The conversion of ethanolamine and of its metabolites to choline in human neuroblastoma clones: Effect of differentiation induced by retinoic acid

The sequential methylation of ethanolamine (Etn) or phosphorylethanolamine to the corresponding choline (Cho) derivatives was studied in both undifferentiated and retinoic acid (RA) differentiated human neuroblastoma clones LA-N-1 and LA-N-2. Conversion of Etn derivatives to the respective Cho metabolites was low in both cell types. However, after treatment of the cultures with ethanol or RA, the methylation of phosphoryl-Etn was stimulated while that of phosphatidyl-Etn was severely reduced in both cholinergic LA-N-2 and catecholaminergic LA-N-1 cells.Abbreviations Etn ethanolamine - MeEtn monomethylethanolamine - Me₂Etn dimethylethanolamine - Cho choline - PEtn phosphorylethanolamine - PtdEtn phosphatidylethanolamine - LPtdEtn lysophosphatidylethanolamine - RA retinoic acid     

Incorporation of [3H]ethanolamine into acetylcholine by a human cholinergic neuroblastoma clone

Human neuroblastoma cholinergic LA-N-2 cells were used as an experimental model to test the possibility that the methylation of phosphoethanolamine (PEtn) to phosphocholine (PCho) and free choline (Cho) (Andriamampandry et al. 1989) could contribute to acetylcholine (AcCho) synthesis. LA-N-2 cells were incubated with [³H]Cho for 90 min and 22.7% of the radioactivity was present in PCho, 18.5% in free Cho and 4.8% as AcCho. The ratio of Cho/AcCho, however, was of about 1 after 16 hours of incubation. The incorporation of 10M [³H]ethanolamine (Etn) into MeEtn, PMeEtn, PMe₂Etn and their corresponding phospholipids was reduced in cells incubated in medium containing 7.2M choline as compared to cells incubated in medium devoid of choline indicating that the lack of Cho from the incubation medium stimulated the conversion of PEtn to Cho water soluble derivatives. Incubation of LA-N-2 cells with [³H]Etn led to the labelling of [³H]AcCho. Cultures incubated in parallel with [³H]Cho showed that roughly 10% of [³H]AcCho obtained after 16 hrs of incubation with the Cho label derived from [³H]Etn. The synthesis of Cho and AcCho from Etn may be enhanced after cellular differentiation induced by the growth of the cells in the presence of retinoic acid (RA). The results indicate that the methylation of [³H]Etn and/or of [³H]PEtn may be used by cholinergic neurons as precursor for AcCho.Abbreviations Etn ethanolamine - MeEtn monomethylethanolamine - Me₂Etn dimethylethanolamine - P- phosphoryl - AcCho acetylcholine - Ptd phosphatidyl - LPtd lysophosphatidyl - RA retinoic acid     

Choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase are separate, soluble enzymes in rat liver.

Choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase are located in the cytosol from rat liver and have been copurified more than 500-fold by affinity chromatography [P. J. Brophy and D. E. Vance (1976) FEBS Lett. 62, 123-125]. Kinetic properties of the two activities were determined. Choline kinase had a Km for choline of 0.033 mM and ethanolamine was a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 6.2 mM). Ethanolamine kinase had a Km for ethanolamine of 7.7 mM and choline was a 'mixed' type of inhibitor with a Ki of 0.037 mM. Both enzymes activities responded in a similar fashion to the adenylate energy charge. Betaine and choline phosphate partially inhibited both kinases with a 93% inhibition of the ethanolamine kinase by 5 mM choline phosphate. CTP and ethanolaminephosphate partially inhibited the ethanolamine kinase, but not the choline kinase. Other metabolites tested had negliglible effects on both kinases. The affinity-column-purified enzyme was analyzed by disc gel electrophoresis which resolved the two activities. Hence, although many of the properties of the two activities are similar, choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase must be separate enzymes. Analysis of rat liver cytosol by disc gel electrophoresis indicated four isoenzymes for choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase.     

Choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase activity in the cytosol of nerve endings from rat forebrain.

