding of the precursor and the percentages of the distinct products suggest that the dissociation pathways vary for different charge states. The precursors at lower charge states (+21 for PHB dimer and +27 for GDH hexamer) produce a higher percentage of folded fragments and dissociate more symmetrically than the precusors at higher charge states (+29 for PHB dimer and +39 for GDH hexamer). The precursors at lower charge state may be more native-like than the higher charge state because a higher percentage of folded fragments and a lower percentage of highly charged unfolded fragments are detected. The combination of SID and charge reduction is shown to be a powerful tool for quaternary structure analysis of refractory noncovalent protein complexes, as illustrated by the data for PHB dimer and GDH hexamer.

  10. Thiamine preserves mitochondrial function in a rat model of traumatic brain injury, preventing inactivation of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex.

    PubMed

    Mkrtchyan, Garik V; Üçal, Muammer; Müllebner, Andrea; Dumitrescu, Sergiu; Kames, Martina; Moldzio, Rudolf; Molcanyi, Marek; Schaefer, Samuel; Weidinger, Adelheid; Schaefer, Ute; Hescheler, Juergen; Duvigneau, Johanna Catharina; Redl, Heinz; Bunik, Victoria I; Kozlov, Andrey V

    2018-05-16

    Based on the fact that traumatic brain injury is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction we aimed at localization of mitochondrial defect and attempted to correct it by thiamine. Interventional controlled experimental animal study was used. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to lateral fluid percussion traumatic brain injury. Thiamine was administered 1 h prior to trauma; cortex was extracted for analysis 4 h and 3 d after trauma. Increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1) by 4 h was accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial respiration with glutamate but neither with pyruvate nor succinate. Assays of TCA cycle flux-limiting 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDHC) and functionally linked enzymes (glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, pyruvate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme) indicated that only OGDHC activity was decreased. Application of the OGDHC coenzyme precursor thiamine rescued the activity of OGDHC and restored mitochondrial respiration. These effects were not mediated by changes in the expression of the OGDHC sub-units (E1k and E3), suggesting post-translational mechanism of thiamine effects. By the third day after TBI, thiamine treatment also decreased expression of TNF-R1. Specific markers of unfolded protein response did not change in response to thiamine. Our data point to OGDHC as a major site of damage in mitochondria upon traumatic brain injury, which is associated with neuroinflammation and can be corrected by thiamine. Further studies are required to evaluate the pathological impact of these findings in clinical settings. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Structural characterization of a D-isomer specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus.

    PubMed

    Holton, Simon J; Anandhakrishnan, Madhankumar; Geerlof, Arie; Wilmanns, Matthias

    2013-02-01

    Hydroxyacid dehydrogenases, responsible for the stereospecific conversion of 2-keto acids to 2-hydroxyacids in lactic acid producing bacteria, have a range of biotechnology applications including antibiotic synthesis, flavor development in dairy products and the production of valuable synthons. The genome of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, a member of the heterogeneous group of lactic acid bacteria, encodes multiple hydroxyacid dehydrogenases whose structural and functional properties remain poorly characterized. Here, we report the apo and coenzyme NAD⁺ complexed crystal structures of the L. bulgaricusD-isomer specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase, D2-HDH. Comparison with closely related members of the NAD-dependent dehydrogenase family reveals that whilst the D2-HDH core fold is structurally conserved, the substrate-binding site has a number of non-canonical features that may influence substrate selection and thus dictate the physiological function of the enzyme. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. [Imbalance of system of glutamin - glutamic acid in the placenta and amniotic fluid at placental insufficiency].

    PubMed

    Pogorelova, T N; Gunko, V O; Linde, V A

    2014-01-01

    Metabolism of glutamine and glutamic acid has been investigated in the placenta and amniotic fluid under conditions of placental insufficiency. The development of placental insufficiency is characterized by the increased content of glutamic acid and a decrease of glutamine in both placenta and amniotic fluid. These changes changes were accompanied by changes in the activity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of these amino acids. There was a decrease in glutamate dehydrogenase activity and an increase in glutaminase activity with the simultaneous decrease of glutamine synthetase activity. The compensatory decrease in the activity of glutamine keto acid aminotransferase did not prevent a decrease in the glutamine level. The impairments in the system glutamic acid-glutamine were more pronounced during the development of premature labor.

  13. Effect of ageing and ischemia on enzymatic activities linked to Krebs' cycle, electron transfer chain, glutamate and aminoacids metabolism of free and intrasynaptic mitochondria of cerebral cortex.

    PubMed

    Villa, Roberto Federico; Gorini, Antonella; Hoyer, Siegfried

    2009-12-01

    The effect of ageing and the relationships between the catalytic properties of enzymes linked to Krebs' cycle, electron transfer chain, glutamate and aminoacid metabolism of cerebral cortex, a functional area very sensitive to both age and ischemia, were studied on mitochondria of adult and aged rats, after complete ischemia of 15 minutes duration. The maximum rate (Vmax) of the following enzyme activities: citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase for Krebs' cycle; NADH-cytochrome c reductase as total (integrated activity of Complex I-III), rotenone sensitive (Complex I) and cytochrome oxidase (Complex IV) for electron transfer chain; glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamate-oxaloacetate-and glutamate-pyruvate transaminases for glutamate metabolism were assayed in non-synaptic, perikaryal mitochondria and in two populations of intra-synaptic mitochondria, i.e., the light and heavy mitochondrial fraction. The results indicate that in normal, steady-state cerebral cortex, the value of the same enzyme activity markedly differs according (a) to the different populations of mitochondria, i.e., non-synaptic or intra-synaptic light and heavy, (b) and respect to ageing. After 15 min of complete ischemia, the enzyme activities of mitochondria located near the nucleus (perikaryal mitochondria) and in synaptic structures (intra-synaptic mitochondria) of the cerebral tissue were substantially modified by ischemia. Non-synaptic mitochondria seem to be more affected by ischemia in adult and particularly in aged animals than the intra-synaptic light and heavy mitochondria. The observed modifications in enzyme activities reflect the metabolic state of the tissue at each specific experimental condition, as shown by comparative evaluation with respect to the content of energy-linked metabolites and substrates. The derangements in enzyme activities due to ischemia is greater in aged than in adult animals and especially the non-synaptic and the intra-synaptic light

  14. Kinetic studies of the inhibition of a human liver 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase isozyme by bile acids and anti-inflammatory drugs.

    PubMed

    Miyabe, Y; Amano, T; Deyashiki, Y; Hara, A; Tsukada, F

    1995-01-01

    We have investigated the steady-state kinetics for a cytosolic 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid/dihydrodiol dehydrogenase isozyme of human liver and its inhibition by several bile acids and anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, flufemanic acid and naproxen. Initial velocity and product inhibition studies performed in the NADP(+)-linked (S)-1-indanol oxidation at pH 7.4 were consistent with a sequential ordered mechanism in which NADP+ binds first and leaves last. The bile acids and drugs, competitive inhibitors with respect to the alcohol substrate, exhibited uncompetitive inhibition with respect to the coenzyme, with Ki values less than 1 microM, whereas indomethacin exhibited noncompetitive inhibition (Ki < 24 microM). The kinetics of the inhibition by a mixture of the two inhibitors suggests that bile acids and drugs, except indomethacin, bind to overlapping sites at the active center of the enzyme-coenzyme binary complex.

  15. Identification and functional evaluation of the reductases and dehydrogenases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae involved in vanillin resistance.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xinning; Liang, Zhenzhen; Hou, Jin; Bao, Xiaoming; Shen, Yu

    2016-04-01

    Vanillin, a type of phenolic released during the pre-treatment of lignocellulosic materials, is toxic to microorganisms and therefore its presence inhibits the fermentation. The vanillin can be reduced to vanillyl alcohol, which is much less toxic, by the ethanol producer Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The reducing capacity of S. cerevisiae and its vanillin resistance are strongly correlated. However, the specific enzymes and their contribution to the vanillin reduction are not extensively studied. In our previous work, an evolved vanillin-resistant strain showed an increased vanillin reduction capacity compared with its parent strain. The transcriptome analysis suggested the reductases and dehydrogenases of this vanillin resistant strain were up-regulated. Using this as a starting point, 11 significantly regulated reductases and dehydrogenases were selected in the present work for further study. The roles of these reductases and dehydrogenases in the vanillin tolerance and detoxification abilities of S. cerevisiae are described. Among the candidate genes, the overexpression of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene ADH6, acetaldehyde dehydrogenase gene ALD6, glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase gene ZWF1, NADH-dependent aldehyde reductase gene YNL134C, and aldo-keto reductase gene YJR096W increased 177, 25, 6, 15, and 18 % of the strain μmax in the medium containing 1 g L(-1) vanillin. The in vitro detected vanillin reductase activities of strain overexpressing ADH6, YNL134C and YJR096W were notably higher than control. The vanillin specific reduction rate increased by 8 times in ADH6 overexpressed strain but not in YNL134C and YJR096W overexpressed strain. This suggested that the enzymes encoded by YNL134C and YJR096W might prefer other substrate and/or could not show their effects on vanillin on the high background of Adh6p in vivo. Overexpressing ALD6 and ZWF1 mainly increased the [NADPH]/[NADP(+)] and [GSH]/[GSSG] ratios but not the vanillin reductase activities. Their

  16. Marked decrease in specific activity contributes to disease phenotype in two human glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase mutants, G6PD(Union) and G6PD(Andalus).

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiao-Tao; Lam, Veronica M S; Engel, Paul C

    2005-09-01

    Clones overexpressing clinical glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) mutants Union (c.1360C>T/p.Arg454Cys) and Andalus (c.1361G>A/p.Arg454His), have been constructed. These abolish a salt bridge between Arg454 and Asp 286. One mutant is reportedly a Class II clinical variant and the other a Class I. Kinetic studies of the purified proteins reveal that, for both mutants, kcat is about 10-fold decreased, thus giving a 90% decrease in the WHO assay, and also presumably under physiological conditions. In contrast with unfavourable changes in Vmax for both mutants, Km values for both G6P and NADP+ are decreased approximately 5-fold. Measurements with alternative substrates confirm that G6PD Union, like the wild-type enzyme, follows a rapid-equilibrium random-order mechanism, allowing calculation of enzyme-substrate dissociation constants from initial-rate parameters. The mutations result in several-fold tighter binding of glucose 6-phosphate to the free enzyme. Binding, however, is clearly less productive than with normal enzyme. G6PD mutations are thought to cause haemolytic anaemia by compromising enzyme stability. Both these mutants indeed show somewhat decreased thermostability. However, at 37 degrees C and with NADP+, the stability differences are only moderate. Decreased catalytic efficiency clearly contributes to the disease phenotype of these two mutants, entirely accounting for reported decrease in leukocyte G6PD levels, though not for still lower levels in erythrocytes. Neither the kinetic nor the stability effects appear to justify the different clinical classification of these mutations.

  17. Immobilization Increases the Stability and Reusability of Pigeon Pea NADP+ Linked Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Singh, Siddhartha; Singh, Amit Kumar; Singh, M Chandrakumar; Pandey, Pramod Kumar

    2017-02-01

    Immobilization of enzymes is valuably important as it improves the stability and hence increases the reusability of enzymes. The present investigation is an attempt for immobilization of purified glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from pigeon pea on different matrix. Maximum immobilization was achieved when alginate was used as immobilization matrix. As compared to soluble enzyme the alginate immobilized enzyme exhibited enhanced optimum pH and temperature. The alginate immobilized enzyme displayed more than 80% activity up to 7 continuous reactions and more than 50% activity up to 11 continuous reactions.

  18. Agmatine protects against cell damage induced by NMDA and glutamate in cultured hippocampal neurons

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Wei-Ping; Iyo, Abiye H.; Miguel-Hidalgo, Javier; Regunathan, Soundar; Zhu, Meng-Yang

    2010-01-01

    Agmatine is a polyamine and has been considered as a novel neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the central nervous system. In the present study, the neuroprotective effect of agmatine against cell damage caused by N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and glutamate was investigated in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity assay, β-tubulin III immunocytochemical staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay were conducted to detect cell damage. Exposure of 12-day neuronal cultures of rat hippocampus to NMDA or glutamate for 1 h caused a concentration-dependent neurotoxicity, as indicated by the significant increase in released LDH activities. Addition of 100 µM agmatine into media ablated the neurotoxicity induced by NMDA or glutamate, an effect also produced by the specific NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine hydrogen maleate (MK801). Arcaine, an analog of agmatine with similar structure as agmatine, fully prevented the NMDA- or glutamate-induced neuronal damage. Spermine and putrescine, the endogenous polyamine and metabolic products of agmatine without the guanidine moiety of agmatine, failed to show this effect, indicating a structural relevance for this neuroprotection. Immunocytochemical staining and TUNEL assay confirmed the findings in the LDH measurement. That is, agmatine and MK801 markedly attenuated NMDA-induced neuronal death and significantly reduced TUNEL-positive cell numbers induced by exposure of cultured hippocampal neurons to NMDA. Taken together, these results demonstrate that agmatine can protect cultured hippocampal neurons from NMDA- or glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, through a possible blockade of the NMDA receptor channels or a potential anti-apoptotic property. PMID:16546145

  19. The Arabidopsis thaliana REDUCED EPIDERMAL FLUORESCENCE1 gene encodes an aldehyde dehydrogenase involved in ferulic acid and sinapic acid biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Nair, Ramesh B; Bastress, Kristen L; Ruegger, Max O; Denault, Jeff W; Chapple, Clint

    2004-02-01

    Recent research has significantly advanced our understanding of the phenylpropanoid pathway but has left in doubt the pathway by which sinapic acid is synthesized in plants. The reduced epidermal fluorescence1 (ref1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana accumulates only 10 to 30% of the sinapate esters found in wild-type plants. Positional cloning of the REF1 gene revealed that it encodes an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a member of a large class of NADP(+)-dependent enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. Consistent with this finding, extracts of ref1 leaves exhibit low sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase activity. These data indicate that REF1 encodes a sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase required for sinapic acid and sinapate ester biosynthesis. When expressed in Escherichia coli, REF1 was found to exhibit both sinapaldehyde and coniferaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, and further phenotypic analysis of ref1 mutant plants showed that they contain less cell wall-esterified ferulic acid. These findings suggest that both ferulic acid and sinapic acid are derived, at least in part, through oxidation of coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde. This route is directly opposite to the traditional representation of phenylpropanoid metabolism in which hydroxycinnamic acids are instead precursors of their corresponding aldehydes.

  20. Ghrelin Regulates Glucose and Glutamate Transporters in Hypothalamic Astrocytes

    PubMed Central

    Fuente-Martín, Esther; García-Cáceres, Cristina; Argente-Arizón, Pilar; Díaz, Francisca; Granado, Miriam; Freire-Regatillo, Alejandra; Castro-González, David; Ceballos, María L.; Frago, Laura M.; Dickson, Suzanne L.; Argente, Jesús; Chowen, Julie A.

    2016-01-01

    Hypothalamic astrocytes can respond to metabolic signals, such as leptin and insulin, to modulate adjacent neuronal circuits and systemic metabolism. Ghrelin regulates appetite, adiposity and glucose metabolism, but little is known regarding the response of astrocytes to this orexigenic hormone. We have used both in vivo and in vitro approaches to demonstrate that acylated ghrelin (acyl-ghrelin) rapidly stimulates glutamate transporter expression and glutamate uptake by astrocytes. Moreover, acyl-ghrelin rapidly reduces glucose transporter (GLUT) 2 levels and glucose uptake by these glial cells. Glutamine synthetase and lactate dehydrogenase decrease, while glycogen phosphorylase and lactate transporters increase in response to acyl-ghrelin, suggesting a change in glutamate and glucose metabolism, as well as glycogen storage by astrocytes. These effects are partially mediated through ghrelin receptor 1A (GHSR-1A) as astrocytes do not respond equally to desacyl-ghrelin, an isoform that does not activate GHSR-1A. Moreover, primary astrocyte cultures from GHSR-1A knock-out mice do not change glutamate transporter or GLUT2 levels in response to acyl-ghrelin. Our results indicate that acyl-ghrelin may mediate part of its metabolic actions through modulation of hypothalamic astrocytes and that this effect could involve astrocyte mediated changes in local glucose and glutamate metabolism that alter the signals/nutrients reaching neighboring neurons. PMID:27026049

  1. Glutamate dehydrogenase and Na+-K+ ATPase expression and growth response of Litopenaeus vannamei to different salinities and dietary protein levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Erchao; Arena, Leticia; Lizama, Gabriel; Gaxiola, Gabriela; Cuzon, Gerard; Rosas, Carlos; Chen, Liqiao; van Wormhoudt, Alain

    2011-03-01

    Improvement in the osmoregulation capacity via nutritional supplies is vitally important in shrimp aquaculture. The effects of dietary protein levels on the osmoregulation capacity of the Pacific white shrimp ( L. vannamei) were investigated. This involved an examination of growth performance, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and Na+-K+ ATPase mRNA expression,, and GDH activity in muscles and gills. Three experimental diets were formulated, containing 25%, 40%, and 50% dietary protein, and fed to the shrimp at a salinity of 25. After 20 days, no significant difference was observed in weight gain, though GDH and Na+-K+ ATPase gene expression and GDH activity increased with higher dietary protein levels. Subsequently, shrimp fed diets with 25% and 50% dietary protein were transferred into tanks with salinities of 38 and 5, respectively, and sampled at weeks 1 and 2. Shrimp fed with 40% protein at 25 in salinity (optimal conditions) were used as a control. Regardless of the salinities, shrimp fed with 50% dietary protein had significantly higher growth performance than other diets; no significant differences were found in comparison with the control. Shrimp fed with 25% dietary protein and maintained at salinities of 38 and 5 had significantly lower weight gain values after 2 weeks. Ambient salinity change also stimulated the hepatosomatic index, which increased in the first week and then recovered to a relatively normal level, as in the control, after 2 weeks. These findings indicate that in white shrimp, the specific protein nutrient and energy demands related to ambient salinity change are associated with protein metabolism. Increased dietary protein level could improve the osmoregulation capacity of L. vannamei with more energy resources allocated to GDH activity and expression.

  2. The Crystal Structure of a Ternary Complex of Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa Provides New Insight Into the Reaction Mechansim and Shows A Novel Binding Mode of the 2'-Phosphate of NADP+ and A Novel Cation Binding Site

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gonzalez-Segura, L.; Rudino-Pinera, E; Munoz-Clares, R

    2009-01-01

    In the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the NAD(P)+-dependent betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (PaBADH) may play the dual role of assimilating carbon and nitrogen from choline or choline precursors-abundant at infection sites-and producing glycine betaine and NADPH, potentially protective against the high-osmolarity and oxidative stresses prevalent in the infected tissues. Disruption of the PaBADH gene negatively affects the growth of bacteria, suggesting that this enzyme could be a target for antibiotic design. PaBADH is one of the few ALDHs that efficiently use NADP+ and one of the even fewer that require K+ ions for stability. Crystals of PaBADH were obtained under aerobicmore » conditions in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol, glycerol, NADP+ and K+ ions. The three-dimensional structure was determined at 2.1-A resolution. The catalytic cysteine (C286, corresponding to C302 of ALDH2) is oxidized to sulfenic acid or forms a mixed disulfide with 2-mercaptoethanol. The glutamyl residue involved in the deacylation step (E252, corresponding to E268 of ALDH2) is in two conformations, suggesting a proton relay system formed by two well-conserved residues (E464 and K162, corresponding to E476 and K178, respectively, of ALDH2) that connects E252 with the bulk water. In some active sites, a bound glycerol molecule mimics the thiohemiacetal intermediate; its hydroxyl oxygen is hydrogen bonded to the nitrogen of the amide groups of the side chain of the conserved N153 (N169 of ALDH2) and those of the main chain of C286, which form the 'oxyanion hole.' The nicotinamide moiety of the nucleotide is not observed in the crystal, and the adenine moiety binds in the usual way. A salt bridge between E179 (E195 of ALDH2) and R40 (E53 of ALDH2) moves the carboxylate group of the former away from the 2?-phosphate of the NADP+, thus avoiding steric clashes and/or electrostatic repulsion between the two groups. Finally, the crystal shows two K+ binding sites per subunit. One is in

  3. OsHSD1, a hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, is involved in cuticle formation and lipid homeostasis in rice.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhe; Cheng, Zhi-Jun; Gan, Lu; Zhang, Huan; Wu, Fu-Qing; Lin, Qi-Bing; Wang, Jiu-Lin; Wang, Jie; Guo, Xiu-Ping; Zhang, Xin; Zhao, Zhi-Chao; Lei, Cai-Lin; Zhu, Shan-Shan; Wang, Chun-Ming; Wan, Jian-Min

    2016-08-01

    Cuticular wax, a hydrophobic layer on the surface of all aerial plant organs, has essential roles in plant growth and survival under various environments. Here we report a wax-deficient rice mutant oshsd1 with reduced epicuticular wax crystals and thicker cuticle membrane. Quantification of the wax components and fatty acids showed elevated levels of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) and accumulation of soluble fatty acids in the leaves of the oshsd1 mutant. We determined the causative gene OsHSD1, a member of the short-chain dehydrogenase reductase family, through map-based cloning. It was ubiquitously expressed and responded to cold stress and exogenous treatments with NaCl or brassinosteroid analogs. Transient expression of OsHSD1-tagged green fluorescent protein revealed that OsHSD1 localized to both oil bodies and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Dehydrogenase activity assays demonstrated that OsHSD1 was an NAD(+)/NADP(+)-dependent sterol dehydrogenase. Furthermore, OsHSD1 mutation resulted in faster protein degradation, but had no effect on the dehydrogenase activity. Together, our data indicated that OsHSD1 plays a specialized role in cuticle formation and lipid homeostasis, probably by mediating sterol signaling. This work provides new insights into oil-body associated proteins involved in wax and lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Neuroprotective effects of α-iso-cubebenol on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Park, Sun Young; Choi, Yung Hyun; Park, Geuntae; Choi, Young-Whan

    2015-09-01

    α-Iso-cubebenol is a natural compound isolated from Schisandra chinensis, and is reported to have beneficial bioactivity including anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. Glutamate-induced oxidative neuronal damage has been implicated in a variety of neurodegenerative disorders. Here we investigated the mechanisms of α-iso-cubebenol protection of mouse hippocampus-derived neuronal cells (HT22 cells) from apoptotic cell death induced by the major excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. Pretreatment with α-iso-cubebenol markedly attenuated glutamate-induced loss of cell viability and release of lactate dehydrogenase), in a dose-dependent manner. α-Iso-cubebenol significantly reduced glutamate-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species and calcium accumulation. Strikingly, α-iso-cubebenol inhibited glutamate-induced mitochondrial depolarization, which releases apoptosis-inducing factor from mitochondria. α-Iso-cubebenol also suppressed glutamate-induced phosphorylation of extracellular-signal-regulated kinases. Furthermore, α-iso-cubebenol induced CREB phosphorylation and Nrf-2 nuclear accumulation and increased the promoter activity of ARE and CREB in HT22 cells. α-Iso-cubebenol also upregulated the expression of phase-II detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes such as HO-1 and NQO1. Subsequent studies revealed that the inhibitory effects of α-iso-cubebenol on glutamate-induced apoptosis were abolished by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of CREB and Nrf-2. These findings suggest that α-iso-cubebenol prevents excitotoxin-induced oxidative damage to neurons by inhibiting apoptotic cell death, and might be a potential preventive or therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. The Markers of Glutamate Metabolism in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells and Neurological Complications in Lung Cancer Patients

    PubMed Central

    Ambrosius, Wojciech; Gazdulska, Joanna; Gołda-Gocka, Iwona; Kozubski, Wojciech; Ramlau, Rodryg

    2016-01-01

    Objective. To evaluate the involvement of glutamate metabolism in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the development of neurological complications in lung cancer and during chemotherapy. Methods. The prospective study included 221 lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapeutics. Neurological status and cognitive functions were evaluated at baseline and after 6-month follow-up. Glutamate level, the activities of glutaminase- (GLS-) glutamate synthetizing enzyme, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and glutamate decarboxylase catalyzing glutamate degradation were analyzed in PBMC and in sera of lung cancer patients by means of spectrophotometric and colorimetric methods. Results. Chemotherapy of lung neoplasms induced increase of glutamate content in PBMC and its concentration in serum increased the activity of GDH in PBMC and decreased activity of glutaminase in PBMC. The changes in glutamate metabolism markers were associated with initial manifestation of neurological deficit in lung cancer patients and with new symptoms, which appear as a complication of chemotherapy. Moreover, the analyzed parameters of glutamate control correlated with a spectrum of cognitive functions measures in lung cancer patients. Conclusion. We have demonstrated dysregulation in glutamate and glutamate metabolism controlling enzymes as promising indicators of risk for chemotherapy-induced neurological complications in lung cancer patients with particular emphasis on cognitive impairment. PMID:28044066

  6. Functional Characterization of Key Enzymes involved in l-Glutamate Synthesis and Degradation in the Thermotolerant and Methylotrophic Bacterium Bacillus methanolicus

    PubMed Central

    Krog, Anne; Heggeset, Tonje Marita Bjerkan; Ellingsen, Trond Erling

    2013-01-01

    Bacillus methanolicus wild-type strain MGA3 secretes 59 g/liter−1 of l-glutamate in fed-batch methanol cultivations at 50°C. We recently sequenced the MGA3 genome, and we here characterize key enzymes involved in l-glutamate synthesis and degradation. One glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) that is encoded by yweB and two glutamate synthases (GOGATs) that are encoded by the gltAB operon and by gltA2 were found, in contrast to Bacillus subtilis, which has two different GDHs and only one GOGAT. B. methanolicus has a glutamine synthetase (GS) that is encoded by glnA and a 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) that is encoded by the odhAB operon. The yweB, gltA, gltB, and gltA2 gene products were purified and characterized biochemically in vitro. YweB has a low Km value for ammonium (10 mM) and a high Km value for l-glutamate (250 mM), and the Vmax value is 7-fold higher for l-glutamate synthesis than for the degradation reaction. GltA and GltA2 displayed similar Km values (1 to 1.4 mM) and Vmax values (4 U/mg) for both l-glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate as the substrates, and GltB had no effect on the catalytic activities of these enzymes in vitro. Complementation assays indicated that GltA and not GltA2 is dependent on GltB for GOGAT activity in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of two active GOGATs in a bacterium. In vivo experiments indicated that OGDH activity and, to some degree, GOGAT activity play important roles in regulating l-glutamate production in this organism. PMID:23811508

  7. Functional characterization of key enzymes involved in L-glutamate synthesis and degradation in the thermotolerant and methylotrophic bacterium Bacillus methanolicus.

    PubMed

    Krog, Anne; Heggeset, Tonje Marita Bjerkan; Ellingsen, Trond Erling; Brautaset, Trygve

    2013-09-01

    Bacillus methanolicus wild-type strain MGA3 secretes 59 g/liter(-1) of l-glutamate in fed-batch methanol cultivations at 50°C. We recently sequenced the MGA3 genome, and we here characterize key enzymes involved in l-glutamate synthesis and degradation. One glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) that is encoded by yweB and two glutamate synthases (GOGATs) that are encoded by the gltAB operon and by gltA2 were found, in contrast to Bacillus subtilis, which has two different GDHs and only one GOGAT. B. methanolicus has a glutamine synthetase (GS) that is encoded by glnA and a 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) that is encoded by the odhAB operon. The yweB, gltA, gltB, and gltA2 gene products were purified and characterized biochemically in vitro. YweB has a low Km value for ammonium (10 mM) and a high Km value for l-glutamate (250 mM), and the Vmax value is 7-fold higher for l-glutamate synthesis than for the degradation reaction. GltA and GltA2 displayed similar Km values (1 to 1.4 mM) and Vmax values (4 U/mg) for both l-glutamate and 2-oxoglutarate as the substrates, and GltB had no effect on the catalytic activities of these enzymes in vitro. Complementation assays indicated that GltA and not GltA2 is dependent on GltB for GOGAT activity in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of two active GOGATs in a bacterium. In vivo experiments indicated that OGDH activity and, to some degree, GOGAT activity play important roles in regulating l-glutamate production in this organism.

  8. Different specificities of two aldehyde dehydrogenases from Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii.

    PubMed

    Datta, Suprama; Annapure, Uday S; Timson, David J

    2017-04-30

    Aldehyde dehydrogenases play crucial roles in the detoxification of exogenous and endogenous aldehydes by catalysing their oxidation to carboxylic acid counterparts. The present study reports characterization of two such isoenzymes from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii (NCYC 3264), one mitochondrial (Ald4p) and one cytosolic (Ald6p). Both Ald4p and Ald6p were oligomeric in solution and demonstrated positive kinetic cooperativity towards aldehyde substrates. Wild-type Ald6p showed activity only with aliphatic aldehydes. Ald4p, on the contrary, showed activity with benzaldehyde along with a limited range of aliphatic aldehydes. Inspection of modelled structure of Ald6p revealed that a bulky amino acid residue (Met 177 , compared with the equivalent residue Leu 196 in Ald4p) might cause steric hindrance of cyclic substrates. Therefore, we hypothesized that specificities of the two isoenzymes towards aldehyde substrates were partly driven by steric hindrance in the active site. A variant of wild-type Ald6p with the Met 177 residue replaced by a valine was also characterized to address to the hypothesis. It showed an increased specificity range and a gain of activity towards cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde. It also demonstrated an increased thermal stability when compared with both the wild-types. These data suggest that steric bulk in the active site of yeast aldehyde dehydrogenases is partially responsible for controlling specificity. © 2017 The Author(s).

  9. Characterization of a digestive carboxypeptidase from the insect pest corn earworm (Helicoverpa armigera) with novel specificity towards C-terminal glutamate residues.

    PubMed

    Bown, David P; Gatehouse, John A

    2004-05-01

    Carboxypeptidases were purified from guts of larvae of corn earworm (Helicoverpa armigera), a lepidopteran crop pest, by affinity chromatography on immobilized potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor, and characterized by N-terminal sequencing. A larval gut cDNA library was screened using probes based on these protein sequences. cDNA HaCA42 encoded a carboxypeptidase with sequence similarity to enzymes of clan MC [Barrett, A. J., Rawlings, N. D. & Woessner, J. F. (1998) Handbook of Proteolytic Enzymes. Academic Press, London.], but with a novel predicted specificity towards C-terminal acidic residues. This carboxypeptidase was expressed as a recombinant proprotein in the yeast Pichia pastoris. The expressed protein could be activated by treatment with bovine trypsin; degradation of bound pro-region, rather than cleavage of pro-region from mature protein, was the rate-limiting step in activation. Activated HaCA42 carboxypeptidase hydrolysed a synthetic substrate for glutamate carboxypeptidases (FAEE, C-terminal Glu), but did not hydrolyse substrates for carboxypeptidase A or B (FAPP or FAAK, C-terminal Phe or Lys) or methotrexate, cleaved by clan MH glutamate carboxypeptidases. The enzyme was highly specific for C-terminal glutamate in peptide substrates, with slow hydrolysis of C-terminal aspartate also observed. Glutamate carboxypeptidase activity was present in larval gut extract from H. armigera. The HaCA42 protein is the first glutamate-specific metallocarboxypeptidase from clan MC to be identified and characterized. The genome of Drosophila melanogaster contains genes encoding enzymes with similar sequences and predicted specificity, and a cDNA encoding a similar enzyme has been isolated from gut tissue in tsetse fly. We suggest that digestive carboxypeptidases with sequence similarity to the classical mammalian enzymes, but with specificity towards C-terminal glutamate, are widely distributed in insects.

  10. A comparative study of glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels in the saliva of diabetic and normal patients.

    PubMed

    Verma, M; Metgud, R; Madhusudan, A S; Verma, N; Saxena, M; Soni, A

    2014-10-01

    Diabetes has been reported to affect salivary glands adversely in humans and experimental models. Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are salivary enzymes that also are widely distributed in animal tissues. We determined GOT and GPT levels in saliva samples of 100 type 1 and 30 type 2 diabetic patients using reflectance spectrophotometry and compared them to 30 age and sex matched healthy controls. Statistically significant differences were observed in the mean values of GOT and GPT in type 1 diabetics compared to type 2 and control groups. Significantly higher GOT levels were found in the 1-20 year age group of type 1 diabetics. Our findings suggest that salivary gland damage is due to the same immunological attack that affects pancreatic β cells and results in type 1 diabetes.

  11. [Studying specific effects of nootropic drugs on glutamate receptors in the rat brain].

    PubMed

    Firstova, Iu Iu; Vasil'eva, E V; Kovalev, G I

    2011-01-01

    The influence of nootropic drugs of different groups (piracetam, phenotropil, nooglutil, noopept, semax, meclofenoxate, pantocalcine, and dimebon) on the binding of the corresponding ligands to AMPA, NMDA, and mGlu receptors of rat brain has been studied by the method of radio-ligand binding in vitro. It is established that nooglutil exhibits pharmacologically significant competition with a selective agonist of AMPA receptors ([G-3H]Ro 48-8587) for the receptor binding sites (with IC50 = 6.4 +/- 0.2 microM), while the competition of noopept for these receptor binding sites was lower by an order of magnitude (IC50 = 80 +/- 5.6 microM). The heptapeptide drug semax was moderately competitive with [G-3H]LY 354740 for mGlu receptor sites (IC50 = 33 +/- 2.4 microM). Dimebon moderately influenced the specific binding of the ligand of NMDA receptor channel ([G-3H]MK-801) at IC50 = 59 +/- 3.6 microM. Nootropic drugs of the pyrrolidone group (piracetam, phenotropil) as well as meclofenoxate, pantocalcine (pantogam) in a broad rage of concentrations (10(-4)-10(-10) M) did not affect the binding of the corresponding ligands to glutamate receptors (IC50 100 pM). Thus, the direct neurochemical investigation was used for the first time to qualitatively characterize the specific binding sites for nooglutil and (to a lower extent) noopept on AMPA receptors, for semax on metabotropic glutamate receptors, and for dimebon on the channel region of NMDA receptors. The results are indicative of a selective action of some nootropes on the glutamate family.

  12. The role of glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase in nitrogen assimilation and possibilities for improvement in the nitrogen utilization of crops.

    PubMed

    Miflin, Ben J; Habash, Dimah Z

    2002-04-01

    This short review outlines the central role of glutamine synthetase (GS) in plant nitrogen metabolism and discusses some possibilities for crop improvement. GS functions as the major assimilatory enzyme for ammonia produced from N fixation, and nitrate or ammonia nutrition. It also reassimilates ammonia released as a result of photorespiration and the breakdown of proteins and nitrogen transport compounds. GS is distributed in different subcellular locations (chloroplast and cytoplasm) and in different tissues and organs. This distribution probably changes as a function of the development of the tissue, for example, GS1 appears to play a key role in leaf senescence. The enzyme is the product of multiple genes with complex promoters that ensure the expression of the genes in an organ- and tissue-specific manner and in response to a number of environmental variables affecting the nutritional status of the cell. GS activity is also regulated post-translationally in a manner that involves 14-3-3 proteins and phosphorylation. GS and plant nitrogen metabolism is best viewed as a complex matrix continually changing during the development cycle of plants. Along with GS, a number of other enzymes play key roles in maintaining the balance of carbon and nitrogen. It is proposed that one of these is glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). There is considerable evidence for a GDH shunt to return the carbon in amino acids back into reactions of carbon metabolism and the tri-carboxylic acid cycle. Results with transgenic plants containing transferred GS genes suggest that there may be ways in which it is possible to improve the efficiency with which crop plants use nitrogen. Marker-assisted breeding may also bring about such improvements.

  13. Spontaneous chemical reversion of an active site mutation: deamidation of an asparagine residue replacing the catalytic aspartic acid of glutamate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Paradisi, Francesca; Dean, Jonathan L E; Geoghegan, Kieran F; Engel, Paul C

    2005-03-08

    A mutant (D165N) of clostridial glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in which the catalytic Asp is replaced by Asn surprisingly showed a residual 2% of wild-type activity when purified after expression in Escherichia coli at 37 degrees C. This low-level activity also displayed Michaelis constants for substrates that were remarkably similar to those of the wild-type enzyme. Expression at 8 degrees C gave a mutant enzyme preparation 1000 times less active than the first preparation, but progressively, over 2 weeks' incubation at 37 degrees C in sealed vials, this enzyme regained 90% of the specific activity of wild type. This suggested that the mutant might undergo spontaneous deamidation. Mass spectrometric analysis of tryptic peptides derived from D165N samples treated in various ways showed (i) that the Asn is in place in D165N GDH freshly prepared at 8 degrees C; (ii) that there is a time-dependent reversion of this Asn to Asp over the 2-week incubation period; (iii) that detectable deamidation of other Asn residues, in Asn-Gly sequences, mainly occurred in sample workup rather than during the 2-week incubation; (iv) that there is no significant deamidation of other randomly chosen Asn residues in this mutant over the same period; and (v) that when the protein is denatured before incubation, no deamidation at Asn-165 is detectable. It appears that this deamidation depends on the residual catalytic machinery of the mutated GDH active site. A literature search indicates that this finding is not unique and that Asn may not be a suitable mutational replacement in the assessment of putative catalytic Asp residues by site-directed mutagenesis.

  14. Crystallization, X-ray diffraction analysis and phasing of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from the fungus Cochliobolus lunatus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cassetta, Alberto, E-mail: alberto.cassetta@ic.cnr.it; Büdefeld, Tomaž; Lanišnik Rižner, Tea

    2005-12-01

    The expression, purification and crystallization of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from the filamentous fungus C. lunatus and its Y167F mutant, both in the apo form, are described. X-ray diffraction analysis and phasing by Patterson-search techniques are reported. 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from the filamentous fungus Cochliobolus lunatus (17β-HSDcl) is an NADP(H)-dependent enzyme that preferentially catalyses the oxidoreduction of oestrogens and androgens. The enzyme belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily and is the only fungal hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase known to date. 17β-HSDcl has recently been characterized and cloned and has been the subject of several functional studies. Although several hypotheses on the physiological role of 17β-HSDclmore » in fungal metabolism have been formulated, its function is still unclear. An X-ray crystallographic study has been undertaken and the optimal conditions for crystallization of 17β-HSDcl (apo form) were established, resulting in well shaped crystals that diffracted to 1.7 Å resolution. The space group was identified as I4{sub 1}22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 67.14, c = 266.77 Å. Phasing was successfully performed by Patterson search techniques. A catalytic inactive mutant Tyr167Phe was also engineered, expressed, purified and crystallized for functional and structural studies.« less

  15. GLYCERALDEHYDE 3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE-S, A SPERM-SPECIFIC GLYCOLYTIC ENZYME, IS REQUIRED FOR SPERM MOTILITY AND MALE FERTILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    While glycolysis is highly conserved, it is remarkable that several novel isozymes in this central metabolic pathway are found in mammalian sperm. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-S (GAPDS) is the product of a mouse gene expressed only during spermatogenesis and, like it...

  16. Human 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3: structural clues of 5α-DHT reverse binding and enzyme down-regulation decreasing MCF7 cell growth.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Bo; Hu, Xiao-Jian; Wang, Xiao-Qiang; Thériault, Jean-François; Zhu, Dao-Wei; Shang, Peng; Labrie, Fernand; Lin, Sheng-Xiang

    2016-04-15

    Human 3α-HSD3 (3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3) plays an essential role in the inactivation of the most potent androgen 5α-DHT (5α-dihydrotestosterone). The present study attempts to obtain the important structure of 3α-HSD3 in complex with 5α-DHT and to investigate the role of 3α-HSD3 in breast cancer cells. We report the crystal structure of human 3α-HSD3·NADP(+)·A-dione (5α-androstane-3,17-dione)/epi-ADT (epiandrosterone) complex, which was obtained by co-crystallization with 5α-DHT in the presence of NADP(+) Although 5α-DHT was introduced during the crystallization, oxidoreduction of 5α-DHT occurred. The locations of A-dione and epi-ADT were identified in the steroid-binding sites of two 3α-HSD3 molecules per crystal asymmetric unit. An overlay showed that A-dione and epi-ADT were oriented upside-down and flipped relative to each other, providing structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding in the enzyme with the generation of different products. Moreover, we report the crystal structure of the 3α-HSD3·NADP(+)·4-dione (4-androstene-3,17-dione) complex. When a specific siRNA (100 nM) was used to suppress 3α-HSD3 expression without interfering with 3α-HSD4, which shares a highly homologous active site, the 5α-DHT concentration increased, whereas MCF7 cell growth was suppressed. The present study provides structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding within 3α-HSD3, and demonstrates for the first time that down-regulation of 3α-HSD3 decreases MCF7 breast cancer cell growth. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  17. Identification of differentiation-associated brain-specific phosphate transporter as a second vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2).

    PubMed

    Takamori, S; Rhee, J S; Rosenmund, C; Jahn, R

    2001-11-15

    Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in mammalian CNS. In the presynaptic nerve terminal, glutamate is stored in synaptic vesicles and released by exocytosis. Previously, it has been shown that a transport protein originally identified as a brain-specific Na(+)-dependent inorganic phosphate transporter I (BNPI) functions as vesicular glutamate transporter and thus has been renamed VGLUT1. Recently, a protein highly homologous to VGLUT1, "differentiation-associated BNPI" (DNPI), has been discovered. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses indicate that DNPI mRNA is expressed in some brain regions in which VGLUT1 mRNA is not expressed. We now show that DNPI functions as vesicular glutamate transporter with properties very similar to VGLUT1 and propose to rename the protein VGLUT2. VGLUT2 is highly enriched in synaptic vesicles. Furthermore, VGLUT2 resides on a vesicle population that is distinct from vesicles containing the vesicular GABA transporter or VGLUT1, showing that the expression of VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 do not overlap. When VGLUT2 was expressed in BON cells, membrane fractions displayed ATP-dependent, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone-sensitive glutamate uptake. Overexpression of VGLUT2 in cultured autaptic GABAergic neurons yielded postsynaptic currents that were insensitive to the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline but blocked by the AMPA-receptor antagonist 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfonyl-benzo[F]quinoxaline. Thus, expression of VGLUT2 suffices to cause GABAergic neurons to release glutamate in addition to GABA in a manner very similar to that reported previously for VGLUT1.

  18. 2-Keto-3-fluoroglutarate: a useful mechanistic probe of 2-keto-glutarate-dependent enzyme systems.

    PubMed

    Grissom, C B; Cleland, W W

    1987-12-18

    2-Keto-3-fluoroglutaric acid prepared by acid hydrolysis of its diethyl ester is stable, as the free acid in aqueous solution at pH 2, and can be stored at -20 degrees C for several years. Both enantiomers are reduced by NADH in the presence of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.2) to the two diastereomers of 3-fluoro-L-glutamate, which are stable at neutral pH and at high pH unless heated. 2-Keto-3-fluoroglutarate exists in solution almost entirely as a hydrate both at low and neutral pH. Both enantiomers of ketofluoroglutarate react with the pyridoxamine forms of aspartate, alanine and 4-aminobutyrate transaminases to give fluoride release. 2 mol of cosubstrate amino acid react for each mol of ketofluoroglutarate (KFG) when starting from the pyridoxamine form of the enzyme: 2 RCHNH2COOH + KFG + H2O----F- + NH4+ + glutamate + 2 RCOCOOH. Both diastereomers of fluoroglutamate are decarboxylated by glutamate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.15) with fluoride release: KFG + H2O----CO2 + F- + HCOCH2CH2COOH. By contrast, only one isomer of fluoroglutamate will react with the pyridoxal form of glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase to give fluoride release: HOOCCHNH2CHFCH2COOH + H2O----4F- + NH4+ + HOOCCOCH2CH2COOH. The enzymatic decarboxylation of 3-fluoroisocitrate produces only one enantiomer of ketofluoroglutarate, which is reduced to threo (2R,3R)-3-fluoroglutamate by NADH and glutamate dehydrogenase: [2R,3S]-HOOCCH(OH)CF(COOH)CH2COOH + NADP+----[3R]-KFG + CO2 + NADPH + H+. The proton, 13C, and 19F-NMR parameters of ketofluoroglutarate and the two fluoroglutamate diastereomers are presented. These molecules are useful probes of enzymatic mechanisms thought to involve carbanion intermediates.

