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The coenzyme A-synthesizing protein complex and its proposed role in CoA biosynthesis in bakers' yeast.

An improved procedure is described for the recovery and purification of the coenzyme A-synthesizing protein complex (CoA-SPC) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (bakers' yeast). The molecular mass of the CoA-SPC, determined prior to and following its purification, is estimated by Sephacryl S-300 size exclusion chromatography to be between 375,000-400,000. Two previously unreported catalytic activities attributed to CoA-SPC have been identified. One of these is CoA-hydrolase activity which catalyzes the hydrolysis of CoA to form 3',5'-ADP and 4'-phosphopantetheine, and the other is dephospho-CoA-pyrophosphorylase activity which catalyzes a reaction between 4'-phosphopantetheine and ATP to form dephospho-CoA. The dephospho-CoA then reacts with ATP, catalyzed by the dephospho-CoA-kinase, to reform CoA. This sequence of reactions, referred to as the CoA/4'-phosphopantetheine cycle, provides a mechanism by which the 4'-phosphopantetheine can be recycled to form CoA. Each turn of the cycle utilizes two mol of ATP and produces one mol of ADP, one mol of PPi, and one mol of 3',5'-ADP. Other than the hydrolysis of CoA by CoA-SPC, the 4'-phosphopantetheine for the cycle apparently could be supplied by alternate sources. One alternate source may be the conventional pathway of CoA biosynthesis. Intact CoA-SPC has been separated into two segments. One segment is designated apo-CoA-SPC and the other segment segment is referred to as the 10,000-15,000 M(r) subunit. The 5'-ADP-4'-pantothenic acid-synthetase, 5'-ADP-4'-pantothenylcysteine-synthetase, 5'-ADP-4'-pantothenylcysteine-decarboxylase, and CoA-hydrolase activities reside in the apo-CoA-SPC segment of CoA-SPC. Whereas the dephospho-CoA-kinase and the dephospho-CoA-pyrophosphorylase activities reside in the 10,000-15,000 M(r) subunit. Thus, the 10,000-15,000 M(r) subunit mimics the bifunctional enzyme complex that catalyzes the final two steps in the conventional pathway of CoA biosynthesis.

Catalysis↗

The beta subunit of E. coli glycyl-tRNA synthetase plays a major role in tRNA recognition.

The contributions made by the alpha and beta subunits of E. coli glycyl-tRNA synthetase to the recognition of tRNA have been investigated via binding and immunological methods. Using the nitrocellulose filter assay, we have shown that isolated beta subunit, but not the alpha subunit, binds [14C]glycyl-tRNA with an affinity comparable to that of the native enzyme. Further, the data indicate that the beta subunit possesses one binding site for glycyl-tRNA while the native or reconstituted enzyme (alpha 2 beta 2) has two sites. Rabbit antibodies directed at the beta subunit or the holoenzyme inhibit efficiently the ability of the enzyme to aminoacylate tRNA while alpha-subunit antibodies have a smaller effect. Since none of the antisera have an appreciable effect on the ATP-PPi exchange activity of the enzyme under these conditions, the beta-subunit (and holoenzyme) antisera evidently interfere with productive tRNA binding. Taken together, the data indicate that the larger, beta subunit of glycyl-tRNA synthetase plays a major role in tRNA recognition.

Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases↗

Structural basis for discrimination of L-phenylalanine from L-tyrosine by phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) exert control over the faithful transfer of amino acids onto cognate tRNAs. Since chemical structures of various amino acids closely resemble each other, it is difficult to discriminate between them. Editing activity has been evolved by certain aaRSs to resolve the problem. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of complexes of T. thermophilus phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (PheRS) with L-tyrosine, p-chloro-phenylalanine, and a nonhydrolyzable tyrosyl-adenylate analog. The structures demonstrate plasticity of the synthetic site capable of binding substrates larger than phenylalanine and provide a structural basis for the proofreading mechanism. The editing site is localized at the B3/B4 interface, 35 A from the synthetic site. Glubeta334 plays a crucial role in the specific recognition of the Tyr moiety in the editing site. The tyrosyl-adenylate analog binds exclusively in the synthetic site. Both structural data and tyrosine-dependent ATP hydrolysis enhanced by tRNA(Phe) provide evidence for a preferential posttransfer editing pathway in the phenylalanine-specific system.

Crystallography↗

Effect of single base substitutions at glycine-870 codon of gramicidin S synthetase 2 gene on proline activation.

