The structure of bovine glutamate dehydrogenase provides insights into the mechanism of allostery.

BACKGROUND: Bovine glutamate dehydrogenase (boGDH) is a homohexameric, mitochondrial enzyme that reversibly catalyzes the oxidative deamination of L-glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate using either NADP(H) or NAD(H) with comparable efficacy. GDH represents a key enzymatic link between catabolic and biosynthetic pathways, and is therefore ubiquitous in both higher and lower organisms. Only mammalian GDH exhibits strong negative cooperativity with respect to the coenzyme, however, and is regulated by a large number of allosteric effectors. RESULTS: The atomic structure of boGDH in complex with NADH, glutamate, and the allosteric inhibitor GTP has been determined to 2.8 A resolution. The major difference between the bacterial and bovine GDH structures is the presence of an additional 'antenna' in boGDH that protrudes from each trimer, twisting counterclockwise along the threefold axis. NADH and glutamate are clearly observed in the active site, but the contacts differ slightly from those observed in Clostridium symbiosum GDH. A second, inhibitory NADH molecule lies buried in the core of the hexamer. Finally, two GTP molecules bind near the hinge region connecting the NAD(+)- and glutamate-binding domains. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the antenna serves as an intersubunit communication conduit during negative cooperativity and allosteric regulation. GTP and NADH inhibit GDH by keeping the catalytic cleft in a closed conformation. In contrast, ADP probably binds to the back of the NAD(+)-binding domain and activates the enzyme by keeping the catalytic cleft open. Extensive contacts between antennae within the crystal lattice may represent hexamer interactions in solution and, perhaps, with other enzymes within the mitochondrial matrix.     

Structural studies on ADP activation of mammalian glutamate dehydrogenase and the evolution of regulation

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is found in all organisms and catalyzes the reversible oxidative deamination of L-glutamate to 2-oxoglutarate. Unlike GDH from bacteria, mammalian GDH exhibits negative cooperativity with respect to coenzyme, activation by ADP, and inhibition by GTP. Presented here are the structures of apo bovine GDH, bovine GDH complexed with ADP, and the R463A mutant form of human GDH (huGDH) that is insensitive to ADP activation. In the absence of active site ligands, the catalytic cleft is in the open conformation, and the hexamers form long polymers in the crystal cell with more interactions than found in the abortive complex crystals. This is consistent with the fact that ADP promotes aggregation in solution. ADP is shown to bind to the second, inhibitory, NADH site yet causes activation. The beta-phosphates of the bound ADP interact with R459 (R463 in huGDH) on the pivot helix. The structure of the ADP-resistant, R463A mutant of human GDH is identical to native GDH with the exception of the truncated side chain on the pivot helix. Together, these results strongly suggest that ADP activates by facilitating the opening of the catalytic cleft. From alignment of GDH from various sources, it is likely that the antenna evolved in the protista prior to the formation of purine regulatory sites. This suggests that there was some selective advantage of the antenna itself and that animals evolved new functions for GDH through the addition of allosteric regulation.     

A re-examination of the reaction between ox liver glutamate dehydrogenase and 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene.

Reaction of ox liver glutamate dehydrogenase with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene for 4 h at pH 8 caused 86% inactivation, almost complete desensitization to allosteric inhibition by GTP, but only partial desensitization to ADP activation. The enzyme remained hexameric after such treatment. NAD⁺, but not NADH or NADPH, partially protected activity. Protection was enhanced by GTP and decreased by ADP. GTP and NADH together protected effectively, although separately neither protected. GTP and NADPH gave partial protection of activity. Glutarate and succinate, inhibitors competitive with glutamate, gave substantial protection, slightly enhanced in the presence of NAD⁺. With glutarate, but not succinate, an initial activation was seen during chemical modification. The allosteric response to GTP was protected by GTP itself only when NAD⁺ or NAD(P)H was also present; other ligands failed to protect. Similarly ADP alone did not protect ADP sensitivity. NADH partially protected ADP sensitivity, although NADPH did not. ADP itself counteracted the protection given by NADH. GTP with NADH completely protected ADP sensitivity. This combination of ligands thus protects all the assayed properties. GTP with NADPH gave less complete protection of the ADP response. Observed protection patterns varied with the pH and coenzyme concentration of the assay mixture under constant conditions of chemical modification. Overall, the results are inconsistent with the view that dinitrophenylation directly blocks nucleotide binding sites, and suggest rather that it interferes with communication between sites.     

