Some properties of glutamate dehydrogenase,glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase from Corynebacterium callunae

Characteristics of the three major ammonia assimilatory enzymes, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) in Corynebacterium callunae (NCIB 10338) were examined. The GDH of C. callunae specifically required NADPH and NADP⁺ as coenzymes in the amination and deamination reactions, respectively. This enzyme showed a marked specificity for -ketoglutarate and glutamate as substrates. The optimum pH was 7.2 for NADPH-GDH activity (amination) and 9.0 for NADP⁺-GDH activity (deamination). The results showed that NADPH-GDH and NADP⁺-GDH activities were controlled primarily by product inhibition and that the feedback effectors alanine and valine played a minor role in the control of NADPH-GDH activity. The transferase activity of GS was dependent on Mn⁺² while the biosynthetic activity of the enzyme was dependent on Mg²⁺ as essential activators. The pH optima for transferase and biosynthetic activities were 8.0 and 7.0, respectively. In the transfer reaction, the K _m values were 15.2 mM for glutamine, 1.46 mM for hydroxylamine, 3.5×10^-3 mM for ADP and 1.03 mM for arsenate. Feedback inhibition by alanine, glycine and serine was also found to play an important role in controlling GS activity. In addition, the enzyme activity was sensitive to ATP. The transferase activity of the enzyme was responsive to ionic strength as well as the specific monovalent cation present. GOGAT of C. callunae utilized either NADPH or NADH as coenzymes, although the latter was less effective. The enzyme specifically required -ketoglutarate and glutamine as substrates. In cells grown in a medium with glutamate as the nitrogen source, the optimum pH was 7.6 for NADPH-GOGAT activity and 6.8 for NADH-GOGAT activity. Findings showed that NADPH-GOGAT and NADH-GOGAT activities were controlled by product inhibition caused by NADP⁺ and NAD⁺, respectively, and that ATP also had an important role in the control of NADPH-GOGAT activity. Both activities of GOGAT were found to be inhibited by azaserine.Abbreviations GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - GOGAT glutamate synthase - GS glutamine synthetase     

The role of malate in ammonia assimilation in cotyledons of radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

The relationships between the metabolism of malate, nitrogen assimilation and biosynthesis of amino acids in response to different nitrogen sources (nitrate and ammonium) have been examined in cotyledons of radish (Raphanus sativus L.). Measurements of the activities of some key enzymes and pulse-chase experiments with [¹⁴C]malate indicate the operation of an anaplerotic pathway for malate, which is involved in the synthesis of glutamine during increased ammonia assimilation. It is most likely that the tricarboxylicacid cycle is supplied with carbon through entry of malate, formed via the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-carboxylation pathway, when 2-oxoglutarate leaves the cycle to serve as precursor for an increased synthesis of glutamine via glutamate. This might occur predominantly in the cytosol via the activity of the glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase (GS/GOGAT) cycle, the NADH-dependent GOGAT being the rate-limiting activity.Abbreviations DTT dithiothreitol - EDTA ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid - GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - GOGAT glutamate synthase (glutamine: 2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase) - GOT aspartate aminotransferase (glutamate: oxaloacetate transaminase) - GS glutamine synthetase - HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography - MCF extraction medium of methanol: chloroform: 7M formic acid, 12:5:3, by vol. - MDH malate dehydrogenase - MSO L-methionine, sulfoximine - PEPCase phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase - TLC thin-layer chromatography     

Gene cloning, sequencing and enzymatic properties of glutamate synthase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus sp. KOD1

