Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “ATP Synthetase Complexes”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 901 records · Page 50Linked to original sources

Site-directed substitution of Ser1406 of hamster CAD with glutamic acid alters allosteric regulation of carbamyl phosphate synthetase II.

Ser1406 of the allosteric region of the hamster CAD enzyme, carbamyl phosphate synthetase II (CPSase), is known to be phosphorylated in vitro by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Metabolic labeling experiments described here demonstrate that CAD is phosphorylated in somatic cells in culture. Phosphorylation is stimulated by treating cells with 8-bromo-cAMP, a PKA activator. The stimulation is essentially prevented by pretreatment with H-89, a PKA specific inhibitor. Substitution of Ser1406 with alanine results in an enzyme with kinetics and allosteric regulation indistinguishable from unsubstituted CAD. However, substitution to glutamic acid increases CPSase activity by reducing the apparent Km (ATP). The UTP concentration required to give 50% inhibition is increased rendering this altered enzyme significantly less sensitive to feedback inhibition, but allosteric activation by PRPP is unaffected. While these data do not prove that Ser1406 is phosphorylated in vivo, they do indicate that a specific alteration at this residue can affect allosteric regulation.

Allosteric Regulation↗

Association of GCN1-GCN20 regulatory complex with the N-terminus of eIF2alpha kinase GCN2 is required for GCN2 activation.

Stimulation of GCN4 mRNA translation due to phosphorylation of the alpha-subunit of initiation factor 2 (eIF2) by its specific kinase, GCN2, requires binding of uncharged tRNA to a histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HisRS)-like domain in GCN2. GCN2 function in vivo also requires GCN1 and GCN20, but it was unknown whether these latter proteins act directly to promote the stimulation of GCN2 by uncharged tRNA. We found that the GCN1-GCN20 complex physically interacts with GCN2, binding to the N-terminus of the protein. Overexpression of N-terminal GCN2 segments had a dominant-negative phenotype that correlated with their ability to interact with GCN1-GCN20 and impede association between GCN1 and native GCN2. Consistently, this Gcn(-) phenotype was suppressed by overexpressing GCN2, GCN1-GCN20 or tRNA(His). The requirement for GCN1 was also reduced by overexpressing tRNA(His) in a gcn1Delta strain. We conclude that binding of GCN1-GCN20 to GCN2 is required for its activation by uncharged tRNA. The homologous N-terminus of Drosophila GCN2 interacted with yeast GCN1-GCN20 and had a dominant Gcn(-) phenotype, suggesting evolutionary conservation of this interaction.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Effects of fibrates on the glycine conjugation of benzoic acid in rats.

In the course of glycine conjugation, benzoic acid is successively converted into benzoyl-CoA and benzoylglycine by mitochondrial enzymes (i.e. benzoyl-CoA synthetase and benzoyl-CoA/glycine N-acyltransferase, respectively), utilizing ATP, CoA, and glycine. Large doses of benzoate deplete CoA from the liver, suggesting that the supply of CoA may limit the capacity for glycine conjugation. Because fibrates are known to increase hepatic CoA synthesis, we examined whether treatment with fenofibrate or bezafibrate enhanced the capacity of rats to conjugate benzoic acid with glycine. Dietary administration of fenofibrate or bezafibrate (2.5 mmol/kg of feed, for 10 days) increased hepatic CoA levels 8-10-fold, while not affecting hepatic ATP levels; only fenofibrate elevated, albeit moderately, the concentration of glycine in liver. Hepatic mitochondria isolated from fibrate-fed rats, compared with those from controls, exhibited unchanged benzoyl-CoA synthetase activity but higher benzoyl-CoA hydrolase and lower benzoyl-CoA/glycine N-acyltransferase activities. Feeding with either fibrate increased liver mass by 50-60%. Control and fibrate-fed rats were administered benzoate at different doses, one to produce a large demand for CoA (i.e. 2 mmol/kg, iv) and two others to produce smaller demands for CoA (i.e. 1 mmol/kg or 2 mmol/kg plus glycine, iv). Fenofibrate-fed rats, and to a lesser extent bezafibrate-fed animals, exhibited increased glycine conjugation capacity, as indicated by faster disappearance of benzoate from the blood and appearance of benzoylglycine in the blood and urine, compared with controls; however, fibrates were not more effective in rats receiving the benzoate dose that produced the greatest demand for CoA. In contrast, benzoylglycine formation from benzoate (0.1-1 mM) was not enhanced in liver slices from fibrate-fed rats; moreover, it was lower than control levels in slices from bezafibrate-fed animals. Bezafibrate, but not fenofibrate, given to rats in a single dose (0.5 mmol/kg, ip) decreased the elimination and glycine conjugation of benzoate, indicating that bezafibrate is a direct inhibitor of glycine conjugation. In summary, fibrates influence glycine conjugation in a complex manner. Some fibrate-induced alterations (i.e. increased benzoyl-CoA hydrolase and decreased glycine transferase activities and direct inhibition by bezafibrate) can potentially hinder conjugation of benzoate with glycine, thus precluding conclusions regarding whether increased CoA availability enhances glycine conjugation. Fibrate-induced hepatomegaly appears to significantly contribute to the increased glycine conjugation capacity of rats treated with fenofibrate or bezafibrate.

