Phosphonate analogues of diadenosine 5',5'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate as substrates or inhibitors of procaryotic and eucaryotic enzymes degrading dinucleoside tetraphosphates

The substrate specificity of procaryotic and eucaryotic AppppA-degrading enzymes was investigated with phosphonate analogues of diadenosine 5',5'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (AppppA). App(CH2)ppA (I), App(CHBr)ppA (II), and Appp(CH2)pA (III), but not Ap(CH2)pp(CH2)pA (IV), are substrates for lupin AppppA hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.17) and phosphodiesterase I (EC 3.1.4.1). None of the four analogues is hydrolyzed by bacterial AppppA hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.41), and only analogue III is degraded by yeast AppppA phosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.53). The analogues are competitive inhibitors of all four enzymes. The affinity of analogue IV is 3-40-fold lower than that of analogues I-III for all four enzymes. Introduction of one methylene (as in I and III) [or bromomethylene (as in II)] group into AppppA results in a 3-15-fold increase of its affinity for lupin and Escherichia coli AppppA hydrolases. The same modifications only negligibly (10-30%) affect its affinity for yeast AppppA phosphorylase and decrease its affinity for lupin phosphodiesterase I about 2.5-fold. The data provide further evidence for the heterogeneity among catalytic sites of all four AppppA-degrading enzymes.     

P alpha-chiral phosphorothioate analogues of bis(5''-adenosyl)tetraphosphate (Ap4A); their enzymatic synthesis and degradation.

Synthesis of Sp and Rp diastereomers of Ap4A alpha S has been characterized in two enzymatic systems, the lysyl-tRNA synthetase from Escherichia coli and the Ap4A alpha, beta-phosphorylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The synthetase was able to use both (Sp)ATP alpha S and (Rp)ATP alpha S as acceptors of adenylate thus yielding corresponding monothioanalogues of Ap4A,(Sp) Ap4A alpha S and (Rp)Ap4A alpha S. No dithiophosphate analogue was formed. Relative synthetase velocities of the formation of Ap4A,(Sp) Ap4A alpha S and (Rp)Ap4A alpha S were 1:0.38:0.15, and the computed Km values for (Sp)ATP alpha S and (Rp)ATP alpha S were 0.48 and 1.34 mM, respectively. The yeast Ap4A phosphorylase synthesized (Sp)Ap4A alpha S and (Rp)Ap4A alpha S using adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) as source of adenylate. The adenylate was accepted by corresponding thioanalogues of ATP. In that system, relative velocities of Ap4A, (Sp)Ap4A alpha S and (Rp)Ap4A alpha S formation were 1:0.15:0.60. The two isomeric phosphorothioate analogues of Ap4A were tested as substrates for the following specific Ap4A-degrading enzymes: (asymmetrical) Ap4A hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.17) from yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus) seeds hydrolyzed each of the analogues to AMP and the corresponding isomer of ATP alpha S; (symmetrical) Ap4A hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.41) from E. coli produced ADP and the corresponding diastereomer of ADP alpha S; and Ap4A phosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.53) from S. cerevisiae cleaved the Rp isomer only at the unmodified end yielding ADP and (Rp)ATP alpha S whereas the Sp isomer was degraded non-specifically yielding a mixture of ADP, (Sp)ADP alpha S, ATP and (Sp)ATP alpha S. For all the Ap4A-degrading enzymes, the Rp isomer of Ap4A alpha S appeared to be a better substrate than its Sp counterpart; stereoselectivity of the three enzymes for the Ap4A alpha S diastereomers is 51, 6 and 2.5, respectively. Basic kinetic parameters of the degradation reactions are presented and structural requirements of the Ap4A-metabolizing enzymes with respect to the potential substrates modified at the Ap4A-P alpha are discussed.     

Cloning, characterisation and crystallisation of a diadenosine 5',5"'-P(1),P(4)-tetraphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase from Caenorhabditis elegans.