The gltA gene encoding a glutamate synthase (GOGAT) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus sp. KOD1 was cloned as a 6.6 kb HindIII-BamHI fragment. Sequence analysis indicates that gltA encodes a 481- amino acid protein (53 269 Da). The deduced amino acid sequence of KOD1-GltA includes conserved regions that are found in the small subunits of bacterial GOGAT: two cysteine clusters, an adenylate-binding consensus sequence and an FAD-binding consensus sequence. However, no sequences homologous to the large subunit of bacterial GOGAT were found in the upstream or downstream regions. In order to examine whether GltA alone can act as a functional GOGAT, GltA was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells using an expression plasmid. GltA was purified to homogeneity and shown to be functional as a homotetramer of approximately 205 kDa, which is equivalent to the molecular weight of the native GOGAT from KOD1, thus indicating that KOD1-GOGAT is the smallest known active GOGAT. GltA is capable of both glutamine-dependent and ammonia-dependent synthesis of glutamate. Synthesis of glutamate by KOD1-GltA required NADPH, indicating that this enzyme is an NADPH-GOGAT (EC 1.4.1.13). The optimum pH for both activities was 6.5. However, GltA exhibited different optimum temperatures for activity depending on the reaction assayed (glutamine-dependent reaction, 80° C; ammonia-dependent reaction, 90° C). Received: 30 October 1996 / Accepted: 13 January 1997     

Role of excitatory amino acids in the regulation of dopamine synthesis and release in the neostriatum

Summary We have explored the role of excitatory amino acids in the increased dopamine (DA) release that occurs in the neostriatum during stress-induced behavioral activation. Studies were performed in awake, freely moving rats, usingin vivo microdialysis. Extracellular DA was used as a measure of DA release; extracellular 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) after inhibition of DOPA decarboxylase provided a measure of apparent DA synthesis. Mild stress increased the synthesis and release of DA in striatum. DA synthesis and release also were enhanced by the intra-striatal infusion of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), an agonist at NMDA receptors, and kainic acid, an agonist at the DL-a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA)/kainate site. Stress-induced increase in DAsynthesis was attenuated by co-infusion of 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) or 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), antagonists of NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors, respectively. In contrast, intrastriatal APV, CNQX, or kynurenic acid (a non-selective ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist) did not block the stress-induced increase in DArelease. Stress-induced increase in DA release was, however, blocked by administration of tetrodotoxin along the nigrostriatal DA projection. It also was attenuated when APV was infused into substantia nigra. Thus, glutamate may act via ionotropic receptors within striatum to regulate DA synthesis, whereas glutamate may influence DA release via an action on receptors in substantia nigra. However, our method for monitoring DA synthesis lowers extracellular DA and this may permit the appearance of an intra-striatal glutamatergic influence by reducing a local inhibitory influence of DA. If so, under conditions of low extracellular DA glutamate may influence DA release, as well as DA synthesis, by an intrastriatal action. Such conditions might occur during prolonged severe stress and/or DA neuron degeneration. These results may have implications for the impact of glutamate antagonists on the ability of patients with Parkinson's disease to tolerate stress.     

Existence of two ferredoxin-glutamate synthases in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Isolation and insertional inactivation of gltB and gltS genes

The first two genes of ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT) from a prokaryotic organism, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, were cloned in Escherichia coli. Partial sequencing of the cloned genomic DNA, of the 6.3 kb Hind III and 9.3 kb Cla I fragments, confirmed the existence of two different genes coding for glutamate synthases, named gltB and gltS. The gltB gene was completely sequenced and encodes for a polypeptide of 1550 amino acid residues (M _r 168 964). Comparative analysis of the gltB deduced amino acid sequence against other glutamate synthases shows a higher identity with the alfalfa NADH-GOGAT (55.2%) than with the corresponding Fd-GOGAT from the higher plants maize and spinach (about 43%), the red alga Antithamnnion sp. (42%) or with the NADPH-GOGAT of bacterial source, such as Escherichia coli (41%) and Azospirillum brasilense (45%). The detailed analysis of Synechocystis gltB deduced amino acid sequence shows strongly conserved regions that have been assigned to the 3Fe-4S cluster (CX₅CHX₃C), the FMN-binding domain and the glutamine-amide transferase domain. Insertional inactivation of gltB and gltS genes revealed that both genes code for ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthases which were nonessential for Synechocystis growth, as shown by the ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase activity and western-blot analysis of the mutant strains.     

Glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase contribute differentially to proline accumulation in leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings exposed to different salinity

To investigate the roles of ammonium-assimilating enzymes in proline synthesis under salinity stress, the activities of glutamine synthetase (GS; EC 6.3.1.2) and NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH; EC 1.4.1.2) were determined in leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings exposed to salt stress at 150 and 300 mM NaCl for 5d. At the lower salinity, only GS activity increased markedly. At 300 mM NaCl, however, NADH-GDH activity increased while GS activity decreased. A significant accumulation of proline was found only at high-salinity exposure while glutamate, a proline precursor, increased dramatically under both low and high salinity. These data suggests that GS-catalysis might be the main glutamate synthesis pathway under low salinity. At 300 mM NaCl, glutamate seems to be preferentially produced through the process catalyzed by NADH-GDH. The increase of ammonium in salinity-stressed wheat seedlings might have resulted from increased photorespiration, which is responsible for the higher NADH-GDH activity. The activity of Delta(1)-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR; EC 1.5.1.2) was significantly enhanced at 300 mM NaCl but remained unchanged at 150 mM. Delta(1)-Pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (P5CS) activity did not show a specific response, indicating that P5CR might be the limiting step in proline synthesis from glutamate at high salinity.     

Changes in the activity of enzymes involved with primary nitrogen metabolism due to ectomycorrhizal symbiosis on jack pine seedlings

Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) seedlings were inoculated with either one of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, Laccaria bicolor (Maire) Orton or Pisolithus tinctorius (Pers.) Coker and Couch, and grown for 16 weeks in a growth chamber along with non-ECM controls. Five enzymes involved with the assimilation of nitrogen or the synthesis of amino acids were measured in the 3 jack pine root systems as well as in the pure fungal cultures. Pisolithus tinctorius in pure culture had no detectable activity of nitrate reductase (NR. EC 1.6.6.1), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH. EC 1.4.1.2), glutamate decarboxylase (GDCO. EC 4.1.1.15) or glutamate oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT, EC 1.4.1.13) but did have some glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activity. Laccaria bicolor in pure culture had no NR activity, small levels of GDCO activity, and high GS, GDH and GOGAT activity. The high levels of enzymatic activity present in L. bicolor indicate that it may play a greater role in the nitrogen metabolism of its host plant than P. tinctorius. ECM infection clearly altered the enzymatic activity in jack pine roots but the nature of these changes depended on the fungal associate. Non-ECM root systems had higher specific activities than ECM root systems for NR, GS, GDH and GDCO but GOGAT activites were the same for both the ECM and non-ECM roots. Root systems infected with L. bicolor had significantly greater NR and GDCO activity than those infected with P. tinctorius. Differences in the GS activity of the two fungi in pure culture corresponded to the GS activity of jack pine roots in symbiotic association with these fungi. While the free amino acid profiles in roots were significantly affected by ECM infection, the profile of free amino acids exported to the stem was the same for all treatments. High asparagine and low glutamine in roots infected with P. tinctorius indicates that asparagine synthetase (EC x.x.x.x) activity should be higher within this symbiotic association than in the L. bicolor association or in the non-mycorrhizal roots.     

