Biomedical subjects

A Meister

Publications and source records attributed to A Meister.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

PubMed1974

Glutamine-binding subunit of glutamate synthase and partial reactions catalyzed by this glutamine amidotransferase.

In the course of studies on glutamine-dependent carbamyl phosphate synthetase from Aerobacter aerogenes, we purified another protein which was found to be glutamate synthase (EC 2.6.1.53). The enzyme, obtained in apparently homogeneous form (monomer molecular weight about 227,000; s(20,omega) = 17.6 S), was found to be a typical glutamine amidotransferase in that it exhibits glutaminase activity and can utilize ammonia in place of glutamine as a nitrogen donor. The enzyme also catalyzes at low rates the oxidative deamination of glutamate in the presence of TPN, and it exhibits TPNH oxidase activity. The enzyme is similar to the glutamate synthase found in Escherichia coli in that it is an iron-sulfide flavoprotein. Treatment of the enzyme with sodium dodecyl sulfate or potassium thiocyanate dissociates it into nonidentical subunits exhibiting molecular weights of about 175,000 and 51,500. The glutamine-dependent activity of the enzyme is inhibited by L-2-amino-4-oxo-5-chloropentanoic acid, but this chloroketone analog of glutamine does not affect the ammonia-dependent glutamate synthase activity. Studies with [(14)C]chloroketone show that the reagent binds to the heavy subunit only. Inhibition by the chloroketone and its binding to the heavy subunit are markedly reduced in the presence of L-glutamine. Sedimentation velocity studies carried out in potassium thiocyanate indicate that iron-sulfide and flavin sites are also located on the heavy subunit. While these studies show that glutamate synthase resembles other glutamine amidotransferases in certain of its catalytic properties, the findings indicate that the light subunit of this enzyme, in contrast to that of several other glutamine amidotransferases, does not function to bind glutamine. It is of interest that the enzyme exhibits an unusually high affinity for ammonia as compared to a number of other glutamine amidotransferases. Glutamate synthase is inhibited (competitively with respect to glutamine) by low concentrations of methionine sulfone, methionine sulfoximine, and methionine sulfoxide.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1974

Formation of 5-oxoproline from glutathione in erythrocytes by the gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-cyclotransferase pathway.

gamma-Glutamyltranspeptidase activity was demonstrated in the membrane fraction of rabbit erythrocytes. The activity observed (with glutathione and various amino-acid acceptors) was similar in magnitude to that of the gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase activities found in the soluble fraction of the cell. No transpeptidase activity was observed with either gamma-glutamyl p-nitroanilide or oxidized glutathione in contrast to the rabbit-kidney enzyme for which these compounds and glutathione serve as substrates. Erythrocyte suspensions and hemolysates formed 5-oxoproline (pyroglutamate; pyrrolidone carboxylate); the rate of 5-oxoproline formation from glutathione by hemolysates was increased by addition of methionine. The findings indicate that 5-oxoproline is an end-product of glutathione metabolism in erythrocytes, and that 5-oxoproline passes out of the erythrocyte and is metabolized in other tissues. The observed rate of 5-oxoproline formation is consistent with the conclusion that the gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-cyclotransferase pathway, together with the synthesis of glutathione from glycine, cysteine, and glutamate, account for a large fraction of the observed amino-acid turnover of erythrocyte glutathione.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed1974

Accumulation of 5-oxoproline in mouse tissues after inhibition of 5-oxoprolinase and administration of amino acids: evidence for function of the gamma-glutamyl cycle.

5-Oxoprolinase catalyzes the conversion of 5-oxo-L-proline (L-pyroglutamate, L-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylate) to L-glutamate with concomitant stoichiometric cleavage of ATP to ADP and inorganic orthophosphate. In this reaction, a step in the gamma-glutamyl cycle, 5-oxoproline (formed by the action of gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase on gamma-glutamyl amino acids, which are in turn formed by transpeptidation of amino acids with glutathione), is made available for glutathione synthesis. When mice are injected with L-2-imidazolidone-4-carboxylate, a competitive inhibitor of 5-oxoprolinase, they accumulate 5-oxoproline in their tissues (kidney, liver, brain, and eye) and excrete it in the urine. Mice given the inhibitor together with one of several L-amino acids accumulate and excrete much more 5-oxoproline than when they are given the inhibitor alone. Such augmentation of 5-oxoproline accumulation offers evidence for the function of the gamma-glutamyl cycle in vivo and supports the view that 5-oxoproline is a quantitatively significant metabolite.