Asymmetrically cleaving diadenosine 5',5"'-P(1),P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolase activity has been detected in extracts of adult Caenorhabditis elegans and the corresponding cDNA amplified and expressed in Escherichia coli. As expected, sequence analysis shows the enzyme to be a member of the Nudix hydrolase family. The purified recombinant enzyme behaves as a typical animal Ap4A hydrolase. It hydrolyses Ap4A with a K(m) of 7 microM and k(cat) of 27 s(-1) producing AMP and ATP as products. It is also active towards other adenosine and diadenosine polyphosphates with four or more phosphate groups, but not diadenosine triphosphate, always generating ATP as one of the products. It is inhibited non-competitively by fluoride (K(i)=25 microM) and competitively by adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate with Ap4A as substrate (K(i)=10 nM). Crystals of diffraction quality with the morphology of rectangular plates were readily obtained and preliminary data collected. These crystals diffract to a minimum d-spacing of 2 A and belong to either space group C222 or C222(1). Phylogenetic analysis of known and putative Ap4A hydrolases of the Nudix family suggests that they fall into two groups comprising plant and Proteobacterial enzymes on the one hand and animal and archaeal enzymes on the other. Complete structural determination of the C. elegans Ap4A hydrolase will help determine the basis of this grouping.     

Studies on some specific Ap4A-degrading enzymes with the use of various methylene analogues of P1P4-bis-(5'',5''''''-adenosyl) tetraphosphate.

Six new methylenephosphonate analogues of P1P4-bis-(5',5'-adenosyl) tetraphosphate, Ap4A, having P2-P3 carbon bridges CF2, CCl2 and CH2CH2 or P1-P2 and P3-P4 carbon bridges CF2, CCl2 and CH2CH2 in the tetraphosphate chain, were examined as substrates or inhibitors for two specific Ap4A-degrading enzymes: (asymmetrical) Ap4A hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.17) from yellow-lupin seeds and (symmetrical) Ap4A hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.41) from Escherichia coli. All analogues in which the central oxygen atom was replaced by a stable carbon bridge were hydrolysed by the asymmetrical hydrolase (CF2 greater than CCl2 greater than O greater than CHBr greater than CH2 greater than CH2CH2). As expected, these analogues were not hydrolysed by the symmetrical hydrolase, which was also unable to act on analogues having P1-P2 and P3-P4 carbon bridges.     

The structure of Ap(4)A hydrolase complexed with ATP-MgF(x) reveals the basis of substrate binding

Ap(4)A hydrolases are Nudix enzymes that regulate intracellular dinucleoside polyphosphate concentrations, implicating them in a range of biological events, including heat shock and metabolic stress. We have demonstrated that ATP x MgF(x) can be used to mimic substrates in the binding site of Ap(4)A hydrolase from Lupinus angustifolius and that, unlike previous substrate analogs, it is in slow exchange with the enzyme. The three-dimensional structure of the enzyme complexed with ATP x MgF(x) was solved and shows significant conformational changes. The substrate binding site of L. angustifolius Ap(4)A hydrolase differs markedly from the two previously published Nudix enzymes, ADP-ribose pyrophosphatase and MutT, despite their common fold and the conservation of active site residues. The majority of residues involved in substrate binding are conserved in asymmetrical Ap(4)A hydrolases from pathogenic bacteria, but are absent in their human counterparts, suggesting that it might be possible to generate compounds that target bacterial, but not human, Ap(4)A hydrolases.     

Selective degradation of 2'-adenylated diadenosine tri- and tetraphosphates, Ap(3)A and Ap(4)A, by two specific human dinucleoside polyphosphate hydrolases

It is known that the interferon-inducible 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase can catalyze the 2'-adenylation of various diadenosine polyphosphates. However, catabolism of those 2'-adenylated compounds has not been investigated so far. This study shows that the mono- and bis-adenylated (or mono- and bis-deoxyadenylated) diadenosine triphosphates are not substrates of the human Fhit (fragile histidine triad) protein, which acts as a typical dinucleoside triphosphate hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.29). In contrast, the diadenosine tetraphosphate counterparts are substrates for the human (asymmetrical) Ap(4)A hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.17). The relative rates of the hydrolysis of 0.15 mM AppppA, (2'-pdA)AppppA, and (2'-pdA)AppppA(2"'-pdA) catalyzed by the latter enzyme were determined as 100:232:38, respectively. The asymmetrical substrate was hydrolyzed to ATP + (2'-pdA)AMP (80%) and to (2'-pdA)ATP + AMP (20%). The human Fhit protein, for which Ap(4)A is a poor substrate, did not degrade the 2'-adenylated diadenosine tetraphosphates either. The preference of the interferon-inducible 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase to use Ap(3)A over Ap(4)A as a primer for 2'-adenylation and the difference in the recognition of the 2'-adenylated diadenosine triphosphates versus the 2'-adenylated diadenosine tetraphosphates by the dinucleoside polyphosphate hydrolases described here provide a mechanism by which the ratio of the 2'-adenylated forms of the signalling molecules, Ap(3)A and Ap(4)A, could be regulated in vivo.     