Dietary Taurine Supplementation Prevents Glial Alterations in Retina of Diabetic Rats

The preventive effect of dietary taurine supplementation on glial alterations in retina of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was examined in this study. Blood glucose content, content of taurine, glutamate and <gamma>-amino butyric acid (GABA) and expression of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), glutamate transporter (GLAST), glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) in retina were determined in diabetic rats fed without or with 5% taurine in a controlled trial lasting 12 weeks, with normal rats fed without or with 5% taurine served as controls. Dietary taurine supplementation could not lower glucose concentration in blood (P > 0.05), but caused an elevation of taurine content and a decline in levels of glutamate and GABA in retina of diabetic rats (P < 0.05). The content of GABA in normal control group was not altered by taurine supplementation. With supplementation of taurine in diet, lower expression of GFAP and VEGF while higher expression of GLAST, GS and GAD in retina of diabetic rats were determinated by RT-PCR, Western-blotting and immunofluorescence (P < 0.05). GFAP, VEGF, GLAST, GS and GAD expressions in normal controls were not altered by taurine treatment. This may have prospective implications of using taurine to treat complications in diabetic retinopathy.     

Inhibition of glutamine synthesis induces glutamate dehydrogenase-dependent ammonia fixation into alanine in co-cultures of astrocytes and neurons

It has been previously demonstrated that ammonia exposure of neurons and astrocytes in co-culture leads to net synthesis not only of glutamine but also of alanine. The latter process involves the concerted action of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and alanine aminotransferase (ALAT). In the present study it was investigated if the glutamine synthetase (GS) inhibitor methionine sulfoximine (MSO) would enhance alanine synthesis by blocking the GS-dependent ammonia scavenging process. Hence, co-cultures of neurons and astrocytes were incubated for 2.5 h with [U-¹³C]glucose to monitor de novo synthesis of alanine and glutamine in the absence and presence of 5.0 mM NH₄Cl and 10 mM MSO. Ammonia exposure led to increased incorporation of label but not to a significant increase in the amount of these amino acids. However, in the presence of MSO, glutamine synthesis was blocked and synthesis of alanine increased leading to an elevated content intra- as well as extracellularly of this amino acid. Treatment with MSO led to a dramatic decrease in glutamine content and increased the intracellular contents of glutamate and aspartate. The large increase in alanine during exposure to MSO underlines the importance of the GDH and ALAT biosynthetic pathway for ammonia fixation, and it points to the use of a GS inhibitor to ameliorate the brain toxicity and edema induced by hyperammonemia, events likely related to glutamine synthesis.     

Osmotically Induced Proline Accumulation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lotus Corniculatus</Emphasis> Leaves is Affected by Light and Nitrogen Source

Proline accumulation in osmotically stressed leaves of Lotus corniculatus was stimulated by increasing light intensity (photon fluence density, PFD). Treatment with propanil limited proline accumulation in response to light and osmotic stress, indicating a dependence of proline synthesis on photosynthetic NADPH. Drought stress induced proline accumulation in L. corniculatus both in nitrate-fed plant (NFP) and ammonium-fed plants (AFP), although higher proline concentration was observed in AFP than in NFP after 24 h of drought stress. Changes in proline accumulation induced by drought stress in plants grown under different nitrogen regimes could not be explained by changes of either total protein or amino acids, consistent with specifically altered regulation of proline synthesis. Under control conditions, alanine, aspartate and glutamate were the predominant amino acids in NFP; conversely, in AFP, arginine and ornithine were the predominant amino acids. Only the NFP regime showed changes in the concentrations of specific amino acids under drought stress a decrease in alanine, aspartate and glutamate and increased gama-aminobutyric acid. In AFP and especially NFP, proline accumulation under osmotic stress was associated with increased ornithine amino transferase activity. An increase of both activity and protein of ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase was observed in osmotic-stressed NFP; inversely both decreased in drought-stressed AFP. PFD and nitrogen source are therefore shown to be regulators of proline accumulation in L. corniculatus osmotically stressed plants.     