  19. The Arabidopsis thaliana REDUCED EPIDERMAL FLUORESCENCE1 Gene Encodes an Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Involved in Ferulic Acid and Sinapic Acid Biosynthesis

    PubMed Central

    Nair, Ramesh B.; Bastress, Kristen L.; Ruegger, Max O.; Denault, Jeff W.; Chapple, Clint

    2004-01-01

    Recent research has significantly advanced our understanding of the phenylpropanoid pathway but has left in doubt the pathway by which sinapic acid is synthesized in plants. The reduced epidermal fluorescence1 (ref1) mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana accumulates only 10 to 30% of the sinapate esters found in wild-type plants. Positional cloning of the REF1 gene revealed that it encodes an aldehyde dehydrogenase, a member of a large class of NADP+-dependent enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of aldehydes to their corresponding carboxylic acids. Consistent with this finding, extracts of ref1 leaves exhibit low sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase activity. These data indicate that REF1 encodes a sinapaldehyde dehydrogenase required for sinapic acid and sinapate ester biosynthesis. When expressed in Escherichia coli, REF1 was found to exhibit both sinapaldehyde and coniferaldehyde dehydrogenase activity, and further phenotypic analysis of ref1 mutant plants showed that they contain less cell wall–esterified ferulic acid. These findings suggest that both ferulic acid and sinapic acid are derived, at least in part, through oxidation of coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde. This route is directly opposite to the traditional representation of phenylpropanoid metabolism in which hydroxycinnamic acids are instead precursors of their corresponding aldehydes. PMID:14729911

  20. Magnaporthe oryzae Effector AVR-Pii Helps to Establish Compatibility by Inhibition of the Rice NADP-Malic Enzyme Resulting in Disruption of Oxidative Burst and Host Innate Immunity

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Raksha; Dangol, Sarmina; Chen, Yafei; Choi, Jihyun; Cho, Yoon-Seong; Lee, Jea-Eun; Choi, Mi-Ok; Jwa, Nam-Soo

    2016-01-01

    Plant disease resistance occurs as a hypersensitive response (HR) at the site of attempted pathogen invasion. This specific event is initiated in response to recognition of pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) and subsequent PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Both PTI and ETI mechanisms are tightly connected with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and disease resistance that involves distinct biphasic ROS production as one of its pivotal plant immune responses. This unique oxidative burst is strongly dependent on the resistant cultivars because a monophasic ROS burst is a hallmark of the susceptible cultivars. However, the cause of the differential ROS burst remains unknown. In the study here, we revealed the plausible underlying mechanism of the differential ROS burst through functional understanding of the Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae) AVR effector, AVR-Pii. We performed yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening using AVR-Pii as bait and isolated rice NADP-malic enzyme2 (Os-NADP-ME2) as the rice target protein. To our surprise, deletion of the rice Os-NADP-ME2 gene in a resistant rice cultivar disrupted innate immunity against the rice blast fungus. Malic enzyme activity and inhibition studies demonstrated that AVR-Pii proteins specifically inhibit in vitro NADP-ME activity. Overall, we demonstrate that rice blast fungus, M. oryzae attenuates the host ROS burst via AVR-Pii-mediated inhibition of Os-NADP-ME2, which is indispensable in ROS metabolism for the innate immunity of rice. This characterization of the regulation of the host oxidative burst will help to elucidate how the products of AVR genes function associated with virulence of the pathogen. PMID:27126515

  1. EXPRESSION OF THE SPERMATOGENIC CELL-SPECIFIC GLYCERALDEHYDE 3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (GAPDS) IN RAT TESTIS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The spermatogenic cell-specific variant of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDS) has been cloned from a rat testis cDNA library and its pattern of expression determined. A 1417 nucleotide cDNA has been found to encode an enzyme with substantial homology to mouse GAPDS...

  2. Cofactor specificity switch in Shikimate dehydrogenase by rational design and consensus engineering.

    PubMed

    García-Guevara, Fernando; Bravo, Iris; Martínez-Anaya, Claudia; Segovia, Lorenzo

    2017-08-01

    Consensus engineering has been used to design more stable variants using the most frequent amino acid at each site of a multiple sequence alignment; sometimes consensus engineering modifies function, but efforts have mainly been focused on studying stability. Here we constructed a consensus Rossmann domain for the Shikimate dehydrogenase enzyme; separately we decided to switch the cofactor specificity through rational design in the Escherichia coli Shikimate dehydrogenase enzyme and then analyzed the effect of consensus mutations on top of our design. We found that consensus mutations closest to the 2' adenine moiety increased the activity in our design. Consensus engineering has been shown to result in more stable proteins and our findings suggest it could also be used as a complementary tool for increasing or modifying enzyme activity during design. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  3. DPD epitope-specific glutamic acid decarboxylase GAD)65 autoantibodies in children with Type 1 diabetes

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    To study whether DPD epitope-specific glutamate decarboxylase autoantibodies are found more frequently in children with milder forms of Type 1 diabetes. We prospectively evaluated 75 children with new-onset autoimmune Type 1 diabetes, in whom we collected demographic, anthropometric and clinical dat...

  4. Cost-effectiveness of a modified two-step algorithm using a combined glutamate dehydrogenase/toxin enzyme immunoassay and real-time PCR for the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection.

    PubMed

    Vasoo, Shawn; Stevens, Jane; Portillo, Lena; Barza, Ruby; Schejbal, Debra; Wu, May May; Chancey, Christina; Singh, Kamaljit

    2014-02-01

    The analytical performance and cost-effectiveness of the Wampole Toxin A/B EIA, the C. Diff. Quik Chek Complete (CdQCC) (a combined glutamate dehydrogenase antigen/toxin enzyme immunoassay), two RT-PCR assays (Progastro Cd and BD GeneOhm) and a modified two-step algorithm using the CdQCC reflexed to RT-PCR for indeterminate results were compared. The sensitivity of the Wampole Toxin A/B EIA, CdQCC (GDH antigen), BD GeneOhm and Progastro Cd RT-PCR were 85.4%, 95.8%, 100% and 93.8%, respectively. The algorithm provided rapid results for 86% of specimens and the remaining indeterminate results were resolved by RT-PCR, offering the best balance of sensitivity and cost savings per test (algorithm ∼US$13.50/test versus upfront RT-PCR ∼US$26.00/test). Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Overexpression, purification and enzymatic characterization of a recombinant Arabian camel Camelus dromedarius glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Saeed, Hesham; Ismaeil, Mohammad; Embaby, Amira; Ataya, Farid; Malik, Ajamaluddin; Shalaby, Manal; El-Banna, Sabah; Ali, Ahmed Abdelrahim Mohamed; Bassiouny, Khalid

    2018-02-01

    In a previous study the full-length open reading frame of the Arabian camel, Camelus dromedarius liver cytosolic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) cDNA was determined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The C. dromedarius cDNA was found to be 1545 nucleotides (accession number JN098421) that encodes a protein of 515 amino acids residues. In the present study, C. dromedarius recombinant G6PD was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS and purified by immobilized metal affinity fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) in a single step. The purity and molecular weight of the enzyme were analyzed on SDS-PAGE and the purified enzyme showed a single band on the gel with a molecular weight of 63.0 KDa. The specific activity was determined to be 2000 EU/mg protein. The optimum temperature and pH were found to be 60 °C and 7.4, respectively. The isoelectric point (pI) for the purified G6PD was determined to be 6.4. The apparent K m values for the two substrates NADP + and G6P were found to be 23.2 μM and 66.7 μM, respectively. The far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectra of G6PD showed that it has two minima at 208 and 222 nm as well as maxima at 193 nm which is characteristic of high content of α-helix. Moreover, the far-UV CD spectra of the G6PD in the presence or absence of NADP + were nearly identical. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. FR171456 is a specific inhibitor of mammalian NSDHL and yeast Erg26p

    PubMed Central

    Helliwell, Stephen B.; Karkare, Shantanu; Bergdoll, Marc; Rahier, Alain; Leighton-Davis, Juliet R.; Fioretto, Celine; Aust, Thomas; Filipuzzi, Ireos; Frederiksen, Mathias; Gounarides, John; Hoepfner, Dominic; Hofmann, Andreas; Imbert, Pierre-Eloi; Jeker, Rolf; Knochenmuss, Richard; Krastel, Philipp; Margerit, Anais; Memmert, Klaus; Miault, Charlotte V.; Rao Movva, N.; Muller, Alban; Naegeli, Hans-Ulrich; Oberer, Lukas; Prindle, Vivian; Riedl, Ralph; Schuierer, Sven; Sexton, Jessica A.; Tao, Jianshi; Wagner, Trixie; Yin, Hong; Zhang, Juan; Roggo, Silvio; Reinker, Stefan; Parker, Christian N.

    2015-01-01

    FR171456 is a natural product with cholesterol-lowering properties in animal models, but its molecular target is unknown, which hinders further drug development. Here we show that FR171456 specifically targets the sterol-4-alpha-carboxylate-3-dehydrogenase (Saccharomyces cerevisiae—Erg26p, Homo sapiens—NSDHL (NAD(P) dependent steroid dehydrogenase-like)), an essential enzyme in the ergosterol/cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. FR171456 significantly alters the levels of cholesterol pathway intermediates in human and yeast cells. Genome-wide yeast haploinsufficiency profiling experiments highlight the erg26/ERG26 strain, and multiple mutations in ERG26 confer resistance to FR171456 in growth and enzyme assays. Some of these ERG26 mutations likely alter Erg26 binding to FR171456, based on a model of Erg26. Finally, we show that FR171456 inhibits an artificial Hepatitis C viral replicon, and has broad antifungal activity, suggesting potential additional utility as an anti-infective. The discovery of the target and binding site of FR171456 within the target will aid further development of this compound. PMID:26456460

  7. Gender specific influence of endogenous glutamate release on stress-induced fear in rats.

    PubMed

    Jain, S K; Zelena, D

    2011-01-01

    Stress, fear and anxiety are among major public health concerns. The role of glutamate in these processes is becoming more recognized with promising new drug targets. The aim of this study was to establish the gender specificity of a possible treatment of fear by glutamate antagonists in correspondence with changes in stress-hormone release. Footshock-induced fear was used as an anxiogenic situation in rats. A combination of two ionotrop receptor antagonists such as MK-801 (dizocilpine; 0.2 mg/kg) for NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartic acid) and GYKI 52466 (benzodiazepine derivative; 10 mg/kg) for AMPA/kainate receptors were used for 5 days following the hypothesis that they potentiate each other the main action, but at the same time the side effects may be minimized. Female rats tried to avoid the electrical stimulus more actively than males, as they spent more time with exploration and jumping and less time with freezing or rest. Ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists have anxiolytic action. MK-801 was more effective in females, as it prevented the footshock-induced freezing per se, while in males it was effective only in combination with GyKI 52466. The locomotor side effect of MK-801 was not visible after repeated administration. The freezing behavior was positively correlated with the changes in prolactin but not with adrenocorticotropin levels. We proved the involvement of endogenous glutamate neurotransmission in stress-induced fear. Therapeutical usage may involve a combination of different receptor antagonists. Special attention should be paid to the gender, as females seem to be more sensitive, therefore they require smaller doses. During the treatment the prolactin levels should be monitored.

  8. Parkin overexpression protects retinal ganglion cells against glutamate excitotoxicity.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xinxin; Dai, Yi; Sun, Xinghuai

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the role of parkin in regulating mitochondrial homeostasis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) under glutamate excitotoxicity. Rat RGCs were purified from dissociated retinal tissue with a modified two-step panning protocol. Cultured RGCs were transfected with parkin using an adenovirus system. The distribution and morphology of mitochondria in the RGCs were assessed with MitoTracker. The expression and distribution of parkin and optineurin proteins were measured with western blot analysis and immunofluorescence. Cytotoxicity of RGCs was evaluated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Mitochondrial membrane potential was determined with the JC-1 assay. The expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were measured with western blot analysis. In the presence of glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, the number of mitochondria in the axons of the RGCs was predominantly increased, and the mitochondrial membrane potential in RGCs was depolarized. The expression of the parkin and optineurin proteins was upregulated and distributed mostly in the axons of the RGCs. Overexpression of parkin stabilized the mitochondrial membrane potential of RGCs, decreased cytotoxicity and apoptosis, attenuated the expression of Bax, and promoted the expression of optineurin under glutamate excitotoxicity. Overexpression of parkin exerted a significant protective effect on cultured RGCs against glutamate excitotoxicity. Interventions to alter the parkin-mediated mitochondria pathway may be useful in protecting RGCs against excitotoxic RGC damage.

  9. Expression of cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in melanocytes and its role as an antioxidant.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ji Young; Shin, Jae Yong; Kim, Miri; Hann, Seung-Kyung; Oh, Sang Ho

    2012-02-01

    Cytosolic NADP(+)-dependent ICDH (IDPc) has an antioxidant effect as a supplier of NADPH to the cytosol, which is needed for the production of glutathione. To evaluate the expression of IDPc in melanocytes and to elucidate its role as an antioxidant. The knock-down of IDPc expression in immortalized mouse melanocyte cell lines (melan-a) was performed using the short interfering RNA (siRNA)-targeted gene silencing method. After confirming the silencing of IDPc expression with mRNA and protein levels, viability, apoptosis and necrosis, as well as ROS production in IDPc-silenced melanocytes were monitored under conditions of oxidative stress and non-stress. Also, the ratio of oxidized glutathione to total glutathione was examined, and whether the addition of glutathione recovered cell viability, decreased by oxidant stress, was checked. The expression of IDPc in both primary human melanocytes and melan-a cells was confirmed by Western blot and RT-PCR. The silencing of IDPc expression by transfecting IDPc siRNA in melan-a cells was observed by Western blotting and real-time RT-PCR. IDPc knock-down cells showed significantly decreased cell viability and an increased number of cells under apoptosis and necrosis. IDPc siRNA-treated melanocytes demonstrated a higher intensity of DCFDA after the addition of H(2)O(2) compared with scrambled siRNA-treated melanocytes, and a lower ratio of reduced glutathione to oxidized glutathione were observed in IDPc siRNA transfected melanocytes. In addition, the addition of glutathione recovered cell viability, which was previously decreased after incubation with H(2)O(2). This study suggests that decreased IDPc expression renders melanocytes more vulnerable to oxidative stress, and IDPc plays an important antioxidant function in melanocytes. Copyright © 2011 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete Assay, a new glutamate dehydrogenase and A/B toxin combination lateral flow assay for use in rapid, simple diagnosis of clostridium difficile disease.

    PubMed

    Sharp, Susan E; Ruden, Lila O; Pohl, Julie C; Hatcher, Patricia A; Jayne, Linda M; Ivie, W Michael

    2010-06-01

    The diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection continues to be a challenge for many clinical microbiology laboratories. A new lateral flow assay, the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete assay, which tests for the presence of both glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and C. difficile toxins A and B, was evaluated for its ability to diagnose C. difficile disease. The results of this assay were compared to those of both PCR and toxigenic culture. The results showed that this assay allows 88% of specimens to be accurately screened as either positive (both tests positive) or negative (both tests negative) for the presence of toxigenic C. difficile in less than 30 min and with minimal hands-on time. Use of a random-access PCR for the analysis of specimens with discrepant results (one test positive and the other negative) allows the easy, rapid, and highly sensitive (100%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 89.6 to 100%) and specific (99.6%; 95% CI, 97.3 to 99.9%) diagnosis of C. difficile disease. The use of this algorithm would save institutional costs, curtail unnecessary isolation days, reduce the nosocomial transmission of disease, and increase the quality of care for patients.

  11. Evaluation of the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete Assay, a New Glutamate Dehydrogenase and A/B Toxin Combination Lateral Flow Assay for Use in Rapid, Simple Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Disease▿

    PubMed Central

    Sharp, Susan E.; Ruden, Lila O.; Pohl, Julie C.; Hatcher, Patricia A.; Jayne, Linda M.; Ivie, W. Michael

    2010-01-01

    The diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection continues to be a challenge for many clinical microbiology laboratories. A new lateral flow assay, the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete assay, which tests for the presence of both glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and C. difficile toxins A and B, was evaluated for its ability to diagnose C. difficile disease. The results of this assay were compared to those of both PCR and toxigenic culture. The results showed that this assay allows 88% of specimens to be accurately screened as either positive (both tests positive) or negative (both tests negative) for the presence of toxigenic C. difficile in less than 30 min and with minimal hands-on time. Use of a random-access PCR for the analysis of specimens with discrepant results (one test positive and the other negative) allows the easy, rapid, and highly sensitive (100%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 89.6 to 100%) and specific (99.6%; 95% CI, 97.3 to 99.9%) diagnosis of C. difficile disease. The use of this algorithm would save institutional costs, curtail unnecessary isolation days, reduce the nosocomial transmission of disease, and increase the quality of care for patients. PMID:20375230

  12. A new specific ageusia: some humans cannot taste L-glutamate.

    PubMed

    Lugaz, O; Pillias, A-M; Faurion, A

    2002-02-01

    A new specific ageusia was found in human subjects for monosodium L-glutamate (MSG). Four tests were successively applied to discriminate non-tasters and hypotasters from tasters. (i) NaCl and MSG thresholds, and (ii) suprathreshold sensitivity were evaluated using the up-and-down procedure. Only 73% of 109 subjects common to both tests demonstrated a sensitivity for MSG significantly higher than their sensitivity to NaCl, and hence a specific sensitivity to L-glutamate. The remaining 27% who showed no significant difference in sensitivity to MSG and NaCl solutions were considered as putative hypotasters. (iii) Perception profiles (time-intensity) for MSG and NaCl were tested in 58 subjects and appeared significantly different in 47 tasters (81%). This technique helped in identifying among putative hypotasters of tests 1 and 2 a few tasters who perceived equal intensity for isoconcentration of NaCl and MSG but who could discriminate isomolar solutions on other cues. Thus, 19% of subjects, for whom no significant differences were found between MSG and NaCl time-intensity profiles, remained in the hypotaster group. (iv) A discrimination task including 24 triangular presentations per subject of NaCl and MSG 29 mM applied to the eight most severe hypotasters showed that two subjects at least (two of 58; 3.5%) could not discriminate between both stimuli. Moreover, these subjects probably perceived identical sensations for MSG and NaCl solutions. The six other hypotasters (10.3%) could discriminate both stimuli at the limit of significance. None of these eight subjects were able to identify the typical umami taste in 29 mM MSG.

  13. Availability of neurotransmitter glutamate is diminished when beta-hydroxybutyrate replaces glucose in cultured neurons.

    PubMed

    Lund, Trine M; Risa, Oystein; Sonnewald, Ursula; Schousboe, Arne; Waagepetersen, Helle S

    2009-07-01

    Ketone bodies serve as alternative energy substrates for the brain in cases of low glucose availability such as during starvation or in patients treated with a ketogenic diet. The ketone bodies are metabolized via a distinct pathway confined to the mitochondria. We have compared metabolism of [2,4-(13)C]beta-hydroxybutyrate to that of [1,6-(13)C]glucose in cultured glutamatergic neurons and investigated the effect of neuronal activity focusing on the aspartate-glutamate homeostasis, an essential component of the excitatory activity in the brain. The amount of (13)C incorporation and cellular content was lower for glutamate and higher for aspartate in the presence of [2,4-(13)C]beta-hydroxybutyrate as opposed to [1,6-(13)C]glucose. Our results suggest that the change in aspartate-glutamate homeostasis is due to a decreased availability of NADH for cytosolic malate dehydrogenase and thus reduced malate-aspartate shuttle activity in neurons using beta-hydroxybutyrate. In the presence of glucose, the glutamate content decreased significantly upon activation of neurotransmitter release, whereas in the presence of only beta-hydroxybutyrate, no decrease in the glutamate content was observed. Thus, the fraction of the glutamate pool available for transmitter release was diminished when metabolizing beta-hydroxybutyrate, which is in line with the hypothesis of formation of transmitter glutamate via an obligatory involvement of the malate-aspartate shuttle.

  14. Atmospheric Mercury Deposition Monitoring – National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) developed and operates a collaborative network of atmospheric mercury monitoring sites based in North America – the Atmospheric Mercury Network (AMNet). The justification for the network was growing interest and demand from many ...

  15. Dehydrogenation of indanol by rabbit liver 3-hydroxyhexobarbital dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Takenoshita, R; Toki, S

    1977-06-01

    1. Among the several enzyme activities in rabbit liver cytosol able to dehydrogenate 1-indanol, only the main activity was not separable from 3-hydroxyhexobarbital dehydrogenase during purification including polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. 2. Results of mixed substrate method indicated that the same enzyme catalyses the dehydrogenation of 1-indanol and 3-hydroxyhexobarbital. The ratio between the two dehydrogenation activities was almost constant as the enzyme underwent thermal inactivation. The Ki values of p-chloromercuribenzoate, the Km values for NAD+, and the Km values for NADP+ were very similar for the two dehydrogenations. These results lead to the conclusion that the same enzyme catalyses the dehydrogenation of 3-hydroxyhexobarbital and 1-indanol. 3. 1-Tetralol, 1-acenaphthenol, 9-fluorenol, thiochroman-4-ol and 4-chromanol also served as substrate of the enzyme, but 2-indanol, 2-tetralol, and trans- and cis-indan-1,2-diol were not oxidized. 4. Reversibility of the reaction was also confirmed using 1-indanone as substrate.

  16. Structural Insights into l-Tryptophan Dehydrogenase from a Photoautotrophic Cyanobacterium, Nostoc punctiforme.

    PubMed

    Wakamatsu, Taisuke; Sakuraba, Haruhiko; Kitamura, Megumi; Hakumai, Yuichi; Fukui, Kenji; Ohnishi, Kouhei; Ashiuchi, Makoto; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2017-01-15

    l-Tryptophan dehydrogenase from Nostoc punctiforme NIES-2108 (NpTrpDH), despite exhibiting high amino acid sequence identity (>30%)/homology (>50%) with NAD(P) + -dependent l-Glu/l-Leu/l-Phe/l-Val dehydrogenases, exclusively catalyzes reversible oxidative deamination of l-Trp to 3-indolepyruvate in the presence of NAD + Here, we determined the crystal structure of the apo form of NpTrpDH. The structure of the NpTrpDH monomer, which exhibited high similarity to that of l-Glu/l-Leu/l-Phe dehydrogenases, consisted of a substrate-binding domain (domain I, residues 3 to 133 and 328 to 343) and an NAD + /NADH-binding domain (domain II, residues 142 to 327) separated by a deep cleft. The apo-NpTrpDH existed in an open conformation, where domains I and II were apart from each other. The subunits dimerized themselves mainly through interactions between amino acid residues around the β-1 strand of each subunit, as was observed in the case of l-Phe dehydrogenase. The binding site for the substrate l-Trp was predicted by a molecular docking simulation and validated by site-directed mutagenesis. Several hydrophobic residues, which were located in the active site of NpTrpDH and possibly interacted with the side chain of the substrate l-Trp, were arranged similarly to that found in l-Leu/l-Phe dehydrogenases but fairly different from that of an l-Glu dehydrogenase. Our crystal structure revealed that Met-40, Ala-69, Ile-74, Ile-110, Leu-288, Ile-289, and Tyr-292 formed a hydrophobic cluster around the active site. The results of the site-directed mutagenesis experiments suggested that the hydrophobic cluster plays critical roles in protein folding, l-Trp recognition, and catalysis. Our results provide critical information for further characterization and engineering of this enzyme. In this study, we determined the three-dimensional structure of l-Trp dehydrogenase, analyzed its various site-directed substitution mutants at residues located in the active site, and obtained the

  17. Deproteinization is Necessary for the Accurate Determination of Ammonia Levels by Glutamate Dehydrogenase Assay in Blood Plasma From Subjects With Liver Injury.

    PubMed

    Vodenicarovova, Melita; Skalska, Hana; Holecek, Milan

    2017-11-08

    To determine the effect of presence of high concentrations of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)- and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-consuming enzymes on the accuracy of glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) assay for ammonia. We measured ammonia concentrations using GLDH and NADH or NADPH in blood-plasma specimens and specimens deproteinized by sulfosalicylic acid from CCl4-treated or control rats. The nonspecific oxidation of NADH and NADPH was measured in mixtures without GLDH. We observed a gradual decrease (~0.5%) in absorbance in the plasma of controls after the addition of NADH but not after adding NADPH. The decrease in absorbance in plasma of CCl4-treated animals was 13.2% and 5.2% after the addition of NADH and NADPH, respectively. The decrease in absorbance was not detected in deproteinized specimens. The values of ammonia concentration were higher in the plasma specimens compared with the deproteinized ones. Deproteinization is necessary for accurate measurement of ammonia using GLDH assay in the blood plasma of subjects with liver injury. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  18. Fine tuning of coenzyme specificity in family 2 aldo-keto reductases revealed by crystal structures of the Lys-274 → Arg mutant of Candida tenuis xylose reductase (AKR2B5) bound to NAD + and NADP +

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Leitgeb, Stefan; Petschacher, Barbara; Wilson, David K.

    2005-01-11

    Aldo-keto reductases of family 2 employ single site replacement Lys → Arg to switch their cosubstrate preference from NADPH to NADH. X-ray crystal structures of Lys-274 → Arg mutant of Candida tenuis xylose reductase (AKR2B5) bound to NAD + and NADP + were determined at a resolution of 2.4 and 2.3 Å, respectively. Due to steric conflicts in the NADP +-bound form, the arginine side chain must rotate away from the position of the original lysine side chain, thereby disrupting a network of direct and water-mediated interactions between Glu-227, Lys-274 and the cofactor 2'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxy groups. Because anchoring contactsmore » of its Glu-227 are lost, the coenzyme-enfolding loop that becomes ordered upon binding of NAD(P) + in the wild-type remains partly disordered in the NADP +-bound mutant. The results delineate a catalytic reaction profile for the mutant in comparison to wild-type.« less

  19. Effects of UV-B radiation on growth, photosynthesis, UV-B-absorbing compounds and NADP-malic enzyme in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown under different nitrogen conditions.

    PubMed

    Pinto, M E; Casati, P; Hsu, T P; Ku, M S; Edwards, G E

    1999-02-01

    The effects of UV-B radiation on growth, photosynthesis, UV-B-absorbing compounds and NADP-malic enzyme have been examined in different cultivars of Phaseolous vulgaris L. grown under 1 and 12 mM nitrogen. Low nitrogen nutrition reduces chlorophyll and soluble protein contents in the leaves and thus the photosynthesis rate and dry-matter accumulation. Chlorophyll, soluble protein and Rubisco contents and photosynthesis rate are not significantly altered by ambient levels of UV-B radiation (17 microW m-2, 290-320 nm, 4 h/day for one week). Comparative studies show that under high nitrogen, UV-B radiation slightly enhances leaf expansion and dry-matter accumulation in cultivar Pinto, but inhibits these parameters in Vilmorin. These results suggest that the UV-B effect on growth is mediated through leaf expansion, which is particularly sensitive to UV-B, and that Pinto is more tolerant than Vilmorin. The effect of UV-B radiation on UV-B-absorbing compounds and on NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) activity is also examined. Both UV-B radiation and low-nitrogen nutrition enhance the content of UV-B-absorbing compounds, and among the three cultivars used, Pinto exhibits the highest increases and Arroz the lowest. The same trend is observed for the specific activity and content of NADP-ME. On a leaf-area basis, the amount of UV-B-absorbing compounds is highly correlated with the enzyme activity (r2 = 0.83), suggesting that NADP-ME plays a key role in biosynthesis of these compounds. Furthermore, the higher sensitivity of Vilmorin than Pinto to UV-B radiation appears to be related to the activity of NADP-ME and the capacity of the plants to accumulate UV-B-absorbing compounds.

  20. Distinct roles of two anaplerotic pathways in glutamate production induced by biotin limitation in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Sato, Hiroki; Orishimo, Keita; Shirai, Tomokazu; Hirasawa, Takashi; Nagahisa, Keisuke; Shimizu, Hiroshi; Wachi, Masaaki

    2008-07-01

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is a biotin auxotrophic bacterium in which glutamate production is induced under biotin-limited conditions. During glutamate production, anaplerotic reactions catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) and a biotin-containing enzyme pyruvate carboxylase (PC) are believed to play an important role in supplying oxaloacetate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. To understand the distinct roles of PEPC and PC on glutamate production by C. glutamicum, we observed glutamate production induced under biotin-limited conditions in the disruptants of the genes encoding PEPC (ppc) and PC (pyc), respectively. The pyc disruptant retained the ability to produce high amounts of glutamate, and lactate was simultaneously produced probably due to the increased intracellular pyruvate levels. On the other hand, the ppc knockout mutant could not produce glutamate. Additionally, glutamate production in the pyc disruptant was enhanced by overexpression of ppc rather than disruption of the lactate dehydrogenase gene (ldh), which is involved in lactate production. Metabolic flux analysis based on the 13C-labeling experiment and measurement of 13C-enrichment in glutamate using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that the flux for anaplerotic reactions in the pyc disruptant was lower than that in the wild type, concomitantly increasing the flux for lactate formation. Moreover, overexpression of ppc increased this flux in both the pyc disruptant and the wild type. Our results suggest that the PEPC-catalyzed anaplerotic reaction is necessary for glutamate production induced under biotin-limited conditions, because PC is not active during glutamate production, and overexpression of ppc effectively enhances glutamate production under biotin-limited conditions.

  1. Purification and Characterization of a Novel NAD(P)+-Farnesol Dehydrogenase from Polygonum minus Leaves.

    PubMed

    Ahmad-Sohdi, Nor-Ain-Shahajar; Seman-Kamarulzaman, Ahmad-Faris; Mohamed-Hussein, Zeti-Azura; Hassan, Maizom

    2015-01-01

    Juvenile hormones have attracted attention as safe and selective targets for the design and development of environmentally friendly and biorational insecticides. In the juvenile hormone III biosynthetic pathway, the enzyme farnesol dehydrogenase catalyzes the oxidation of farnesol to farnesal. In this study, farnesol dehydrogenase was extracted from Polygonum minus leaves and purified 204-fold to apparent homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography using DEAE-Toyopearl, SP-Toyopearl, and Super-Q Toyopearl, followed by three successive purifications by gel filtration chromatography on a TSK-gel GS3000SW. The enzyme is a heterodimer comprised of subunits with molecular masses of 65 kDa and 70 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH were 35°C and pH 9.5, respectively. Activity was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, metal-chelating agents and heavy metal ions. The enzyme utilized both NAD+ and NADP+ as coenzymes with Km values of 0.74 mM and 40 mM, respectively. Trans, trans-farnesol was the preferred substrate for the P. minus farnesol dehydrogenase. Geometrical isomers of trans, trans-farnesol, cis, trans-farnesol and cis, cis-farnesol were also oxidized by the enzyme with lower activity. The Km values for trans, trans-farnesol, cis, trans-farnesol and cis, cis-farnesol appeared to be 0.17 mM, 0.33 mM and 0.42 mM, respectively. The amino acid sequences of 4 tryptic peptides of the enzyme were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS spectrometry, and showed no significant similarity to those of previously reported farnesol dehydrogenases. These results suggest that the purified enzyme is a novel NAD(P)+-dependent farnesol dehydrogenase. The purification and characterization established in the current study will serve as a basis to provide new information for recombinant production of the enzyme. Therefore, recombinant farnesol dehydrogenase may provide a useful molecular tool in manipulating juvenile hormone biosynthesis to generate transgenic plants for pest control.

  2. Purification and Characterization of a Novel NAD(P)+-Farnesol Dehydrogenase from Polygonum minus Leaves

    PubMed Central

    Seman-Kamarulzaman, Ahmad-Faris; Mohamed-Hussein, Zeti-Azura

    2015-01-01

    Juvenile hormones have attracted attention as safe and selective targets for the design and development of environmentally friendly and biorational insecticides. In the juvenile hormone III biosynthetic pathway, the enzyme farnesol dehydrogenase catalyzes the oxidation of farnesol to farnesal. In this study, farnesol dehydrogenase was extracted from Polygonum minus leaves and purified 204-fold to apparent homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography using DEAE-Toyopearl, SP-Toyopearl, and Super-Q Toyopearl, followed by three successive purifications by gel filtration chromatography on a TSK-gel GS3000SW. The enzyme is a heterodimer comprised of subunits with molecular masses of 65 kDa and 70 kDa. The optimum temperature and pH were 35°C and pH 9.5, respectively. Activity was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, metal-chelating agents and heavy metal ions. The enzyme utilized both NAD+ and NADP+ as coenzymes with K m values of 0.74 mM and 40 mM, respectively. Trans, trans-farnesol was the preferred substrate for the P. minus farnesol dehydrogenase. Geometrical isomers of trans, trans-farnesol, cis, trans-farnesol and cis, cis-farnesol were also oxidized by the enzyme with lower activity. The K m values for trans, trans-farnesol, cis, trans-farnesol and cis, cis-farnesol appeared to be 0.17 mM, 0.33 mM and 0.42 mM, respectively. The amino acid sequences of 4 tryptic peptides of the enzyme were analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS spectrometry, and showed no significant similarity to those of previously reported farnesol dehydrogenases. These results suggest that the purified enzyme is a novel NAD(P)+-dependent farnesol dehydrogenase. The purification and characterization established in the current study will serve as a basis to provide new information for recombinant production of the enzyme. Therefore, recombinant farnesol dehydrogenase may provide a useful molecular tool in manipulating juvenile hormone biosynthesis to generate transgenic plants for pest control. PMID:26600471

  3. Ionotropic glutamate receptors activate cell signaling in response to glutamate in Schwann cells.

    PubMed

    Campana, Wendy M; Mantuano, Elisabetta; Azmoon, Pardis; Henry, Kenneth; Banki, Michael A; Kim, John H; Pizzo, Donald P; Gonias, Steven L

    2017-04-01

    In the peripheral nervous system, Schwann cells (SCs) demonstrate surveillance activity, detecting injury and undergoing trans -differentiation to support repair. SC receptors that detect peripheral nervous system injury remain incompletely understood. We used RT-PCR to profile ionotropic glutamate receptor expression in cultured SCs. We identified subunits required for assembly of N -methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors (NMDA-Rs), α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors, and kainate receptors. Treatment of SCs with 40-100 µM glutamate or with 0.5-1.0 µM NMDA robustly activated Akt and ERK1/2. The response was transient and bimodal; glutamate concentrations that exceeded 250 µM failed to activate cell signaling. Phosphoprotein profiling identified diverse phosphorylated proteins in glutamate-treated SCs in addition to ERK1/2 and Akt, including p70 S6-kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3, ribosomal S6 kinase, c-Jun, and cAMP response element binding protein. Activation of SC signaling by glutamate was blocked by EGTA and dizocilpine and by silencing expression of the NMDA-R NR1 subunit. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/PI3K functioned as an essential upstream activator of Akt and ERK1/2 in glutamate-treated SCs. When glutamate or NMDA was injected directly into crush-injured rat sciatic nerves, ERK1/2 phosphorylation was observed in myelinated and nonmyelinating SCs. Glutamate promoted SC migration by a pathway that required PI3K and ERK1/2. These results identified ionotropic glutamate receptors and NMDA-Rs, specifically, as potentially important cell signaling receptors in SCs.-Campana, W. M., Mantuano, E., Azmoon, P., Henry, K., Banki, M. A., Kim, J. H., Pizzo, D. P., Gonias, S. L. Ionotropic glutamate receptors activate cell signaling in response to glutamate in Schwann cells. © FASEB.

  4. Crystallographic analysis and structure-guided engineering of NADPH-dependent Ralstonia sp. alcohol dehydrogenase toward NADH cosubstrate specificity.

    PubMed

    Lerchner, Alexandra; Jarasch, Alexander; Meining, Winfried; Schiefner, André; Skerra, Arne

    2013-11-01

    The NADP⁺-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase from Ralstonia sp. (RasADH) belongs to the protein superfamily of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs). As an enzyme that accepts different types of substrates--including bulky-bulky as well as small-bulky secondary alcohols or ketones--with high stereoselectivity, it offers potential as a biocatalyst for industrial biotechnology. To understand substrate and cosubstrate specificities of RasADH we determined the crystal structure of the apo-enzyme as well as its NADP⁺-bound state with resolutions down to 2.8 Å. RasADH displays a homotetrameric quaternary structure that can be described as a dimer of homodimers while in each subunit a seven-stranded parallel β-sheet, flanked by three α-helices on each side, forms a Rossmann fold-type dinucleotide binding domain. Docking of the well-known substrate (S)-1-phenylethanol clearly revealed the structural determinants of stereospecificity. To favor practical RasADH application in the context of established cofactor recycling systems, for example, those involving an NADH-dependent amino acid dehydrogenase, we attempted to rationally change its cosubstrate specificity from NADP⁺ to NAD⁺ utilizing the structural information that NADP⁺ specificity is largely governed by the residues Asn15, Gly37, Arg38, and Arg39. Furthermore, an extensive sequence alignment with homologous dehydrogenases that have different cosubstrate specificities revealed a modified general SDR motif ASNG (instead of NNAG) at positions 86-89 of RasADH. Consequently, we constructed mutant enzymes with one (G37D), four (N15G/G37D/R38V/R39S), and six (N15G/G37D/R38V/R39S/A86N/S88A) amino acid exchanges. RasADH (N15G/G37D/R38V/R39S) was better able to accept NAD⁺ while showing much reduced catalytic efficiency with NADP⁺, leading to a change in NADH/NADPH specificity by a factor of ∼3.6 million. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Cloning, expression, and characterization of bacterial L-arabinose 1-dehydrogenase involved in an alternative pathway of L-arabinose metabolism.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Seiya; Kodaki, Tsutomu; Kodak, Tsutomu; Makino, Keisuke

    2006-02-03

    Azospirillum brasiliense converts L-arabinose to alpha-ketoglutarate via five hypothetical enzymatic steps. We purified and characterized L-arabinose 1-dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.46), catalyzing the conversion of L-arabinose to L-arabino-gamma-lactone as an enzyme responsible for the first step of this alternative pathway of L-arabinose metabolism. The purified enzyme preferred NADP+ to NAD+ as a coenzyme. Kinetic analysis revealed that the enzyme had high catalytic efficiency for both L-arabinose and D-galactose. The gene encoding L-arabinose 1-dehydrogenase was cloned using a partial peptide sequence of the purified enzyme and was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as a fully active enzyme. The enzyme consists of 308 amino acids and has a calculated molecular mass of 33,663.92 Da. The deduced amino acid sequence had some similarity to glucose-fructose oxidoreductase, D-xylose 1-dehydrogenase, and D-galactose 1-dehydrogenase. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that the enzyme possesses unique catalytic amino acid residues. Northern blot analysis showed that this gene was induced by L-arabinose but not by D-galactose. Furthermore, a disruptant of the L-arabinose 1-dehydrogenase gene did not grow on L-arabinose but grew on D-galactose at the same growth rate as the wild-type strain. There was a partial gene for L-arabinose transport in the flanking region of the L-arabinose 1-dehydrogenase gene. These results indicated that the enzyme is involved in the metabolism of L-arabinose but not D-galactose. This is the first identification of a gene involved in an alternative pathway of L-arabinose metabolism in bacterium.

  6. Cloning, expression, and characterization of a novel (S)-specific alcohol dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus kefir.

    PubMed

    Chen, Qilei; Hu, Youjia; Zhao, Wenjie; Zhu, Chunbao; Zhu, Baoquan

    2010-01-01

    A gene encoding a novel (S)-specific NADH-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (LK-ADH) was isolated from the genomic DNA of Lactobacillus kefir DSM 20587 by thermal asymmetric interlaced-polymerase chain reaction. The nucleotide sequence of (S)-LK-ADH gene (adhS) was determined, which consists of an open reading frame of 1,044 bp, coding for 347 amino acids with a molecular mass of 37.065 kDa. After a BLAST similarity search in GenBank database, the amino acid sequence of (S)-LK-ADH showed some homologies to several zinc containing medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenases. This novel gene was deposited into GenBank with the accession number of EU877965. adhS gene was subcloned into plasmid pET-28a(+), and recombinant (S)-LK-ADH was successfully expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) by isopropyl-beta-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside induction. Purified enzyme showed a high enantioselectivity in the reduction of acetophenone to (S)-phenylethanol with an ee value of 99.4%. The substrate specificity and cofactor preference of recombinant (S)-LK-ADH were also tested.

  7. Shade compromises the photosynthetic efficiency of NADP-ME less than that of PEP-CK and NAD-ME C4 grasses.

    PubMed

    Sonawane, Balasaheb V; Sharwood, Robert E; Whitney, Spencer; Ghannoum, Oula

    2018-05-25

    The high energy cost and apparently low plasticity of C4 photosynthesis compared with C3 photosynthesis may limit the productivity and distribution of C4 plants in low light (LL) environments. C4 photosynthesis evolved numerous times, but it remains unclear how different biochemical subtypes perform under LL. We grew eight C4 grasses belonging to three biochemical subtypes [NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEP-CK)] under shade (16% sunlight) or control (full sunlight) conditions and measured their photosynthetic characteristics at both low and high light. We show for the first time that LL (during measurement or growth) compromised the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) to a greater extent in NAD-ME than in PEP-CK or NADP-ME C4 grasses by virtue of a greater increase in carbon isotope discrimination (∆P) and bundle sheath CO2 leakiness (ϕ), and a greater reduction in photosynthetic quantum yield (Φmax). These responses were partly explained by changes in the ratios of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC)/initial Rubisco activity and dark respiration/photosynthesis (Rd/A). Shade induced a greater photosynthetic acclimation in NAD-ME than in NADP-ME and PEP-CK species due to a greater Rubisco deactivation. Shade also reduced plant dry mass to a greater extent in NAD-ME and PEP-CK relative to NADP-ME grasses. In conclusion, LL compromised the co-ordination of the C4 and C3 cycles and, hence, the efficiency of the CCM to a greater extent in NAD-ME than in PEP-CK species, while CCM efficiency was less impacted by LL in NADP-ME species. Consequently, NADP-ME species are more efficient at LL, which could explain their agronomic and ecological dominance relative to other C4 grasses.

  8. Shade compromises the photosynthetic efficiency of NADP-ME less than that of PEP-CK and NAD-ME C4 grasses

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Abstract The high energy cost and apparently low plasticity of C4 photosynthesis compared with C3 photosynthesis may limit the productivity and distribution of C4 plants in low light (LL) environments. C4 photosynthesis evolved numerous times, but it remains unclear how different biochemical subtypes perform under LL. We grew eight C4 grasses belonging to three biochemical subtypes [NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME), NAD-malic enzyme (NAD-ME), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEP-CK)] under shade (16% sunlight) or control (full sunlight) conditions and measured their photosynthetic characteristics at both low and high light. We show for the first time that LL (during measurement or growth) compromised the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) to a greater extent in NAD-ME than in PEP-CK or NADP-ME C4 grasses by virtue of a greater increase in carbon isotope discrimination (∆P) and bundle sheath CO2 leakiness (ϕ), and a greater reduction in photosynthetic quantum yield (Φmax). These responses were partly explained by changes in the ratios of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC)/initial Rubisco activity and dark respiration/photosynthesis (Rd/A). Shade induced a greater photosynthetic acclimation in NAD-ME than in NADP-ME and PEP-CK species due to a greater Rubisco deactivation. Shade also reduced plant dry mass to a greater extent in NAD-ME and PEP-CK relative to NADP-ME grasses. In conclusion, LL compromised the co-ordination of the C4 and C3 cycles and, hence, the efficiency of the CCM to a greater extent in NAD-ME than in PEP-CK species, while CCM efficiency was less impacted by LL in NADP-ME species. Consequently, NADP-ME species are more efficient at LL, which could explain their agronomic and ecological dominance relative to other C4 grasses. PMID:29659931

  9. Short-Chain 3-Hydroxyacyl-Coenzyme A Dehydrogenase Associates with a Protein Super-Complex Integrating Multiple Metabolic Pathways

    PubMed Central

    Narayan, Srinivas B.; Master, Stephen R.; Sireci, Anthony N.; Bierl, Charlene; Stanley, Paige E.; Li, Changhong; Stanley, Charles A.; Bennett, Michael J.

    2012-01-01

    Proteins involved in mitochondrial metabolic pathways engage in functionally relevant multi-enzyme complexes. We previously described an interaction between short-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (SCHAD) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) explaining the clinical phenotype of hyperinsulinism in SCHAD-deficient patients and adding SCHAD to the list of mitochondrial proteins capable of forming functional, multi-pathway complexes. In this work, we provide evidence of SCHAD's involvement in additional interactions forming tissue-specific metabolic super complexes involving both membrane-associated and matrix-dwelling enzymes and spanning multiple metabolic pathways. As an example, in murine liver, we find SCHAD interaction with aspartate transaminase (AST) and GDH from amino acid metabolic pathways, carbamoyl phosphate synthase I (CPS-1) from ureagenesis, other fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis enzymes and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase, an extra-mitochondrial enzyme of the glycolytic pathway. Most of the interactions appear to be independent of SCHAD's role in the penultimate step of fatty acid oxidation suggesting an organizational, structural or non-enzymatic role for the SCHAD protein. PMID:22496890

  10. Spinal cord-specific deletion of the glutamate transporter GLT1 causes motor neuron death in mice.

    PubMed

    Sugiyama, Kaori; Tanaka, Kohichi

    2018-03-04

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons. The precise mechanisms that cause the selective death of motor neurons remain unclear, but a growing body of evidence suggests that glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity has been considered to play an important role in the mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration in ALS. Reductions in glutamate transporter GLT1 have been reported in animal models of ALS and the motor cortex and spinal cord of ALS patients. However, it remains unknown whether the reduction in GLT1 has a primary role in the induction of motor neuron degeneration in ALS. Here, we generated conditional knockout mice that lacked GLT1 specifically in the spinal cord by crossing floxed-GLT1 mice and Hoxb8-Cre mice. Hoxb8-Cre/GLT1 flox/flox mice showed motor deficits and motor neuron loss. Thus, loss of the glial glutamate transporter GLT1 is sufficient to cause motor neuron death in mice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. The ALD6 gene product is indispensable for providing NADPH in yeast cells lacking glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed

    Grabowska, Dorota; Chelstowska, Anna

    2003-04-18

    Reducing equivalents in the form of NADPH are essential for many enzymatic steps involved in the biosynthesis of cellular macromolecules. An adequate level of NADPH is also required to protect cells against oxidative stress. The major enzymatic source of NADPH in the cell is the reaction catalyzed by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the first enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway. Disruption of the ZWF1 gene, encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, results in methionine auxotrophy and increased sensitivity to oxidizing agents. It is assumed that both phenotypes are due to an NADPH deficiency in the zwf1Delta strain. We used a Met(-) phenotype displayed by the zwf1Delta strain to look for multicopy suppressors of this deletion. We found that overexpression of the ALD6 gene coding for cytosolic acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, which utilizes NADP(+) as its cofactor, restores the Met(+) phenotype of the zwf1Delta strain. Another multicopy suppressor identified in our screen, the ZMS1 gene encoding a putative transcription factor, regulates the level of ALD6 expression. A strain bearing a double ZWF1 ALD6 gene disruption is not viable. Thus, our results indicate the reaction catalyzed by Ald6p as an important source of reducing equivalents in the yeast cells.

