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Polyphosphate-cation interaction in the amino acid-containing vacuole of Neurospora crassa.

The vacuoles of Neurospora crassa, grown in minimal medium, contain a 1:1 ratio of basic amino acids and phosphate, the latter in the form of long-chain, inorganic polyphosphate-P. Vacuoles isolated from cells depleted of polyphosphate retain basic amino acids despite the absence of over 90% of their polyphosphate. Thus, vacuolar retention of basic amino acids is not dependent upon binding to or charge neutralization by polyphosphate. Polyphosphate was found to be the only macromolecular polyanion in vacuoles of normal or phosphate-depleted cells. Gel filtration experiments revealed that about half the polyphosphate of normal vacuoles is bound strongly by vacuolar spermidine, Mg2+, and Ca2+. The polyphosphate thus occupied was not available for basic amino acid binding. We have identified about 90% of the cations of isolated vacuoles; in addition to spermidine, Mg2+, and Ca2+, the cation pool consists mainly of arginine, ornithine, histidine, lysine, and Na+, with a small amount of K+. Isolated vacuoles appear to be almost wholly impermeable to all these ions, and in vivo, vacuoles appear to be highly selective in ion uptake by an active process. The interaction of basic amino acid with the available polyphosphate was found to reduce the chemical activity of the former. In keeping with this effect, cells with abnormally high basic amino acid-polyphosphate ratios displayed greatly swollen vacuoles, indicating considerable osmotic activity of the basic amino acids and their counterions under these conditions.

Amino Acids↗

Influence of organic cations on basic amino-acid uptake by human placental villi.

Human placental chorionic villi were incubated for 30 min with [3H]lysine or [3H]arginine and the distribution ratios (intracellular:extracellular concentrations) were determined. The ratios remained unchanged when Na+ in Earle's buffered salt solution was replaced with Li+. When Na+ was replaced with choline there was a significant increase is distribution ratios (lysine 1.34 +/- 0.33 v. 3.99 +/- 0.15, arginine 1.95 +/- 0.37 v. 5.05 +/- 1.16). Leucine, a neutral amino acid with a Na(+)-independent transport system, was unaffected by choline substitution. The distribution ratio for alanine, which is Na(+)-dependent, was reduced (2.50 +/- 0.41 v. 1.45 +/- 0.20). Two other quarternary amines, acetyl-beta-methylcholine and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) caused similar increases in the distribution ratios of the basic amino acids. Hordenine, a tertiary amine, was less effective and there was little or no effect with ephedrine, a secondary amine. The choline effect was first observable at concentrations of 105 mM. With TEA, there was a progressive increase in distribution ratios beginning at 29 mM. Lysine efflux was measured after incubation of villi with lysine in Earle's buffer or choline buffer. Lysine was rapidly released to the fresh medium with 25% more retained in choline-exposed villi. The amines may cause alterations in the kinetics of basic amino-acid transporters or may modify other aspects of placental physiology permitting an increase retention of the basic amino acids.

Amino Acids↗

Mutational analysis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 env gene product proteolytic cleavage site.

The structural requirements for proteolytic cleavage of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 env gene product, gp160, to gp120 and gp41 have been assessed by specific mutagenesis of the sequence Lys Ala Lys Arg Arg Val Val Glu Arg Glu Lys Arg located between amino acids 500 and 511, i.e., at the putative C terminus of gp120. The basic amino acids underlined have been mutated, individually and in combination, to neutral amino acids, and the cleavability of the mutated env gene products was examined after expression in CV-1 cells. The results show that the replacement of Arg-511 (cleavage presumably occurs C terminal to this amino acid) with Ser completely abolishes recognition and cleavage by the cellular protease(s), i.e., the remaining basic amino acids in the vicinity do not serve as alternative substrates. However, Arg-508 and Lys-510 are important features of the recognition site since, when they are individually changed to neutral amino acids, cleavage is severely impaired. The basic amino acids 500, 502, and 504 are, individually, not important for cleavage, since their individual replacement by neutral amino acids does not impair cleavage. However, when all four basic amino acids 500, 502, 503, and 504 are changed to neutral amino acids, cleavage is almost completely abolished. This shows that the sequence Arg Glu Lys Arg at the cleavage site is alone not sufficient for cleavage but that a contribution of other amino acids is required, whether the other amino acids provide a basic character or a certain structure in the vicinity of the cleavage site. When noncleavable or poorly cleavable mutant env genes are expressed from the infectious plasmid pNL4-3 in CD4+ human lymphoblastoid cells, noninfectious virus, incapable of spread throughout the culture, is produced.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Stoichiometry of H+/amino acid cotransport in Neurospora crassa revealed by current-voltage analysis.