Modulation of different forms of glutamine synthetases inRhizobium phaseoli and their possible role in nitrogen fixation

The effect of a number of compounds structurally related to glutamic acid and other nitrogenous compounds on the composition of three forms of glutamine synthetase (GS) inRhizobium phaseoli has been examined in detail. Amino acids like glutamic acid, glutamine, and a fixed source of nitrogen like ammonium chloride did not alter the relative glutamine synthetase composition.l-Methioninedl-sulfoximine (MSX), a glutamate analogue, significantly repressed the synthesis of GSIII to a greater extent.,N-oxalyl,-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP), another glutamate analogue, selectively stimulated the synthesis of GSII, and the effect of ODAP on GSII synthesis was greatly enhanced in the presence of ethylenediamine or ammonium chloride. Ethylenediamine itself caused a predominant synthesis of GSIII.-Cyanoalanine-grownR. phaseoli did not synthesize GSI. The synthesis of the three different glutamine synthetases can thus be differentially modulated.     

Glutamine synthetase in Scots pine seedlings and its control by blue light and light absorbed by phytochrome

The appearance of glutamine synthetase (GS. EC 6.3.1.2) in response to light and nitrogen (NO ₃ ^- , NH ₄ ⁺ ) was studied in the organs (roots, hypocotyl, cotyledonary whorl) of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedling. Although GS activity was found to be mainly (> 80%) located in the whorl where it increased strongly in response to light, a significant GS synthesis was also detected in dark-grown seedlings. Anion-exchange chromatography was used to resolve two GS isoforms which appeared to be regulated differentially in the cotyledonary whorls. The isoform (presumably plastidic GS2) which eluted from the column at 90 mM KCl increased drastically in response to light. The other isoform (presumably cytosolic GS1), which eluted at 200 mM KCl, was not stimulated by light but tended to disappear during the experimental period (4 to 12 d after sowing). Immunoblotting of pine extract yielded a prominent band with a molecular weight of 43 kDa. The linear correlation between GS activity and immunodetectable GS protein could be extrapolated through zero, showing that any increase of GS2 activity is to be attributed to the de-novo synthesis of GS protein. Gelfiltration chromatography yielded a molecular mass for the GS holoenzyme of 340 kDa, a value which supports an octameric quarternary structure as previously suggested for angiosperms. While supplying seedlings with 10 mM NO ₃ ^- stimulated GS synthesis in the whorl by 12%, 10 mM NH ₄ ⁺ caused an incipient ammonium toxicity. Experiments using dischromatic light (simultaneous treatment with two light beams to vary the level of the physiologically active form of phytochrome, Pfr, in blue light) revealed that synthesis of GS2 was controlled by light in the same way as previously shown for ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT; EC 1.4.7.1). Up to 10 d after sowing the strong light effect could be attributed to phytochrome action whereas between 10 and 12 d after sowing phytochrome control of GS-synthesis failed if no blue/ultraviolet-A light was provided. The data show that blue light is required to maintain responsiveness of GS2 synthesis to phytochrome. Both enzymes, GS2 as well as Fd-GOGAT, appear to be regulated coordinately to meet the demands of ammonium assimilation.Abbreviations and Symbols B blue light - D darkness - Fd-GOGAT ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (EC 1.4.7.1); - GS glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) - R red light - RG9 long-wavelength far-red light defined by the properties of Schott glass filter RG9 - =Pfr/Ptot far-red absorbing form of phytochrome/total phytochrome, wavelength-dependent photoequilibrium of the phytochrome system Research supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 46 and Schwerpunkt Physiologie der Bäume). We thank J.M. Penther, (Institut für Biologie II, Freiburg, FRG) for his advice on the chromatographic techniques.     

Ammonia assimilation and nitrogen fixation in Rhizobium meliloti

Summary The enzymes involved in ammonia assimilation by Rhizobium meliloti 4l and their role in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism were studied. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) were present at relatively high levels in cells grown in media containing either low or high concentrations of ammonia. NADP-linked glutamate dehydrogenase could not be detected.GOGAT and GS mutants were isolated and characterised. A mutant lacking GOGAT activity did not grow even on high concentrations of ammonia, it was a glutamate auxotroph and was effective in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. The GS and assimilatory nitrate reductase activities of this mutant were not repressible by ammonia but still repressible by casamino acids. A mutant with low GS activity required glutamine for optimal growth. It was ineffective and its nitrate reductase was not inducible.These findings indicate that ammonia is assimilated via the GS/GOGAT pathway in free-living R. meliloti and bacterial GOGAT is not important in symbiosis. Furthermore, GS is suggested to be a controlling element in the nitrogen metabolism of R. meliloti.     