The structure of apo human glutamate dehydrogenase details subunit communication and allostery

The structure of human glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) has been determined in the absence of active site and regulatory ligands. Compared to the structures of bovine GDH that were complexed with coenzyme and substrate, the NAD binding domain is rotated away from the glutamate-binding domain. The electron density of this domain is more disordered the further it is from the pivot helix. Mass spectrometry results suggest that this is likely due to the apo form being more dynamic than the closed form. The antenna undergoes significant conformational changes as the catalytic cleft opens. The ascending helix in the antenna moves in a clockwise manner and the helix in the descending strand contracts in a manner akin to the relaxation of an extended spring. A number of spontaneous mutations in this antenna region cause the hyperinsulinism/hyperammonemia syndrome by decreasing GDH sensitivity to the inhibitor, GTP. Since these residues do not directly contact the bound GTP, the conformational changes in the antenna are apparently crucial to GTP inhibition. In the open conformation, the GTP binding site is distorted such that it can no longer bind GTP. In contrast, ADP binding benefits by the opening of the catalytic cleft since R463 on the pivot helix is pushed into contact distance with the beta-phosphate of ADP. These results support the previous proposal that purines regulate GDH activity by altering the dynamics of the NAD binding domain. Finally, a possible structural mechanism for negative cooperativity is presented.     

Pyridine Nucleotide Transhydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii

A method is described for the partial purification of pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii (ATCC 9104) cells. The most highly purified preparation catalyzes the reduction of 300 mumoles of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD(+)) per min per mg of protein under the assay conditions employed. The enzyme catalyzes the reduction of NAD(+), deamino-NAD(+), and thio-NAD(+) with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) as hydrogen donor, and the reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP(+)) and thio-NAD(+) with reduced NAD (NADH) as hydrogen donor. The reduction of acetylpyridine AD(+), pyridinealdehyde AD(+), acetylpyridine deamino AD(+), and pyridinealdehydedeamino AD(+) with NADPH as hydrogen donor was not catalyzed. The enzyme catalyzes the transfer of hydrogen more readily from NADPH than from NADH with different hydrogen acceptors. The transfer of hydrogen from NADH to NADP(+) and thio-NAD(+) was markedly stimulated by 2'-adenosine monophosphate (2'-AMP) and inhibited by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and phosphate ions. The transfer of hydrogen from NADPH to NAD(+) was only slightly affected by phosphate ions and 2'-AMP, except at very high concentrations of the latter reagent. In addition, the transfer of hydrogen from NADPH to thio-NAD(+) was only slightly influenced by 2'-AMP, ADP, ATP, and other nucleotides. The kinetics of the transhydrogenase reactions which utilized thio-NAD(+) as hydrogen acceptor and NADH or NADPH as hydrogen donor were studied in some detail. The results suggest that there are distinct binding sites for NADH and NAD(+) and perhaps a third regulator site for NADP(+) or 2'-AMP. The heats of activation for the transhydrogenase reactions were determined. The properties of this enzyme are compared with those of other partially purified transhydrogenases with respect to the regulatory functions of 2'-AMP and other nucleotides on the direction of flow of hydrogen between NAD(+) and NADP(+).     

Effects of adenosine phosphates and nicotinamide nucleotides on pyruvate carboxylase from baker''s yeast

1. Pyruvate carboxylase from baker's yeast is inhibited by ADP, AMP and adenosine at pH8.0 in the presence of magnesium chloride concentrations equal to or higher than the ATP concentration. The adenine moiety is essential for the inhibitory effect. 2. In the absence of acetyl-CoA (an allosteric activator) ADP, AMP and adenosine are competitive inhibitors with respect to ATP. In the presence of acetyl-CoA, besides the effect with respect to ATP, AMP competes with acetyl-CoA, whereas ADP and adenosine are non-competitive inhibitors with respect to the activator. 3. Pyruvate carboxylase is inhibited by NADH. The inhibition is competitive with respect to acetyl-CoA and specific with respect to NADH, since NAD(+), NADP(+) and NADPH do not affect the enzyme activity. In the absence of acetyl-CoA, NAD(+), NADH, NADP(+) and NADPH do not inhibit pyruvate carboxylase. 4. Pyruvate carboxylase is inhibited by ADP, AMP and NADH at pH6.5, in the presence of 12mm-Mg(2+), 0.75mm-Mn(2+) and 0.5mm-ATP, medium conditions similar to those existing inside the yeast cell. The ADP and NADH effects are consistent with a regulation of enzyme activity by the intracellular [ATP]/[ADP] ratio and secondarily by NADH concentration. These mechanisms would supplement the already known control of yeast pyruvate carboxylase by acetyl-CoA and l-aspartate. Inhibition by AMP is less marked and its physiological role is perhaps limited.     

