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PubMed1995

Does mitogen-activated-protein kinase have a role in insulin action? The cases for and against.

The discovery of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family of protein kinases has sparked off an intensive effort to elucidate their role in the regulation of many cellular processes. These protein kinases were originally identified based on their rapid activation by insulin. In this review we concentrate on examining the evidence for and against a role for the MAP kinases Erk-1 and Erk-2 in mediating the effects of insulin. While there is good evidence in favour of a direct role for MAP kinase in the growth-promoting effects of insulin and the regulation of Glut-1 and c-fos expression, and AP-1 transcriptional complex activity, this is by no means conclusive. MAP kinase may also play a role in the control of mRNA translation by insulin. On the other hand, the evidence suggests that MAP kinase is not sufficient for the acute regulation of glucose transport (Glut-4 translocation), glycogen synthesis, acetyl-CoA carboxylase or pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. The findings suggest that insulin may utilise at least three distinct signalling pathways which do not involve MAP kinase.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Effect of dietary energy on lipogenesis in turkey hens prior to and after sexual maturity.

An experiment was conducted with 208 Diamond Hybrid Small White turkey hens to determine the role of dietary energy on in vitro lipid metabolism. Young turkey hens were fed diets containing either a high (3100 kcal metabolizable energy) or low (2400 kcal metabolizable energy) energy level from 12 to 30 weeks of age. Both diets contained 12% protein and were fed on an ad libitum basis. Hens were then maintained under a constant (21 degrees C) or cyclic (12 to 27 degrees C) daily temperature regime and fed either a high (47% of the total energy) or low (8% of the total energy) fat diet for a 100-day egg collection period. Hens were killed at the end of the growing phase, after 1 week of receiving the breeder diets and after 2 weeks of stimulatory light (14 hr/day). Hens were also killed following a 100-day egg collection period. In vitro lipid metabolism and enzyme activities were determined at these periods. In vitro fatty acid synthesis was greater (P less than .05) in hens fed the high-energy prebreeder diet although total energy intakes for both groups of birds were similar. Transferring both groups of hens to individual cages in the breeder house decreased (P less than .05) fatty acid synthesis; however, lipogenic rates were higher (P less than .05) after 2 and 18 weeks of stimulatory light. The high-fat diet decreased (P less than .05) in vitro lipogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, malic enzyme and esterification of palmitate. Acetate utilization in the presence of pyruvate was one-half the rate in the absence. Diets fed prior to sexual maturity did not affect egg production or in vitro lipogenesis of mature hens.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Mechanisms of interaction of Escherichia coli threonine synthase with substrates and inhibitors.