  12. Depletion of NADP(H) due to CD38 activation triggers endothelial dysfunction in the postischemic heart.

    PubMed

    Reyes, Levy A; Boslett, James; Varadharaj, Saradhadevi; De Pascali, Francesco; Hemann, Craig; Druhan, Lawrence J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; El-Mahdy, Mohamed; Zweier, Jay L

    2015-09-15

    In the postischemic heart, coronary vasodilation is impaired due to loss of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) function. Although the eNOS cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is depleted, its repletion only partially restores eNOS-mediated coronary vasodilation, indicating that other critical factors trigger endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, studies were performed to characterize the unidentified factor(s) that trigger endothelial dysfunction in the postischemic heart. We observed that depletion of the eNOS substrate NADPH occurs in the postischemic heart with near total depletion from the endothelium, triggering impaired eNOS function and limiting BH4 rescue through NADPH-dependent salvage pathways. In isolated rat hearts subjected to 30 min of ischemia and reperfusion (I/R), depletion of the NADP(H) pool occurred and was most marked in the endothelium, with >85% depletion. Repletion of NADPH after I/R increased NOS-dependent coronary flow well above that with BH4 alone. With combined NADPH and BH4 repletion, full restoration of NOS-dependent coronary flow occurred. Profound endothelial NADPH depletion was identified to be due to marked activation of the NAD(P)ase-activity of CD38 and could be prevented by inhibition or specific knockdown of this protein. Depletion of the NADPH precursor, NADP(+), coincided with formation of 2'-phospho-ADP ribose, a CD38-derived signaling molecule. Inhibition of CD38 prevented NADP(H) depletion and preserved endothelium-dependent relaxation and NO generation with increased recovery of contractile function and decreased infarction in the postischemic heart. Thus, CD38 activation is an important cause of postischemic endothelial dysfunction and presents a novel therapeutic target for prevention of this dysfunction in unstable coronary syndromes.

  13. Detection of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation R132H in myelodysplastic syndrome by mutation-specific antibody and direct sequencing.

    PubMed

    Andrulis, Mindaugas; Capper, David; Luft, Thomas; Hartmann, Christian; Zentgraf, Hanswalter; von Deimling, Andreas

    2010-08-01

    Sequencing of the acute myeloid leukemia genome revealed somatic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase-1. Acute myeloid leukemia frequently develops from myelodysplastic syndrome. In order to test whether myelodysplastic syndrome also carries isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 mutations, we stained a series of bone marrow samples from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome using an antibody specific for the R132H mutation. Three out of 71 patients exhibited antibody binding to myeloid precursor cells. The presence of the R132H mutation was confirmed by DNA sequencing. We demonstrated that isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 mutations occur in myelodysplasia preceding acute myeloid leukemia and that the R132H alteration can be detected by immunohistochemistry. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Purification and characterization of a novel recombinant highly enantioselective short-chain NAD(H)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase from Thermus thermophilus.

    PubMed

    Pennacchio, Angela; Pucci, Biagio; Secundo, Francesco; La Cara, Francesco; Rossi, Mosè; Raia, Carlo A

    2008-07-01

    The gene encoding a novel alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) that belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily was identified in the extremely thermophilic, halotolerant gram-negative eubacterium Thermus thermophilus HB27. The T. thermophilus ADH gene (adh(Tt)) was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the protein (ADH(Tt)) was purified to homogeneity and characterized. ADH(Tt) is a tetrameric enzyme consisting of identical 26,961-Da subunits composed of 256 amino acids. The enzyme has remarkable thermophilicity and thermal stability, displaying activity at temperatures up to approximately 73 degrees C and a 30-min half-inactivation temperature of approximately 90 degrees C, as well as good tolerance to common organic solvents. ADH(Tt) has a strict requirement for NAD(H) as the coenzyme, a preference for reduction of aromatic ketones and alpha-keto esters, and poor activity on aromatic alcohols and aldehydes. This thermophilic enzyme catalyzes the following reactions with Prelog specificity: the reduction of acetophenone, 2,2,2-trifluoroacetophenone, alpha-tetralone, and alpha-methyl and alpha-ethyl benzoylformates to (S)-(-)-1-phenylethanol (>99% enantiomeric excess [ee]), (R)-alpha-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl alcohol (93% ee), (S)-alpha-tetralol (>99% ee), methyl (R)-(-)-mandelate (92% ee), and ethyl (R)-(-)-mandelate (95% ee), respectively, by way of an efficient in situ NADH-recycling system involving 2-propanol and a second thermophilic ADH. This study further supports the critical role of the D37 residue in discriminating NAD(H) from NADP(H) in members of the SDR superfamily.

  15. Vinpocetine protects inner retinal neurons with functional NMDA glutamate receptors against retinal ischemia.

    PubMed

    Nivison-Smith, Lisa; Khoo, Pauline; Acosta, Monica L; Kalloniatis, Michael

    2018-02-01

    Retinal ischemia is involved in the pathogenesis of many major vision threatening diseases. Vinpocetine is a natural drug, which has a range of neuroprotective actions against retinal ischemia including modulating cation flow, improving metabolic activity and preventing apoptosis. The exact mechanism behind these actions remains unknown but may involve glutamate receptors, major components of the ischemic cascade. This study examined the effects of vinpocetine in association with specific ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists: N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate. Vinpocetine's actions to improve cation channel permeability and cell marker immunoreactivity following ischemia appeared to be limited to NMDA activation with no changes observed following kainate stimulation. Vinpocetine's actions were lost in the presence of an NMDA receptor inhibitor further suggesting they may be secondary to NMDA receptor activation. NMDA receptor function was also necessary for vinpocetine's actions on glucose availability during ischemia but not lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the ischemic retina suggesting not all of vinpocetine's actions are linked to NMDA receptor function. These results may explain vinpocetine's effectiveness as a neuroprotective agent as the NMDA receptor is implicated in the pathogenesis of ischemia in a range of tissues of the central nervous system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. L-phenylalanyl-L-glutamate-stimulated, chloride-dependent glutamate binding represents glutamate sequestration mediated by an exchange system.

    PubMed

    Kessler, M; Petersen, G; Vu, H M; Baudry, M; Lynch, G

    1987-04-01

    Stimulation of glutamate binding by the dipeptide L-phenylalanyl-L-glutamate (Phe-Glu) was inhibited by the peptidase inhibitor bestatin, suggesting that the stimulation was caused by glutamate liberated from the dipeptide and not by the dipeptide itself. It further suggests that this form of glutamate binding should be reinterpreted as glutamate sequestration and that stimulation of binding both by dipeptides and after preincubation with high concentrations of glutamate is likely to be due to counterflow accumulation. Several other criteria indicate that most of glutamate binding stimulated by chloride represents glutamate sequestration: Binding is reduced when the osmolarity of the incubation medium is increased, when membranes incubated with [3H]glutamate are lysed before filtration, and when membranes are made permeable by transient exposure to saponin. Moreover, dissociation of bound glutamate after a 100-fold dilution of the incubation medium is accelerated about 50 times by the addition of glutamate to the dilution medium. This result would be anomalous if glutamate were bound to a receptor site; it suggests instead that glutamate is transported in and out of membrane vesicles by a transport system that preferentially mediates exchange between internal and external glutamate. Glutamate binding contains a component of glutamate sequestration even when measured in the absence of chloride. Sequestration is adequately abolished only after treating membranes with detergents; even extensive lysis, sonication, and freezing/thawing may be insufficient.

  17. Faster Rubisco Is the Key to Superior Nitrogen-Use Efficiency in NADP-Malic Enzyme Relative to NAD-Malic Enzyme C4 Grasses1

    PubMed Central

    Ghannoum, Oula; Evans, John R.; Chow, Wah Soon; Andrews, T. John; Conroy, Jann P.; von Caemmerer, Susanne

    2005-01-01

    In 27 C4 grasses grown under adequate or deficient nitrogen (N) supplies, N-use efficiency at the photosynthetic (assimilation rate per unit leaf N) and whole-plant (dry mass per total leaf N) level was greater in NADP-malic enzyme (ME) than NAD-ME species. This was due to lower N content in NADP-ME than NAD-ME leaves because neither assimilation rates nor plant dry mass differed significantly between the two C4 subtypes. Relative to NAD-ME, NADP-ME leaves had greater in vivo (assimilation rate per Rubisco catalytic sites) and in vitro Rubisco turnover rates (kcat; 3.8 versus 5.7 s−1 at 25°C). The two parameters were linearly related. In 2 NAD-ME (Panicum miliaceum and Panicum coloratum) and 2 NADP-ME (Sorghum bicolor and Cenchrus ciliaris) grasses, 30% of leaf N was allocated to thylakoids and 5% to 9% to amino acids and nitrate. Soluble protein represented a smaller fraction of leaf N in NADP-ME (41%) than in NAD-ME (53%) leaves, of which Rubisco accounted for one-seventh. Soluble protein averaged 7 and 10 g (mmol chlorophyll)−1 in NADP-ME and NAD-ME leaves, respectively. The majority (65%) of leaf N and chlorophyll was found in the mesophyll of NADP-ME and bundle sheath of NAD-ME leaves. The mesophyll-bundle sheath distribution of functional thylakoid complexes (photosystems I and II and cytochrome f) varied among species, with a tendency to be mostly located in the mesophyll. In conclusion, superior N-use efficiency of NADP-ME relative to NAD-ME grasses was achieved with less leaf N, soluble protein, and Rubisco having a faster kcat. PMID:15665246

  18. Catalytic properties of thermophilic lactate dehydrogenase and halophilic malate dehydrogenase at high temperature and low water activity.

    PubMed

    Hecht, K; Wrba, A; Jaenicke, R

    1989-07-15

    Thermophilic lactate dehydrogenases from Thermotoga maritima and Bacillus stearothermophilus are stable up to temperature limits close to the optimum growth temperature of their parent organisms. Their catalytic properties are anomalous in that Km shows a drastic increase with increasing temperature. At low temperatures, the effect levels off. Extreme halophilic malate dehydrogenase from Halobacterium marismortui exhibits a similar anomaly. Increasing salt concentration (NaCl) leads to an optimum curve for Km, oxaloacctate while Km, NADH remains constant. Previous claims that the activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase shows a maximum at 1.25 M NaCl are caused by limiting substrate concentration; at substrate saturation, specific activity of halophilic malate dehydrogenase reaches a constant value at ionic strengths I greater than or equal to 1 M. Non-halophilic (mitochondrial) malate dehydrogenase shows Km characteristics similar to those observed for the halophilic enzyme. The drastic decrease in specific activity of the mitochondrial enzyme at elevated salt concentrations is caused by the salt-induced increase in rigidity of the enzyme, rather than gross structural changes.

  19. Proteome-wide Light/Dark Modulation of Thiol Oxidation in Cyanobacteria Revealed by Quantitative Site-specific Redox Proteomics*

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Jia; Nguyen, Amelia Y.; Dai, Ziyu; Su, Dian; Gaffrey, Matthew J.; Moore, Ronald J.; Jacobs, Jon M.; Monroe, Matthew E.; Smith, Richard D.; Koppenaal, David W.; Pakrasi, Himadri B.; Qian, Wei-Jun

    2014-01-01

    Reversible protein thiol oxidation is an essential regulatory mechanism of photosynthesis, metabolism, and gene expression in photosynthetic organisms. Herein, we present proteome-wide quantitative and site-specific profiling of in vivo thiol oxidation modulated by light/dark in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, an oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryote, using a resin-assisted thiol enrichment approach. Our proteomic approach integrates resin-assisted enrichment with isobaric tandem mass tag labeling to enable site-specific and quantitative measurements of reversibly oxidized thiols. The redox dynamics of ∼2,100 Cys-sites from 1,060 proteins under light, dark, and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (a photosystem II inhibitor) conditions were quantified. In addition to relative quantification, the stoichiometry or percentage of oxidation (reversibly oxidized/total thiols) for ∼1,350 Cys-sites was also quantified. The overall results revealed broad changes in thiol oxidation in many key biological processes, including photosynthetic electron transport, carbon fixation, and glycolysis. Moreover, the redox sensitivity along with the stoichiometric data enabled prediction of potential functional Cys-sites for proteins of interest. The functional significance of redox-sensitive Cys-sites in NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, peroxiredoxin (AhpC/TSA family protein Sll1621), and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was further confirmed with site-specific mutagenesis and biochemical studies. Together, our findings provide significant insights into the broad redox regulation of photosynthetic organisms. PMID:25118246

  20. Dual regulation of Ca2+-dependent glutamate release from astrocytes: vesicular glutamate transporters and cytosolic glutamate levels.

    PubMed

    Ni, Yingchun; Parpura, Vladimir

    2009-09-01

    Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) are responsible for vesicular glutamate storage and exocytotic glutamate release in neurons and astrocytes. Here, we selectively and efficiently overexpressed individual VGLUT proteins (VGLUT1, 2, or 3) in solitary astrocytes and studied their effects on mechanical stimulation-induced Ca2+-dependent glutamate release. Neither VGLUT1 nor VGLUT2 overexpression changed the amount of glutamate release, whereas overexpression of VGLUT3 significantly enhanced Ca2+-dependent glutamate release from astrocytes. None of the VGLUT overexpression affected mechanically induced intracellular Ca2+ increase. Inhibition of glutamine synthetase activity by L-methionine sulfoximine in astrocytes, which leads to increased cytosolic glutamate concentration, greatly increased their mechanically induced Ca2+-dependent glutamate release, without affecting intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Taken together, these data indicate that both VGLUT3 and the cytosolic concentration of glutamate are key limiting factors in regulating the Ca2+-dependent release of glutamate from astrocytes.

  1. Role of the Bacillus methanolicus citrate synthase II gene, citY, in regulating the secretion of glutamate in L-lysine-secreting mutants.

    PubMed

    Brautaset, Trygve; Williams, Mark D; Dillingham, Richard D; Kaufmann, Christine; Bennaars, Assumpta; Crabbe, Edward; Flickinger, Michael C

    2003-07-01

    The thermotolerant, restrictive methylotroph Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 (ATCC 53907) can secrete 55 g of glutamate per liter (maximum yield, 0.36 g/g) at 50 degrees C with methanol as a carbon source and a source of ammonia in fed-batch bioreactors. A homoserine dehydrogenase mutant, 13A52-8A66, secreting up to 35 g of L-lysine per liter in fed-batch fermentations had minimal 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity [7.3 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)], threefold-increased pyruvate carboxylase activity [535 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)], and elevated citrate synthase (CS) activity [292 nmol min(-1) (mg of protein)(-1)] and simultaneously secreted glutamate (20 to 30 g per liter) and L-lysine. The flow of carbon from oxaloacetate is split between transamination to aspartate and formation of citrate. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, the B. methanolicus gene citY encoding a CSII protein with activity at 50 degrees C was cloned from 13A52-8A66 into a CS-deficient Escherichia coli K2-1-4 strain. A citY-deficient B. methanolicus mutant, NCS-L-7, was also isolated from the parent strain of 13A52-8A66 by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, followed by selection with monofluoroacetate disks on glutamate plates. Characterization of these strains confirmed that citY in strain 13A52-8A66 was not altered and that B. methanolicus possessed several forms of CS. Analysis of citY cloned from NCS-L-7 showed that the reduced CS activity resulted from a frameshift mutation. The level of glutamate secreted by NCS-L-7 was reduced sevenfold and the ratio of L-lysine to glutamate secreted was increased 4.5-fold compared to the wild type in fed-batch cultures with glutamate feeding. This indicates that glutamate secretion in L-lysine-overproducing mutants can be altered in favor of increased L-lysine secretion by regulating in vivo CS activity.

  2. Role of the Bacillus methanolicus Citrate Synthase II Gene, citY, in Regulating the Secretion of Glutamate in l-Lysine-Secreting Mutants

    PubMed Central

    Brautaset, Trygve; Williams, Mark D.; Dillingham, Richard D.; Kaufmann, Christine; Bennaars, Assumpta; Crabbe, Edward; Flickinger, Michael C.

    2003-01-01

    The thermotolerant, restrictive methylotroph Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 (ATCC 53907) can secrete 55 g of glutamate per liter (maximum yield, 0.36 g/g) at 50°C with methanol as a carbon source and a source of ammonia in fed-batch bioreactors. A homoserine dehydrogenase mutant, 13A52-8A66, secreting up to 35 g of l-lysine per liter in fed-batch fermentations had minimal 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase activity [7.3 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1], threefold-increased pyruvate carboxylase activity [535 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1], and elevated citrate synthase (CS) activity [292 nmol min−1 (mg of protein)−1] and simultaneously secreted glutamate (20 to 30 g per liter) and l-lysine. The flow of carbon from oxaloacetate is split between transamination to aspartate and formation of citrate. To investigate the regulation of this branch point, the B. methanolicus gene citY encoding a CSII protein with activity at 50°C was cloned from 13A52-8A66 into a CS-deficient Escherichia coli K2-1-4 strain. A citY-deficient B. methanolicus mutant, NCS-L-7, was also isolated from the parent strain of 13A52-8A66 by N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, followed by selection with monofluoroacetate disks on glutamate plates. Characterization of these strains confirmed that citY in strain 13A52-8A66 was not altered and that B. methanolicus possessed several forms of CS. Analysis of citY cloned from NCS-L-7 showed that the reduced CS activity resulted from a frameshift mutation. The level of glutamate secreted by NCS-L-7 was reduced sevenfold and the ratio of l-lysine to glutamate secreted was increased 4.5-fold compared to the wild type in fed-batch cultures with glutamate feeding. This indicates that glutamate secretion in l-lysine-overproducing mutants can be altered in favor of increased l-lysine secretion by regulating in vivo CS activity. PMID:12839772

  3. Purification and characterization of a novel cytosolic NADP(H)-dependent retinol oxidoreductase from rabbit liver.

    PubMed

    Huang, D Y; Ichikawa, Y

    1997-03-07

    Rabbit liver cytosol exhibits very high retinol dehydrogenase activity. At least two retinol dehydrogenases were demonstrated to exist in rabbit liver cytosol, and the major one, a cytosolic NADP(H)-dependent retinol dehydrogenase (systematic name: retinol oxidoreductase) was purified about 1795-fold to electrophoretic and column chromatographic homogeneity by a procedure involving column chromatography on AF-Red Toyopearl twice and then hydroxyapatite. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 34 kDa by SDS-PAGE, and 144 kDa by HPLC gel filtration, suggesting that it is a homo-tetramer. The enzyme uses free retinol and retinal, and their complexes with CRBP as substrates in vitro. The optimum pH values for retinol oxidation of free retinol and CRBP-retinol were 8.8-9.2 and 8.0-9.0, respectively, and those for retinal reduction of free retinal and retinal-CRBP were the same, 7.0-7.6. Km for free retinol and Vmax for retinal formation were 2.8 microM and 2893 nmol/min per mg protein at 37 degrees C (pH 9.0) and the corresponding values with retinol-CRBP as a substrate were 2.5 microM and 2428 nmol/min per mg protein at 37 degrees C (pH 8.6); Km for free retinal and Vmax for retinol formation were 6.5 microM and 4108 nmol/min per mg protein, and the corresponding values with retinal-CRBP as a substrate were 5.1 microM and 3067 nmol/min per mg protein at 37 degrees C, pH 7.4. NAD(H) was not effective as a cofactor. 4-Methylpyrazole was a weak inhibitor (IC50 = 28 mM) of the enzyme, and ethanol was neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of the enzyme. This enzyme exhibits relatively broad aldehyde reductase activity and some ketone reductase activity, the activity for aromatic substitutive aldehydes being especially high and effective. Whereas, except in the case of retinol, oxidative activity toward the corresponding alcohols was not detected. This novel cytosolic enzyme may play an important role in vivo in maintaining the homeostasis of retinal, the substrate of retinoic

  4. Conformation change of tRNA/sub Glu/ in the complex with glutamyl-tRNA synthetase is required for the specific binding of L-glutamate

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hara-Yokoyama, M.; Yokoyama, S.; Miyazawa, T.

    1986-11-04

    The binding of Thermus thermophilus glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS) with T. thermophilus tRNA/sup Glu/, Escherichia coli tRNA/sup Glu/, and amino acids was studied by fluorescence measurements. In the absence of tRNA/sup Glu/, GluRS binds with D-glutamate as well as L-glutamate. However, in the presence of E.coli tRNA/sup Glu/, GluRS binds specifically with L-glutamate. The KCl effects on the Michaelis constants (K/sub m/) for tRNA/sup Glu/, L-glutamate, and ATP were studied for the aminoacylation of the homologous tRNA/sup Glu/ and heterologous tRNA/sup Glu/ species. As the KCl concentration is raised from 0 to 100 mM, the K/sub m/ value for L-glutamate inmore » the heterologous system is remarkably increased whereas the K/sub m/ value for L-glutamate in the homologous system is only slightly increased. The circular dichroism analyses were made mainly of the bands due to the 2-thiouridine derivatives of tRNA/sup Glu/ in the complex. The conformation change of T. thermophilus tRNA/sup Glu/ upon complex formation with GluRS is not affected by addition of KCl. In contrast, the heterologous tRNA/sup Glu/GluRS complex is in equilibrium of two forms that depends on KCl concentration. The predominant form at low KCl concentration is closely related to the small K/sub m/ value for L-glutamate. In this form of the complex, the conformation of tRNA/sup Glu/ is appreciably different from that of free molecule. Accordingly, such a conformation change of tRNA/sup Glu/ in the complex with GluRS is required for the specific binding of L-glutamate as the substrate.« less

  5. Nicergoline enhances glutamate uptake via glutamate transporters in rat cortical synaptosomes.

    PubMed

    Nishida, Atsushi; Iwata, Hiroshi; Kudo, Yukitsuka; Kobayashi, Tsutomu; Matsuoka, Yuzo; Kanai, Yoshikatsu; Endou, Hitoshi

    2004-06-01

    To elucidate the mechanisms of neuroprotective action of nicergoline, we examined its effect on glutamate transport in rat cortical synaptosomes and cloned glutamate transporters. In synaptosomes, nicergoline enhanced the glutamate uptake at 1-10 microM in standard medium and suppressed the increase of extracellular glutamate by reversed transport in low Na(+) medium. Apparent increase of extracellular glutamate concentration by dihydrokinate, an inhibitor of glial glutamate transporter GLT-1, was antagonized by nicergoline. In Xenopus oocytes expressing mouse neuronal glutamate transporter (mEAAC1), the glutamate-induced inward current was enhanced by nicergoline. These results suggest that nicergoline reduces the extracellular glutamate concentration through its effect on glutamate transporters.

  6. A glutamate/aspartate switch controls product specificity in a protein arginine methyltransferase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Debler, Erik W.; Jain, Kanishk; Warmack, Rebeccah A.

    Trypanosoma brucei PRMT7 (TbPRMT7) is a protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) that strictly monomethylates various substrates, thus classifying it as a type III PRMT. However, the molecular basis of its unique product specificity has remained elusive. Here, we present the structure of TbPRMT7 in complex with its cofactor product S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) at 2.8 Å resolution and identify a glutamate residue critical for its monomethylation behavior. TbPRMT7 comprises the conserved methyltransferase and β-barrel domains, an N-terminal extension, and a dimerization arm. The active site at the interface of the N-terminal extension, methyltransferase, and β-barrel domains is stabilized by the dimerization arm ofmore » the neighboring protomer, providing a structural basis for dimerization as a prerequisite for catalytic activity. Mutagenesis of active-site residues highlights the importance of Glu181, the second of the two invariant glutamate residues of the double E loop that coordinate the target arginine in substrate peptides/proteins and that increase its nucleophilicity. Strikingly, mutation of Glu181 to aspartate converts TbPRMT7 into a type I PRMT, producing asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using a histone H4 peptide showed that the Glu181Asp mutant has markedly increased affinity for monomethylated peptide with respect to the WT, suggesting that the enlarged active site can favorably accommodate monomethylated peptide and provide sufficient space for ADMA formation. In conclusion, these findings yield valuable insights into the product specificity and the catalytic mechanism of protein arginine methyltransferases and have important implications for the rational (re)design of PRMTs.« less

  7. A glutamate/aspartate switch controls product specificity in a protein arginine methyltransferase.

    PubMed

    Debler, Erik W; Jain, Kanishk; Warmack, Rebeccah A; Feng, You; Clarke, Steven G; Blobel, Günter; Stavropoulos, Pete

    2016-02-23

    Trypanosoma brucei PRMT7 (TbPRMT7) is a protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) that strictly monomethylates various substrates, thus classifying it as a type III PRMT. However, the molecular basis of its unique product specificity has remained elusive. Here, we present the structure of TbPRMT7 in complex with its cofactor product S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (AdoHcy) at 2.8 Å resolution and identify a glutamate residue critical for its monomethylation behavior. TbPRMT7 comprises the conserved methyltransferase and β-barrel domains, an N-terminal extension, and a dimerization arm. The active site at the interface of the N-terminal extension, methyltransferase, and β-barrel domains is stabilized by the dimerization arm of the neighboring protomer, providing a structural basis for dimerization as a prerequisite for catalytic activity. Mutagenesis of active-site residues highlights the importance of Glu181, the second of the two invariant glutamate residues of the double E loop that coordinate the target arginine in substrate peptides/proteins and that increase its nucleophilicity. Strikingly, mutation of Glu181 to aspartate converts TbPRMT7 into a type I PRMT, producing asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using a histone H4 peptide showed that the Glu181Asp mutant has markedly increased affinity for monomethylated peptide with respect to the WT, suggesting that the enlarged active site can favorably accommodate monomethylated peptide and provide sufficient space for ADMA formation. In conclusion, these findings yield valuable insights into the product specificity and the catalytic mechanism of protein arginine methyltransferases and have important implications for the rational (re)design of PRMTs.

  8. A glutamate/aspartate switch controls product specificity in a protein arginine methyltransferase

    PubMed Central

    Debler, Erik W.; Jain, Kanishk; Warmack, Rebeccah A.; Feng, You; Clarke, Steven G.; Blobel, Günter; Stavropoulos, Pete

    2016-01-01

    Trypanosoma brucei PRMT7 (TbPRMT7) is a protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT) that strictly monomethylates various substrates, thus classifying it as a type III PRMT. However, the molecular basis of its unique product specificity has remained elusive. Here, we present the structure of TbPRMT7 in complex with its cofactor product S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (AdoHcy) at 2.8 Å resolution and identify a glutamate residue critical for its monomethylation behavior. TbPRMT7 comprises the conserved methyltransferase and β-barrel domains, an N-terminal extension, and a dimerization arm. The active site at the interface of the N-terminal extension, methyltransferase, and β-barrel domains is stabilized by the dimerization arm of the neighboring protomer, providing a structural basis for dimerization as a prerequisite for catalytic activity. Mutagenesis of active-site residues highlights the importance of Glu181, the second of the two invariant glutamate residues of the double E loop that coordinate the target arginine in substrate peptides/proteins and that increase its nucleophilicity. Strikingly, mutation of Glu181 to aspartate converts TbPRMT7 into a type I PRMT, producing asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using a histone H4 peptide showed that the Glu181Asp mutant has markedly increased affinity for monomethylated peptide with respect to the WT, suggesting that the enlarged active site can favorably accommodate monomethylated peptide and provide sufficient space for ADMA formation. In conclusion, these findings yield valuable insights into the product specificity and the catalytic mechanism of protein arginine methyltransferases and have important implications for the rational (re)design of PRMTs. PMID:26858449

  9. Analysis of nucleotide diphosphate sugar dehydrogenases reveals family and group-specific relationships.

    PubMed

    Freas, Nicholas; Newton, Peter; Perozich, John

    2016-01-01

    UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGDH), UDP-N-acetyl-mannosamine dehydrogenase (UDPNAMDH) and GDP-mannose dehydrogenase (GDPMDH) belong to a family of NAD (+)-linked 4-electron-transfering oxidoreductases called nucleotide diphosphate sugar dehydrogenases (NDP-SDHs). UDPGDH is an enzyme responsible for converting UDP-d-glucose to UDP-d-glucuronic acid, a product that has different roles depending on the organism in which it is found. UDPNAMDH and GDPMDH convert UDP-N-acetyl-mannosamine to UDP-N-acetyl-mannosaminuronic acid and GDP-mannose to GDP-mannuronic acid, respectively, by a similar mechanism to UDPGDH. Their products are used as essential building blocks for the exopolysaccharides found in organisms like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Few studies have investigated the relationships between these enzymes. This study reveals the relationships between the three enzymes by analysing 229 amino acid sequences. Eighteen invariant and several other highly conserved residues were identified, each serving critical roles in maintaining enzyme structure, coenzyme binding or catalytic function. Also, 10 conserved motifs that included most of the conserved residues were identified and their roles proposed. A phylogenetic tree demonstrated relationships between each group and verified group assignment. Finally, group entropy analysis identified novel conservations unique to each NDP-SDH group, including residue positions critical to NDP-sugar substrate interaction, enzyme structure and intersubunit contact. These positions may serve as targets for future research. UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UDPGDH, EC 1.1.1.22).

  10. Biochemical characterization of an L-tryptophan dehydrogenase from the photoautotrophic cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme.

    PubMed

    Ogura, Ryutaro; Wakamatsu, Taisuke; Mutaguchi, Yuta; Doi, Katsumi; Ohshima, Toshihisa

    2014-06-10

    An NAD(+)-dependent l-tryptophan dehydrogenase from Nostoc punctiforme NIES-2108 (NpTrpDH) was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant NpTrpDH with a C-terminal His6-tag was purified to homogeneity using a Ni-NTA agarose column, and was found to be a homodimer with a molecular mass of 76.1kDa. The enzyme required NAD(+) and NADH as cofactors for oxidative deamination and reductive amination, respectively, but not NADP(+) or NADPH. l-Trp was the preferred substrate for deamination, though l-Phe was deaminated at a much lower rate. The enzyme exclusively aminated 3-indolepyruvate; phenylpyruvate was inert. The pH optima for the deamination of l-Trp and amination of 3-indolpyruvate were 11.0 and 7.5, respectively. For deamination of l-Trp, maximum enzymatic activity was observed at 45°C. NpTrpDH retained more than 80% of its activity after incubation for 30min at pHs ranging from 5.0 to 11.5 or incubation for 10min at temperatures up to 40°C. Unlike l-Trp dehydrogenases from higher plants, NpTrpDH activity was not activated by metal ions. Typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics were observed for NAD(+) and l-Trp for oxidative deamination, but with reductive amination there was marked substrate inhibition by 3-indolepyruvate. NMR analysis of the hydrogen transfer from the C4 position of the nicotinamide moiety of NADH showed that NpTrpDH has a pro-S (B-type) stereospecificity similar to the Glu/Leu/Phe/Val dehydrogenase family. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Genetically encoding a light switch in an ionotropic glutamate receptor reveals subunit-specific interfaces.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Shujia; Riou, Morgane; Yao, C Andrea; Carvalho, Stéphanie; Rodriguez, Pamela C; Bensaude, Olivier; Paoletti, Pierre; Ye, Shixin

    2014-04-22

    Reprogramming receptors to artificially respond to light has strong potential for molecular studies and interrogation of biological functions. Here, we design a light-controlled ionotropic glutamate receptor by genetically encoding a photoreactive unnatural amino acid (UAA). The photo-cross-linker p-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF) was encoded in NMDA receptors (NMDARs), a class of glutamate-gated ion channels that play key roles in neuronal development and plasticity. AzF incorporation in the obligatory GluN1 subunit at the GluN1/GluN2B N-terminal domain (NTD) upper lobe dimer interface leads to an irreversible allosteric inhibition of channel activity upon UV illumination. In contrast, when pairing the UAA-containing GluN1 subunit with the GluN2A subunit, light-dependent inactivation is completely absent. By combining electrophysiological and biochemical analyses, we identify subunit-specific structural determinants at the GluN1/GluN2 NTD dimer interfaces that critically dictate UV-controlled inactivation. Our work reveals that the two major NMDAR subtypes differ in their ectodomain-subunit interactions, in particular their electrostatic contacts, resulting in GluN1 NTD coupling more tightly to the GluN2B NTD than to the GluN2A NTD. It also paves the way for engineering light-sensitive ligand-gated ion channels with subtype specificity through the genetic code expansion.

  12. Therapeutic potential of metabotropic glutamate receptor modulators.

    PubMed

    Hovelsø, N; Sotty, F; Montezinho, L P; Pinheiro, P S; Herrik, K F; Mørk, A

    2012-03-01

    Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and is a major player in complex brain functions. Glutamatergic transmission is primarily mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors, which include NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors. However, glutamate exerts modulatory actions through a family of metabotropic G-protein-coupled glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Dysfunctions of glutamatergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the etiology of several diseases. Therefore, pharmacological modulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors has been widely investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of several disorders associated with glutamatergic dysfunction. However, blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors might be accompanied by severe side effects due to their vital role in many important physiological functions. A different strategy aimed at pharmacologically interfering with mGluR function has recently gained interest. Many subtype selective agonists and antagonists have been identified and widely used in preclinical studies as an attempt to elucidate the role of specific mGluRs subtypes in glutamatergic transmission. These studies have allowed linkage between specific subtypes and various physiological functions and more importantly to pathological states. This article reviews the currently available knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of targeting mGluRs in the treatment of several CNS disorders, including schizophrenia, addiction, major depressive disorder and anxiety, Fragile X Syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and pain.

  13. Therapeutic Potential of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Modulators

    PubMed Central

    Hovelsø, N; Sotty, F; Montezinho, L.P; Pinheiro, P.S; Herrik, K.F; Mørk, A

    2012-01-01

    Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and is a major player in complex brain functions. Glutamatergic transmission is primarily mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors, which include NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors. However, glutamate exerts modulatory actions through a family of metabotropic G-protein-coupled glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Dysfunctions of glutamatergic neurotransmission have been implicated in the etiology of several diseases. Therefore, pharmacological modulation of ionotropic glutamate receptors has been widely investigated as a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of several disorders associated with glutamatergic dysfunction. However, blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors might be accompanied by severe side effects due to their vital role in many important physiological functions. A different strategy aimed at pharmacologically interfering with mGluR function has recently gained interest. Many subtype selective agonists and antagonists have been identified and widely used in preclinical studies as an attempt to elucidate the role of specific mGluRs subtypes in glutamatergic transmission. These studies have allowed linkage between specific subtypes and various physiological functions and more importantly to pathological states. This article reviews the currently available knowledge regarding the therapeutic potential of targeting mGluRs in the treatment of several CNS disorders, including schizophrenia, addiction, major depressive disorder and anxiety, Fragile X Syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and pain. PMID:22942876

  14. Spatial and temporal regulation of the metabolism of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during the early development of pepper (Capsicum annuum) seedlings

    PubMed Central

    Airaki, Morad; Leterrier, Marina; Valderrama, Raquel; Chaki, Mounira; Begara-Morales, Juan C.; Barroso, Juan B.; del Río, Luis A.; Palma, José M.; Corpas, Francisco J.

    2015-01-01

    Background and Aims The development of seedlings involves many morphological, physiological and biochemical processes, which are controlled by many factors. Some reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) are implicated as signal molecules in physiological and phytopathological processes. Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a very important crop and the goal of this work was to provide a framework of the behaviour of the key elements in the metabolism of ROS and RNS in the main organs of pepper during its development. Methods The main seedling organs (roots, hypocotyls and green cotyledons) of pepper seedlings were analysed 7, 10 and 14 d after germination. Activity and gene expression of the main enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, ascorbate–glutathione cycle enzymes), NADP-generating dehydrogenases and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase were determined. Cellular distribution of nitric oxide (·NO), superoxide radical (O2·–) and peroxynitrite (ONOO–) was investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Key Results The metabolism of ROS and RNS during pepper seedling development was highly regulated and showed significant plasticity, which was co-ordinated among the main seedling organs, resulting in correct development. Catalase showed higher activity in the aerial parts of the seedling (hypocotyls and green cotyledons) whereas roots of 7-d-old seedlings contained higher activity of the enzymatic components of the ascorbate glutathione cycle, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase and NADP-malic enzyme. Conclusions There is differential regulation of the metabolism of ROS, nitric oxide and NADP dehydrogenases in the different plant organs during seedling development in pepper in the absence of stress. The metabolism of ROS and RNS seems to contribute significantly to plant development since their components are involved directly or indirectly in many metabolic pathways. Thus, specific molecules such as H2O2 and NO have implications for signalling

  15. Differentiation of highly virulent strains of Streptococcus suis serotype 2 according to glutamate dehydrogenase electrophoretic and sequence type.

    PubMed

    Kutz, Russell; Okwumabua, Ogi

    2008-10-01

    The glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) enzymes of 19 Streptococcus suis serotype 2 strains, consisting of 18 swine isolates and 1 human clinical isolate from a geographically varied collection, were analyzed by activity staining on a nondenaturing gel. All seven (100%) of the highly virulent strains tested produced an electrophoretic type (ET) distinct from those of moderately virulent and nonvirulent strains. By PCR and nucleotide sequence determination, the gdh genes of the 19 strains and of 2 highly virulent strains involved in recent Chinese outbreaks yielded a 1,820-bp fragment containing an open reading frame of 1,344 nucleotides, which encodes a protein of 448 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of approximately 49 kDa. The nucleotide sequences contained base pair differences, but most were silent. Cluster analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences separated the isolates into three groups. Group I (ETI) consisted of the seven highly virulent isolates and the two Chinese outbreak strains, containing Ala(299)-to-Ser, Glu(305)-to-Lys, and Glu(330)-to-Lys amino acid substitutions compared with groups II and III (ETII). Groups II and III consisted of moderately virulent and nonvirulent strains, which are separated from each other by Tyr(72)-to-Asp and Thr(296)-to-Ala substitutions. Gene exchange studies resulted in the change of ETI to ETII and vice versa. A spectrophotometric activity assay for GDH did not show significant differences between the groups. These results suggest that the GDH ETs and sequence types may serve as useful markers in predicting the pathogenic behavior of strains of this serotype and that the molecular basis for the observed differences in the ETs was amino acid substitutions and not deletion, insertion, or processing uniqueness.

  16. Acetylated Chitosan Oligosaccharides Act as Antagonists against Glutamate-Induced PC12 Cell Death via Bcl-2/Bax Signal Pathway

    PubMed Central

    Hao, Cui; Gao, Lixia; Zhang, Yiran; Wang, Wei; Yu, Guangli; Guan, Huashi; Zhang, Lijuan; Li, Chunxia

    2015-01-01

    Chitosan oligosaccharides (COSs), depolymerized products of chitosan composed of β-(1→4) d-glucosamine units, have broad range of biological activities such as antitumour, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. In this study, peracetylated chitosan oligosaccharides (PACOs) and N-acetylated chitosan oligosaccharides (NACOs) were prepared from the COSs by chemcal modification. The structures of these monomers were identified using NMR and ESI-MS spectra. Their antagonist effects against glutamate-induced PC12 cell death were investigated. The results showed that pretreatment of PC12 cells with the PACOs markedly inhibited glutamate-induced cell death in a concentration-dependent manner. The PACOs were better glutamate antagonists compared to the COSs and the NACOs, suggesting the peracetylation is essential for the neuroprotective effects of chitosan oligosaccharides. In addition, the PACOs pretreatment significantly reduced lactate dehydrogenase release and reactive oxygen species production. It also attenuated the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Further studies indicated that the PACOs inhibited glutamate-induced cell death by preventing apoptosis through depressing the elevation of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 activation. These results suggest that PACOs might be promising antagonists against glutamate-induced neural cell death. PMID:25775423

  17. Chloride-dependency of amyloid beta protein-induced enhancement of glutamate neurotoxicity in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Nan-Yan; Kitagawa, Kaori; Wu, Bo; Xiong, Zheng-Mei; Otani, Hitomi; Inagaki, Chiyoko

    2006-05-15

    In our previous studies, pathophysiological concentrations of amyloid-beta (Abeta) proteins increased intracellular Cl(-) concentration ([Cl(-)]i) and enhanced glutamate neurotoxicity in primary cultured neurons, suggesting Cl(-)-dependent changes in glutamate signaling. To test this possibility, we examined the effects of isethionate-replaced low Cl(-) medium on the Abeta-induced enhancement of glutamate neurotoxicity in the primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. In a normal Cl(-) (135 mM) medium, treatment with 10 nM Abeta25-35 for 2 days increased neuronal [Cl(-)]i to a level three times higher than that of control as assayed using a Cl(-)-sensitive fluorescent dye, while in a low Cl(-) (16 mM) medium such an Abeta25-35-induced increase in [Cl(-)]i was not observed. The Abeta treatment aggravated glutamate neurotoxicity in a normal Cl(-) medium as measured by mitochondrial reducing activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, while in a low Cl(-) medium the Abeta treatment did not enhance glutamate toxicity. Upon such Abeta plus glutamate treatment under a normal Cl(-) condition, activated anti-apoptotic molecule Akt (Akt-pS473) level monitored by Western blot significantly decreased to 74% of control. Under a low Cl(-) condition, a resting Akt-pS473 level was higher than that under a normal Cl(-) condition and did not significantly change upon Abeta plus glutamate treatment. Tyrosine phosphorylation levels of 110 and 60 kDa proteins (pp110 and pp60) increased upon Abeta plus glutamate treatment under a normal Cl(-), but not low Cl(-), condition. These findings indicated that Abeta-induced enhancement of glutamate neurotoxicity is Cl(-)-dependent. Chloride-sensitive Akt pathway and tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins (pp110 and pp60) may be involved in this process.

  18. Gender-specific desensitization of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors after maternal l-glutamate intake during lactation.

    PubMed

    López-Zapata, Antonio; León-Navarro, David Agustín; Crespo, María; Martín, Mairena

    2018-04-22

    In the present work we have studied the effect of maternal intake of l-Glutamate (l-Glu) (1 g/L) during lactation on group I mGluR transduction pathway in brain plasma membrane from 15 days-old neonates. Results obtained have shown that maternal l-glutamate intake did not significantly affect neither weights of pups nor negative geotaxis reflex, an index of neurobehavioral development, but increased l-Glu plasma level in both male and female neonates. In male neonates, maternal l-Glu intake evoked a loss of mGluR 1 whereas no variation on mGluR 5 was observed as revealed by Western-blotting assay. The loss of mGlu 1 R was accompanied by a decrease on l-Glu-stimulated phospholipase C activity suggesting, therefore, a loss of group I mGluR functionality. Concerning female neonates, no variations were detected neither mGluR 1 nor mGluR 5 and group I mGluR functionality was also preserved. Copyright © 2018 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Synaptic Glutamate Spillover Due to Impaired Glutamate Uptake Mediates Heroin Relapse

    PubMed Central

    Scofield, Michael D.; Boger, Heather; Hensley, Megan; Kalivas, Peter W.