Animal Feed↗

The enzymes of acetyl-CoA metabolism in differentiating cholinergic (s-20) and noncholinergic (NIE-115) neuroblastoma cells.

Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and butyrate inhibited growth of S-20 (cholinergic) and NIE-115 (adrenergic) neuroblastoma clones. Both these drugs resulted in a parallel increase of choline acetyltransferase and ATP-citrate lyase activities in S-20 neuroblastoma cells. On the other hand, the increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity in NIE-115 caused by these drugs was not accompanied by a significant change in ATP-citrate lyase activity. Both dibutyryl cyclic AMP and butyrate caused a decrease in fatty acid synthetase activity in both cell lines. The activities of pyruvate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, choline acetyltransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase in both S-20 and NIE-115 cells were not significantly influenced by the drugs. ATP-citrate lyases from S-20 and NIE-115 had similar kinetic and immunological properties, and their subunits had the same molecular weight as the rat liver enzyme. These data indicate that the differential regulation of ATP-citrate lyase activity in cholinergic and adrenergic cells does not result from the existence of different molecular forms of the enzyme in these cell lines. They also provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that ATP-citrate lyase activity increases during maturation of normal cholinergic neurons and decreases in noncholinergic cells of the brain.

ATP Citrate (pro-S)-Lyase↗

Selenium is mobilized in vivo from free selenocysteine and is incorporated specifically into formate dehydrogenase H and tRNA nucleosides.

Selenophosphate synthetase (SPS), the selD gene product from Escherichia coli, catalyzes the biosynthesis of monoselenophosphate, AMP, and orthophosphate in a 1:1:1 ratio from selenide and ATP. It was recently demonstrated that selenium delivered from selenocysteine by an E. coli NifS-like protein could replace free selenide in the in vitro SPS assay for selenophosphate formation (G. M. Lacourciere, H. Mihara, T. Kurihara, N. Esaki, and T. C. Stadtman, J. Biol. Chem. 275:23769-23773, 2000). During growth of E. coli in the presence of 0.1 microM (75)SeO(3)(2-) and increasing amounts of L-selenocysteine, a concomitant decrease in (75)Se incorporation into formate dehydrogenase H and nucleosides of bulk tRNA was observed. This is consistent with the mobilization of selenium from L-selenocysteine in vivo and its use in selenophosphate formation. The ability of E. coli to utilize selenocysteine as a selenium source for selenophosphate biosynthesis in vivo supports the participation of the NifS-like proteins in selenium metabolism.

Biological Transport↗

[Treatment of angina pectoris. New perspectives].

