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Single residue modifications of the delta opioid receptor selective peptide, [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]-enkephalin (DPDPE). Correlation of pharmacological effects with structural and conformational features.

Six analogs of the highly delta opioid receptor selective, conformationally restricted, cyclic peptide [D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin, Tyr-D-Pen-Gly-Phe-D-PenOH (DPDPE), were synthesized and evaluated for opioid activity in rat brain receptor binding and mouse vas deferens (MVD) smooth muscle assays. All analogs were single amino acid modifications of DPDPE and employed amino acid substitutions of known effects in linear enkephalin analogs. The effect on binding affinity and MVD potency of each modification within the DPDPE structural framework was consistent with the previous reports on similarly substituted linear analogs. Conformational features of four of the modified DPDPE analogs were examined by 1H NMR spectroscopy and compared with DPDPE. From these studies it was concluded that the observed pharmacological differences with DPDPE displayed by diallyltyrosine1-DPDPE ([DAT1]DPDPE) and phenylglycine4-DPDPE ([Pgl4]DPDPE) are due to structural and/or conformational differences localized near the substituted amino acid. The observed enhanced mu receptor binding affinity of the carboxamide terminal DPDPE-NH2 appears to be founded solely upon electronic differences, the NMR data suggesting indistinguishable conformations. The observation that the alpha-aminoisobutyric acid substituted analog [Aib3]DPDPE displays similar in vitro opioid behavior as DPDPE while apparently assuming a significantly different solution conformation suggests that further detailed conformational analysis of this analog will aid the elucidation of the key structural and conformational features required for action at the delta opioid receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Accumulation of amino acids, met-enkephalinamide and morphine in choroid plexus: effect of pretreatment with phosphatidylcholine vesicles.

The effect of phosphatidylcholine vesicles (liposomes) on the accumulation of several compounds in choroid plexus of rat brain was studied in vitro. When choroid plexus had been preincubated with liposomes, the accumulation of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, tyrosine and morphine decreased. However, when choroid plexus had been preincubated with liposomes containing cholesterol, the accumulation of these compounds was not affected. The accumulation of met-enkephalinamide was not affected by preincubation with either liposomes. The results suggest that the effect of liposomes on the accumulation of substances depends on the composition of the liposomes.

Amino Acids↗

Alkali metal ion binding to amino acids versus their methyl esters: affinity trends and structural changes in the gas phase.

The relative alkali metal ion (M(+)) affinities (binding energies) between seventeen different amino acids (AA) and the corresponding methyl esters (AAOMe) were determined in the gas phase by the kinetic method based on the dissociation of AA-M(+)-AAOMe heterodimers (M=Li, Na, K, Cs). With the exception of proline, the Li(+), Na(+), and K(+) affinities of the other aliphatic amino acids increase in the order AA AAOMe is already observed for K(+). Proline binds more strongly than its methyl ester to all M(+) except Li(+). Ab initio calculations on the M(+) complexes of alanine, beta-aminoisobutyric acid, proline, glycine methyl ester, alanine methyl ester, and proline methyl ester show that their energetically most favorable complexes result from charge solvation, except for proline which forms salt bridges. The most stable mode of charge solvation depends on the ligand (AA or AAOMe) and, for AA, it gradually changes with metal ion size. Esters chelate all M(+) ions through the amine and carbonyl groups. Amino acids coordinate Li(+) and Na(+) ions through the amine and carbonyl groups as well, but K(+) and Cs(+) ions are coordinated by the O atoms of the carboxyl group. Upon consideration of these differences in favored binding geometries, the theoretically derived relative M(+) affinities between aliphatic AA and AAOMe are in good overall agreement with the above given experimental trends. The majority of side chain functionalized amino acids studied show experimentally the affinity order AA AAOMe. The latter ranking is attributed to salt bridge formation.

Amino Acids↗

Physiology of mutants with reduced expression of plasma membrane H+-ATPase.