Both choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase are present in the cytosol of nerve endings prepared from rat brain are the products of their action, phosphocholine (84 nmol/g fresh wt. of brain) and phosphoethanolamine (190 nmol/g fresh wt. of brain). In contrast with the enzymes from the cytosol of whole brain, both are as equally active at pH 7.5 as 9.0. Determination of kinase activity in membrane-containing tissue samples at pH9 gives low values because of the activity of alkaline phosphatase. Choline kinase, but not ethanolamine kinase, requires Mg2+ in excess of that required for the formation of the MgATP complex and is inhibited by an excess of free ATP. The Km for choline is 2.6mM and for ethanolamine is 2.2mM. The differing requirements for ATP and Mg2+ and the inhibition of choline kinase, but not ethanolamine kinase, by hemicholinium-3 suggest either the presence of two separate enzymes or two different active sites on the same enzyme.     

Purification and characterization of choline/ethanolamine kinase from rat liver

Choline kinase, the first enzyme in the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis, was purified 26,000-fold from rat liver to a specific activity of 143,000 nmol.min-1.mg-1 protein. The subunit molecular mass was 47 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, while the apparent native molecular mass was 160 kDa by size exclusion chromatography, suggesting a tetrameric structure. Two peaks of choline kinase activity were obtained by chromatofocusing. These isoforms eluted at pH 4.7 (CKI) and 4.5 (CKII). CKII appeared to be homogeneous by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Peptide mapping of two isoforms indicated a high degree of similarity, although there were peptides not common to both. Ethanolamine kinase activity copurified with both isoforms. The ratio of choline to ethanolamine kinase activity was 3.7 +/- 0.7 throughout the purification procedure. Choline and ethanolamine were mutually competitive inhibitors. The respective Km values, 0.013 and 1.2 mM, were similar to the Ki values of 0.014 and 2.2 mM. An antibody raised against CKII immunoprecipitated both choline and ethanolamine kinase activities from liver cytosol at the same titer. These data suggest that both activities reside on the same protein and occur at the same active site. Similarly, both activities were immunoprecipitated from brain, lung, and kidney cytosols. Western blot analysis showed both purified liver isoforms, as well as brain, lung and kidney enzymes, to have a molecular mass of 47 kDa.     

Multiple isoforms of choline kinase from Caenorhabditis elegans: cloning,expression, purification,and characterization

Choline kinase is the first enzymatic step in the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. The genome of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, contains seven genes that appear likely to encode choline and/or ethanolamine kinases. We cloned five and expressed four of these genes, and purified or partially purified three of the encoded enzymes. All expressed proteins had choline kinase activity; those that most closely resemble the mammalian choline kinases were the most active. CKA-2, a very active form, was purified to near homogeneity. The K(m) values for CKA-2 were 1.6 and 2.4 mM for choline and ATP, respectively, and k(cat) was 74 s(-1). CKA-2 was predominantly a homodimer as assessed by glycerol gradient sedimentation and dynamic light scattering. CKB-2, which was less similar to mammalian choline kinases, had K(m) values for choline and ATP of 13 and 0.7 mM, and k(cat) was 3.8 s(-1). Both of these highly purified enzymes required magnesium, had very alkaline pH optima, and were much more active with choline as substrate than with ethanolamine. These results provide a foundation for future studies on the structure and function of choline kinases, as well as studies on the genetic analysis of the function of the multiple isoforms in this organism.     

Choline kinase in Cuscuta reflexa

1. Choline kinase is a mitochondrial enzyme in Cuscuta reflexa. It can be solubilized from the particles by treatment with 350mm-sodium chloride, or by freezing and thawing. 2. Choline kinase of C. reflexa was purified by starting from the crude mitochondrial fraction. A 33-52% recovery of the enzyme, on the basis of the activity in the original homogenate, in 1200-2250-fold enrichment, was effected. 3. The purified preparation of choline kinase had a sigmoid saturation curve with respect to choline, with a Hill number of 2.3, and was inhibited by ADP (competitive in nature and allosteric in binding, with a Hill number of 2.7) and by phosphorylcholine (non-competitive and non-allosteric). The kinetic characteristics of the enzyme were consistent with the K type allosteric model of Monod et al. (1965). 4. The enzyme was desensitized, with respect to choline regulation, by prolonged storage in the cold, was activated significantly on warming before assay and was inactivated by high concentrations of sodium chloride. 5. The significance of allostery in choline kinase in relation to the intracellular regulation of phospholipid synthesis is discussed.     