Threonine synthase (TS), the last enzyme of the threonine biosynthetic pathway, catalyzes L-threonine formation from L-homoserine phosphate (HSerP; Km = 0.5 mM, V = 440 min-1) and DL-vinylglycine. Furthermore, TS catalyzes beta-elimination reactions with L-serine (Km = 150 mM, V = 4.7 min-1), DL-3-chloroalanine, L-threonine, and L-allo-threonine as substrates to yield pyruvate or alpha-ketobutyrate, while L-alanine, L-2-aminobutanoic acid, and L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid are substrates for half-transamination reactions to form the pyridoxamine form of the enzyme and the corresponding alpha-keto acid. Spectral analyses of all these reactions revealed the transient formation of strongly absorbing long-wavelength chromophores (lambda max = 440-445 nm), implying the accumulation of the corresponding pyridoxaldimine p-quinonoidal intermediates. HSerP turnover was competitively inhibited by L-3-hydroxyhomoserine phosphate 1 (Ki = 0.050 mM), L-2,3-methanohomoserine phosphate 2 (Ki = 0.010 mM), L-2-amino-3-[(phosphonomethyl)thio)]propanoic acid 5 (Ki = 0.011 mM) and DL-E-2-amino-5-phosphono-4-pentenoic acid 10 (Ki = 0.54 mM). 5 and 10 induced the formation of long-wavelength quinonoidal chromophores (lambda max = 458 and 460 mm, epsilon 47,000 and 30,000 M-1 cm-1), while incubation with either 1 or 2 induced only minor spectral changes. DL-2-Amino-3-[(phosphonomethyl)amino)]propanoic acid inactivated TS (Ki = 0.057 mM, kinact = 1.44 min-1) with 1:1 stoichiometry, transient formation of a 450-nm chromophore, and finally bleaching of any absorbance at wavelengths longer than 320 nm. Z-2-Amino-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid 8 is the unusual amino acid found in the peptide antibiotics of the plumbemicin and rhizocticin families. Racemic 8 irreversibly inhibited TS (Ki = 0.1 mM, kinact = 1.50 min-1) with 1:1 stoichiometry and the concomitant formation of a 482-nm chromophore (epsilon approximately 30,000 M-1 cm-1). DL-E-2-Amino-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid was a less potent irreversible inhibitor of TS (Ki = 0.4 mM, kinact = 0.25 min-1), inducing absorption maxima at 462 and 500 nm. The acetylenic amino acid DL-2-amino-5-phosphono-4-pentynoic acid 12 bound to TS (KD = 0.38 mM) forming a quinonoidal chromophore (lambda max = 452 nm, epsilon approximately 30,000 M-1 cm-1), but inhibition of the enzyme by 12 could not be detected under assay conditions even at high inhibitor concentrations. Mechanisms consistent with these observations are proposed.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗
PubMed2001

A novel ATP regeneration system using polyphosphate-AMP phosphotransferase and polyphosphate kinase.

Polyphosphate-AMP phosphotransferase (PAP) and polyphosphate kinase (PPK) were used for designing a novel ATP regeneration system, named the PAP-PPK ATP regeneration system. PAP is an enzyme that catalyzes the phospho-conversion of AMP to ADP, and PPK catalyzes ATP formation from ADP. Both enzymes use inorganic polyphosphate [poly(P)] as a phosphate donor. In the PAP-PPK ATP regeneration system, ATP was continuously synthesized from AMP by the coupling reaction of PAP and PPK using poly(P). Poly(P) is a cheap material compared to acetyl phosphate, phosphoenol pyruvate and creatine phosphate, which are phosphate donors used for conventional ATP regeneration systems. To achieve efficient synthesis of ATP from AMP, an excessive amount of poly(P) should be added to the reaction solution because both PAP and PPK consume poly(P) as a phosphate donor. Using this ATP generation reaction, we constructed the PAP-PPK ATP regeneration system with acetyl-CoA synthase and succeeded in synthesizing acetyl-CoA from CoA, acetate and AMP. Since too much poly(P) may chelate MG2+ and inhibit enzyme activity, the Mg2+ concentration was optimized to 24 mM in the presence of 30 mM poly(P) in the reaction. In this reaction, ATP was regenerated 39.8 times from AMP, and 99.5% of CoA was converted to acetyl-CoA. In addition, since the PAP-PPK ATP regeneration system can regenerate GTP from GMP, it could also be used as a GTP regeneration system.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Substrate-dependent alteration in O2 consumption and energy metabolism in vascular smooth muscle.

Energy metabolism and the substrate utilization pattern of intact porcine carotid artery were investigated in the presence or absence of glucose and/or octanoate during the phases of isometric contraction induced by K+ depolarization. During the early phase of contraction, there was a rapid increase in the rate of O2 uptake that was independent of the rate of force generation but dependent on the availability of intracellular pyruvate, the source of which was glucose and not glycogen. Lactate production increased linearly from the onset of contractile stimulation and was not suppressed by octanoate oxidation. There was no alteration from the basal resting state in the concentrations of the metabolites of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the presence or absence of octanoate. During the phase of steady-state force maintenance, O2 consumption was increased compared with the basal unstimulated rate but was not increased when glucose and octanoate were present, which is consistent with the Crabtree effect. This was associated with increased aerobic lactic acid production and inhibition of the tricarboxylic acid cycle at the citrate synthase step. Alteration of the high-energy phosphate content could not account for the pattern of O2 consumption during contraction under different substrate conditions. In the absence of glucose, the energy from octanoate oxidation could substitute for the energy ordinarily derived from aerobic glycogen and lactic acid production. It is concluded that energy metabolism of vascular smooth muscle is coordinated during contraction by integration of the pathways of aerobic glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2001

Intrinsic factors involved in the depression of neuronal activity induced by temperature increase in rat hippocampal neurons.