Coupling of ions to the uptake of neutral and basic amino acids via a general amino acid transport system (System II), was studied in a mutant of Neurospora crassa (bat mtr) which lacks other transport systems for these solutes. All amino acids tested--including ones bearing no net charge--elicited rapid membrane depolarization, as expected for ion-coupled transport. (Since amino acid transport in Neurospora is not dependent on extracellular Na+ or K+, the associated ion is presumed to be H+.) Although the 14C-labeled amino acid fluxes through System II are largely independent of the identity of the amino acid, the depolarization caused by basic amino acids (L-lysine and L-ornithine) is 60-70% greater than that for neutral amino acids (e.g. L-leucine). This difference is consistent with a constant H+/amino acid stoichiometry of 2, the extra charge for lysine and ornithine being that on the amino acid itself, so that the charge ratio basic:neutral amino acids is 3:2. When actual membrane charge flow associated with amino acid uptake was compared with measured 14C-labeled amino acid influx, ratios of 2.07 charges/mol L-leucine and 3.40 charges/mol L-lysine were obtained, again in accord with a constant translocation stoichiometry of 2H+/amino acid. The advantages of this electrical method for estimating H+/solute stoichiometry in cotransport are discussed in relation to more familiar methods.

Amino Acids↗

Negative regulation of nitrate reductase gene expression by glutamine or asparagine accumulating in leaves of sulfur-deprived tobacco.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants were subjected to a prolonged period of sulfur-deprivation to characterize molecular and metabolic mechanisms that permit control of primary N-metabolism under these conditions. Prior to the appearance of chlorotic lesions, sulfur-deprived tobacco leaves showed a strong decrease in the sulfate content and changes in foliar enzyme activities, mRNA accumulation and amino-acid pools. The basic amino acids glutamine, asparagine and arginine accumulated in the leaves of sulfur-deprived plants, while the foliar concentrations of aspartate, glutamate, serine or alanine remained fairly unchanged. Maximal extractable nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.1) activity decreased strongly in response to sulfur-deprivation. The decrease in maximal extractable NR activity was accompanied by a decline in NR transcripts while the mRNAs of the plastidic glutamine synthetase (EC 6.1.3.2) or the beta-subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase were much less affected. Nitrate first accumulated in leaves of tobacco during sulfur-deprivation but then declined. An appreciable amount of nitrate was, however, present in severely sulfur-depleted leaves. The repression of NR gene expression is, therefore, not related to the decrease in the leaf nitrate level. However, glutamine- and/or asparagine-mediated repression of NR gene transcription is a possible mechanism of control in situations when glutamine and asparagine accumulate in leaves and provides a feasible explanation for the reduction in NR activity during sulfur-deprivation. The removal of reduced nitrogen from primary metabolism by redirection and storage as arginine, asparagine or glutamine combined with the down-regulation of nitrate reduction via glutamine- and/or asparagine-mediated repression of NR gene transcription may contribute to maintaining a normal N/S balance during sulfur-deprivation and indicate that the co-ordination of N- and S-metabolism is retained under these conditions.

Asparagine↗

Cell membrane amino acid transport processes in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus).