The inhibition of pig kidney alkaline phosphatase by oxidized or reduced nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide and related compounds

1. The inhibition of alkaline phosphatase by NAD(+), NADH, adenosine and nicotinamide was studied. 2. All of these substances except NAD(+) act as uncompetitive inhibitors, i.e. double-reciprocal plots are parallel. NAD(+), however, is a ;mixed' inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase and is less potent than NADH. 3. Inhibition studies with pairs of the inhibitors suggest that, in spite of the difference in type of inhibition, NAD(+) and NADH bind to alkaline phosphatase at a common site. Adenosine and nicotinamide also seem to bind at the NAD site and the binding of adenosine is facilitated by nicotinamide, and vice versa. 4. The facilitation may indicate the occurrence of an induced fit for NAD(+) and NADH. Attempts to desensitize alkaline phosphatase to NAD(+) and NADH inhibition by partial denaturation were unsuccessful. 5. The results are discussed in terms of a two-site model in which separate, but interacting, regions exist on the enzyme to accommodate the adenosine and nicotinamide moieties of NAD, and a single-site model in which the adenosine part of the molecule is bound preferentially and this interacts with the nicotinamide fraction. 6. The activity of alkaline phosphatase can be changed fourfold by alteration of the NAD(+)/NADH ratio. This sensitivity to the redox state of the coenzyme could be a means of controlling phosphatase activity.     

Complexes of NADH with betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase from leaves of the plant Amaranthus hypochondriacus L

The kinetic mechanism of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase from leaves of the plant Amaranthus hypochondriacus is ordered with NAD(+) adding first. NADH is a noncompetitive inhibitor against NAD(+), which was interpreted before as evidence of an iso mechanism, in which NAD(+) and NADH binds to different forms of free enzyme. With the aim of testing the proposed kinetic mechanism, we have now investigated the ability of NADH to form different complexes with the enzyme. By initial velocity and equilibrium binding studies, we found that the steady-state levels of E.glycine betaine are negligible, ruling out binding of NADH to this complex. However, NADH readily bind to E.betaine aldehyde, whose levels most likely are kinetically significant given its low dissociation constant. Also, NADH combined with E.NADH and E.NAD(+). Finally, NADH was not able to revert the hydride transfer step, what suggest that there is no acyl-enzyme intermediate, i.e. the release of the reduced dinucleotide takes place after the deacylation step. Although formation of the complex E.NAD(+).NADH would produce an uncompetitive effect in the inhibition of NADH against NAD(+), the iso mechanism cannot be conclusively discarded.     

Spin-labeling studies of beef-liver glutamate dehydrogenase.

Bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase was spin labeled with a nitroxide derivative of parachloromercuribenzoate. The ESR spectrum was of the immobilized type and the labeling yield 0.6 mole of spin label bound per mole of protomer under standard conditions. The specific activity of the labeled enzyme was not modified but the activation by ADP abolished. Inhibition by GTP was not altered but the ESR spectrum showed that the bound spin label was further immobilized in the presence of GTP and NADPH. In the presence of the coenzyme NADPH, the labeling yield decreased to half its initial value. Such a protection effect was observed neither with NADH nor with ADP.     

Allosteric coupling in pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2

Mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 (PDHK2) phosphorylates the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDC) and thereby controls the rate of oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate. The activity of PDHK2 is regulated by a variety of metabolites such as pyruvate, NAD (+), NADH, CoA, and acetyl-CoA. The inhibitory effect of pyruvate occurs through the unique binding site, which is specific for pyruvate and its synthetic analogue dichloroacetate (DCA). The effects of NAD (+), NADH, CoA, and acetyl-CoA are mediated by the binding site that recognizes the inner lipoyl-bearing domain (L2) of the dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2). Both allosteric sites are separated from the active site of PDHK2 by more than 20 A. Here we show that mutations of three amino acid residues located in the vicinity of the active site of PDHK2 (R250, T302, and Y320) make the kinase resistant to the inhibitory effect of DCA, thereby uncoupling the active site from the allosteric site. In addition, we provide evidence that substitutions of R250 and T302 can partially or completely uncouple the L2-binding site. Based on the available structural data, R250, T302, and Y320 stabilize the "open" and "closed" conformations of the built-in lid that controls the access of a nucleotide into the nucleotide-binding cavity. This strongly suggests that the mobility of ATP lid is central to the allosteric regulation of PDHK2 activity serving as a conformational switch required for communication between the active site and allosteric sites in the kinase molecule.     

