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Synthesis of 9-(3,4-dioxopentyl)hypoxanthine, the first arginine-directed purine derivative: an irreversible inactivator for purine nucleoside phosphorylase.

The synthesis of two potential arginine-directed purine-based analogues, 6-chloro-9-(3,4-dioxopentyl)purine (6) and 9-(3,4-dioxopentyl)hypoxanthine (7), is reported. Compound 7 was extensively tested as a potential affinity label of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.1) from human erythrocytes. Evidence that 7 reacted with the catalytic center of purine nucleoside phosphorylase includes the following: (1) time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme by 7 was observed; (2) a plot of the pseudo-first-order rate constant for inactivation of the enzyme vs. concentration of 7 was hyperbolic, characteristic of saturation phenomenon; (3) substrates (Pi, arsenate, inosine) and a competitive inhibitor (formycin B) protected the enzyme from inactivation by 7. Compound 7 was 25 times more effective in inhibiting purine nucleoside phosphorylase than butanedione. Evidence that 7 modified arginine(s) includes the following: (1) when the inactivation was performed in borate, both the rate and the extent of inactivation were enhanced compared to those of the controls run in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride (Tris-HCl) buffer; (2) dialysis of inactivator reversed the inactivation in Tris-HCl but not in borate buffer. All the above evidence combined with the previous demonstration [Jordan, F., & Wu, A. (1978) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 190, 699-704] that butanedione modified only arginines in purine nucleoside phosphorylases and the results presented here demonstrating the similarities in the behavior of butanedione and 7 imply that compound 7 can be called an arginine-directed affinity label for purine nucleoside phosphorylase.

Hypoxanthines↗

Structure of purine-purine mispairs during misincorporation and extension by Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I.

The mechanism by which purine-purine mispairs are formed and extended was examined with the high-fidelity Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I with the proofreading exonuclease activity inactivated. The structures of the purine-purine mispairs were examined by comparing the kinetics of mispair formation with adenine versus 7-deazaadenine and guanine versus 7-deazaguanine at four positions in the DNA, the incoming dNTP, the template base, and both positions of the terminal base pair. A decrease in rate associated with a 7-deazapurine substitution would suggest that the nucleotide is in a syn conformation in a Hoogsteen base pair with the opposite base. During mispair formation, the k(pol)/K(d) values for the insertion of dATP opposite A (dATP/A) as well as dATP/G and dGTP/G were decreased greater than 10-fold with the deazapurine in the dNTP. These results suggest that during mispair formation the newly forming base pair is in a Hoogsteen geometry with the incoming dNTP in the syn conformation and the template base in the anti conformation. During mispair extension, the only decrease in k(pol)/K(d) was associated with the G/G base pair in which 7-deazaguanine was in the template strand. These results as well as previous results [McCain et al. (2005) Biochemistry 44, 5647-5659] in which a hydrogen bond was found between the 3-position of guanine at the primer terminus and Arg668 during G/A and G/G mispair extension indicate that the conformation of the purine at the primer terminus is in the anti conformation during mispair extension. These results suggest that purine-purine mispairs are formed via a Hoogsteen geometry in which the dNTP is in the syn conformation and the template is in the anti conformation. During extension, however, the conformation of the primer terminus changes to an anti configuration while the template base may be in either the syn or anti conformations.

Adenine↗

Selenium-dependent metabolism of purines: A selenium-dependent purine hydroxylase and xanthine dehydrogenase were purified from Clostridium purinolyticum and characterized.

During purification of the selenium-dependent xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) from Clostridium purinolyticum, another hydroxylase was uncovered that also contained selenium and exhibited similar spectral properties. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity. It uses purine, 2OH-purine, and hypoxanthine as substrates, and based on its substrate specificity, this selenoenzyme is termed purine hydroxylase (PH). The product of hydroxylation of purine by PH is xanthine. A concomitant release of selenium from the enzyme and loss of catalytic activity on treatment with cyanide indicates that selenium is essential for PH activity. Selenium-dependent XDH, also purified from C. purinolyticum, was found to be insensitive to oxygen during purification and to use both potassium ferricyanide and 2,6-dichloroindophenol as electron acceptors. Selenium is required for the xanthine-dependent reduction of 2, 6-dichloroindophenol by XDH. Kinetic analyses of both enzymes revealed that xanthine is the preferred substrate for XDH and purine and hypoxanthine are preferred by PH. This characterization of these selenium-requiring hydroxylases involved in the interconversion of purines describes an extension of the pathway for purine fermentation in the purinolytic clostridia.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Determination of rumen microbial-nitrogen production in sheep: a comparison of urinary purine excretion with methods using 15N and purine bases as markers of microbial-nitrogen entering the duodenum.