The mutant gene coding for a proline-activating domain (grs2-pro) was cloned and sequenced from Bacillus brevis Nagano, BII-3 strain, which produces gramicidin S synthetase 2 defective in proline-activation. By comparison of the nucleotide sequence with the wild-type sequence, a single point mutation was found at the 2609th guanine, which was replaced with adenine, resulting in the change of the 870th glycine to glutamic acid. Homology search for the deduced amino acid sequence of grs2-pro gene revealed that the 870th glycine was conserved in adenylate-forming enzymes, and its flanking sequence was highly conserved among the aminoacyl adenylate-forming enzymes, such as antibiotic peptide synthetases: gramicidin S synthetase 1 and 2 (GS1, GS2), tyrocidine synthetase 1 (TS1), and delta-(L-alpha-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase (ACVS); and other aminoacyl adenylation enzymes: alpha-aminoadipate reductase (LYS2), EntF, and AngR. On the other hand, this flanking sequence was not conserved in the other adenylate-forming enzymes lacking amino acid activation, such as acetyl-CoA synthetase, long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase, luciferase, and 4-coumarate CoA ligase. Single base substitutions at the 870th GGG codon were carried out by oligonucleotide site-directed mutagenesis. Four mutagenized clones were isolated, containing grs2-pro genes which exchange 870-Gly for alanine, valine, arginine, and tryptophan. The translated products from these clones could scarcely catalyze proline-dependent ATP-32PPi exchange reaction. The coil structure of 870-Gly region was lost in the mutants. These results suggest that the 870-Gly residue of grs2-pro protein is essential for aminoacyl-adenylation in the antibiotic peptide synthetase family.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

A comparative study of essential arginine residues in Gramicidin S synthetase 2 and isoleucyl tRNA synthetase.

In gramicidin S synthetase 2 (GS 2) from Bacillus brevis, L-proline, L-valine, L-ornithine, and L-leucine activations to aminoacyl adenylates are progressively inhibited by phenylglyoxal. The inactivation of GS 2 obeys pseudo-first-order kinetics. ATP completely prevents inactivation of GS 2 by phenylglyoxal, whereas amino acids only partially prevent it. In the presence of ATP, four arginine residues per mol of GS 2 are protected from modification by phenylglyoxal as determined by amino acid analysis and the incorporation of [7-14C]phenylgloxal into the enzyme protein, indicating that a single arginine residue is necessary for each amino acid activation. In isoleucyl tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli, phenylglyoxal inhibits activation of L-isoleucine to isoleucyl adenylate. ATP completely prevents inactivation, although isoleucine only partially prevents it. One arginine residue of isoleucyl tRNA synthetase is protected by ATP from modification by phenylglyoxal, suggesting that a single arginine residue is essential for isoleucine activation. These results support the involvement of arginine residues in ATP binding with GS 2 or isoleucyl tRNA synthetase, and thus indicate that arginine residues of amino acid activating enzymes are essential for the formation of aminoacyl adenylates in both nonribosomal and ribosomal peptide biosynthesis.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Mechanisms of product feedback regulation and drug resistance in cytidine triphosphate synthetases from the structure of a CTP-inhibited complex.

Cytidine triphosphate synthetases (CTPSs) synthesize CTP and regulate its intracellular concentration through direct interactions with the four ribonucleotide triphosphates. In particular, CTP product is a feedback inhibitor that competes with UTP substrate. Selected CTPS mutations that impart resistance to pyrimidine antimetabolite inhibitors also relieve CTP inhibition and cause a dramatic increase in intracellular CTP concentration, indicating that the drugs act by binding to the CTP inhibitory site. Resistance mutations map to a pocket that, although adjacent, does not coincide with the expected UTP binding site in apo Escherichia coli CTPS [EcCTPS; Endrizzi, J. A., et al. (2004) Biochemistry 43, 6447-6463], suggesting allosteric rather than competitive inhibition. Here, bound CTP and ADP were visualized in catalytically active EcCTPS crystals soaked in either ATP and UTP substrates or ADP and CTP products. The CTP cytosine ring resides in the pocket predicted by the resistance mutations, while the triphosphate moiety overlaps the putative UTP triphosphate binding site, explaining how CTP competes with UTP while CTP resistance mutations are acquired without loss of catalytic efficiency. Extensive complementarity and interaction networks at the interfacial binding sites provide the high specificity for pyrimidine triphosphates and mediate nucleotide-dependent tetramer formation. Overall, these results depict a novel product inhibition strategy in which shared substrate and product moieties bind to a single subsite while specificity is conferred by separate subsites. This arrangement allows for independent adaptation of UTP and CTP binding affinities while efficiently utilizing the enzyme surface.