Modification of glutamate dehydrogenase by pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. Study of the cooperative type of inhibition by GTP

The character of allosteric inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase by GTP was studied. The derivative of the enzyme not capable of being polymerized was taken as a model. It was shown that: in the absence of NADH every protomer of this derivative can bind one molecule of GTP; in the presence of NADH the additional binding site for GTP was induced; the modification of the enzyme derivative by pyridoxal-5-phosphate in the presence of NADH and alpha-ketoglutarate blocked the NADH-induced GTP binding site and the disappearance of positive kinetic cooperativity induced by GTP was observed; to achieve the inhibitory action of GTP the binding of the effector to only one (NADH-induced) site was enough; the role of GTP binding to the NADH-induced site is to provide better affinity of the effector to the "inhibitory" centre; the positive kinetic cooperativity of inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase by GTP depends probable on the cooperative character of interaction between the two molecules of GTP to each protomer of the enzyme.     

Conformations of the coenzymes and the allosteric activator, ADP, bound to NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig heart

NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig heart is an allosteric enzyme that is activated by ADP and is inhibited by NADPH in the presence of NADH. Transferred nuclear Overhauser effect measurements, made at a range of times to ensure that observed effects are due to direct dipole-dipole transfer and not to spin diffusion, were used to determine the conformations of pyridine nucleotide coenzymes and of the allosteric effector ADP. For NAD+, significant effects were observed on the N2 proton (on the nicotinamide ring) when the N1' proton (on the nicotinamide ribose) was saturated and on the N6 proton when the N2' proton was saturated, indicating that the conformation of the nicotinamide-ribose moiety is anti. The anti conformation is expected because of the stereospecificity of NAD(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and is the same as for NADP(+)-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase. For the adenosine moiety of NAD+, the predominant nuclear Overhauser effect on the A8 proton is found when the A2' proton is saturated. This result implies that the adenine-ribose bond is anti with respect to the ribose. Previous kinetic and binding studies of ADP activation have shown an influence of divalent metal ions. The conformation of bound ADP, in the presence of Mg2+ and/or Ca2+, is found to be anti about the adenine-ribose bond. The 3'H-8H distance increases when Ca2+ is added to the Mg-ADP-enzyme complex. Changes in the 4'H-1'H distance upon addition of isocitrate are indicative of interactions between the ADP activator site and the isocitrate site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Preferential utilization of NADPH as the endogenous electron donor for NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in intact pulmonary arterial endothelial cells

The goal was to determine whether endogenous cytosolic NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) preferentially uses NADPH or NADH in intact pulmonary arterial endothelial cells in culture. The approach was to manipulate the redox status of the NADH/NAD(+) and NADPH/NADP(+) redox pairs in the cytosolic compartment using treatment conditions targeting glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway alone or with lactate, and to evaluate the impact on the intact cell NQO1 activity. Cells were treated with 2-deoxyglucose, iodoacetate, or epiandrosterone in the absence or presence of lactate, NQO1 activity was measured in intact cells using duroquinone as the electron acceptor, and pyridine nucleotide redox status was measured in total cell KOH extracts by high-performance liquid chromatography. 2-Deoxyglucose decreased NADH/NAD(+) and NADPH/NADP(+) ratios by 59 and 50%, respectively, and intact cell NQO1 activity by 74%; lactate restored NADH/NAD(+), but not NADPH/NADP(+) or NQO1 activity. Iodoacetate decreased NADH/NAD(+) but had no detectable effect on NADPH/NADP(+) or NQO1 activity. Epiandrosterone decreased NQO1 activity by 67%, and although epiandrosterone alone did not alter the NADPH/NADP(+) or NADH/NAD(+) ratio, when the NQO1 electron acceptor duroquinone was also present, NADPH/NADP(+) decreased by 84% with no impact on NADH/NAD(+). Duroquinone alone also decreased NADPH/NADP(+) but not NADH/NAD(+). The results suggest that NQO1 activity is more tightly coupled to the redox status of the NADPH/NADP(+) than NADH/NAD(+) redox pair, and that NADPH is the endogenous NQO1 electron donor. Parallel studies of pulmonary endothelial transplasma membrane electron transport (TPMET), another redox process that draws reducing equivalents from the cytosol, confirmed previous observations of a correlation with the NADH/NAD(+) ratio.     