The intrinsic factors involved in the temperature-dependent impairment of neuronal activity in hippocampal CA2-CA1 regions were investigated using optical recording techniques. At 32 degrees C, stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals in the hippocampal CA2 region evoked depolarizing optical responses that spread toward the CA1 region. The optical response was characterized by fast and slow components that were mainly related to the presynaptic action potentials and excitatory postsynaptic response, respectively. The increase of the temperature to 38 degrees C was associated with a reversible depression of the neuronal activity in the hippocampal brain preparations. The depression of neuronal activity was irreversible when the temperature was increased to 40 degrees C. In the presence of 22 mM glucose, the depression of the neuronal activity at 38 degrees C was significantly attenuated. Pyruvate (22 mM), but not lactate (22 mM), also improved the depression of neuronal activity induced by the temperature increase. Adenosine (200 microM) strongly depressed the excitatory postsynaptic response, but not presynaptic action potentials. 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (8-CPT) (10 microM), an adenosine A1 receptor blocker, attenuated the adenosine-induced depression of the excitatory postsynaptic response. 8-CPT (10 microM) prevented the impairment of the excitatory postsynaptic response induced by the increase of the temperature to 38 degrees C. In contrast, the depression of presynaptic action potential at 38 degrees C was not prevented by 8-CPT (10 microM). N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, and methylcobalamin (10 microM), a vitamin B12 analogue, attenuated the inhibition of pre- and postsynaptic activities induced by the increase of the temperature to 38 degrees C. Glibenclamide, a KATP channel blocker, did not protect neuronal activity from the effects of the increase of the temperature. These results suggest that the heat-induced depression of neuronal activity is mediated by multiple factors, such as impairment of energy metabolism and increase in extracellular adenosine and nitric oxide (NO) levels in hippocampal neurons.

Adenosine↗
PubMed2004

Physiological ligands ADP and Pi modulate the degree of intrinsic coupling in the ATP synthase of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus.

The proton-pumping and the ATP hydrolysis activities of the ATP synthase of Rhodobacter capsulatus have been compared as a function of the ADP and P(i) concentrations. The proton pumping was measured either with the transmembrane pH difference probe, 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine, or with the transmembrane electric potential difference probe, bis(3-propyl-5-oxoisoxazol-4-yl)pentamethine oxonol, obtaining consistent results. The comparison indicates that an intrinsic uncoupling of ATP synthase is induced when the concentration of either ligand is decreased. The half-maximal effect was found in the submicromolar range for ADP and at about 70 microM for P(i). It is proposed that a switch from a partially uncoupled state of ATP synthase to the coupled state is induced by the simultaneous binding of ADP and P(i).

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1992

Phosphate Deficiency in Maize : III. Changes in Enzyme Activities during the Course of Phosphate Deprivation.