Two mutations containing insertions and deletions in the promoter in the plasma membrane H+-ATPase gene (PMA1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been introduced into the genome by homologous recombination, replacing the wild-type gene. The resulting strains have 15 and 23% of the wild-type ATPase content. Decreased levels of ATPase correlate with decreased rates of proton efflux and decreased uptake rates of amino acids, methylamine, hygromycin B and tetraphenylphosphonium. This supports a central role of the enzyme in yeast bioenergetics. However, the final accumulation gradient of tetraphenylphosphonium is not affected by the mutations and that of methylamine and 2-aminoisobutyric acid is only decreased in the most extreme mutant. Apparently, kinetic constraints seem to prevent the equilibration of yeast active transports with the electrochemical proton gradient. As expected from their transport defects, the ATPase-deficient mutants are more resistant to hygromycin B and more sensitive to acidification than wild-type yeast. Mutant cells are very elongated, suggesting a structural role of the ATPase in the yeast surface.

Biological Transport, Active↗

Increased capillary permeability in rat brain induced by factors secreted by cultured C6 glioma cells: role in peritumoral brain edema.

To investigate whether brain tumors secrete a factor(s) responsible for peritumoral brain edema, we studied the effect of conditioned medium from cultured C6 glioma cells on rat brain capillary permeability. Three different fractions of conditioned medium were obtained. SUP-N was a culture supernatant incubated 4 hours in serum-free medium. SUP-C was the 60-100 fold concentrated fraction obtained by dialysis-concentration of SUP-N; it contained 950 micrograms/ml of protein greater than 10 k-daltons from 3 x 10(8) cells. SUP-L was a water-dispersible lipid fraction from SUP-N; the major components of SUP-L were neutral lipids and free fatty acids. The supernatant fractions and their corresponding control solutions were infused into normal rat brain, and capillary permeability was determined using quantitative autoradiography by measuring the unidirectional entry constant, K (micrograms l/g.min), of 14C-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (14C-AIB) into brain tissue. SUP-C and SUP-L significantly increased capillary permeability of normal brain; the effect of SUP-C was more intense and extensive than that of SUP-L. The highest mean K value (Kmax) of SUP-C was 10.83 +/- 0.99 and that of the control was 2.53 +/- 0.22 (p less than 0.001). The Kmax of SUP-L was 5.61 +/- 0.23 and that of the control was 2.67 +/- 0.36 (p less than 0.01). A time-course study after infusion of SUP-C demonstrated that more than 1.5 hours is required for the supernatant fraction to open the barrier and that the effect of SUP-C was reversible. The increase of capillary permeability induced by SUP-C was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of rats with dexamethasone (10 mg/kg, ip) 1 hour before intracerebral infusion of SUP-C (Kmax (untreated): 8.30 +/- 0.82, Kmax (treated): 1.33 +/- 0.64, p less than 0.001). These results indicate that experimental brain tumors secrete at least two different diffusible factors responsible for capillary endothelial leakage in normal brain. One is a protein of molecular weight greater than 10 k-daltons, whose effect is inhibited by glucocorticoids, and the other is a waterdispersible lipid.

Animals↗

Cytotoxicity as an indicator for transport mechanism: evidence that melphalan is transported by two leucine-preferring carrier systems in the L1210 murine leukemia cell.

Melaphan, L-phenylalanine mustard, is transported by the L1210 cell through carriers of the leucine (L) type. Its initial rate of transport is inhibited by both L-leucine, a naturally occuring L system amino acid and 2-aminobicyclo[2,2,1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), A SYNTHETIC AMINO ACID WHICH IS TRANSPORTED BY THE L system in the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell. Both amino acids inhibited melphalan transport comparably in sodium-free medium. However, BCH, in medium containing sodium, was unable to reduce a component of melphalan transport which was readily inhibited by leucine but not by alpha-aminoisobutyric acid. Inhibition analysis indicated that leucine competes with BCH for transport but that a portion of leucine transport is not readily inhibited by BCH. These results suggest that in the L1010 cell melphalan is transported equally by a BCH-sensitive, sodium-independent L system and a BCH-insensitive, sodium-dependent L system.

Amino Acids↗

Amino acids enhance renal tubular absorption of the los-molecular-weight proteins insulin and growth hormone.