The present study compares estimates of rumen microbial-N production derived from duodenal flow measurements (15N and purine bases) with those from measurements of the urinary excretion of purine derivatives. Four Rasa Aragonesa ewes fitted with simple cannulas in the rumen and proximal duodenum were used. Four diets consisting of 550 g lucerne (Medicago sativa) hay/d as sole feed or supplemented with 220, 400 and 550 g rolled barley grain/d were given in a 4 x 4 random factorial arrangement. Duodenal digesta flows were determined by the dual-phase marker technique during continuous intraruminal infusions of Co-EDTA and Yb-acetate. Microbial contribution to the non-NH3 N (NAN) flow was estimated from 15N enrichment and purines: N ratio in duodenal digesta and bacterial fractions isolated from the rumen content. Whole tract organic matter (OM) digestibility and duodenal flow of OM and NAN increased (P < 0.001) with the level of barley supplementation. Digestible OM intake ranged from 19.0 to 42.7 g/kg metabolic weight (W0.75) and the duodenal flow of purine bases and the urinary excretion of allantoin increased linearly (P < 0.001) from minimum values of 7.47 (SD 1.524) and 4.65 (SD 0.705) mmol/d respectively on the basal diet to 18.20 (SD 1.751) and 11.62 (SD 0.214) mmol/d on the 400 g barley diet; a further increase in barley supplementation decreased both variables (13.50 (SD 2.334) and 8.77 (SD 0.617) mmol/d respectively). Urinary excretion of uric acid and hypoxanthine showed a slight but significant increase (P < 0.05) over all levels of barley. Molar recoveries of duodenal purine bases as purine derivatives or allantoin in the urine were 0.78 (SD 0.156) and 0.65 (SD 0.130) respectively. The increase on barley supplementation significantly augmented microbial-N, but large differences between microbial markers employed were observed. Mean values of microbial-N estimated from the duodenal purine bases or urinary allantoin excretion were on average 18 and 29% lower than those measured by 15N.

Animals↗

Evidence from CD spectra that d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrids are in different structural classes.

CD spectra and difference CD spectra of four d(oligopurine).r(oligopyrimidine) and four r(oligopurine).d(oligopyrimidine) hybrid duplexes containing mixed A.T(U) and G.C base pairs were compared with the spectra of four DNA.DNA and four RNA.RNA oligomer duplexes of similar repeating sequences. The 16 duplexes were formed by mixing oligomers that were 24 nucleotides long. The buffer was 0.05 M Na+ (phosphate), pH 7.0. DNA.DNA and RNA.RNA oligomer duplexes were used as reference B-form and A-form structures. We found that the CD spectra of d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid duplexes were different from the CD spectra of either DNA.DNA or RNA.RNA duplexes. The data suggested that these hybrids have intermediate structures between A-form RNA and B-form DNA structures. The CD spectra of d(purine).r(pyrimidine) and r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid duplexes were different from each other, but the hybrids in each class had consistent CD spectra as indicated by nearest-neighbor comparisons. Thus, it appeared that the two types of hybrids belonged to different structural classes. The negative 210 nm band found in difference CD spectra was correlated with the presence of an r(purine) strand in the hybrid duplexes. The melting temperatures (Tm values) of these hybrids were compared with the Tm values of the DNA.DNA and RNA.RNA duplexes. The order of the thermal stability was: RNA.RNA duplex > r(purine).d(pyrimidine) hybrid > DNA.DNA duplex > d(purine).r(pyrimidine) hybrid, when comparing analogous sequences.

Base Composition↗

Purine-less death in Plasmodium falciparum induced by immucillin-H, a transition state analogue of purine nucleoside phosphorylase.

Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for the majority of life-threatening cases of malaria. Plasmodia species cannot synthesize purines de novo, whereas mammalian cells obtain purines from de novo synthesis or by purine salvage. Hypoxanthine is proposed to be the major source of purines for P. falciparum growth. It is produced from inosine phosphorolysis by purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP). Immucillins are powerful transition state analogue inhibitors of mammalian PNP and also inhibit P. falciparum PNP as illustrated in the accompanying article (Kicska, G. A., Tyler, P. C., Evans, G. B., Furneaux, R. H., Kim, K., and Schramm, V. L. (2002) J. Biol. Chem. 277, 3219-3225). This work tests the hypothesis that erythrocyte and P. falciparum PNP are essential elements for growth and survival of the parasite in culture. Immucillin-H reduces the incorporation of inosine but not hypoxanthine into nucleic acids of P. falciparum and kills P. falciparum cultured in human erythrocytes with an IC(50) of 35 nm. Growth inhibition by Imm-H is reversed by the addition of hypoxanthine but not inosine, demonstrating the metabolic block at PNP. The concentration of Imm-H required for inhibition of parasite growth varies as a function of culture hematocrit, reflecting stoichiometric titration of human erythrocyte PNP by the inhibitor. Human and P. falciparum PNPs demonstrate different specificity for inhibition by immucillins, with the 2'-deoxy analogues showing marked preference for the human enzyme. The IC(50) values for immucillin analogue toxicity to P. falciparum cultures indicate that inhibition of PNP in both the erythrocytes and the parasite is necessary to induce a purine-less death.

Animals↗

REGULATION AND COORDINATION OF PURINE AND PYRIMIDINE BIOSYNTHESES IN YEAST. I. REGULATION OF PURINE BIOSYNTHESIS AND ITS RELATION TO TRANSIENT CHANGES IN INTRACELLULAR NUCLEOTIDE LEVELS.

The control of purine biosynthesis in a yeast mutant deficient for uracil, adenine, and histidine has been studied in vivo. The adenine mutation causes accumulation of aminoimidazole ribotide in the cells. The control curve relating steady-state purine nucleotide level in the cell to rate of synthesis in the de novo purine synthetic pathway has been determined. Control in the cell depends on a feedback mechanism involving end-product inhibition. The transient responses of the purine nucleotide pool to changes in adenine input have been studied. Under certain conditions the pool overshoots when shifting from one steady-state to another. Transient changes in nucleotide levels are followed by inverse changes in the rate of attempted de novo purine synthesis. A study of the transient responses of specific intracellular nucleotides suggests that inosinic acid controls the rate of attempted purine synthesis. The transient response of nucleic acid synthesis rate to changes in nucleotide levels was studied and the implications for regulation of nucleic acid synthesis discussed.

Adenine↗

Use of Escherichia coli mutants to evaluate purines, purine nucleosides, and analogues.

Of 142 purines, purine nucleosides, and analogues tested for inhibition of growth of Escherichia coli B Hill, 45 were active. Of these, 27 were evaluated for inhibition of other E. coli lines, including those resistant to 6-thioguanine, 2-fluoroadenosine, 2,6-diaminopurine, or 6-mercaptopurine. Most toxic to the parent lines were 2-fluoroadenosine, 2-fluoroadenine, 2-fluoro-5'-deoxyadenosine, adenosine, 6-thioguanosine, 6-thioguanine, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-mercaptopurine ribonucleoside, 2-azaadenine, 2'-deoxyinosine, 6-N-aminoadenine, and inosine. Hypoxanthine was strongly inhibitory only to E. coli B Hill. Evidence regarding the substrate specificity of the three purine phosphoribosyltransferases was obtained by assaying for these enzymes in extracts of the various cell lines and by cross-resistance studies. The line selected for resistance to 6-thioguanine had low guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity (guanosine monophosphate: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.8) and was deficient in activity for xanthine and 6-thioguanine. The lines selected for resistance to 2-fluoroadenosine and 2,6-diaminopurine were deficient in adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activity (adenosine monophosphate: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.7), and that selected for resistance to 6-mercaptopurine had low hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase activity and undetectable activity with 6-mercaptopurine as a substrate. Purine, 6-methylpurine, 2-fluoroadenine, 2,6-diaminopurine, and 2-azaadenine were classified as adenine analogues; 6-mercaptopurine and 8-aza-2,6-diaminopurine, as hypoxanthine analogues; and 6-thioguanine and 2-amino-6-chloropurine, as analogues of guanine. The inhibition of bacterial growth by hypoxanthine, inosine, 2'-deoxyinosine, or adenosine was prevented by small amounts of thiamine or by relatively high concentrations of either cytidine or uridine. Cytidine also reversed the inhibition by some purine and purine ribonucleoside analogues. Orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OMP: pyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.10), a possible site of action for these compounds, was not inhibited directly by the toxic agents.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

The availability of purines influences both the number of parasites and the splenocyte levels of purine-metabolizing enzymes in trypanosome-infected mice.