Lipid metabolism in germinating seeds. Purification of ethanolamine kinase from soya bean.

Ethanolamine kinase has been purified to homogeneity from germinating soya bean (Glycine max L.) seeds. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 17--19 000 as estimated by gel filtration and sodium dodecyl suphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It would not phosphorylate choline, had a Km for ethanolamine of 8 microM and utilised Mg-ATP. The kinase could be purified in a 37 000 molecular weight form (dimer) which would easily dissociate on storage. In contrast to ethanolamine kinase whose activity was unaffected by the presence of choline in the assay system, soya bean choline kinase, although not phosphorylating ethanolamine, was competitively inhibited by the latter. The purification of specific choline and ethanolamine kinases from germinating soya bean confirmed in vivo observations which had indicated separate enzymes.     

Partial purification and properties of ethanolamine kinase from spinach leaf.

Ethanolamine kinase was purified 60-fold by fractionation with ammonium sulfate, freeze-thawing, and gel filtration from a 100,000g supernatant from spinach leaf. The 100,00g supernatant preparation was stable for weeks, but the partially purified preparation lost half of the ethanolamine kinase activity in 10–14 days at 0–4 °C or ?20 °C. A molecular weight of 110,000 was estimated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The reaction required ethanolamine (K_m, 42 μm), MgATP (K_m, 63 μm), and free magnesium ions. The enzyme was inhibited by MgATP, with an apparent K_i of 6.7 mm. Ethanolamine kinase was inhibited by calcium (in the presence of magnesium) and o-phenanthroline. EDTA above 0.9 mm inhibited the formation of phosphorylethanolamine and EGTA stimulated at low concentrations (0.4-0.9 mm) and inhibited at 1.8 mm. Ethanolamine kinase was inhibited by monomethylethanolamine and dimethylethanolamine, but not by choline (5 mm). The ethanolamine kinase and choline kinase activities of the 100,000g supernatant preparation could be separated by gel electrophoresis     

Choline and ethanolamine phosphotransferase activities in glomerular particles isolated from bovine cerebellar cortex

Isolated cerebellar glomeruli provide a relatively homogenous subcellular fraction, which can be used to study the biochemical events related to chemical transmission within a well-characterized central synapse. Choline and ethanolamine phosphotransferase activities were identified and partially characterized in this nerve ending preparation. Choline phosphotransferase associated with the glomerular particles required Mg²⁺, while ethanolamine phosphotransferase required Mn²⁺ for optimal activities. Both enzymes were inhibited by exogenous Ca²⁺. The apparent V_max values were 35.9 and 10.0 nmol/hr per mg protein for the choline and ethanolamine phosphotransferases, respectively. The apparentK _m value for the CDPcholine substrate was 28.6 M, and theK _m for CDPethanolamine was 8.3 M. Neither enzyme responded to the various adenine nucleotides, neurotransmitters or neurotransmitter agonists tested. However, exposure of the glomerular particles to cytidine nucleotides inhibited ethanolamine phosphotransferase activity and stimulated choline phosphotransferase activity.     