The effect of amino acids(AA) on the tubular absorption of low-molecular-weight (LMW) proteins was studied in isolated rat kidneys. Kidneys were perfused with an albumin-electrolyte solution that contained insulin or human growth hormone (hGH) and, unless otherwise stated, the following L-amino acids: glycine, isoleucine, serine, alanine, methionine, proline, arginine, and aspartic acid. In kidneys perfused without AA, fractional urinary insulin clearance (FCi) averaged 7.4 +/- 1.54%, whereas in the presence of multiple AA the FCi was significantly lower (0.68 +/- 0.2%, P less than 0.01). Addition of glycine or alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) alone also reduced the FCi significantly (1.79 +/- 0.66 and 1.59 +/-1.06%, respectively). By contrast, perfusion with the other AA individually did not alter the FCi. The fractional urinary hGH clearance was also significantly lower in kidneys perfused with multiple AA (0.94 +/- 0.47%) than in those perfused without AA (9.07 +/- 1.2%). We conclude that tubular absorption of filtered insulin and hGH is enhanced by the presence of AA. The mechanism is unclear, but enhancement of insulin absorption can be produced by glycine and AIB alone. This raises the possibility of a link between the absorption of insulin and the glycine and AIB shared transport system, but excludes a primary metabolic effect because AIB is nonmetabolizable.

Absorption↗

Lack of metabolic effects of cholecystokinin on hepatocytes.

We previously reported that the liver was the major organ that extracts small, biologically active, circulating forms of cholecystokinin. Although our work indicated extensive degradation of cholecystokinin extracted from plasma during its transit across the hepatocyte, it was unclear whether cholecystokinin might also have a physiological effect on this cell before its intracellular degradation. Therefore we tested the hypothesis that cholecystokinin has a direct biological effect on hepatocytes. Using freshly isolated or cultured hepatocytes, we studied whether cholecystokinin-octapeptide alters protein synthesis, affects amino acid transport or influences cytosolic free calcium concentrations. Using liver slices, we also determined the effect of cholecystokinin-octapeptide on cyclic nucleotide levels. Cholecystokinin-octapeptide, up to a concentration of 1 mumol/L, had no effect on the incorporation of radiolabeled amino acids into total hepatocyte protein; in contrast, comparable molar amounts of insulin stimulated protein synthesis by as much as 37% (ED50 = 1.5 x 10(-10) mol/L). Although insulin and glucagon stimulated the transport into hepatocytes of 14C-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, a nonmetabolizable amino acid analog, cholecystokinin-octapeptide had no affect Cholecystokinin-octapeptide also did not affect either the concentration of calcium in individual hepatocytes, as measured by digitized video microscopy using Fura-2, or the levels of cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP in liver slices. Our results show that cholecystokinin has no effect on protein synthesis, on amino acid transport or on hepatocyte calcium and cyclic nucleotide levels. These and our previous data suggest that the primary outcome of hepatic extraction of cholecystokinin is hormone degradation.

Amino Acids↗

Interaction of 2-aminobicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylic acid with the amino acid transport systems of the sarcoma 37 murine ascites tumor cell.

The relatively broad and overlapping specificities of amino acid transport systems have made the synthesis of analogues specific to single transport systems desirable. The analogue in general use as a specific substrate for transport system L has been 2-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH). The affinity of BCH for the binding site of system L has been shown to be less than that of the natural substrate, leucine. Earlier studies from this laboratory suggested that higher homologues in a series could have greater affinity for system L. A higher homologue of BCH, 2-aminobicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylic acid (ABOCA), has been synthesized and studied as a substrate and competitor for amino acid transport systems of the sarcoma 37 (S37) ascites cell. ABOCA inhibited the transport system dominant in the low concentration region for histidine uptake (system L) but had no effect on the uptake of labeled N-methyl-alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (MeAIB). MeAIB had no effect on labeled ABOCA uptake in S37 cells. ABOCA inhibited the uptakes of labeled leucine and labeled BCH competitively. Leucine, histidine, and BCH inhibited the uptake of labeled ABOCA competitively. Typical L system substrates demonstrated exchange effects with labeled ABOCA. The b isomer of ABOCA demonstrated slightly greater affinity for system L than did the a isomer. We conclude that ABOCA is an analogue restricted to interaction with amino acid transport system L, that it has greater affinity for system L than does BCH, and that its selection for system l is determined principally by an apolar interaction with steric considerations secondary.

Amino Acids↗

Differential helix propensity of small apolar side chains studied by molecular dynamics simulations.

