Biomedical subjects

Kenji Aoki

Publications and source records attributed to Kenji Aoki.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Cloning and functional analysis of aniline dioxygenase gene cluster, from Frateuria species ANA-18, that metabolizes aniline via an ortho-cleavage pathway of catechol.

Genes encoding an aniline dioxygenase of Frateuria sp. ANA-18, which metabolizes aniline via the ortho-cleavage pathway of catechol, were cloned and named tdn genes. The tdn genes were located on the chromosomal DNA of this bacterium and weren't clustered with catechol-degrading gene clusters. These results show that the ANA-18 aniline-degrading gene cluster is constructionally different from Pseudomonas tdn and Acinetobacter atd gene clusters, which degrade aniline via the meta-cleavage pathway of catechol and organize catechol-metabolic genes in the gene clusters. When cloned tdnQTA1A2B genes were expressed in Eschherichia coli, aniline dioxygenase activity was observed. Southern blot analysis revealed that homologues of the tdnA1A2B genes didn't exist in strain ANA-18. Disruption of the tdnA1A2 genes gave the parent strain ANA-18 a defect in aniline metabolism. On the basis of these results, we concluded that only the cloned tdn genes function as genes encoding aniline dioxygenase in strain ANA-18 although this bacterium had two catechol-degrading gene clusters.

Aniline Compounds↗

PubMed2002

Isolation and functional characterization of N-methyltransferases that catalyze betaine synthesis from glycine in a halotolerant photosynthetic organism Aphanothece halophytica.

Glycine betaine (N,N,N-trimethylglycine) is an important osmoprotectant and is synthesized in response to abiotic stresses. Although almost all known biosynthetic pathways of betaine are two-step oxidation of choline, here we isolated two N-methyltransferase genes from a halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica. One of gene products (ORF1) catalyzed the methylation reactions of glycine and sarcosine with S-adenosylmethionine acting as the methyl donor. The other one (ORF2) specifically catalyzed the methylation of dimethylglycine to betaine. Both enzymes are active as monomers. Betaine, a final product, did not show the feed back inhibition for the methyltransferases even in the presence of 2 m. A reaction product, S-adenosyl homocysteine, inhibited the methylation reactions with relatively low affinities. The co-expressing of two enzymes in Escherichia coli increased the betaine level and enhanced the growth rates. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the accumulation levels of both enzymes in A. halophytica cells increased with increasing the salinity. These results indicate that A. halophytica cells synthesize betaine from glycine by a three-step methylation. The changes of amino acids Arg-169 to Lys or Glu in ORF1 and Pro-171 to Gln and/or Met-172 to Arg in ORF2 significantly decreased V(max) and increased K(m) for methyl acceptors (glycine, sarcosine, and dimethylglycine) but modestly affected K(m) for S-adenosylmethionine, indicating the importance of these amino acids for the binding of methyl acceptors. Physiological and functional properties of methyltransferases were discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Functional characterization of choline monooxygenase, an enzyme for betaine synthesis in plants.

In plants, the first step in betaine synthesis was shown to be catalyzed by a novel Rieske-type iron-sulfur enzyme, choline monooxygenase (CMO). Although CMO so far has been found only in Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae, the recent genome sequence suggests the presence of a CMO-like gene in Arabidopsis, a betaine non-accumulating plant. Here, we examined the functional properties of CMO expressed in Escherichia coli, cyanobacterium, and Arabidopsis thaliana. We found that E. coli cells in which choline dehydrogenase (CDH) was replaced with spinach CMO accumulate betaine and complement the salt-sensitive phenotype of the CDH-deleted E. coli mutant. Changes of Cys-181 in spinach CMO to Ser, Thr, and Ala and His-287 to Gly, Val, and Ala abolished the accumulation of betaine. The Arabidopsis CMO-like gene was transcribed in Arabidopsis, but its protein was not detected. When the Arabidopsis CMO-like gene was expressed in E. coli, the protein was detected but was found not to promote betaine sysnthesis. Overexpression of spinach CMO in E. coli, Synechococcus sp. PCC7942, and Arabidopsis conferred resistance to abiotic stress. These facts clearly indicate that CMO, but not the CMO-like protein, could oxidize choline and that Cys-181 and His-287 are involved in the binding of Fe-S cluster and Fe, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Ammonia assimilation in Klebsiella pneumoniae F-5-2 that can utilize ammonium and nitrate ions simultaneously: purification and characterization of glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase.

