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K Izui

Publications and source records attributed to K Izui.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Characterization of a maize Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase phosphorylating phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) [EC 4.1.1.31] of plants undergoes regulatory phosphorylation in response to light or nutritional conditions. However, the nature of protein kinase(s) for this phosphorylation has not yet been fully elucidated. We separated a Ca(2+)-requiring protein kinase from Ca(2+)-independent one, both of which can phosphorylate maize leaf PEPC and characterized the former kinase after partial purification. Several lines of evidence indicated that the kinase is one of the characteristic Ca(2+)-dependent but calmodulin-independent protein kinase (CDPK). Although the M(r) of native CDPK was estimated to be about 100 kDa by gel permeation chromatography, in situ phosphorylation assay of CDPK in a SDS-polyacrylamide gel revealed that the subunit has an M(r) of about 50 kDa suggesting dimer formation or association with other protein(s). Several kinetic parameters were also obtained using PEPC as a substrate. Although the CDPK showed an ability of regulatory phosphorylation (Ser-15 in maize PEPC), no significant desensitization to feedback inhibitor, malate, could be observed presumably due to low extent of phosphorylation. The kinase was not specific to PEPC but phosphorylated a variety of synthetic peptides. The possible physiological role of this kinase was discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Cloning, expression, and characterization of a root-form phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from Zea mays: comparison with the C4-form enzyme.

A full-length cDNA for maize root-form phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) was isolated. In the coding region, the root-form PEPC showed 76 and 77% identity with the C4- and C3-form PEPCs of maize, respectively, at the nucleotide level. At the amino acid level, the root-form was 81 and 85% identical to the C4- and C3-form PEPCs, respectively. The entire coding region was inserted into a pET32a expression vector so that it was expressed under the control of T7 promoter. The purified recombinant root-form PEPC had a Vmax value of about 28 mumol min-1 (mg protein)-1 at pH 8.0. The K(m) values of root-form PEPC for PEP and Mg2+ were one-tenth or less of those of C4-form PEPC when assayed at either pH 7.3 or 8.0, while the value for HCO3- was about one-half of that of C4-form PEPC at pH 8.0. Glucose 6-phosphate and glycine had little effect on the root-form PEPC at pH 7.3; they caused two-fold activation of the C4-form PEPC. The Ki (L-malate) values at pH 7.3 were 0.12 and 0.43 mM for the root- and C4-form PEPCs, respectively. Comparison of hydropathy profiles among the maize PEPC isoforms suggested that several stretches of amino acid sequences may contribute in some way to their characteristic kinetic properties. The root-form PEPC was phosphorylated by both mammalian cAMP-dependent protein kinase and maize leaf protein kinase, and the phosphorylated enzyme was less sensitive to L-malate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Regulatory phosphorylation of plant phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase: role of a conserved basic residue upstream of the phosphorylation site.

In order to mimic regulatory phosphorylation of the Ser-15 of maize C4-form phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), we replaced Ser-15 and Lys-12 with Asp (S15D) and Asn (K12N), respectively, by site-directed mutagenesis. Although both mutant enzymes were catalytically as active as the wild-type PEPC, they showed much less sensitivity to malate, an allosteric inhibitor, similarly to the phosphorylated wild-type PEPC. A maize protein kinase of 30 kDa which is known to be specific to PEPC (PEPC-PK), phosphorylated K12N as well as the wild-type PEPC but not S15D. The phosphorylation of K12N further diminished the sensitivity to malate. Thus, a positive charge of the conserved Lys-12 is not required for the recognition by PEPC-PK but contributes to the intrinsic sensitivity to malate inhibition.

Asparagine↗
PubMed1997

The replacement of Lys620 by serine desensitizes Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase to the effects of the feedback inhibitors L-aspartate and L-malate.