Binding Sites↗

RNA ligase reaction products in plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage.

Searching for a physiological role of T4 RNA ligase [polyribonucleotide synthetase (ATP); poly(ribonucleotide):poly(ribonucleotide) ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.5.1.3] activity, we developed an acellular system of plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage. Upon incubation of this system with [gamma-32P]ATP, 32P was transferred into a large number of polyribonucleotides, mostly up to 300-400 residues long. The bulk of 32P in the product polyribonucleotides was found in 5'-terminal phosphate groups, suggesting that they originated by a phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the endogenous polynucleotide kinase (EC 2.7.1.78). Indeed, these products were not seen in an acellular system from uninfected cells, and their amount and complexity increased with the progress of infection. Analysis of the 32P-labeled polyribonucleotide products by gel electrophoresis, either before or after digestion with alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), revealed that a small fraction of the 32P resided in phosphodiester bonds of several tRNA-sized chains. This specific 32P transfer from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was apparently catalyzed by successive polynucleotide kinase and RNA ligase reactions. The possible relationship of the 32P transfer to RNA ligase was investigated next by using a system from cells infected with T4 am M69 (an amber mutant deficient in RNA ligase). Transfer of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was not detected in the am M69 system. However, addition of purified RNA ligase to the am M69 system restored the specific 32P transfer. A system from cells infected with T4 psu-b delta 33 (a deletion mutant lacking the entire tRNA region) sustained the specific 32P transfer into tRNA-sized products, indicating that they were not derived from transcripts of T4 tRNA genes. These data may reflect a role of RNA ligase in posttranscriptional conversion of presumably host polyribonucleotides into novel tRNA species during T4 infection.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Mechanism of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase. Properties of the two binding sites for ATP.

Carbamoyl phosphate synthethase I synthesizes carbamoyl phosphate from ammonia, HCO3- and two molecules of ATP, one of which, ATPA, yields Pi while the other, ATPB, yields the phosphoryl group of carbamoyl phosphate. Pulse-chase experiments with [gamma-32P]ATP without added HCO3- demonstrate separate binding sites for ATPA and ATPB. Bound ATPA dissociates readily from its site (t1/2 approximately 1--2 s) and the Kd is 0.2--0.7 mM. For the ATPB binding site the t1/2 for dissociation is 5--12 s and the Kd approximately 10 mM. Kd for ATPA seems to increase with enzyme concentration whereas Kd for ATPB does not change. HClO4 releases the ATP unchanged from the enzyme . ATPB and enzyme . ATPB . ATPA complexes. In the presence of HCO3-, ATP and N-acetylglutamate, an enzyme . ATPB . HCO3- . ATPA complex is formed. Its formation by the addition of HCO3- to the enzyme . ATPB . ATPA complex appears to involve an initial bimolecular addition reaction followed by an isomerization. Treatment with HClO4 releases Pi from ATPA but ATPB is released unchanged. Spontaneous hydrolysis of ATPA is responsible for the ATPase activity of the enzyme. Thus, a covalent bond may form between HCO3- and ATPA. However, ATPA can dissociate rapidly (t1/2 less than 10 s). The Kd for ATPA is approximately 0.2 mM. ATPB appears unable to dissociate from the enzyme . ATPB . HCO3- . ATPA complex since the t1/2 for dissociation of ATPB from the enzyme is lengthened about five times in the presence of 19 mM HCO3- and at 1 mM ATP. ATPA may also hydrolyse in this complex and be replaced by another molecule of ATP in the absence of exchange of ATPB. However, the ATPA binding site must be occupied to prevent ATPB release. ATPB may be bound in a pocket which becomes inaccessible to the solution when HCO3- and ATPA also bind. In contrast, HCO3- does not inhibit the binding of ATPB to the enzyme. Various intermediate steps in the formation of the enzyme . ATPb . HCO3- . ATPA complex are discussed. Additional evidence is presented that the ATPB binding site is only periodically accessible to ATP in solution and that ATPB in the steady-state reaction binds when the products leave. Since greater than 1.3 mol ATPB and greater than 1.8 mol ATPA bind/mol enzyme dimer, the enzyme monomer may be an active species.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Kinetic mechanism of Escherichia coli asparagine synthetase B.