The importance of arginine residues in the catalytic and regulatory functions of bovine-liver glutamate dehydrogenase.

Bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase reacts rapidly with 2,3-butanedione to yield modified enzyme with 29% of its original maximum activity, but no change in its Michaelis constants for substrates and coenzymes. No significant reduction in the inactivation rate is produced by the addition of the allosteric activator ADP or inhibitor GTP, while partial protection against inactivation is provided by the coenzyme NAD+ or substrate 2-oxoglutarate when added separately. The most marked decrease in the rate of inactivation (about 10-fold) is provided by the combined addition of NAD+ and 2-oxoglutarate, suggesting that modification takes place in the region of the active site. Reaction with 2,3-butanedione also results in loss of the ability of the enzyme to be activated by ADP. Addition of ADP (but not NAD+, 2-oxoglutarate or GTP) to the incubation mixture protects markedly against the loss of activatability of ADP. It is concluded that 2,3-butanedione produces two distinguishable effects on glutamate dehydrogenase: a relatively specific modification of the regulatory ADP site and a distinct modification in the active center. Reaction of two arginyl residues per peptide chain appears to be responsible for disruption of the ADP activation property of the enzyme, while alteration of a maximum of five arginyl residues can be related to the reduction of maximum catalytic activity. Electrostatic interactions between the positively charged arginine groups and the negatively charged substrate, coenzyme and allosteric purine nucleotide may be important for the normal function of glutamate dehydrogenase.     

Stimulation of histone deacetylase activity by metabolites of intermediary metabolism

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) function in a wide range of molecular processes, including gene expression, and are of significant interest as therapeutic targets. Although their native complexes, subcellular localization, and recruitment mechanisms to chromatin have been extensively studied, much less is known about whether the enzymatic activity of non-sirtuin HDACs can be regulated by natural metabolites. Here, we show that several coenzyme A (CoA) derivatives, such as acetyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA, HMG-CoA, and malonyl-CoA, as well as NADPH but not NADP(+), NADH, or NAD(+), act as allosteric activators of recombinant HDAC1 and HDAC2 in vitro following a mixed activation kinetic. In contrast, free CoA, like unconjugated butyrate, inhibits HDAC activity in vitro. Analysis of a large number of engineered HDAC1 mutants suggests that the HDAC activity can potentially be decoupled from "activatability" by the CoA derivatives. In vivo, pharmacological inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) to decrease NADPH levels led to significant increases in global levels of histone H3 and H4 acetylation. The similarity in structures of the identified metabolites and the exquisite selectivity of NADPH over NADP(+), NADH, and NAD(+) as an HDAC activator reveal a previously unrecognized biochemical feature of the HDAC proteins with important consequences for regulation of histone acetylation as well as the development of more specific and potent HDAC inhibitors.     

Reaction of the 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of NADPH at a nucleotide site of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase

The 2',3'-dialdehyde derivative of NADPH (oNADPH) acts as a coenzyme for the reaction catalyzed by bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase. Incubation of 250 microM oNADPH with enzyme for 300 min at 30 degrees C and pH 8.0 yields covalent incorporation of 1.0 mol of oNADPH/mol of enzyme subunit. The modified enzyme has a functional catalytic site and is activated by ADP, but is no longer inhibited by high NADH concentrations and exhibits decreased sensitivity to GTP inhibition. Using the change in inhibition by 600 microM NADH or 1 microM GTP to monitor the reaction leads to rate constants of 44.0 and 41.5 min-1 M-1, respectively, suggesting that loss of inhibition by the two regulatory compounds results from reaction by oNADPH at a single location. The oNADPH incorporation is proportional to the decreased inhibition by 600 microM NADH or 1 microM GTP, extrapolating to less than 1 mol of oNADPH/mol of subunit when the maximum change in NADH or GTP inhibition has occurred. Modified enzyme is still 93% inhibited at saturating levels of GTP, although its K1 is increased 20-fold to 4.6 microM. The kinetic effects caused by oNADPH are not prevented by alpha-ketoglutarate, ADP, 5 mM NADH, or 200 microM GTP alone, but are prevented by 5 mM NADH with 200 microM GTP. Incorporation of oNADPH into enzyme at 255 min is 0.94 mol/mol of peptide chain in the absence of ligands but only 0.53 mol/mol of peptide chain in the presence of the protectants 5 mM NADH plus 200 microM GTP. These results indicate that oNADPH modifies specifically about 0.4-0.5 sites/enzyme subunit or about 3 sites/enzyme hexamer and that reaction occurs at a GTP-dependent inhibitory NADH site of glutamate dehydrogenase.     