A series of oligoalanine molecules with single amino acid replacements in the middle of the chain has been studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Differences in stability of the alpha-helix (as free energies delta delta G degrees) were estimated for the following series of residues: alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, alanine, alpha-amino-n-butyric acid, valine, glycine, D-alanine, t-leucine (= alpha-amino-beta,beta-dimethyl-n- butyric acid), and proline, arranged here in decreasing order of helix-forming potential. (The results for proline and valine had been reported earlier.) No experimental results were available for alpha-amino-n-butyric acid, D-alanine, and t-leucine at the time these calculations were done. The values of delta delta G degrees, including the three predictions, are in striking agreement with recent experimental results. A combination of free dynamics, dynamics with forced conformational change, and dynamics with forced molecular replacement was used. Conformational distributions were calculated for the peptide backbone of the dipeptides and, where appropriate, for the side chains of the dipeptide and the alpha-helix. The results demonstrate an unexpected level of accuracy for the all-atom model used to represent atomic interactions in the simulations. The simulations permit a detailed analysis of different factors responsible for conformational preferences and differences in stability. These conclusions drawn from this analysis agree with accepted qualitative explanations and allow these explanations to be quantitated to an extent not heretofore possible.

Alanine↗

A reexamination of amino acids in lunar soils: implications for the survival of exogenous organic material during impact delivery.

Using a sensitive high performance liquid chromatography technique, we have analyzed both the hot water extract and the acid hydrolyzed hot water extract of lunar soil collected during the Apollo 17 mission. Both free amino acids and those derived from acid labile precursors are present at a level of roughly 15 ppb. Based on the D/L amino acid ratios, the free alanine and aspartic acid observed in the hot water extract can be entirely attributed to terrestrial biogenic contamination. However, in the acid labile fraction, precursors which yield amino acids are apparently present in the lunar soil. The amino acid distribution suggests that the precursor is probably solar wind implanted HCN. We have evaluated our results with regard to the meteoritic input of intact organic compounds to the moon based on an upper limit of < or = 0.3 ppb for alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, a non-protein amino acid which does not generally occur in terrestrial organisms and which is not a major amino acid produced from HCN, but which is a predominant amino acid in many carbonaceous chondrites. We find that the survival of exogenous organic compounds during lunar impact is < or = 0.8%. This result represents an example of minimum organic impact survivability. This is an important first step toward a better understanding of similar processes on Earth and on Mars, and their possible contribution to the budget of prebiotic organic compounds on the primitive Earth.

Amino Acids↗

Beta-thalassemia major and its effect on amino acid metabolism and growth in patients in the United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: There may be a marked reduction in essential amino acids in the serum of children with thalassemia major and this is related to decreased growth in affected children. METHODS: One hundred patients with beta-thalassemia and 50 control children selected from among those who had presented with minor disorders unrelated to hematological disease were recruited. Urine and heparinized blood were collected from fasting thalassemic patients. After deproteinization and dilution, amino acid concentrations were measured using ion-exchange chromatography. RESULTS: Isoleucine (p<0.0001), phenylalanine (p<0.05), tyrosine (p<0.0001), taurine (p<0.0001) and glutamine (p<0.01) were significantly decreased in the plasma of thalassemic patients compared to the control group. Whereas glutamate (p<0.0001), serine (p<0.05) and proline (p<0.05) were significantly higher in thalassemic patients, threonine, glycine, alanine, valine, methionine, leucine, ornithine, lysine, histidine and arginine values were not different. The essential amino acids taurine (p<0.0001), methionine (p<0.01), valine (p<0.01), phenylalanine (p<0.01) and leucine (p<0.05) were significantly decreased in urine of thalassemic patients vs. controls, but threonine and ornithine were not different. The mean urinary excretion rate of beta-aminoisobutyric acid was not different (69+/-96 in thalassemics vs. 41+/-52 in controls). However, most plasma and urinary essential amino acids were found to be lower in thalassemics. Thalassemic patients were also found to be significantly growth impaired for age, both in height and weight compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Lower plasma values of essential amino acids and a decrease in urinary amino acids occur in thalassemic patients. Growth impairment both in height and weight also occurs in thalassemic patients compared to a control population.

Adolescent↗

Sequences of polypeptide antibiotics stilboflavins, natural peptaibol libraries of the mold Stilbella flavipes.