Escherichia coli asparagine synthetase B (AS-B) catalyzes the synthesis of asparagine from aspartate, glutamine, and ATP. A combination of kinetic, isotopic-labeling, and stoichiometry studies have been performed to define the nature of nitrogen transfer mediated by AS-B. The results of initial rate studies were consistent with initial binding and hydrolysis of glutamine to glutamate plus enzyme-bound ammonia. The initial velocity results were equally consistent with initial binding of ATP and aspartate prior to glutamine binding. However, product inhibition studies were only consistent with the latter pathway. Moreover, isotope-trapping studies confirmed that the enzyme-ATP-aspartate complex was kinetically competent. Studies using 18O-labeled aspartate were consistent with formation of a beta-aspartyl-AMP intermediate, and stoichiometry studies revealed that 1 equiv of this intermediate formed on the enzyme in the absence of a nitrogen source. Taken together, our results are most consistent with initial formation of beta -aspartyl-AMP intermediate prior to glutamine binding. This sequence leaves open many possibilities for the chemical mechanism of nitrogen transfer.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Characterization of the monovalent cation activator binding site of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase by 205Tl NMR of enzyme-bound Tl+.

The structure of the binding site for the monovalent cation activator of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) synthetase from Escherichia coli has been characterized by 205Tl NMR of enzyme-bound Tl+. The chemical shift of the enzyme-Tl+ complex is 176 ppm downfield from aquo Tl+, a shift which is typical only of Tl+ complexes with solely oxygen ligands. The 205Tl resonance shifts upfield to 85 ppm in the enzyme-Mg(II)-Tl+ complex, to 38 ppm in the enzyme-Tl+-AdoMet complex and to 34 ppm in the enzyme-Tl+-AdoMet-Mg(II) complex. The 205Tl chemical shift of enzyme-bound Tl+ was not altered by binding of either methionine, or the Mg(II)-ATP analog Mg(II)-adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, or Mg(II)-pyrophosphate to the enzyme-Tl+-Mg(II) complex. The NMR data suggest that the substrates or products of the enzyme do not coordinate to the monovalent cation activator and imply that monovalent cation activation results from alterations in protein conformation.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Revisiting the steady state kinetic mechanism of glutamine-dependent asparagine synthetase from Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli asparagine synthetase B (AS-B) catalyzes the formation of asparagine from aspartate in an ATP-dependent reaction for which glutamine is the in vivo nitrogen source. In an effort to reconcile several different kinetic models that have been proposed for glutamine-dependent asparagine synthetases, we have used numerical methods to investigate the kinetic mechanism of AS-B. Our simulations demonstrate that literature proposals cannot reproduce the glutamine dependence of the glutamate/asparagine stoichiometry observed for AS-B, and we have therefore developed a new kinetic model that describes the behavior of AS-B more completely. The key difference between this new model and the literature proposals is the inclusion of an E.ATP.Asp.Gln quaternary complex that can either proceed to form asparagine or release ammonia through nonproductive glutamine hydrolysis. The implication of this model is that the two active sites in AS-B become coordinated only after formation of a beta-aspartyl-AMP intermediate in the synthetase site of the enzyme. The coupling of glutaminase and synthetase activities in AS is therefore different from that observed in all other well-characterized glutamine-dependent amidotransferases.

Ammonia↗

Promotion of the in vitro renaturation of dodecameric glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli in the presence of GroEL (chaperonin-60) and ATP.

The folding and assembly of dodecameric glutamine synthetase (GS) from Escherichia coli was examined in the absence and presence of the E. coli heat shock protein, GroEL (chaperonin-60). At nonphysiological temperatures (15-20 degrees C), unfolded GS spontaneously renatured to 80-90% of its original activity in the absence of GroEL. At near-physiological temperatures (37 degrees C), only 20-40% of the original activity returns. Under the latter solution conditions, GroEL and ATP enhance the extent of GS renaturation to 70-80% of the original activity at 37 degrees C. In the absence of ATP, GroEL arrests the renaturation of unfolded GS by forming a stable binary complex. The addition of ATP to this complex resulted in the release of GS subunits and formation of active dodecameric GS. The order of addition of ATP or unfolded GS to GroEL results in differences in the t1/2 values where half-maximal GS activity is attained. At a constant GS concentration, the formation of the GroEL.GS complex followed by ATP addition resulted in approximately a 2-fold increase in the observed t1/2 value compared to that observed when GroEL was preincubated with ATP before the GS renaturation reaction was initiated. These differences in renaturation rates may be related to binding affinity differences between the ATP-free and -bound GroEL conformer for unfolded or partially folded protein substrates [Badcoe, I. G., Smith, C. J., Wood, S., Halsall, D. J., Holbrook, J. J., Lund, P., & Clarke, A. R. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 9195-9200].(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Mutational and kinetic analysis of a mobile loop in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase.