Kinetic and structural characteristics of the inhibition of enoyl (acyl carrier protein) reductase by triclosan.

Triclosan is used widely as an antibacterial agent in dermatological products, mouthwashes, and toothpastes. Recent studies imply that antibacterial activity results from binding to enoyl (acyl carrier protein) reductase (EACPR, EC 1.3.1.9). We first recognized the ability of triclosan to inhibit EACPR from Escherichia coli in a high throughput screen where the enzyme and test compound were preincubated with NAD(+), which is a product of the reaction. The concentration of triclosan required for 50% inhibition approximates to 50% of the enzyme concentration, indicating that the free compound is depleted by binding to EACPR. With no preincubation or added NAD(+), the degree of inhibition by 150 nM triclosan increases gradually over several minutes. The onset of inhibition is more rapid when NAD(+) is added. Gel filtration and mass spectrometry show that inhibition by triclosan is reversible. Steady-state assays were designed to avoid depletion of free inhibitor and changes in the degree of inhibition. The results suggest that triclosan binds to E-NAD(+) complex, with a dissociation constant around 20-40 pM. Triclosan follows competitive kinetics with respect to NADH, giving an inhibition constant of 38 pM at zero NADH and saturating NAD(+). Uncompetitive kinetics are observed when NAD(+) is varied, giving an inhibition constant of 22 pM at saturating NAD(+). By following regain of catalytic activity after dilution of EACPR that had been preincubated with triclosan and NAD(+), the rate constant for dissociation of the inhibitor (k(off)) is measured as 1.9 x 10(-4) s(-1). The association rate constant (k(on)) is estimated as 2.6 x 10(7) s(-1) M(-1) by monitoring the onset of inhibition during assays started by addition of EACPR. As expected, the ratio k(off)/k(on) = 7.1 pM is similar to the inhibition constants from the steady-state studies. The crystal structure of E. coli EACPR in a complex with coenzyme and triclosan has been determined at 1.9 A resolution, showing that this compound binds in a similar site to the diazaborine inhibitors. The high affinity of triclosan appears to be due to structural similarity to a tightly bound intermediate in catalysis.     

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate biosynthesis and the regulation of glucose metabolism in Azotobacter beijerinckii

Azotobacter beijerinckii possesses the enzymes of both the Entner-Doudoroff and the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle pathways of glucose catabolism and both pathways are subject to feedback inhibition by products of glucose oxidation. The allosteric glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase utilizes both NADP(+) and NAD(+) as electron acceptors and is inhibited by ATP, ADP, NADH and NADPH. 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (NADP-specific) is unaffected by adenosine nucleotides but is strongly inhibited by NADH and NADPH. The formation of pyruvate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate from 6-phosphogluconate by the action of the Entner-Doudoroff enzymes is inhibited by ATP, citrate, isocitrate and cis-aconitate. Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase is unaffected by adenosine and nicotinamide nucleotides but the enzyme is non-specific with respect to NADP and NAD. Citrate synthase is strongly inhibited by NADH and the inhibition is reversed by the addition of AMP. Isocitrate dehydrogenase, a highly active NADP-specific enzyme, is inhibited by NADPH, NADH, ATP and by high concentrations of NADP(+). These findings are discussed in relation to the massive synthesis of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate that occurs under certain nutritional conditions. We propose that synthesis of this reserve material, to the extent of 70% of the dry weight of the organism, serves as an electron and carbon ;sink' when conditions prevail that would otherwise inhibit nitrogen fixation and growth.     

The binding of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to citrate synthase of Escherichia coli K12.