Methylene analogues of adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate. Their chemical synthesis and recognition by human and plant mononucleoside tetraphosphatases and dinucleoside tetraphosphatases

Adenosine 5'-polyphosphates have been identified in vitro, as products of certain enzymatic reactions, and in vivo. Although the biological role of these compounds is not known, there exist highly specific hydrolases that degrade nucleoside 5'-polyphosphates into the corresponding nucleoside 5'-triphosphates. One approach to understanding the mechanism and function of these enzymes is through the use of specifically designed phosphonate analogues. We synthesized novel nucleotides: alpha,beta-methylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (pppCH2pA), beta,gamma-methylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (ppCH2ppA), gamma,delta-methylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (pCH2pppA), alphabeta,gammadelta-bismethylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (pCH2ppCH2pA), alphabeta, betagamma-bismethylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (ppCH2pCH2pA) and betagamma, gammadelta-bis(dichloro)methylene-adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (pCCl2pCCl2ppA), and tested them as potential substrates and/or inhibitors of three specific nucleoside tetraphosphatases. In addition, we employed these p4A analogues with two asymmetrically and one symmetrically acting dinucleoside tetraphosphatases. Of the six analogues, only pppCH2pA is a substrate of the two nucleoside tetraphosphatases (EC 3.6.1.14), from yellow lupin seeds and human placenta, and also of the yeast exopolyphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.11). Surprisingly, none of the six analogues inhibited these p4A-hydrolysing enzymes. By contrast, the analogues strongly inhibit the (asymmetrical) dinucleoside tetraphosphatases (EC 3.6.1.17) from human and the narrow-leafed lupin. ppCH2ppA and pCH2pppA, inhibited the human enzyme with Ki values of 1.6 and 2.3 nm, respectively, and the lupin enzyme with Ki values of 30 and 34 nm, respectively. They are thereby identified as being the strongest inhibitors ever reported for the (asymmetrical) dinucleoside tetraphosphatases. The three analogues having two halo/methylene bridges are much less potent inhibitors for these enzymes. These novel nucleotides should prove valuable tools for further studies on the cellular functions of mono- and dinucleoside polyphosphates and on the enzymes involved in their metabolism.     

The IalA invasion gene of Bartonella bacilliformis encodes a (de)nucleoside polyphosphate hydrolase of the MutT motif family and has homologs in other invasive bacteria

The product of the ialA invasion gene of Bartonella bacilliformis has been expressed as a thioredoxin fusion protein. It is a (di)nucleoside polyphosphate hydrolase of the MutT motif protein family with strong sequence similarity to plant diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolases. It hydrolyses nucleoside and dinucleoside polyphosphates with four or more phosphate groups, always producing an NTP as one product. Diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) is the preferred substrate with a Km of 10 microM and a kcat of 3.0 s-1. It is inhibited by Ca2+ and F- (Ki = 30 microM). Hydrolysis of Ap4A in H218O yielded [18O]AMP as the only labelled product. In terms of sequence, reaction mechanism and properties, IalA is very similar to eukaryotic Ap4A hydrolases and unlike previously described bacterial Ap4A hydrolases. Homologs are present in the genomes of other invasive pathogens. They may function to reduce stress-induced dinucleotide levels during invasion and so enhance pathogen survival.     

Enzymes hydrolyzing ApppA and/or AppppA in higher plants. Purification and some properties of diadenosine triphosphatase, diadenosine tetraphosphatase, and phosphodiesterase from yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus) seeds