Growth on Trypanosoma musculi in the murine host was limited by the availability of host purines. A portion of the spleen cells of infected mice (many of them granulocytes) displayed high levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and purine nucleoside phosphorylase, probably as a compensatory response to extracellular purine deficiency. Injections of adenosine or 2-deoxycoformycin stimulated significant increases in the growth of parasites. 2-Deoxycoformycin treatment also diminished parasite-induced splenomegaly. Treatment of mice with polyethylene glycol-modified ADA, a slowly catabolized form of ADA, had no effect on the course of T. musculi infection, indicating that the parasites can utilize purines other than adenosine. The apparent competition between parasites and host cells for available purines suggests that depletion of extracellular purines should be considered as an approach to treating extracellular trypanosome infections.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

[Effects of purine-rich nutrition on the renal and extrarenal excretion of purine catabolites in Dalmatian dogs].

In eight Dalmatian dogs exogenous effects (dietary purine, xylit infusion) on plasma uric acid were examined and relationships between purine intake and excretion were established. Increasing purine intake resulted in a linear increase in renal excretion of urate (r = 0.952) and a less steep increase of allantoin (r = 0.901). In pairs of two animals with low and high purine intakes the metabolic fluxes in steady state were measured by continuous infusion of (2-14C) urate. The extrarenal excretion rates of urate + allantoin during high-purine and low purine feeding averaged 2.9% and 8.5% of entry rates. The results are discussed in comparison with human data and a remarkably good agreement is observed.

Allantoin↗

An approach to the evaluation of the activity of the DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyl-transferase in tumor tissue in vivo: syntheses of 6-benzyloxy-9-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-9H-purin-2-yl-amine and 6-benzyloxy-7-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-7H-purin-2-yl-amine.

The resistance of tumor cells to the cytostatic activity of methylating and chloroethylating anticancer drugs is determined by the level of expression of the DNA repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyl-transferase (MGMT). The synthesis of labelled 6-benzyloxy-9H-purin-2-ylamine derivatives should hence allow a quantification of the MGMT status of tumor and non-target tissue in vivo. 6-benzyloxy-9-(2-fluoroethyl)-9H-purin-2-yl-amine and 6-benzyloxy-7-(2-fluoroethyl)-7H-purin-2-yl-amine were synthesized and evaluated in vitro, both showing an affinity of 1.8 microM. 6-benzyloxy-9-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-9H-purin-2-yl-amine and 6-benzyloxy-7-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-7H-purin-2-yl-amine were synthesized by alkylation of 6-benzyloxy-9H-purin-2-ylamine with 1-[18F]fluoro-2-tosylethane in optimized yields of 41% and 20%, respectively. Biodistribution studies were performed in nude mice, carrying mex+ (MGMT expressing) and mex- tumors.

Alkylating Agents↗

Structure, stability, and thermodynamics of a short intermolecular purine-purine-pyrimidine triple helix.

We have investigated the structure and physical chemistry of the d(C3T4C3).2[d(G3A4G3)] triple helix by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), 1H NMR, and ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy. The triplex was stabilized with MgCl2 at neutral pH. PAGE studies verify the stoichiometry of the strands comprising the triplex and indicate that the orientation of the third strand in purine-purine-pyrimidine (pur-pur-pyr) triplexes is antiparallel with respect to the purine strand of the underlying duplex. Imino proton NMR spectra provide evidence for the existence of new purine-purine (pur.pur) hydrogen bonds, in addition to those of the Watson-Crick (W-C) base pairs, in the triplex structure. These new hydrogen bonds are likely to correspond to the interaction between third-strand guanine NH1 imino protons and the N7 atoms of guanine residues on the purine strand of the underlying duplex. Thermal denaturation of the triplex proceeds to single strands in one step, under the conditions used in this study. Binding of the third strand appears to enhance the thermal stability of the duplex by 1-3 degrees C, depending on the DNA concentration. The free energy of triplex formation (-26.0 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol) is approximately twice that of duplex formation (-12.6 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol), suggesting that the overall stability of the pur.pur base pairs is similar to that of the W-C base pairs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Composition↗

Purine phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.7 and 2.4.2.8) and purine de novo synthesis activity in rat testicular tissue at different stages of development, and their correlation with the circulating levels of gonadotrophins and testosterone, and with structural changes.

