力复霉素前体甲基丙二酰CoA合成途径的研究

力复霉素合成的碳前体之一(2R)—甲基丙二酰CoA至少可以有三条酶学合成途径。三条途径中的关键酶分别为甲基丙二酰CoA转羧基酶、丙二酰CoA羧化酶、甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶和甲基丙二酰CoA消旋酶。通过比较各个酶活性的时间进程和力复霉素合成时间的相关性,以及各个酶的底物亲合力,对它们在地中海拟无枝酸菌(Amycolatopsis mediterranei)甲基丙二酰CoA合成中的贡献作了排序,发现甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶途径是主要负责酶系。但是各个途径的贡献排序并不是固定不变的,能受到环境因素的调控,丙酸盐的加入将抑制甲基丙二酰CoA变位酶活力,而使得甲基丙二酰CoA转羧基酶成为主要酶系。甲基丙二酰CoA合成途径的多样性有助于细胞对环境变化的灵活反应。此外,对各个酶的调控特性也进行了研究。     

RNAi抑制过氧化物酶基因Rsprx1表达促进萝卜花青素的积累

过氧化物酶是一类广泛存在于生物中的氧化还原酶,被认为参与植物花青素的代谢．本实验利用RNAi技术,干扰萝卜过氧化物酶基因Rsprx1表达. 结果表明, RNAi干扰载体的萝卜植株中过氧化物酶基因(Rsprx1)表达被抑制,过氧化物酶活性显著降低,过氧化物酶同工酶条带减少|而花青素含量在处理第9 d达到最大值|花青苷种类和含量有较大变化: 天竺葵素-3-阿魏酰葡糖苷-5-丙二酰基葡糖苷、天竺葵素-3-ρ-香豆酰二葡糖苷-5-丙二酰基葡糖苷、天竺葵素-3-阿魏酰二葡糖苷-5-丙二酰基葡糖苷和天竺葵素-3-二ρ-香豆酰二葡糖苷5-丙二酰基葡糖苷含量升高; 天竺葵素-3-二葡糖苷-5-葡糖苷、天竺葵素-3-葡糖苷-5-葡糖苷和天竺葵素-3-酰化二葡糖苷-5-葡糖苷含量降低|花青素合成相关基因（Chs、Chi、Dfr、F3h和Ldox）及转录因子（Tt8）的mRNA表达水平在RNAi处理后早期有明显上调．这些结果均表明,萝卜过氧化物酶Rsprx1参与花青素的合成代谢．     

何首乌提取物对脂肪酸合酶的抑制作用

最新报道脂肪酸合酶 (FAS)是治疗肥胖症的潜在靶部位 ,但目前已知的FAS抑制剂还很少 .测定表明 ,中药何首乌提取物对FAS同时具有很强的快结合可逆抑制和慢结合不可逆抑制作用 .萃取的最佳溶剂为 4 0 %乙醇水溶液 .该提取物对FAS全反应的半抑制浓度为 0 .0 0 5mg ml(以萃取时中药重量计 ) ;不可逆抑制过程为两相 ,在 0 4 6mg ml浓度下在 0 5min内快相失活超过 5 0 % ,慢相在 32min时失活达 90 % .该提取物对FAS中的酮酰还原反应有强抑制 ,半抑制浓度为 0 0 18mg ml,对烯酰还原反应有弱抑制作用 .抑制动力学分析表明 ,何首乌提取物对FAS的抑制和底物NADPH之间呈非竞争性关系 ,和丙二酰辅酶A接近竞争性关系 ,而与乙酰辅酶A为反竞争性关系 .推测何首乌还含有作用于FAS中的丙二酰转酰酶的抑制剂 .用何首乌提取物口服饲喂大鼠 ,可明显减低大鼠摄食量和降低大鼠体重 ;实验结束时实验组大鼠肝脏FAS活性低于对照组 .以上结果表明 ,中药何首乌提取物对FAS有很强的抑制作用 ,其抑制能力明显强于已知抑制剂 ,其动力学表现也和已知抑制剂完全不同 ,预计为新的抑制剂 ,对研究FAS的作用机理及在防治肥胖症的应用上可能具有重要的价值     