The effects of low concentrations of phosphate (low-P) on soluble protein content, the activities of 12 different enzymes, and the rates of photosynthesis and respiration on the basis of leaf area were investigated in maize (Zea mays L.) leaves 16 to 24 days after planting (DAP). With low-P treatment, a drastic decrease in the rate of photosynthesis to only 6% of the maximum rate in control plants was observed by 24 DAP. Low-P treatment had almost no effect on the rate of respiration until 21 DAP, but then the rate of respiration decreased progressively to about 55% of the maximum rate in control plants. The soluble protein content in low-P plants decreased to 56% of the maximum content in control plants. The changes in the activities of enzymes in low-P plants showed several different patterns. The activities of pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, catalase, phosphohexose isomerase, chloroplastic fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, and ADP-glucose-pyrophosphorylase decreased steadily from 85 to 100% of the maximum activity found in 18- to 21-day-old control plants (V(max)) to 30 to 70% of V(max). The activity of sucrose phosphate synthase remained virtually constant at approximately 85 to 100% of V(max). The activity of UDP-glucose-pyrophosphorylase remained almost constant up to 21 DAP and then decreased to 80% of V(max) by 24 DAP. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase increased slightly up to 21 DAP but then decreased to 50% of V(max) by 24 DAP. As indicated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of soluble proteins, the subunit of PEPC stained less intensely in 24-d-old low-P plants. The possibility is discussed that during low-P treatment there is selective degradation of PEPC without a concomitant degradation of sucrose phosphate synthase, both of which are known to be localized in the cytoplasmic compartment of mesophyll cells.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1976

Coordination of citric acid cycle activity with electron transport flux.

Feedback control between flux through the phosphorylating electron transport chain and the coordination of flux through individual steps of the citric acid cycle have been investigated under a number of different conditions of substrate availability and workloads in the isolated perfused rat heart. The transition from substrate-free perfusion to perfusion with glucose and insulin with no change of workload was associated with increases in the pool sizes of citric acid cycle intermediates except for oxaloacetate, but with an initial imbalance of flux through individual steps in the cycle and transport of anions of the malate-aspartate cycle across the mitochondrial membrane. Flux through citrate synthase initially increased while that through alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase decreased. Of the components of the malate-aspartate cycle, flux through the malate-alpha-ketoglutarate exchange was increased prior to that through the glutamate-aspartate exchange and intramitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase. These changes can be accounted for on the basis of known kinetic controls of the enzyme and transport steps in response to increased pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and NADH delivery at an approximately constant rate of ATP turnover.

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1992

[Role of fructose-1-phosphate kinase in expression of PEP-synthase in Escherichia coli K-12].

Mutational damage of the fruK gene coding for fructose-1-phosphate kinase leads to 2-6-fold (depending on the strain) decrease in FEP synthase activity in Escherichia coli. The fruK mutants were unable to utilize lactate as well as fructose and fructose-1-phosphate, acquiring, in addition, sensitivity to mannose in their growth medium. Reversions back to FruK+ phenotype or introduction of an intact fruK allele resulted in restoration of both FEP synthase activity and the ability to grow on lactate.

Alleles↗
PubMed2004

Optimized spectrophotometric assay for the completely activated pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND: Analysis of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) activity in human skin fibroblasts is hampered by low enzyme activity in the cells. The most commonly used radiochemical method detects the formation of (14)CO(2), an endproduct of the E1 component of PDHc, from [1-(14)C]pyruvate. METHODS: We report a spectrophotometric method for the analysis of PDHc activity in fibroblasts based on detection of NADH formation via a p-iodonitrotetrazolium violet (INT)-coupled system. We investigated in detail the specific requirements of this assay, such as cofactor requirements and the effects of suggested stimulatory compounds and different cell disruption procedures. The reliability of the optimized assay was studied by investigation of patients previously diagnosed with PDHc deficiency and by comparison with results from the radiochemical method. RESULTS: Mean (SD) total PDHc activities were 136 (31) and 58 (21) mU/U of citrate synthase in fibroblast homogenates from 10 healthy volunteers and 7 PDHc-deficient patients, respectively, by the spectrophotometric assay. Similar results were obtained in a mitochondrial fraction. Dithiothreitol (DTT) increased the nonspecific inhibitor-insensitive rate with less pronounced effect on the specific rate of PDHc activity. Administration of DTT increased PDHc activity to 193 (3)% of control activity (without DTT), but decreased the inhibitor-sensitive rate from 99 (0.3)% (without DTT) to 69 (2)% (with 0.3 mmol/L DTT). CONCLUSION: The simple, optimized spectrophotometric assay for PDHc analysis allows reliable investigation of the enzyme complex in human skin fibroblasts.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed2004

Transcription levels of key metabolic genes are the cause for different glucose utilization pathways in E. coli B (BL21) and E. coli K (JM109).