    2014-01-01

    Reducing the enduring vulnerability to relapse is a therapeutic goal in treating drug addiction. Studies with animal models of drug addiction show a marked increase in extrasynaptic glutamate in the core subcompartment of the nucleus accumbens (NAcore) during reinstated drug seeking. However, the synaptic mechanisms linking drug-induced changes in extrasynaptic glutamate to relapse are poorly understood. Here, we discovered impaired glutamate elimination in rats extinguished from heroin self-administration that leads to spillover of synaptically released glutamate into the nonsynaptic extracellular space in NAcore and investigated whether restoration of glutamate transport prevented reinstated heroin seeking. Through multiple functional assays of glutamate uptake and analyzing NMDA receptor-mediated currents, we show that heroin self-administration produced long-lasting downregulation of glutamate uptake and surface expression of the transporter GLT-1. This downregulation was associated with spillover of synaptic glutamate to extrasynaptic NMDA receptors within the NAcore. Ceftriaxone restored glutamate uptake and prevented synaptic glutamate spillover and cue-induced heroin seeking. Ceftriaxone-induced inhibition of reinstated heroin seeking was blocked by morpholino-antisense targeting GLT-1 synthesis. These data reveal that the synaptic glutamate spillover in the NAcore results from reduced glutamate transport and is a critical pathophysiological mechanism underling reinstated drug seeking in rats extinguished from heroin self-administration. PMID:24741055

  20. Scavenging of blood glutamate for enhancing brain-to-blood glutamate efflux.

    PubMed

    Li, Yunhong; Hou, Xiaolin; Qi, Qi; Wang, Le; Luo, Lan; Yang, Shaoqi; Zhang, Yumei; Miao, Zhenhua; Zhang, Yanli; Wang, Fei; Wang, Hongyan; Huang, Weidong; Wang, Zhenhai; Shen, Ying; Wang, Yin

    2014-01-01

    The presence of excess glutamate in the brain interstitial fluid characterizes several acute pathological conditions of the brain, including traumatic brain injury and stroke. It has been demonstrated that it is possible to eliminate excess glutamate in the brain by decreasing blood glutamate levels and, accordingly, accelerating the brain-to-blood glutamate efflux. It is feasible to accomplish this process by activating blood resident enzymes in the presence of the respective glutamate cosubstrates. In the present study, several glutamate cosubstrates and cofactors were studied in an attempt to identify the optimal conditions to reduce blood glutamate levels. The administration of a mixture of 1 mM pyruvate and oxaloacetate (Pyr/Oxa) for 1 h decreased blood glutamate levels by ≤50%. The addition of lipoamide to this mixture resulted in a further reduction in blood glutamate levels of >80%. In addition, in vivo experiments showed that lipoamide together with Pyr/Oxa is able to decrease blood glutamate levels to a greater extent than Pyr/Oxa alone, and accordingly, this enhances the glutamate efflux from the brain to the blood. These results may outline a novel neuroprotective strategy with increased effectiveness for the removal of excess brain glutamate in various neurodegenerative conditions.

  1. Lipogenesis in a wing-polymorphic cricket: Canalization versus morph-specific plasticity as a function of nutritional heterogeneity.

    PubMed

    Zera, Anthony J; Clark, Rebecca; Behmer, Spence

    2016-12-01

    The influence of variable nutritional input on life history adaptation is a central, but incompletely understood aspect of life history physiology. The wing-polymorphic cricket, Gryllus firmus, has been extensively studied with respect to the biochemical basis of life history adaptation, in particular, modification of lipid metabolism that underlies the enhanced accumulation of lipid flight fuel in the dispersing morph [LW(f)=long wings with functional flight muscles] relative to the flightless (SW=short-winged) morph. To date, biochemical studies have been undertaken almost exclusively using a single laboratory diet. Thus, the extent to which nutritional heterogeneity, likely experienced in the field, influences this key morph adaptation is unknown. We used the experimental approach of the Geometric Framework for Nutrition and employed 13 diets that differed in the amounts and ratios of protein and carbohydrate to assess how nutrient amount and balance affects morph-specific lipid biosynthesis. Greater lipid biosynthesis and allocation to the soma in the LW(f) compared with the SW morph (1) occurred across the entire protein-carbohydrate landscape and (2) is likely an important contributor to elevated somatic lipid in the LW(f) morph across the entire protein-carbohydrate landscape. Nevertheless, dietary carbohydrate strongly affected lipid biosynthesis in a morph-specific manner (to a greater degree in the LW(f) morph). Lipogenesis in the SW morph may be constrained due to its more limited lipid storage capacity compared to the LW(f) morph. Elevated activity of NADP + -isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP + -IDH), an enzyme that produces reducing equivalents for lipid biosynthesis, was correlated with and may be an important cause of the increased lipogenesis in the LW(f) morph across most, but not all regions of the protein-carbohydrate landscape. By contrast, ATP-citrate lyase (ACL), an enzyme that catalyzes the first step in the pathway of fatty acid biosynthesis

  2. 3'-NADP and 3'-NAADP, Two Metabolites Formed by the Bacterial Type III Effector AvrRxo1.

    PubMed

    Schuebel, Felix; Rocker, Andrea; Edelmann, Daniel; Schessner, Julia; Brieke, Clara; Meinhart, Anton

    2016-10-28

    An arsenal of effector proteins is injected by bacterial pathogens into the host cell or its vicinity to increase virulence. The commonly used top-down approaches inferring the toxic mechanism of individual effector proteins from the host's phenotype are often impeded by multiple targets of different effectors as well as by their pleiotropic effects. Here we describe our bottom-up approach, showing that the bacterial type III effector AvrRxo1 of plant pathogens is an authentic phosphotransferase that produces two novel metabolites by phosphorylating nicotinamide/nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide at the adenosine 3'-hydroxyl group. Both products of AvrRxo1, 3'-NADP and 3'-nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (3'-NAADP), are substantially different from the ubiquitous co-enzyme 2'-NADP and the calcium mobilizer 2'-NAADP. Interestingly, 3'-NADP and 3'-NAADP have previously been used as inhibitors or signaling molecules but were regarded as "artificial" compounds so far. Our findings now necessitate a shift in thinking about the biological importance of 3'-phosphorylated NAD derivatives. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Astroglial Glutamate Signaling and Uptake in the Hippocampus

    PubMed Central

    Rose, Christine R.; Felix, Lisa; Zeug, Andre; Dietrich, Dirk; Reiner, Andreas; Henneberger, Christian

    2018-01-01

    Astrocytes have long been regarded as essentially unexcitable cells that do not contribute to active signaling and information processing in the brain. Contrary to this classical view, it is now firmly established that astrocytes can specifically respond to glutamate released from neurons. Astrocyte glutamate signaling is initiated upon binding of glutamate to ionotropic and/or metabotropic receptors, which can result in calcium signaling, a major form of glial excitability. Release of so-called gliotransmitters like glutamate, ATP and D-serine from astrocytes in response to activation of glutamate receptors has been demonstrated to modulate various aspects of neuronal function in the hippocampus. In addition to receptors, glutamate binds to high-affinity, sodium-dependent transporters, which results in rapid buffering of synaptically-released glutamate, followed by its removal from the synaptic cleft through uptake into astrocytes. The degree to which astrocytes modulate and control extracellular glutamate levels through glutamate transporters depends on their expression levels and on the ionic driving forces that decrease with ongoing activity. Another major determinant of astrocytic control of glutamate levels could be the precise morphological arrangement of fine perisynaptic processes close to synapses, defining the diffusional distance for glutamate, and the spatial proximity of transporters in relation to the synaptic cleft. In this review, we will present an overview of the mechanisms and physiological role of glutamate-induced ion signaling in astrocytes in the hippocampus as mediated by receptors and transporters. Moreover, we will discuss the relevance of astroglial glutamate uptake for extracellular glutamate homeostasis, focusing on how activity-induced dynamic changes of perisynaptic processes could shape synaptic transmission at glutamatergic synapses. PMID:29386994

  4. Genetic diversity of the "Mediterranean" glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency phenotype.

    PubMed

    Stamatoyannopoulos, G; Voigtlander, V; Kotsakis, P; Akrivakis, A

    1971-06-01

    Genetic diversity of the "Mediterranean" phenotype of G-6-PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency was revealed when detailed studies were performed on blood specimens from 79 Greek males with G-6-PD levels 0-10% of normal. Four different mutants were found to be responsible for the severely deficient phenotypes: two mutants. G-6-PD U-M (Union-Markham) and G-6-PD Orchomenos, were distinguishable by electrophoresis, while the other two. G-6-PD Athens-like and G-6-PD Mediterranean, were distinguishable on the basis of their kinetic characteristics. Of the kinetic tests applied, the most useful for differentiating the variants were those measuring utilization rates of the analogue substrates deamino-NADP, 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate, and galactose-6-phosphate. Among unrelated males with severe G-6-PD deficiency, the relative frequencies of the four variants were: G-6-PD U-M. 5%; G-6-PD Orchomenos, 7%; G-6-PD Athens-like, 16%; G-6-PD Mediterranean, 72%. Genetic, biochemical, and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

  5. Intracellular synthesis of glutamic acid in Bacillus methylotrophicus SK19.001, a glutamate-independent poly(γ-glutamic acid)-producing strain.

    PubMed

    Peng, Yingyun; Zhang, Tao; Mu, Wanmeng; Miao, Ming; Jiang, Bo

    2016-01-15

    Bacillus methylotrophicus SK19.001 is a glutamate-independent strain that produces poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA), a polymer of D- and L-glutamic acids that possesses applications in food, the environment, agriculture, etc. This study was undertaken to explore the synthetic pathway of intracellular L- and D-glutamic acid in SK19.001 by investigating the effects of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and different amino acids as metabolic precursors on the production of γ-PGA and analyzing the activities of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of L- and D-glutamate. Tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates and amino acids could participate in the synthesis of γ-PGA via independent pathways in SK19.001. L-Aspartate aminotransferase, L-glutaminase and L-glutamate synthase were the enzymatic sources of L-glutamate. Glutamate racemase was responsible for the formation of D-glutamate for the synthesis of γ-PGA, and the synthetase had stereoselectivity for glutamate substrate. The enzymatic sources of L-glutamate were investigated for the first time in the glutamate-independent γ-PGA-producing strain, and multiple enzymatic sources of L-glutamate were verified in SK19.001, which will benefit efforts to improve production of γ-PGA with metabolic engineering strategies. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  6. Elevated systemic glutamic acid level in the non-obese diabetic mouse is Idd linked and induces beta cell apoptosis.

    PubMed

    Banday, Viqar Showkat; Lejon, Kristina

    2017-02-01

    Although type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a T-cell-mediated disease in the effector stage, the mechanism behind the initial beta cell assault is less understood. Metabolomic differences, including elevated levels of glutamic acid, have been observed in patients with T1D before disease onset, as well as in pre-diabetic non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Increased levels of glutamic acid damage both neurons and beta cells, implying that this could contribute to the initial events of T1D pathogenesis. We investigated the underlying genetic factors and consequences of the increased levels of glutamic acid in NOD mice. Serum glutamic acid levels from a (NOD×B6)F 2 cohort (n = 182) were measured. By genome-wide and Idd region targeted microsatellite mapping, genetic association was detected for six regions including Idd2, Idd4 and Idd22. In silico analysis of potential enzymes and transporters located in and around the mapped regions that are involved in glutamic acid metabolism consisted of alanine aminotransferase, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, aldehyde dehydrogenase 18 family, alutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase, glutamic acid transporters GLAST and EAAC1. Increased EAAC1 protein expression was observed in lysates from livers of NOD mice compared with B6 mice. Functional consequence of the elevated glutamic acid level in NOD mice was tested by culturing NOD. Rag2 -/- Langerhans' islets with glutamic acid. Induction of apoptosis of the islets was detected upon glutamic acid challenge using TUNEL assay. Our results support the notion that a dysregulated metabolome could contribute to the initiation of T1D. We suggest that targeting of the increased glutamic acid in pre-diabetic patients could be used as a potential therapy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Glutamate and Its Receptors as Therapeutic Targets for Migraine.

    PubMed

    Hoffmann, Jan; Charles, Andrew

    2018-04-01

    There is substantial evidence indicating a role for glutamate in migraine. Levels of glutamate are higher in the brain and possibly also in the peripheral circulation in migraine patients, particularly during attacks. Altered blood levels of kynurenines, endogenous modulators of glutamate receptors, have been reported in migraine patients. Population genetic studies implicate genes that are involved with glutamate signaling in migraine, and gene mutations responsible for familial hemiplegic migraine and other familial migraine syndromes may influence glutamate signaling. Animal studies indicate that glutamate plays a key role in pain transmission, central sensitization, and cortical spreading depression. Multiple therapies that target glutamate receptors including magnesium, topiramate, memantine, and ketamine have been reported to have efficacy in the treatment of migraine, although with the exception of topiramate, the evidence for the efficacy of these therapies is not strong. Also, because all of these therapies have other mechanisms of action, it is not possible to conclude that the efficacy of these drugs is entirely due to their effects on glutamate receptors. Further studies are needed to more clearly delineate the possible roles of glutamate and its specific receptor subtypes in migraine and to identify new ways of targeting glutamate for migraine therapy.

  8. Redox Specificity of 2-Hydroxyacid-Coupled NAD+/NADH Dehydrogenases: A Study Exploiting “Reactive” Arginine as a Reporter of Protein Electrostatics

    PubMed Central

    Durani, Susheel

    2013-01-01

    With “reactive” arginine as a kinetic reporter, 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases are assessed in basis of their specialization as NAD+-reducing or NADH-oxidizing enzymes. Specifically, M4 and H4 lactate dehydrogenases (LDHs) and cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenases (MDHs) are compared to assess if their coenzyme specificity may involve electrostatics of cationic or neutral nicotinamide structure as the basis. The enzymes from diverse eukaryote and prokaryote sources thus are assessed in “reactivity” of functionally-critical arginine as a function of salt concentration and pH. Electrostatic calculations were performed on “reactive” arginines and found good correspondence with experiment. The reductive and oxidative LDHs and MDHs are assessed in their count over ionizable residues and in placement details of the residues in their structures as proteins. The variants found to be high or low in ΔpKa of “reactive” arginine are found to be also strong or weak cations that preferentially oxidize NADH (neutral nicotinamide structure) or reduce NAD+ (cationic nicotinamide structure). The ionized groups of protein structure may thus be important to redox specificity of the enzyme on basis of electrostatic preference for the oxidized (cationic nicotinamide) or reduced (neutral nicotinamide) coenzyme. Detailed comparisons of isozymes establish that the residues contributing in their redox specificity are scrambled in structure of the reductive enzyme. PMID:24391777

  9. An optimized fluorescent probe for visualizing glutamate neurotransmission.

    PubMed

    Marvin, Jonathan S; Borghuis, Bart G; Tian, Lin; Cichon, Joseph; Harnett, Mark T; Akerboom, Jasper; Gordus, Andrew; Renninger, Sabine L; Chen, Tsai-Wen; Bargmann, Cornelia I; Orger, Michael B; Schreiter, Eric R; Demb, Jonathan B; Gan, Wen-Biao; Hires, S Andrew; Looger, Loren L

    2013-02-01

    We describe an intensity-based glutamate-sensing fluorescent reporter (iGluSnFR) with signal-to-noise ratio and kinetics appropriate for in vivo imaging. We engineered iGluSnFR in vitro to maximize its fluorescence change, and we validated its utility for visualizing glutamate release by neurons and astrocytes in increasingly intact neurological systems. In hippocampal culture, iGluSnFR detected single field stimulus-evoked glutamate release events. In pyramidal neurons in acute brain slices, glutamate uncaging at single spines showed that iGluSnFR responds robustly and specifically to glutamate in situ, and responses correlate with voltage changes. In mouse retina, iGluSnFR-expressing neurons showed intact light-evoked excitatory currents, and the sensor revealed tonic glutamate signaling in response to light stimuli. In worms, glutamate signals preceded and predicted postsynaptic calcium transients. In zebrafish, iGluSnFR revealed spatial organization of direction-selective synaptic activity in the optic tectum. Finally, in mouse forelimb motor cortex, iGluSnFR expression in layer V pyramidal neurons revealed task-dependent single-spine activity during running.

  10. Towards development of aptamers that specifically bind to lactate dehydrogenase of Plasmodium falciparum through epitopic targeting.

    PubMed

    Frith, Kelly-Anne; Fogel, Ronen; Goldring, J P Dean; Krause, Robert G E; Khati, Makobetsa; Hoppe, Heinrich; Cromhout, Mary E; Jiwaji, Meesbah; Limson, Janice L

    2018-05-03

    Early detection is crucial for the effective treatment of malaria, particularly in those cases infected with Plasmodium falciparum. There is a need for diagnostic devices with the capacity to distinguish P. falciparum from other strains of malaria. Here, aptamers generated against targeted species-specific epitopes of P. falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (rPfLDH) are described. Two classes of aptamers bearing high binding affinity and specificity for recombinant P. falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (rPfLDH) and P. falciparum-specific lactate dehydrogenase epitopic oligopeptide (LDHp) were separately generated. Structurally-relevant moieties with particular consensus sequences (GGTAG and GGCG) were found in aptamers reported here and previously published, confirming their importance in recognition of the target, while novel moieties particular to this work (ATTAT and poly-A stretches) were identified. Aptamers with diagnostically-supportive functions were synthesized, prime examples of which are the aptamers designated as LDHp 1, LDHp 11 and rLDH 4 and rLDH 15 in work presented herein. Of the sampled aptamers raised against the recombinant protein, rLDH 4 showed the highest binding to the target rPfLDH in the ELONA assay, with both rLDH 4 and rLDH 15 indicating an ability to discriminate between rPfLDH and rPvLDH. LDHp 11 was generated against a peptide selected as a unique P. falciparum LDH peptide. The aptamer, LDHp 11, like antibodies against the same peptide, only detected rPfLDH and discriminated between rPfLDH and rPvLDH. This was supported by affinity binding experiments where only aptamers generated against a unique species-specific epitope showed an ability to preferentially bind to rPfLDH relative to rPvLDH rather than those generated against the whole recombinant protein. In addition, rLDH 4 and LDHp 11 demonstrated in situ binding to P. falciparum cells during confocal microscopy. The utilization and application of LDHp 11, an aptamer generated against a

  11. 21 CFR 522.1125 - Hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine). 522.1125 Section... § 522.1125 Hemoglobin glutamer-200 (bovine). (a) Specifications. Each 125 milliliter bag contains 13 grams per deciliter of polymerized hemoglobin of bovine origin in modified Lactated Ringer's Solution...

  12. Integrated Analysis of the Transcriptome and Metabolome of Corynebacterium glutamicum during Penicillin-Induced Glutamic Acid Production.

    PubMed

    Hirasawa, Takashi; Saito, Masaki; Yoshikawa, Katsunori; Furusawa, Chikara; Shmizu, Hiroshi

    2018-05-01

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is known for its ability to produce glutamic acid and has been utilized for the fermentative production of various amino acids. Glutamic acid production in C. glutamicum is induced by penicillin. In this study, the transcriptome and metabolome of C. glutamicum is analyzed to understand the mechanism of penicillin-induced glutamic acid production. Transcriptomic analysis with DNA microarray revealed that expression of some glycolysis- and TCA cycle-related genes, which include those encoding the enzymes involved in conversion of glucose to 2-oxoglutaric acid, is upregulated after penicillin addition. Meanwhile, expression of some TCA cycle-related genes, encoding the enzymes for conversion of 2-oxoglutaric acid to oxaloacetic acid, and the anaplerotic reactions decreased. In addition, expression of NCgl1221 and odhI, encoding proteins involved in glutamic acid excretion and inhibition of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, respectively, is upregulated. Functional category enrichment analysis of genes upregulated and downregulated after penicillin addition revealed that genes for signal transduction systems are enriched among upregulated genes, whereas those for energy production and carbohydrate and amino acid metabolisms are enriched among the downregulated genes. As for the metabolomic analysis using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the intracellular content of most metabolites of the glycolysis and the TCA cycle decreased dramatically after penicillin addition. Overall, these results indicate that the cellular metabolism and glutamic acid excretion are mainly optimized at the transcription level during penicillin-induced glutamic acid production by C. glutamicum. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Multiple alcohol dehydrogenases but no functional acetaldehyde dehydrogenase causing excessive acetaldehyde production from ethanol by oral streptococci.

    PubMed

    Pavlova, Sylvia I; Jin, Ling; Gasparovich, Stephen R; Tao, Lin

    2013-07-01

    Ethanol consumption and poor oral hygiene are risk factors for oral and oesophageal cancers. Although oral streptococci have been found to produce excessive acetaldehyde from ethanol, little is known about the mechanism by which this carcinogen is produced. By screening 52 strains of diverse oral streptococcal species, we identified Streptococcus gordonii V2016 that produced the most acetaldehyde from ethanol. We then constructed gene deletion mutants in this strain and analysed them for alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases by zymograms. The results showed that S. gordonii V2016 expressed three primary alcohol dehydrogenases, AdhA, AdhB and AdhE, which all oxidize ethanol to acetaldehyde, but their preferred substrates were 1-propanol, 1-butanol and ethanol, respectively. Two additional dehydrogenases, S-AdhA and TdhA, were identified with specificities to the secondary alcohol 2-propanol and threonine, respectively, but not to ethanol. S. gordonii V2016 did not show a detectable acetaldehyde dehydrogenase even though its adhE gene encodes a putative bifunctional acetaldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase. Mutants with adhE deletion showed greater tolerance to ethanol in comparison with the wild-type and mutant with adhA or adhB deletion, indicating that AdhE is the major alcohol dehydrogenase in S. gordonii. Analysis of 19 additional strains of S. gordonii, S. mitis, S. oralis, S. salivarius and S. sanguinis showed expressions of up to three alcohol dehydrogenases, but none showed detectable acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, except one strain that showed a novel ALDH. Therefore, expression of multiple alcohol dehydrogenases but no functional acetaldehyde dehydrogenase may contribute to excessive production of acetaldehyde from ethanol by certain oral streptococci.

  14. Multiple alcohol dehydrogenases but no functional acetaldehyde dehydrogenase causing excessive acetaldehyde production from ethanol by oral streptococci

    PubMed Central

    Pavlova, Sylvia I.; Jin, Ling; Gasparovich, Stephen R.

    2013-01-01

    Ethanol consumption and poor oral hygiene are risk factors for oral and oesophageal cancers. Although oral streptococci have been found to produce excessive acetaldehyde from ethanol, little is known about the mechanism by which this carcinogen is produced. By screening 52 strains of diverse oral streptococcal species, we identified Streptococcus gordonii V2016 that produced the most acetaldehyde from ethanol. We then constructed gene deletion mutants in this strain and analysed them for alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases by zymograms. The results showed that S. gordonii V2016 expressed three primary alcohol dehydrogenases, AdhA, AdhB and AdhE, which all oxidize ethanol to acetaldehyde, but their preferred substrates were 1-propanol, 1-butanol and ethanol, respectively. Two additional dehydrogenases, S-AdhA and TdhA, were identified with specificities to the secondary alcohol 2-propanol and threonine, respectively, but not to ethanol. S. gordonii V2016 did not show a detectable acetaldehyde dehydrogenase even though its adhE gene encodes a putative bifunctional acetaldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase. Mutants with adhE deletion showed greater tolerance to ethanol in comparison with the wild-type and mutant with adhA or adhB deletion, indicating that AdhE is the major alcohol dehydrogenase in S. gordonii. Analysis of 19 additional strains of S. gordonii, S. mitis, S. oralis, S. salivarius and S. sanguinis showed expressions of up to three alcohol dehydrogenases, but none showed detectable acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, except one strain that showed a novel ALDH. Therefore, expression of multiple alcohol dehydrogenases but no functional acetaldehyde dehydrogenase may contribute to excessive production of acetaldehyde from ethanol by certain oral streptococci. PMID:23637459

  15. Investigation of structure and function of mitochondrial alcohol dehydrogenase isozyme III from Komagataella phaffii GS115.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huaidong; Li, Qin; Wang, Lina; Chen, Yan

    2018-05-01

    Alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs) catalyze the reversible oxidation of alcohol using NAD + or NADP + as cofactor. Three ADH homologues have been identified in Komagataella phaffii GS115 (also named Pichia pastoris GS115), ADH1, ADH2 and ADH3, among which adh3 is the only gene responsible for consumption of ethanol in Komagataella phaffii GS115. However, the relationship between structure and function of mitochondrial alcohol dehydrogenase isozyme III from Komagataella phaffii GS115 (KpADH3) is still not clear yet. KpADH3 was purified, identified and characterized by multiple biophysical techniques (Nano LC-MS/MS, Enzymatic activity assay, X-ray crystallography). The crystal structure of KpADH3, which was the first ADH structure from Komagataella phaffii GS115, was solved at 1.745 Å resolution. Structural analysis indicated that KpADH3 was the sole dimeric ADH structure with face-to-face orientation quaternary structure from yeast. The major structural different conformations located on residues 100-114 (the structural zinc binding loop) and residues 337-344 (the loop between α12 and β15 which covered the catalytic domain). In addition, three channels were observed in KpADH3 crystal structure, channel 2 and channel 3 may be essential for substrate specific recognition, ingress and egress, channel 1 may be the pass-through for cofactor. KpADH3 plays an important role in the metabolism of alcohols in Komagataella phaffii GS115, and its crystal structure is the only dimeric medium-chain ADH from yeast described so far. Knowledge of the relationship between structure and function of KpADH3 is crucial for understanding the role of KpADH3 in Komagataella phaffii GS115 mitochondrial metabolism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Resolution and partial characterization of two aldehyde reductases of mammalian liver.

    PubMed

    Tulsiani, D R; Touster

    1977-04-25

    Investigation of NADP-dependent aldehyde reductase activity in mouse liver led to the finding that two distinct reductases are separable by DE52 ion exchange chromatography. Aldehyde reductase I (AR I) appears in the effluent, while aldehyde reductase II (AR II) is eluted with a salt gradient. By several procedures AR II was purified over 1100-fold from liver supernatant fraction, but AR I could be pruified only 107-fold because of its instability. The two enzymes are different in regard to pH optimum, substrate specificity, response to inhibitors, and reactivity with antibody to AR II. While both enzymes utilize aromatic aldehydes well, only AR II ACTS ON D-glucuronate, indicating that it is the aldyhyde reductase recently reported to be identical to NADP-L-gulonate dehydrogenase. The presence of two NADP-linked aldehyde reductases in liver has apparently not heretofore been reported.

  17. Glutamate spillover modulates GABAergic synaptic transmission in the rat midbrain periaqueductal grey via metabotropic glutamate receptors and endocannabinoid signaling.

    PubMed

    Drew, Geoffrey M; Mitchell, Vanessa A; Vaughan, Christopher W

    2008-01-23

    Glutamate spillover regulates GABAergic synaptic transmission at several CNS synapses via presynaptic ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). We have previously demonstrated that activation of group I-III mGluRs inhibits GABAergic transmission in the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), a region involved in organizing behavioral responses to threat, stress, and pain. Here, we examined the role of glutamate spillover in the modulation of GABAergic transmission in the PAG. Using whole-cell recordings from rat PAG slices, we found that evoked IPSCs were reduced by the nonspecific glutamate transport blockers DL-threo-beta-benzyloxyaspartic acid (TBOA) and L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, but not by the glial GLT1-specific blocker dihydrokainate. In contrast, TBOA had no effect on evoked IPSCs when glutamate uptake into the postsynaptic neuron was selectively impaired. TBOA increased the paired-pulse ratio of evoked IPSCs and reduced the rate but not the amplitude of spontaneous miniature IPSCs. The effect of TBOA on evoked IPSCs was abolished by the broad-spectrum mGluR antagonist (2S)-2-amino-2-[(1S,2S)-2-carboxycycloprop-1-yl]-3-(xanth-9-yl) propanoic acid (100 microM), reduced by the mGluR5-specific antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine hydrochloride (MPEP) and mimicked by the mGluR1/5 agonist (RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG). Furthermore, the effects of both TBOA and DHPG were reduced by the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist 1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-1-piperidinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM251). Finally, although MPEP and AM251 had no effect on single evoked IPSCs, they increased evoked IPSCs during repetitive stimulation. These results indicate that neuronal glutamate transporters limit mGluR5 activation and endocannabinoid signaling, but may be overwhelmed during conditions of elevated glutamate release. Thus, neuronal glutamate transporters play a key role in regulating endocannabinoid

  18. Glutamic Acid Selective Chemical Cleavage of Peptide Bonds.

    PubMed

    Nalbone, Joseph M; Lahankar, Neelam; Buissereth, Lyssa; Raj, Monika

    2016-03-04

    Site-specific hydrolysis of peptide bonds at glutamic acid under neutral aqueous conditions is reported. The method relies on the activation of the backbone amide chain at glutamic acid by the formation of a pyroglutamyl (pGlu) imide moiety. This activation increases the susceptibility of a peptide bond toward hydrolysis. The method is highly specific and demonstrates broad substrate scope including cleavage of various bioactive peptides with unnatural amino acid residues, which are unsuitable substrates for enzymatic hydrolysis.

  19. Highly efficient enzymatic synthesis of tert-butyl (S)-6-chloro-5-hydroxy-3-oxohexanoate with a mutant alcohol dehydrogenase of Lactobacillus kefir.

    PubMed

    He, Xiu-Juan; Chen, Shao-Yun; Wu, Jian-Ping; Yang, Li-Rong; Xu, Gang

    2015-11-01

    tert-Butyl (S)-6-chloro-5-hydroxy-3-oxohexanoate ((S)-CHOH) is a valuable chiral synthon, which is used for the synthesis of the cholesterol-lowering drugs atorvastatin and rosuvastatin. To date, only the alcohol dehydrogenases from Lactobacillus brevis (LbADH) and Lactobacillus kefir (LkADH) have demonstrated catalytic activity toward the asymmetric reduction of tert-butyl 6-chloro-3,5-dioxohexanoate (CDOH) to (S)-CHOH. Herein, a tetrad mutant of LkADH (LkTADH), A94T/F147L/L199H/A202L, was screened to be more efficient in this bioreduction process, exhibiting a 3.7- and 42-fold improvement in specific activity toward CDOH (1.27 U/mg) over LbADH (0.34 U/mg) and wild-type LkADH (0.03 U/mg), respectively. The molecular basis for the improved catalytic activity of LkTADH toward CDOH was investigated using homology modeling and docking analysis. Two major issues had a significant impact on the biocatalytic efficiency of this process, including (i) the poor aqueous stability of the substrate and (ii) partial substrate inhibition. A fed-batch strategy was successfully developed to address these issues and maintain a suitably low substrate concentration throughout the entire process. Several other parameters were also optimized, including the pH, temperature, NADP(+) concentration and cell loading. A final CDOH concentration of 427 mM (100 g/L) gave (S)-CHOH in 94 % yield and 99.5 % e.e. after a reaction time of 38 h with whole cells expressing LkTADH. The space-time yield and turnover number of NADP(+) in this process were 10.6 mmol/L/h and 16,060 mol/mol, respectively, which were the highest values ever reported. This new approach therefore represents a promising alternative for the efficient synthesis of (S)-CHOH.

  20. Arsenic-induced stress activates sulfur metabolism in different organs of garlic (Allium sativum L.) plants accompanied by a general decline of the NADPH-generating systems in roots.

    PubMed

    Ruíz-Torres, Carmelo; Feriche-Linares, Rafael; Rodríguez-Ruíz, Marta; Palma, José M; Corpas, Francisco J

    2017-04-01

    Arsenic (As) contamination is a major environmental problem which affects most living organisms from plants to animals. This metalloid poses a health risk for humans through its accumulation in crops and water. Using garlic (Allium sativum L.) plants as model crop exposed to 200μM arsenate, a comparative study among their main organs (roots and shoots) was made. The analysis of arsenic, glutathione (GSH), phytochelatins (PCs) and lipid peroxidation contents with the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate-glutathione cycle), and the main components of the NADPH-generating system, including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) was carried out. Data showed a correlation among arsenic accumulation in the different organs, PCs content and the antioxidative response, with a general decline of the NADPH-generating systems in roots. Overall, our results demonstrate that there are clear connections between arsenic uptake, increase of their As-chelating capacity in roots and a decline of antioxidative enzyme activities (catalase and the ascorbate peroxidase) whose alteration provoked As-induced oxidative stress. Thus, the data suggest that roots act as barrier of arsenic mediated by a prominent sulfur metabolism which is characterized by the biosynthesis of high amount of PCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  1. Region-specific changes in presynaptic agmatine and glutamate levels in the aged rat brain.

    PubMed

    Jing, Y; Liu, P; Leitch, B

    2016-01-15

    During the normal aging process, the brain undergoes a range of biochemical and structural alterations, which may contribute to deterioration of sensory and cognitive functions. Age-related deficits are associated with altered efficacy of synaptic neurotransmission. Emerging evidence indicates that levels of agmatine, a putative neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, are altered in a region-specific manner during the aging process. The gross tissue content of agmatine in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of aged rat brains is decreased whereas levels in the temporal cortex (TE) are increased. However, it is not known whether these changes in gross tissue levels are also mirrored by changes in agmatine levels at synapses and thus could potentially contribute to altered synaptic function with age. In the present study, agmatine levels in presynaptic terminals in the PFC and TE regions (300 terminals/region) of young (3month; n=3) and aged (24month; n=3) brains of male Sprague-Dawley rats were compared using quantitative post-embedding immunogold electron-microscopy. Presynaptic levels of agmatine were significantly increased in the TE region (60%; p<0.001) of aged rats compared to young rats, however no significant differences were detected in synaptic levels in the PFC region. Double immunogold labeling indicated that agmatine and glutamate were co-localized in the same synaptic terminals, and quantitative analyses revealed significantly reduced glutamate levels in agmatine-immunopositive synaptic terminals in both regions in aged rats compared to young animals. This study, for the first time, demonstrates differential effects of aging on agmatine and glutamate in the presynaptic terminals of PFC and TE. Future research is required to understand the functional significance of these changes and the underlying mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Detailed functional analysis of two clinical glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) variants, G6PDViangchan and G6PDViangchan+Mahidol: Decreased stability and catalytic efficiency contribute to the clinical phenotype.

    PubMed

    Boonyuen, Usa; Chamchoy, Kamonwan; Swangsri, Thitiluck; Saralamba, Naowarat; Day, Nicholas P J; Imwong, Mallika

    2016-06-01

    Deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is an X-linked hereditary genetic defect that is the most common polymorphism and enzymopathy in humans. To investigate functional properties of two clinical variants, G6PDViangchan and G6PDViangchan+Mahidol, these two mutants were created by overlap-extension PCR, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. We describe an overexpression and purification method to obtain substantial amounts of functionally active protein. The KM for G6P of the two variants was comparable to the KM of the native enzyme, whereas the KM for NADP(+) was increased 5-fold for G6PDViangchan and 8-fold for G6PDViangchan+Mahidol when compared with the native enzyme. Additionally, kcat of the mutant enzymes was markedly reduced, resulting in a 10- and 18-fold reduction in catalytic efficiency for NADP(+) catalysis for G6PDViangchan and G6PDViangchan+Mahidol, respectively. Furthermore, the two variants demonstrated significant reduction in thermostability, but similar susceptibility to trypsin digestion, when compared with the wild-type enzyme. The presence of NADP(+) is shown to improve the stability of G6PD enzymes. This is the first report indicating that protein instability and reduced catalytic efficiency are responsible for the reduced catalytic activity of G6PDViangchan and G6PDViangchan+Mahidol and, as a consequence, contribute to the clinical phenotypes of these two clinical variants. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of binary and ternary complexes of Haloferax mediterranei glucose dehydrogenase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Esclapez, Julia; Britton, K. Linda; Baker, Patrick J.

    2005-08-01

    Single crystals of binary and ternary complexes of wild-type and D38C mutant H. mediterranei glucose dehydrogenase have been obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Haloferax mediterranei glucose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.47) belongs to the medium-chain alcohol dehydrogenase superfamily and requires zinc for catalysis. In the majority of these family members, the catalytic zinc is tetrahedrally coordinated by the side chains of a cysteine, a histidine, a cysteine or glutamate and a water molecule. In H. mediterranei glucose dehydrogenase, sequence analysis indicates that the zinc coordination is different, with the invariant cysteine replaced by an aspartate residue. In order to analyse themore » significance of this replacement and to contribute to an understanding of the role of the metal ion in catalysis, a range of binary and ternary complexes of the wild-type and a D38C mutant protein have been crystallized. For most of the complexes, crystals belonging to space group I222 were obtained using sodium/potassium citrate as a precipitant. However, for the binary and non-productive ternary complexes with NADPH/Zn, it was necessary to replace the citrate with 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol. Despite the radical change in conditions, the crystals thus formed were isomorphous.« less

  4. Chemically engineered papain as artificial formate dehydrogenase for NAD(P)H regeneration.

    PubMed

    Haquette, Pierre; Talbi, Barisa; Barilleau, Laure; Madern, Nathalie; Fosse, Céline; Salmain, Michèle

    2011-08-21

    Organometallic complexes of the general formula [(η(6)-arene)Ru(N⁁N)Cl](+) and [(η(5)-Cp*)Rh(N⁁N)Cl](+) where N⁁N is a 2,2'-dipyridylamine (DPA) derivative carrying a thiol-targeted maleimide group, 2,2'-bispyridyl (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or ethylenediamine (en) and arene is benzene, 2-chloro-N-[2-(phenyl)ethyl]acetamide or p-cymene were identified as catalysts for the stereoselective reduction of the enzyme cofactors NAD(P)(+) into NAD(P)H with formate as a hydride donor. A thorough comparison of their effectiveness towards NAD(+) (expressed as TOF) revealed that the Rh(III) complexes were much more potent catalysts than the Ru(II) complexes. Within the Ru(II) complex series, both the N⁁N and arene ligands forming the coordination sphere had a noticeable influence on the activity of the complexes. Covalent anchoring of the maleimide-functionalized Ru(II) and Rh(III) complexes to the cysteine endoproteinase papain yielded hybrid metalloproteins, some of them displaying formate dehydrogenase activity with potentially interesting kinetic parameters.

  5. Introduction to the Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle.

    PubMed

    Sonnewald, Ursula; Schousboe, Arne

    2016-01-01

    The term 'glutamate-glutamine cycle' was coined several decades ago based on the observation that using certain 14 C-labeled precursors for studies of brain metabolism the specific radioactivity of glutamine generated from glutamate was higher than that of glutamate, its immediate precursor. This is metabolically impossible unless it is assumed that at least two distinct pools of these amino acids exist. This combined with the finding that the enzyme synthesizing glutamine from glutamate was expressed in astrocytes but not in neurons formed the basis of the notion that a cycle must exist in which glutamate released from neurons is transported into astrocytes, converted to glutamine which is subsequently returned to neurons and converted to glutamate by an enzyme the activity of which is much higher in neurons than in astrocytes. Originally this cycle was supposed to function in a stoichiometric fashion but more recent research has seriously questioned this.This volume of Advances in Neurobiology is intended to provide a detailed discussion of recent developments in research aimed at delineating the functional roles of the cycle taking into account that in order for this system to work there must be a tight coupling between metabolism of glutamate in astrocytes, transfer of glutamine to neurons and de novo synthesis of glutamine in astrocytes. To understand this, knowledge about the activity and regulation of the enzymes and transporters involved in these processes is required and as can be seen from the table of contents these issues will be dealt with in detail in the individual chapters of the book.

  6. Role of Ser-257 in the sliding mechanism of NADP(H) in the reaction catalyzed by the Aspergillus fumigatus flavin-dependent ornithine N5-monooxygenase SidA.

    PubMed

    Shirey, Carolyn; Badieyan, Somayesadat; Sobrado, Pablo

    2013-11-08

    SidA (siderophore A) is a flavin-dependent N-hydroxylating monooxygenase that is essential for virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus. SidA catalyzes the NADPH- and oxygen-dependent formation of N(5)-hydroxyornithine. In this reaction, NADPH reduces the flavin, and the resulting NADP(+) is the last product to be released. The presence of NADP(+) is essential for activity, as it is required for stabilization of the C4a-hydroperoxyflavin, which is the hydroxylating species. As part of our efforts to determine the molecular details of the role of NADP(H) in catalysis, we targeted Ser-257 for site-directed mutagenesis and performed extensive characterization of the S257A enzyme. Using a combination of steady-state and stopped-flow kinetic experiments, substrate analogs, and primary kinetic isotope effects, we show that the interaction between Ser-257 and NADP(H) is essential for stabilization of the C4a-hydroperoxyflavin. Molecular dynamics simulation results suggest that Ser-257 functions as a pivot point, allowing the nicotinamide of NADP(+) to slide into position for stabilization of the C4a-hydroperoxyflavin.

  7. Dynamics of the active site architecture in plant-type ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductases catalytic complexes.

    PubMed

    Sánchez-Azqueta, Ana; Catalano-Dupuy, Daniela L; López-Rivero, Arleth; Tondo, María Laura; Orellano, Elena G; Ceccarelli, Eduardo A; Medina, Milagros

    2014-10-01

    Kinetic isotope effects in reactions involving hydride transfer and their temperature dependence are powerful tools to explore dynamics of enzyme catalytic sites. In plant-type ferredoxin-NADP(+) reductases the FAD cofactor exchanges a hydride with the NADP(H) coenzyme. Rates for these processes are considerably faster for the plastidic members (FNR) of the family than for those belonging to the bacterial class (FPR). Hydride transfer (HT) and deuteride transfer (DT) rates for the NADP(+) coenzyme reduction of four plant-type FNRs (two representatives of the plastidic type FNRs and the other two from the bacterial class), and their temperature dependences are here examined applying a full tunnelling model with coupled environmental fluctuations. Parameters for the two plastidic FNRs confirm a tunnelling reaction with active dynamics contributions, but isotope effects on Arrhenius factors indicate a larger contribution for donor-acceptor distance (DAD) dynamics in the Pisum sativum FNR reaction than in the Anabaena FNR reaction. On the other hand, parameters for bacterial FPRs are consistent with passive environmental reorganisation movements dominating the HT coordinate and no contribution of DAD sampling or gating fluctuations. This indicates that active sites of FPRs are more organised and rigid than those of FNRs. These differences must be due to adaptation of the active sites and catalytic mechanisms to fulfil their particular metabolic roles, establishing a compromise between protein flexibility and functional optimisation. Analysis of site-directed mutants in plastidic enzymes additionally indicates the requirement of a minimal optimal architecture in the catalytic complex to provide a favourable gating contribution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Reassessment of the transhydrogenase/malate shunt pathway in Clostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 through kinetic characterization of malic enzyme and malate dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Taillefer, M; Rydzak, T; Levin, D B; Oresnik, I J; Sparling, R

    2015-04-01

    Clostridium thermocellum produces ethanol as one of its major end products from direct fermentation of cellulosic biomass. Therefore, it is viewed as an attractive model for the production of biofuels via consolidated bioprocessing. However, a better understanding of the metabolic pathways, along with their putative regulation, could lead to improved strategies for increasing the production of ethanol. In the absence of an annotated pyruvate kinase in the genome, alternate means of generating pyruvate have been sought. Previous proteomic and transcriptomic work detected high levels of a malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme, which may be used as part of a malate shunt for the generation of pyruvate from phosphoenolpyruvate. The purification and characterization of the malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme are described in order to elucidate their putative roles in malate shunt and their potential role in C. thermocellum metabolism. The malate dehydrogenase catalyzed the reduction of oxaloacetate to malate utilizing NADH or NADPH with a kcat of 45.8 s(-1) or 14.9 s(-1), respectively, resulting in a 12-fold increase in catalytic efficiency when using NADH over NADPH. The malic enzyme displayed reversible malate decarboxylation activity with a kcat of 520.8 s(-1). The malic enzyme used NADP(+) as a cofactor along with NH4 (+) and Mn(2+) as activators. Pyrophosphate was found to be a potent inhibitor of malic enzyme activity, with a Ki of 0.036 mM. We propose a putative regulatory mechanism of the malate shunt by pyrophosphate and NH4 (+) based on the characterization of the malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Analysis of L-glutamic acid fermentation by using a dynamic metabolic simulation model of Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Nishio, Yousuke; Ogishima, Soichi; Ichikawa, Masao; Yamada, Yohei; Usuda, Yoshihiro; Masuda, Tadashi; Tanaka, Hiroshi

    2013-09-22

    Understanding the process of amino acid fermentation as a comprehensive system is a challenging task. Previously, we developed a literature-based dynamic simulation model, which included transcriptional regulation, transcription, translation, and enzymatic reactions related to glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the anaplerotic pathway of Escherichia coli. During simulation, cell growth was defined such as to reproduce the experimental cell growth profile of fed-batch cultivation in jar fermenters. However, to confirm the biological appropriateness of our model, sensitivity analysis and experimental validation were required. We constructed an L-glutamic acid fermentation simulation model by removing sucAB, a gene encoding α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. We then performed systematic sensitivity analysis for L-glutamic acid production; the results of this process corresponded with previous experimental data regarding L-glutamic acid fermentation. Furthermore, it allowed us to predicted the possibility that accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate in the cell would regulate the carbon flux into the TCA cycle and lead to an increase in the yield of L-glutamic acid via fermentation. We validated this hypothesis through a fermentation experiment involving a model L-glutamic acid-production strain, E. coli MG1655 ΔsucA in which the phosphoglycerate kinase gene had been amplified to cause accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate. The observed increase in L-glutamic acid production verified the biologically meaningful predictive power of our dynamic metabolic simulation model. In this study, dynamic simulation using a literature-based model was shown to be useful for elucidating the precise mechanisms involved in fermentation processes inside the cell. Further exhaustive sensitivity analysis will facilitate identification of novel factors involved in the metabolic regulation of amino acid fermentation.

  10. Histone methylation at gene promoters is associated with developmental regulation and region-specific expression of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors in human brain.

