Purification and properties of glutamate synthase from Thiobacillus thioparus.

Glutamate synthase was purified about 250-fold from Thiobacillus thioparus and was characterized. The molecular weight was estimated as 280,000 g/mol. The enzyme showed absorption maxima at 280, 380, and 450 nm and was inhibited by Atebrin, suggesting that T. thioparus glutamate synthase is a flavoprotein. The enzyme activity was also inhibited by iron chelators and thiolbinding agents. The enzyme was specific for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) and alpha-ketoglutarate, but L-glutamine was partially replaced by ammonia as the amino donor. The Km values of glutamate synthase for NADPH, alpha-ketoglutarate, and glutamine were 3.0 muM, 50 muM, and 1.1 mM, respectively. The enzyme had a pH optimum between 7.3 and 7.8. Glutamate synthase from T. thioparus was relatively insensitive to feedback inhibition by single amino acids but was sensitive to the combined effects of several amino acids. Enzymes involved in glutamate synthesis in T. thioparus were studied. Glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase, as well as two glutamate dehydrogenases (NADH and NADPH dependent), were present in this organism. This levels of glutamate synthase and glutamate dehydrogenase were similar in T. thioparus grown on 0.7 or 7.0 mM ammonium sulfate. The sum of the activities of both glutamate dehydrogenases was only 1/25 of that of glutamate synthase under the assay conditions. It was concluded that the glutamine pathway is important for ammonia assimilation in this autotrophic bacterium.     

Glutamate synthase levels in Neurospora crassa mutants altered with respect to nitrogen metabolism.

Glutamate synthase catalyzes glutamate formation from 2-oxoglutarate plus glutamine and plays an essential role when glutamate biosynthesis by glutamate dehydrogenase is not possible. Glutamate synthase activity has been determined in a number of Neurospora crassa mutant strains with various defects in nitrogen metabolism. Of particular interest were two mutants phenotypically mute except in an am (biosynthetic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-glutamate dehydrogenase deficient, glutamate requiring) background. These mutants, i and en-am, are so-called enhancers of am; they have been redesignated herein as en(am)-1 and en(am)-2, respectively. Although glutamate synthase levels in en(am)-1 were essentially wild type, the en(am)-2 strain was devoid of glutamate synthase activity under all conditions examined, suggesting that en(am)-2 may be the structural locus for glutamate synthase. Regulation of glutamate synthase occurred to some extent, presumably in response to glutamate requirements. Glutamate starvation, as in am mutants, led to enhanced activity. In contrast, glutamine limitation, as in gln-1 mutants, depressed glutamate synthase levels.     

A novel strategy involved in [corrected] anti-oxidative defense: the conversion of NADH into NADPH by a metabolic network

The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is pivotal to the cellular anti-oxidative defence strategies in most organisms. Although its production mediated by different enzyme systems has been relatively well-studied, metabolic networks dedicated to the biogenesis of NADPH have not been fully characterized. In this report, a metabolic pathway that promotes the conversion of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), a pro-oxidant into NADPH has been uncovered in Pseudomonas fluorescens exposed to oxidative stress. Enzymes such as pyruvate carboxylase (PC), malic enzyme (ME), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malate synthase (MS), and isocitrate lyase (ICL) that are involved in disparate metabolic modules, converged to create a metabolic network aimed at the transformation of NADH into NADPH. The downregulation of phosphoenol carboxykinase (PEPCK) and the upregulation of pyruvate kinase (PK) ensured that this metabolic cycle fixed NADH into NADPH to combat the oxidative stress triggered by the menadione insult. This is the first demonstration of a metabolic network invoked to generate NADPH from NADH, a process that may be very effective in combating oxidative stress as the increase of an anti-oxidant is coupled to the decrease of a pro-oxidant.     