Myocardial ischaemia results from complex interrelated processes involving progression of atherosclerosis, thrombosis, coronary spasm, platelet aggregation and local release of products from the arachidonic acid cascade. Endothelium-dependent responsiveness contributes to the local regulation of coronary blood flow, and the presence of endothelial damage may result in enhanced contraction of the smooth muscle. Drugs which have been used for the treatment of angina pectoris are able to reduce myocardial oxygen consumption. This concept will further be developed in the near future with beta-blocking agents with vasodilating properties, potent long acting nitrates (nicorandil), bradycardic agents (AQA 39 or AS-AH 208), and new calcium antagonists. However, future prospects in the treatment of angina pectoris include: drugs modifying the arachidonic acid cascade by increasing synthesis or release of prostacyclin (nafazatrom) or decreasing prostacyclin degradation (almitrine), or blocking thromboxane A2 synthetase (dazoxiben) or thromboxane A2 receptors (BM 13177) or, blocking the lipoxygenase pathway (nafazatrom) or prostacyclin analogues (iloprost); more clot-specific thrombolytic agents and new oral anticoagulant drugs; free-radical scavengers such as superoxide dismutase, catalase or peroxidase and drugs inhibiting xanthine-oxidase; anti-platelet drugs such as ticlopidine which blocks the fibrinogen receptors of platelets; drugs preventing the progression of atherosclerosis lesions such as nifedipine or verapamil in animals fed high-lipid diets; drugs which could modify myocardial metabolism during ischaemia. In this context, trimetazidine acts through prevention of ischaemia-induced decrease in ATP cellular storages, inhibition of potassium leak, decrease in free-radical production and thromboxane A2 synthesis and increase in prostacyclin synthesis. These new concepts provide an important contribution to the understanding of the pathophysiology of myocardial ischaemia. This explains the considerable development of pharmacological research for new agents in the treatment of angina pectoris.

Angina Pectoris↗

Kinetics and reaction mechanism of the carbamylphosphate synthetase of a multienzyme aggregate from yeast.

We have studied the kinetics and reaction mechanism of the carbamylphosphate synthetase of an enzyme aggregate functioning in the pyrimidine pathway of yeast. MG--ATP was found to be one of the substrates of the enzyme reaction which was activated by free Mg-2+ and inhibited by free ATP. Feedback inhibition by UTP was non-competitive with respect to both glutamine and bicarbonate. Potassium ions were essential for activity and could not be replaced by sodium. Glutamine could be replaced partially by ammonium ions as nitrogen donor. A bicarbonate-dependent cleavage of ATP was shown to take place in the absence of L-glutamine; L-glutamate was a competitive inhibitor of L-glutamine and the enzyme was shown to synthesize ATP when incubated with ADP and carbamyl phosphate. The reaction mechanism was found to involve sequential addition of the substrates bicarbonate and Mg--ATP and release of ADP, followed by addition of the third substrate glutamine. The purine nucleotide XMP had a pronounced activating effect on the enzyme, acting at a site different from that of UTP. Saturating levels of Mg--ATP eliminated this activation.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Escherichia coli FolC structure reveals an unexpected dihydrofolate binding site providing an attractive target for anti-microbial therapy.

In some bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, the addition of L-glutamate to dihydropteroate (dihydrofolate synthetase activity) and the subsequent additions of L-glutamate to tetrahydrofolate (folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) activity) are catalyzed by the same enzyme, FolC. The crystal structure of E. coli FolC is described in this paper. It showed strong similarities to that of the FPGS enzyme of Lactobacillus casei within the ATP binding site and the catalytic site, as do all other members of the Mur synthethase superfamily. FolC structure revealed an unexpected dihydropteroate binding site very different from the folate site identified previously in the FPGS structure. The relevance of this site is exemplified by the presence of phosphorylated dihydropteroate, a reaction intermediate in the DHFS reaction. L. casei FPGS is considered a relevant model for human FPGS. As such, the presence of a folate binding site in E. coli FolC, which is different from the one seen in FPGS enzymes, provides avenues for the design of specific inhibitors of this enzyme in antimicrobial therapy.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

An unusual amide synthetase (CouL) from the coumermycin A1 biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptomyces rishiriensis DSM 40489.