Three distinct enzymes hydrolyzing either ApppA or AppppA, or both, were separated and purified from yellow lupin seed extracts. Two of the enzymes were purified to homogeneity. These enzymes differ greatly in their catalytic and physical properties. One hydrolase, with a native molecular weight of 41,000, exhibits broad pH (from 5-8) optimum for activity, requires Mg2+ for activity, is inhibited by zinc ions (I0.5 = 25 microM) and hydrolyses ApppA (V = 1), ApppC (V = 0.38), ApppG (V = 0.2), and ribose(5')pppA (V = 0.2). The enzyme exhibits much lower activity with AppppA (V = 0.1), and ApppppA, AppppppA, ppppA, and ATP are hydrolyzed 25- to 100-fold slower then ApppA. ADP was always one of the products of the reactions catalyzed by the enzyme. AppA, NAD, NADP, FAD, cAMP, and p-nitrophenyl-thymidine 5'-phosphate were not hydrolyzed by the enzyme. The enzyme is diadenosine 5',5"'-P1, P3-triphosphatase. The second hydrolase, composed of one polypeptide chain of a molecular weight 18,000-18,500, exhibits optimal activity in the pH range from 7.5-9, requires Mg2+ for activity, is inhibited by calcium ions (I0.5 for calcium depends on the concentration of Mg2+ and is 35-180 microM in the presence of 0.5-10 mM Mg2+, respectively), and hydrolyzes AppppA (V = 1, Km = 1 microM), ApppppA (V = 0.42, Km = 1.8 microM), AppppppA (V = 0.34), AppppU (V = 0.73), AppppC (V = 0.67), AppppG (V = 0.27), and ppppA. ATP was always one of the products of the reactions catalyzed by the enzyme. Dinucleoside di- and triphosphates, ATP, cAMP, and p-nitrophenylthymidine 5'-phosphate were not hydrolyzed by the enzyme. This enzyme is diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P4-tetraphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.17). The third hydrolase, composed of one polypeptide chain of a molecular weight of 56,000, exhibits maximal activity at pH 9-10.5, does not require Mg2+ ions for activity, is inhibited neither by divalent cations (Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Mn2+, or Ni2+) nor by EDTA, and uses as substrates all compounds which are substrates for the diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P3-triphosphatase and diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P4-tetraphosphatase. In addition, the enzyme hydrolyzes p-nitrophenyl-thymidine 5'-phosphate, p-nitrophenylthymidine 3'-phosphate, bis-p-nitrophenylphosphate, ADP, AppA, NAD, NADP, and FAD, but not cAMP. With the exception of p-nitrophenylphosphate derivatives all other substrates of the enzyme yield AMP as one of the products of hydrolysis. This enzyme has a specificity similar to that of phosphodiesterases (EC 3.1.4.1) from other sources. With the lupin phosphodiesterase, ApppA (V = 1, Km = 2.2 microM) and AppppA (V = 1, Km = 2.0 microM) are better substrates than NAD (V = 0.8, Km = 9.6 microM), AppA (V = 0.4), ApppppA (V = 0.6), and AppppppA (V = 0.34).     

Specific Enzymes Degrading Diadenosine Tetraphosphate (Ap4 A). Promising Targets for Selective Drugs to be Designed

Abstract

Three types of specific Ap₄.A-degrading enzymes are known: asymmetrical Ap₄ A hydrolase, asymmetrical Ap₄.A hydrolase and Ap₄. A α,β-phosphorylase (ADP-forming). Since each of the enzymes is specific for different kingdom of the organisms and differs both in the mode of Ap.A degradation, interaction with metal ions and in substrate specificity, one can anticipate that new family of drugs could be designed which would selectively inhibit the microbial (bacterial, fungal or protozoan) enzymes without affecting the mammalian or plant counterparts.     

Diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolase from mouse liver. Purification to homogeneity and partial characterization

An enzyme hydrolyzing diadenosine 5',5"'P1, P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) to AMP and ATP has been purified to apparent homogeneity from mouse liver cell extracts. The isolation procedure comprised ammonium sulfate precipitation, chromatography on Sephadex G-75. DEAE-cellulose, blue Sepharose and AMP-Sepharose. The enzyme is a single polypeptide chain with a native Mr = 64,000 with a Km of 1.66 microM and Vmax of 1.25 mumol/min. AMP, ADP, Ap4, GTP, Gp4, Ap3A, Ap5A, Gp3G, and Gp5G are noncompetitive inhibitors of the Ap4A hydrolase activity, whereas Gp4G inhibits Ap4A hydrolysis competitively with a Ki of 6 microM. Theophylline, caffeine, and isobutylmethylxanthine do not or only slightly inhibit Ap4A hydrolysis. Mitogenic factors have no effect on the enzymatic activity of Ap4A hydrolase, excluding that a direct influence of internalized mitogens on Ap4A degradation could be responsible for mitogen-dependent fluctuation of intracellular Ap4A pool sizes.     