From the culture broths of the mold Stilbella flavipes CBS 146.81, a mixture of polypeptides could be isolated by adsorption on XAD polystyrene resin and purified by Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. Using preparative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) three groups of peptides, named stilboflavins (SF) A, B, and C could be separated. Each of the groups showed microheterogeneity when investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Employing on-line HPLC-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the positive and negative ionization mode, together with gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry, enantioselective GC and quantitative amino acid analysis, the sequences of stilboflavins A and B could be determined. Exchange of Glu in stilboflavins A peptides (acidic) against Gln in stilboflavins B peptides (neutral) is the rational for different polarity of the peptide groups and their separatability by TLC. Since SF A and B are bioactive N-acetylated 20-residue peptides with a high proportion of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and C-terminal bonded amino alcohols (either leucinol, isoleucinol or valinol) the peptides belong to the group of peptaibol antibiotics.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Synthesis and biological activities of angiotensin II, Sarilesin, and Sarmesin analogues containing Aze or Pip at position 7.

Analogues of [Sar1]angiotensin II, Sarilesin (type I antagonist), and Sarmesin (type II antagonist) with L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (Aze) and L-pipecolic acid (Pip) at position 7 have been prepared by the solid-phase method, purified by reverse-phase HPLC, and bioassayed in the rat uterus. Analogues of the superagonist [Sar1]ANGII with Aze or Pip at position 7 and sarcosine (Sar) or aminoisobutyric acid (Aib) at position 1 had high intrinsic activity in the rat isolated uterus assay (34-184%). Analogues of Sarilesin ([Sar1,Ile8]ANGII) with Aze or Pip at position 7 and Sar or Aib at position 1 retained high antagonist activity (pA2 = 7.1-8.3). Analogues of Sarmesin ([Sar1,Tyr-(OMe)4]ANGII) with Aze and Pip at position 7 had pA2 values of 7.4 and 6.5, respectively. [Aze7]-ANGII and [Pip7]ANGII had low activities (12% and 1%, respectively), and deletion of Sar at position 1 of Sarmesin analogues abolished binding (or affinity) as judged from pA2 values. Nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) spectroscopy studies of [Sar1,Aze7]ANGII in DMSO-d6 have indicated a clustering of the three aromatic rings (Tyr, His, Phe) and proximity of Sar C alpha and Arg C delta protons to the Tyr/Phe ring protons. These data emphasize that replacement of Pro with the lower and higher homologs Aze and Pip does not greatly alter the structural requirements necessary for expression of agonist or antagonist activity, when sarcosine occupies position 1, but not when Asp occupies position 1, suggesting that there is an intimate relationship between the N-terminal and penultimate residues of the molecule in the biologically active conformation of the molecule.

Angiotensin II↗

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-3,6-diones derived from alpha-amino acids: a theoretical mechanistic study of their formation via pyrolysis and silica-catalyzed process.

Imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-3,6-diones are unusual compounds composed of three alpha-amino acid fragments. These bicyclic amidines (BCAs) form under high temperatures or with the use of strong dehydrating reagents. We gave insight into the mechanisms of BCA formation via gas-phase pyrolytic and silica-catalyzed reactions of glycine (Gly) and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) with related diketopiperazines (DKPs), using quantum chemical calculations. The entire process requires four steps: (1) O-acylation of DKP with free or silica-bonded amino acid, (2) acyl transfer from the oxygen to the nitrogen atom, (3) intramolecular condensation of the N-acyl DKP into a cyclol, and (4) elimination of water. To study step (1) at silica surface (modeled by H7Si8O12-OH cluster), we employed two-level ONIOM calculations (AM1:UFF, B3LYP/3-21G:UFF and B3LYP/6-31G(d):UFF); all gas-phase reactions were studied at the AM1, B3LYP/3-21G and B3LYP/6-31G(d) levels. The catalytic effect of silica was observed for both Gly and AIB: the activation energy in the O-acylation at the surface was lower by more than 9 kcal mol(-1) as compared to the gas-phase process. Contrary to the exothermic O-acylation, the gas-phase transfer reaction (step 2) was exothermic in both cases, but more favorable for Gly. The cyclocondensation of N-acylated DKPs into BCAs (steps 3 and 4) is endothermic for Gly and exothermic for AIB.