决明丙二酰CoA:ACP转酰基酶基因的克隆及序列分析

[目的]克隆决明丙二酰Co A:ACP转酰基酶(MCAT)基因并做序列分析。[方法]采用RACE法从c DNA中扩增出决明丙二酰Co A:ACP转酰基酶(MCAT)的CDS全长序列,推测出MCAT基因编码的氨基酸序列并进行序列分析。[结果]分析结果显示MCAT的CDS全长1 253bp,编码405个氨基酸。通过序列比对分析发现决明MCAT蛋白包含一个酰基转移酶超家族结构域,并且发现了一段高度保守的七肽模序。[结论]获得了决明MCAT的CDS全长,其编码的蛋白可能催化丙二酰Co A的转酰基反应,为决明脂肪酸的合成通路的阐明以及后期的决明脂肪酸的基因工程研究打下了坚实的基础。     

乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族中保守的色氨酸残基的生化功能（英文）北大核心CSCD

甲烷菌与甲烷八叠球菌是仅有的两种已知利用乙酸盐进行甲烷生成的菌属。稻田以及厌氧的废物分解物是甲烷生物生成的主要来源。甲烷菌在自然界广泛分布,相比甲烷八叠球菌,在低乙酸盐的环境中对乙酸盐仍有高亲和力。在甲烷生成第一步即将乙酸盐转化为乙酰辅酶A的过程中,与甲烷八叠球菌利用乙酸激酶与磷酸转乙酰酶激活途径不同,甲烷菌通过腺嘌呤形成乙酰辅酶A合成酶进行催化。在甲烷菌一属(Methanosaeta concilii)中,共发现5个乙酰辅酶A合成酶的编码基因,其中3种乙酰辅酶A合成酶的生化及酶活特性已被确定。该3种乙酰辅酶A合成酶均以乙酸盐为其最优底物。尽管在短链乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族中,发现酰基底物结合位点高度保守,但乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族的酰基底物范围极为广泛。本研究对甲烷菌中不同种乙酰辅酶A合成酶的酰基底物结合位点的关键氨基酸进行识别与比较,从而对乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族的酶活特性有更全面深入的了解。首先,我们对甲烷菌一属中乙酰辅酶A合成酶4进行生化性质测定。结果表明,该酶无催化一系列酰基底物为酰基辅酶A或其中间产物酰基腺苷酸的活性。通过序列对比发现,嗜热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1中高度保守的416位色氨酸残基在甲烷菌一属的乙酰辅酶A合成酶4中被替换成528位苯丙氨酸残基。将甲烷菌一属的乙酰辅酶A合成酶4中的528位苯丙氨酸残基点突变为色氨酸残基后,进行酶学性质测定,未检测到该突变体具有乙酰辅酶A/乙酰腺苷酸合成活性。我们进一步对嗜热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1中的416位色氨酸残基点突变为苯丙氨酸残基,酶活性质结果显示,突变酶对于乙酸盐以及丙酸盐作为底物时的活性未有明显差异。然而,以丙酸盐为底物时,释放丙酰腺苷酸中间产物。该结果表明,热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1对于底物乙酸盐或丙酸盐的催化作用不甚相同,苯丙氨酸中的苯甲酰环降低该酶保留中间产物丙酰腺苷酸,从而转化为丙酰辅酶A的能力。     

乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族中保守的色氨酸残基的生化功能（英文）

甲烷菌与甲烷八叠球菌是仅有的两种已知利用乙酸盐进行甲烷生成的菌属。稻田以及厌氧的废物分解物是甲烷生物生成的主要来源。甲烷菌在自然界广泛分布,相比甲烷八叠球菌,在低乙酸盐的环境中对乙酸盐仍有高亲和力。在甲烷生成第一步即将乙酸盐转化为乙酰辅酶A的过程中,与甲烷八叠球菌利用乙酸激酶与磷酸转乙酰酶激活途径不同,甲烷菌通过腺嘌呤形成乙酰辅酶A合成酶进行催化。在甲烷菌一属(Methanosaeta concilii)中,共发现5个乙酰辅酶A合成酶的编码基因,其中3种乙酰辅酶A合成酶的生化及酶活特性已被确定。该3种乙酰辅酶A合成酶均以乙酸盐为其最优底物。尽管在短链乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族中,发现酰基底物结合位点高度保守,但乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族的酰基底物范围极为广泛。本研究对甲烷菌中不同种乙酰辅酶A合成酶的酰基底物结合位点的关键氨基酸进行识别与比较,从而对乙酰辅酶A合成酶家族的酶活特性有更全面深入的了解。首先,我们对甲烷菌一属中乙酰辅酶A合成酶4进行生化性质测定。结果表明,该酶无催化一系列酰基底物为酰基辅酶A或其中间产物酰基腺苷酸的活性。通过序列对比发现,嗜热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1中高度保守的416位色氨酸残基在甲烷菌一属的乙酰辅酶A合成酶4中被替换成528位苯丙氨酸残基。将甲烷菌一属的乙酰辅酶A合成酶4中的528位苯丙氨酸残基点突变为色氨酸残基后,进行酶学性质测定,未检测到该突变体具有乙酰辅酶A/乙酰腺苷酸合成活性。我们进一步对嗜热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1中的416位色氨酸残基点突变为苯丙氨酸残基,酶活性质结果显示,突变酶对于乙酸盐以及丙酸盐作为底物时的活性未有明显差异。然而,以丙酸盐为底物时,释放丙酰腺苷酸中间产物。该结果表明,热自养甲烷杆菌的乙酰辅酶A合成酶1对于底物乙酸盐或丙酸盐的催化作用不甚相同,苯丙氨酸中的苯甲酰环降低该酶保留中间产物丙酰腺苷酸,从而转化为丙酰辅酶A的能力。     

米曲霉GX0011β-糖基转移酶的化学修饰及活性中心研究

用化学修饰法及其修饰动力学对米曲霉GX0011β-果糖基转移酶的活性中心结构进行了研究。结果表明：NBS、PMSF、EDC能显著抑制酶的活性,底物对这些抑制有明显的保护作用,且残留酶活与修饰剂的浓度相关,抑制均符合拟一级动力学规律,进一步动力学分析,初步认定该酶活性中心包括至少一个丝氨酸（或苏氨酸）、一个色氨酸和一个天冬氨酸（或谷氨酸）残基。pCMB、TNBS能显著抑制酶的活性,但底物对抑制无明显保护作用,推断半胱氨酸和赖氨酸残基可能与维系酶活性中心构象有关,但不是酶活性中心基团。DEPC、AA和NAI对酶的活性抑制作用不明显,排除了组氨酸、精氨酸和酪氨酸残基是该酶活性中心必需基团的可能。     

垩唑霉素生物合成的反式酰基转移酶具有底物宽泛性

垩唑霉素生物合成中的聚酮合酶(PKS)均缺少酰基转移酶(AT)功能域,在聚酮合酶外含有两个独立的反式AT OzmM和OzmC。对反式AT的敲除及回补实验证明两个反式AT是垩唑霉素合成所必需的。AT的功能是将延伸单元丙二酰辅酶A或者甲基丙二酰辅酶A传递到酰基载体蛋白(ACP)。为了研究OzmM和OzmC在垩唑霉素生物合成中的功能,本研究以OzmM蛋白和PKS蛋白OzmK为研究对象,研究了反式AT是否和PKS蛋白存在相互作用及反式AT将延伸单元传递给ACP后是否仍和PKS蛋白存在相互作用。为确定OzmM的功能,本研究在大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)中表达了OzmM蛋白并对其纯化进行体外实验,并且利用亲和共纯化和生物膜干涉技术验证了OzmM和OzmK之间的相互作用。本研究推测当OzmM将底物传递给ACP后会离开PKS蛋白,不参与延伸单元与聚酮主链的缩合反应,并且反式AT (OzmM)与PKS (OzmK)之间的弱相互作用是反式AT在ACP与PKS之间快速传递延伸单元的功能所必须的。另一个反式AT OzmC的功能为传递甲氧丙二酰ACP到OzmJ-ACP,本研究利用丙二酰辅酶A、甲基丙二酰辅酶A对其底物宽泛性进行研究,发现OzmC可以将丙二酰辅酶A传递给OzmQ-ACP,但不可以传递甲基丙二酰辅酶A。     

