Transient-state kinetic analysis of the oxidative decarboxylation of D-malate catalyzed by tartrate dehydrogenase

The oxidative decarboxylation of D-malate catalyzed by tartrate dehydrogenase has been analyzed by transient-state kinetic methods and kinetic isotope effect measurements. The reaction time courses show a burst of NADH formation prior to the attainment of the steady-state velocity. The binding of the inhibitor tartronate to the enzyme was examined by monitoring the quenching of the protein's intrinsic fluorescence; the tartronate concentration dependence of the observed rate constant for association was hyperbolic, supporting a two-step model for inhibitor binding. Analysis of the time courses for D-malate oxidation yielded values for many of the microscopic rate constants governing the reaction. The range of possible solutions for the microscopic rate constants was constrained by comparison of the time course for oxidation of unlabeled malate with that of deuterated malate; this analysis relied on the determination of the intrinsic isotope effect on hydride transfer via measurement of D(V/K), T(V/K), and the oxaloacetate partition ratio. The results of the transient-state kinetic analyses suggest that the rate of D-malate oxidation is largely limited by the rate of decarboxylation of the intermediate oxaloacetate which occurs at 11 s-1. Hydride transfer from D-malate to NAD+ occurs with a rate constant of 300 s-1, and (D)k for this step is 5.5. The agreement between experimentally measured steady-state kinetic parameters and kinetic isotope effects and their values calculated from the microscopic rate constants derived from the transient-state kinetic analyses was quite good.     

Conformation of coenzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone and role of Ca2+ in the catalytic mechanism of quinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase

The ab initio structures of 2,7,9-tricarboxypyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), semiquinone (PQQH), and dihydroquinone (PQQH2) have been determined and compared with ab initio structures of the (PQQ)Ca2+, (PQQH)Ca2+, and (PQQH2)Ca2+ complexes as well as the x-ray structure of (PQQ)Ca2+ bound at the active site of the methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) of methyltropic bacteria. Plausible mechanisms for the MDH oxidation of methanol involving the (PQQ)Ca2+ complex are explored via ab initio computations and discussed. Considering the reaction of methanol with PQQ in the absence of Ca2+, nucleophilic addition of methanol to the PQQ C-5 carbonyl followed by a retro-ene elimination is deemed unlikely due to large energy barrier. A much more favorable disposition of the methanol C-5 adduct to provide formaldehyde involves proton ionization of the intermediate followed by elimination of methoxide concerted with hydride transfer to the oxygen of the C-4 carbonyl. Much the same transition state is reached if one searches for the transition state beginning with Asp-303-CO2-general-base removal of the methanol proton of the (PQQ)Ca2+O(H)CH3 complex concerted with hydride transfer to the oxygen at C-4. For such a mechanism the role of the Ca2+ moiety would be to (i) contribute to the formation of the ES complex (ii) provide a modest decrease in the pKa of methanol substrate,; and (iii) polarize the oxygen at C-5.     

Effects of changes in three catalytic residues on the relative stabilities of some of the intermediates and transition states in the citrate synthase reaction