NADH‐dependent glutamate synthase plays a crucial role in assimilating ammonium in the Arabidopsis root

Plant roots under nitrogen deficient conditions with access to both ammonium and nitrate ions, will take up ammonium first. This preference for ammonium rather than nitrate emphasizes the importance of ammonium assimilation machinery in roots. Glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) catalyze the conversion of ammonium and 2‐oxoglutarate to glutamine and glutamate. Higher plants have two GOGAT species, ferredoxin‐dependent glutamate synthase (Fd‐GOGAT) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)‐GOGAT. While Fd‐GOGAT participates in the assimilation of ammonium, which is derived from photorespiration in leaves, NADH‐GOGAT is highly expressed in roots and its importance needs to be elucidated. While ammonium as a minor nitrogen form in most soils is directly taken up, nitrate as the major nitrogen source needs to be converted to ammonium prior to uptake. The aim of this study was to investigate and quantify the contribution of NADH‐GOGAT to the ammonium assimilation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia) roots. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and protein gel blot analysis showed an accumulation of NADH‐GOGAT in response to ammonium supplied to the roots. In addition the localization of NADH‐GOGAT and Fd‐GOGAT did not fully overlap. Promoter–β‐glucuronidase (GUS) fusion analysis and immunohistochemistry showed that NADH‐GOGAT was highly accumulated in non‐green tissue like vascular bundles, shoot apical meristem, pollen, stigma and roots. Reverse genetic approaches suggested a reduction in glutamate production and biomass accumulation in NADH‐GOGAT transfer DNA (T‐DNA) insertion lines under normal CO₂ condition. The data emphasize the importance of NADH‐GOGAT in the ammonium assimilation in Arabidopsis roots.     

Purification and properties of alpha-ketoglutarate reductase from Micrococcus aerogenes

Micrococcus aerogenes grown in media containing glutamate has high levels of glutamate dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate reductase. The latter enzyme catalyzes the reversible reduction of alpha-ketoglutarate to alpha-hydroxyglutarate in the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The enzyme has a high specificity for both substrates in either direction and displays Michaelis-Menten kinetics at moderate substrate concentrations. K(m) values of 0.12 to 0.17 mm alpha-ketoglutarate and 0.3 mm NADH for the forward reaction were calculated from data obtained at low substrate concentrations. At high concentrations, this reaction was inhibited by both substrates. The reverse reaction, which proceeded at 0.1 to 0.2 times the rate of the forward reactions, was inhibited by one of the products, alpha-ketoglutarate. K(m) values for the substrates of this reaction were 10 mm for alpha-hydroxyglutarate and 1 mm for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. alpha-Ketoglutarate reductase has a molecular weight of 7.5 x 10(4) to 8.2 x 10(4) and is composed of identical polypeptide chains with a molecular weight of 3.6 x 10(4) to 3.8 x 10(4).     

A Novel Strategy Involved Anti-Oxidative Defense: The Conversion of NADH into NADPH by a Metabolic Network

The reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is pivotal to the cellular anti-oxidative defence strategies in most organisms. Although its production mediated by different enzyme systems has been relatively well-studied, metabolic networks dedicated to the biogenesis of NADPH have not been fully characterized. In this report, a metabolic pathway that promotes the conversion of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), a pro-oxidant into NADPH has been uncovered in Pseudomonas fluorescens exposed to oxidative stress. Enzymes such as pyruvate carboxylase (PC), malic enzyme (ME), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malate synthase (MS), and isocitrate lyase (ICL) that are involved in disparate metabolic modules, converged to create a metabolic network aimed at the transformation of NADH into NADPH. The downregulation of phosphoenol carboxykinase (PEPCK) and the upregulation of pyruvate kinase (PK) ensured that this metabolic cycle fixed NADH into NADPH to combat the oxidative stress triggered by the menadione insult. This is the first demonstration of a metabolic network invoked to generate NADPH from NADH, a process that may be very effective in combating oxidative stress as the increase of an anti-oxidant is coupled to the decrease of a pro-oxidant.     