    PubMed

    Stadler, Florian; Kolb, Gabriele; Rubusch, Lothar; Baker, Stephen P; Jones, Edward G; Akbarian, Schahram

    2005-07-01

    Glutamatergic signaling is regulated, in part, through differential expression of NMDA and AMPA/KA channel subunits and G protein-coupled metabotropic receptors. In human brain, region-specific expression patterns of glutamate receptor genes are maintained over the course of decades, suggesting a role for molecular mechanisms involved in long-term regulation of transcription, including methylation of lysine residues at histone N-terminal tails. Using a native chromatin immunoprecipitation assay, we studied histone methylation marks at proximal promoters of 16 ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptor genes (GRIN1,2A-D; GRIA1,3,4; GRIK2,4,5; GRM1,3,4,6,7 ) in cerebellar cortex collected across a wide age range from midgestation to 90 years old. Levels of di- and trimethylated histone H3-lysine 4, which are associated with open chromatin and transcription, showed significant differences between promoters and a robust correlation with corresponding mRNA levels in immature and mature cerebellar cortex. In contrast, levels of trimethylated H3-lysine 27 and H4-lysine 20, two histone modifications defining silenced or condensed chromatin, did not correlate with transcription but were up-regulated overall in adult cerebellum. Furthermore, differential gene expression patterns in prefrontal and cerebellar cortex were reflected by similar differences in H3-lysine 4 methylation at promoters. Together, these findings suggest that histone lysine methylation at gene promoters is involved in developmental regulation and maintenance of region-specific expression patterns of ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. The association of a specific epigenetic mark, H3-(methyl)-lysine 4, with the molecular architecture of glutamatergic signaling in human brain has potential implications for schizophrenia and other disorders with altered glutamate receptor function.

  11. Glutamate metabolism in cerebral mitochondria after ischemia and post-ischemic recovery during aging: relationships with brain energy metabolism.

    PubMed

    Ferrari, Federica; Gorini, Antonella; Hoyer, Siegfried; Villa, Roberto Federico

    2018-05-20

    Glutamate is involved in cerebral ischemic injury, but its role has not been completely clarified and studies are required to understand how minimize its detrimental effects, contemporarily boosting the positive ones. In fact, glutamate is not only a neurotransmitter, but primarily a key metabolite for brain bioenergetics. Thus, we investigated the relationships between glutamate and brain energy metabolism in an in vivo model of complete cerebral ischemia of 15 min and during post-ischemic recovery after 1, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hrs in 1 year- adult and 2 year-old aged rats. The maximum rates (V max ) of glutamate dehydrogenase (GlDH), glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were assayed in somatic mitochondria (FM) and in intra-synaptic "light" (LM) and "heavy" (HM) ones purified from cerebral cortex, distinguishing post- and pre-synaptic compartments. During ischemia, none of the enzymes were modified in adult animals. In aged ones, GOT was increased in FM and GlDH in HM, stimulating glutamate catabolism. During post-ischemic recovery, FM did not show modifications at both ages while, in intra-synaptic mitochondria of adult animals, glutamate catabolism was increased after 1 hour of recirculation and decreased after 48 and 72 hours, whereas it remained decreased up to 96 hours in aged rats. These results, with those previously published about Krebs' cycle and Electron Transport Chain (Villa et al., 2013. Neurochem. Int. 63, 765-781), demonstrate that: (i) V max of energy-linked enzymes are different in the various cerebral mitochondria, which (ii) respond differently to ischemia and post-ischemic recovery, also (iii) respect to aging. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  12. The Influence of Glutamate on Axonal Compound Action Potential In Vitro.

    PubMed

    Abouelela, Ahmed; Wieraszko, Andrzej

    2016-01-01

    Background  Our previous experiments demonstrated modulation of the amplitude of the axonal compound action potential (CAP) by electrical stimulation. To verify assumption that glutamate released from axons could be involved in this phenomenon, the modification of the axonal CAP induced by glutamate was investigated. Objectives  The major objective of this research is to verify the hypothesis that axonal activity would trigger the release of glutamate, which in turn would interact with specific axonal receptors modifying the amplitude of the action potential. Methods  Segments of the sciatic nerve were exposed to exogenous glutamate in vitro, and CAP was recorded before and after glutamate application. In some experiments, the release of radioactive glutamate analog from the sciatic nerve exposed to exogenous glutamate was also evaluated. Results  The glutamate-induced increase in CAP was blocked by different glutamate receptor antagonists. The effect of glutamate was not observed in Ca-free medium, and was blocked by antagonists of calcium channels. Exogenous glutamate, applied to the segments of sciatic nerve, induced the release of radioactive glutamate analog, demonstrating glutamate-induced glutamate release. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that axolemma contains components necessary for glutamatergic neurotransmission. Conclusion  The proteins of the axonal membrane can under the influence of electrical stimulation or exogenous glutamate change membrane permeability and ionic conductance, leading to a change in the amplitude of CAP. We suggest that increased axonal activity leads to the release of glutamate that results in changes in the amplitude of CAPs.

  13. Structural and kinetic studies of a novel nerol dehydrogenase from Persicaria minor, a nerol-specific enzyme for citral biosynthesis.

    PubMed

    Tan, Cheng Seng; Hassan, Maizom; Mohamed Hussein, Zeti Azura; Ismail, Ismanizan; Ho, Kok Lian; Ng, Chyan Leong; Zainal, Zamri

    2018-02-01

    Geraniol degradation pathway has long been elucidated in microorganisms through bioconversion studies, yet weakly characterised in plants; enzyme with specific nerol-oxidising activity has not been reported. A novel cDNA encodes nerol dehydrogenase (PmNeDH) was isolated from Persicaria minor. The recombinant PmNeDH (rPmNeDH) is a homodimeric enzyme that belongs to MDR (medium-chain dehydrogenases/reductases) superfamily that catalyses the first oxidative step of geraniol degradation pathway in citral biosynthesis. Kinetic analysis revealed that rPmNeDH has a high specificity for allylic primary alcohols with backbone ≤10 carbons. rPmNeDH has ∼3 fold higher affinity towards nerol (cis-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-ol) than its trans-isomer, geraniol. To our knowledge, this is the first alcohol dehydrogenase with higher preference towards nerol, suggesting that nerol can be effective substrate for citral biosynthesis in P. minor. The rPmNeDH crystal structure (1.54 Å) showed high similarity with enzyme structures from MDR superfamily. Structure guided mutation was conducted to describe the relationships between substrate specificity and residue substitutions in the active site. Kinetics analyses of wild-type rPmNeDH and several active site mutants demonstrated that the substrate specificity of rPmNeDH can be altered by changing any selected active site residues (Asp 280 , Leu 294 and Ala 303 ). Interestingly, the L294F, A303F and A303G mutants were able to revamp the substrate preference towards geraniol. Furthermore, mutant that exhibited a broader substrate range was also obtained. This study demonstrates that P. minor may have evolved to contain enzyme that optimally recognise cis-configured nerol as substrate. rPmNeDH structure provides new insights into the substrate specificity and active site plasticity in MDR superfamily. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. 40 CFR 721.3820 - L-Glutamic acid, N-(1-oxododecyl)-, disodium salt.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false L-Glutamic acid, N-(1-oxododecyl... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.3820 L-Glutamic acid, N-(1-oxododecyl)-, disodium salt. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as L-Glutamic...

  15. Testis-specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase: origin and evolution

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD) catalyses one of the glycolytic reactions and is also involved in a number of non-glycolytic processes, such as endocytosis, DNA excision repair, and induction of apoptosis. Mammals are known to possess two homologous GAPD isoenzymes: GAPD-1, a well-studied protein found in all somatic cells, and GAPD-2, which is expressed solely in testis. GAPD-2 supplies energy required for the movement of spermatozoa and is tightly bound to the sperm tail cytoskeleton by the additional N-terminal proline-rich domain absent in GAPD-1. In this study we investigate the evolutionary history of GAPD and gain some insights into specialization of GAPD-2 as a testis-specific protein. Results A dataset of GAPD sequences was assembled from public databases and used for phylogeny reconstruction by means of the Bayesian method. Since resolution in some clades of the obtained tree was too low, syntenic analysis was carried out to define the evolutionary history of GAPD more precisely. The performed selection tests showed that selective pressure varies across lineages and isoenzymes, as well as across different regions of the same sequences. Conclusions The obtained results suggest that GAPD-1 and GAPD-2 emerged after duplication during the early evolution of chordates. GAPD-2 was subsequently lost by most lineages except lizards, mammals, as well as cartilaginous and bony fishes. In reptilians and mammals, GAPD-2 specialized to a testis-specific protein and acquired the novel N-terminal proline-rich domain anchoring the protein in the sperm tail cytoskeleton. This domain is likely to have originated by exonization of a microsatellite genomic region. Recognition of the proline-rich domain by cytoskeletal proteins seems to be unspecific. Besides testis, GAPD-2 of lizards was also found in some regenerating tissues, but it lacks the proline-rich domain due to tissue-specific alternative splicing. PMID:21663662

  16. Testis-specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase: origin and evolution.

    PubMed

    Kuravsky, Mikhail L; Aleshin, Vladimir V; Frishman, Dmitrij; Muronetz, Vladimir I

    2011-06-10

    Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD) catalyses one of the glycolytic reactions and is also involved in a number of non-glycolytic processes, such as endocytosis, DNA excision repair, and induction of apoptosis. Mammals are known to possess two homologous GAPD isoenzymes: GAPD-1, a well-studied protein found in all somatic cells, and GAPD-2, which is expressed solely in testis. GAPD-2 supplies energy required for the movement of spermatozoa and is tightly bound to the sperm tail cytoskeleton by the additional N-terminal proline-rich domain absent in GAPD-1. In this study we investigate the evolutionary history of GAPD and gain some insights into specialization of GAPD-2 as a testis-specific protein. A dataset of GAPD sequences was assembled from public databases and used for phylogeny reconstruction by means of the Bayesian method. Since resolution in some clades of the obtained tree was too low, syntenic analysis was carried out to define the evolutionary history of GAPD more precisely. The performed selection tests showed that selective pressure varies across lineages and isoenzymes, as well as across different regions of the same sequences. The obtained results suggest that GAPD-1 and GAPD-2 emerged after duplication during the early evolution of chordates. GAPD-2 was subsequently lost by most lineages except lizards, mammals, as well as cartilaginous and bony fishes. In reptilians and mammals, GAPD-2 specialized to a testis-specific protein and acquired the novel N-terminal proline-rich domain anchoring the protein in the sperm tail cytoskeleton. This domain is likely to have originated by exonization of a microsatellite genomic region. Recognition of the proline-rich domain by cytoskeletal proteins seems to be unspecific. Besides testis, GAPD-2 of lizards was also found in some regenerating tissues, but it lacks the proline-rich domain due to tissue-specific alternative splicing.

  17. Integration between Glycolysis and Glutamate-Glutamine Cycle Flux May Explain Preferential Glycolytic Increase during Brain Activation, Requiring Glutamate

    PubMed Central

    Hertz, Leif; Chen, Ye

    2017-01-01

    The 1988 observation by Fox et al. (1988) that brief intense brain activation increases glycolysis (pyruvate formation from glucose) much more than oxidative metabolism has been abundantly confirmed. Specifically glycolytic increase was unexpected because the amount of ATP it generates is much smaller than that formed by subsequent oxidative metabolism of pyruvate. The present article shows that preferential glycolysis can be explained by metabolic processes associated with activation of the glutamate-glutamine cycle. The flux in this cycle, which is essential for production of transmitter glutamate and GABA, equals 75% of brain glucose utilization and each turn is associated with utilization of ~1 glucose molecule. About one half of the association between cycle flux and glucose metabolism occurs during neuronal conversion of glutamine to glutamate in a process similar to the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) except that glutamate is supplied from glutamine, not formed from α-ketoglutarate (αKG) as during operation of conventional MAS. Regular MAS function is triggered by one oxidative process in the cytosol during glycolysis causing NAD+ reduction to NADH. Since NADH cannot cross the mitochondrial membrane (MEM) for oxidation NAD+ is re-generated by conversion of cytosolic oxaloacetate (OAA) to malate, which enters the mitochondria for oxidation and in a cyclic process regenerates cytosolic OAA. Therefore MAS as well as the “pseudo-MAS” necessary for neuronal glutamate formation can only operate together with cytosolic reduction of NAD+ to NADH. The major process causing NAD+ reduction is glycolysis which therefore also must occur during neuronal conversion of glutamine to glutamate and may energize vesicular glutamate uptake which preferentially uses glycolytically derived energy. Another major contributor to the association between glutamate-glutamine cycle and glucose utilization is the need for astrocytic pyruvate to generate glutamate. Although some

  18. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) activates AMPK through the inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase in muscle and pancreatic ß-cells: A potential beneficial effect in the pre-diabetic state?

    PubMed

    Pournourmohammadi, Shirin; Grimaldi, Mariagrazia; Stridh, Malin H; Lavallard, Vanessa; Waagepetersen, Helle S; Wollheim, Claes B; Maechler, Pierre

    2017-07-01

    Glucose homeostasis is determined by insulin secretion from the ß-cells in pancreatic islets and by glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and other insulin target tissues. While glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) senses mitochondrial energy supply and regulates insulin secretion, its role in the muscle has not been elucidated. Here we investigated the possible interplay between GDH and the cytosolic energy sensing enzyme 5'-AMP kinase (AMPK), in both isolated islets and myotubes from mice and humans. The green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was used to inhibit GDH. Insulin secretion was reduced by EGCG upon glucose stimulation and blocked in response to glutamine combined with the allosteric GDH activator BCH (2-aminobicyclo-[2,2,1] heptane-2-carboxylic acid). Insulin secretion was similarly decreased in islets of mice with ß-cell-targeted deletion of GDH (ßGlud1 -/- ). EGCG did not further reduce insulin secretion in the mutant islets, validating its specificity. In human islets, EGCG attenuated both basal and nutrient-stimulated insulin secretion. Glutamine/BCH-induced lowering of AMPK phosphorylation did not operate in ßGlud1 -/- islets and was similarly prevented by EGCG in control islets, while high glucose systematically inactivated AMPK. In mouse C2C12 myotubes, like in islets, the inhibition of AMPK following GDH activation with glutamine/BCH was reversed by EGCG. Stimulation of GDH in primary human myotubes caused lowering of insulin-induced 2-deoxy-glucose uptake, partially counteracted by EGCG. Thus, mitochondrial energy provision through anaplerotic input via GDH influences the activity of the cytosolic energy sensor AMPK. EGCG may be useful in obesity by resensitizing insulin-resistant muscle while blunting hypersecretion of insulin in hypermetabolic states. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Spatial and temporal regulation of the metabolism of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species during the early development of pepper (Capsicum annuum) seedlings.

    PubMed

    Airaki, Morad; Leterrier, Marina; Valderrama, Raquel; Chaki, Mounira; Begara-Morales, Juan C; Barroso, Juan B; del Río, Luis A; Palma, José M; Corpas, Francisco J

    2015-09-01

    The development of seedlings involves many morphological, physiological and biochemical processes, which are controlled by many factors. Some reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS, respectively) are implicated as signal molecules in physiological and phytopathological processes. Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a very important crop and the goal of this work was to provide a framework of the behaviour of the key elements in the metabolism of ROS and RNS in the main organs of pepper during its development. The main seedling organs (roots, hypocotyls and green cotyledons) of pepper seedlings were analysed 7, 10 and 14 d after germination. Activity and gene expression of the main enzymatic antioxidants (catalase, ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzymes), NADP-generating dehydrogenases and S-nitrosoglutathione reductase were determined. Cellular distribution of nitric oxide ((·)NO), superoxide radical (O2 (·-)) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) was investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The metabolism of ROS and RNS during pepper seedling development was highly regulated and showed significant plasticity, which was co-ordinated among the main seedling organs, resulting in correct development. Catalase showed higher activity in the aerial parts of the seedling (hypocotyls and green cotyledons) whereas roots of 7-d-old seedlings contained higher activity of the enzymatic components of the ascorbate glutathione cycle, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase and NADP-malic enzyme. There is differential regulation of the metabolism of ROS, nitric oxide and NADP dehydrogenases in the different plant organs during seedling development in pepper in the absence of stress. The metabolism of ROS and RNS seems to contribute significantly to plant development since their components are involved directly or indirectly in many metabolic pathways. Thus, specific molecules such as H2O2 and NO have implications for signalling, and their temporal and spatial regulation contributes

  20. Effects of ionic compositions of the medium on monosodium glutamate binding to taste epithelial cells.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Y; Tsunenari, T; Mori, T

    1999-03-01

    Monosodium glutamate and nucleotides are umami taste substances in animals and have a synergistic effect on each other. We studied the ligand-binding properties of the glutamate receptors in taste epithelial cells isolated from bovine tongue. Specific glutamate binding was observed in an enriched suspension of taste receptor cells in Hanks' balanced salt solution, while no specific glutamate binding was apparent in the absence of divalent ions or when the cells had been depolarized by a high content of potassium in Hanks' balanced salt solution. There was no significant difference between the release of glutamate under depolarized or divalent ion-free conditions and under normal conditions. However, glutamate was easily released from the depolarized cells in the absence of divalent ions. These data suggest that the binding of glutamate to receptors depends on divalent ions, which also have an effect on maintaining binding between glutamate and receptors.

  1. GRP1 PH Domain, Like AKT1 PH Domain, Possesses a Sentry Glutamate Residue Essential for Specific Targeting to Plasma Membrane PI(3,4,5)P3

    PubMed Central

    Pilling, Carissa; Landgraf, Kyle E.; Falke, Joseph J.

    2011-01-01

    During the appearance of the signaling lipid PI(3,4,5)P3, an important subset of pleckstrin homology (PH) domains target signaling proteins to the plasma membrane. To ensure proper pathway regulation, such PI(3,4,5)P3-specific PH domains must exclude the more prevalant, constitutive plasma membrane lipid PI(4,5)P2 and bind the rare PI(3,4,5)P3 target lipid with sufficiently high affinity. Our previous study of the E17K mutant of protein kinase B (AKT1) PH domain, together with evidence from Carpten et al (1), revealed that the native AKT1 E17 residue serves as a sentry glutamate that excludes PI(4,5)P2, thereby playing an essential role in specific PI(3,4,5)P3 targeting (2). The sentry glutamate hypothesis proposes that an analogous sentry glutamate residue is a widespread feature of PI(3,4,5)P3-specific PH domains, and that charge reversal mutation at the sentry glutamate position will yield both increased PI(4,5)P2 affinity and constitutive plasma membrane targeting. To test this hypothesis the present study investigates the E345 residue, a putative sentry glutamate, of General Receptor for Phosphoinositides 1 (GRP1) PH domain. The results show that incorporation of the E345K charge reversal mutation into GRP1 PH domain enhances PI(4,5)P2 affinity 8-fold and yields constitutive plasma membrane targeting in cells, reminiscent of the effects of the E17K mutation in AKT1 PH domain. Hydrolysis of plasma membrane PI(4,5)P2 releases E345K GRP1 PH domain into the cytoplasm and the efficiency of this release increases when target Arf6 binding is disrupted. Overall, the findings provide strong support for the sentry glutamate hypothesis and suggest that the GRP1 E345K mutation will be linked to changes in cell physiology and human pathologies, as demonstrated for AKT1 E17K (1, 3). Analysis of available PH domain structures suggests that a lone glutamate residue (or, in some cases an aspartate) is a common, perhaps ubiquitous, feature of PI(3,4,5)P3-specific binding

  2. The odyssey of a young gene: structure-function studies in human glutamate dehydrogenases reveal evolutionary-acquired complex allosteric regulation mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Zaganas, Ioannis V; Kanavouras, Konstantinos; Borompokas, Nikolas; Arianoglou, Giovanna; Dimovasili, Christina; Latsoudis, Helen; Vlassi, Metaxia; Mastorodemos, Vasileios

    2014-01-01

    Mammalian glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) catalyzes the reversible inter-conversion of glutamate to α-ketoglutarate and ammonia, interconnecting carbon skeleton and nitrogen metabolism. In addition, it functions as an energy switch by its ability to fuel the Krebs cycle depending on the energy status of the cell. As GDH lies at the intersection of several metabolic pathways, its activity is tightly regulated by several allosteric compounds that are metabolic intermediates. In contrast to other mammals that have a single GDH-encoding gene, humans and great apes possess two isoforms of GDH (hGDH1 and hGDH2, encoded by the GLUD1 and GLUD2 genes, respectively) with distinct regulation pattern, but remarkable sequence similarity (they differ, in their mature form, in only 15 of their 505 amino-acids). The GLUD2 gene is considered a very young gene, emerging from the GLUD1 gene through retro-position only recently (<23 million years ago). The new hGDH2 iso-enzyme, through random mutations and natural selection, is thought to have conferred an evolutionary advantage that helped its persistence through primate evolution. The properties of the two highly homologous human GDHs have been studied using purified recombinant hGDH1 and hGDH2 proteins obtained by expression of the corresponding cDNAs in Sf21 cells. According to these studies, in contrast to hGDH1 that maintains basal activity at 35-40 % of its maximal, hGDH2 displays low basal activity that is highly responsive to activation by rising levels of ADP and/or L-leucine which can also act synergistically. While hGDH1 is inhibited potently by GTP, hGDH2 shows remarkable GTP resistance. Furthermore, the two iso-enzymes are differentially inhibited by estrogens, polyamines and neuroleptics, and also differ in heat-lability. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms that underlie these different regulation patterns of the two iso-enzymes (and consequently the evolutionary adaptation of hGDH2 to a new functional role), we have

  3. [Glutamate-binding membrane proteins from human platelets].

    PubMed

    Gurevich, V S; Popov, Iu G; Gorodinskiĭ, A I; Dambinova, S A

    1991-09-01

    Solubilization of the total membrane fraction of human platelets in a 2% solution of sodium deoxycholate and subsequent affinity chromatography on glutamate agarose resulted in two protein fractions possessing a glutamate-binding activity. As can be evidenced from radioligand binding data, the first fraction contains two types of binding sites (Kd1 = 1 microM, Bmax 1 = 100 pmol/mg of protein; Kd2 = 9.3 microMm Bmax2 = 395 pmol/mg of protein). The second fraction has only one type of binding sites (Kd = 1 microM, Bmax = = 110 pmol/mg of protein). SDS-PAAG electrophoresis revealed the presence in the first fraction of proteins with Mr of 14, 24, 56 and 155 kDa, whereas the second fraction was found to contain 14, 46, 71 and 155 kDa proteins. Solid phase immunoenzymatic analysis using poly- and monoclonal specific antibodies against mammalian brain glutamate-binding proteins revealed a marked immunochemical similarity of the isolated protein fractions with human brain synaptic membrane glutamate-binding proteins.

  4. The three-dimensional structure of AKR11B4, a glycerol dehydrogenase from Gluconobacter oxydans, reveals a tryptophan residue as an accelerator of reaction turnover.

    PubMed

    Richter, Nina; Breicha, Klaus; Hummel, Werner; Niefind, Karsten

    2010-12-03

    The NADP-dependent glycerol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.72) from Gluconobacter oxydans is a member of family 11 of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) enzyme superfamily; according to the systematic nomenclature within the AKR superfamily, the term AKR11B4 has been assigned to the enzyme. AKR11B4 is a biotechnologically attractive enzyme because of its broad substrate spectrum, combined with its distinctive regioselectivity and stereoselectivity. These features can be partially rationalized based on a 2-Å crystal structure of apo-AKR11B4, which we describe and interpret here against the functional complex structures of other members of family 11 of the AKR superfamily. The structure of AKR11B4 shows the AKR-typical (β/α)(8) TIM-barrel fold, with three loops and the C-terminal tail determining the particular enzymatic properties. In comparison to AKR11B1 (its closest AKR relative), AKR11B4 has a relatively broad binding cleft for the cosubstrate NADP/NADPH. In the crystalline environment, it is completely blocked by the C-terminal segment of a neighboring protomer. The structure reveals a conspicuous tryptophan residue (Trp23) that has to adopt an unconventional and strained side-chain conformation to permit cosubstrate binding. We predict and confirm by site-directed mutagenesis that Trp23 is an accelerator of (co)substrate turnover. Furthermore, we show that, simultaneously, this tryptophan residue is a critical determinant for substrate binding by the enzyme, while enantioselectivity is probably governed by a methionine residue within the C-terminal tail. We present structural reasons for these notions based on ternary complex models of AKR11B4, NADP, and either octanal, d-glyceraldehyde, or l-glyceraldehyde. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Nonvesicular Release of Glutamate by Glial xCT Transporters Suppresses Glutamate Receptor Clustering In Vivo

    PubMed Central

    Augustin, Hrvoje; Grosjean, Yael; Chen, Kaiyun; Sheng, Qi; Featherstone, David E.

    2008-01-01

    We hypothesized that cystine/glutamate transporters (xCTs) might be critical regulators of ambient extracellular glutamate levels in the nervous system and that misregulation of this glutamate pool might have important neurophysiological and/or behavioral consequences. To test this idea, we identified and functionally characterized a novel Drosophila xCT gene, which we subsequently named “genderblind” (gb). Genderblind is expressed in a previously overlooked subset of peripheral and central glia. Genetic elimination of gb causes a 50% reduction in extracellular glutamate concentration, demonstrating that xCT transporters are important regulators of extracellular glutamate. Consistent with previous studies showing that extracellular glutamate regulates postsynaptic glutamate receptor clustering, gb mutants show a large (200–300%) increase in the number of postsynaptic glutamate receptors. This increase in postsynaptic receptor abundance is not accompanied by other obvious synaptic changes and is completely rescued when synapses are cultured in wild-type levels of glutamate. Additional in situ pharmacology suggests that glutamate-mediated suppression of glutamate receptor clustering depends on receptor desensitization. Together, our results suggest that (1) xCT transporters are critical for regulation of ambient extracellular glutamate in vivo; (2) ambient extracellular glutamate maintains some receptors constitutively desensitized in vivo; and (3) constitutive desensitization of ionotropic glutamate receptors suppresses their ability to cluster at synapses. PMID:17202478

  6. Differences in photosynthetic responses of NADP-ME type C4 species to high light.

    PubMed

    Romanowska, Elżbieta; Buczyńska, Alicja; Wasilewska, Wioleta; Krupnik, Tomasz; Drożak, Anna; Rogowski, Paweł; Parys, Eugeniusz; Zienkiewicz, Maksymilian

    2017-03-01

    Three species chosen as representatives of NADP-ME C4 subtype exhibit different sensitivity toward photoinhibition, and great photochemical differences were found to exist between the species. These characteristics might be due to the imbalance in the excitation energy between the photosystems present in M and BS cells, and also due to that between species caused by the penetration of light inside the leaves. Such regulation in the distribution of light intensity between M and BS cells shows that co-operation between both the metabolic systems determines effective photosynthesis and reduces the harmful effects of high light on the degradation of PSII through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We have investigated several physiological parameters of NADP-ME-type C4 species (e.g., Zea mays, Echinochloa crus-galli, and Digitaria sanguinalis) grown under moderate light intensity (200 µmol photons m -2  s -1 ) and, subsequently, exposed to excess light intensity (HL, 1600 µmol photons m -2  s -1 ). Our main interest was to understand why these species, grown under identical conditions, differ in their responses toward high light, and what is the physiological significance of these differences. Among the investigated species, Echinochloa crus-galli is best adapted to HL treatment. High resistance of the photosynthetic apparatus of E. crus-galli to HL was accompanied by an elevated level of phosphorylation of PSII proteins, and higher values of photochemical quenching, ATP/ADP ratio, activity of PSI and PSII complexes, as well as integrity of the thylakoid membranes. It was also shown that the non-radiative dissipation of energy in the studied plants was not dependent on carotenoid contents and, thus, other photoprotective mechanisms might have been engaged under HL stress conditions. The activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase as well as the content of malondialdehyde and H 2 O 2 suggests that antioxidant defense is not

  7. Analysis of l-glutamic acid fermentation by using a dynamic metabolic simulation model of Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Understanding the process of amino acid fermentation as a comprehensive system is a challenging task. Previously, we developed a literature-based dynamic simulation model, which included transcriptional regulation, transcription, translation, and enzymatic reactions related to glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the anaplerotic pathway of Escherichia coli. During simulation, cell growth was defined such as to reproduce the experimental cell growth profile of fed-batch cultivation in jar fermenters. However, to confirm the biological appropriateness of our model, sensitivity analysis and experimental validation were required. Results We constructed an l-glutamic acid fermentation simulation model by removing sucAB, a gene encoding α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase. We then performed systematic sensitivity analysis for l-glutamic acid production; the results of this process corresponded with previous experimental data regarding l-glutamic acid fermentation. Furthermore, it allowed us to predicted the possibility that accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate in the cell would regulate the carbon flux into the TCA cycle and lead to an increase in the yield of l-glutamic acid via fermentation. We validated this hypothesis through a fermentation experiment involving a model l-glutamic acid-production strain, E. coli MG1655 ΔsucA in which the phosphoglycerate kinase gene had been amplified to cause accumulation of 3-phosphoglycerate. The observed increase in l-glutamic acid production verified the biologically meaningful predictive power of our dynamic metabolic simulation model. Conclusions In this study, dynamic simulation using a literature-based model was shown to be useful for elucidating the precise mechanisms involved in fermentation processes inside the cell. Further exhaustive sensitivity analysis will facilitate identification of novel factors involved in the metabolic regulation of amino acid fermentation. PMID

  8. Melatonin protects against oxygen and glucose deprivation by decreasing extracellular glutamate and Nox-derived ROS in rat hippocampal slices.

    PubMed

    Patiño, Paloma; Parada, Esther; Farré-Alins, Victor; Molz, Simone; Cacabelos, Ramón; Marco-Contelles, José; López, Manuela G; Tasca, Carla I; Ramos, Eva; Romero, Alejandro; Egea, Javier

    2016-12-01

    Therapeutic interventions on pathological processes involved in the ischemic cascade, such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity and/or apoptosis, are of urgent need for stroke treatment. Melatonin regulates a large number of physiological actions and its beneficial properties have been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate whether melatonin mediates neuroprotection in rat hippocampal slices subjected to oxygen-glucose-deprivation (OGD) and glutamate excitotoxicity. Thus, we describe here that melatonin significantly reduced the amount of lactate dehydrogenase released in the OGD-treated slices, reverted neuronal injury caused by OGD-reoxygenation in CA1 and CA3 hippocampal regions, restored the reduction of GSH content of the hippocampal slices induced by OGD, and diminished the oxidative stress produced in the reoxygenation period. Furthermore, melatonin afforded maximum protection against glutamate-induced toxicity and reversed the glutamate released almost basal levels, at 10 and 30μM concentration, respectively. Consequently, we propose that melatonin might strongly and positively influence the outcome of brain ischemia/reperfusion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. BIOCHEMICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL PROPERTIES OF A MITOCHONDRIAL INNER MEMBRANE FRACTION DEFICIENT IN OUTER MEMBRANE AND MATRIX ACTIVITIES

    PubMed Central

    Chan, T. L.; Greenawalt, John W.; Pedersen, Peter L.

    1970-01-01

    Treatment of the inner membrane matrix fraction of rat liver mitochondria with the nonionic detergent Lubrol WX solubilized about 70% of the total protein and 90% or more of the following matrix activities: malate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP). The Lubrol-insoluble fraction was enriched in cytochromes, phospholipids, and a Mg++-stimulated ATPase activity. Less than 2% of the total mitochondrial activity of monoamine oxidase, an outer membrane marker, or adenylate kinase, an intracristal space marker could be detected in this inner membrane fraction. Electron micrographs of negatively stained preparations showed vesicles (≤0.4 µ diameter) literally saturated on the periphery with the 90 A ATPase particles. These inner membrane vesicles, which appeared for the most part to be inverted with respect to the normal inner membrane configuration in intact mitochondria, retained the succinicoxidase portion of the electron-transport chain, an intact phosphorylation site II with a high affinity for ADP, and the capacity to accumulate Ca++. A number of biochemical properties characteristic of intact mitochondria and the inner membrane matrix fraction, however, were either absent or markedly deficient in the inner membrane vesicles. These included stimulation of respiration by either ADP or 2,4-dinitrophenol, oligomycin-sensitive ADP-ATP exchange activity, atractyloside sensitivity of adenine nucleotide requiring reactions, and a stimulation of the Mg++-ATPase by 2,4-dinitrophenol. PMID:4254678

  10. Metabolic engineering of an ATP-neutral Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway in Corynebacterium glutamicum: growth restoration by an adaptive point mutation in NADH dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Komati Reddy, Gajendar; Lindner, Steffen N; Wendisch, Volker F

    2015-03-01

    Corynebacterium glutamicum uses the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway of glycolysis and gains 2 mol of ATP per mol of glucose by substrate-level phosphorylation (SLP). To engineer glycolysis without net ATP formation by SLP, endogenous phosphorylating NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was replaced by nonphosphorylating NADP-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GapN) from Clostridium acetobutylicum, which irreversibly converts glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP) to 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG) without generating ATP. As shown recently (S. Takeno, R. Murata, R. Kobayashi, S. Mitsuhashi, and M. Ikeda, Appl Environ Microbiol 76:7154-7160, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AEM.01464-10), this ATP-neutral, NADPH-generating glycolytic pathway did not allow for the growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum with glucose as the sole carbon source unless hitherto unknown suppressor mutations occurred; however, these mutations were not disclosed. In the present study, a suppressor mutation was identified, and it was shown that heterologous expression of udhA encoding soluble transhydrogenase from Escherichia coli partly restored growth, suggesting that growth was inhibited by NADPH accumulation. Moreover, genome sequence analysis of second-site suppressor mutants that were able to grow faster with glucose revealed a single point mutation in the gene of non-proton-pumping NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (NDH-II) leading to the amino acid change D213G, which was shared by these suppressor mutants. Since related NDH-II enzymes accepting NADPH as the substrate possess asparagine or glutamine residues at this position, D213G, D213N, and D213Q variants of C. glutamicum NDH-II were constructed and were shown to oxidize NADPH in addition to NADH. Taking these findings together, ATP-neutral glycolysis by the replacement of endogenous NAD-dependent GAPDH with NADP-dependent GapN became possible via oxidation of NADPH formed in this pathway by mutant NADPH

  11. Two functionally distinct NADP+-dependent ferredoxin oxidoreductases maintain the primary redox balance of Pyrococcus furiosus.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Diep M N; Schut, Gerrit J; Zadvornyy, Oleg A; Tokmina-Lukaszewska, Monika; Poudel, Saroj; Lipscomb, Gina L; Adams, Leslie A; Dinsmore, Jessica T; Nixon, William J; Boyd, Eric S; Bothner, Brian; Peters, John W; Adams, Michael W W

    2017-09-01

    Electron bifurcation has recently gained acceptance as the third mechanism of energy conservation in which energy is conserved through the coupling of exergonic and endergonic reactions. A structure-based mechanism of bifurcation has been elucidated recently for the flavin-based enzyme NADH-dependent ferredoxin NADP + oxidoreductase I (NfnI) from the hyperthermophillic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. NfnI is thought to be involved in maintaining the cellular redox balance, producing NADPH for biosynthesis by recycling the two other primary redox carriers, NADH and ferredoxin. The P. furiosus genome encodes an NfnI paralog termed NfnII, and the two are differentially expressed, depending on the growth conditions. In this study, we show that deletion of the genes encoding either NfnI or NfnII affects the cellular concentrations of NAD(P)H and particularly NADPH. This results in a moderate to severe growth phenotype in deletion mutants, demonstrating a key role for each enzyme in maintaining redox homeostasis. Despite their similarity in primary sequence and cofactor content, crystallographic, kinetic, and mass spectrometry analyses reveal that there are fundamental structural differences between the two enzymes, and NfnII does not catalyze the NfnI bifurcating reaction. Instead, it exhibits non-bifurcating ferredoxin NADP oxidoreductase-type activity. NfnII is therefore proposed to be a bifunctional enzyme and also to catalyze a bifurcating reaction, although its third substrate, in addition to ferredoxin and NADP(H), is as yet unknown. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. Neuroprotective effects of α-iso-cubebene against glutamate-induced damage in the HT22 hippocampal neuronal cell line.

    PubMed

    Park, Sun Young; Jung, Won Jung; Kang, Jum Soon; Kim, Cheol-Min; Park, Geuntae; Choi, Young-Whan

    2015-02-01

    Since oxidative stress is critically involved in excitotoxic damage, we sought to determine whether the activation of the transcription factors, cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2, also known as NFE2L2), by α-iso-cubebene is involved in its protective effects against glutamate-induced neuronal cell death. Pre-treatment with α-iso-cubebene significantly attenuated glutamate-induced cytotoxicity in mouse hippocampus-derived neuronal cells. α-iso-cubebene also reduced the glutamate-induced generation of reactive oxygen species and calcium influx, thus preventing apoptotic cell death. α-iso-cubebene inhibited glutamate-induced mitochondrial membrane depolarization and, consequently, inhibited the release of the apoptosis-inducing factor from the mitochondria. Immunoblot anlaysis revealed that the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) by glutamate was reduced in the presence of α-iso-cubebene. α-iso-cubebene activated protein kinase A (PKA), CREB and Nrf2, which mediate the expression of the antioxidant enzymes, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1), involved in neuroprotection. In addition, α-iso-cubebene induced the expression of antioxidant responsive element and CRE transcriptional activity, thus conferring neuroprotection against glutamate-induced oxidative injury. α-iso-cubebene also induced the expression of Nrf2-dependent genes encoding HO-1 and NQO1. Furthermore, the knockdown of CREB and Nrf2 by small interfering RNA attenuated the neuroprotective effects of α-iso-cubebene. Taken together, our results indicate that α-iso-cubebene protects HT22 cells from glutamate-induced oxidative damage through the activation of Nrf2/HO-1/NQO-1, as well as through the PKA and CREB signaling pathways.

  13. 3′-NADP and 3′-NAADP, Two Metabolites Formed by the Bacterial Type III Effector AvrRxo1*♦

    PubMed Central

    Schuebel, Felix; Rocker, Andrea; Edelmann, Daniel; Schessner, Julia; Brieke, Clara; Meinhart, Anton

    2016-01-01

    An arsenal of effector proteins is injected by bacterial pathogens into the host cell or its vicinity to increase virulence. The commonly used top-down approaches inferring the toxic mechanism of individual effector proteins from the host's phenotype are often impeded by multiple targets of different effectors as well as by their pleiotropic effects. Here we describe our bottom-up approach, showing that the bacterial type III effector AvrRxo1 of plant pathogens is an authentic phosphotransferase that produces two novel metabolites by phosphorylating nicotinamide/nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide at the adenosine 3′-hydroxyl group. Both products of AvrRxo1, 3′-NADP and 3′-nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (3′-NAADP), are substantially different from the ubiquitous co-enzyme 2′-NADP and the calcium mobilizer 2′-NAADP. Interestingly, 3′-NADP and 3′-NAADP have previously been used as inhibitors or signaling molecules but were regarded as “artificial” compounds so far. Our findings now necessitate a shift in thinking about the biological importance of 3′-phosphorylated NAD derivatives. PMID:27621317

  14. Costimulation of AMPA and metabotropic glutamate receptors underlies phospholipase C activation by glutamate in hippocampus.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hye-Hyun; Lee, Kyu-Hee; Lee, Doyun; Han, Young-Eun; Lee, Suk-Ho; Sohn, Jong-Woo; Ho, Won-Kyung

    2015-04-22

    Glutamate, a major neurotransmitter in the brain, activates ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs and mGluRs, respectively). The two types of glutamate receptors interact with each other, as exemplified by the modulation of iGluRs by mGluRs. However, the other way of interaction (i.e., modulation of mGluRs by iGluRs) has not received much attention. In this study, we found that group I mGluR-specific agonist (RS)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) alone is not sufficient to activate phospholipase C (PLC) in rat hippocampus, while glutamate robustly activates PLC. These results suggested that additional mechanisms provided by iGluRs are involved in group I mGluR-mediated PLC activation. A series of experiments demonstrated that glutamate-induced PLC activation is mediated by mGluR5 and is facilitated by local Ca(2+) signals that are induced by AMPA-mediated depolarization and L-type Ca(2+) channel activation. Finally, we found that PLC and L-type Ca(2+) channels are involved in hippocampal mGluR-dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD) induced by paired-pulse low-frequency stimulation, but not in DHPG-induced chemical LTD. Together, we propose that AMPA receptors initiate Ca(2+) influx via the L-type Ca(2+) channels that facilitate mGluR5-PLC signaling cascades, which underlie mGluR-LTD in rat hippocampus. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/356401-12$15.00/0.

  15. Fuel-induced amplification of insulin secretion in mouse pancreatic islets exposed to a high sulfonylurea concentration: role of the NADPH/NADP+ ratio.

    PubMed

    Panten, U; Rustenbeck, I

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine whether the cytosolic NADPH/NADP+ ratio of beta cells serves as an amplifying signal in fuel-induced insulin secretion and whether such a function is mediated by cytosolic alpha-ketoglutarate. Pancreatic islets and islet cells were isolated from albino mice by collagenase digestion. Insulin secretion of incubated or perifused islets was measured by ELISA. The NADPH and NADP+ content of incubated islets was determined by enzymatic cycling. The cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]c) in islets was measured by microfluorimetry and the activity of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in islet cells by patch-clamping. Both 30 mmol/l glucose and 10 mmol/l alpha-ketoisocaproate stimulated insulin secretion and elevated the NADPH/NADP+ ratio of islets preincubated in the absence of fuel. The increase in the NADPH/NADP+ ratio was abolished in the presence of 2.7 micromol/l glipizide (closing all ATP-sensitive K+ channels). However, alpha-ketoisocaproate, but not glucose, still stimulated insulin secretion. That glipizide did not inhibit alpha-ketoisocaproate-induced insulin secretion was not the result of elevated [Ca2+]c, as glucose caused a more marked [Ca2+]c increase. Insulin release triggered by glipizide alone was moderately amplified by dimethyl alpha-ketoglutarate (which is cleaved to produce cytosolic alpha-ketoglutarate), but there was no indication of a signal function of cytosolic alpha-ketoglutarate. The results strongly suggest that the NADPH/NADP+ ratio in the beta cell cytosol does not serve as an amplifying signal in fuel-induced insulin release. The study supports the view that amplification results from the intramitochondrial production of citrate by citrate synthase and from the associated export of citrate into the cytosol.

  16. Glutamate taste and appetite in laboratory mice: physiologic and genetic analyses1234

    PubMed Central

    Bachmanov, Alexander A; Inoue, Masashi; Ji, Hong; Murata, Yuko; Tordoff, Michael G; Beauchamp, Gary K

    2009-01-01

    This article provides an overview of our studies of variation in voluntary glutamate consumption in mice. In 2-bottle preference tests, mice from the C57BL/6ByJ (B6) strain consume more monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) than do mice from the 129P3/J (129) strain. We used these mice to study physiologic and genetic mechanisms that underlie the strain differences in glutamate intake. Our genetic analyses showed that differences between B6 mice and 129 mice in MSG consumption are unrelated to strain variation in consumption of sodium or sweeteners and therefore are attributed to mechanisms specific for glutamate. These strain differences could be due to variation in responses to either taste or postingestive effects of glutamate. To examine the role of taste responsiveness, we measured MSG-evoked activity in gustatory nerves and showed that it is similar in B6 and 129 mice. On the other hand, strain-specific postingestive effects of glutamate were evident from our finding that exposure to MSG increases its consumption in B6 mice and decreases its consumption in 129 mice. We therefore examined whether B6 mice and 129 mice differ in postingestive metabolism of glutamate. We showed that, after intragastric administration of MSG, the MSG is preferentially metabolized through gluconeogenesis in B6 mice, whereas thermogenesis is the predominant process for 129 mice. We hypothesize that a process related to gluconeogenesis of the ingested glutamate generates the rewarding stimulus, which probably occurs in the liver before glucose enters the general circulation, and that the glutamate-induced postingestive thermogenesis generates an aversive stimulus. Our animal model studies raise the question of whether humans also vary in glutamate metabolism in a manner that influences their glutamate preference, consumption, and postingestive processing. PMID:19571213

  17. Interaction of cytoplasmic dehydrogenases: quantitation of pathways of ethanol metabolism.

    PubMed

    Vind, C; Grunnet, N

    1983-01-01

    The interaction between xylitol, alcohol and lactate dehydrogenase has been studied in hepatocytes from rats by applying specifically tritiated substrates. A simple model, describing the metabolic fate of tritium from [2-3H] xylitol and (1R) [1-3H]ethanol is presented. The model allows calculation of the specific radioactivity of free, cytosolic NADH, based on transfer of tritium to lactate, glucose and water. From the initial labelling rate of lactate and the specific radioactivity of cytosolic NADH, we have determined the reversible flow through the lactate dehydrogenase catalyzed reaction to 1-5 mumol/min . g wet wt. The results suggest that xylitol, alcohol and lactate dehydrogenase share the same pool of NAD(H) in the cytoplasma. This finding allows estimation of the ethanol oxidation rate by the non-alcohol dehydrogenase pathways from the relative yield of tritium in water and glucose. The calculations are based on a comparison of the fate of the 1-pro-R hydrogen of ethanol and the hydrogen bound to carbon 2 of xylitol or carbon 2 of lactate under identical conditions.