This work reports the relative importance of the interactions provided by three catalytic residues to individual steps in the mechanism of citrate synthase. When the side chains of any of the residues (H320, D375, and H274) are mutated, the data indicate that they are involved in the stabilization of one or more of the transition/intermediate states in the multistep citrate synthase reaction. H320 forms a hydrogen bond with the carbonyl of oxaloacetate and the alcohols of the citryl-coenzyme A and citrate products. Enzymes substituted at H320 (Q, G, N, and R) have reaction profiles for which the condensation reaction is cleanly rate determining. None of these mutants can activate the carbonyl of oxaloacetate by polarization. All these mutants catalyze the necessary proton transfer from the methyl group of acetyl-coenzyme A only poorly, a process which occurs in a structurally separate site. Furthermore, all H320 mutants hydrolyze the citryl-coenzyme A intermediate significantly more slowly than does the wild-type. D375 is the base removing the proton of acetyl-coenzyme A. D375E and D375G have greatly diminished ability to catalyze proton transfer from acetyl-CoA. The D375 mutants polarize the oxaloacetate carbonyl as well as wild-type. For D375E, the hydrolysis of citryl-CoA is rate determining. D375G, having no side chain capable of acid-base chemistry in either the condensation or hydrolysis reactions is nearly completely devoid of activity in any of the reactions catalyzed by the wild-type. H274 hydrogen bonds to the carbonyl of acetyl-coenzyme A but also forms the back wall of the oxaloacetate-binding site. H274G cannot properly activate either oxaloacetate or acetyl-coenzyme A, and the condensation reaction is overwhelmingly rate determining. Nonetheless, hydrolysis of the intermediate is impaired. All the enzymes except H320R and H274G show kinetic cooperativity with CitCoA as substrate, indicating changes in the subunit interactions with these latter two mutants. The energetics of citrate synthase are surprisingly tightly coupled. All changes affect more than one step in the catalytic cycle. Within the condensation reaction, the intermediate of proton transfer must occupy a shallow well between transition states close in free energy so that perturbations of one have substantial effects on that of the other.     

Identification of a specific effector of the small GTP-binding protein Rap2

The coupled processes of the chloroplast trans-envelope transport of malate and oxaloacetate and their interconversion as catalyzed by the stromal NADP-linked malate dehydrogenase are quantitatively analyzed by means of a steady-state model. The equation for the NADP-malate dehydrogenase reaction is developed. The empirical dependence of enzyme activity on NADPH and NADP+ is used to determine its actual activity. The trans-envelope counter exchange of malate and oxaloacetate is described by a kinetic model of the translocator. Kinetic parameters are derived from known data, except for the Km value and the maximum rate for oxaloacetate transport, which are estimated from oxaloacetate-dependent malate formation in isolated intact chloroplasts. Using the kinetic properties of the system and the known metabolite concentrations, the model demonstrates that photosynthetically generated NADPH can be exported efficiently from the chloroplasts to the cytosol by the malate-valve system. The transfer capacity of the malate valve is estimated not to exceed 20 mumol (mg Chl)-1 h-1 (or 5% of the electron transport) under normal physiological conditions. The possible role of the malate valve in leaf cells under normal conditions and during stress is discussed.     

Mechanism of aldehyde oxidation catalyzed by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase

The mechanism of oxidation of benzaldehyde to benzoic acid catalyzed by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) has been investigated using the HLADH structure at 2.1 A resolution with NAD+ and pentafluorobenzyl alcohol in the active site [Ramaswamy et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33,5230-5237]. Constructs for molecular dynamics (MD) investigations with HLADH were obtained by a best-fit superimposition of benzaldehyde or its hydrate on the pentafluorobenzyl alcohol bound to the active site Zn(II)ion. Equilibrium bond lengths, angles, and dihedral parameters for Zn(II) bonding residues His67, Cys46, and Cys174 were obtained from small-molecule X-ray crystal structures and an ab initio-derived parameterization of zinc in HLADH [Ryde, U. (1995) Proteins: Struct., Funct., Genet. 21,40-56]. Dynamic simulations in CHARMM were carried out on the following three constructs to 100 ps: (MD1) enzyme with NAD+, benzaldehyde, and zinc-ligated HO-in the active site; (MD2) enzyme with NAD+ and hydrated benzaldehyde monoanion bound to zinc via the pro-R oxygen, with a proton residing on the pro-S oxygen; and (MD3) enzyme with NAD+ and hydrated benzaldehyde monoanion bound to zinc via the pro-S oxygen, with a proton residing on the pro-R oxygen. Analyses were done of 800 sample conformations taken in the last 40 ps of dynamics. Structures from MD1 and MD3 were used to define the initial spatial arrangements of reactive functionalities for semiempirical PM3 calculations. Using PM3, model systems were calculated of ground states and some transition states for aldehyde hydration, hydride transfer, and subsequent proton shuttling. With benzaldehyde and zinc-bound hydroxide ion in the active site, the oxygen of Zn(II)-OH resided at a distance of 2.8-5.5 A from the aldehyde carbonyl carbon during the dynamics simulation. This may be compared to the PM3 transition state for attack of the Zn(II)-OH oxygen on the benzaldehyde carbonyl carbon, which has an O...C distance of 1.877 A. HLADH catalysis of the aldehyde hydration would require very little motion aside from that in the ground state. Two simulations of benzaldehyde hydrate ligated to zinc (MD2 and MD3) both showed close approach of the aldehyde hydrate hydrogen to NAD+C4, varying from 2.3 to 3.3 A, seemingly favorable for the hydride transfer reaction. The MD2 configuration does not allow proton shuttling. On the other hand, when the pro-S oxygen is ligated to zinc (MD3), the proton on the pro-R oxygen averages 2.09 A from the hydroxyl oxygen of Ser48 such that initiation of shuttling of protons via Ser48 to the ribose 2'-hydroxyl oxygen to the 3'-hydroxyl oxygen to His51 nitrogen is sterically favorable. PM3 calculations suggest that this proton shuttle represents a stepwise reaction which occurs subsequent to hydride transfer. The PM3 transition state for hydride transfer based on the MD3 configuration has the transferring hydride 1.476 A from C4 of NAD+ and 1.433 A from the aldehyde alpha-carbon.     