The aminocoumarin antibiotic coumermycin A1 produced by Streptomyces rishiriensis DSM 40489 contains two amide bonds. The biosynthetic gene cluster of coumermycin contains a putative amide synthetase gene, couL, encoding a protein of 529 amino acids. CouL was overexpressed as hexahistidine fusion protein in Escherichia coli and purified by metal affinity chromatography, resulting in a nearly homogenous protein. CouL catalysed the formation of both amide bonds of coumermycin A1, i.e. between the central 3-methylpyrrole-2,4-dicarboxylic acid and two aminocoumarin moieties. Gel exclusion chromatography showed that the enzyme is active as a monomer. The activity was strictly dependent on the presence of ATP and Mn2+ or Mg2+. The apparent Km values were determined as 26 micro m for the 3-methylpyrrole-2,4-dicarboxylic acid and 44 micro m for the aminocoumarin moiety, respectively. Several analogues of the pyrrole dicarboxylic acid were accepted as substrates. In contrast, pyridine carboxylic acids were not accepted. 3-Dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, the acyl component in novobiocin biosynthesis, was well accepted, despite its structural difference from the genuine acyl substrate of CouL.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of gramicidin S synthetase aggregation substance: control of gramicidin S synthesis by its product, gramicidin S.

An aggregation substance of gramicidin S synthetases was found and purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and CM-chromatography from cell debris of Bacillus brevis Nagano. It specifically aggregated and inactivated gramicidin S synthetases 1 (GS1) and 2 (GS2). On the basis of amino acid composition analysis, reversed-phase HPLC, FAB mass spectrometry, amino acid sequence analysis, and antibacterial activity, this substance (GrS-aggregation substance) was identified as gramicidin S. A gramicidin S derivative bearing a lysine residue in place of one ornithine residue was also detected as a minor component of GrS-aggregation substance. The extent of the aggregation was dependent on the concentration and relative amount of gramicidin S. The inhibition of the enzyme activities was irreversible and the inhibition was proportional to the amount of gramicidin S, like the aggregation of the enzymes. The degree of GS2 inhibition in the amino acid-dependent ATP-PPi exchange reaction varied with the amino acids of gramicidin S and increased in order of the amino acid sequence of gramicidin S. The degree of inhibition of the overall synthesis of gramicidin S was the same as that in the leucine-dependent exchange reaction.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗

Cerebral inflammation in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease that affects approximately 1 in 25 000 males. It is characterized by elevated levels of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), i.e., >C22:0, particularly in ganglioside and cholesterol ester fractions of brain white matter and adrenal cortex. Failure of peroxisomal very long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase (VLCS) to activate these VLCFA prevents their degradation by peroxisomal beta-oxidation. X-ALD maps to Xq28 and the gene encodes a peroxisomal membrane protein and not the gene for VLCS. The two most common forms of X-ALD are the cerebral (CER) form, with an inflammatory demyelinating reaction that resembles multiple sclerosis (MS), and adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), which involves the spinal cord and in which the inflammatory reaction is mild or absent. Investigations into the nature of the cerebral inflammatory demyelinating reaction in X-ALD will be the subject of this review.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily D, Mem↗

Purification and functional characterization of the Glu-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