  18. Glutamate-Dependent Translational Control of Glutamine Synthetase in Bergmann Glia Cells.

    PubMed

    Tiburcio-Félix, Reynaldo; Escalante-López, Miguel; López-Bayghen, Bruno; Martínez, Daniel; Hernández-Kelly, Luisa C; Zinker, Samuel; Hernández-Melchor, Dinorah; López-Bayghen, Esther; Olivares-Bañuelos, Tatiana N; Ortega, Arturo

    2018-06-01

    Glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter of the vertebrate brain. It exerts its actions through the activation of specific plasma membrane receptors expressed both in neurons and in glial cells. Recent evidence has shown that glutamate uptake systems, particularly enriched in glia cells, trigger biochemical cascades in a similar fashion as receptors. A tight regulation of glutamate extracellular levels prevents neuronal overstimulation and cell death, and it is critically involved in glutamate turnover. Glial glutamate transporters are responsible of the majority of the brain glutamate uptake activity. Once internalized, this excitatory amino acid is rapidly metabolized to glutamine via the astrocyte-enriched enzyme glutamine synthetase. A coupling between glutamate uptake and glutamine synthesis and release has been commonly known as the glutamate/glutamine shuttle. Taking advantage of the established model of cultured Bergmann glia cells, in this contribution, we explored the gene expression regulation of glutamine synthetase. A time- and dose-dependent regulation of glutamine synthetase protein and activity levels was found. Moreover, glutamate exposure resulted in the transient shift of glutamine synthetase mRNA from the monosomal to the polysomal fraction. These results demonstrate a novel mode of glutamate-dependent glutamine synthetase regulation and strengthen the notion of an exquisite glia neuronal interaction in glutamatergic synapses.

  19. Higher Ammonium Transamination Capacity Can Alleviate Glutamate Inhibition on Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Root Growth under High Ammonium Stress

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yang; Tian, Zhongwei; Muhammad, Abid; Zhang, Yixuan; Jiang, Dong; Cao, Weixing; Dai, Tingbo

    2016-01-01

    Most of the studies about NH4+ stress mechanism simply address the effects of free NH4+, failing to recognize the changed nitrogen assimilation products. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of glutamate on root growth under high ammonium (NH4+) conditions in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Hydroponic experiments were conducted using two wheat cultivars, AK58 (NH4+-sensitive) and Xumai25 (NH4+-tolerant) with either 5 mM NH4+ nitrogen (AN) as stress treatment or 5 mM nitrate (NO3-) nitrogen as control. To evaluate the effects of NH4+-assimilation products on plant growth, 1 μM L-methionine sulfoximine (MSO) (an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase (GS)) and 1 mM glutamates (a primary N assimilation product) were added to the solutions, respectively. The AN significantly reduced plant biomass, total root length, surface area and root volume in both cultivars, but less effect was observed in Xumai25. The inhibition effects were alleviated by the application of MSO but strengthened by the application of glutamate. The AN increased the activities of GS, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) in both cultivars, resulting in higher glutamate contents. However, its contents were decreased by the application of MSO. Compared to AK58, Xumai25 showed lower glutamate contents due to its higher activities of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT). With the indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) contents decreasing in roots, the ratio of shoot to root in IAA was increased, and further increased by the application of glutamate, and reduced by the application of MSO, but the ratio was lower in Xumai25. Meanwhile, the total soluble sugar contents and its root to shoot ratio also showed similar trends. These results indicate that the NH4+-tolerant cultivar has a greater transamination ability to prevent glutamate over-accumulation to maintain higher IAA transport ability, and consequently promoted soluble sugar transport to roots, further

  20. Different pools of glutamate receptors mediate sensitivity to ambient glutamate in the cochlear nucleus.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Xu-Friedman, Matthew A

    2015-06-01

    Ambient glutamate plays an important role in pathological conditions, such as stroke, but its role during normal activity is not clear. In addition, it is not clear how ambient glutamate acts on glutamate receptors with varying affinities or subcellular localizations. To address this, we studied "endbulb of Held" synapses, which are formed by auditory nerve fibers onto bushy cells (BCs) in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus. When ambient glutamate was increased by applying the glutamate reuptake inhibitor TFB-TBOA, BCs depolarized as a result of activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Application of antagonists against NMDARs (in 0 Mg(2+)) or mGluRs caused hyperpolarization, indicating that these receptors were bound by a tonic source of glutamate. AMPA receptors did not show these effects, consistent with their lower glutamate affinity. We also evaluated the subcellular localization of the receptors activated by ambient glutamate. The mGluRs were not activated by synaptic stimulation and thus appear to be exclusively extrasynaptic. By contrast, NMDARs in both synaptic and extrasynaptic compartments were activated by ambient glutamate, as shown using the use-dependent antagonist MK-801. Levels of ambient glutamate appeared to be regulated in a spike-independent manner, and glia likely play a major role. These low levels of ambient glutamate likely have functional consequences, as even low concentrations of TBOA caused significant increases in BC spiking following synaptic stimulation. These results indicate that normal resting potential appears to be poised in the region of maximal sensitivity to small changes in ambient glutamate. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  1. Different pools of glutamate receptors mediate sensitivity to ambient glutamate in the cochlear nucleus

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Yang

    2015-01-01

    Ambient glutamate plays an important role in pathological conditions, such as stroke, but its role during normal activity is not clear. In addition, it is not clear how ambient glutamate acts on glutamate receptors with varying affinities or subcellular localizations. To address this, we studied “endbulb of Held” synapses, which are formed by auditory nerve fibers onto bushy cells (BCs) in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus. When ambient glutamate was increased by applying the glutamate reuptake inhibitor TFB-TBOA, BCs depolarized as a result of activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Application of antagonists against NMDARs (in 0 Mg2+) or mGluRs caused hyperpolarization, indicating that these receptors were bound by a tonic source of glutamate. AMPA receptors did not show these effects, consistent with their lower glutamate affinity. We also evaluated the subcellular localization of the receptors activated by ambient glutamate. The mGluRs were not activated by synaptic stimulation and thus appear to be exclusively extrasynaptic. By contrast, NMDARs in both synaptic and extrasynaptic compartments were activated by ambient glutamate, as shown using the use-dependent antagonist MK-801. Levels of ambient glutamate appeared to be regulated in a spike-independent manner, and glia likely play a major role. These low levels of ambient glutamate likely have functional consequences, as even low concentrations of TBOA caused significant increases in BC spiking following synaptic stimulation. These results indicate that normal resting potential appears to be poised in the region of maximal sensitivity to small changes in ambient glutamate. PMID:25855696

  2. Characterization of an allylic/benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase from Yokenella sp. strain WZY002, an organism potentially useful for the synthesis of α,β-unsaturated alcohols from allylic aldehydes and ketones.

    PubMed

    Ying, Xiangxian; Wang, Yifang; Xiong, Bin; Wu, Tingting; Xie, Liping; Yu, Meilan; Wang, Zhao

    2014-04-01

    A novel whole-cell biocatalyst with high allylic alcohol-oxidizing activities was screened and identified as Yokenella sp. WZY002, which chemoselectively reduced the C=O bond of allylic aldehydes/ketones to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated alcohols at 30°C and pH 8.0. The strain also had the capacity of stereoselectively reducing aromatic ketones to (S)-enantioselective alcohols. The enzyme responsible for the predominant allylic/benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity was purified to homogeneity and designated YsADH (alcohol dehydrogenase from Yokenella sp.), which had a calculated subunit molecular mass of 36,411 Da. The gene encoding YsADH was subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant YsADH protein was characterized. The enzyme strictly required NADP(H) as a coenzyme and was putatively zinc dependent. The optimal pH and temperature for crotonaldehyde reduction were pH 6.5 and 65°C, whereas those for crotyl alcohol oxidation were pH 8.0 and 55°C. The enzyme showed moderate thermostability, with a half-life of 6.2 h at 55°C. It was robust in the presence of organic solvents and retained 87.5% of the initial activity after 24 h of incubation with 20% (vol/vol) dimethyl sulfoxide. The enzyme preferentially catalyzed allylic/benzyl aldehydes as the substrate in the reduction of aldehydes/ketones and yielded the highest activity of 427 U mg(-1) for benzaldehyde reduction, while the alcohol oxidation reaction demonstrated the maximum activity of 79.9 U mg(-1) using crotyl alcohol as the substrate. Moreover, kinetic parameters of the enzyme showed lower Km values and higher catalytic efficiency for crotonaldehyde/benzaldehyde and NADPH than for crotyl alcohol/benzyl alcohol and NADP(+), suggesting the nature of being an aldehyde reductase.

  3. Characterization of an Allylic/Benzyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase from Yokenella sp. Strain WZY002, an Organism Potentially Useful for the Synthesis of α,β-Unsaturated Alcohols from Allylic Aldehydes and Ketones

    PubMed Central

    Ying, Xiangxian; Wang, Yifang; Xiong, Bin; Wu, Tingting; Xie, Liping; Yu, Meilan

    2014-01-01

    A novel whole-cell biocatalyst with high allylic alcohol-oxidizing activities was screened and identified as Yokenella sp. WZY002, which chemoselectively reduced the C=O bond of allylic aldehydes/ketones to the corresponding α,β-unsaturated alcohols at 30°C and pH 8.0. The strain also had the capacity of stereoselectively reducing aromatic ketones to (S)-enantioselective alcohols. The enzyme responsible for the predominant allylic/benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity was purified to homogeneity and designated YsADH (alcohol dehydrogenase from Yokenella sp.), which had a calculated subunit molecular mass of 36,411 Da. The gene encoding YsADH was subsequently expressed in Escherichia coli, and the purified recombinant YsADH protein was characterized. The enzyme strictly required NADP(H) as a coenzyme and was putatively zinc dependent. The optimal pH and temperature for crotonaldehyde reduction were pH 6.5 and 65°C, whereas those for crotyl alcohol oxidation were pH 8.0 and 55°C. The enzyme showed moderate thermostability, with a half-life of 6.2 h at 55°C. It was robust in the presence of organic solvents and retained 87.5% of the initial activity after 24 h of incubation with 20% (vol/vol) dimethyl sulfoxide. The enzyme preferentially catalyzed allylic/benzyl aldehydes as the substrate in the reduction of aldehydes/ketones and yielded the highest activity of 427 U mg−1 for benzaldehyde reduction, while the alcohol oxidation reaction demonstrated the maximum activity of 79.9 U mg−1 using crotyl alcohol as the substrate. Moreover, kinetic parameters of the enzyme showed lower Km values and higher catalytic efficiency for crotonaldehyde/benzaldehyde and NADPH than for crotyl alcohol/benzyl alcohol and NADP+, suggesting the nature of being an aldehyde reductase. PMID:24509923

  4. Expression of specific ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptor subunits is decreased in central amygdala of alcoholics.

    PubMed

    Jin, Zhe; Bhandage, Amol K; Bazov, Igor; Kononenko, Olga; Bakalkin, Georgy; Korpi, Esa R; Birnir, Bryndis

    2014-01-01

    The central amygdala (CeA) has a role for mediating fear and anxiety responses. It is also involved in emotional imbalance caused by alcohol abuse and dependence and in regulating relapse to alcohol abuse. Growing evidences suggest that excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) transmissions in the CeA are affected by chronic alcohol exposure. Human post-mortem CeA samples from male alcoholics (n = 9) and matched controls (n = 9) were assayed for the expression level of ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptors subunit mRNAs using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR). Our data revealed that out of the 16 ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits, mRNAs encoding two AMPA [2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl)propanoic acid] receptor subunits GluA1 and GluA4; one kainate receptor subunit GluK2; one NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor subunit GluN2D and one delta receptor subunit GluD2 were significantly decreased in the CeA of alcoholics. In contrast, of the 19 GABA-A receptor subunits, only the mRNA encoding the α2 subunit was significantly down-regulated in the CeA of the alcoholics as compared with control subjects. Our findings imply that the down-regulation of specific ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptor subunits in the CeA of alcoholics may represent one of the molecular substrates underlying the new balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in alcohol dependence.

  5. Expression of specific ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptor subunits is decreased in central amygdala of alcoholics

    PubMed Central

    Jin, Zhe; Bhandage, Amol K.; Bazov, Igor; Kononenko, Olga; Bakalkin, Georgy; Korpi, Esa R.; Birnir, Bryndis

    2014-01-01

    The central amygdala (CeA) has a role for mediating fear and anxiety responses. It is also involved in emotional imbalance caused by alcohol abuse and dependence and in regulating relapse to alcohol abuse. Growing evidences suggest that excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) transmissions in the CeA are affected by chronic alcohol exposure. Human post-mortem CeA samples from male alcoholics (n = 9) and matched controls (n = 9) were assayed for the expression level of ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptors subunit mRNAs using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-qPCR). Our data revealed that out of the 16 ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits, mRNAs encoding two AMPA [2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl)propanoic acid] receptor subunits GluA1 and GluA4; one kainate receptor subunit GluK2; one NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor subunit GluN2D and one delta receptor subunit GluD2 were significantly decreased in the CeA of alcoholics. In contrast, of the 19 GABA-A receptor subunits, only the mRNA encoding the α2 subunit was significantly down-regulated in the CeA of the alcoholics as compared with control subjects. Our findings imply that the down-regulation of specific ionotropic glutamate and GABA-A receptor subunits in the CeA of alcoholics may represent one of the molecular substrates underlying the new balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in alcohol dependence. PMID:25278838

  6. Distribution of vesicular glutamate transporters in the human brain

    PubMed Central

    Vigneault, Érika; Poirel, Odile; Riad, Mustapha; Prud'homme, Josée; Dumas, Sylvie; Turecki, Gustavo; Fasano, Caroline; Mechawar, Naguib; El Mestikawy, Salah

    2015-01-01

    Glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter in the brain. Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1-3) are responsible for uploading glutamate into synaptic vesicles. VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are considered as specific markers of canonical glutamatergic neurons, while VGLUT3 is found in neurons previously shown to use other neurotransmitters than glutamate. Although there exists a rich literature on the localization of these glutamatergic markers in the rodent brain, little is currently known about the distribution of VGLUT1-3 in the human brain. In the present study, using subtype specific probes and antisera, we examined the localization of the three vesicular glutamate transporters in the human brain by in situ hybridization, immunoautoradiography and immunohistochemistry. We found that the VGLUT1 transcript was highly expressed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, whereas VGLUT2 mRNA was mainly found in the thalamus and brainstem. VGLUT3 mRNA was localized in scarce neurons within the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum and raphe nuclei. Following immunoautoradiographic labeling, intense VGLUT1- and VGLUT2-immunoreactivities were observed in all regions investigated (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, cerebellum, thalamus, amygdala, substantia nigra, raphe) while VGLUT3 was absent from the thalamus and cerebellum. This extensive mapping of VGLUT1-3 in human brain reveals distributions that correspond for the most part to those previously described in rodent brains. PMID:25798091

  7. Distribution of vesicular glutamate transporters in the human brain.

    PubMed

    Vigneault, Érika; Poirel, Odile; Riad, Mustapha; Prud'homme, Josée; Dumas, Sylvie; Turecki, Gustavo; Fasano, Caroline; Mechawar, Naguib; El Mestikawy, Salah

    2015-01-01

    Glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter in the brain. Vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUT1-3) are responsible for uploading glutamate into synaptic vesicles. VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 are considered as specific markers of canonical glutamatergic neurons, while VGLUT3 is found in neurons previously shown to use other neurotransmitters than glutamate. Although there exists a rich literature on the localization of these glutamatergic markers in the rodent brain, little is currently known about the distribution of VGLUT1-3 in the human brain. In the present study, using subtype specific probes and antisera, we examined the localization of the three vesicular glutamate transporters in the human brain by in situ hybridization, immunoautoradiography and immunohistochemistry. We found that the VGLUT1 transcript was highly expressed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, whereas VGLUT2 mRNA was mainly found in the thalamus and brainstem. VGLUT3 mRNA was localized in scarce neurons within the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum and raphe nuclei. Following immunoautoradiographic labeling, intense VGLUT1- and VGLUT2-immunoreactivities were observed in all regions investigated (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, cerebellum, thalamus, amygdala, substantia nigra, raphe) while VGLUT3 was absent from the thalamus and cerebellum. This extensive mapping of VGLUT1-3 in human brain reveals distributions that correspond for the most part to those previously described in rodent brains.

  8. Photosynthetic electron partitioning between [FeFe]-hydrogenase and ferredoxin:NADP+-oxidoreductase (FNR) enzymes in vitro

    PubMed Central

    Yacoby, Iftach; Pochekailov, Sergii; Toporik, Hila; Ghirardi, Maria L.; King, Paul W.; Zhang, Shuguang

    2011-01-01

    Photosynthetic water splitting, coupled to hydrogenase-catalyzed hydrogen production, is considered a promising clean, renewable source of energy. It is widely accepted that the oxygen sensitivity of hydrogen production, combined with competition between hydrogenases and NADPH-dependent carbon dioxide fixation are the main limitations for its commercialization. Here we provide evidence that, under the anaerobic conditions that support hydrogen production, there is a significant loss of photosynthetic electrons toward NADPH production in vitro. To elucidate the basis for competition, we bioengineered a ferredoxin-hydrogenase fusion and characterized hydrogen production kinetics in the presence of Fd, ferredoxin:NADP+-oxidoreductase (FNR), and NADP+. Replacing the hydrogenase with a ferredoxin-hydrogenase fusion switched the bias of electron transfer from FNR to hydrogenase and resulted in an increased rate of hydrogen photoproduction. These results suggest a new direction for improvement of biohydrogen production and a means to further resolve the mechanisms that control partitioning of photosynthetic electron transport. PMID:21606330

  9. Ligands for Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors

    PubMed Central

    Swanson, Geoffrey T.; Sakai, Ryuichi

    2010-01-01

    Marine-derived small molecules and peptides have played a central role in elaborating pharmacological specificities and neuronal functions of mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the primary mediators of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). As well, the pathological sequelae elicited by one class of compounds (the kainoids) constitute a widely-used animal model for human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). New and existing molecules could prove useful as lead compounds for the development of therapeutics for neuropathologies that have aberrant glutamatergic signaling as a central component. In this chapter we discuss natural source origins and pharmacological activities of those marine compounds that target ionotropic glutamate receptors. PMID:19184587

  10. Ligands for Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swanson, Geoffrey T.; Sakai, Ryuichi

    Marine-derived small molecules and peptides have played a central role in elaborating pharmacological specificities and neuronal functions of mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs), the primary mediators of excitatory syn-aptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). As well, the pathological sequelae elicited by one class of compounds (the kainoids) constitute a widely-used animal model for human mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE). New and existing molecules could prove useful as lead compounds for the development of therapeutics for neuropathologies that have aberrant glutamatergic signaling as a central component. In this chapter we discuss natural source origins and pharmacological activities of those marine compounds that target ionotropic glutamate receptors.

  11. Activation of Pedunculopontine Glutamate Neurons Is Reinforcing

    PubMed Central

    Yoo, Ji Hoon; Zell, Vivien; Wu, Johnathan; Punta, Cindy; Ramajayam, Nivedita; Shen, Xinyi; Faget, Lauren; Lilascharoen, Varoth; Lim, Byung Kook

    2017-01-01

    Dopamine transmission from midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) neurons underlies behavioral processes related to motivation and drug addiction. The pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) is a brainstem nucleus containing glutamate-, acetylcholine-, and GABA-releasing neurons with connections to basal ganglia and limbic brain regions. Here we investigated the role of PPTg glutamate neurons in reinforcement, with an emphasis on their projections to VTA dopamine neurons. We used cell-type-specific anterograde tracing and optogenetic methods to selectively label and manipulate glutamate projections from PPTg neurons in mice. We used anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral assays to determine their patterns of connectivity and ascribe functional roles in reinforcement. We found that photoactivation of PPTg glutamate cell bodies could serve as a direct positive reinforcer on intracranial self-photostimulation assays. Further, PPTg glutamate neurons directly innervate VTA; photostimulation of this pathway preferentially excites VTA dopamine neurons and is sufficient to induce behavioral reinforcement. These results demonstrate that ascending PPTg glutamate projections can drive motivated behavior, and PPTg to VTA synapses may represent an important target relevant to drug addiction and other mental health disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Uncovering brain circuits underlying reward-seeking is an important step toward understanding the circuit bases of drug addiction and other psychiatric disorders. The dopaminergic system emanating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) plays a key role in regulating reward-seeking behaviors. We used optogenetics to demonstrate that the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus sends glutamatergic projections to VTA dopamine neurons, and that stimulation of this circuit promotes behavioral reinforcement. The findings support a critical role for pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus glutamate neurotransmission in modulating VTA dopamine

  12. A role of the transcriptional regulator LldR (NCgl2814) in glutamate metabolism under biotin-limited conditions in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

    PubMed

    Supkulsutra, Tanyanut; Maeda, Tomoya; Kumagai, Kosuke; Wachi, Masaaki

    2013-01-01

    Corynebacterium glutamicum is a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium used for the fermentative production of L-glutamate. LldR (NCgl2814) is known as a repressor for ldhA and lldD encoding lactate dehydrogenases. LdhA is responsible for production of L-lactate, while LldD is for its assimilation. Since L-lactate production was observed as a by-product of glutamate production under biotin-limited conditions, LldR might play a regulatory role in the glutamate metabolism. Here for the first time, we investigated effects of overproduction or deletion of LldR on the glutamate metabolism under biotin-limited conditions in C. glutamicum. It was found that glutamate production under biotin-limited conditions was decreased by overproduction of LldR. In the wild-type cells, L-lactate was produced in the first 24 h and it was re-consumed thereafter. On the other hand, in the overproduced cells, L-lactate was produced like the wild type, but it was not re-consumed. This means that L-lactate assimilation, which is catalyzed by LldD, was suppressed by the overproduction of LldR, but L-lactate production, which is catalyzed by LdhA, was not affected, indicating that LldR mainly controls the expression of lldD but not of ldhA under biotin-limited conditions. This was confirmed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. From these results, it is suggested that L-lactate metabolism, which is controlled by LldR, has a buffering function of the pyruvate pool for glutamate production.

  13. Structural and functional comparison of two human liver dihydrodiol dehydrogenases associated with 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity.

    PubMed Central

    Deyashiki, Y; Taniguchi, H; Amano, T; Nakayama, T; Hara, A; Sawada, H

    1992-01-01

    Two monomeric dihydrodiol dehydrogenases with pI values of 5.4 and 7.6 were co-purified with androsterone dehydrogenase activity to homogeneity from human liver. The two enzymes differed from each other on peptide mapping and in their heat-stabilities; with respect to the latter the dihydrodiol dehydrogenase and 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities of the respective enzymes were similarly inactivated. The pI 5.4 enzyme was equally active towards trans- and cis-benzene dihydrodiols, and towards (S)- and (R)-forms of indan-1-ol and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphth-1-ol and oxidized the 3 alpha-hydroxy group of C19-, C21- and C24-steroids, whereas the pI 7.6 enzyme showed high specificity for trans-benzene dihydrodiol, (S)-forms of the alicyclic alcohols and C19- and C21-steroids. Although the two enzymes reduced various xenobiotic carbonyl compounds and the 3-oxo group of C19- and C21-steroids, and were A-specific in the hydrogen transfer from NADPH, only the pI 5.4 enzyme showed reductase activity towards 7 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-cholestan-3-one and dehydrolithocholic acid. The affinity of the two enzymes for the steroidal substrates was higher than that for the xenobiotic substrates. The two enzymes also showed different susceptibilities to the inhibition by anti-inflammatory drugs and bile acids. Whereas the pI-5.4 enzyme was highly sensitive to anti-inflammatory steroids, showing mixed-type inhibitions with respect to indan-1-ol and androsterone, the pI 7.6 enzyme was inhibited more potently by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and bile acids than by the steroidal drugs, and the inhibitions were all competitive. These structural and functional differences suggest that the two enzymes are 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase isoenzymes. Images Fig. 2. PMID:1554355

  14. Comparative Studies of Enzymes Related to Serine Metabolism in Higher Plants 1

    PubMed Central

    Cheung, Geoffrey P.; Rosenblum, I. Y.; Sallach, H. J.

    1968-01-01

    The following enzymes related to serine metabolism in higher plants have been investigated: 1) d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, 2) phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase, 3) d-glycerate dehydrogenase, and 4) hydroxypyruvate:l-alanine transaminase. Comparative studies on the distribution of the 2 dehydrogenases in seeds and leaves from various plants revealed that d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase is widely distributed in seeds in contrast to d-glycerate dehydrogenase, which is either absent or present at low levels, and that the reverse pattern is observed in green leaves. The levels of activity of the 4 enzymes listed above were followed in different tissues of the developing pea (Pisum sativum, var. Alaska). In the leaf, from the tenth to seventeenth day of germination, the specific activity of d-glycerate dehydrogenase increased markedly and was much higher than d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase which remained relatively constant during this time period. Etiolation resulted in a decrease in d-glycerate dehydrogenase and an increase in d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase activities. In apical meristem, on the other hand, the level of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase exceeded that of d-glycerate dehydrogenase at all time periods studied. Low and decreasing levels of both dehydrogenases were found in epicotyl and cotyledon. The specific activities of the 2 transaminases remained relatively constant during development in both leaf and apical meristem. In general, however, the levels of phosphohydroxypyruvate:l-glutamate transaminase were comparable to those of d-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase in a given tissue as were those for hydroxypyruvate: l-alanine transaminase and d-glycerate dehydrogenase. PMID:5699148

  15. [Pharmacology of glutamate sensitive synapses (I). Glutamate agonists (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Shinozaki, H

    1982-04-01

    The actions of kainic acid, quisqualic acid, and ibotenic acid on the crayfish neuromuscular junction were described, and it was particularly interesting that the discrepancy between glutamate responses and EJPs was revealed by the use of kainic acid. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence showing that glutamate is an excitatory transmitter at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. At this stage, we are unable as yet to definitively support or reject glutamate's candidacy as the excitatory transmitter at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. The discrepancy revealed by the use of kainic acid may bring up some questions. Certainly, the differential action of kainic acid on the glutamate current and the excitatory synaptic current opens to doubt the transmitter role of glutamate. In the case of the study on a transmitter role for a substance of doubt status, the value of pharmacological studies seems to be greater in disproving than in asserting such the role. However, we have to consider the matter of the extra-junctional receptor postulated on the crayfish postsynaptic membrane as one of the major problems for pharmacological identification.

  16. Disruption of pknG enhances production of gamma-aminobutyric acid by Corynebacterium glutamicum expressing glutamate decarboxylase.

    PubMed

    Okai, Naoko; Takahashi, Chihiro; Hatada, Kazuki; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko

    2014-01-01

    Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a building block of the biodegradable plastic polyamide 4, is synthesized from glucose by Corynebacterium glutamicum that expresses Escherichia coli glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) B encoded by gadB. This strain was engineered to produce GABA more efficiently from biomass-derived sugars. To enhance GABA production further by increasing the intracellular concentration of its precursor glutamate, we focused on engineering pknG (encoding serine/threonine protein kinase G), which controls the activity of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (Odh) in the tricarboxylic acid cycle branch point leading to glutamate synthesis. We succeeded in expressing GadB in a C. glutamicum strain harboring a deletion of pknG. C. glutamicum strains GAD and GAD ∆pknG were cultured in GP2 medium containing 100 g L(-1) glucose and 0.1 mM pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. Strain GAD∆pknG produced 31.1 ± 0.41 g L(-1) (0.259 g L(-1) h(-1)) of GABA in 120 hours, representing a 2.29-fold higher level compared with GAD. The production yield of GABA from glucose by GAD∆pknG reached 0.893 mol mol(-1).

  17. Alcohol Dehydrogenase Activities of Wine Yeasts in Relation to Higher Alcohol Formation

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Rajendra; Kunkee, Ralph E.

    1976-01-01

    Alcohol dehydrogenase activities were examined in cell-free extracts of 10 representative wine yeast strains having various productivities of higher alcohols (fusel oil). The amount of fusel alcohols (n-propanol, isobutanol, active pentanol, and isopentanol) produced by the different yeasts and the specific alcohol dehydrogenase activities with the corresponding alcohols as substrates were found to be significantly related. No such relationship was found for ethanol. The amounts of higher alcohols formed during vinification could be predicted from the specific activities of the alcohol dehydrogenases with high accuracy. The results suggest a close relationship between the control of the activities of alcohol dehydrogenase and the formation of fusel oil alcohols. Also, new procedures for the prediction of higher alcohol formation during alcoholic beverage fermentation are suggested. PMID:16345179

  18. Microorganisms and methods for producing pyruvate, ethanol, and other compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Reed, Jennifer L.; Zhang, Xiaolin

    Microorganisms comprising modifications for producing pyruvate, ethanol, and other compounds. The microorganisms comprise modifications that reduce or ablate activity of one or more of pyruvate dehydrogenase, 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, phosphate acetyltransferase, acetate kinase, pyruvate oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, cytochrome terminal oxidase, succinate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, pyruvate formate lyase, pyruvate formate lyase activating enzyme, and isocitrate lyase. The microorganisms optionally comprise modifications that enhance expression or activity of pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase. The microorganisms are optionally evolved in defined media to enhance specific production of one or more compounds. Methods of producing compounds with the microorganisms are provided.

  19. DB Dehydrogenase: an online integrated structural database on enzyme dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Nandy, Suman Kumar; Bhuyan, Rajabrata; Seal, Alpana

    2012-01-01

    Dehydrogenase enzymes are almost inevitable for metabolic processes. Shortage or malfunctioning of dehydrogenases often leads to several acute diseases like cancers, retinal diseases, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer, hepatitis B & C etc. With advancement in modern-day research, huge amount of sequential, structural and functional data are generated everyday and widens the gap between structural attributes and its functional understanding. DB Dehydrogenase is an effort to relate the functionalities of dehydrogenase with its structures. It is a completely web-based structural database, covering almost all dehydrogenases [~150 enzyme classes, ~1200 entries from ~160 organisms] whose structures are known. It is created by extracting and integrating various online resources to provide the true and reliable data and implemented by MySQL relational database through user friendly web interfaces using CGI Perl. Flexible search options are there for data extraction and exploration. To summarize, sequence, structure, function of all dehydrogenases in one place along with the necessary option of cross-referencing; this database will be utile for researchers to carry out further work in this field. The database is available for free at http://www.bifku.in/DBD/

  20. Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation as a therapeutic target in gliomas.

    PubMed

    Han, Catherine H; Batchelor, Tracy T

    2017-06-01

    Isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDH) are important enzymes that catalyze the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate (α-KG), producing NADPH in the process. More than 80% of low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastoma (GBM) harbor an IDH mutation. IDH mutations involve the catalytic pocket of the enzyme and lead to a neomorphic ability to produce 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) while oxidizing NADPH to NADP+. 2HG is considered as an 'oncometabolite' which is thought to be responsible for many, if not all, biologic effects of IDH mutations. 2HG accumulation competitively inhibits α-KG-dependent dioxygenases, including histone lysine demethylases and DNA demethylases, resulting in a hypermethylation phenotype with alterations in cellular epigenetic status as well as a block in cellular differentiation. IDH mutations have been suggested as an important early event in tumorigenesis, however it remains unclear whether IDH mutation by itself causes cancer or if it requires other oncogenic events to initiate tumorigenesis. Significant efforts have been made to better understand the mechanisms of IDH mutations in tumor initiation and progression, and to develop targeted therapies for IDH-mutated tumors. This review provides an overview of the function of mutant IDH, and the current understanding of the role IDH mutations play in gliomagenesis. In addition, several potential therapeutic strategies for IDH-mutant gliomas, including mutant IDH inhibitors which have entered clinical evaluation in glioma patients, will be discussed.

  1. 50 Hz hippocampal stimulation in refractory epilepsy: Higher level of basal glutamate predicts greater release of glutamate.

    PubMed

    Cavus, Idil; Widi, Gabriel A; Duckrow, Robert B; Zaveri, Hitten; Kennard, Jeremy T; Krystal, John; Spencer, Dennis D

    2016-02-01

    The effect of electrical stimulation on brain glutamate release in humans is unknown. Glutamate is elevated at baseline in the epileptogenic hippocampus of patients with refractory epilepsy, and increases during spontaneous seizures. We examined the effect of 50 Hz stimulation on glutamate release and its relationship to interictal levels in the hippocampus of patients with epilepsy. In addition, we measured basal and stimulated glutamate levels in a subset of these patients where stimulation elicited a seizure. Subjects (n = 10) were patients with medically refractory epilepsy who were undergoing intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) evaluation in an epilepsy monitoring unit. Electrical stimulation (50 Hz) was delivered through implanted hippocampal electrodes (n = 11), and microdialysate samples were collected every 2 min. Basal glutamate, changes in glutamate efflux with stimulation, and the relationships between peak stimulation-associated glutamate concentrations, basal zero-flow levels, and stimulated seizures were examined. Stimulation of epileptic hippocampi in patients with refractory epilepsy caused increases in glutamate efflux (p = 0.005, n = 10), and 4 of ten patients experienced brief stimulated seizures. Stimulation-induced increases in glutamate were not observed during the evoked seizures, but rather were related to the elevation in interictal basal glutamate (R(2) = 0.81, p = 0.001). The evoked-seizure group had lower basal glutamate levels than the no-seizure group (p = 0.04), with no stimulation-induced change in glutamate efflux (p = 0.47, n = 4). Conversely, increased glutamate was observed following stimulation in the no-seizure group (p = 0.005, n = 7). Subjects with an atrophic hippocampus had higher basal glutamate levels (p = 0.03, n = 7) and higher stimulation-induced glutamate efflux. Electrical stimulation of the epileptic hippocampus either increased extracellular glutamate efflux or induced seizures. The magnitude of stimulated

  2. Region-specific expression of vesicular glutamate and GABA transporters under various ischaemic conditions in mouse forebrain and retina.

    PubMed

    Michalski, D; Härtig, W; Krügel, K; Edwards, R H; Böddener, M; Böhme, L; Pannicke, T; Reichenbach, A; Grosche, A

    2013-02-12

    There is accumulating evidence that glutamate and GABA release are key mechanisms of ischaemic events in the CNS. However, data on the expression of involved transporters for these mediators are inconsistent, potentially impeding further neuroprotective approaches. Here, we applied immunofluorescence labelling to characterise the expression pattern of vesicular glutamate (VGLUT) and GABA transporters (VGAT) after acute focal cerebral ischaemia and in two models of retinal ischaemia. Mice were subjected to filament-based focal cerebral ischaemia predominantly involving the middle cerebral artery territory, also leading to retinal ischaemia due to central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). Alternatively, retinal ischaemia was induced by a transient increase of the intraocular pressure (HIOP). One day after ischaemia onset, diminished immunolabelling of neuronal nuclei and microtubule-associated protein 2-positive structures were found in the ipsilateral neocortex, subcortex and the retina, indicating neuronal degeneration. VGLUT1 expression did not change significantly in ischaemic tissues whereas VGLUT2 was down-regulated in specific areas of the brain. VGLUT3 expression was only slightly down-regulated in the ischaemia-affected neocortex, and was found to form clusters on fibrils of unknown origin in the ischaemic lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, retinae subjected to CRAO or HIOP displayed a rapid loss of VGLUT3-immunoreactivity. The expression of VGAT appears resistant to ischaemia as there was no significant alteration in all the regions analysed. In summary, these data indicate a region- and subtype-specific change of VGLUT expression in the ischaemia-affected CNS, whose consideration might help to generate specific neuroprotective strategies. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Exogenous Gene Transmission of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 2 Mimics Ischemic Preconditioning Protection.

    PubMed

    Kolb, Alexander L; Corridon, Peter R; Zhang, Shijun; Xu, Weimin; Witzmann, Frank A; Collett, Jason A; Rhodes, George J; Winfree, Seth; Bready, Devin; Pfeffenberger, Zechariah J; Pomerantz, Jeremy M; Hato, Takashi; Nagami, Glenn T; Molitoris, Bruce A; Basile, David P; Atkinson, Simon J; Bacallao, Robert L

    2018-04-01

    Ischemic preconditioning confers organ-wide protection against subsequent ischemic stress. A substantial body of evidence underscores the importance of mitochondria adaptation as a critical component of cell protection from ischemia. To identify changes in mitochondria protein expression in response to ischemic preconditioning, we isolated mitochondria from ischemic preconditioned kidneys and sham-treated kidneys as a basis for comparison. The proteomic screen identified highly upregulated proteins, including NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2), and we confirmed the ability of this protein to confer cellular protection from injury in murine S3 proximal tubule cells subjected to hypoxia. To further evaluate the role of IDH2 in cell protection, we performed detailed analysis of the effects of Idh2 gene delivery on kidney susceptibility to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Gene delivery of IDH2 before injury attenuated the injury-induced rise in serum creatinine ( P <0.05) observed in controls and increased the mitochondria membrane potential ( P <0.05), maximal respiratory capacity ( P <0.05), and intracellular ATP levels ( P <0.05) above those in controls. This communication shows that gene delivery of Idh2 can confer organ-wide protection against subsequent ischemia-reperfusion injury and mimics ischemic preconditioning. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

  4. Pharmacology of Glutamate Transport in the CNS: Substrates and Inhibitors of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs) and the Glutamate/Cystine Exchanger System x c -

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bridges, Richard J.; Patel, Sarjubhai A.

    As the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian CNS, l-glutamate participates not only in standard fast synaptic communication, but also contributes to higher order signal processing, as well as neuropathology. Given this variety of functional roles, interest has been growing as to how the extracellular concentrations of l-glutamate surrounding neurons are regulated by cellular transporter proteins. This review focuses on two prominent systems, each of which appears capable of influencing both the signaling and pathological actions of l-glutamate within the CNS: the sodium-dependent excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) and the glutamate/cystine exchanger, system x c - (Sx c -). While the family of EAAT subtypes limit access to glutamate receptors by rapidly and efficiently sequestering l-glutamate in neurons and glia, Sxc - provides a route for the export of glutamate from cells into the extracellular environment. The primary intent of this work is to provide an overview of the inhibitors and substrates that have been developed to delineate the pharmacological specificity of these transport systems, as well as be exploited as probes with which to selectively investigate function. Particular attention is paid to the development of small molecule templates that mimic the structural properties of the endogenous substrates, l-glutamate, l-aspartate and l-cystine and how strategic control of functional group position and/or the introduction of lipophilic R-groups can impact multiple aspects of the transport process, including: subtype selectivity, inhibitory potency, and substrate activity.

  5. Crystal structure of homoisocitrate dehydrogenase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bulfer, Stacie L.; Hendershot, Jenna M.; Trievel, Raymond C.

    Lysine biosynthesis in fungi, euglena, and certain archaebacteria occurs through the {alpha}-aminoadipate pathway. Enzymes in the first steps of this pathway have been proposed as potential targets for the development of antifungal therapies, as they are absent in animals but are conserved in several pathogenic fungi species, including Candida, Cryptococcus, and Aspergillus. One potential antifungal target in the {alpha}-aminoadipate pathway is the third enzyme in the pathway, homoisocitrate dehydrogenase (HICDH), which catalyzes the divalent metal-dependent conversion of homoisocitrate to 2-oxoadipate (2-OA) using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD{sup +}) as a cofactor. HICDH belogns to a family of {beta}-hydroxyacid oxidative decarboxylases thatmore » includes malate dehydrogenase, tartrate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), and 3-isopropylmalte dehydrogenase (IPMDH). ICDH and IPMDH are well-characterized enzymes that catalyze the decarboxylation of isocitrate to yield 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) in the citric acid cycle and the conversion of 3-isopropylmalate to 2-oxoisovalerate in the leucine biosynthetic pathway, respectively. Recent structural and biochemical studies of HICDH reveal that this enzyme shares sequence, structural, and mechanistic homology with ICDH and IPMDH. To date, the only published structures of HICDH are from the archaebacteria Thermus thermophilus (TtHICDH). Fungal HICDHs diverge from TtHICDH in several aspects, including their thermal stability, oligomerization state, and substrate specificity, thus warranting further characterization. To gain insights into these differences, they determined crystal structures of a fungal Schizosaccharomyces pombe HICDH (SpHICDH) as an apoenzyme and as a binary complex with additive tripeptide glycyl-glycyl-glycine (GGG) to 1.55 {angstrom} and 1.85 {angstrom} resolution, respectively. Finally, a comparison of the SpHICDH and TtHICDH structures reveal

  6. Catalytic Mechanism of Short Ethoxy Chain Nonylphenol Dehydrogenase Belonging to a Polyethylene Glycol Dehydrogenase Group in the GMC Oxidoreductase Family

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Xin; Ohta, Takeshi; Kawabata, Takeshi; Kawai, Fusako

    2013-01-01

    Ethoxy (EO) chain nonylphenol dehydrogenase (NPEO-DH) from Ensifer sp. AS08 and EO chain octylphenol dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida share common molecular characteristics with polyethylene glycol (PEG) dehydrogenases (PEG-DH) and comprise a PEG-DH subgroup in the family of glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductases that includes glucose/alcohol oxidase and glucose/choline dehydrogenase. Three-dimensional (3D) molecular modeling suggested that differences in the size, secondary structure and hydropathy in the active site caused differences in their substrate specificities toward EO chain alkylphenols and free PEGs. Based on 3D molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis was utilized to introduce mutations into potential catalytic residues of NPEO-DH. From steady state and rapid kinetic characterization of wild type and mutant NPEO-DHs, we can conclude that His465 and Asn507 are directly involved in the catalysis. Asn507 mediates the transfer of proton from a substrate to FAD and His465 transfers the same proton from the reduced flavin to an electron acceptor. PMID:23306149

  7. Catalytic mechanism of short ethoxy chain nonylphenol dehydrogenase belonging to a polyethylene glycol dehydrogenase group in the GMC oxidoreductase family.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xin; Ohta, Takeshi; Kawabata, Takeshi; Kawai, Fusako

    2013-01-10

    Ethoxy (EO) chain nonylphenol dehydrogenase (NPEO-DH) from Ensifer sp. AS08 and EO chain octylphenol dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida share common molecular characteristics with polyethylene glycol (PEG) dehydrogenases (PEG-DH) and comprise a PEG-DH subgroup in the family of glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductases that includes glucose/alcohol oxidase and glucose/choline dehydrogenase. Three-dimensional (3D) molecular modeling suggested that differences in the size, secondary structure and hydropathy in the active site caused differences in their substrate specificities toward EO chain alkylphenols and free PEGs. Based on 3D molecular modeling, site-directed mutagenesis was utilized to introduce mutations into potential catalytic residues of NPEO-DH. From steady state and rapid kinetic characterization of wild type and mutant NPEO-DHs, we can conclude that His465 and Asn507 are directly involved in the catalysis. Asn507 mediates the transfer of proton from a substrate to FAD and His465 transfers the same proton from the reduced flavin to an electron acceptor.

  8. Digitalis metabolism and human liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

    PubMed Central

    Frey, W A; Vallee, B L

    1980-01-01

    Human liver alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol: NAD" oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.1) catalyzes the oxidation of the 3 beta-OH group of digitoxigenin, digoxigenin, and gitoxigenin to their 3-keto derivatives, which have been characterized by high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. These studies have identified human liver alcohol dehydrogenase as the unknown NAD(H)-dependent liver enzyme specific for the free hydroxyl group at C3 of the cardiac genins; this hydroxyl is the critical site of the genins' enzymatic oxidation and concomitant pharmacological inactivation in humans. Several kinetic approaches have demonstrated that ethanol and the pharmacologically active components of the digitalis glycosides are oxidized with closely similar kcat/Km values at the same site on human liver alcohol dehydrogenase, for which they compete. Human liver alcohol dehydrogenase thereby becomes an important biochemical link in the metabolism, pharmacology, and toxicology of ethanol and these glycosides, structurally unrelated agents that are both used widely. Both the competition of ethanol with these cardiac sterols and the narrow margin of safety in the therapeutic use of digitalis derivatives would seem to place at increased risk those individuals who receive digitalis and simultaneously consume large amounts of ethanol or whose alcohol dehydrogenase function is impaired. PMID:6987673

  9. Synergistic binding of bHLH transcription factors to the promoter of the maize NADP-ME gene used in C4 photosynthesis is based on an ancient code found in the ancestral C3 state.

    PubMed

    Borba, Ana Rita; Serra, Tânia S; Górska, Alicja; Gouveia, Paulo; Cordeiro, André M; Reyna-Llorens, Ivan; Knerová, Jana; Barros, Pedro M; Abreu, Isabel A; Oliveira, M Margarida; Hibberd, Julian M; Saibo, Nelson J M

    2018-04-05

    C4 photosynthesis has evolved repeatedly from the ancestral C3 state to generate a carbon concentrating mechanism that increases photosynthetic efficiency. This specialised form of photosynthesis is particularly common in the PACMAD clade of grasses, and is used by many of the world's most productive crops. The C4 cycle is accomplished through cell-type specific accumulation of enzymes but cis-elements and transcription factors controlling C4 photosynthesis remain largely unknown. Using the NADP-Malic Enzyme (NADP-ME) gene as a model we tested whether mechanisms impacting on transcription in C4 plants evolved from ancestral components found in C3 species. Two basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors, ZmbHLH128 and ZmbHLH129, were shown to bind the C4NADP-ME promoter from maize. These proteins form heterodimers and ZmbHLH129 impairs trans-activation by ZmbHLH128. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicate that a pair of cis-elements separated by a seven base pair spacer synergistically bind either ZmbHLH128 or ZmbHLH129. This pair of cis-elements is found in both C3 and C4 Panicoid grass species of the PACMAD clade. Our analysis is consistent with this cis-element pair originating from a single motif present in the ancestral C3 state. We conclude that C4 photosynthesis has co-opted an ancient C3 regulatory code built on G-box recognition by bHLH to regulate the NADP-ME gene. More broadly, our findings also contribute to the understanding of gene regulatory networks controlling C4 photosynthesis.