Proline accumulation and glutamine synthetase activity are increased by salt-induced proteolysis in cashew leaves

In this study cashew (Anacardium occidentale) plants were exposed to a short- and long-term exposure to NaCl in order to establish the importance of the salt-induced proteolysis and the glutamine synthetase activity on the proline accumulation. The cashew leaf showed a prominent proline accumulation in response to salt stress. In contrast, the root tissue had no significant changes in proline content even after the drastic injury caused by salinity on the whole plant. The leaf proline accumulation was correlated to protease activity, accumulation of free amino acid and ammonia, and decrease of both total protein and chlorophyll contents. The leaf GS activity was increased by the salt stress whereas in the roots it was slightly lowered. Although the several amino acids in the soluble pool of leaf tissue have showed an intense increment in its concentrations in the salt-treated plants, proline was the unique to show a proportional increment from 50 to 100 mol m-3 NaCl exposure (16.37 to 34.35 mmol kg-1 DM, respectively). Although the leaf glutamate concentration increased in the leaves of the salt-stressed cashew plants, as compared to control, its relative contribution to the total amino acid decreased significantly in stressed leaves when compared to other amino acids. In addition, when the leaf discs were incubated with NaCl in the presence of exogenous precursors (Glu, Gln, Orn or Arg) involved in the proline synthesis pathways, the glutamate was unique in inducing a significant enhancement of the proline accumulation compared to those discs with precursor in the absence of NaCl. These results, together with the salt-induced increase in the GS activity, suggest an increase in the de novo synthesis of proline probably associated with the increase of the concentration of glutamate. Moreover, the prominent salt-induced proline accumulation in the leaves was associated with the higher salt-sensitivity in terms of proteolysis and salt-induced senescence as compared to the roots. In conclusion, the leaf-proline accumulation was due, at least in part, to the increase in the salt-induced proteolysis associated with the increments in the GS activity and hence the increase in the concentration of glutamate precursor in the soluble amino acid pool.     

Isolation of auxotrophic mutants in support of ammonia assimilation via glutamine synthetase in Methanobacterium ivanovii

Various enzymes involved in the initial metabolic pathway for ammonia assimilation by Methanobacterium ivanovii were examined. M. ivanovii showed significant activity of glutamine synthetase (GS). Glutamate synthase (GOGAT) and alanine dehydrogenase (ADH) were present, wheras, glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) was not detected. When M. ivanovii was grown with different levels of NH ₊ ⁴ (i.e. 2, 20 or 200 mM), GS, GOGAT and ADH activities varied in response to NH ₊ ⁴ concentration. ADH was not detected at 2 mM level, but its activity increased with increased levels of NH ₊ ⁴ in the medium. Both GS and GOGAT activities increased with decreasing concentrations of NH ₊ ⁴ and were maximum when ammonia was limiting, suggesting that at low NH ₊ ⁴ levels, GS and GOGAT are responsible for ammonia assimilation and at higher NH ₊ ⁴ levels, ADH might play a role. Metabolic mutants of M. ivanovii that were auxotrophic for glutamine were obtained and analyzed for GS activity. Results indicate two categories of mutants: i) GS-deficient auxotrophic mutants and ii) GS-impaired auxotrophic mutants.Abbreviations GS Glutamine synthetase - GOGAT glutamate synthase - GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - ADH alanine dehydrogenase     

Nitrogen metabolism in the facultative methylotroph Arthrobacter P1 grown with various amines or ammonia as nitrogen sources