米曲霉GX0011β-果糖基转移酶的化学修饰及活性中心研究

用化学修饰法及其修饰动力学对米曲霉GX0011β-果糖基转移酶的活性中心结构进行了研究。结果表明：NBS、PMSF、EDC能显著抑制酶的活性,底物对这些抑制有明显的保护作用,且残留酶活与修饰剂的浓度相关,抑制均符合拟一级动力学规律,进一步动力学分析,初步认定该酶活性中心包括至少一个丝氨酸（或苏氨酸）、一个色氨酸和一个天冬氨酸(或谷氨酸)残基。pCMB、TNBS能显著抑制酶的活性,但底物对抑制无明显保护作用,推断半胱氨酸和赖氨酸残基可能与维系酶活性中心构象有关,但不是酶活性中心基团。DEPC、AA和NAI对酶的活性抑制作用不明显,排除了组氨酸、精氨酸和酪氨酸残基是该酶活性中心必需基团的可能。     

鸭肝脂肪酸合成酶的NADPH底物抑制及作用动力学

己知动物脂肪酸合成酶的底物乙酰辅酶Ａ和丙二酰辅酶Ａ具有竞争性双底物抑制的乒乓机制。实验发现鸭肝脂肪酸合成酶的第三个底物ＮＡＤＰＨ也具有底物抑制,并研究了它的规律及与ＮＡＤＰＨ有关的稳态动力学。发现对于该酶的全反应,增加丙二酰辅酶Ａ浓度,降低环境盐浓度,均使ＮＡＤＰＨ底物抑制减少。但以ＮＡＤＰＨ作底物的酮酰还原和烯酰还原二步单独反应以及包含四步单独反应的乙酰乙酰辅酶Ａ还原反应都无ＮＡＤＰＨ底物抑制现象。ＮＡＤＰＨ底物抑制对丙二酰辅酶Ａ为竞争性,丙二酰辅酶Ａ底物抑制对ＮＡＤＰＨ为非竞争性。在全反应中ＮＡＤＰＨ和丙二酰辅酶Ａ之间发现为乒乓机制,在乙酰乙酰辅酶Ａ还原反应中,两个底物ＮＡＤＰＨ和乙酰乙酰辅酶Ａ之间则表现为序列反应机制。降低环境盐浓度使ＮＡＤＰＨ和丙二酰辅酶Ａ之间的乒乓机制向序列机制转化。在全反应中,ＮＡＤＰ产物抑制相对ＮＡＤＰ为竞争性,对丙二酰辅酶Ａ为非竞争性。     

The effect of carboxylates and halides on L-lysine 6-aminotransferase-catalyzed reactions

L-Lysine:2-oxoglutarate 6-aminotransferase catalyzes very slow transamination between L-alanine and 2-oxoglutarate. A high concentration of anions such as formate, acetate and halides greatly accelerated this transamination without affecting the affinity of the enzyme for L-alanine. In contrast, the anions strongly inhibited the normal L-lysine 6-transamination in a competitive manner with L-lysine and in a non-competitive manner with 2-oxoglutarate. This result suggests that the enzyme has an anion binding site which normally binds the carboxyl group of L-lysine. The binding of halides or carboxylates to this site probably induces a conformational change of the enzyme, and results in the inhibition of L-lysine 6-transamination, and in the stimulation of L-alanine transamination. Treatment of the enzyme with an arginine-specific dicarbonyl reagent, phenylglyoxal, led to a loss of the enzyme activity for L-lysine. The activity for L-alanine was not affected, but the stimulating effect of anions on L-alanine transamination was impaired. Thus, it is suggested that an arginine residue(s) plays an important role in the anion binding site.     

Inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme by angiotensin I analogue peptide inhibitors. A kinetic study

Angiotensin I analogues with a phosphonic acid group replacing the C-terminal carboxyl group were shown to be competitive inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme. This new class of inhibitors was used to study the binding requirements of the angiotensin I-like ligands to the enzyme's active site. These studies indicate that angiotensin-converting enzyme recognizes at least five amino acid residues at the C-terminus of the peptide. The effect of pH on the binding of the most potent inhibitor peptide was compared to Captopril. The two inhibitors showed similar Ki-pH profiles despite their structural differences. Chloride enhanced the binding of the peptide inhibitor at both pH 9.0 and pH 6.5. At pH 9.0 the inhibitor peptide and the anion bind randomly to the enzyme, while at pH 6.5 the mechanism is ordered. In the latter case, the anion binds first to the enzyme.     

New experiments of biotin enzymes.

The objects of structural studies on biotin-enzymes were acetyl CoA-carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and beta-methylcrotonyl CoA-carboxylase and acetyl CoA-carboxylase of Achromobacter IV S. It was found that these enzymes can be arranged in three groups. In the first group, as represented by acetyl CoA-carboxylase of Achromobacter, the active enzyme could be resolved in three types of functional components: (1) the biotin-carboxyl carrier protein, (2) the biotin carboxylase, and (3) the carboxyl transferase. In the second group, as represented by beta-methylcrotonyl CoA-carboxylase from Achromobacter only two types of polypeptides are present. The one carries the biotin carboxylase activity together with the biotin-carboxyl-carrier protein, the other one carries the carboxyl transferase activity. In this third group, as represented by the two enzymes of yeast, all three catalytic functions are incorporated in one multifunctional polypeptide chain. The evolution of the different enzymes is discussed. The animal tissues acetyl CoA-carboxylase is under metabolic control, as known from previous studies. It thus has to be expected that the levels of malonyl CoA in livers of rats in all states of depressed fatty acid synthesis are much lower than under normal conditions because the carboxylation of acetyl CoA is strongly reduced and cannot keep pace with the consumption of malonyl CoA by fatty acid synthetase. A new highly sensitive assay method for malonyl CoA was developed which uses tritiated NADPH and measures the incorporation of radioactivity into the fatty acids formed from malonyl CoA in the presence of purified fatty acid synthetase. The application of this method to liver extracts showed that the level of malonyl CoA which amounts to about 7 nmoles per gram of wet liver drops to less than 10% within a starvation period of 24 hr and even further if the starvation period is extended to 48 hr. A low malonyl CoA concentration is also found in the alloxan diabetic animals and in animals being fed a fatty diet after starvation. On the other hand, feeding a carbohydrate rich diet leads to malonyl CoA levels surpassing the levels found after feeding a balanced diet. These observations reconfirm the concept that fatty acid synthesis is principally regulated by the carboxylation of acetyl CoA.     

Immunopurification and characterization of a 40-kD 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid N-malonyltransferase from mung bean seedling hypocotyls.