The role of a mobile loop in tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase has been investigated by mutating each amino acid in the loop and kinetically analyzing the effect that each mutation has on the formation of the enzyme-bound tyrosyl adenylate intermediate. Kinetic analyses of mutations at three of the nine positions in the loop, K230, K233, and T234, have been reported elsewhere (Fersht et al., 1988; First & Fersht, 1993a,b). In this paper, the kinetic analyses of mutants in the remaining six positions, as well as a mutant in which the entire loop is deleted, are reported. With the exception of E235, which stabilizes the E.-[Tyr-ATP]++ and E.Tyr.ATP complexes by 1.0 and 1.2 kcal/mol, respectively, none of the remaining amino acids appears to be directly involved in the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. Instead, mutation of these residues results in small alterations in the stability of E.Tyr.ATP, E.[Tyr-ATP]++ and E.Tyr.AMP.PPi complexes. The precise amino acid residues which stabilize each state vary, suggesting that the loop adopts different conformations in each of the complexes with the most highly constrained conformation being in the E.[Tyr-ATP]++ complex. Deletion of the loop reveals that the net effect of the loop in catalysis is two-fold: (1) to destabilize the E.Tyr.ATP complex preceding formation of the E.[Tyr.ATP]++ complex and (2) to stabilize the E.[Tyr-ATP]++ complex, indicating that the involvement of the loop in catalysis occurs at the expense of ATP-binding energy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Stringent response of Bacillus stearothermophilus: evidence for the existence of two distinct guanosine 3',5'-polyphosphate synthetases.

Bacillus stearothermophilus reacted to pseudomonic acid-induced inhibition of isoleucine-transfer ribonucleic acid (RNA) acylation and to energy downshift caused by alpha-methylglucoside addition with accumulation of guanosine 3',5'-polyphosphates [(p)ppGpp] and restriction of RNA synthesis. In vitro studies indicated that (p)ppGpp was synthesized by two different enzymes. One enzyme, (p)ppGpp synthetase I, was present in the ribosomal fraction, required the addition of a ribosome-messenger RNA-transfer RNA complex for activation, and was inhibited by tetracycline and thiostrepton. It is suggested that (p)ppGpp synthetase I is comparable to the relA gene product from Escherichia coli and is responsible for (p)ppGpp accumulation during amino acid starvation. The other enzyme, (p)ppGpp synthetase II, was found in the high-speed supernatant fraction (S100). It functioned independently of ribosomes, transfer RNA, and messenger RNA and was not inhibited by the above-mentioned antibiotics. (p)ppGpp synthetase II is thought to be responsible for (p)ppGpp accumulation during carbon source downshift. The two enzymes differ in their Km values for adenosine triphosphate (ATP):2mM ATP for synthetase I and 0.05 mM ATP for synthetase II. They also have different molecular weights: apparent Mr of 86,000 (+/- 5,000) for synthetase I and 74,000 (+/- 5,000) for synthetase II.

Geobacillus stearothermophilus↗

The effect of groES on the groEL-dependent assembly of dodecameric glutamine synthetase in the presence of ATP and ADP.