Acetate accumulation is a common problem observed in aerobic high cell density cultures of Escherichia coli. It has been hypothesized in previous reports that the glyoxylate shunt is active in E. coli BL21, the low acetate producer, and inactive in E. coli JM109, the high acetate producer. This hypothesis was further strengthened by incorporating 13C from uniformly labeled glucose into TCA cycle intermediates. Using northern blot analyses, the current report demonstrates that the reason for the inactivity of the glyoxylate pathway in E. coli JM109 is the no apparent transcription of isocitrate lyase (aceA) and malate synthase (aceB), and transcription of the isocitrate lyase repressor (iclR). The reverse is seen in E. coli BL21 where the glyoxylate pathway is active due to constitutive transcription of aceA and aceB and no transcription of the iclR. In addition, there is a difference between the two strains in the transcription of the acetyl-CoA synthetase (acs), phosphotransacetylase-acetate kinase (pta-ackA) pathway, and pyruvate oxidase (poxB), pathway. The transcript of acs is higher in E. coli BL21 and lower in the E. coli JM109, while the reverse is true for poxB transcription.

Acetate Kinase↗
PubMed2006

FK330, a novel inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, prevents ischemia and reperfusion injury in rat liver transplantation.

Nitric oxide (NO), produced via inducible NO synthase (iNOS), is implicated in the pathophysiology of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). We examined the effects of a novel iNOS inhibitor, FK330 (FR260330), in well-defined rat liver IRI models. In a model of liver cold ischemia followed by ex vivo reperfusion, treatment with FK330 improved portal venous flow, increased bile production and decreased hepatocellular damage. FK330 prevented IRI in rat model of 40-h cold ischemia followed by syngeneic orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), as evidenced by: (1) increased OLT survival (from 20% to 80%); (2) decreased hepatocellular damage (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase/glutamic pyruvic transaminase levels); (3) improved histological features of IRI; (4) reduced intrahepatic leukocyte infiltration, as evidenced by decreased expression of P-selectin/intracellular adhesion molecule 1, ED-1/CD3 cells and neutrophils; (5) depressed lymphocyte activation, as evidenced by expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6) and chemokine (IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-2) programs; (6) prevented hepatic apoptosis and down-regulated Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Thus, by modulating leukocyte trafficking and cell activation patterns, treatment of rats with FK330, a specific iNOS inhibitor, prevented liver IRI. These results provide the rationale for novel therapeutic approaches to maximize organ donor pool through the safer use of liver grafts despite prolonged periods of cold ischemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Changes of respiratory chain activity in mitochondrial and synaptosomal fractions isolated from the gerbil brain after graded ischaemia.

In this study we have examined (1) the integrated function of the mitochondrial respiratory chain by polarographic measurements and (2) the activities of the respiratory chain complexes I, II-III, and IV as well as the ATP synthase (complex V) in free mitochondria and synaptosomes isolated from gerbil brain, after a 30-min period of graded cerebral ischaemia. These data have been correlated with cerebral blood flow (CBF) values as measured by the hydrogen clearance technique. Integrated functioning of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, using both NAD-linked and FAD-linked substrates, was initially affected at CBF values of approximately 35 ml 100 g-1 min-1, and declined further as the CBF was reduced. The individual mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, however, showed differences in sensitivity to graded cerebral ischaemia. Complex I activities decreased sharply at blood flows below approximately 30 ml 100 g-1 min-1 (mitochondria and synaptosomes) and complex II-III activities decreased at blood flows below 20 ml 100 g-1 min-1 (mitochondria) and 35-30 ml 100 g-1 min-1 (synaptosomes). Activities declined further as CBF was reduced below these levels. Complex V activity was significantly affected only when the blood flow was reduced below 15-10 ml 100 g-1 min-1 (mitochondria and synaptosomes). In contrast, complex IV activity was unaffected by graded cerebral ischaemia, even at very low CBF levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Bradyrhizobium japonicum rhizobitoxine genes and putative enzyme functions: expression requires a translational frameshift.