How fumarase recycles after the malate --> fumarate reaction. Insights into the reaction mechanism

Recycling of yeast fumarase to permit repetition of its reaction chemistry requires two proton transfers and two conformational changes, in pathways that are different in detail but thematically similar in the two directions. In the malate --> fumarate direction, simple anions such as acetate accelerate the fumarate-off step producing E(H(f)), a fumarate-specific isoform that retains the C3R-proton of malate. Fumarate specificity is shown with S-2,3-dicarboxyaziridine, which is competitive vs fumarate and noncompetitive with malate as substrate. The steady-state level of E(H(f)), based on Kii (S-2,3-dicarboxyaziridine), is increased by D2O and decreased by imidazole acting as a general acid for conversion of E(H(f)) to E(H(f))H. E(H(f))H is fumarate-specific as shown by the inhibition pattern with ClO4-. The pKa of this step is approximately 7.25 based on the pH dependence of Kii (ClO4-). A conformational change occurs next as shown by high sensitivity of k(cat) but not k(cat)/Km, to the microviscosogen, glycerol, and change to a nonspecific isoform, E(H(mf))H, probably the same species formed in the fumarate --> malate direction from malate-specific intermediates by a different conformational change. Malate enters the cycle by reaction with E(H(mf))H and returns to E(m)H x malate after a second conformational change. When fumarate-off is slow, as in low anion medium, malate itself becomes an activator of malate --> fumarate. This effect occurs with changes in inhibition patterns suggestive of the bypass of the slow E(f) --> E(mf) conversion in favor of direct formation of E(mf) when free fumarate is formed. 3-Nitro-2-hydroxypropionate, a strong inhibitor of fumarase [Porter, D. J. T., and Bright, H. J. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 4772-4780] in its carbanion form, is competitive with both malate and fumarate. Therefore, 3-nitro-2-hydroxypropionic acid interacts with E(H(mf))H and not with E(m) or E(f) isoforms. Occurrence of two different conformational changes in the recycling process suggests that the reaction chemistry employs a two-step mechanism. The specificity of inhibition for E(H(mf))H is consistent with the expected intermediate of a carbanion mechanism, E(H)H x carbanion-. The proton transfers and conformational changes of recycling occur in the same sequence that is expected for this reaction chemistry. Several examples of ligand-activated conformational changes are reported.     