Chemical modification of Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (P-pyruvate carboxylase) by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate, a specific reagent for amino groups, causes desensitization to allosteric inhibitors, L-aspartate and L-malate, as well as inactivation. When L-malate is included in the modification mixture, P-pyruvate carboxylase was markedly protected from both desensitization and inactivation [Naide, A., Izui, K., Yoshinaga, T. & Katsuki, H. (1979) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 85, 423-432]. To determine the lysine residue(s) involved in allosteric inhibition, the lysine residues that were protected from modification by L-malate were investigated by analyzing trinitrophenylated peptides liberated by digestion with glutamyl endopeptidase (V8-protease). The identified residues were Lys491, Lys620, Lys650, and Lys773. Each of these residues was individually replaced with an alanine or serine residue by site-directed mutagenesis to produce mutant enzymes. The mutant enzyme whose lysine residue was replaced with serine ([Ser620]P-pyruvate carboxylase) showed a marked desensitization to L-aspartate and L-malate, while retaining almost the same maximal catalytic activity as the wild-type P-pyruvate carboxylase. Essentially no changes in enzymatic properties were observed for the [Ala491]- and [Ala650]P-pyruvate carboxylases, while for the [Ala620]- and [Ala773]P-pyruvate carboxylases the polypeptides of the expected size were not significantly accumulated in the transformed E. coli cells, presumably due to intracellular degradation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

cDNA cloning and prokaryotic expression of maize calcium-dependent protein kinases.

Using degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to conserved regions of the calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) family, we carried out a polymerase chain reaction and obtained four distinct partial-length cDNAs from a maize leaf library. We then used these clones as probes for conventional screening and isolated 19 longer clones from another cDNA library of maize seedlings. These clones were classified into four groups based on their DNA cross-hybridization. Two full-length cDNAs, designated as ZmCDPK9 and ZmCDPK7, were sequenced and characterized. The predicted protein of each clone was a typical CDPK with eleven canonical subdomains of protein kinases, and four EF-hand calcium-binding motifs in its N-terminal and C-terminal halves, respectively. The catalytic and regulatory domains were linked by a well-conserved junction domain. The N-terminus of the protein also contained a consensus sequence for an N-myristoylation signal. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcription level of each gene was higher in roots and etiolated leaves than in green leaves. To confirm the calcium dependency of the maize enzymes, the entire coding region of ZmCDPK9 was subcloned into an expression vector so that it was in frame with the vector-encoded peptide tags. A cell-free extract of Escherichia coli transformed with the recombinant plasmid exhibited calcium-dependent phosphorylation activity, using casein as a substrate.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Effects of site-directed mutagenesis of conserved Lys606 residue on catalytic and regulatory functions of maize C4-form phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.

Lys606, one of the two highly conserved lysine residues in maize C4-form phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), was converted to Asn, Glu or Arg by site-directed mutagenesis. Resulted mutant enzymes expressed using pET system [Dong, L.-Y. et al. (1997) Biosci. Biotech, Biochem. 61:545] were purified by one step procedure through nickel-chelate affinity chromatography to a purity of about 95%. The replacement of Lys606 by Arg had little effect on the kinetic and allosteric properties of the resulting mutant enzyme. In contrast, the maximum velocities (Vmax) were decreased to 22% and 2% of that of wild-type PEPC upon the substitution of Lys606 by Asn and Glu, respectively. The value of S0.5(HCO3-) was increased 21-25 fold by the replacements, whereas the S0.5(Mg2+) and S0.5(PEP) values were increased only 5-8 fold. The extents of activation of mutant enzymes by glucose 6-phosphate and glycine were 2 to 3-fold higher than those of wild-type enzyme. The mutant enzymes showed less sensitivity to malate inhibition, compared with the wild-type enzyme. The results suggested that the Lys606 is not obligatory for the enzyme activity, but may be involved in the bicarbonate-binding and contribute somehow to the allosteric regulatory properties.

Allosteric Regulation↗
PubMed1997

High-level expression of maize C4-type phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in Escherichia coli and its rapid purification.

Maize C4-type phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) was expressed in E. coli with the pET32 system. The expressed fusion PEPC was active and its amount comprised more than 10% of total soluble protein. The specific activity increased by about 45-fold, compared with our previous system [S. Yanagisawa and K. Izui, Agric. Biol. Chem., 54, 241-243 (1990)]. The fusion PEPC was rapidly purified with His bind metal chelation resin, showing a single band on SDS-PAGE. Moreover, the tag domain fused at the N-terminus did not have any effect on catalytic and regulatory properties of PEPC.

Catalysis↗
PubMed1996

Plant calcium-dependent protein kinase-related kinases (CRKs) do not require calcium for their activities.