The two ammonia-assimilating enzymes glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH; EC 1.4.1.4) and glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) were synthesized steadily during the cell growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae F-5-2 that can utilize NH4+ and NO3- simultaneously under aerobic conditions. The enzymes were purified to homogeneity from cell extracts and characterized. The molecular mass of the purified GDH was 300 kDa with six identical 52-kDa subunits. GDH showed its maximal activity (aminating) at pH 8.0 and was stable between pHs 5.5 and 11.5. The enzyme was NADP-specific and strongly inhibited by Ag+. It catalyzed the amination of 2-ketovalerate, 2-ketoadipate, and 2-ketobutyrate, in addition to 2-ketoglutarate. The purified GS has a molecular mass of 470 kDa with eight identical 60-kDa subunits. GS showed its maximal activity at pH 8.0 and was stable between pHs 6.0 and 7.0. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by Fe3+, Hg2+, and Cu2+.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

A novel meta-cleavage dioxygenase that cleaves a carboxyl-group-substituted 2-aminophenol. Purification and characterization of 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoate 2,3-dioxygenase from Bordetella sp. strain 10d.

A bacterial strain that grew on 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid was isolated from farm soil. The isolate, strain 10d, was identified as a species of Bordetella. Cell extracts of Bordetella sp. strain 10d grown on 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid contained an enzyme that cleaved this substrate. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity with a 110-fold increase in specific activity. The purified enzyme was characterized as a meta-cleavage dioxygenase that catalyzed the ring fission between C2 and C3 of 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid, with the consumption of 1 mol of O2 per mol of substrate. The enzyme was therefore designated as 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoate 2,3-dioxygenase. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was 40 kDa based on gel filtration; the enzyme is composed of two identical 21-kDa subunits according to SDS/PAGE. The enzyme showed a high dioxygenase activity only for 4-amino-3-hydroxybenzoic acid. The Km and Vmax values for this substrate were 35 micro m and 12 micro mol.min-1.(mg protein)-1, respectively. Of the 2-aminophenols tested, only 4-aminoresorcinol and 6-amino-m-cresol inhibited the enzyme. The enzyme reported here differs from previously reported extradiol dioxygenases, including 2-aminophenol 1,6-dioxygenase, in molecular mass, subunit structure and catalytic properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Isolation and culture conditions of a Klebsiella pneumoniae strain that can utilize ammonium and nitrate ions simultaneously with controlled iron and molybdate ion concentrations.

A bacterial strain F-5-2, isolated from soil and identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae, removed NH4+ completely in 24 h of aerobic cultivation in a medium containing 1 mg/ml of NH4NO3. However, 70% of the NO3- originally provided remained. When 100 microM Fe2+ was added to the medium, both NH4+ and NO3- were removed simultaneously and completely from the culture within 6 h of incubation. In addition, the amount of MoO4- in the medium markedly affected the bacterial cell growth and utilization of NH4+ and NO3-. The bacterium could remove 4 mg/ml of NH4NO3 completely in 48 h of aerobic cultivation in a medium containing 100 microM Fe2+ and 0.8 pM MoO4(2-). The total nitrogen in the culture containing its cells was decreased to 14% of that in the NH4NO3 originally provided. GC-MS analysis demonstrated that N2 was generated from the nitrogen atoms of both NH4+ and NO3-.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