The metabolism of trimethylamine (TMA) and dimethylamine (DMA) in Arthrobacter P1 involved the enzymes TMA monooxygenase and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMA-NO) demethylase, and DMA monooxygenase, respectively. The methylamine and formaldehyde produced were further metabolized via a primary amine oxidase and the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) cycle. The amine oxidase showed activity with various aliphatic primary amines and benzylamine. The organism was able to use methylamine, ethylamine and propylamine as carbon-and nitrogen sources for growth. Butylamine and benzylamine only functioned as nitrogen sources. Growth on glucose with ethylamine, propylamine, butylamine and benzylamine resulted in accumulation of the respective aldehydes. In case of ethylamine and propylamine this was due to repression by glucose of the synthesis of the aldehyde dehydrogenase(s) required for their further metabolism. Growth on glucose/methylamine did not result in repression of the RuMP cycle enzyme hexulose-6-phosphate synthase (HPS). High levels of this enzyme were present in the cells and as a result formaldehyde did not accumulate. Ammonia assimilation in Arthrobacter P1 involved NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), NAD-dependent alanine dehydrogenase (ADH) and glutamine synthetase (GS) as key enzymes. In batch cultures both GDH and GS displayed highest levels during growth on acetate with methylamine as the nitrogen source. A further increase in the levels of GS, but not GDH, was observed under ammonia-limited growth conditions in continuous cultures with acetate or glucose as carbon sources.Abbreviations HPS hexulose-6-phosphate synthase - RuMP ribulose monophosphate - DMA dimethylamine - TMA trimethylamine - TMA-NO trimethylamine-N-oxide - ICL isocitrate lyase - GS glutamine synthetase - GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - ADH alanine dehydrogenase - GOGAT glutamate synthase     

叶施NO对NaCl胁迫下红砂幼苗叶片和根系中氮代谢酶及营养物质的影响

以当年生红砂(Reaumuria soongorica)幼苗为材料,采用盆栽实验,考察叶面喷施不同浓度(0、0.01、0.10、0.25、0.50、1.00 mmol·L^-1)NO供体硝普钠 (SNP) 对NaCl(300 mmol·L^-1)胁迫下红砂根、叶中可溶性蛋白、游离氨基酸和硝态氮含量,以及谷氨酰胺合成酶(GS)、谷氨酸合酶(GOGAT)、硝酸还原酶(NR)活性的影响,并采用主成分分析和隶属函数法筛选NO对NaCl胁迫缓解效应的氮代谢指标和最佳NO浓度,以探讨外源NO对NaCl 胁迫下红砂缓解效应的氮代谢响应机制。结果表明：(1)在300 mmol·L^-1 NaCl胁迫处理下,红砂幼苗根、叶中可溶性蛋白、硝态氮含量以及GS、GOGAT、NR活性均比对照显著下降。(2)外源NO能显著提高盐胁迫下红砂叶、根中GS、GOGAT、NR活性和硝态氮含量,增加根中可溶性蛋白和游离氨基酸含量。(3)NR和GOGAT活性可用于评价NO对NaCl胁迫下红砂幼苗的缓解作用,外源NO(SNP)对红砂幼苗在NaCl胁迫下的缓解效果强弱表现为0.25 mmol·L^-1> 0.50 mmol·L^-1> 0.10 mmol·L^-1> 1.00 mmol·L^-1> 0.01 mmol·L^-1。研究发现,300 mmol·L^-1 NaCl胁迫显著抑制了红砂幼苗氮代谢,外源NO(SNP)有助于提高盐胁迫下红砂NR活性,加快硝态氮转化为铵态氮,促进红砂叶片和根中GS/GOGAT对转化物的同化,从而增强红砂幼苗的耐盐性,并以0.25 mmol·L^-1SNP处理时缓解作用最佳;NR和GOGAT活性可作为NO缓解盐胁迫的评价指标。     