Molecular characterization and localization of Plasmodium falciparum choline kinase

Generation of phosphocholine by choline kinase is important for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis via Kennedy pathway and phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis is essential for intraerythrocytic growth of malaria parasite. A putative gene (Gene ID PF14_0020) in chromosome 14, having highest sequence homology with choline kinase, has been identified by BLAST searches from P. falciparum genome sequence database. This gene has been PCR amplified, cloned, over-expressed and characterized. Choline kinase activity of the recombinant protein (PfCK) was validated as it catalyzed the formation of phosphocholine from choline in presence of ATP. The K_m values for choline and ATP are found to be 145 ± 20 μM and 2.5 ± 0.3 mM, respectively. PfCK can phosphorylate choline efficiently but not ethanolamine. Southern blotting indicates that PfCK is a single copy gene and it is a cytosolic protein as evidenced by Western immunoblotting and confocal microscopy. A model structure of PfCK was constructed based on the crystal structure of choline kinase of C. elegans to search the structural homology. Consistent with the homology modeling predictions, CD analysis indicates that the α and β content of PfCK are 33% and 14%, respectively. Since choline kinase plays a vital role for growth and multiplication of P. falciparum during intraerythrocytic stages, we can suggest that this well characterized PfCK may be exploited in the screening of new choline kinase inhibitors to evaluate their antimalarial activity.     

Partial purification of a phosphoethanolamine methyltransferase from rat brain cytosol

The conversion of phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine requires 3 separate N-methyltransferases. We had previously purified the enzyme catalyzing the last methylation, phosphodimethylethanolamine N-methyltransferase. We have successfully purified the enzyme catalyzing the initial methylation of phosphoethanolamine. A 434 fold purified enzyme from rat brain was obtained by the sequential use of ammonium sulfate fractionation, Q-Sepharose fast flow column chromatography and a -aminoethyl agarose column chromatography. The pH optimum was 11 or greater, the Km value for phosphoethanolamine was 167.8±41.7 M and the Vmax was 487.3±85 mmoles/mg/hr. The kinetics for S-adenosyl-methionine, the methyldonor, has characteristics of cooperative binding with a Km of 1.805±0.59 mM and a Vmax of 16.9±3.6 moles/mg/hr. The activity was stimulated 6 fold by 2.5 mM MnCl₂ and inhibited by DZA and S-adenosylhomocysteine. These results reinforce the early in vivo observations which had provided suggestive evidence for the existence of a pathway for the methylation of phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine in rat brain.Abbreviations used Adomet S-adenosylmethionine - AdoHcy S-adenosyl-homocysteine - CAPS 3-(cyclohexyl)amino-1-propanesulphonic acid - Cho choline - 3-DZA 3-deazaadenosine - Etn ethanolamine - N-MT N-methyltransferase - PEG polyethyleneglycol - PMSF phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride - PEtn phosphoethanolamine - PCho phosphocholine - PMe₂Etn phosphodimethylethanolamine - PtdCho phosphatidylcholine - PtdEtn phosphatidylethanolamine     

Evidence for the existence of a single enzyme catalyzing the phosphorylation of choline and ethanolamine in primate lung.

Choline kinase (ATP:choline phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.32) has been isolated and purified 1000-fold from adult African Green monkey lung with a yield of 10%. The purified enzyme also phosphorylated ethanolamine (ratio of ethanolamine kinase to choline kinase = 0.30). This ratio remained constant throughout the purification procedure. The Km for choline (3.0 - 10(-5) M) was lower than that of ethanolamine (1.2 - 10(-3) M.) Choline was also found to inhibit ethanolamine kinase activity by 50% at a concentration of 0.005 mM, while ethanolamine inhibited choline only at very high concentrations (100--150 mM). When the enzyme was subjected to inactivation by heat, hemicholinium-3, trypsin digestion, and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, both ethanolamine kinase and choline kinase activities were destroyed at the same rate. Freezing and thawing in the absence of glycerol also destroyed both activities at the same rate. Based on these findings, we conclude that in adult African Green monkey lung tissue, there is only one enzyme for the phosphorylation of ethanolamine and choline, and that choline phosphorylation predominates.     