Intestinal absorption of amino acids in the chicken occurs by way of processes which are concentrative, Na+-dependent and dependent upon metabolic energy in the form of ATP. Intestinal transport is carrier-mediated, subject to exchange transport (trans-membrane effects) and is inhibitable by sugars, reagents which inactivate sulfhydryl groups, potassium ion, and by deoxpyridoxine, an anti-vitamin B6 agent. It is stimulated by phlorizin, a potent inhibitor of sugar transport, and in Na+-leached tissue by modifiers of tissue cyclic AMP levels, e.g. theophylline, histamine, carbachol and secretin. Separate transport sites with broad, overlapping specificities function in the intestinal absorption of the various classes of common amino acids. A simple model for these sites includes one for leucine and other neutral amino acids, one for proline, beta-alanine and related imino and amino acids, one for basic amino acids, and one for acidic amino acids. Absorption of amino acids appears to be widespread in occurrence in the digestive tract of the domestic fowl; transport has been reported to be present in the crop, gizzard, proventriculus, small intestine and in the colon. By the end of the first week of life post-hatch, the caecum loses its ability to transport. Similarly, the yolk sac loses its ability by the second day post-hatch. Intestinal transport was noted before hatch and was found to be maximal immediately post-hatch. A requirement for Ca2+ appears to be lost after the first week of life post-hatch. The cationic amino acids appear to be reabsorbed by a common mechanism in the kidney. Transport rates of leucine measured in the intestine or in the erythrocyte were found to cluster about discrete values when many individual chickens were surveyed; such patterns may be an expression of gene differences between individuals. Two lines of chickens have been developed, one high and the other low uptake, through selective breeding based on the ability of individual birds to absorb leucine in erythrocytes. High leucine absorbing chickens were found to be more effective in absorbing lysine and glycine, were more effectively stimulated by Na+, had greater erythrocyte Na+, K+-ATPase activity, and their erythrocytes contained about 20% less Na+ than low line erythrocytes. The underlying genetic difference between these lines may reside at the level of the Na+, K+-ATPase and (or) with a regulatory gene determining carrier copies. Amino acid transport in erythrocytes was noted to be highest in pre-hatch chicks and to diminish during post-hatch development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Absorption↗

Blood cell to plasma gradients of amino acids in arterial and venous blood in fed and fasted rats.

Measurement of amino acid concentrations in blood cells and plasma, and the calculated blood cell to plasma gradients (C/P) from both afferent and efferent vessels to tissues, allowed evaluation of the effect of several tissues (splanchnic bed, skeletal muscle and kidney) on blood amino acid distribution in fed and starved rats. Combined effects of tissues and erythrocyte transport capabilities determined specific C/P values for each amino acid. For amino acids related to the L-system, the high capacity of this erythrocyte transport many buffer some C/P changes as an effect of tissue metabolism. For less permeable amino acids (like Asp and Glu) plasma changes were mainly responsible for changes in C/P values, whereas for other amino acids (such as basic amino acids) blood cells became the main determinants of C/P changes, mainly in starvation. In general, the role of erythrocytes in amino acid transport was enhanced in starvation.

Amino Acids↗

The use of yeast mitochondria to study the properties of wild-type and mutant human mitochondrial ornithine transporter.

Yeast deletion models have general utility for the study of a variety of inherited metabolic disorders. Mutations in the mitochondrial ornithine transporter result in hyperammonemia, hyperornithinemia, homocitrullinuria syndrome, a disorder of the urea cycle. To study the effects of mutations in a model system that more closely resembles the in vivo environment, we have developed an expression system based on a yeast strain lacking its endogenous ornithine transporter homologue. Wild-type human ornithine transporter and a recurrent mutation, DeltaF 188, were expressed and characterized with this system. The wild-type transporter appeared to insert into yeast mitochondria in the same orientation as in mammalian mitochondria. It showed stereospecificity, strong antiport activity and ornithine transport was competed by citrulline and arginine. The DeltaF 188 mutant was not incorporated into the membrane to the same extent as wild type, but retained significant residual activity and lost stereospecificity. In these isolated mitochondria, samarium chloride was found to be a potent blocker of transport compared to previously reported sulfhydryl-based inhibitors. A low-affinity background transport activity that promoted the exchange of ornithine for either acidic or basic amino acids was observed. This yeast model can readily be extended to the study of protein:protein interactions. In this manner, the use of yeast deletion strains can serve as a general framework to perform metabolic pathway analysis.