In plants, calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) make up a large family that is characterized by a C-terminal calmodulin(CaM)-like domain. Recently, a novel carrot cDNA clone encoding an atypical CDPK, which has a significantly degenerate sequence in the CaM-like domain, was found and named CDPK-related protein kinase (CRK) [Lindzen, E. and Choi, J.H. (1995) Plant Mol. Biol. 28, 785-797]. We obtained two different cDNA clones from maize which encode CRKs. For the first enzymatic characterization of CRK, a maize cDNA clone was expressed in E. coli. The recombinant protein efficiently phosphorylated casein, a conventional protein substrate. Notably, in this in vitro phosphorylation assay, the kinase activity did not require calcium as an activator. Thus, CRKs were suggested to be novel calcium-independent protein kinases having a degenerate CaM domain, the function of which remains to be elucidated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Purification and characterization of recombinant phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase of Thermus sp.

Recombinant phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC, EC 4.1.1.31) of an extreme thermophile, Thermus sp., which was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, was purified and its enzymological properties were investigated and compared with native Thermus PEPC. The enzyme activity was strongly dependent on acetyl-CoA, an allosteric activator, and inhibited by malate or aspartate. Contrary to the other known PEPCs, Thermus PEPC was not activated but rather inhibited by phosphorylated compounds such as fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and GTP. The specific activity in the presence of 0.3 mM acetyl-CoA and 2 mM phosphoenolpyruvate was highest at 70 degrees C. The half-saturation concentrations for both substrates at 70 degrees C were about twice those at 30 degrees C. Half-lives of the enzyme at 85, 90, and 95 degrees C were 220, 110, and 50 min, respectively. Thermus PEPC was highly tolerant also to guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl): the concentrations required for complete inactivation of Thermus and E. coli PEPCs after incubation at 30 degrees C for 20 h were 3.5 and 0.6 M, respectively. The properties of recombinant and native enzyme were similar to each other except for the catalytic activity after incubation with 1-2 M Gdn-HCl.

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗
PubMed1995

Catalytic role of an arginine residue in the highly conserved and unique sequence of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) [EC 4.1.1.31] has a highly conserved and unique sequence, 578-FHGRGGSIGRGGAP-591 (on Escherichia coli, PEPC), in which a GRGG motif is repeated twice with two intervening residues. Since previous chemical modification studies suggested the functional importance of arginine residues, the invariant Arg587 in this region was replaced with Ser, and the enzymatic properties of the resulting mutant enzyme (R587S) were investigated. Replacement led to virtual loss of the catalytic activity to form oxaloacetate. The specific activity was 37 nmol.min-1.mg-1, which corresponds to 2 x 10(-4)-fold the activity of the wild-type enzyme. However, the activity of bicarbonate- and Mg(2+)-dependent hydrolysis of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to pyruvate appeared for the mutant enzyme with a specific activity of 2.1 mumol.min-1.mg-1. In view of the stepwise reaction mechanism proposed for PEPC, this activity can be attributed to impairment of the subsequent partial reaction(s) following the formation of the intermediate carboxyphosphate. The half-saturation concentration (S0.5) of HCO3- in R587S was about 100-fold that in the wild-type enzyme, whereas the respective values for PEP and Mg2+ were 20- and 15-fold, indicative of this residue participating in the binding of HCO3-.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Cloning and sequence analysis of the gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from an extreme thermophile, Thermus sp.

The ppc gene, which encodes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) of an extreme thermophile, Thermus sp., was cloned and sequenced. The ppc gene had a high G+C content (69.2%). An open reading frame for a 857-amino-acid polypeptide was found in the gene. The calculated molecular mass was 95,632. The amino acid sequence of Thermus PEPC was 31-37% identical and 52-57% similar to those of 17 PEPCs from mesophilic organisms. No Cys residue was found in the polypeptide, demonstrating that this residue is not essential for the catalytic activity of PEPC. The cloned gene was expressed in Escherichia coli and thermostable PEPC was obtained.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Molecular cloning of two DNA-binding proteins of maize that are structurally different but interact with the same sequence motif.

Nuclear extracts from maize leaves have been shown previously to contain a factor, MNF1, that interacts with both the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the promoter of the maize gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, which is involved in C4 photosynthesis. We have isolated two cDNA clones encoding proteins (MNB1a and MNB1b), that bind to an MNF1-binding site in a sequence-specific manner, by screening of a maize cDNA expression library with synthetic oligonucleotides. Using various mutated oligonucleotides, we showed that both proteins recognize an AAGG motif at the MNF1-binding site as important bases for binding, as does MNF1 in maize nuclear extracts. However, the binding specificities of MNB1a and MNB1b are similar but not identical to that of MNF1. The deduced amino acid sequences of these proteins are completely different from each other. The basic region of MNB1b exhibits homology to the high mobility group (HMG) box of the vertebrate HMG1 family, whereas MNB1a exhibits no homology to any known proteins. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA revealed that the cDNA for MNB1a is derived from a multigene family whose members have highly homologous N-terminal basic domain, whereas the gene for MNB1b exhibits only limited homology to a few other genes. These results suggest that the MNF1-binding site on the 35S promoter is a target of multiple DNA-binding proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

A Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in maize.