Interaction between citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase. Substrate channeling of oxaloacetate

The interactions between pig heart citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase or cytosolic malate dehydrogenase were studied using the frontal analysis method of gel filtration and by precipitation in polyethylene glycol. This method showed that an interaction between citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase occurred but no interaction between citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. Channeling of oxaloacetate in the malate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase-coupled systems was tested using polyethylene glycol precipitates of citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase, and citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. The effectiveness of large amounts of aspartate aminotransferase and oxaloacetate decarboxylase, as competing enzymes for the intermediate oxaloacetate, was examined. Aspartate aminotransferase and oxaloacetate decarboxylase were less effective competitors for oxaloacetate when precipitated citrate synthase and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase in polyethylene glycol was used at low ionic strength compared with free enzymes in the absence of polyethylene glycol or with a co-precipitate of citrate synthase and cytosolic malate dehydrogenase. Substrate channeling of oxaloacetate with citrate synthase-mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase precipitate was inefficient at high ionic strength. These effects could be explained through electrostatic interactions of mitochondrial but not cytosolic malate dehydrogenase with citrate synthase.     

Overexpression of cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH2) causes overproduction of specific organic acids in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae accumulates L-malic acid through a cytosolic pathway starting from pyruvic acid and involving the enzymes pyruvate carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase. In the present study, the role of malate dehydrogenase in the cytosolic pathway was studied. Overexpression of cytosolic malate dehydrogenase (MDH2) under either the strong inducible GAL10 or the constitutive PGK promoter causes a 6- to 16-fold increase in cytosolic MDH activity in growth and production media and up to 3.7-fold increase in L-malic acid accumulation in the production medium. The high apparent Km of MDH2 for L-malic acid (11.8 mM) indicates a low affinity of the enzyme for this acid, which is consistent with the cytosolic function in the enzyme and differs from the previously published Km of the mitochondrial enzyme (MDH1, 0.28 mM). Under conditions of MDH2 overexpression, pyruvate carboxylase appears to be a limiting factor, thus providing a system for further metabolic engineering of L-malic acid production. The overexpression of MDH2 activity also causes an evaluation in the accumulation of fumaric acid and citric acid. Accumulation of fumaric acid is presumably caused by high intracellular L-malic acid concentrations and the activity of the cytosolic fumarase. The accumulation of citric acid may suggest the intriguing possibility that cytosolic L-malic acid is a direct precursor of citric acid in yeast.     

The small heat-shock protein IbpB from Escherichia coli stabilizes stress-denatured proteins for subsequent refolding by a multichaperone network

The role of small heat-shock proteins in Escherichia coli is still enigmatic. We show here that the small heat-shock protein IbpB is a molecular chaperone that assists the refolding of denatured proteins in the presence of other chaperones. IbpB oligomers bind and stabilize heat-denatured malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and urea-denatured lactate dehydrogenase and thus prevent the irreversible aggregation of these proteins during stress. While IbpB-stabilized proteins alone do not refold spontaneously, they are specifically delivered to the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE (KJE) chaperone system where they refold in a strict ATPase-dependent manner. Although GroEL/GroES (LS) chaperonins do not interact directly with IbpB-released proteins, LS accelerate the rate of KJE-mediated refolding of IbpB-released MDH, and to a lesser extent lactate dehydrogenase, by rapidly processing KJE-released early intermediates. Kinetic and gel-filtration analysis showed that denatured MDH preferentially transfers from IbpB to KJE, then from KJE to LS, and then forms a active enzyme. IbpB thus stabilizes aggregation-prone folding intermediates during stress and, as an integral part of a cooperative multichaperone network, is involved in the active refolding of stress-denatured proteins.     

Electrostatic channeling of oxaloacetate in a fusion protein of porcine citrate synthase and porcine mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase

Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase are sequential enzymes in the Krebs tricarboxylic acid cycle. We have shown [Lindbladh, C., Rault, M., Hagglund, C., Small, W. C., Mosbach, K., Bülow, L., Evans, C., and Srere, P.A (1994) Biochemistry 33, 11692-11698] that a fusion protein of yeast mitochondrial citrate synthase and yeast mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase channels oxaloacetate between the active sites. A Brownian dynamics simulation model of porcine mitochondrial enzymes of citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase was used [Elcock, A. H., and McCammon, A. M. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 12652-12658], showing that a positive electrostatic surface potential between the active sites of the fusion protein could account for the channeling of oxaloacetate we observed with the yeast fusion protein. Since the data were established with a yeast fusion protein and the model was with porcine fusion protein, we have now prepared and studied the porcine fusion protein. The channeling of the oxaloacetate intermediate was the same for the porcine fusion protein as it was for the yeast fusion protein. This channeling behavior is eliminated at high ionic strength. A fusion protein of porcine citrate synthase and porcine cytosolic malate dehydrogenase does not exhibit any channeling of oxaloacetate. A model of the fusion protein with the cytosolic malate dehydrogenase shows no clear positive electrostatic potential surface between the two active sites, thus distinguishing it from the fusion protein with the mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase. These results establish the electrostatic nature of channeling in mitochondrial fusion proteins.     

Tricarboxylic acid cycle in rat brain synaptosomes. Fluxes and interactions with aspartate aminotransferase and malate/aspartate shuttle

The flux through different segments of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was measured in rat brain synaptosomes with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using either deuterated glutamine or [13C]aspartate. The flux between 2-oxoglutarate and oxaloacetate was estimated to be 3.14 and 4.97 nmol/min/mg protein with and without glucose, respectively. These values were 3-5-fold faster than the flux between oxaloacetate and 2-oxoglutarate (0.92 nmol/min per mg protein) measured in the presence of glucose. The pattern of intermediates labeling suggests that the overall rate-controlling reaction involves either citrate synthase or pyruvate dehydrogenase but not 2-oxoglutarate or isocitrate dehydrogenase. The enrichment in [3,3,4,4-2H4]glutamate from [2,3,3,4,4-2H5]glutamine was as rapid as in [2,3,3,4,4-2H5]glutamate, which indicates that the aspartate aminotransferase reaction is severalfold faster than the flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle. [13C]Aspartate was rapidly converted to [13C]malate, suggesting that in intact synaptosomes aspartate entry into the mitochondrion is very slow. The finding that aspartate is taken up by mitochondria as malate, along with the observed high enrichment in [3-2H]malate (from [2,3,3,4,4-2H5]glutamine), is consistent with the substantial synaptosomal activity of the malate/aspartate shuttle.     

氢化钛的动态分解行为与规律

通过DSC/TG的热分析试验,研究氢化钛升温过程中分解的动力学规律,利用Coast-Redfern积分法计算了分解过程的动力学参数。结果表明,氢化钛热分解的开始温度为510℃,分解过程中总质量损耗率达3.15%,其中565～660℃温度范围内的质量损耗率占总质量损失的50%左右,分解过程中生成了比氢化钛热稳定性更高的TiHx(0.7相似文献   

Stereospecificity of hydrogen transfer by the NADP-linked alcohol dehydrogenase from the thermophilic bacterium Thermoanaerobium brockii

Class A and class B NAD(H)/NADP(H) coenzyme-dependent dehydrogenases distinguish between the diastereotopic hydrogens pro-R and pro-S at position 4 of the cofactor. We investigated the stereochemistry of hydride transfer in reactions catalyzed by an unusual thermophilic, zinc-containing, NADP-linked enzyme Thermoanaerobium brockii alcohol dehydrogenase (TBAD). Using proton NMR spectroscopy of monodeuterated alcohols and coenzymes we found that TBAD is a class A enzyme that transfers the pro-R hydrogen from the pyridine 4 position of the reduced coenzyme. This stereospecificity is stable over (a) a broad range of temperatures up to 70 degrees C, (b) different concentrations of the coenzyme (catalytic or stoichiometric) and (c) a wide scope of substrates. Although NAD+ is not an effective coenzyme for TBAD, NADP+ and its synthetic analogs, 3-acetylpyridine-ADP+ and thio-NADP+, can be used successfully.     