Amino Acids↗

Identification and characterization of a novel member of the heterodimeric amino acid transporter family presumed to be associated with an unknown heavy chain.

We identified a novel amino acid transporter designated Asc-2 (for asc-type amino acid transporter 2). Asc-2 exhibited relatively low but significant sequence similarity to the members of the heterodimeric amino acid transporters. The cysteine residue responsible for the disulfide bond formation between transporters (light chains) and heavy chain subunits in the heterodimeric amino acid transporters is conserved for Asc-2. Asc-2 is, however, not colocalized with the already known heavy chains such as 4F2 heavy chain (4F2hc) or related to b(0,+) amino acid transporter (rBAT) in mouse kidney. Because Asc-2 solely expressed or coexpressed with 4F2hc or rBAT did not induce functional activity, we generated fusion proteins in which Asc-2 is connected with 4F2hc or rBAT. The fusion proteins were sorted to the plasma membrane and expressed the function corresponding to the Na(+)-independent small neutral amino acid transport system asc. Distinct from the already identified system asc transporter Asc-1 which is associated with 4F2hc, Asc-2-mediated transport is less stereoselective and did not accept some of the high affinity substrates of Asc-1 such as alpha-aminoisobutyric acid and beta-alanine. Asc-2 message was detected in kidney, placenta, spleen, lung, and skeletal muscle. In kidney, Asc-2 protein was present in the epithelial cells lining collecting ducts. In the Western blot analysis on mouse erythrocytes and kidney, Asc-2 was detected as multiple bands in the nonreducing condition, whereas the bands shifted to a single band at lower molecular weight, suggesting the association of Asc-2 with other protein(s) via a disulfide bond. The finding of Asc-2 would lead to the establishment of a new subgroup of heterodimeric amino acid transporter family which includes transporters associated not with 4F2hc or rBAT but with other unknown heavy chains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

gamma-Aminobutyric acid stimulates ethylene biosynthesis in sunflower.

gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a nonprotein amino acid, is often accumulated in plants following environmental stimuli that can also cause ethylene production. We have investigated the relationship between GABA and ethylene production in excised sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) tissues. Exogenous GABA causes up to a 14-fold increase in the ethylene production rate after about 12 h. Cotyledons fed with [14C]GABA did not release substantial amounts of radioactive ethylene despite its chemical similarity to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), indicating that GABA is not likely to be an alternative precursor for ethylene. GABA causes increases in ACC synthase mRNA accumulation, ACC levels, ACC oxidase mRNA levels, and in vitro ACC oxidase activity. In the presence of aminoethoxyvinylglycine or alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, GABA did not stimulate ethylene production. We therefore conclude that GABA stimulates ethylene biosynthesis mainly by promoting ACC synthase transcript abundance. Possible roles of GABA as a signal transducer are suggested.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Transport of L-tryptophan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

In addition to the general amino acid transport system (GAP) of S. cerevisiae L-tryptophan is transported by another system with approximately 25% capacity of GAP, with a KT of 0.41 +/- 0.08 mmol/L and with a similar specificity as GAP (lower inhibition by Met, Pro, Ser, Thr and 2-aminoisobutyric acid; greater inhibition by Glu and His). The pH optimum of this system is at 5.0-5.5, activation energy above the transition point (20 degrees C) was 20 kJ/mol, below the transition point 55 kJ/mol. The transport by this system was virtually unidirectional, efflux amounting to at most 10% into a tryptophan-free medium. The transport itself was blocked by 2,4-dinitrophenol, antimycin A and uranyl nitrate. The system was synthesized de novo during preincubation with glucose = fructose greater than trehalose greater than ethanol within 30 min, and was degraded with a half-time of 15 min in the absence of further synthesis. The accumulation ratios of L-tryptophan in gap1 mutants were concentration-dependent (200:1 at 1 mumol L-Trp/L, 4:1 at 2.5 mmol L-Trp/L) and decreased with increasing suspension density from 200:1 to 5:1 (for 10 mumol L-Trp/L). The involvement of hydrogen ions in the uptake was clearly demonstrated by the effect of D2O even if it could not be established by either shifts of pHout or membrane depolarization.

Anaerobiosis↗