Identification and partial characterization of an adenosine(5'')tetraphospho(5'')adenosine hydrolase on intact bovine aortic endothelial cells.

The biologically active dinucleotides adenosine(5')tetraphospho(5')adenosine (Ap4A) and adenosine(5')-triphospho(5')adenosine (Ap3A), which are both releasable into the circulation from storage pools in thrombocytes, are catabolized by intact bovine aortic endothelial cells. 1. Compared with extracellular ATP and ADP, which are very rapidly hydrolysed, the degradation of Ap4A and Ap3A by endothelial ectohydrolases is relatively slow, resulting in a much longer half-life on the endothelial surface of the blood vessel. The products of hydrolysis are further degraded and finally taken up as adenosine. 2. Ap4A hydrolase has high affinity for its substrate (Km 10 microM). 3. ATP as well as AMP transiently accumulates in the extracellular fluid, suggesting an asymmetric split of Ap4A by the ectoenzyme. 4. Mg2+ or Mn2+ at millimolar concentration are needed for maximal activity; Zn2+ and Ca2+ are inhibitory. 5. The hydrolysis of Ap4A is retarded by other nucleotides, such as ATP and Ap3A, which are released from platelets simultaneously with Ap4A.     

Isolation and characterization of a dinucleoside triphosphatase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An enzyme able to cleave dinucleoside triphosphates has been purified 3,750-fold from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Contrary to the enzymes previously shown to catabolize Ap4A in yeast, this enzyme is a hydrolase rather than a phosphorylase. The dinucleoside triphosphatase molecular ratio estimated by gel filtration is 55,000. Dinucleoside triphosphatase activity is strongly stimulated by the presence of divalent cations. Mn2+ displays the strongest stimulating effect, followed by Mg2+, Co2+, Cd2+, and Ca2+. The Km value for Ap3A is 5.4 microM (50 mM Tris-HCl [pH 7.8], 5 mM MgCl2, and 0.1 mM EDTA; 37 degrees C). Dinucleoside polyphosphates are substrates of this enzyme, provided that they contain more than two phosphates and that at least one of the two bases is a purine (Ap3A, Ap3G, Ap3C, Gp3G, Gp3C, m7Gp3A, m7Gp3G, Ap4A, Ap4G, Ap4C, Ap4U, Gp4G, and Ap5A are substrates; AMP, ADP, ATP, Ap2A, and Cp4U are not). Among the products, a nucleoside monophosphate is always formed. The specificity of cleavage of methylated dinucleoside triphosphates and the molecular weight of dinucleoside triphosphatase indicate that this enzyme is different from the mRNA decapping enzyme previously characterized (A. Stevens, Mol. Cell. Biol. 8:2005-2010, 1988).     

Structure and substrate-binding mechanism of human Ap4A hydrolase

Asymmetric diadenosine 5',5'-P(1),P(4)-tetraphosphate (Ap(4)A) hydrolases play a major role in maintaining homeostasis by cleaving the metabolite diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap(4)A) back into ATP and AMP. The NMR solution structures of the 17-kDa human asymmetric Ap(4)A hydrolase have been solved in both the presence and absence of the product ATP. The adenine moiety of the nucleotide predominantly binds in a ring stacking arrangement equivalent to that observed in the x-ray structure of the homologue from Caenorhabditis elegans. The binding site is, however, markedly divergent to that observed in the plant/pathogenic bacteria class of enzymes, opening avenues for the exploration of specific therapeutics. Binding of ATP induces substantial conformational and dynamic changes that were not observed in the C. elegans structure. In contrast to the C. elegans homologue, important side chains that play a major role in substrate binding do not have to reorient to accommodate the ligand. This may have important implications in the mechanism of substrate recognition in this class of enzymes.     

Inhibition of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase by purine nucleoside analogues

To find out potent inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHase), several deazaadenosine analogues synthesized in this laboratory and some naturally occurring nucleoside analogues were examined with SAHases from yellow lupin seeds and rabbit liver. Neplanocin A, an antibiotic, inhibited both enzymes more potently than aristeromycin which was also an antibiotic and known as one of the most potent inhibitors of SAHase. The 3-deazaadenine derivatives (2'-deoxy, arabinosyl, xylosyl) inactivated lupin SAHase as potent as 3-deazaadenosine. Whereas, inhibitory activities of 1-deazaadenosine, its derivatives, and 7-deazaadenosine (tubercidin) were very weak.     