Some strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum produce rhizobitoxine, a phytotoxin that causes foliar chlorosis on susceptible host plants. We have previously obtained Tn5-induced rhizobitoxine null mutants of B. japonicum. DNA sequence analysis of the region surrounding two Tn5 insertions identifies two overlapping open reading frames. The first open reading frame (rtxA) predicts a 54-kDa protein for which the N-terminal 280 residues have sequence similarity to serine: pyruvate aminotransferase. The sequence homology to aminotransferase is consistent with the involvement of this gene in serinol production, a likely intermediate in rhizobitoxine biosynthesis. Previously, a mutant in this open reading frame was shown not to make serinol. The predicted amino acid sequence of the second open reading frame (rtxB) has similarity to yeast O-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrolase. This enzyme function is similar to that required for dihydrorhizobitoxine synthase. The DNA sequence shows that the rtxB open reading frame overlaps rtxA, suggesting that expression of rtxB requires a -1 translational frameshift. Protein expression experiments demonstrate production of an RtxAB fusion protein. The ability of the overlapping rtxA and rtxB sequences to promote a translational frameshift was confirmed in a heterologous expression system. In Escherichia coli, this frameshift appears to be unusually efficient, occurring at a frequency of 80-90%.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Activation of serine sulphydrase from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) by vanadate.

Vanadate stimulates the liberation of H2S from cysteine in intact cells of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with a maximal increase of 60% at 10 microM NH4VO3. Protein separation from crude yeast extract yielded two active protein fractions which were found to catalyze the degradation of cysteine to H2S, pyruvate and ammonia or H2S and serine, respectively, thus characterizing them as cysteine desulphydrase and serine sulphydrase. Only the latter enzyme was found to be activated by vanadate, showing optimal enhancement of about 100% at 10 microM NH4VO3.

Cystathionine beta-Synthase↗
PubMed1998

Tryptophan synthase mutations that alter cofactor chemistry lead to mechanism-based inactivation.

Mutations in the pyridoxal phosphate binding site of the tryptophan synthase beta subunit (S377D and S377E) alter cofactor chemistry [Jhee, K.-H., et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 11417-11422]. We now report that the S377D, S377E, and S377A beta2 subunits form alpha2 beta2 complexes with the alpha subunit and activate the alpha subunit-catalyzed cleavage of indole 3-glycerol phosphate. The apparent Kd for dissociation of the alpha and beta subunits is unaffected by the S377A mutation but is increased up to 500-fold by the S377D and S377E mutations. Although the three mutant alpha2 beta2 complexes exhibit very low activities in beta elimination and beta replacement reactions catalyzed at the beta site in the presence of Na+, the activities and spectroscopic properties of the S377A alpha2 beta2 complex are partially repaired by addition of Cs+. The S377D and S377E alpha2 beta2 complexes, unlike the wild-type and S377A alpha2 beta2 complexes and the mutant beta2 subunits, undergo irreversible substrate-induced inactivation by L-serine or by beta-chloro-L-alanine. The rates of inactivation (kinact) are similar to the rates of catalysis (kcat). The partition ratios are very low (kcat/kinact = 0.25-3) and are affected by alpha subunit ligands and monovalent cations. The inactivation product released by alkali was shown by HPLC and by fluorescence, absorption, and mass spectroscopy to be identical to a compound previously synthesized from pyridoxal phosphate and pyruvate. We suggest that alterations in the cofactor chemistry that result from the engineered Asp377 in the active site of the beta subunit may promote the mechanism-based inactivation.

Alanine↗