The overall activity of the purine de novo synthesis pathway and the activities of purine phosphoribosyltransferase in the rat testis were measured at different ages and were correlated with histological observations. Similar studies of the concentration of circulating gonadotrophins and testosterone were performed. The purine phosphoribosyltransferase activities were between two and three orders of magnitude greater than purine de novo synthesis. The peak activity of the purine de novo synthesis pathway coincided with the first appearance of meiosis in the spermatocytes immediately before the luteinising hormone (LH) level rose to its peak. The highest activity of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT; EC 2.4.2.8) - catalysed purine salvage pathway coincided with the first appearance of mature spermatozoa in the tubules just after the occurrence of peak levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These findings are linked to the development of testicular atrophy in cases of severe HPRT deficiency in man.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

The effect of completely purine-free diet of low sodium content on purine intermediates and end-product.

Intake of completely purine-free foods of low sodium content increased the plasma concentrations of both hypoxanthine and inosine and the urinary excretion of hypoxanthine, while it decreased the urinary excretion of uric acid and the fractional clearance of uric acid. However, this diet affects neither nucleotides (inosine monophosphate, adenosine monophosphate, adenosine diphosphate and adenosine triphosphate) in red blood cells, enzymes (purine nucleoside phosphorylase, adenosine deaminase and hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase) in red blood cells nor the fractional clearance of oxypurines. These results suggest that the salvage of purines becomes more effective by limiting the conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and limiting the loss of uric acid during intake of completely purine-free foods of low sodium content; also that a decrease in the fractional clearance of uric acid due to completely purine-free foods of low sodium content may be an additional mechanism associated with the conservation of purines but is more likely to be a response to the low sodium diet on the renal handling of uric acid.

Adult↗

Preservation of red blood cells with purines and nucleosides. II. Uptake and utilization of purines and nucleosides by stored red blood cells.

The uptake of adenine, guanine, guanosine and inosine by stored red cells was investigated in whole blood and red cell resuspensions at initial concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mM for adenine and 0.5 mM for the other additives using a rapid ion-exchange chromatographic microanalysis of purines and nucleosides in plasma and whole blood. Increasing adenine concentrations from 0.25 to 0.75 mM in blood elevated the adenine uptake from 0.3 up to 0.8 mmol/l red cells during 2 hours after collecting blood. The intra-/extracellular distribution ratio changed from 1 : 1.3 to 1: 1.7. Some 2 hours after withdrawing blood into CPD--solution with purines and nucleosides the uptake of adenine and guanine resulted in 40 per cent and 70 per cent respectively and of guanosine and inosine in 80 and 90 per cent respectively. The replacement of plasma by a resuspending solution gave the same uptake rates for purines and nucleosides. The nucleosides were rapidly split to purines and R-1-P and disappeared from blood during one week. Adenine and guanine were utilized to 80 to 90 per cent only after 3 weeks. During the same period the utilization of guanine was smaller by 40 per cent than that of adenine due to the different activity of the purine nucleoside phosphorylase for these substrates. The plasma of all analyzed blood samples contained hypoxanthine and inosine, but guanine and guanosine were detected only in those samples to which one of them was added. After 3 weeks of storage the highest concentration of hypoxanthine was found in CPD-AI blood with 600 microM in plasma and the highest concentration of synthesized inosine in CPD-AG blood with a concentration of 100 microM in plasma. Three ways of utilization of purines by stored red cells were discussed : the synthesis of nucleotide monophosphates, the formation of nucleosides, and the deamination. The portions of these ways change during storage. The most effective concentrations of adenine and guanosine in stored blood seems to be 0.25 and 0.5 mM respectively. The full utilization of the nucleoside requires the addition of inorganic phosphate.