  10. Biochemistry of Suberization

    PubMed Central

    Agrawal, Vishwanath P.; Kolattukudy, P. E.

    1977-01-01

    A cell-free extract obtained from suberizing potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber disks catalyzed the conversion of 16-hydroxy[G-3H]hexadecanoic acid to the corresponding dicarboxylic acid with NADP or NAD as the cofactor, with a slight preference for the former. This ω-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase activity, located largely in the 100,000g supernatant fraction, has a pH optimum of 9.5. It showed an apparent Km of 50 μM for 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid. The dehydrogenase activity was inhibited by thiol reagents, such as p-chloromercuribenzoate, N-ethylmaleimide, and iodoacetamide, and this dehydrogenase is shown to be different from alcohol dehydrogenase. That 16-oxohexadecanoic acid was an intermediate in the conversion of 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid to the corresponding dicarboxylic acid was suggested by the observation that the cell-free extract also catalyzed the conversion of 16-oxohexadecanoic acid to the dicarboxylic acid, with NADP as the preferred cofactor. The time course of development of the ω-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase activity in the suberizing potato disks correlated with the rate of deposition of suberin. Experiments with actinomycin D and cycloheximide suggested that the transcriptional processes, which are directly related to suberin biosynthesis and ω-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase biosynthesis, occurred between 72 and 96 hours after wounding. These results strongly suggest that a wound-induced ω-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase is involved in suberin biosynthesis in potato disks. PMID:16659915

  11. Immobilization of Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles through thermal polymerization of acrylamide on glassy carbon electrode for highly stable and sensitive glutamate detection.

    PubMed

    Yu, Huicheng; Ma, Zhenzhen; Wu, Zhaoyang

    2015-10-08

    The preparation of a persistently stable and sensitive biosensor is highly important for practical applications. To improve the stability and sensitivity of glutamate sensors, an electrode modified with glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH)/Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles was developed using the thermal polymerization of acrylamide (AM) to immobilize the synthesized Ni-Pd/core-shell nanoparticles onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Electrochemical data showed that the prepared biosensor had remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward glutamate. Moreover, superior reproducibility and excellent stability were observed (relative average deviation was 2.96% after continuous use of the same sensor for 60 times, and current responses remained at 94.85% of the initial value after 60 d). The sensor also demonstrated highly sensitive amperometric detection of glutamate with a low limit of detection (0.052 μM, S/N = 3), high sensitivity (4.768 μA μM(-1) cm(-2)), and a wide, useful linear range (0.1-500 μM). No interference from potential interfering species such as l-cysteine, ascorbic acid, and l-aspartate were noted. The determination of glutamate levels in actual samples achieved good recovery percentages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Examination of key intermediates in the catalytic cycle of aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase from a gram-positive infectious bacteria.

    PubMed

    Faehnle, Christopher R; Le Coq, Johanne; Liu, Xuying; Viola, Ronald E

    2006-10-13

    Aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ASADH) catalyzes a critical branch point transformation in amino acid bio-synthesis. The products of the aspartate pathway are essential in microorganisms, and this entire pathway is absent in mammals, making this enzyme an attractive target for antibiotic development. The first structure of an ASADH from a Gram-positive bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, has now been determined. The overall structure of the apoenzyme has a similar fold to those of the Gram-negative and archaeal ASADHs but contains some interesting structural variations that can be exploited for inhibitor design. Binding of the coenzyme NADP, as well as a truncated nucleotide analogue, into an alternative conformation from that observed in Gram-negative ASADHs causes an enzyme domain closure that precedes catalysis. The covalent acyl-enzyme intermediate was trapped by soaking the substrate into crystals of the coenzyme complex, and the structure of this elusive intermediate provides detailed insights into the catalytic mechanism.

  13. Resolving the Role of Plant NAD-Glutamate Dehydrogenase: III. Overexpressing Individually or Simultaneously the Two Enzyme Subunits Under Salt Stress Induces Changes in the Leaf Metabolic Profile and Increases Plant Biomass Production.

    PubMed

    Tercé-Laforgue, Thérèse; Clément, Gilles; Marchi, Laura; Restivo, Francesco M; Lea, Peter J; Hirel, Bertrand

    2015-10-01

    NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH) of higher plants has a central position at the interface between carbon and nitrogen metabolism due to its ability to carry out the deamination of glutamate. In order to obtain a better understanding of the physiological function of NAD-GDH under salt stress conditions, transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants that overexpress two genes from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia individually (GDHA and GDHB) or simultaneously (GDHA/B) were grown in the presence of 50 mM NaCl. In the different GDH overexpressors, the NaCl treatment induced an additional increase in GDH enzyme activity, indicating that a post-transcriptional mechanism regulates the final enzyme activity under salt stress conditions. A greater shoot and root biomass production was observed in the three types of GDH overexpressors following growth in 50 mM NaCl, when compared with the untransformed plants subjected to the same salinity stress. Changes in metabolites representative of the plant carbon and nitrogen status were also observed. They were mainly characterized by an increased amount of starch present in the leaves of the GDH overexpressors as compared with the wild type when plants were grown in 50 mM NaCl. Metabolomic analysis revealed that overexpressing the two genes GDHA and GDHB, individually or simultaneously, induced a differential accumulation of several carbon- and nitrogen-containing molecules involved in a variety of metabolic, developmental and stress-responsive processes. An accumulation of digalactosylglycerol, erythronate and porphyrin was found in the GDHA, GDHB and GDHA/B overexpressors, suggesting that these molecules could contribute to the improved performance of the transgenic plants under salinity stress conditions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. U.S. Forest Service Region 1 Lake Chemistry, NADP, and IMPROVE air quality data analysis

    Treesearch

    Jill Grenon; Mark Story

    2009-01-01

    This report was developed to address the need for comprehensive analysis of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Region 1 air quality monitoring data. The monitoring data includes Phase 3 (long-term data) lakes, National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP), and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE). Annual and seasonal data for the periods of record...

  15. Protein Engineering for Nicotinamide Coenzyme Specificity in Oxidoreductases: Attempts and Challenges.

    PubMed

    Chánique, Andrea M; Parra, Loreto P

    2018-01-01

    Oxidoreductases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze an extensive range of chemical reactions with great specificity, efficiency, and selectivity. Most oxidoreductases are nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzymes with a strong preference for NADP or NAD. Because these coenzymes differ in stability, bioavailability and costs, the enzyme preference for a specific coenzyme is an important issue for practical applications. Different approaches for the manipulation of coenzyme specificity have been reported, with different degrees of success. Here we present various attempts for the switching of nicotinamide coenzyme preference in oxidoreductases by protein engineering. This review covers 103 enzyme engineering studies from 82 articles and evaluates the accomplishments in terms of coenzyme specificity and catalytic efficiency compared to wild type enzymes of different classes. We analyzed different protein engineering strategies and related them with the degree of success in inverting the cofactor specificity. In general, catalytic activity is compromised when coenzyme specificity is reversed, however when switching from NAD to NADP, better results are obtained. In most of the cases, rational strategies were used, predominantly with loop exchange generating the best results. In general, the tendency of removing acidic residues and incorporating basic residues is the strategy of choice when trying to change specificity from NAD to NADP, and vice versa . Computational strategies and algorithms are also covered as helpful tools to guide protein engineering strategies. This mini review aims to give a general introduction to the topic, giving an overview of tools and information to work in protein engineering for the reversal of coenzyme specificity.

  16. Protein Engineering for Nicotinamide Coenzyme Specificity in Oxidoreductases: Attempts and Challenges

    PubMed Central

    Chánique, Andrea M.; Parra, Loreto P.

    2018-01-01

    Oxidoreductases are ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze an extensive range of chemical reactions with great specificity, efficiency, and selectivity. Most oxidoreductases are nicotinamide cofactor-dependent enzymes with a strong preference for NADP or NAD. Because these coenzymes differ in stability, bioavailability and costs, the enzyme preference for a specific coenzyme is an important issue for practical applications. Different approaches for the manipulation of coenzyme specificity have been reported, with different degrees of success. Here we present various attempts for the switching of nicotinamide coenzyme preference in oxidoreductases by protein engineering. This review covers 103 enzyme engineering studies from 82 articles and evaluates the accomplishments in terms of coenzyme specificity and catalytic efficiency compared to wild type enzymes of different classes. We analyzed different protein engineering strategies and related them with the degree of success in inverting the cofactor specificity. In general, catalytic activity is compromised when coenzyme specificity is reversed, however when switching from NAD to NADP, better results are obtained. In most of the cases, rational strategies were used, predominantly with loop exchange generating the best results. In general, the tendency of removing acidic residues and incorporating basic residues is the strategy of choice when trying to change specificity from NAD to NADP, and vice versa. Computational strategies and algorithms are also covered as helpful tools to guide protein engineering strategies. This mini review aims to give a general introduction to the topic, giving an overview of tools and information to work in protein engineering for the reversal of coenzyme specificity. PMID:29491854

  17. Glutamate and Neurodegenerative Disease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schaeffer, Eric; Duplantier, Allen

    As the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, glutamate is critically involved in most aspects of CNS function. Given this critical role, it is not surprising that glutamatergic dysfunction is associated with many CNS disorders. In this chapter, we review the literature that links aberrant glutamate neurotransmission with CNS pathology, with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases. The biology and pharmacology of the various glutamate receptor families are discussed, along with data which links these receptors with neurodegenerative conditions. In addition, we review progress that has been made in developing small molecule modulators of glutamate receptors and transporters, and describe how these compounds have helped us understand the complex pharmacology of glutamate in normal CNS function, as well as their potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

  18. The GRP1 PH domain, like the AKT1 PH domain, possesses a sentry glutamate residue essential for specific targeting to plasma membrane PI(3,4,5)P(3).

    PubMed

    Pilling, Carissa; Landgraf, Kyle E; Falke, Joseph J

    2011-11-15

    During the appearance of the signaling lipid PI(3,4,5)P(3), an important subset of pleckstrin homology (PH) domains target signaling proteins to the plasma membrane. To ensure proper pathway regulation, such PI(3,4,5)P(3)-specific PH domains must exclude the more prevalant, constitutive plasma membrane lipid PI(4,5)P(2) and bind the rare PI(3,4,5)P(3) target lipid with sufficiently high affinity. Our previous study of the E17K mutant of the protein kinase B (AKT1) PH domain, together with evidence from Carpten et al. [Carpten, J. D., et al. (2007) Nature 448, 439-444], revealed that the native AKT1 E17 residue serves as a sentry glutamate that excludes PI(4,5)P(2), thereby playing an essential role in specific PI(3,4,5)P(3) targeting [Landgraf, K. E., et al. (2008) Biochemistry 47, 12260-12269]. The sentry glutamate hypothesis proposes that an analogous sentry glutamate residue is a widespread feature of PI(3,4,5)P(3)-specific PH domains, and that charge reversal mutation at the sentry glutamate position will yield both increased PI(4,5)P(2) affinity and constitutive plasma membrane targeting. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the E345 residue, a putative sentry glutamate, of the general receptor for phosphoinositides 1 (GRP1) PH domain. The results show that incorporation of the E345K charge reversal mutation into the GRP1 PH domain enhances PI(4,5)P(2) affinity 8-fold and yields constitutive plasma membrane targeting in cells, reminiscent of the effects of the E17K mutation in the AKT1 PH domain. Hydrolysis of plasma membrane PI(4,5)P(2) releases the E345K GRP1 PH domain into the cytoplasm, and the efficiency of this release increases when Arf6 binding is disrupted. Overall, the findings provide strong support for the sentry glutamate hypothesis and suggest that the GRP1 E345K mutation will be linked to changes in cell physiology and human pathologies, as demonstrated for AKT1 E17K [Carpten, J. D., et al. (2007) Nature 448, 439-444; Lindhurst, M. J., et al

  19. Mannitol and Mannitol Dehydrogenases in Conidia of Aspergillus oryzae

    PubMed Central

    Horikoshi, Koki; Iida, Shigeji; Ikeda, Yonosuke

    1965-01-01

    Horikoshi, Koki (The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Tokyo, Japan), Shigeji Iida, and Yonosuke Ikeda. Mannitol and mannitol dehydrogenases in conidia of Aspergillus oryzae. J. Bacteriol. 89:326–330. 1965.—A sugar alcohol was isolated from the conidia of Aspergillus oryzae and identified as d-mannitol. Two types of d-mannitol dehydrogenases, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-linked and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked, were found in the conidia. Substrate specificities, pH optima, Michaelis-Menton constants, and the effects of inhibitors were studied. d-Mannitol was converted to fructose by the dehydrogenases. Synthesis of d-mannitol dehydrogenases was not observed during germination; the content of d-mannitol decreased at an early stage of germination. It was assumed, therefore, that d-mannitol might be used as the source of endogenous respiration and provide energy for the germination. PMID:14255698

  20. Structural and Kinetic Properties of the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase NahF, a Broad Substrate Specificity Enzyme for Aldehyde Oxidation.

    PubMed

    Coitinho, Juliana B; Pereira, Mozart S; Costa, Débora M A; Guimarães, Samuel L; Araújo, Simara S; Hengge, Alvan C; Brandão, Tiago A S; Nagem, Ronaldo A P

    2016-09-27

    The salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase (NahF) catalyzes the oxidation of salicylaldehyde to salicylate using NAD(+) as a cofactor, the last reaction of the upper degradation pathway of naphthalene in Pseudomonas putida G7. The naphthalene is an abundant and toxic compound in oil and has been used as a model for bioremediation studies. The steady-state kinetic parameters for oxidation of aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes catalyzed by 6xHis-NahF are presented. The 6xHis-NahF catalyzes the oxidation of aromatic aldehydes with large kcat/Km values close to 10(6) M(-1) s(-1). The active site of NahF is highly hydrophobic, and the enzyme shows higher specificity for less polar substrates than for polar substrates, e.g., acetaldehyde. The enzyme shows α/β folding with three well-defined domains: the oligomerization domain, which is responsible for the interlacement between the two monomers; the Rossmann-like fold domain, essential for nucleotide binding; and the catalytic domain. A salicylaldehyde molecule was observed in a deep pocket in the crystal structure of NahF where the catalytic C284 and E250 are present. Moreover, the residues G150, R157, W96, F99, F274, F279, and Y446 were thought to be important for catalysis and specificity for aromatic aldehydes. Understanding the molecular features responsible for NahF activity allows for comparisons with other aldehyde dehydrogenases and, together with structural information, provides the information needed for future mutational studies aimed to enhance its stability and specificity and further its use in biotechnological processes.

  1. Effect of serum on intracellular calcium homeostasis and survival of primary cortical and hippocampal CA1 neurons following brief glutamate treatment.

    PubMed

    Uto, A; Dux, E; Hossmann, K A

    1994-12-01

    Glutamate neurotoxicity was studied in primary neuronal cultures prepared from rat cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 sector. Neurons were cultivated with 5% native horse serum and then exposed to 0.1 or 1.0 mM glutamate for 5 min. Subsequently, neurons were allowed to recover for 24 hours either in the presence or in the absence of 5% native horse serum. In the absence of serum, neurons showed morphological signs of degeneration and exhibited marked loss of vitality as tested by vital staining and release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). In contrast, when neurons were cultivated in the presence of serum, no degenerative changes were seen and the neurons survived. Heat inactivated serum did not prevent neuronal death but addition of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) had the same protective effect as native serum. Measurements of intracellular calcium activity ([Ca2+]i) with the indicator dye fura-2 revealed a sharp increase during glutamate exposure. In the absence of serum, [Ca2+]i returned to near control within 5 min but it secondarily increased after 1 hour to almost the same level as during glutamate exposure. This delayed increase was more pronounced in CA1 than in cortical neurons, it correlated linearly with the initial rise during glutamate exposure, and it was greatly reduced in the presence of serum. These observations suggest that glutamate neurotoxicity in vitro is a function of the delayed and not of the primary rise of intracellular calcium activity, and that trophic factors prevent neurotoxicity by attenuating this delayed response.

  2. Effects of supplementation on food intake, body weight and hepatic metabolites in the citrin/mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase double-knockout mouse model of human citrin deficiency.

    PubMed

    Saheki, Takeyori; Inoue, Kanako; Ono, Hiromi; Katsura, Natsumi; Yokogawa, Mana; Yoshidumi, Yukari; Furuie, Sumie; Kuroda, Eishi; Ushikai, Miharu; Asakawa, Akihiro; Inui, Akio; Eto, Kazuhiro; Kadowaki, Takashi; Sinasac, David S; Yamamura, Ken-Ichi; Kobayashi, Keiko

    2012-11-01

    The C57BL/6:Slc23a13(-/-);Gpd2(-/-) double-knockout (a.k.a., citrin/mitochondrial glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase double knockout or Ctrn/mGPD-KO) mouse displays phenotypic attributes of both neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis (NICCD) and adult-onset type II citrullinemia (CTLN2), making it a suitable model of human citrin deficiency. In the present study, we show that when mature Ctrn/mGPD-KO mice are switched from a standard chow diet (CE-2) to a purified maintenance diet (AIN-93M), this resulted in a significant loss of body weight as a result of reduced food intake compared to littermate mGPD-KO mice. However, supplementation of the purified maintenance diet with additional protein (from 14% to 22%; and concomitant reduction or corn starch), or with specific supplementation with alanine, sodium glutamate, sodium pyruvate or medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), led to increased food intake and body weight gain near or back to that on chow diet. No such effect was observed when supplementing the diet with other sources of fat that contain long-chain fatty acids. Furthermore, when these supplements were added to a sucrose solution administered enterally to the mice, which has been shown previously to lead to elevated blood ammonia as well as altered hepatic metabolite levels in Ctrn/mGPP-KO mice, this led to metabolic correction. The elevated hepatic glycerol 3-phosphate and citrulline levels after sucrose administration were suppressed by the administration of sodium pyruvate, alanine, sodium glutamate and MCT, although the effect of MCT was relatively small. Low hepatic citrate and increased lysine levels were only found to be corrected by sodium pyruvate, while alanine and sodium glutamate both corrected hepatic glutamate and aspartate levels. Overall, these results suggest that dietary factors including increased protein content, supplementation of specific amino acids like alanine and sodium glutamate, as well as sodium pyruvate and MCT all show beneficial

  3. Epitopes of human testis-specific lactate dehydrogenase deduced from a cDNA sequence

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Millan, J.L.; Driscoll, C.E.; LeVan, K.M.

    The sequence and structure of human testis-specific L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDHC/sub 4/, LDHX; (L)-lactate:NAD/sup +/ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27) has been derived from analysis of a complementary DNA (cDNA) clone comprising the complete protein coding region of the enzyme. From the deduced amino acid sequence, human LDHC/sub 4/ is as different from rodent LDHC/sub 4/ (73% homology) as it is from human LDHA/sub 4/ (76% homology) and porcine LDHB/sub 4/ (68% homology). Subunit homologies are consistent with the conclusion that the LDHC gene arose by at least two independent duplication events. Furthermore, the lower degree of homology between mouse and human LDHC/submore » 4/ and the appearance of this isozyme late in evolution suggests a higher rate of mutation in the mammalian LDHC genes than in the LDHA and -B genes. Comparison of exposed amino acid residues of discrete anti-genic determinants of mouse and human LDHC/sub 4/ reveals significant differences. Knowledge of the human LDHC/sub 4/ sequence will help design human-specific peptides useful in the development of a contraceptive vaccine.« less

  4. Brain neuroprotection by scavenging blood glutamate.

    PubMed

    Zlotnik, Alexander; Gurevich, Boris; Tkachov, Sergei; Maoz, Ilana; Shapira, Yoram; Teichberg, Vivian I

    2007-01-01

    Excess glutamate in brain fluids characterizes acute brain insults such as traumatic brain injury and stroke. Its removal could prevent the glutamate excitotoxicity that causes long-lasting neurological deficits. As blood glutamate scavenging has been demonstrated to increase the efflux of excess glutamate from brain into blood, we tested the prediction that oxaloacetate-mediated blood glutamate scavenging causes neuroprotection in a pathological situation such as closed head injury (CHI), in which there is a well established deleterious increase of glutamate in brain fluids. We observed highly significant improvements of the neurological status of rats submitted to CHI following an intravenous treatment with 1 mmol oxaloacetate/100 g rat weight which decreases blood glutamate levels by 40%. No detectable therapeutic effect was obtained when rats were treated IV with 1 mmol oxaloacetate together with 1 mmol glutamate/100 g rat. The treatment with 0.005 mmol/100 g rat oxaloacetate was no more effective than saline but when it was combined with the intravenous administration of 0.14 nmol/100 g of recombinant glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase, recovery was almost complete. Oxaloacetate provided neuroprotection when administered before CHI or at 60 min post CHI but not at 120 min post CHI. Since neurological recovery from CHI was highly correlated with the decrease of blood glutamate levels (r=0.89, P=0.001), we conclude that blood glutamate scavenging affords brain neuroprotection Blood glutamate scavenging may open now new therapeutic options.

  5. Glyphosate-induced oxidative stress in Arabidopsis thaliana affecting peroxisomal metabolism and triggers activity in the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway (OxPPP) involved in NADPH generation.

    PubMed

    de Freitas-Silva, Larisse; Rodríguez-Ruiz, Marta; Houmani, Hayet; da Silva, Luzimar Campos; Palma, José M; Corpas, Francisco J

    2017-11-01

    Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide used worldwide. In susceptible plants, glyphosate affects the shikimate pathway and reduces aromatic amino acid synthesis. Using Arabidopsis seedlings grown in the presence of 20μM glyphosate, we analyzed H 2 O 2 , ascorbate, glutathione (GSH) and protein oxidation content as well as antioxidant catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate-glutathione cycle enzyme activity. We also examined the principal NADPH-generating system components, including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), NADP-malic enzyme (NADP-ME) and NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH). Glyphosate caused a drastic reduction in growth parameters and an increase in protein oxidation. The herbicide also resulted in an overall increase in GSH content, antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase and all enzymatic components of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle) in addition to the two oxidative phase enzymes, G6PDH and 6PGDH, in the pentose phosphate pathway involved in NADPH generation. In this study, we provide new evidence on the participation of G6PDH and 6PGDH in the response to oxidative stress induced by glyphosate in Arabidopsis, in which peroxisomal enzymes, such as catalase and glycolate oxidase, are positively affected. We suggest that the NADPH provided by the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway (OxPPP) should serve to maintain glutathione reductase (GR) activity, thus preserving and regenerating the intracellular GSH pool under glyphosate-induced stress. It is particularly remarkable that the 6PGDH activity was unaffected by pro-oxidant and nitrating molecules such as H 2 0 2 , nitric oxide or peroxynitrite. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  6. Glutamic acid as anticancer agent: An overview

    PubMed Central

    Dutta, Satyajit; Ray, Supratim; Nagarajan, K.

    2013-01-01

    The objective of the article is to highlight various roles of glutamic acid like endogenic anticancer agent, conjugates to anticancer agents, and derivatives of glutamic acid as possible anticancer agents. Besides these emphases are given especially for two endogenous derivatives of glutamic acid such as glutamine and glutamate. Glutamine is a derivative of glutamic acid and is formed in the body from glutamic acid and ammonia in an energy requiring reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthase. It also possesses anticancer activity. So the transportation and metabolism of glutamine are also discussed for better understanding the role of glutamic acid. Glutamates are the carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid. Here the roles of various enzymes required for the metabolism of glutamates are also discussed. PMID:24227952

  7. Glutamic acid as anticancer agent: An overview.

    PubMed

    Dutta, Satyajit; Ray, Supratim; Nagarajan, K

    2013-10-01

    The objective of the article is to highlight various roles of glutamic acid like endogenic anticancer agent, conjugates to anticancer agents, and derivatives of glutamic acid as possible anticancer agents. Besides these emphases are given especially for two endogenous derivatives of glutamic acid such as glutamine and glutamate. Glutamine is a derivative of glutamic acid and is formed in the body from glutamic acid and ammonia in an energy requiring reaction catalyzed by glutamine synthase. It also possesses anticancer activity. So the transportation and metabolism of glutamine are also discussed for better understanding the role of glutamic acid. Glutamates are the carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid. Here the roles of various enzymes required for the metabolism of glutamates are also discussed.

  8. Molecular Characterization of Tomato 3-Dehydroquinate Dehydratase-Shikimate:NADP Oxidoreductase1

    PubMed Central

    Bischoff, Markus; Schaller, Andreas; Bieri, Fabian; Kessler, Felix; Amrhein, Nikolaus; Schmid, Jürg

    2001-01-01

    Analysis of cDNAs encoding the bifunctional 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase-shikimate:NADP oxidoreductase (DHQase-SORase) from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) revealed two classes of cDNAs that differed by 57 bp within the coding regions, but were otherwise identical. Comparison of these cDNA sequences with the sequence of the corresponding single gene unequivocally proved that the primary transcript is differentially spliced, potentially giving rise to two polypeptides that differ by 19 amino acids. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that the longer transcript constitutes at most 1% to 2% of DHQase-SORase transcripts. Expression of the respective polypeptides in Escherichia coli mutants lacking the DHQase or the SORase activity gave functional complementation only in case of the shorter polypeptide, indicating that skipping of a potential exon is a prerequisite for the production of an enzymatically active protein. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed that the DHQase-SORase is most likely synthesized as a precursor with a very short (13-amino acid) plastid-specific transit peptide. Like other genes encoding enzymes of the prechorismate pathway in tomato, this gene is elicitor-inducible. Tissue-specific expression resembles the patterns obtained for 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase 2 and dehydroquinate synthase genes. This work completes our studies of the prechorismate pathway in that cDNAs for all seven enzymes (including isozymes) of the prechorismate pathway from tomato have now been characterized. PMID:11299368

  9. The End of the Line: Can Ferredoxin and Ferredoxin NADP(H) Oxidoreductase Determine the Fate of Photosynthetic Electrons?

    PubMed Central

    Goss, Tatjana; Hanke, Guy

    2014-01-01

    At the end of the linear photosynthetic electron transfer (PET) chain, the small soluble protein ferredoxin (Fd) transfers electrons to Fd:NADP(H) oxidoreductase (FNR), which can then reduce NADP+ to support C assimilation. In addition to this linear electron flow (LEF), Fd is also thought to mediate electron flow back to the membrane complexes by different cyclic electron flow (CEF) pathways: either antimycin A sensitive, NAD(P)H complex dependent, or through FNR located at the cytochrome b6f complex. Both Fd and FNR are present in higher plant genomes as multiple gene copies, and it is now known that specific Fd iso-proteins can promote CEF. In addition, FNR iso-proteins vary in their ability to dynamically interact with thylakoid membrane complexes, and it has been suggested that this may also play a role in CEF. We will highlight work on the different Fd-isoproteins and FNR-membrane association found in the bundle sheath (BSC) and mesophyll (MC) cell chloroplasts of the C4 plant maize. These two cell types perform predominantly CEF and LEF, and the properties and activities of Fd and FNR in the BSC and MC are therefore specialized for CEF and LEF respectively. A diversity of Fd isoproteins and dynamic FNR location has also been recorded in C3 plants, algae and cyanobacteria. This indicates that the principles learned from the extreme electron transport situations in the BSC and MC of maize might be usefully applied to understanding the dynamic transition between these states in other systems. PMID:24678667

  10. Ubiquitin-dependent trafficking and turnover of ionotropic glutamate receptors

    PubMed Central

    Goo, Marisa S.; Scudder, Samantha L.; Patrick, Gentry N.

    2015-01-01

    Changes in synaptic strength underlie the basis of learning and memory and are controlled, in part, by the insertion or removal of AMPA-type glutamate receptors at the postsynaptic membrane of excitatory synapses. Once internalized, these receptors may be recycled back to the plasma membrane by subunit-specific interactions with other proteins or by post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation. Alternatively, these receptors may be targeted for destruction by multiple degradation pathways in the cell. Ubiquitination, another post-translational modification, has recently emerged as a key signal that regulates the recycling and trafficking of glutamate receptors. In this review, we will discuss recent findings on the role of ubiquitination in the trafficking and turnover of ionotropic glutamate receptors and plasticity of excitatory synapses. PMID:26528125

  11. Substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity of rabbit 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

    PubMed

    Endo, Satoshi; Arai, Yuki; Hara, Akira; Kitade, Yukio; Bunai, Yasuo; El-Kabbani, Ossama; Matsunaga, Toshiyuki

    2013-01-01

    In this study, we examined the substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity of rabbit 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (AKR1C5), which plays a role in the termination of pregnancy by progesterone inactivation. AKR1C5 moderately reduced the 3-keto group of only 5α-dihydrosteroids with 17β- or 20α/β-hydroxy group among 3-ketosteroids. In contrast, the enzyme reversibly and efficiently catalyzed the reduction of various 17- and 20-ketosteroids, including estrogen precursors (dehydroepiandrosterone, estrone and 5α-androstan-3β-ol-17-one) and tocolytic 5β-pregnane-3,20-dione. In addition to the progesterone inactivation, the formation of estrogens and metabolism of the tocolytic steroid by AKR1C5 may be related to its role in rabbit parturition. AKR1C5 also reduced various non-steroidal carbonyl compounds, including isatin, an antagonist of the C-type natriuretic peptide receptor, and 4-oxo-2-nonenal, suggesting its roles in controlling the bioactive isatin and detoxification of cytotoxic aldehydes. AKR1C5 was potently and competitively inhibited by flavonoids such as kaempferol and quercetin, suggesting that its activity is affected by ingested flavonoids.

  12. Electron microscopic analysis and structural characterization of novel NADP(H)-containing methanol: N,N'-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline oxidoreductases from the gram-positive methylotrophic bacteria Amycolatopsis methanolica and Mycobacterium gastri MB19.

    PubMed Central

    Bystrykh, L V; Vonck, J; van Bruggen, E F; van Beeumen, J; Samyn, B; Govorukhina, N I; Arfman, N; Duine, J A; Dijkhuizen, L

    1993-01-01

    The quaternary protein structure of two methanol:N,N'-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (NDMA) oxidoreductases purified from Amycolatopsis methanolica and Mycobacterium gastri MB19 was analyzed by electron microscopy and image processing. The enzymes are decameric proteins (displaying fivefold symmetry) with estimated molecular masses of 490 to 500 kDa based on their subunit molecular masses of 49 to 50 kDa. Both methanol:NDMA oxidoreductases possess a tightly but noncovalently bound NADP(H) cofactor at an NADPH-to-subunit molar ratio of 0.7. These cofactors are redox active toward alcohol and aldehyde substrates. Both enzymes contain significant amounts of Zn2+ and Mg2+ ions. The primary amino acid sequences of the A. methanolica and M. gastri MB19 methanol:NDMA oxidoreductases share a high degree of identity, as indicated by N-terminal sequence analysis (63% identity among the first 27 N-terminal amino acids), internal peptide sequence analysis, and overall amino acid composition. The amino acid sequence analysis also revealed significant similarity to a decameric methanol dehydrogenase of Bacillus methanolicus C1. Images PMID:8449887

  13. MONTHLY AND ANNUAL BIAS IN WEEKLY (NADP/NTN) VERSUS DAILY (AIRMON) PRECIPITATION CHEMISTRY DATA IN THE EASTERN USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous comparisons of the data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) National Trends Network (NTN) against collocated event- and daily-sampled data suggest a substantial bias in the concentration of ammonium [NH4+] and concentrations of several base cations,...

  14. Alcohol dehydrogenase AdhA plays a role in ethanol tolerance in model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

    PubMed

    Vidal, Rebeca

    2017-04-01

    The protein AdhA from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (hereafter Synechocystis) has been previously reported to show alcohol dehydrogenase activity towards ethanol and both NAD and NADP. This protein is currently being used in genetically modified strains of Synechocystis capable of synthesizing ethanol showing the highest ethanol productivities. In the present work, mutant strains of Synechocystis lacking AdhA have been constructed and tested for tolerance to ethanol. The lack of AdhA in the wild-type strain reduces survival to externally added ethanol at lethal concentration of 4% (v/v). On the other hand, the lack of AdhA in an ethanologenic strain diminishes tolerance of cells to internally produced ethanol. It is also shown that light-activated heterotrophic growth (LAHG) of the wild-type strain is impaired in the mutant strain lacking AdhA (∆adhA strain). Photoautotrophic, mixotrophic, and photoheterotrophic growth are not affected in the mutant strain. Based on phenotypic characterization of ∆adhA mutants, the possible physiological function of AdhA in Synechocystis is discussed.

  15. Postmortem brain abnormalities of the glutamate neurotransmitter system in autism.

    PubMed

    Purcell, A E; Jeon, O H; Zimmerman, A W; Blue, M E; Pevsner, J

    2001-11-13

    Studies examining the brains of individuals with autism have identified anatomic and pathologic changes in regions such as the cerebellum and hippocampus. Little, if anything, is known, however, about the molecules that are involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. To identify genes with abnormal expression levels in the cerebella of subjects with autism. Brain samples from a total of 10 individuals with autism and 23 matched controls were collected, mainly from the cerebellum. Two cDNA microarray technologies were used to identify genes that were significantly up- or downregulated in autism. The abnormal mRNA or protein levels of several genes identified by microarray analysis were investigated using PCR with reverse transcription and Western blotting. alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid (AMPA)- and NMDA-type glutamate receptor densities were examined with receptor autoradiography in the cerebellum, caudate-putamen, and prefrontal cortex. The mRNA levels of several genes were significantly increased in autism, including excitatory amino acid transporter 1 and glutamate receptor AMPA 1, two members of the glutamate system. Abnormalities in the protein or mRNA levels of several additional molecules in the glutamate system were identified on further analysis, including glutamate receptor binding proteins. AMPA-type glutamate receptor density was decreased in the cerebellum of individuals with autism (p < 0.05). Subjects with autism may have specific abnormalities in the AMPA-type glutamate receptors and glutamate transporters in the cerebellum. These abnormalities may be directly involved in the pathogenesis of the disorder.

  16. Identification of a dehydrogenase acting on D-2-hydroxyglutarate

    PubMed Central

    2004-01-01

    Extracts of frozen rat liver were found to catalyse the formation of 3H2O from DL-2-hydroxy[2-3H]glutarate. Three peaks of enzyme activities were observed on separation by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose. The first and second peaks corresponded to an enzyme acting on L-2-hydroxyglutarate and the third peak corresponded to an enzyme acting on D-2-hydroxyglutarate, as indicated by competitive inhibition of the detritiation of the racemic radioactive compound by the unlabelled L- and D-isomers respectively. The enzyme acting on the D-form was further characterized. It was independent of NAD or NADP and it converted D-2-hydroxyglutarate into α-ketoglutarate, transferring electrons to artificial electron acceptors. It also oxidized D-lactate, D-malate and meso-tartrate and was stimulated by Zn2+, Co2+ and Mn2+, but not by Mg2+ or Ca2+. Subcellular fractionation indicated that it was present in the mitochondrial fraction. The enzyme was further purified by chromatography on Blue Trisacryl and phenyl-Sepharose, up to a stage where only a few bands were still visible by SDS/ PAGE. Among the four candidate polypeptides that were identified by MS, one corresponded to a predicted mitochondrial protein homologous with FAD-dependent D-lactate dehydrogenase. The corresponding human protein was expressed in HEK-293 cells and it was shown to catalyse the detritiation of DL-2-hydroxy[2-3H]glutarate with similar properties as the purified rat enzyme. PMID:15070399

  17. Identification of a dehydrogenase acting on D-2-hydroxyglutarate.

    PubMed

    Achouri, Younes; Noël, Gaëtane; Vertommen, Didier; Rider, Mark H; Veiga-Da-Cunha, Maria; Van Schaftingen, Emile

    2004-07-01

    Extracts of frozen rat liver were found to catalyse the formation of 3H2O from DL-2-hydroxy[2-3H]glutarate. Three peaks of enzyme activities were observed on separation by chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose. The first and second peaks corresponded to an enzyme acting on L-2-hydroxyglutarate and the third peak corresponded to an enzyme acting on D-2-hydroxyglutarate, as indicated by competitive inhibition of the detritiation of the racemic radioactive compound by the unlabelled L- and D-isomers respectively. The enzyme acting on the D-form was further characterized. It was independent of NAD or NADP and it converted D-2-hydroxyglutarate into a-ketoglutarate, transferring electrons to artificial electron acceptors. It also oxidized D-lactate, D-malate and meso-tartrate and was stimulated by Zn2+, Co2+ and Mn2+, but not by Mg2+ or Ca2+. Subcellular fractionation indicated that it was present in the mitochondrial fraction. The enzyme was further purified by chromatography on Blue Trisacryl and phenyl-Sepharose, up to a stage where only a few bands were still visible by SDS/PAGE. Among the four candidate polypeptides that were identified by MS, one corresponded to a predicted mitochondrial protein homologous with FAD-dependent D-lactate dehydrogenase. The corresponding human protein was expressed in HEK-293 cells and it was shown to catalyse the detritiation of DL-2-hydroxy[2-3H]glutarate with similar properties as the purified rat enzyme.

  18. The Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle, an Ancient Metabolic Network with a Novel Twist

    PubMed Central

    Mailloux, Ryan J.; Bériault, Robin; Lemire, Joseph; Singh, Ranji; Chénier, Daniel R.; Hamel, Robert D.; Appanna, Vasu D.

    2007-01-01

    The tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle is an essential metabolic network in all oxidative organisms and provides precursors for anabolic processes and reducing factors (NADH and FADH2) that drive the generation of energy. Here, we show that this metabolic network is also an integral part of the oxidative defence machinery in living organisms and α-ketoglutarate (KG) is a key participant in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Its utilization as an anti-oxidant can effectively diminish ROS and curtail the formation of NADH, a situation that further impedes the release of ROS via oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, the increased production of KG mediated by NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH) and its decreased utilization via the TCA cycle confer a unique strategy to modulate the cellular redox environment. Activities of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH), NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD-ICDH), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were sharply diminished in the cellular systems exposed to conditions conducive to oxidative stress. These findings uncover an intricate link between TCA cycle and ROS homeostasis and may help explain the ineffective TCA cycle that characterizes various pathological conditions and ageing. PMID:17668068

  19. Proteomic analysis of kidney in rats chronically exposed to monosodium glutamate.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Amod; Wongkham, Chaisiri; Prasongwattana, Vitoon; Boonnate, Piyanard; Thanan, Raynoo; Reungjui, Sirirat; Cha'on, Ubon

    2014-01-01

    Chronic monosodium glutamate (MSG) intake causes kidney dysfunction and renal oxidative stress in the animal model. To gain insight into the renal changes induced by MSG, proteomic analysis of the kidneys was performed. Six week old male Wistar rats were given drinking water with or without MSG (2 mg/g body weight, n = 10 per group) for 9 months. Kidneys were removed, frozen, and stored at -75°C. After protein extraction, 2-D gel electrophoresis was performed and renal proteome profiles were examined with Colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining. Statistically significant protein spots (ANOVA, p<0.05) with 1.2-fold difference were excised and analyzed by LC-MS. Proteomic data were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. The differential image analysis showed 157 changed spots, of which 71 spots were higher and 86 spots were lower in the MSG-treated group compared with those in the control group. Eight statistically significant and differentially expressed proteins were identified: glutathione S-transferase class-pi, heat shock cognate 71 kDa, phosphoserine phosphatase, phosphoglycerate kinase, cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinyl-CoA ligase. The identified proteins are mainly related to oxidative stress and metabolism. They provide a valuable clue to explore the mechanism of renal handling and toxicity on chronic MSG intake.

  20. Different Classes of Glutamate Receptors Mediate Distinct Behaviors in a Single Brainstem Nucleus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dye, John; Heiligenberg, Walter; Keller, Clifford H.; Kawasaki, Masashi

    1989-11-01

    We have taken advantage of the increasing understanding of glutamate neuropharmacology to probe mechanisms of well-defined vertebrate behaviors. Here we report a set of experiments that suggests distinct roles for two major classes of glutamate receptors in a discrete premotor nucleus of the brainstem. The medullary pacemaker nucleus of weakly electric fish is an endogenous oscillator that controls the electric organ discharge (EOD). Its regular frequency of firing is modulated during several distinct behaviors. The pacemaker nucleus continues firing regularly when isolated in vitro, and modulatory behaviors can be reproduced by stimulating the descending input pathway. Glutamate agonists applied to the pacemaker in vitro produced increases in frequency, while glutamate antagonists selectively blocked stimulus-induced modulations. Experiments with glutamate antagonists in the intact animal resulted in specific effects on two well-characterized behaviors. Our data indicate that these behaviors are separately mediated in the pacemaker by receptors displaying characteristics of the kainate/quisqualate and N-methyl-D-aspartate subtypes of glutamate receptor, respectively.

  1. Preliminary joint X-ray and neutron protein crystallographic studies of ecDHFR complexed with folate and NADP{sup +}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wan, Qun, E-mail: wqun@yzu.edu.cn; Kovalevsky, Andrey Y.; Wilson, Mark A.

    2014-05-25

    A 2.0 Å resolution neutron data set and a 1.6 Å resolution X-ray data set were collected for joint X-ray/neutron refinement of the ecDHFR–folate–NADP{sup +} complex in order to study the reaction mechanism of dihydrofolate reductase.

  2. Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase expression during physiological cardiac hypertrophy induced by pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Rosas-Rodríguez, Jesús Alfredo; Soñanez-Organis, José Guadalupe; Godoy-Lugo, José Arquimides; Espinoza-Salazar, Juan Alberto; López-Jacobo, Cesar Jeravy; Stephens-Camacho, Norma Aurora; González-Ochoa, Guadalupe

    2017-08-26

    Betaine Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (betaine aldehyde: NAD(P) + oxidoreductase, (E.C. 1.2.1.8; BADH) catalyze the irreversible oxidation of betaine aldehyde (BA) to glycine betaine (GB) and is essential for polyamine catabolism, γ-aminobutyric acid synthesis, and carnitine biosynthesis. GB is an important osmolyte that regulates the homocysteine levels, contributing to a vascular risk factor reduction. In this sense, distinct investigations describe the physiological roles of GB, but there is a lack of information about the GB novo synthesis process and regulation during cardiac hypertrophy induced by pregnancy. In this work, the BADH mRNA expression, protein level, and activity were quantified in the left ventricle before, during, and after pregnancy. The mRNA expression, protein content and enzyme activity along with GB content of BADH increased 2.41, 1.95 and 1.65-fold respectively during late pregnancy compared to not pregnancy, and returned to basal levels at postpartum. Besides, the GB levels increased 1.53-fold during pregnancy and remain at postpartum. Our results demonstrate that physiological cardiac hypertrophy induced BADH mRNA expression and activity along with GB production, suggesting that BADH participates in the adaptation process of physiological cardiac hypertrophy during pregnancy, according to the described GB role in cellular osmoregulation, osmoprotection and reduction of vascular risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Alterations in L-Glutamate Binding in Alzheimer's and Huntington's Diseases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greenamyre, J. Timothy; Penney, John B.; Young, Anne B.; D'Amato, Constance J.; Hicks, Samuel P.; Shoulson, Ira

    1985-03-01

    Brain sections from patients who had died with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT), Huntington's disease (HD), or no neurologic disease were studied by autoradiography to measure sodium-independent L-[3H]glutamate binding. In brain sections from SDAT patients, glutamate binding was normal in the caudate, putamen, and claustrum but was lower than normal in the cortex. The decreased cortical binding represented a reduction in numbers of binding sites, not a change in binding affinity, and appeared to be the result of a specific decrease in numbers of the low-affinity quisqualate binding site. No significant changes in cortical binding of other ligands were observed. In brains from Huntington's disease patients, glutamate binding was lower in the caudate and putamen than in the same regions of brains from control and SDAT patients but was normal in the cortex. It is possible that development of positron-emitting probes for glutamate receptors may permit diagnosis of SDAT in vivo by means of positron emission tomographic scanning.

  4. Purification of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from parsley (Petroselinum hortense) leaves and investigation of some kinetic properties.

    PubMed

    Demir, Hülya; Ciftçi, Mehmet; Küfrevioğlu, O Irfan

    2003-02-01

    In this study, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.44; 6PGD) was purified from parsley (Petroselinum hortense) leaves, and analysis of the kinetic behavior and some properties of the enzyme were investigated. The purification consisted of three steps that are preparation of homogenate ammonium sulfate fractionation and on DEAE-Sephadex A50 ion exchange. The enzyme was obtained with a yield of 49% and had a specific activity of 18.3 U (mg proteins)(-1) (Lehninger, A.L.; Nelson, D.L.; Cox, M.M. Principles of Biochemistry, 2nd Ed.; Worth Publishers Inc.: N.Y., 2000, 558-560). The overall purification was about 339-fold. A temperature of +4 degrees C was maintained during the purification process. Enzyme activity was spectrophotometrically measured according to the Beutler method at 340 mn. In order to control the purification of the enzyme, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was carried out in 4% and 10% acrylamide for stacking and running gel, respectively. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band for enzyme. The molecular weight was found to be 97.5 kDa by Sephadex G-150 gel filtration chromatography. A protein band corresponding to a subunit molecular weight of 24.1 kDa was obtained on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. For the enzymes, the stable pH, optimum pH, and optimum temperature were found as 8.0, 8.0, and 50 degrees C, respectively. In addition, KM and Vmax values for NADP+ and G6-P at optimum pH and 25 degrees C were determined by means of Lineweaver-Burk plots.