In C4 plants the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC; EC 4.1.1.31) is regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation which is mediated by light/dark signals. The study using protein kinase inhibitors showed that the inhibition pattern of maize PEPC-protein kinase (PEPC-PK) is similar to that of myosin light chain kinase, a Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent PK. The kinase activity was also inhibited by EGTA and the inhibition was relieved by Ca2+. These results suggest that PEPC-PK is Ca(2+)-dependent in contrast with previous observations by other research groups.

Calcium↗
PubMed1992

MNF1, a leaf tissue-specific DNA-binding protein of maize, interacts with the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter as well as the C4 photosynthetic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene promoter.

When gel shift assays were performed with maize nuclear extract and a DNA fragment containing the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter, three DNA-protein complexes were observed. Analyses with nuclear extracts prepared from green leaves, etiolated leaves, stems and roots showed that the complexes resulted from the existence of at least two nuclear factors. One of them is presumably a constitutive nuclear factor found in all tissues tested, and another is a leaf-specific factor present both in green and etiolated leaves. This leaf-specific nuclear factor seemed to be identical to MNF1, previously identified as a factor interacting with the promoter of the maize gene for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase involved in the C4 photosynthesis. Deletion analysis revealed that MNF1 binds to the sequence from -281 to -235 relative to the transcription start site of the CaMV 35S promoter. MNF1-like nuclear protein was also found in tobacco nuclear extracts. The possibility that MNF1 participates as a positive trans-acting factor in the expression of genes in maize leaves is discussed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Molecular evolution of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase for C4 photosynthesis in maize: comparison of its cDNA sequence with a newly isolated cDNA encoding an isozyme involved in the anaplerotic function.

Molecular events associated with the evolution of an enzyme for C4 photosynthesis were investigated. In maize, at least three isozymes of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase [EC 4.1.1.31] are known: the C4-form, the C2-form and the root-form, being named according to their physiological roles and pattern of tissue distribution [Ting, I.P. & Osmond, C.B. (1973) Plant Physiol. 51, 448-453]. A cDNA clone which presumably encodes the C3-form isozyme was newly isolated and analyzed. Comparison of the sequences of the C3-form and C4-form isozymes revealed that (i) the homologies in the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were 71 and 77%, respectively, and (ii) the gene for the C4-form isozyme evolved under strong G/C pressure. The genes for these isozymes were found to be located apart on different chromosomes. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using 8 amino acid sequences of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylases from various sources. The topology of the tree indicated that, at least in monocots such as maize and sorghum, the genes for the C4-form and C3-form isozymes diverged from their common ancestral gene earlier than the monocot-dicot divergence (about 2 x 10(8) yr ago), though the divergence of maize (C4 plant) from wheat (C3 plant) is supposed to have occurred much later (6 x 10(7) yr ago).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Site-directed mutagenesis of the conserved histidine residue of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. His138 is essential for the second partial reaction.

Histidine residues have previously been suggested to be essential for the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase as demonstrated by chemical modification of these residues. Although the location of these residues on the primary structure is not known, a comparison of nine phosphoenolpyruvate (P-pyruvate) carboxylases sequenced recently revealed that there are only two conserved histidine residues (His138 and His579, coordinates from the E. coli enzyme). Site-directed mutagenesis of these residues were undertaken with the E. coli P-pyruvate carboxylase and the properties of purified mutant enzymes were investigated. Mutation of His138 to asparagine (H138N) produced a protein which did not show carboxylase activity. However, this mutant enzyme catalyzed the bicarbonate-dependent dephosphorylation (Vmax = 1.4 mumol.min-1.mg-1) of the P-pyruvate. Since this reaction is due to one of the two partial reactions proposed for this enzyme, the results indicate that His138 is obligatory for the second-step reaction, i.e. the carboxylation of the enolate form of pyruvate by carboxyphosphate. Mutation of His579 to asparagine (H579N) produced an enzyme which had 69% of the wild-type carboxylase activity, but its affinity for P-pyruvate was decreased by 24-fold.

Amino Acid Sequence↗