Search for novel redox groups in mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) by diode array UV/VIS spectroscopy

The proton-translocating NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase of mitochondria (complex I) is a large L-shaped multisubunit complex. The peripheral matrix arm contains one FMN and a number of iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters and is involved in NADH oxidation and electron transfer to the membrane intrinsic arm. There, following a yet unknown mechanism, the redox-driven proton translocation and the ubiquinone reduction take place. Redox groups that would be able to link electron transfer with proton translocation have not been found so far in the membrane arm. We searched for such groups in complex I isolated from Neurospora crassa. Under anaerobic conditions, the preparation was analyzed in different redox states by means of UV/VIS and EPR spectroscopy. Absorption bands in the UV/VIS redox difference spectra were found which cannot be attributed to the FMN or the EPR detectable FeS clusters. The existence of two novel groups is postulated and their possible locations in the electron pathway and their roles in proton translocation are discussed.     

Theory Study of AlCl Disproportionation Reaction Mechanism on Al (110) Surface

The surface disproportionation reaction mechanism of aluminum subchloride on aluminum (110) surfaces has been investigated using the plane-wave density functional theory (DFT). Three possible reaction mechanisms of AlCl disproportionation reaction on aluminum (110) surfaces have been taken into account; the reactants and products structures have been optimized, transition states have been confirmed, and activation energy has been calculated. The adsorption energy of reactants and the desorption energy of products also have been calculated. All of these calculations have been employed to confirm the reaction mechanism and the rate-determining step of AlCl disproportionation reaction on aluminum (110) surfaces.     

Synergistic mechanism between Brønsted acid site and active cerium species in hydride transfer reaction over CeY zeolites

In this study, cyclohexene was used as a representative of olefin and catalyzed by CeY zeolites in a fixed-bed reactor under mild conditions, and the influence of Ce species in hydride transfer reaction over CeY zeolites was evaluated. CeY zeolites show more excellent hydride transfer properties than HY zeolite. Based on the results of almost identical Brønsted acid properties but not the product distributions for 0.075CeY and 0.075CeY(DC) samples, it should be suggested that the Brønsted acid strength and density are not the deciding factors to the hydride transfer reaction. A unique band at 1442 cm⁻¹ in situ FTIR spectroscopy spectra are assigned to pyridine complexes bonded to a class of active Ce species that could reversibly migrate from the core of SOD cages to its 6-rings mouth towards the supercages. These results provide valuable information that these active Ce species should play a synergistic role with the Brønsted acid sites in enhancing the hydride transfer reaction with a bimolecular mechanism over CeY zeolites.     

Crystal structure and enzyme mechanism of Delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase from Pseudomonas testosteroni

Bacterial Delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) from Pseudomonas testosteroni has been intensively studied as a prototype for understanding an enzyme-catalyzed allylic rearrangement involving intramolecular proton transfer. Asp38 serves as a general base to abstract the proton from the steroid C4-H, which is a much stronger base than the carboxyl group of this residue. This unfavorable proton transfer requires 11 kcal/mol of energy which has to be provided by favorable interactions between catalytic residues and substrate in the course of the catalytic reaction. How this energy is provided at the active site of KSI has been a controversial issue, and inevitably the enzyme mechanism is not settled. To resolve these issues, we have determined the crystal structure of this enzyme at 2.3 A resolution. The crystal structure revealed that the active site environment of P. testosteroni KSI is nearly identical to that of Pseudomonas putida KSI, whose structure in complex with a reaction intermediate analogue we have determined recently. Comparison of the two structures clearly indicates that the two KSIs should share the same enzyme mechanism involving the stabilization of the dienolate intermediate by the two direct hydrogen bonds to the dienolate oxyanion, one from Tyr14 OH and the other from Asp99 COOH. Mutational analysis of the two residues and other biochemical data strongly suggest that the hydrogen bond of Tyr14 provides the more significant contribution than that of Asp99 to the requisite 11 kcal/mol of energy for the catalytic power of KSI.     