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic↗

Effects of streptozotocin-diabetes and l-thyroxine treatment on plasma amino acid levels in thyroidectomized rats.

1) Thirty days after surgical thyroidectomy, one group of rats were made diabetic by treatment with streptozotocin and were studied for the next 14 days. These diabetic thyroidectomized animals were similar in body weight to their thyroidectomized controls but had higher plasma concentrations of most amino acids. 2) Treatment with 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 micrograms of L-thyroxine/100 g body wt for 7 days prior to sacrifice produced no changes in either parameter in the diabetic thyroidectomized animals. On the contrary, in thyroidectomized controls, the L-thyroxine treatment was followed by a dose-dependent increment in body weight. In these animals, the administration of 0.5 microgram of L-thyroxine per day was associated with a marked rise in the plasma level of most amino acids, while only basic amino acid levels increased with 1.0 microgram, and levels decreased with 2.0 micrograms. 3) In the diabetic thyroidectomized rats treated with insulin for the last 7 days before sacrifice, body weight gain and the biphasic change of plasma amino acid levels were restored. 4) It is proposed that treatment of thyroidectomized controls with small doses of L-thyroxine accelerate protein breakdown accompanied by minor changes in amino acid utilization, while this latter effect increases with higher doses of the hormone. 5) Present results demonstrate that a certain amount of circulating insulin is required to obtain the response to exogenous thyroxine in diabetic thyroidectomized animals. Results are discussed in terms of the role of interhormone synergism as it affects normal sensitivity of the different hormones.

Amino Acids↗

Calmodulin-binding sites on adenylyl cyclase type VIII.

Ca2+ stimulation of adenylyl cyclase type VIII (ACVIII) occurs through loosely bound calmodulin. However, where calmodulin binds in ACVIII and how the binding activates this cyclase have not yet been investigated. We have located two putative calmodulin-binding sites in ACVIII. One site is located at the N terminus as revealed by overlay assays; the other is located at the C terminus, as indicated by mutagenesis studies. Both of these calmodulin-binding sites were confirmed by synthetic peptide studies. The N-terminal site has the typical motif of a Ca2+-dependent calmodulin-binding domain, which is defined by a characteristic pattern of hydrophobic amino acids, basic and aromatic amino acids, and a tendency to form amphipathic alpha-helix structures. Functional, mutagenesis studies suggest that this binding makes a minor contribution to the Ca2+ stimulation of ACVIII activity, although it might be involved in calmodulin trapping by ACVIII. The primary structure of the C-terminal site resembles another calmodulin-binding motif, the so-called IQ motif, which is commonly Ca2+-independent. Mutagenesis and functional assays indicate that this latter site is a calcium-dependent calmodulin-binding site, which is largely responsible for the Ca2+ stimulation of ACVIII. Removal of this latter calmodulin-binding region from ACVIII results in a hyperactivated enzyme state and a loss of Ca2+ sensitivity. Thus, Ca2+/calmodulin regulation of ACVIII may be through a disinhibitory mechanism, as is the case for a number of other targets of Ca2+/calmodulin.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Primary structure of a ribonuclease from bovine brain.

The primary structure of a pyrimidine base-specific ribonuclease from bovine brain was determined. The sequence determined is (sequence; see text). Although the sequence homology of this RNase with bovine pancreatic RNase A is 78.2%, it consists of 140 amino acid residues, and it is 16 amino acid residues longer than RNase A at the carboxyl-terminal. In addition to an N-glycosylated long carbohydrate chain, the bovine brain RNase has two short O-glycosylated carbohydrate chains at the 129th and the 133rd serine residues. The additional C-terminal tail of the bovine brain RNase has a unique composition: 6 proline, 5 hydrophobic amino acids, and two basic amino acids, arginine and histidine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A new insertion sequence IS1452 from Acetobacter pasteurianus.