Citrate synthase from Escherichia coli enhances the fluorescence of its allosteric inhibitor, NADH, and shifts the peak of emission of the coenzyme from 457 to 428 nm. These effects have been used to measure the binding of NADH to this enzyme under various conditions. The dissociation constant for the NADH-citrate synthase complex is about 0.28 muM at pH 6.2, but increases toward alkaline pH as if binding depends on protonation of a group with a pKa of about 7.05. Over the pH range 6.2-8.7, the number of binding sites decreases from about 0.65 to about 0.25 per citrate synthase subunit. The midpoint of this transition is at about pH 7.7, and it may be one reflection of the partial depolymerization of the enzyme which is known to occur in this pH range. A gel filtration method has been used to verify that the fluorescence enhancement technique accurately reveals all of the NADH molecules bound to the enzyme in the concentration range of interest. NAD+ and NADP+ were weak competitive inhibitors of NADH binding at pH 7.8 (Ki values greater than 1 mM), but stronger inhibition was shown by 5'-AMP and 3'-AMP, with Ki values of 83 +/- 5 and 65 +/- 4 muM, respectively. Acetyl-CoA, one of the substrates, and KCl, an activator, also inhibit the binding in a weakly cooperative manner. All of these effects are consistent with kinetic observations on this system. We interpret our results in terms of two types of binding site for nucleotides on citrate synthase: an active site which binds acetyl-CoA, the substrate, or its analogue 3'-AMP; and an allosteric site which binds NADH or its analogue 5'-AMP and has a lesser affinity for other nicotinamide adenine dinucloetides. When the active site is occupied, we propose that NADH cannot bind to the allosteric site, but 5'-AMP can; conversely, when NADH is the in the allosteric site, the active site cannot be occupied. In addition to these two classes of sites, there must be points for interaction with KCl and other salts. Oxaloacetate, the second substrate, and alpha-ketoglutarate, an inhibitor whose mode of action is believed to be allosteric, have no effect on NADH binding to citrate synthase at pH 7.8. When NADH is bound to citrate synthase, it quenches the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of the enzyme. The amount of quenching is proportional to the amount of NADH bound, at least up to a binding ratio of 0.50 NADH per enzyme subunit. This amount of binding leads to the quenching of 53 +/- 5% of the enzyme fluorescence, which means that one NADH molecule can quench all the intrinsic fluorescence of the subunit to which it binds.     

Adenosine 5'-0-[S-(4-succinimidyl-benzophenone)thiophosphate]: a new photoaffinity label of the allosteric ADP site of bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase

By reaction of adenosine 5'-monothiophosphate with benzophenone-4-maleimide, we synthesized adenosine 5'-O-[S-(4-succinimidyl-benzophenone)thiophosphate] (AMPS-Succ-BP) as a photoreactive ADP analogue. Bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase is known to be allosterically activated by ADP, but the ADP site has not been located in the crystal structure of the hexameric enzyme [Peterson, P. E., and Smith, T. J. (1999) Structure 7, 769-782]. In the dark, AMPS-Succ-BP reversibly activates GDH. Irradiation of the complex of glutamate dehydrogenase and AMPS-Succ-BP at lambda >300 nm causes a time-dependent, irreversible 2-fold activation of the enzyme. The k(obs) for photoactivation shows nonlinear dependence on the concentration of AMPS-Succ-BP, with K(R) = 4.9 microM and k(max) = 0.076 min(-)(1). The k(obs) for photoreaction by 20 microM AMPS-Succ-BP is decreased 10-fold by 200 microM ADP, but is reduced less than 2-fold by NAD, NADH, GTP, or alpha-ketoglutarate. Modified enzyme is no longer activated by ADP, but is still inhibited by GTP and high concentrations of NADH. These results indicate that reaction of AMPS-Succ-BP occurs within the ADP site. The enzyme incorporates up to 0.5 mol of [(3)H]AMPS-Succ-BP/mol of enzyme subunit or 3 mol of reagent/mol of hexamer. The peptide Lys(488)-Glu(495) has been identified as the only reaction target, and the data suggest that Arg(491) is the modified amino acid. Arg(491) (in the C-terminal helix close to the GTP #2 binding domain of GDH) is thus considered to be at or near the enzyme's allosteric ADP site. On the basis of these results, the AMPS-Succ-BP was positioned within the crystal structure of glutamate dehydrogenase, where it should also mark the ADP binding site of the enzyme.