Amidohydrolases↗

PubMed1974

Glutathione synthetase deficiency, an inborn error of metabolism involving the gamma-glutamyl cycle in patients with 5-oxoprolinuria (pyroglutamic aciduria).

Enzyme studies on placenta, cultured skin fibroblasts, and erythrocytes from two sisters with the inborn error 5-oxoprolinuria (pyroglutamic aciduria) indicate that the metabolic lesion in this disease is at the glutathione synthetase (EC 6.3.2.3) step of the gamma-glutamyl cycle. Excessive urinary excretion of 5-oxoproline by these patients appears to be associated with increased synthesis of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine and formation of 5-oxoproline from this dipeptide. Thus, 5-oxoproline is produced in amounts that exceed the normal capacity of 5-oxoprolinase to convert it to glutamate. The data indicate that it may be possible to identify individuals who are heterozygous for this trait by determinations of erythrocyte glutathione synthetase.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed1974

Glutathione turnover in the kidney; considerations relating to the gamma-glutamyl cycle and the transport of amino acids.

The overall turnover of glutathione in kidney and liver was determined in studies in which L-[(14)C]glutamate was administered to mice. Turnover was much more rapid (about 5 times greater) in kidney than in liver. Studies were also carried out in which 5-oxo-L-[(14)C]proline was administered; the first order rate constants for glutathione synthesis from 5-oxoproline in liver and kidney were not far from those found for synthesis of glutathione from glutamate in these tissues. The findings are in accord with the fact that the activities of the enzymes of the gamma-glutamyl cycle are much higher in kidney than in liver. The findings of high turnover of glutathione in kidney and the rapid utilization of 5-oxoproline by this organ for glutathione synthesis are consistent with the function of the gamma-glutamyl cycle in vivo and the proposed role of gamma-glutamyl derivatives in amino-acid transport.

Acyltransferases↗

PubMed1974

Stimulation of the hydrolytic activity and decrease of the transpeptidase activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase by maleate; identity of a rat kidney maleate-stimulated glutaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase catalyzes transfer of the gamma-glutamyl moiety of glutathione (and other gamma-glutamyl compounds) to amino acid and peptide acceptors; this reaction probably involves (a) formation of a gamma-glutamyl enzyme and (b) reaction of the gamma-glutamyl-enzyme with an acceptor. Maleate decreases the latter reaction and markedly increases hydrolysis of the gamma-glutamyl donor, apparently by affecting the enzyme so as to facilitate reaction of the gammaglutamyl enzyme with water. Transpeptidase catalyzes gamma-glutamyl hydroxamate formation from many gamma-glutamyl compounds and hydroxylamine; this reaction is stimulated 4- to 5-fold by maleate. Glutamine, a poor substrate for transpeptidation as compared to glutathione, is slowly hydrolyzed and converted to gamma-glutamyl-glutamine by the transpeptidase; in the presence of maleate, hydrolysis of glutamine is markedly (>10-fold) increased, as is also its conversion to gamma-glutamyl hydroxamate in the presence of hydroxylamine. The findings suggest that the previously described "maleate-stimulated phosphate-independent glutaminase" is a catalytic function of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase. Transpeptidase-catalyzed glutaminase activity may play a role in renal ammoniagenesis. The ability of maleate to decrease transpeptidation of gamma-glutamyl compounds (and to increase their hydrolysis to glutamate), when considered in the light of earlier findings that treatment of animals with maleate produces aminoaciduria, is consistent with function of transpeptidase and the gamma-glutamyl cycle in amino-acid transport.

Ammonia↗

PubMed1974