Complete co-purification of choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase from rat kidney and immunological evidence for both kinase activities residing on the same enzyme protein(s) in rat tissues

Choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase were completely co-purified from rat kidney cytosol through acid treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, Sephadex G-150 gel filtration followed by choline-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The final preparation appeared to be highly homogeneous with respect to both native and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Ishidate, K., Nakagomi, K. and Nakazawa, Y. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 14706-14710). Throughout the purification steps, the ratio of ethanolamine kinase activity to choline kinase activity was almost constant in a range of 0.3-0.4, which strongly indicated that, in rat kidney, both activities could reside on a single enzyme protein. The rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against highly purified rat kidney choline (ethanolamine) kinase protein inhibited both choline and ethanolamine kinase activities in a parallel manner in crude enzyme preparations not only from rat kidney, but also from rat liver, lung and intestinal cytosols. The results, together with our previous findings, suggested strongly that, in rat tissues, at least large portions of both kinase activities are present on the same enzyme protein(s). The kinetic properties of both kinase reactions with the highly purified kidney enzyme were compared in some detail and the overall result suggested that choline kinase and ethanolamine kinase activities may not have a common active site on a single enzyme protein.     

Ethanolamine kinase from Culex pipiens fatigans

Ethanolamine kinase was partially purified from the larvae of Culex pipiens fatigans and its properties were studied. The enzyme was separated from choline kinase by acetic acid precipitation at pH 5.0 of a 13,000g supernatant of the larval homogenate. Alkaline phosphatase activity was removed from the enzyme preparation by the acid treatment followed by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The enzyme was localized in the cytosolic fraction and had a requirement for Mg²⁺ as a cofactor. The K_m values for ethanolamine and ATP were 4 × 10^?4 and 1.54 × 10^?4m, respectively. The affinity of the enzyme for nucleotide triphosphates was in the order, ATP > ITP > GTP while UTP and CTP were poorly utilized. p-Chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide inhibited the enzyme activity and reduced glutathione protected the enzyme from their inhibition. Choline and serine had no effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 44, 000 daltons as determined by gel filtration chromatography. Eggs contained the highest specific activity of the enzyme while adult insects had the highest total enzyme activity.     

Complete purification of choline kinase from rat kidney and preparation of rabbit antibody against rat kidney choline kinase

Choline kinase was purified from rat kidney to apparent homogeneity with respect to both native and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme showed a minimum molecular weight of 42,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. On the other hand, the molecular size of 75,000-80,000 was estimated through Sephadex G-150 gel filtration, indicating that the enzyme in rat kidney exists most likely in a dimeric form. Specific antibody was raised in rabbit against the highly purified rat kidney choline kinase protein, then immunochemical cross-reactivity was investigated between rabbit antiserum and choline kinase preparations from various rat tissues. The antiserum inhibited choline kinase activity almost completely in the crude preparation not only from kidney but also from lung, intestine, and normal untreated liver cytosol, but it could inhibit only partially the activity from either 3-methylcholanthrene- or carbon tetrachloride-induced rat liver cytosol. The overall results demonstrated that, although choline kinase protein appears to exist in multiple forms in rat tissues, most of them are immunochemically identical, and that either 3-methylcholanthrene- or carbon tetrachloride-inducible form(s) of choline kinase in rat liver could be quite different from a form or forms existing in normal untreated rat liver cytosol.     

Choline kinase activity in the developing rat spinal cord: differential development of hemicholinium-3 sensitive and insensitive activity.

Abstract— Choline kinase (ATP:cholinephosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.32) activity was measured in preparations of lumbar spinal cord from rats ranging in development from 12 days of gestation to 46 days of age. The enzyme activity was measured with a radiochemical assay procedure suitable for whole tissue preparations which are rich in ATP-metabolizing enzymes. Total choline kinase activity was further differentiated into hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) sensitive and HC-3 insensitive components. The specific activity of choline kinase (unhibited) increased 3-fold during the prenatal period and subsequently decreased to relatively low levels by birth. There was no significant change in choline kinase activity throughout the postnatal period. The ontogenetic patterns for the HC-3 sensitive and HC-3 insensitive components of choline kinase activity had transient peaks in activity during the prenatal period; however, these peaks in specific activity for the 2 components were 2–3 days out of phase temporally. HC-3 insensitive activity reached a peak at 18 days of gestation while the HC-3 sensitive activity peaked at 2CL21 days of gestation. In the 10-day-old rat, the apparent choline K_m values were 0.56 and 0.16 MM for the total activity, 0.58 and 0.13 mM for the HC-3 insensitive activity, and 0.47 for the HC-3 sensitive activity.     