The yields of active dodecameric glutamine synthetase (GS) are significantly increased when in vitro folding is initiated in the presence of the Escherichia coli groE chaperonins and ATP (37 degrees C). To observe the effects of chaperonins and ATP on GS assembly, the GS assembly intermediates were separated by nondenaturing gel electrophoresis, visualized by Western analysis, and studied as a function of time. The form of GS that was initially released from groEL is monomeric. After the monomers formed dimers, active GS oligomers were assembled by the association of assembly competent dimers with higher order even-numbered oligomers until the dodecamer was formed. When ATP was added to the groEL.GS complex (no groES), a groEL.GS complex remained visible for up to 30 min after the renaturation was initiated. This slow disappearance of the groEL.GS complex is consistent with observed lags in both the GS activity regain profile and the assembly-dependent increase in GS tryptophan fluorescence. When groES was present, the addition of ATP resulted in the disappearance of observable complex at early sample times (< 2 min). Concomitantly, the rates of the regain of GS activity and the GS-dependent increase in tryptophan fluorescence intensity showed substantial accelerations. These results indicate that groES facilitates GS assembly from groEL by inducing the rapid release of GS from groEL, which in turn increases the concentration of assembly competent GS monomers. In addition, groES can initiate renaturation of GS from the groEL.GS arrested complex in the presence of ADP. When chaperonin-dependent GS renaturation was initiated with ATP or ADP (> or = 2 mM), the rates were identical. Since ATP hydrolysis is not absolutely required, the combined binding energies of groES and ATP (or ADP) appear to be sufficient to weaken the binding affinity of groEL for GS subunits and facilitate the release and refolding of assembly competent GS monomers from groEL.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Influence of cytarabine on mitochondrial function and mitochondrial biogenesis.

Although replication of nuclear DNA is inhibited by cytarabine (ara-C), protein synthesis in the nucleocytoplasm appears to continue unabated for the duration of at least the time of the normal cell cycle. ara-C treatment of human leukemic cells resulted in increased mitochondrial membrane potential and adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) production and increased activity of enzymes, coded on nuclear DNA (citrate synthetase), as well as of enzymes with subunits coded on mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome c oxidase). These mitochondrial changes occurred during a period of cell-cycle arrest, while cell size and cellular protein content continued to increase. These phenomena appeared to precede the ultimate cell death.

Cell Line↗

Formyl-methenyl-methylenetetrahydrofolate synthetase(combined) from yeast. Biochemical characterization of the protein from an ade3 mutant lacking the formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase function.

A protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant ade3-1050, a formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase-deficient mutant, has been purified to apparent homogeneity. The purified mutant enzyme shows both methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase and methenyltetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase activities, but lacks formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase activity. The biochemical characterization of the mutant protein described in this paper is consistent with genetic data which indicate that the 1050 mutation is a point mutation at the ade3 locus of chromosome VII of S. cerevisiae. The molecular weight of the native mutant protein (Mr = 227,000 by exclusion chromatography), as well as the number and size of its subunits are exactly the same as those of the trifunctional wild type enzyme. In addition, both proteins have the same sedimentation behavior in a glycerol density gradient (s20,w = 9.4 S), and their activities and structures are equally affected by exposure to mild tryptic degradation. ATP protects both enzymes from tryptic degradation, but NADP+ does not. Some of the kinetic properties of the activities of both enzymes were also determined and were essentially similar. Although both enzymes require the presence of metals for maximal synthetase and dehydrogenase activities, metals are not necessary to maintain their structures intact.

Aminohydrolases↗

Cytoplasmic accumulation of long-chain coenzyme A esters activates KATP and inhibits Kir2.1 channels.

Long-chain fatty acids acyl coenzyme A esters (LC-CoA) are obligate intermediates of fatty acid metabolism and have been shown to activate K(ATP) channels but to inhibit most other Kir channels (e.g. Kir2.1) by direct channel binding. The activation of K(ATP) channels by elevated levels of LC-CoA may be involved in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes, the hypothalamic sensing of circulating fatty acids and the regulation of cardiac K(ATP) channels. However, LC-CoA are effectively buffered in the cytoplasm and it is currently not clear whether their free concentration can reach levels sufficient to affect Kir channels in vivo. Here, we report that extracellular oleic acid complexed with albumin at an unbound concentration of 81 +/- 1 nm strongly activated K(ATP) channels and inhibited Kir2.1 channels in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells as well as endogenous Kir currents in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. These effects were only seen in the presence of a high concentration of glucose (25 mm), a condition known to promote the accumulation of LC-CoA by inhibiting their mitochondrial uptake via carnitine-palmitoyl-transferase-1 (CPT1). Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of CPT1 by etomoxir restored the effects of oleic acid under low glucose conditions. Finally, triacsin C, an inhibitor of the acyl-CoA synthetase, which is necessary for LC-CoA formation, abolished the effects of extracellular oleic acid on the various Kir channels. These results establish the direct regulation of Kir channels by the cytoplasmic accumulation of LC-CoA, which might be of physiological and pathophysiological relevance in a variety of tissues.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