A new insertion sequence element, IS1452, was found to be associated with inactivation of the alcohol dehydrogenase by insertion in the adhS gene encoding subunit III of the three-component membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase complex in Acetobacter pasteurianus. Cloning and sequencing analyses of the mutated subunit III gene locus revealed that IS1452 was inserted at or near the ribosome-binding sequence of adhS. Analysis of transcription using the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene as the reporter indicated that IS1452 abolished transcription of adhS by separating its promoter from the subunit III structural gene. IS1452 was 1411 bp in length and had a terminal inverted repeat of 21 bp. IS1452 contained one long ORF of 416 amino acids rich in basic amino acids. This protein showed homology with a putative transposes, Tra1, of IS701 isolated from the cyanobacterium Calothrix species PCC 7601. Like IS701, IS1452 was found to generate a 4 bp direct repeat at the site of insertion upon transposition. The target site specificity was rather strict, and a CTA(A or G) sequence appeared to be preferentially recognized. Transposition of IS1452 was replicative, since it was accompanied by an increase in the copy number of IS1452. Several strains belonging to the genus Acetobacter also contained IS1452 at varying copy numbers from one to more than ten. These observations suggest that IS1452 is one of the insertion sequences that are responsible for genetic instability leading to deficiencies in various physiological properties in acetic acid bacteria.

Acetobacter↗

Specific binding of a nonhistone chromosomal protein from lymphocyte to DNA.

The isolation of a nonhistone chromosomal protein, NH30 000, from bovine lymphocytes by affinity chromatography on a DNA-agarose column is described. The procedure starts with nonhistone fraction NH4 obtained by hydroxyapatite chromatography as described previously [Blüthmann, H., Mrozek, S. & Gierer, A. (1975) Eur. J. Biochem. 58, 315-326]. Protein NH30 000 migrates as a single band with a molecular weight of 30 000 on sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gels. It contains, on a molar basis 25.3% acidic amino acids and 18.3% basic amino acid residues, 10.3% being lysine. End-group determination confirms that this protein is composed of one polypeptide chain with the NH2-terminal amino acid arginine. The binding of protein NH30 000 to native DNA of different molecular weights has been investigated by the nitrocellulose filter assay. The results suggest that in the presence of 0.2 M NaCl it binds about 30% of the DNA with binding sites every 1700 nucleotide pairs. Competition experiments show that protein NH30 000 exhibits a higher binding affinity for lymphocyte DNA in comparison to Escherichia coli DNA.

Amino Acids↗

Stress hormones alter the pattern of free amino acids in human skeletal muscle.

Stress hormones were infused for 6 h in healthy volunteers (n = 32). Free amino acid concentrations were determined in plasma and in skeletal muscle biopsy specimens. A triple hormone combination of adrenaline, cortisol, and glucagon raised the level of alanine in muscle, while glutamine, glutamate, the branched chain amino acids, the aromatic amino acids, and the basic amino acids decreased. Adrenaline alone partly reproduced this pattern, while a 6-h infusion of cortisol left the muscle free amino acids unaffected. In plasma all individual amino acids except alanine and glutamate decreased in the subjects receiving adrenaline or a triple-hormone combination. Altered plasma amino acid concentrations did not necessarily reflect changes in the tissue amino acid content. It is concluded that an infusion of a triple combination of stress hormones into healthy volunteers produces changes in muscle amino acid metabolism similar to those seen immediately after surgical trauma.

Adult↗

Characterization of the genes for the hexagonally arranged surface layer proteins in protein-producing Bacillus brevis 47: complete nucleotide sequence of the middle wall protein gene.