The formation of glutaminyl-tRNA (Gln-tRNA) in Bacilli, chloroplasts, and mitochondria occurs in a two-step reaction. This involves misacylation of tRNA(Gln) with glutamate by glutamyl-tRNA synthetase and subsequent amidation of Glu-tRNA(Gln) to the correctly acylated Gln-tRNA(Gln) by a specific amidotransferase (Schön, A., Kannangara, C. G., Gough, S., and Söll, D. (1988) Nature 331, 187-190). Here we demonstrate the existence of this pathway in green algae and describe the purification of the Glu-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The purified enzyme showed an Mr of approximately 120,000 when analyzed by glycerol gradient sedimentation and gel filtration. An apparent Mr of 63,000 of the denatured protein was demonstrated by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. This indicates that the enzyme possesses an alpha 2 structure. The substrate for the purified enzyme is Glu-tRNA(Gln) but not Glu-tRNA(Glu). The enzyme requires ATP, Mg2+, and an amide donor for the conversion. Acceptable amide donors are glutamine, asparagine, and ammonia. Blocking of the glutamine-dependent reaction by alkylation of the protein with 6-diazo-5-oxonorleucine did not inhibit the ammonia-dependent reaction, suggesting that the enzyme has separate glutamine and ammonia binding sites. As suggested by Wilcox (Wilcox, M. (1969) Eur. J. Biochem. 11, 405-412) the amidation reaction may involve glutamyl-phosphate formation, since ATP is cleaved to ADP when the enzyme is incubated with Glu-tRNA(Gln) and ATP. In common with other glutamine amidotransferases, the enzyme also possesses low glutaminase activity. The purified Glu-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase forms a stable complex with Glu-tRNA(Gln) in the presence of ATP and Mg2+ but in the absence of the amide donor as determined by gradient centrifugation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

[ESR study of mitochondria in basal metabolic states and at different levels of ATP-synthetase activity].

Effect of metabolic transitions of mitochondria on the value of ESR-absorption measured at room temperature has been studied. It has been found that the content of free radicals with ESR signal of g = 2.00 and the halfwidth about 15e depends on the metabolic state of mitochondria determined by the load of respiration and phosphorylation systems of mitochondria. The maximal gain of the free radical content is observed in the active state when the maximal load is applied to the phosphorylative chain. An attempt to localize the region of initiation of additional free radicals by means of uncouplers and inhibitors of phosphorylation, as well as by placing mitochondria into the phosphate-free medium has shown that the change in ESR absorption of mitochondrion preparation is in a specific correlation with the change in energization of mitochondria. The analysis of alternative ways for an increase of the free radical fund during energization makes it possible to connect this increase with the work of ATP-syntetase and to suggest that free radicals take part in the ADP phosphorylation by inorganic phosphate, being probably, localized directly on the ADP molecule.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Function of the major synthetase subdomains of carbamyl-phosphate synthetase.

The amidotransferase domain (GLNase) of mammalian carbamyl-phosphate synthetase II hydrolyzes glutamine and transfers ammonia to the synthetase domain where carbamyl phosphate is formed in a three-step reaction sequence. The synthetase domain consists of two homologous subdomains, CPS.A and CPS.B. Recent studies suggest that CPS.A catalyzes the initial ATP dependent-activation of bicarbonate, whereas CPS.B uses a second ATP to form carbamyl phosphate. To establish the function of these substructural elements, we have cloned and expressed the mammalian protein and its subdomains in Escherichia coli. Recombinant CPSase (GLNase-CPS.A-CPS.B) was found to be fully functional. Two other proteins were made; the first consisted of only GLNase and CPS.A, whereas the second lacked CPS.A and had the GLNase domain fused directly to CPS.B. Remarkably, both proteins catalyzed the entire series of reactions involved in glutamine-dependent carbamyl phosphate synthesis. The stoichiometry, like that of the native enzyme, was 2 mol of ATP utilized per mol of carbamyl phosphate formed. GLN-CPS.B is allosterically regulated, whereas GLN-CPS.A was insensitive to effectors, a result consistent with evidence showing that allosteric effectors bind to CPS.B. These properties are not peculiar to the mammalian protein, because the separately cloned CPS.A subdomain of the E. coli enzyme was also found to catalyze carbamyl phosphate synthesis. Gel filtration chromatography and chemical cross-linking studies showed that these molecules are dimers, a structural organization that may be a prerequisite for the overall reaction. Thus, the homologous CPS.A and CPS.B subdomains are functionally equivalent, although in the native enzyme they may have different functions resulting from their juxtaposition relative to the other components in the complex.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Expression and characterization of recombinant rat Acyl-CoA synthetases 1, 4, and 5. Selective inhibition by triacsin C and thiazolidinediones.