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) N-malonyltransferase catalyzes the transfer of the malonyl group from malonyl coenzyme A to ACC to form malonyl ACC. Using partially purified ACC N-malonyltransferase from the hypocotyls of mung bean (Vigna radiata) seedlings, we produced two mouse monoclonal antibodies (1H5 and 2G3) to this enzyme. These antibodies bind to sites other than the active site of the enzyme because monoclonal antibody-bound ACC N-malonyltransferase still exhibits full catalytic activity. A monoclonal antibody column was constructed using 1H5 and protein G Sepharose. The ACC N-malonyltransferase purified from this monoclonal antibody column has a molecular mass of 40 kD, which is different from that reported previously. The enzyme has a higher electrophoretic mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol. The optimum temperature of this 40-kD ACC N-malonyltransferase is 45 degrees C and the apparent Kms for ACC and malonyl coenzyme A are 66.7 and 40 microns, respectively.     

The Bacterial signal transduction protein GlnB regulates the committed step in fatty acid biosynthesis by acting as a dissociable regulatory subunit of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase

Biosynthesis of fatty acids is one of the most fundamental biochemical pathways in nature. In bacteria and plant chloroplasts, the committed and rate‐limiting step in fatty acid biosynthesis is catalyzed by a multi‐subunit form of the acetyl‐CoA carboxylase enzyme (ACC). This enzyme carboxylates acetyl‐CoA to produce malonyl‐CoA, which in turn acts as the building block for fatty acid elongation. In Escherichia coli, ACC is comprised of three functional modules: the biotin carboxylase (BC), the biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) and the carboxyl transferase (CT). Previous data showed that both bacterial and plant BCCP interact with signal transduction proteins belonging to the P_II family. Here we show that the GlnB paralogues of the P_II proteins from E. coli and Azospirillum brasiliense, but not the GlnK paralogues, can specifically form a ternary complex with the BC‐BCCP components of ACC. This interaction results in ACC inhibition by decreasing the enzyme turnover number. Both the BC‐BCCP‐GlnB interaction and ACC inhibition were relieved by 2‐oxoglutarate and by GlnB uridylylation. We propose that the GlnB protein acts as a 2‐oxoglutarate‐sensitive dissociable regulatory subunit of ACC in Bacteria.     

Evidence that two covalent intermediates, phosphoryl and malonyl enzymes, are formed during malonyl-coenzyme A synthetase catalysis

The isolation of malonyl-coenzyme A synthetase from Pseudomonas fluorescens grown on malonate has been reported recently (Kim, Y.S., and Bang, S.K. (1985) J. Biol.Chem. 260, 5098-5104). This enzyme is phosphorylated in the presence of ATP and Mg2+. The phosphoryl group appears on one subunit of the enzyme composed of two different subunits, and the phosphoryl enzyme is acid labile and base stable. The phosphoryl group on the enzyme is released by the incubation of the phosphoryl enzyme with malonate and malonyl enzyme is formed. The malonyl enzyme is acid labile and also relatively unstable under basic conditions. The malonyl group is found on the subunit of the enzyme which is phosphorylated. Malonyl-CoA is formed when malonyl enzyme reacts with coenzyme A. These results suggest that two convalent intermediates, phosphoryl and malonyl enzyme, are sequentially formed in the synthesis of malonyl-coenzyme A by malonyl-coenzyme A synthetase catalysis.     

Protective effects of suprofen and its methyl ester against inactivation of rabbit kidney carbonyl reductase by phenylglyoxal

Suprofen (SP) was little reduced by rabbit kidney carbonyl reductase, whereas its methyl ester (SPM) was an efficient substrate of the enzyme. To account for the differential catalytic activities for SP and SPM, the protective effects of these compounds against the inactivation of the enzyme by phenylglyoxal (PGO) were compared. Since the carboxyl group of SP is negatively charged and one essential arginine residue is known to be located in the NADPH-binding site of the enzyme, the protection of SP against the inactivation of the enzyme by PGO is expected to be more effective than that of SPM lacking a carboxyl group. However, the protective effects of SP and SPM were very similar. These results suggest that in spite of evidence for the binding of SP to the coenzyme-binding site, the carboxyl group of SP fails to interact with one essential arginine residue located in the site.     