Effect of oxaloacetate and phosphorylation on ATP-citrate lyase activity

ATP-citrate lyase (CL) catalyzes the conversion of citrate and CoA to oxaloacetate (OA) and acetyl-CoA. As the coupled malic dehydrogenase (MDH) assay is not able either to study the effect of oxaloacetate (OA) on CL activity or to measure accurately CL activity in biological samples, a new assay was developed. The CL-citrate coupled CAT assay measures the amount of acetyl-CoA formed by transferring radiolabeled acetyl-CoA synthesized from [14C]citrate to chloramphenicol with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). Employing this assay, the rate of increase in acetyl-CoA synthesis from citrate is linear with respect to added CL. Kinetic values for ATP, CoA and citrate are similar to those obtained using the MDH assay. The effect of CL phosphorylation on enzyme activity was determined. CL phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase or by this kinase and glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) decreases the apparent Vmax without changing the apparent Km. The effect of OA, a product of the enzyme reaction, on CL activity was also determined. Computational analysis of the data obtained without added OA and at three concentrations of OA indicate that the apparent Km for the substrate is not altered even though the apparent Vmax is decreased. The effect of OA on the activity of phosphorylated enzyme was also determined. OA decreases the apparent Vmax of the phosphorylated enzyme to the same extent as in control CL. This assay is able to measure CL activity in cytosol from 3T3-L1 adipocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Anaerobic citrate metabolism and its regulation in enterobacteria

Several species of enterobacteria are able to utilize citrate as carbon and energy source. Under oxic conditions in the presence of a functional tricarboxylic acid cycle, growth on this compound solely depends on an appropriate transport system. During anaerobiosis, when 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase is repressed, some species such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhimurium, but not Escherichia coli, are capable of growth on citrate by a Na+-dependent pathway forming acetate, formate, and CO2 as products. During the last decade, several novel features associated with this type of fermentation have been discovered in K. pneumoniae. The biotin protein oxaloacetate decarboxylase, one of the key enzymes of the pathway besides citrate lyase, is a Na+ pump. Recently it has been shown that the proton required for the decarboxylation of carboxybiotin is taken up from the side to which Na+ ions are pumped, and a membrane-embedded aspartate residue that is probably involved both in Na+ and in H+ transport was identified. The Na+ gradient established by oxaloacetate decarboxylase drives citrate uptake via CitS, a homodimeric carrier protein with a simultaneous-type reaction mechanism, and NADH formation by reversed electron transfer involving formate dehydrogenase, quinone, and a Na+-dependent NADH:quinone oxidoreductase. All enzymes specifically required for citrate fermentation are induced under anoxic conditions in the presence of citrate and Na+ ions. The corresponding genes form a cluster on the chromosome and are organized as two divergently transcribed operons. Their co-ordinate expression is dependent on a two-component system consisting of the sensor kinase CitA and the response regulator CitB. The citAB genes are part of the cluster and are positively autoregulated. In addition to CitA/CitB, the cAMP receptor protein (Crp) is involved in the regulation of the citrate fermentation enzymes, subjecting them to catabolite repression.     

The 1.25 A crystal structure of sepiapterin reductase reveals its binding mode to pterins and brain neurotransmitters

Sepiapterin reductase catalyses the last steps in the biosynthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, the essential co-factor of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases and nitric oxide synthases. We have determined the crystal structure of mouse sepiapterin reductase by multiple isomorphous replacement at a resolution of 1.25 A in its ternary complex with oxaloacetate and NADP. The homodimeric structure reveals a single-domain alpha/beta-fold with a central four-helix bundle connecting two seven-stranded parallel beta-sheets, each sandwiched between two arrays of three helices. Ternary complexes with the substrate sepiapterin or the product tetrahydrobiopterin were studied. Each subunit contains a specific aspartate anchor (Asp258) for pterin-substrates, which positions the substrate side chain C1'-carbonyl group near Tyr171 OH and NADP C4'N. The catalytic mechanism of SR appears to consist of a NADPH-dependent proton transfer from Tyr171 to the substrate C1' and C2' carbonyl functions accompanied by stereospecific side chain isomerization. Complex structures with the inhibitor N-acetyl serotonin show the indoleamine bound such that both reductase and isomerase activity for pterins is inhibited, but reaction with a variety of carbonyl compounds is possible. The complex structure with N-acetyl serotonin suggests the possibility for a highly specific feedback regulatory mechanism between the formation of indoleamines and pteridines in vivo.