Adenine↗

TSAO analogues. 3. Synthesis and anti-HIV-1 activity of 2',5'-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-D-ribofuranosyl 3'-spiro-5''-(4''-amino-1'',2''-oxathiole 2'',2''-dioxide) purine and purine-modified nucleosides.

Several purine and purine-modified analogues of the new lead anti-HIV-1 agent [[2',5'-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-beta-D-ribofuranosyl] thymine]-3'-spiro-5''-(4''-amino-1'',2''-oxathiole 2'',2''-dioxide) (TSAO-T) have been prepared and evaluated as inhibitors of HIV-1-induced cytopathicity. Reaction of O-mesylcyanohydrins of furanos-3'-ulosyladenine with Cs2CO3 afforded beta-D-xylo- and ribofuranosyladenine 3'-spiro nucleosides. Reaction of 1,2-di-O-acetyl-5-O-benzoyl-3-C-cyano-3-O-mesyl-D-ribofuranose with purine bases, followed by treatment with Cs2CO3, stereoselectively afforded beta-D-ribofuranosyl 3'-spiro nucleosides. 2',5'-O-Deacylation and subsequent treatment with tert-butyldimethylsilyl chloride gave the required TSAO derivatives. The 3'-spiro nucleosides with a xylo configuration did not show any anti-HIV activity. However, the purine ribo 3'-spiro nucleosides were potent and selective inhibitors of HIV-1 with a 50% effective concentration in the range of 0.1-1 microM and a selectivity index ranging from 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. Introduction of an alkyl function at N-1 of the purine moiety markedly decreased cytotoxicity without affecting antiviral activity.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Regulatory mutants for the synthesis of a 2d purine nucleoside phosphorylase in Escherichia coli K-12. I. Synthesis inducers and the substrate specificity of purine nucleoside phosphorylase in pndR mutants].

Restoration of the ability to catabolise the purine nucleosides in phenotypic revertants of Escherichia coli K-12 mutants defective in deoD encoded purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase 1) is the result of regulatory pndR mutations for synthesis of a second purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNPase 2). In pndR+ strains synthesis of PNPase 2 is induced by xanthosine; in pndR mutants catabolising all purine nucleosides synthesis of this enzyme is constitutive; in other pndR mutants only catabolising some of purine nucleosides, this catabolisible nucleosides, namely, deoxyinosine, deoxyadenosine as well as, in some cases, inosine and adenosine, act as inducers of PNPase 2 synthesis. In some pndR mutants with inducible PNPase 2, xanthosine is a stronger inducer, in others it is weaker, in comparison with pndR+ strains. In bacterial cells PNPase 2 catalyses the phosphorolytic cleavage of adenosine, inosine, deoxyinosine, guanosine, deoxyguanosine and xanthosine, though in crude extracts adenosine and deoxyadenosine phosphorylase activities of the enzyme are not expressed.

Enzyme Induction↗

Erythrocyte metabolism of purines and purine nucleosides during storage and simulated physiological conditions.

Some results from storage experiments at +4 degrees C with adenine and purine nucleosides in this laboratory are compared with incubation experiments at 37 degrees C with guanosine at pH 7.0 and 7.4 and different levels of inorganic phosphate (iP). At high iP concentration the synthesis of GTP was extremely rapid. Replacement of ATP by and ATP-GTP mixture has metabolic effects on several enzymic steps e.g. phosphofructose kinase and phosphoglycerate kinase explaining the reported beneficial effect on human erythrocytes during preservation. In order to explore the role of erythrocytes in the physiological transport of purines and purine nucleosides in vitro experiments were designed in which the substances were continuously added at the appropriate concentrations by means of a dialysis tubing. Analyses of purines, nucleosides, glucose, lactate and iP in the efferent dialysis solution and the extra- and intracellular volumes reveal the metabolic processes in the erythrocytes if the transport across the dialysis tubing is accounted for. Prior to incubation the erythrocytes were stored with NaF in order to reduce the total adenylate concentration. The rate of synthesis of adenylates was about 0.05 mmol x h(-1) (calculated per litre of erythrocytes) when adenine was supplied as source for the adenine moiety of adenylates but reached a five times higher substance rate when adenosine was supplied at a sufficiently high rate. Adenosine deaminase played an important role also at "sub-physiological" concentrations. The results indicate that the erythrocytes take part in the transport of purines between organs.

Adenine Nucleotides↗