Modification of maize phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by Woodward's reagentK

Maize leaf phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was completely and irreversibly inactivated by treatment with micromolar concentrations of Woodward's reagentK (WRK) for about 1 min. The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The order of reaction with respect to WRK showed that the reagent causes formation of reversible enzyme inhibitor complex before resulting in irreversible inactivation. The loss of activity was correlated to the modification of a single carboxyl group per subunit, even though the reagent reacted with 2 carboxyl groups per protomer. Substrate PEP and PEP + Mg²⁺ offered substantial protection against inactivation by WRK. The modified enzyme showed a characteristic absorbance at 346 nm due to carboxyl group modification. The modified enzyme exhibited altered surface charge as seen from the elution profile on FPLC Mono Q anion exchange column. The modified enzyme was desensitized to positive and negative effectors like glucose-6-phosphate and malate. Pretreatment of PEP carboxylase with diethylpyrocarbonate prevented WRK incorporation into the enzyme, suggesting that both histidine and carboxyl groups may be closely physically related. The carboxyl groups might be involved in metal binding during catalysis by the enzyme.     

Modification of maize phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase by Woodward's reagentK

Maize leaf phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was completely and irreversibly inactivated by treatment with micromolar concentrations of Woodward's reagentK (WRK) for about 1 min. The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The order of reaction with respect to WRK showed that the reagent causes formation of reversible enzyme inhibitor complex before resulting in irreversible inactivation. The loss of activity was correlated to the modification of a single carboxyl group per subunit, even though the reagent reacted with 2 carboxyl groups per protomer. Substrate PEP and PEP + Mg²⁺ offered substantial protection against inactivation by WRK. The modified enzyme showed a characteristic absorbance at 346 nm due to carboxyl group modification. The modified enzyme exhibited altered surface charge as seen from the elution profile on FPLC Mono Q anion exchange column. The modified enzyme was desensitized to positive and negative effectors like glucose-6-phosphate and malate. Pretreatment of PEP carboxylase with diethylpyrocarbonate prevented WRK incorporation into the enzyme, suggesting that both histidine and carboxyl groups may be closely physically related. The carboxyl groups might be involved in metal binding during catalysis by the enzyme.     

Structural requirements for pyridine carboxylate effects on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase

It has previously been established that quinolinic acid and 3-mercaptopicolinic acid cause hypoglycemia by inhibiting Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase and gluconeogenesis. In the rat, 3-aminopicolinic acid permits Fe²⁺ to activate this enzyme; it enhances gluconeogenesis and causes hyperglycemia. In the present study, other pyridine carboxylates were screened for effects on the activity of PEP carboxykinase. The structural requirement for an inhibitor or an activator of this enzyme has been defined: It must be a picolinic acid derivative with the α carboxyl unsubstituted and with another group on position 3. The group at position 3 determines the effect (inhibition or activation) and the potency of the compound. Compounds such as picolinic acid, all the isomers of quinolinic acid, 2-mercaptonicotinic acid, and 2-aminonicotinic acid were inactive. Fe²⁺ enhances the potency of quinolinate and 2-mercaptopicolinate 15- to 20-fold, and 3-aminopicolinate does not activate the carboxykinase in the absence of Fe²⁺. It is therefore assumed that Fe²⁺ binds to the ring nitrogen and the α-carboxyl group of one or more molecules of these compounds to form an effective coordination complex. Complexes involving picolinate derivatives with an acidic function at position 3 inhibit; the complex of Fe²⁺ with 3-aminopicolinate either delivers Fe²⁺ to the catalytic site and then dissociates or the Fe²⁺ in the complex is catalytically active. 3-Aminopicolinate causes hyperglycemia in the guinea pig. It activates guinea pig liver cytosolic PEP carboxykinase in vitro but does not activate the mitochondrial carboxykinase. If activation of PEP carboxykinase is the means by which 3-aminopicolinate causes hyperglycemia, our findings indicate that the cytosolic enzyme can play an important role in glucose synthesis in species having appreciable amounts of both carboxykinases.