Evidence for an operative glutamine translocator in chloroplasts from maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) cotyledons

In higher plants, ammonium is assimilated into amino acids through the glutamine synthetase (GS)/glutamate synthase (GOGAT) cycle. This metabolic cycle is distributed in different cellular compartments in conifer seedlings: glutamine synthesis occurs in the cytosol and glutamate synthesis within the chloroplast. A method for preparing intact chloroplasts of pine cotyledons is presented with the aim of identifying a glutamine–glutamate translocator. Glutamine–glutamate exchange has been studied using the double silicone layer system, suggesting the existence of a translocator that imports glutamine into the chloroplast and exports glutamate to the cytoplasm. The translocator identified is specific for glutamine and glutamate, and the kinetic constants for both substrates indicate that it is unsaturated at intracellular concentrations. Thus, the experimental evidence obtained supports the model of the GS/GOGAT cycle in developing pine seedlings that accounts for the stoichiometric balance of metabolites. As a result, the efficient assimilation of free ammonia produced by photorespiration, nitrate reduction, storage protein mobilisation, phenylpropanoid pathway or S‐adenosylmethionine synthesis is guaranteed.     

Gene cloning, sequencing and enzymatic properties of glutamate synthase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus sp. KOD1

The gltA gene encoding a glutamate synthase (GOGAT) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus sp. KOD1 was cloned as a 6.6?kb HindIII-BamHI fragment. Sequence analysis indicates that gltA encodes a 481- amino acid protein (53?269?Da). The deduced amino acid sequence of KOD1-GltA includes conserved regions that are found in the small subunits of bacterial GOGAT: two cysteine clusters, an adenylate-binding consensus sequence and an FAD-binding consensus sequence. However, no sequences homologous to the large subunit of bacterial GOGAT were found in the upstream or downstream regions. In order to examine whether GltA alone can act as a functional GOGAT, GltA was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells using an expression plasmid. GltA was purified to homogeneity and shown to be functional as a homotetramer of approximately 205?kDa, which is equivalent to the molecular weight of the native GOGAT from KOD1, thus indicating that KOD1-GOGAT is the smallest known active GOGAT. GltA is capable of both glutamine-dependent and ammonia-dependent synthesis of glutamate. Synthesis of glutamate by KOD1-GltA required NADPH, indicating that this enzyme is an NADPH-GOGAT (EC 1.4.1.13). The optimum pH for both activities was 6.5. However, GltA exhibited different optimum temperatures for activity depending on the reaction assayed (glutamine-dependent reaction, 80°?C; ammonia-dependent reaction, 90°?C).     

Regulation of nitrogen-metabolizing enzymes in the commercial Mushroom Agaricus bisporus

Mycelium of Agaricus bisporus strain Horst U1 was grown in batch cultures on different concentrations of ammonium, glutamate, and glucose to test the effect of these substrates on the activities of NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP-GDH, EC 1.4.1.4), NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH, EC 1.4.1.2.), and glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2.). When grown on ammonium, the activities of NADP-GDH and GS were repressed. NAD-GDH activity was about 10 times higher than the activities of NADP-GDH and GS. At concentrations below 8 mM ammonium, NADP-GDH and GS were slightly derepressed. When glutamate was used as the nitrogen source, activities of NADP-GDH and GS were derepressed; compared with growth on ammonium, the activities of these two enzymes were about 10 times higher. Activities of GDHs showed no variation at different glutamate concentrations. Activity of GS was slightly derepressed at low glutamate concentrations. Growth of A. bisporus on both ammonium and glutamate as nitrogen sources resulted in enzyme activities comparable to growth on ammonium alone. Activities of NADP-GDH, NAD-GDH, and GS were not influenced by the concentration of glucose in the medium. In mycelium starved for nitrogen, the activities of NADP-GDH, NAD-GDH, and GS were derepressed, while in carbon-starved mycelium the activity of GS and both GDHs was repressed.