  5. [Molecular organization of glutamate-sensitive chemoexcitatory membranes of nerve cells. Comparative analysis of glutamate-binding membrane proteins from the cerebral cortex of rats and humans].

    PubMed

    Dambinova, S A; Gorodinskiĭ, A I; Lekomtseva, T M; Koreshonkov, O N

    1987-10-01

    The kinetics of 3H-L-glutamate binding to human brain synaptic membranes revealed the existence of one type of binding sites with Kd and Vmax comparable with those for freshly isolated rat brain membranes. The fraction of glutamate-binding proteins (GBP) was shown to contain three components with Mr of 14, 60 and 280 kD whose stoichiometry is specific for human and rat brain. All fractions were found to bind the radiolabeled neurotransmitter and to dissociate into subunits with Mr of 14 kD after treatment with-potent detergents (with the exception of the 56-60 kD component). Study of association-dissociation of GBP protein subunits by high performance liquid chromatography confirmed the hypothesis on the oligomeric structure of glutamate receptors which are made up of low molecular weight glycoprotein-lipid subunits and which form ionic channels by way of repeated association. Despite the similarity of antigen determinants in the active center of glutamate receptors from human and rat brain, it was assumed that the stoichiometry of structural organization of receptor subunits isolated from different sources is different. The functional role of structural complexity of human brain glutamate receptors is discussed.

  6. The metabotropic glutamate receptors: structure, activation mechanism and pharmacology.

    PubMed

    Pin, Jean-Philippe; Acher, Francine

    2002-06-01

    The metabotropic glutamate receptors are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) involved in the regulation of many synapses, including most glutamatergic fast excitatory synapses. Eight subtypes have been identified that can be classified into three groups. The molecular characterization of these receptors revealed proteins much more complex than any other GPCRs. They are composed of a Venus Flytrap (VFT) module where glutamate binds, connected to a heptahelical domain responsible for G-protein coupling. Recent data including the structure of the VFT module determined with and without glutamate, indicate that these receptors function as dimers. Moreover a number of intracellular proteins can regulate their targeting and transduction mechanism. Such structural features of mGlu receptors offer multiple possibilities for synthetic compounds to modulate their activity. In addition to agonists and competitive antagonists acting at the glutamate binding site, a number of non-competitive antagonists with inverse agonist activity, and positive allosteric modulators have been discovered. These later compounds share specific properties that make them good candidates for therapeutic applications. First, their non-amino acid structure makes them pass more easily the blood brain barrier. Second, they are much more selective than any other compound identified so far, being the first subtype selective molecules. Third, for the negative modulators, their non competitive mechanism of action makes them relatively unaffected by high concentrations of glutamate that may be present in disease states (e.g. stroke, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, etc.). Fourth, like the benzodiazepines acting at the GABA(A) receptors, the positive modulators offer a new way to increase the activity of these receptors in vivo, with a low risk of inducing their desensitization. The present review article focuses on the specific structural features of these receptors and highlights the various possibilities these

  7. Bacillus methanolicus pyruvate carboxylase and homoserine dehydrogenase I and II and their roles for L-lysine production from methanol at 50 degrees C.

    PubMed

    Brautaset, Trygve; Jakobsen, Øyvind M; Degnes, Kristin F; Netzer, Roman; Naerdal, Ingemar; Krog, Anne; Dillingham, Rick; Flickinger, Michael C; Ellingsen, Trond E

    2010-07-01

    We here present the pyc gene encoding pyruvate carboxylase (PC), and the hom-1 and hom-2 genes encoding two active homoserine dehydrogenase (HD) proteins, in methylotrophic Bacillus methanolicus MGA3. In general, both PC and HD are regarded as key targets for improving bacterial L-lysine production; PC plays a role in precursor oxaloacetate (OAA) supply while HD controls an important branch point in the L-lysine biosynthetic pathway. The hom-1 and hom-2 genes were strongly repressed by L-threonine and L-methionine, respectively. Wild-type MGA3 cells secreted 0.4 g/l L-lysine and 59 g/l L-glutamate under optimised fed batch methanol fermentation. The hom-1 mutant M168-20 constructed herein secreted 11 g/l L-lysine and 69 g/l of L-glutamate, while a sixfold higher L-lysine overproduction (65 g/l) of the previously constructed classical B. methanolicus mutant NOA2#13A52-8A66 was accompanied with reduced L-glutamate production (28 g/l) and threefold elevated pyc transcription level. Overproduction of PC and its mutant enzyme P455S in M168-20 had no positive effect on the volumetric L-lysine yield and the L-lysine yield on methanol, and caused significantly reduced volumetric L-glutamate yield and L: -glutamate yield on methanol. Our results demonstrated that hom-1 represents one key target for achieving L-lysine overproduction, PC activity plays an important role in controlling L-glutamate production from methanol, and that OAA precursor supply is not a major bottleneck for L-lysine overproduction by B. methanolicus.

  8. Structural analyses to identify selective inhibitors of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase-S, a sperm-specific glycolytic enzyme

    PubMed Central

    Danshina, Polina V.; Qu, Weidong; Temple, Brenda R.; Rojas, Rafael J.; Miley, Michael J.; Machius, Mischa; Betts, Laurie; O'Brien, Deborah A.

    2016-01-01

    STUDY HYPOTHESIS Detailed structural comparisons of sperm-specific glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, spermatogenic (GAPDHS) and the somatic glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) isozyme should facilitate the identification of selective GAPDHS inhibitors for contraceptive development. STUDY FINDING This study identified a small-molecule GAPDHS inhibitor with micromolar potency and >10-fold selectivity that exerts the expected inhibitory effects on sperm glycolysis and motility. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Glycolytic ATP production is required for sperm motility and male fertility in many mammalian species. Selective inhibition of GAPDHS, one of the glycolytic isozymes with restricted expression during spermatogenesis, is a potential strategy for the development of a non-hormonal contraceptive that directly blocks sperm function. STUDY DESIGN, SAMPLES/MATERIALS, METHODS Homology modeling and x-ray crystallography were used to identify structural features that are conserved in GAPDHS orthologs in mouse and human sperm, but distinct from the GAPDH orthologs present in somatic tissues. We identified three binding pockets surrounding the substrate and cofactor in these isozymes and conducted a virtual screen to identify small-molecule compounds predicted to bind more tightly to GAPDHS than to GAPDH. Following the production of recombinant human and mouse GAPDHS, candidate compounds were tested in dose–response enzyme assays to identify inhibitors that blocked the activity of GAPDHS more effectively than GAPDH. The effects of a selective inhibitor on the motility of mouse and human sperm were monitored by computer-assisted sperm analysis, and sperm lactate production was measured to assess inhibition of glycolysis in the target cell. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Our studies produced the first apoenzyme crystal structures for human and mouse GAPDHS and a 1.73 Å crystal structure for NAD+-bound human GAPDHS, facilitating the identification of unique

  9. Crystal Structure of an Iron-Dependent Group III Dehydrogenase That Interconverts l-Lactaldehyde and l-1,2-Propanediol in Escherichia coli†

    PubMed Central

    Montella, Cristina; Bellsolell, Lluis; Pérez-Luque, Rosa; Badía, Josefa; Baldoma, Laura; Coll, Miquel; Aguilar, Juan

    2005-01-01

    The FucO protein, a member of the group III “iron-activated” dehydrogenases, catalyzes the interconversion between l-lactaldehyde and l-1,2-propanediol in Escherichia coli. The three-dimensional structure of FucO in a complex with NAD+ was solved, and the presence of iron in the crystals was confirmed by X-ray fluorescence. The FucO structure presented here is the first structure for a member of the group III bacterial dehydrogenases shown experimentally to contain iron. FucO forms a dimer, in which each monomer folds into an α/β dinucleotide-binding N-terminal domain and an all-α-helix C-terminal domain that are separated by a deep cleft. The dimer is formed by the swapping (between monomers) of the first chain of the β-sheet. The binding site for Fe2+ is located at the face of the cleft formed by the C-terminal domain, where the metal ion is tetrahedrally coordinated by three histidine residues (His200, His263, and His277) and an aspartate residue (Asp196). The glycine-rich turn formed by residues 96 to 98 and the following α-helix is part of the NAD+ recognition locus common in dehydrogenases. Site-directed mutagenesis and enzyme kinetic assays were performed to assess the role of different residues in metal, cofactor, and substrate binding. In contrast to previous assumptions, the essential His267 residue does not interact with the metal ion. Asp39 appears to be the key residue for discriminating against NADP+. Modeling l-1,2-propanediol in the active center resulted in a close approach of the C-1 hydroxyl of the substrate to C-4 of the nicotinamide ring, implying that there is a typical metal-dependent dehydrogenation catalytic mechanism. PMID:15995211

  10. Three-dimensional structure of holo 3 alpha,20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase: a member of a short-chain dehydrogenase family.

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, D; Weeks, C M; Grochulski, P; Duax, W L; Erman, M; Rimsay, R L; Orr, J C

    1991-01-01

    The x-ray structure of a short-chain dehydrogenase, the bacterial holo 3 alpha,20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.53), is described at 2.6 A resolution. This enzyme is active as a tetramer and crystallizes with four identical subunits in the asymmetric unit. It has the alpha/beta fold characteristic of the dinucleotide binding region. The fold of the rest of the subunit, the quaternary structure, and the nature of the cofactor-enzyme interactions are, however, significantly different from those observed in the long-chain dehydrogenases. The architecture of the postulated active site is consistent with the observed stereospecificity of the enzyme and the fact that the tetramer is the active form. There is only one cofactor and one substrate-binding site per subunit; the specificity for both 3 alpha- and 20 beta-ends of the steroid results from the binding of the steroid in two orientations near the same cofactor at the same catalytic site. Images PMID:1946424

  11. Development of a novel ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay for human glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 antibody.

    PubMed

    Numata, Satoshi; Katakami, Hideki; Inoue, Shinobu; Sawada, Hirotake; Hashida, Seiichi

    2016-07-01

    We developed a novel, ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay (immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay) for determination of glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody concentrations in serum samples from patients with type 2 diabetes. We developed an immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay for glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody and measured glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody from 22 patients with type 1 diabetes, 29 patients with type 2 diabetes, and 32 healthy controls. A conventional ELISA kit identified 10 patients with type 1 diabetes and one patient with type 2 diabetes as glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody positive, whereas 15 patients with type 1 diabetes and six patients with type 2 diabetes were identified as glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody positive using immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay. Immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay is a highly sensitive and specific assay for glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody and might be clinically useful for diabetic onset prediction and early diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2016.

  12. Increased Dynamics of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle and Glutamate Synthesis in Obese Adipose Tissue

    PubMed Central

    Nagao, Hirofumi; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Bamba, Takeshi; Nakayama, Yasumune; Isozumi, Noriyoshi; Nagamori, Shushi; Kanai, Yoshikatsu; Tanaka, Yoshimitsu; Kita, Shunbun; Fukuda, Shiro; Funahashi, Tohru; Maeda, Norikazu; Fukusaki, Eiichiro; Shimomura, Iichiro

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is closely associated with various metabolic disorders. However, little is known about abnormalities in the metabolic change of obese adipose tissue. Here we use static metabolic analysis and in vivo metabolic turnover analysis to assess metabolic dynamics in obese mice. The static metabolic analyses showed that glutamate and constitutive metabolites of the TCA cycle were increased in the white adipose tissue (WAT) of ob/ob and diet-induced obesity mice but not in the liver or skeletal muscle of these obese mice. Moreover, in vivo metabolic turnover analyses demonstrated that these glucose-derived metabolites were dynamically and specifically produced in obese WAT compared with lean WAT. Glutamate rise in obese WAT was associated with down-regulation of glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST), a major glutamate transporter for adipocytes, and low uptake of glutamate into adipose tissue. In adipocytes, glutamate treatment reduced adiponectin secretion and insulin-mediated glucose uptake and phosphorylation of Akt. These data suggest that a high intra-adipocyte glutamate level potentially relates to adipocyte dysfunction in obesity. This study provides novel insights into metabolic dysfunction in obesity through comprehensive application of in vivo metabolic turnover analysis in two obese animal models. PMID:28119455

  13. Regulation of Hippocampal Glutamate Receptors: Evidence for the Involvement of a Calcium-Activated Protease

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baudry, Michel; Lynch, Gary

    1980-04-01

    Specific [3H]glutamate binding to rat hippocampal membranes and the calcium-induced increase in this binding are markedly temperature-sensitive and are inhibited by alkylating or reducing agents as well as by various protease inhibitors. N-Ethylmaleimide, chloromethyl ketone derivatives of lysine and phenylalanine, and tosylarginine methyl ester decrease the maximum number of [3H]glutamate binding sites without changing their affinity for glutamate. Preincubation of the membranes with glutamate does not protect the glutamate ``receptors'' from the suppressive effects of these agents. The proteases trypsin and α -chymotrypsin increase the maximum number of [3H]glutamate binding sites. The effects of calcium on glutamate binding are different across brain regions. Cerebellar membranes are almost insensitive whereas hippocampal and striatal membranes exhibit a strong increase in the number of binding sites after exposure to even low concentrations of calcium. These results suggest that an endogenous membrane-associated thiol protease regulates the number of [3H]glutamate binding sites in hippocampal membranes and that this is the mechanism by which calcium stimulates glutamate binding. The possibility is discussed that the postulated mechanisms participate in synaptic physiology and in particular may be related to the long-term potentiation of transmission found in hippocampus under certain conditions.

  14. Purification of a NAD(P) reductase-like protein from the thermogenic appendix of the Sauromatum guttatum inflorescence.

    PubMed

    Skubatz, Hanna; Howald, William N

    2013-03-01

    A NAD(P) reductase-like protein with a molecular mass of 34.146 ± 34 Da was purified to homogeneity from the appendix of the inflorescence of the Sauromatum guttatum. On-line liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry was used to isolate and quantify the protein. For the identification of the protein, liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of tryptic digests of the protein was carried out. The acquired mass spectra were used for database searching, which led to the identification of a single tryptic peptide. The 12 amino acid tryptic peptide (FLPSEFGNDVDR) was found to be identical to amino acid residues at the positions 108-120 of isoflavone reductase in the Arabidopsis genome. A BLAST search identified this sequence region as unique and specific to a class of NAD(P)-dependent reductases involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Edman degradation revealed that the protein was N-terminally blocked. The amount of the protein (termed RL, NAD(P) reductase-like protein) increased 60-fold from D-4 (4 days before inflorescence-opening, designated as D-day) to D-Day, and declined the following day, when heat-production ceased. When salicylic acid, the endogenous trigger of heat-production in the Sauromatum appendix, was applied to premature appendices, a fivefold decrease in the amount of RL was detected in the treated section relative to the non-treated section. About 40 % of RL was found in the cytoplasm. Another 30 % was detected in Percoll-purified mitochondria and the rest, about 30 % was associated with a low speed centrifugation pellet due to nuclei and amyloplast localization. RL was also found in other thermogenic plants and detected in Arabidopsis leaves. The function of RL in thermogenic and non-thermogenic plants requires further investigation.

  15. The Structural Basis of Cryptosporidium-Specific IMP Dehydrogenase Inhibitor Selectivity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    MacPherson, Iain S.; Kirubakaran, Sivapriya; Gorla, Suresh Kumar

    2010-03-29

    Cryptosporidium parvum is a potential biowarfare agent, an important AIDS pathogen, and a major cause of diarrhea and malnutrition. No vaccines or effective drug treatment exist to combat Cryptosporidium infection. This parasite relies on inosine 5{prime}-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) to obtain guanine nucleotides, and inhibition of this enzyme blocks parasite proliferation. Here, we report the first crystal structures of CpIMPDH. These structures reveal the structural basis of inhibitor selectivity and suggest a strategy for further optimization. Using this information, we have synthesized low-nanomolar inhibitors that display 10{sup 3} selectivity for the parasite enzyme over human IMPDH2.

  16. GLT-1: The elusive presynaptic glutamate transporter

    PubMed Central

    Rimmele, Theresa S.; Rosenberg, Paul A.

    2016-01-01

    Historically, glutamate uptake in the CNS was mainly attributed to glial cells for three reasons: 1) none of the glutamate transporters were found to be located in presynaptic terminals of excitatory synapses; 2) the putative glial transporters, GLT-1 and GLAST are expressed at high levels in astrocytes; 3) studies of the constitutive GLT-1 knockout as well as pharmacological studies demonstrated that >90% of glutamate uptake into forebrain synaptosomes is mediated by the operation of GLT-1. Here we summarize the history leading up to the recognition of GLT-1a as a presynaptic glutamate transporter. A major issue now is understanding the physiological and pathophysiologial significance of the expression of GLT-1 in presynaptic terminals. To elucidate the cell-type specific functions of GLT-1, a conditional knockout was generated with which to inactivate the GLT-1 gene in different cell types using Cre/lox technology. Astrocytic knockout led to an 80% reduction of GLT-1 expression, resulting in intractable seizures and early mortality as seen also in the constitutive knockout. Neuronal knockout was associated with no obvious phenotype. Surprisingly, synaptosomal uptake capacity (Vmax) was found to be significantly reduced, by 40%, in the neuronal knockout, indicating that the contribution of neuronal GLT-1 to synaptosomal uptake is disproportionate to its protein expression (5–10%). Conversely, the contribution of astrocytic GLT-1 to synaptosomal uptake was much lower than expected. In contrast, the loss of uptake into liposomes prepared from brain protein from astrocyte and neuronal knockouts was proportionate with the loss of GLT-1 protein, suggesting that a large portion of GLT-1 in astrocytic membranes in synaptosomal preparations is not functional, possibly because of a failure to reseal. These results suggest the need to reinterpret many previous studies using synaptosomal uptake to investigate glutamate transport itself as well as changes in glutamate

  17. High glutamate attenuates S100B and LDH outputs from rat cortical slices enhanced by either oxygen-glucose deprivation or menadione.

    PubMed

    Demircan, Celaleddin; Gül, Zülfiye; Büyükuysal, R Levent

    2014-07-01

    One hour incubation of rat cortical slices in a medium without oxygen and glucose (oxygen-glucose deprivation, OGD) increased S100B release to 6.53 ± 0.3 ng/ml/mg protein from its control value of 3.61 ± 0.2 ng/ml/mg protein. When these slices were then transferred to a medium containing oxygen and glucose (reoxygenation, REO), S100B release rose to 344 % of its control value. REO also caused 192 % increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage. Glutamate added at millimolar concentration into the medium decreased OGD or REO-induced S100B release and REO-induced LDH leakage. Alpha-ketoglutarate, a metabolic product of glutamate, was found to be as effective as glutamate in decreasing the S100B and LDH outputs. Similarly lactate, 2-ketobutyrate and ethyl pyruvate, a lipophilic derivative of pyruvate, also exerted a glutamate-like effect on S100B and LDH outputs. Preincubation with menadione, which produces H2O2 intracellularly, significantly increased S100B and LDH levels in normoxic medium. All drugs tested in the present study, with the exception of pyruvate, showed a complete protection against menadione preincubation. Additionally, each OGD-REO, menadione or H2O2-induced mitochondrial energy impairments determined by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and OGD-REO or menadione-induced increases in reactive oxygen substances (ROS) determined by 2,7-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) were also recovered by glutamate. Interestingly, H2O2-induced increase in fluorescence intensity derived from DCFH-DA in a slice-free physiological medium was attenuated significantly by glutamate and alpha-keto acids. All these drug actions support the conclusion that high glutamate, such as alpha-ketoglutarate and other keto acids, protects the slices against OGD- and REO-induced S100B and LDH outputs probably by scavenging ROS in addition to its energy substrate metabolite property.

  18. CPG2 Recruits Endophilin B2 to the Cytoskeleton for Activity-Dependent Endocytosis of Synaptic Glutamate Receptors.

    PubMed

    Loebrich, Sven; Benoit, Marc Robert; Konopka, Jaclyn Aleksandra; Cottrell, Jeffrey Richard; Gibson, Joanne; Nedivi, Elly

    2016-02-08

    Internalization of glutamate receptors at the postsynaptic membrane via clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a key mechanism for regulating synaptic strength. A role for the F-actin cytoskeleton in CME is well established, and recently, PKA-dependent association of candidate plasticity gene 2 (CPG2) with the spine-cytoskeleton has been shown to mediate synaptic glutamate receptor internalization. Yet, how the endocytic machinery is physically coupled to the actin cytoskeleton to facilitate glutamate receptor internalization has not been demonstrated. Moreover, there has been no distinction of endocytic-machinery components that are specific to activity-dependent versus constitutive glutamate receptor internalization. Here, we show that CPG2, through a direct physical interaction, recruits endophilin B2 (EndoB2) to F-actin, thus anchoring the endocytic machinery to the spine cytoskeleton and facilitating glutamate receptor internalization. Regulation of CPG2 binding to the actin cytoskeleton by protein kinase A directly impacts recruitment of EndoB2 and clathrin. Specific disruption of EndoB2 or the CPG2-EndoB2 interaction impairs activity-dependent, but not constitutive, internalization of both NMDA- and AMPA-type glutamate receptors. These results demonstrate that, through direct interactions with F-actin and EndoB2, CPG2 physically bridges the spine cytoskeleton and the endocytic machinery, and this tripartite association is critical specifically for activity-dependent CME of synaptic glutamate receptors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The Degradation of 14C-Glutamic Acid by L-Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dougherty, Charles M; Dayan, Jean

    1982-01-01

    Describes procedures and semi-micro reaction apparatus (carbon dioxide trap) to demonstrate how a particular enzyme (L-Glutamic acid decarboxylase) may be used to determine the site or sites of labeling in its substrate (carbon-14 labeled glutamic acid). Includes calculations, solutions, and reagents used. (Author/SK)

  20. Effect of starch ingestion on plasma glutamate concentrations in humans ingesting monosodium L-glutamate in soup.

    PubMed

    Stegink, L D; Filer, L J; Baker, G L

    1985-02-01

    Plasma glutamate concentrations in human subjects are markedly lower when monosodium L-glutamate is ingested in a water solution containing partially hydrolyzed starch than when ingested in water alone. This study was carried out to investigate whether starch ingested as crackers had a similar effect. Eight normal adult subjects (four male, four female) ingested three servings of a beef consommé providing 50 mg/kg body weight monosodium L-glutamate. One serving was consommé alone, the other two were accompanied by sufficient crackers to provide 0.25 or 0.5 g starch per kilogram body weight, respectively. Ingestion of consommé containing glutamate significantly increased the mean plasma glutamate concentration above baseline to a mean peak value 30 min later. The peak after consumption of 0.5 g starch per kilogram body weight, but not 0.25 g/kg body weight, was significantly lower than when consommé alone was ingested. These data indicate that simultaneous ingestion of metabolizable carbohydrate with glutamate has a marked effect on the plasma glutamate response and indicate that the threshold value for carbohydrate is greater than 0.25 g/kg body weight.

  1. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis of short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases with dual retinol/sterol substrate specificity.

    PubMed

    Belyaeva, Olga V; Kedishvili, Natalia Y

    2006-12-01

    Human short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases with dual retinol/sterol substrate specificity (RODH-like enzymes) are thought to contribute to the oxidation of retinol for retinoic acid biosynthesis and to the metabolism of androgenic and neuroactive 3alpha-hydroxysteroids. Here, we investigated the phylogeny and orthology of these proteins to understand better their origins and physiological roles. Phylogenetic and genomic analysis showed that two proteins (11-cis-RDH and RDHL) are highly conserved, and their orthologs can be identified in the lower taxa, such as amphibians and fish. Two other proteins (RODH-4 and 3alpha-HSD) are significantly less conserved. Orthologs for 3alpha-HSD are present in all mammals analyzed, whereas orthologs for RODH-4 can be identified in some mammalian species but not in others due to species-specific gene duplications. Understanding the evolution and divergence of RODH-like enzymes in various vertebrate species should facilitate further investigation of their in vivo functions using animal models.

  2. Synteny between the Pro/sup +/ marker and human glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jones, C.

    1975-01-01

    Chinese hamster ovary cells with a specific auxotrophy for proline were fused with human cells from a variety of sources and the resulting hybrids analyzed for human genetic markers. Of 63 hybrid clones examined, 27 possessed both proline and cytoplasmic glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase markers; 36 had neither; and no clones were found possessing one and not the other. These results constitute evidence that the proline and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase markers are syntenic. Evidence for absence of synteny between these and a variety of other human genes is presented. Biochemical tracer experiments established that the proline biosynthetic pathway through glutamate hasmore » been restored in the Pro/sup +/ hybrids.« less

  3. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Trafficking of Ionotropic Glutamate and GABAA Receptors at Central Synapses

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Min-Yi; Gustafsson, Bengt; Niu, Yin-Ping

    2006-01-01

    The trafficking of ionotropic glutamate (AMPA, NMDA and kainate) and GABAA receptors in and out of, or laterally along, the postsynaptic membrane has recently emerged as an important mechanism in the regulation of synaptic function, both under physiological and pathological conditions, such as information processing, learning and memory formation, neuronal development, and neurodegenerative diseases. Non-ionotropic glutamate receptors, primarily group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), co-exist with the postsynaptic ionotropic glutamate and GABAA receptors. The ability of mGluRs to regulate postsynaptic phosphorylation and Ca2+ concentration, as well as their interactions with postsynaptic scaffolding/signaling proteins, makes them well suited to influence the trafficking of ionotropic glutamate and GABAA receptors. Recent studies have provided insights into how mGluRs may impose such an influence at central synapses, and thus how they may affect synaptic signaling and the maintenance of long-term synaptic plasticity. In this review we will discuss some of the recent progress in this area: i) long-term synaptic plasticity and the involvement of mGluRs; ii) ionotropic glutamate receptor trafficking and long-term synaptic plasticity; iii) the involvement of postsynaptic group I mGluRs in regulating ionotropic glutamate receptor trafficking; iv) involvement of postsynaptic group I mGluRs in regulating GABAA receptor trafficking; v) and the trafficking of postsynaptic group I mGluRs themselves. PMID:18615134

  4. A family of highly conserved glycosomal 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases from Phytomonas sp.

    PubMed

    Uttaro, A D; Altabe, S G; Rider, M H; Michels, P A; Opperdoes, F R

    2000-10-13

    Phytomonas sp. contains two malate dehydrogenase isoforms, a mitochondrial isoenzyme with a high specificity for oxaloacetate and a glycosomal isozyme that acts on a broad range of substrates (Uttaro, A. D., and Opperdoes, F.R. (1997) Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 89, 51-59). Here, we show that the low specificity of the latter isoenzyme is the result of a number of recent gene duplications that gave rise to a family of glycosomal 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase genes. Two of these genes were cloned, sequenced, and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Although both gene products have 322 amino acids, share 90.4% identical residues, and have a similar hydrophobicity profile and net charge, their kinetic properties were strikingly different. One isoform behaved as a real malate dehydrogenase with a high specificity for oxaloacetate, whereas the other showed no activity with oxaloacetate but was able to reduce other oxoacids, such as phenyl pyruvate, 2-oxoisocaproate, 2-oxovalerate, 2-oxobutyrate, 2-oxo-4-methiolbutyrate, and pyruvate.

  5. Extremely high intracellular concentration of glucose-6-phosphate and NAD(H) in Deinococcus radiodurans.

    PubMed

    Yamashiro, Takumi; Murata, Kousaku; Kawai, Shigeyuki

    2017-03-01

    Deinococcus radiodurans is highly resistant to ionizing radiation and UV radiation, and oxidative stress caused by such radiations. NADP(H) seems to be important for this resistance (Slade and Radman, Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 75:133-191; Slade, Radman, Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 75:133-191, 2011), but the mechanism underlying the generation of NADP(H) or NAD(H) in D. radiodurans has not fully been addressed. Intracellular concentrations of NAD + , NADH, NADP + , and NADPH in D. radiodurans are also not determined yet. We found that cell extracts of D. radiodurans catalyzed reduction of NAD(P) + in vitro, indicating that D. radiodurans cells contain both enzymes and a high concentration of substrates for this activity. The enzyme and the substrate were attributed to glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate of which intracellular concentration was extremely high. Unexpectedly, the intracellular concentration of NAD(H) was also much greater than that of NADP(H), suggesting some significant roles of NADH. These unusual features of this bacterium would shed light on a new aspect of physiology of this bacterium.

  6. Structural Basis for Flip-Flop Action of Thiamin Pyrophosphate-Dependent Enzymes Revealed by Human Pyruvate Dehydrogenase

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dominiak, Paulina; Ciszak, Ewa M.; Korotchkina, Lioubov; Sidhu, Sukhdeep; Patel, Mulchand

    2003-01-01

    Thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP), the biologically active form of vitamin BI, is a cofactor of enzymes catalyzing reactions involving the cleavage of a carbon-carbon bond adjacent to an oxo group. TPP-dependent enzymes show a common mechanism of TPP activation by: (1) forming the ionic N-H...O(sup -) hydrogen bonding between the N1' atom of the aminopirymidine ring of the coenzyme and intrinsic gamma-carboxylate group of glutamate and (2) imposing an "active" V-conformation that brings the N4' atom of the aminopirymidine to the distance required for the intramolecular C-H.. .N hydrogen bonding with the thiazolium C2 atom. Within these two hydrogen bonds that rapidly exchange protons, protonation of the N1' atom is strictly coordinated with the deprotonation of the 4' -amino group and eventually abstraction of the proton from C2. The human pyruvate dehydrogenase Elp, component of human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, catalyzes the irreversible decarboxylation of the pyruvate followed by the reductive acetylation of the lipoyl group of dihydrolipoyl acyltransferase. Elp is alpha(sub 2)beta(sub2)-heterotetrameric with a molecular mass of I54 kDa, which has two catalytic sites, each providing TPP and magnesium ion as cofactors and each formed on the interface between the PP and PYR domains. The dynamic nonequivalence of two otherwise chemically equivalent catalytic sites has been observed and the flip-flop mechanism was suggested, according to which two active sites affect each other and in which different steps of the catalytic reaction are performed in each of the sites at any given moment. Based on specific futures of human pyruvate dehydrogenase including rigid and flexible connections between domains that bind the cofactor we propose a mechanistic model for the flip-flop action of this enzyme. We postulate that the dynamic protein environment drives the exchange of tautomers in the 4' -aminopyrimidine ring of the cofactor through a concerted shuttl-like motion of

  7. Glutamate: Tastant and Neuromodulator in Taste Buds.

    PubMed

    Vandenbeuch, Aurelie; Kinnamon, Sue C

    2016-07-01

    In taste buds, glutamate plays a double role as a gustatory stimulus and neuromodulator. The detection of glutamate as a tastant involves several G protein-coupled receptors, including the heterodimer taste receptor type 1, member 1 and 3 as well as metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR1 and mGluR4). Both receptor types participate in the detection of glutamate as shown with knockout animals and selective antagonists. At the basal part of taste buds, ionotropic glutamate receptors [N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA] are expressed and participate in the modulation of the taste signal before its transmission to the brain. Evidence suggests that glutamate has an efferent function on taste cells and modulates the release of other neurotransmitters such as serotonin and ATP. This short article reviews the recent developments in the field with regard to glutamate receptors involved in both functions as well as the influence of glutamate on the taste signal. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

  8. Central carbon metabolism in marine bacteria examined with a simplified assay for dehydrogenases.

    PubMed

    Wen, Weiwei; Wang, Shizhen; Zhou, Xiaofen; Fang, Baishan

    2013-06-01

    A simplified assay platform was developed to measure the activities of the key oxidoreductases in central carbon metabolism of various marine bacteria. Based on microplate assay, the platform was low-cost and simplified by unifying the reaction conditions of enzymes including temperature, buffers, and ionic strength. The central carbon metabolism of 16 marine bacteria, involving Pseudomonas, Exiguobacterium, Marinobacter, Citreicella, and Novosphingobium were studied. Six key oxidoreductases of central carbon metabolism, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate dehydrogenase, 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and isocitrate dehydrogenase were investigated by testing their activities in the pathway. High activity of malate dehydrogenase was found in Citreicella marina, and the specific activity achieved 22 U/mg in cell crude extract. The results also suggested that there was a considerable variability on key enzymes' activities of central carbon metabolism in some strains which have close evolutionary relationship while they adapted to the requirements of the niche they (try to) occupy.

  9. Enzymatic production of α-ketoglutaric acid from l-glutamic acid via l-glutamate oxidase.

    PubMed

    Niu, Panqing; Dong, Xiaoxiang; Wang, Yuancai; Liu, Liming

    2014-06-10

    In this study, a novel strategy for α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) production from l-glutamic acid using recombinant l-glutamate oxidase (LGOX) was developed. First, by analyzing the molecular structure characteristics of l-glutamic acid and α-KG, LGOX was found to be the best catalyst for oxidizing the amino group of l-glutamic acid to a ketonic group without the need for exogenous cofactor. Then the LGOX gene was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) in a soluble and active form, and the recombinant LGOX activity reached to a maximum value of 0.59U/mL at pH 6.5, 30°C. Finally, the maximum α-KG concentration reached 104.7g/L from 110g/L l-glutamic acid in 24h, under the following optimum conditions: 1.5U/mL LGOX, 250U/mL catalase, 3mM MnCl2, 30°C, and pH 6.5. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  10. Activation of PPARδ attenuates neurotoxicity by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-triggered glutamate release in BV-2 microglial cells.

    PubMed

    Lee, Won Jin; Ham, Sun Ah; Yoo, Hyunjin; Hwang, Jung Seok; Yoo, Taesik; Paek, Kyung Shin; Lim, Dae-Seog; Han, Sung Gu; Lee, Chi-Ho; Hong, Kwonho; Seo, Han Geuk

    2018-02-01

    Neuroinflammation-associated release of glutamate from activated microglia has been implicated in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying this glutamate release are poorly understood. Here, we show that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARδ) modulates neurotoxicity by inhibiting glutamate release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells. Activation of PPARδ by GW501516, a specific PPARδ agonist, inhibited glutamate release in BV-2 cells. This effect of GW501516 was significantly blocked by shRNA-mediated knockdown of PPARδ and by treatment with GSK0660, a specific PPARδ antagonist, indicating that PPARδ is associated with blockade of glutamate release. Additionally, GW501516-activated PPARδ suppressed generation of reactive oxygen species and expression of gp91phox, a functional subunit of NADPH oxidase 2, in BV-2 cells stimulated with LPS. The inhibitory effect of GW501516 on gp91phox expression and glutamate release was further potentiated in the presence of AG490, a specific inhibitor of janus kinase 2 (JAK2), leading to the inhibition of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). By contrast, GW501516 upregulated the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), an endogenous inhibitor of JAK2. Furthermore, neurotoxicity induced by conditioned media from LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells was significantly reduced when conditioned media from BV-2 cells treated with both LPS and GW501516 were used. These results indicate that PPARδ attenuates LPS-triggered neuroinflammation by enhancing SOCS1-mediated inhibition of JAK2/STAT1 signaling, thereby inhibiting neurotoxicity associated with glutamate release. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Glutamate and dopamine in schizophrenia: an update for the 21st century

    PubMed Central

    Howes, Oliver; McCutcheon, Rob; Stone, James

    2016-01-01

    The glutamate and dopamine hypotheses are leading theories of the pathoaetiology of schizophrenia. Both were initially based on indirect evidence from pharmacological studies supported by post-mortem findings, but have since been substantially advanced by new lines of evidence from in vivo imaging studies. This review provides an up- date on the latest findings on dopamine and glutamate abnormalities in schizophrenia, focusing on the in vivo neuroimaging studies in patients and clinical high risk groups, and considers their implications for understanding the biology and treatment of schizophrenia. These findings have refined both the dopamine and glutamate hypotheses, enabling greater anatomical and functional specificity, and have been complemented by preclinical evidence showing how the risk factors for schizophrenia impact on the dopamine and glutamate systems. The implications of this new evidence for understanding the development and treatment of schizophrenia are considered, and the gaps in current knowledge highlighted. Finally the evidence for an integrated model of the interactions between the glutamate and dopamine systems is reviewed, and future directions discussed. PMID:25586400

  12. Proteomic Analysis of Kidney in Rats Chronically Exposed to Monosodium Glutamate

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Amod; Wongkham, Chaisiri; Prasongwattana, Vitoon; Boonnate, Piyanard; Thanan, Raynoo; Reungjui, Sirirat; Cha’on, Ubon

    2014-01-01

    Background Chronic monosodium glutamate (MSG) intake causes kidney dysfunction and renal oxidative stress in the animal model. To gain insight into the renal changes induced by MSG, proteomic analysis of the kidneys was performed. Methods Six week old male Wistar rats were given drinking water with or without MSG (2 mg/g body weight, n = 10 per group) for 9 months. Kidneys were removed, frozen, and stored at –75°C. After protein extraction, 2-D gel electrophoresis was performed and renal proteome profiles were examined with Colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining. Statistically significant protein spots (ANOVA, p<0.05) with 1.2-fold difference were excised and analyzed by LC-MS. Proteomic data were confirmed by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analyses. Results The differential image analysis showed 157 changed spots, of which 71 spots were higher and 86 spots were lower in the MSG-treated group compared with those in the control group. Eight statistically significant and differentially expressed proteins were identified: glutathione S-transferase class-pi, heat shock cognate 71 kDa, phosphoserine phosphatase, phosphoglycerate kinase, cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylase, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinyl-CoA ligase. Conclusion The identified proteins are mainly related to oxidative stress and metabolism. They provide a valuable clue to explore the mechanism of renal handling and toxicity on chronic MSG intake. PMID:25551610

  13. Malate dehydrogenase isozymes in the longnose dace, Rhinichthys cataractae.

    PubMed

    Starzyk, R M; Merritt, R B

    1980-08-01

    The interspecies homology of dace supernatant (A2,AB,B2) and mitochondrial (C2) malate dehydrogenase isozymes has been established through cell fractionation and tissue distribution studies. Isolated supernatant malate dehydrogenase (s-MDH) isozymes show significant differences in Michaelis constants for oxaloacetate and in pH optima. Shifts in s-MDH isozyme pH optima with temperature may result in immediate compensation for increase in ectotherm body pH with decrease in temperature, but duplicate s-MDH isozymes are probably maintained through selection for tissue specific regulation of metabolism.

  14. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Buenos Aires: a novel de novo missense mutation associated with severe enzyme deficiency.

    PubMed

    Minucci, Angelo; Concolino, Paola; Vendittelli, Francesca; Giardina, Bruno; Zuppi, Cecilia; Capoluongo, Ettore

    2008-06-01

    : Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) catalyzes the first committed steps in the pentose phosphate pathway: the generation of NADPH by this enzyme is essential for protection against oxidative stress. The human enzyme is in a dimer<-->tetramer equilibrium and its stability depends on NADP(+) concentration. Herein, we report a case of a symptomatic baby affected by severe deficiency of G6PD activity due to a novel de novo genetic mutation (g1465C>T) in the thirteenth exon of its gene. : Clinical, biochemical and genetic evaluations of the affected baby and his mother were performed. : We found the g1465C>T novel mutation, in the thirteenth exon of G6PD gene (named "G6PD Buenos Aires variant"). This g1465C>T mutation produce a P489S substitution at protein level. The P489S mutation was absent in his mother, suggesting that G6PD Buenos Aires resulted from a de novo mutation. : The absence of mosaicism in the baby's DNA (from saliva and blood samples) suggests that a de novo mutation event may occur in the very early stages in embryogenesis or in the mother's germ cell lines.

  15. 21 CFR 182.1045 - Glutamic acid.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Glutamic acid. 182.1045 Section 182.1045 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN....1045 Glutamic acid. (a) Product. Glutamic acid. (b) [Reserved] (c) Limitations, restrictions, or...

  16. 21 CFR 182.1045 - Glutamic acid.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Glutamic acid. 182.1045 Section 182.1045 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN....1045 Glutamic acid. (a) Product. Glutamic acid. (b) [Reserved] (c) Limitations, restrictions, or...

  17. Glutamate/GABA+ ratio is associated with the psychosocial domain of autistic and schizotypal traits.

    PubMed

    Ford, Talitha C; Nibbs, Richard; Crewther, David P

    2017-01-01

    The autism and schizophrenia spectra overlap to a large degree in the social and interpersonal domains. Similarly, abnormal excitatory glutamate and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter concentrations have been reported for both spectra, with the interplay of these neurotransmitters important for cortical excitation to inhibition regulation. This study investigates whether these neurotransmitter abnormalities are specific to the shared symptomatology, and whether the degree of abnormality increases with increasing symptom severity. Hence, the relationship between the glutamate/GABA ratio and autism and schizophrenia spectrum traits in an unmedicated, subclinical population was investigated. A total of 37 adults (19 female, 18 male) aged 18-38 years completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) and Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), and participated in the resting state proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study in which sequences specific for quantification of glutamate and GABA+ concentration were applied to a right and left superior temporal voxel. There were significant, moderate, positive relationships between right superior temporal glutamate/GABA+ ratio and AQ, SPQ and AQ+SPQ total scores (p<0.05), SPQ subscales Social Anxiety, No Close Friend, Constricted Affect, Odd Behaviour, Odd Speech, Ideas of Reference and Suspiciousness, and AQ subscales Social Skills, Communication and Attention Switching (p<0.05); increased glutamate/GABA+ coinciding with higher scores on these subscales. Only the relationships between glutamate/GABA+ ratio and Social Anxiety, Constricted Affect, Social Skills and Communication survived multiple comparison correction (p< 0.004). Left superior temporal glutamate/GABA+ ratio reduced with increasing restricted imagination (p<0.05). These findings demonstrate evidence for an association between excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter concentrations and symptoms that are shared between the autism and

  18. NMDA-Type Glutamate Receptor Activation Promotes Vascular Remodeling and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

    PubMed

    Dumas, Sébastien J; Bru-Mercier, Gilles; Courboulin, Audrey; Quatredeniers, Marceau; Rücker-Martin, Catherine; Antigny, Fabrice; Nakhleh, Morad K; Ranchoux, Benoit; Gouadon, Elodie; Vinhas, Maria-Candida; Vocelle, Matthieu; Raymond, Nicolas; Dorfmüller, Peter; Fadel, Elie; Perros, Frédéric; Humbert, Marc; Cohen-Kaminsky, Sylvia

    2018-05-29

    Excessive proliferation and apoptosis resistance in pulmonary vascular cells underlie vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Specific treatments for PAH exist, mostly targeting endothelial dysfunction, but high pulmonary arterial pressure still causes heart failure and death. Pulmonary vascular remodeling may be driven by metabolic reprogramming of vascular cells to increase glutaminolysis and glutamate production. The N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), a major neuronal glutamate receptor, is also expressed on vascular cells, but its role in PAH is unknown. We assessed the status of the glutamate-NMDAR axis in the pulmonary arteries of patients with PAH and controls through mass spectrometry imaging, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. We measured the glutamate release from cultured pulmonary vascular cells using enzymatic assays and analyzed NMDAR regulation/phosphorylation through Western blot experiments. The effect of NMDAR blockade on human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation was determined using a BrdU incorporation assay. We assessed the role of NMDARs in vascular remodeling associated to pulmonary hypertension, in both smooth muscle-specific NMDAR knockout mice exposed to chronic hypoxia and the monocrotaline rat model of pulmonary hypertension using NMDAR blockers. We report glutamate accumulation, upregulation of the NMDAR, and NMDAR engagement reflected by increases in GluN1-subunit phosphorylation in the pulmonary arteries of human patients with PAH. K v channel inhibition and type A-selective endothelin receptor activation amplified calcium-dependent glutamate release from human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell, and type A-selective endothelin receptor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor activation led to NMDAR engagement, highlighting crosstalk between the glutamate-NMDAR axis and major PAH-associated pathways. The platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced proliferation of human

  19. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

    MedlinePlus

    ... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003671.htm Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase test To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a protein that helps ...

  20. The utility of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists in the treatment of nociception induced by epidural glutamate infusion in rats.

    PubMed

    Osgood, Doreen B; Harrington, William F; Kenney, Elizabeth V; Harrington, J Frederick

    2013-01-01

    The authors have previously demonstrated that human herniated disc material contains high concentrations of free glutamate. In an experimental model, elevated epidural glutamate concentrations in the lumbar spine can cause a focal hyperesthetic state. Rats underwent epidural glutamate infusion in the lumbar spine by a miniosmotic pump over a 72-hour period. Some rats underwent coinfusion with glutamate and ionotropic glutamate antagonists. Nociception was assessed by von Frey fibers and by assessment of glutamate receptor expression in the corresponding dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The kainic acid antagonist, UBP 301, decreased epidural glutamate-based hyperesthesia in a dose dependent manner. Concordant with these findings, there was significant decrease in kainate receptor expression in the dorsal horn. The N-Methyl-4-isoxazoleproionic acid (NMDA) antagonist Norketamine also significantly diminished hyperesthesia and decreased receptor expression in the dorsal horn. Both UBP 301, the kainic acid receptor antagonist and Norketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, dampened epidural glutamate-based nociception. Focal epidural injections of Kainate or NMDA receptor antagonists could be effective treatments for disc herniation-based lumbar radiculopathy.