Bacillus brevis 47 contains two surface (S)-layer proteins, termed the outer wall protein (OWP) and the middle wall protein (MWP), which form a hexagonal array in the cell wall. The MWP and OWP genes are contained in the 9-kilobase-pair (kbp) BclI fragment and constitute an operon under coordinate control of their expression. The nucleotide sequence of a 3.8-kbp EcoRI-SacI fragment containing the entire MWP gene has been determined in this study. Together with the DNA sequence of the promoter region for the MWP-OWP gene operon (H. Yamagata, T. Adachi, A. Tsuboi, M. Takao, T. Sasaki, N. Tsukagoshi, and S. Udaka, J. Bacteriol. 169:1239-1245, 1987) and that of the OWP gene (A. Tsuboi, R. Uchihi, R. Tabata, Y. Takahashi, H. Hashiba, T. Sasaki, H. Yamagata, N. Tsukagoshi, and S. Udaka, J. Bacteriol. 168:365-373, 1986), the complete nucleotide sequence of the MWP-OWP gene operon has been determined. The MWP gene encodes a secretory precursor of the MWP, consisting of a total of 1,053 amino acid residues with a signal peptide of 23 amino acid residues at its amino-terminal end. Bacillus subtilis harboring the MWP gene synthesized an immunoreactive polypeptide with almost the same molecular weight as the authentic MWP, as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The amino acid compositions deduced from the MWP and OWP genes were similar to the chemical amino acid compositions of other S-layer proteins in the predominance of acidic amino acids compared with basic amino acids and in the very low content of sulfur-containing amino acids. The acidic nature of the MWP and OWP was confirmed by isoelectric focusing on polyacrylamide gels. In addition, circular dichroism spectra indicated that the S-layer proteins in B. brevis 47 were composed of approximately 30% beta-sheet and 5% alpha-helical structures, with the remainder of the polypeptide backbone being aperiodic in nature.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Activin B: precursor sequences, genomic structure and in vitro activities.

We report here the complete amino acid sequence of the human inhibin beta B-subunit as deduced from the sequence of cDNA and genomic clones. The primary translation product of the beta B mRNA predicts a protein of 407 amino acids, containing a prepro region of 292 amino acids separated by basic amino acids from the mature C-terminal 115 amino acids. Mammalian tissue culture cells transfected with a beta B-subunit expression plasmid secreted an activin B homodimer of approximately 22K mol wt. Coexpression of the beta A- and beta B-subunit mRNAs resulted in the secretion of the three forms of activin, A, AB, and B. Purified activin B was shown to elicit FSH release in an in vitro pituitary assay and trigger the accumulation of hemoglobin in K562 cells. The potency of activin B in both of these assays (ED50 approximately 2 ng/ml) was indistinguishable from that observed for activin A.

Activins↗

Haemocyanin of some Oniscidea.

In the haemolymph of Oniscidea haemocyanin exists mainly in the form of hexamer 16S (90%); the 5S and 24S components are present in small amounts. Alkaline dissociation of the examined 16S haemocyanins is dependent on pH and divalent cations (Ca2+,Mg2+). The 16S component consists of 23-24.5% acidic amino acids, 15-18% basic amino acids and small quantities of tryptophan and cysteine.

Amino Acids↗

[Purification and characterization of beta-N-acetyl hexosaminidase from Aspergillus tamarii].

A beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase from mycelium-free culture filtrate of Asp tamarii S215 was purified to PAGE homogenous by ammonium sulfate and polyethylene glycol fractionation precipitation followed by Sephadex G-50 desalt, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography, hydroxyapatite chromatography and DEAE-Sephadex A-25 rechromatography with 170-fold purification and 24.7% recovery. The ratio of the beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase was 2.5 and remained constant throughout the purification. The Mr estimated with concentration gradient PAGE was 140,000 and subunit Mr determined with SDS-PAGE was 72,000, the number of subunit were 2. The pI was 4.2 determined by PAGIEF. The optimum pH was 5.5-6.5 and 5.0-6.0 for beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase respectively with stable pH range 5.5-8.3 for both. The optimum temperature was 60 degrees C for beta-GlcNAcase and beta-GalNAcase. The residual activity of beta-GlcNAcase was 52.7% after treated at 50 degrees C for 8 h and it was 44.9% for beta-GalNAcase. The residual activities of both were down to 1% after treated at 62 degrees C for 10 min. The activity was slightly activated by Mn2+ or Fe2+, while strongly inhibited by Hg2+ and slightly by Ag+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+ or Zn2+. Analyses of amino acids composition showed that the beta-HexNAcase contained about 24.2% acidic amino acids and 14.9% basic amino acids and only 0.6% methionine.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