Inhibition by triacsins and troglitazone of long chain fatty acid incorporation into cellular lipids suggests the existence of inhibitor-sensitive and -resistant acyl-CoA synthetases (ACS, EC ) that are linked to specific metabolic pathways. In order to test this hypothesis, we cloned and purified rat ACS1, ACS4, and ACS5, the isoforms present in liver and fat cells, expressed the isoforms as ACS-Flag fusion proteins in Escherichia coli, and purified them by Flag affinity chromatography. The Flag epitope at the C terminus did not alter the kinetic properties of the enzyme. Purified ACS1-, 4-, and 5-Flag isoforms differed in their apparent K(m) values for ATP, thermolability, pH optima, requirement for Triton X-100, and sensitivity to N-ethylmaleimide and phenylglyoxal. The ACS inhibitor triacsin C strongly inhibited ACS1 and ACS4, but not ACS5. The thiazolidinedione (TZD) insulin-sensitizing drugs and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) ligands, troglitazone, rosiglitazone, and pioglitazone, strongly and specifically inhibited only ACS4, with an IC(50) of less than 1.5 microm. Troglitazone exhibited a mixed type inhibition of ACS4. alpha-Tocopherol, whose ring structure forms the non-TZD portion of troglitazone, did not inhibit ACS4, indicating that the thiazolidine-2,4-dione moiety is the critical component for inhibition. A non-TZD PPARgamma ligand, GW1929, which is 7-fold more potent than rosiglitazone, inhibited ACS1 and ACS4 poorly with an IC(50) of greater than 50 microm, more than 100-fold higher than was required for rosiglitazone, thereby demonstrating the specificity of TZD inhibition. Further, the PPARalpha ligands, clofibrate and GW4647, and various xenobiotic carboxylic acids known to be incorporated into complex lipids had no effect on ACS1, -4, or -5. These results, together with previous data showing that triacsin C and troglitazone strongly inhibit triacylglycerol synthesis compared with other metabolic pathways, suggest that ACS1 and ACS4 catalyze the synthesis of acyl-CoAs used for triacylglycerol synthesis and that lack of inhibition of a metabolic pathway by triacsin C does not prove lack of acyl-CoA involvement. The results further suggest the possibility that the insulin-sensitizing effects of the thiazolidinedione drugs might be achieved, in part, through direct interaction with ACS4 in a PPARgamma-independent manner.

3T3 Cells↗

Genomic organization of the mouse and human genes encoding the ATP sulfurylase/adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase isoform SK2.

Mammalian ATP sulfurylase/adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) kinase consists of kinase and sulfurylase domains, and catalyzes two sequential reactions to synthesize the universal sulfate donor, phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate (PAPS). In simpler organisms, the ATP sulfurylase and APS kinase reactions are catalyzed by separate enzymes encoded by two or three genes, suggesting that a fusion of separate genes during the course of evolution generated the bifunctional enzyme. We have characterized the genomic structure of the PAPS synthetase SK2 isoform genes for mouse (MSK2) and human (HSK2) and analyzed the possible fusion region. The MSK2 and HSK2 genes exhibit a common structure of 13 exons, including a 15-nucleotide alternatively spliced exon 8. Enzyme activities of several bacterially expressed exon assemblages showed exons 1-6 encode APS kinase, while exons 6-13 encode ATP sulfurylase. The MSK2 construct without the exon 6-encoded peptide showed no kinase or sulfurylase activity, demonstrating that exon 6 encodes sequences required for both activities. Exon 1 and its 5'-flanking sequence are highly divergent between the two species, and intron 1 of the HSK2 gene contains a region similar to the MSK2 promoter sequence, suggesting that it may be the remnant of a now-superceded regulatory region. The HSK2 promoter contains a GC-rich region, not present in the mouse promoter, and has few transcription factor binding sites in common with MSK2. These differences in the two promoter regions suggest that species-specific mechanisms regulate expression of the SK2 isoform.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Glutamine synthetase of Bacillus stearothermophilus. Regulation, site interactions, and functional information.