Choline Synthesis in Spinach in Relation to Salt Stress

Choline metabolism was examined in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) plants growing under nonsaline and saline conditions. In spinach, choline is required for phosphatidylcholine synthesis and as a precursor for the compatible osmolyte glycine betaine (betaine). When control (nonsalinized) leaf discs were incubated for up to 2 h with [1,2-14C]ethanolamine, label appeared in the N-methylated derivatives of phosphoethanolamine including phosphomono-, phosphodi-, and phosphotri- (i.e. phosphocholine) methyl-ethanolamine, as well as in choline and betaine, whereas no radioactivity could be detected in the mono- and dimethylated derivatives of the free base ethanolamine. Leaf discs from salinized plants showed the same pattern of labeling, although the proportion of label that accumulated in betaine was almost 3-fold higher in the salinized leaf discs. Enzymes involved in choline metabolism were assayed in crude leaf extracts of plants. The activites of ethanolamine kinase and of the three S-adenosylmethionine:phospho-base N-methyltransferase enzymes responsible for N-methylating phosphoethanolamine to phosphocholine were all higher in extracts of plants salinized step-wise to 100, 200, or 300 mM NaCI compared with controls. In contrast, choline kinase, phosphocholine phosphatase, and cytidine 5[prime]-triphosphate: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activities showed little variation with salt stress. Thus, the increased diversion of choline to betaine in salt-stressed spinach appears to be mediated by the increased activity of several key enzymes involved in choline biosynthesis.     

Ethanolamine kinase controls neuroblast divisions in Drosophila mushroom bodies

The Drosophila mushroom bodies (MBs), paired brain structures composed of vertical and medial lobes, achieve their final organization at metamorphosis. The alpha lobe absent (ala) mutant randomly lacks either the vertical lobes or two of the median lobes. We characterize the ala axonal phenotype at the single-cell level, and show that the ala mutation affects Drosophila ethanolamine (Etn) kinase activity and induces Etn accumulation. Etn kinase is overexpressed in almost all cancer cells. We demonstrate that this enzymatic activity is required in MB neuroblasts to allow a rapid rate of cell division at metamorphosis, linking Etn kinase activity with mitotic progression. Tight control of the pace of neuroblast division is therefore crucial for completion of the developmental program in the adult brain.     

Cloning, Expression, and Purification of Choline Dehydrogenase from the Moderate Halophile Halomonas elongata

Choline dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.1) catalyzes the four-electron oxidation of choline to glycine-betaine via a betaine-aldehyde intermediate. Such a reaction is of considerable interest for biotechnological applications in that transgenic plants engineered with bacterial glycine-betaine-synthesizing enzymes have been shown to have enhanced tolerance towards various environmental stresses, such as hypersalinity, freezing, and high temperatures. To date, choline dehydrogenase has been poorly characterized in its biochemical and kinetic properties, mainly because its purification has been hampered by instability of the enzyme in vitro. In the present report, we cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli the betA gene from the moderate halophile Halomonas elongata which codes for a hypothetical choline dehydrogenase. The recombinant enzyme was purified to more than 70% homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by treatment with 30 to 50% saturation of ammonium sulfate followed by column chromatography using DEAE-Sepharose. The purified enzyme showed similar substrate specificities with either choline or betaine-aldehyde as the substrate, as indicated by the apparent V/K values (where V is the maximal velocity and K is the Michaelis constant) of 0.9 and 0.6 μmol of O₂ min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ mM⁻¹ at pH 7 and 25°C, respectively. With 1 mM phenazine methosulfate as the primary electron acceptor, the apparent V_max values for choline and betaine-aldehyde were 10.9 and 5.7 μmol of O₂ min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively. These V_max values decreased four- to sevenfold when molecular oxygen was used as the electron acceptor. Altogether, the kinetic data are consistent with the conclusion that H. elongata betA codes for a choline dehydrogenase that can also act as an oxidase when electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen are not available.