Extracellular hydrolysis of diadenosine polyphosphates, ApnA, by bovine chromaffin cells in culture.

An ectoenzyme hydrolyzing diadenosine polyphosphates (ApnA) to AMP and Ap(n-1) has been studied in cultured chromaffin cells from bovine adrenal medulla. The KM value for extracellular Ap4A hydrolysis was 2.90 +/- 0.72 microM, the V(max) value obtained was 11.59 +/- 0.92 pmol/min x 10(6) cells (116 pmol/min.mg total protein). Ap3A, Ap5A, Ap6A, and Gp4G were competitive inhibitors of Ap4A hydrolysis with K(i) values of 3.65, 1.10, 1.20, and 2.65 microM, respectively. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C removes the ApnA hydrolase activity from cultured chromaffin cells, suggesting an anchorage of this protein to the plasma membrane through the phosphatidylinositol. The turnover time for this enzyme calculated in the presence of cycloheximide was 38.94 +/- 1.53 hr for cultured chromaffin cells.     

Selective splitting of 3'-adenylated dinucleoside polyphosphates by specific enzymes degrading dinucleoside polyphosphates

Several 3'-[(32)P]adenylated dinucleoside polyphosphates (Np(n)N'p*As) were synthesized by the use of poly(A) polymerase (Sillero MAG et al., 2001, Eur J Biochem.; 268: 3605-11) and three of them, ApppA[(32)P]A or ApppAp*A, AppppAp*A and GppppGp*A, were tested as potential substrates of different dinucleoside polyphosphate degrading enzymes. Human (asymmetrical) dinucleoside tetraphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.17) acted almost randomly on both AppppAp*A, yielding approximately equal amounts of pppA + pAp*A and pA + pppAp*A, and GppppGp*, yielding pppG + pGp*A and pG + pppGp*A. Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) tetraphosphatase acted preferentially on the dinucleotide unmodified end of both AppppAp*A (yielding 90% of pppA + pAp*A and 10 % of pA + pppAp*A) and GppppGp*A (yielding 89% pppG + pGp*A and 11% of pG + pppGp*A). (Symmetrical) dinucleoside tetraphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.41) from Escherichia coli hydrolyzed AppppAp*A and GppppGp*A producing equal amounts of ppA + ppAp*A and ppG + ppGp*A, respectively, and, to a lesser extent, ApppAp*A producing pA + ppAp*A. Two dinucleoside triphosphatases (EC 3.6.1.29) (the human Fhit protein and the enzyme from yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus)) and dinucleoside tetraphosphate phosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.53) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae did not degrade the three 3'-adenylated dinucleoside polyphosphates tested.     

Assay of diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolytic enzymes by boronate chromatography

A new procedure was described for assay of diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolases based on boronate chromatography. Potential reaction products, AMP, ADP, and ATP, of the hydrolysis of Ap4A were separated from residual substrate by chromatography on a boronate-derivatized cation-exchange resin, Bio-Rex 70. Separation was achieved by changing the concentrations of ethanol and ammonium acetate in the elution buffers. Picomole masses of products were detectable, blank dpm values were less than 0.5% of the total dpm, and auxiliary enzymes were not required. The procedure was specifically described for Ap4A pyrophosphohydrolase from Physarum polycephalum. The assay is generally applicable for dinucleoside polyphosphate hydrolases which hydrolyze other substrates such as Ap3A, Ap5A, Ap6A, and Gp4G. Dinucleotide polyphosphates are readily purified by chromatography on this boronate resin in a volatile buffer. Tes, Tricine, and Tris buffers significantly interfered with the chromatography of ATP.     

Hydrolysis of some mRNA 5'-cap analogs catalyzed by the human Fhit protein--and lupin ApppA hydrolases.

Hydrolysis of the following four cap analogs: m7G(5')ppp(5')A, m7G(5')ppp(5')m6A, m7G(5')ppp(5')m2'OG and m7G(5')ppp(5')2'dG catalyzed by homogeneous human Fhit protein and yellow lupin Ap3A hydrolase has been investigated. The hydrolysis products were identified by HPLC analysis and the K(m) and Vmax values calculated based on the data obtained by the fluorimetric method.