The action of various feedback modifiers on Bacillus stearothermophilus glutamine synthetase has been investigated by initial velocity kinetics, using the Mn2+-stimulated biosynthetic assay at 55 degrees C. The most potent inhibitors, used singly, are AMP, L-glutamine, and L-alanine. Other modifiers of significance include glycine, CTP, L-histidine, glucosamine 6-phosphate, and GDP. Marked synergism of action is observed for AMP in the presence of L-glutamine, L-histidine, ADP, or glucosamine 6-phosphate (glucosamine-6-P), and for CTP with ADP or GDP. Inhibition by saturating levels of many modifiers is either less than 100%, or is not overcome by elevated substrate levels, or both. This argues for modifier binding sites separate from substrate sites, notably in the cases of AMP, L-glutamine, glycine, L-alanine, glucosamine-6-P, and CTP. Glycine and L-alanine are Vmax inhibitors, whereas L-glutamine, glucosamine-6-P, GDP, and CTP alter the binding of L-glutamate. ADP and L-histidine apparently can compete directly with MnATP, but AMP alters Mn-ATP binding from a separate site. The action of several modifiers requires or is enhanced by bound substrates. Considerable antagonistic interaction is observed in experiments with modifier pairs, but the most potent inhibitors show synergistic or cumulative (independent) interactions. One may interpret antagonistic effects as due to (a) overlapping modifier domains, or (b) separate but antagonistically interacting sites. Either interpretation leads to a scheme for modifier-substrate and modifier-modifier site interactions in which the thermophilic enzyme must maintain and stabilize a great deal of complex functional information under extreme environmental conditions.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

The active site loop of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase modulates catalytic efficiency.

Crystallographic studies of Escherichia coli S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (ATP:L-methionine S-adenosyltransferase, MAT) have defined a flexible polypeptide loop that can gate access to the active site without contacting the substrates. The influence of the length and sequence of this active site loop on catalytic efficiency has been characterized in a mutant in which the E. coli MAT sequence (DRADPLEQ) has been replaced with the distinct sequence of the corresponding region of the otherwise highly homologous rat liver enzyme (HDLRNEEDV). Four additional mutants in which the entire DRADPLEQ sequence was replaced by five, six, seven, or eight glycines have been studied to unveil the effects of loop length and the influence of side chains. In all of the mutants, the maximal rate of S-adenosylmethionine formation (k(cat)) is diminished by more than 200-fold whereas the rate of hydrolysis of the tripolyphosphate intermediate is decreased by less than 3-fold. Thus, the function of the loop is localized to the first step in the overall reaction. The K(m) for methionine increases in all of the oligoglycine mutants, whereas the K(m) values for ATP are not substantially different. The k(cat) for the wild-type enzyme is decreased by increases in solution microviscosity with 55% of the maximal dependence. Thus, a diffusional event is coupled to the chemical step of AdoMet formation, which is known to be rate-limiting. The results indicate that a conformational change, possibly loop closure, is associated with AdoMet synthesis. The data integrate a previously discovered conformational change associated with PPP(i) binding to the E x AdoMet complex into the reaction sequence, reflecting a difference in protein conformation in the E x AdoMet x PPP(i) complex whether it is formed from the E x ATP x methionine complex or from binding of exogenous PPP(i). The temperature dependence of the k(cat) for S-adenosylmethionine formation shows that the removal of the side chains in the glycine mutants causes the activation enthalpy of the reaction to approximately double in each case, while the activation entropy changes from negative in the wild-type enzyme to positive in the mutants. The favorable activation entropy in the mutant-catalyzed reactions may reflect release of water during catalysis, while the negative activation entropy in the reaction catalyzed by the wild-type enzyme apparently reflects reorganization of the loop. The observations point to how nature can fine-tune the activity of an enzyme by modifying substrate and product access to the active site rather than by altering the enzyme x substrate contacts or the catalytic machinery itself.

Base Sequence↗