Nitrogen assimilation in Rhodopseudomonas acidophila

Rhodopseudomonas acidophila strain 7050 assimilated ammonia via a constitutive glutamine synthetase/glutamate synthase enzyme system.Glutamine synthetase had a K _m for NH ₄ ⁺ of 0.38 mM whilst the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked glutamate synthase had a K _m for glutamine of 0.55 mM. R. acidophila utilized only a limited range of amino acids as sole nitrogen sources: l-alanine, glutamine and asparagine. The bacterium did not grow on glutamate as sole nitrogen source and lacked glutamate dehydrogenase. When R. acidophila was grown on l-alanine as the sole nitrogen source in the absence of N₂ low levels of a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked l-alanine dehydrogenase were produced. It is concluded, therefore, that this reaction was not a significant route of ammonia assimilation in this bacterium except when glutamine synthetase was inhibited by methionine sulphoximine. In l-alanine grown cells the presence of an active alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase and, on occasions, low levels of an alanine-oxaloacetate aminotransferase were detected. Alanine-2-oxo-glutarate aminotransferase could not be demonstrated in this bacterium.Abreviations ADH alanine dehydrogenase - GDH glutamate dehydrogenase - GS glutamine synthetase - GOGAT glutamate synthase - MSO methionine sulphoximine     

Regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolisms in rice roots by 2-oxoglutarate at the level of hexokinase

Feeding experiments were designed, to investigate the role of 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG) in regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolisms in non-photosynthetic tissues of rice ( Oryza sativa L.), and enzyme activities involved in the metabolisms as well as contents of several relating metabolites were determined in the roots. The enhancement of 2-OG level by feeding 2-OG or metabolizable sugars [sucrose (Suc) or glucose (Glc)], rather than by feeding non-metabolizable carbon sources (mannose or mannitol), led to increase in enzyme activities, including hexokinase (HXK, EC 2.7.1.1), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)⁺-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP⁺-ICDH, EC 1.1.1.42), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC, EC 4.1.1.31), glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) and the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT, EC 1.4.1.14). In addition, the increase in ammonium uptake, glutamine and glutamate (Glu) as well as the decrease in soluble carbohydrates were observed. The effects of feeding 2-OG or metabolizable sugars were reversed by feeding of N- acetyl-glucosamine (NAG; a HXK inhibitor). The decreased 2-OG level by the feeding of NAG alone led to increase in soluble carbohydrates and decrease in the enzyme activities, ammonium uptake as well as Glu content. The effects of NAG were reversed by supply of 2-OG, Suc and Glc. These results suggest that nitrogen uptake and assimilation as well as their related carbohydrate metabolism in rice roots were regulated in coordination by 2-OG level, and HXK activity was involved in the regulation of 2-OG.     

The localisation of enzymes of nitrogen assimilation in maize leaves and their activities during greening

The activities of nitrate reductase (EC1.6.6.1), nitrite reductase (EC 1.6.6.4), glutamine synthetase (EC6.3.1.2), glutamate synthase (EC1.4.7.1) and NAD(P)H-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.4.1.3) were investigated in mesophyll and bundle sheath cells of maize leaves (Zea mays L.). Whereas nitrate and nitrite reductase appear to be restricted to the mesophyll and GDH to the bundle sheath, glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase are active in both tissues.During the greening process, the activities of nitrate and nitrite reductase increased markedly, but glutamine synthetase, glutamate synthase and glutamate dehydrogenase changed little.Abbreviations BDH British Drug Houses - EDTA Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid - GDH Glutamate dehydrogenase - NADH Nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide reduced form - NADPH Nicotnamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced form - PMSF Phenylmethyl sulphonyl fluoride     

Electrochemical regeneration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been characterized electrochemically by solid electrode voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis. Photometric and enzymatic assay showed that enzymatically active nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD-+) could be regenerated electrolytically from its reduced form without the use of so-called electron mediators. Complete regeneration of enzymatically active NAD can be expected in pyrophosphate buffers and phosphate buffers during the electrolysis. Advantages of electrochemical regeneration of coenzymes are discussed, especially with regard to immobilization of enzymes.     

Metabolic function and properties of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid 1-hydroxylase from Pseudomonas acidovorans.

The enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylacetate, NAD(P)H:oxygen oxidoreductase (1-hydroxylating) (EC 1.14.13 ...; 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 1-monooxygenase; referred to here as 4-HPA 1-hydroxylase) was induced in Pseudomonas acidovorans when 4-hydroxyphenylacetate (4-PHA) was utilized as carbon source for growth; homogentisate and maleylacetoacetate were intermediates in the degradation of 4-HPA. A preparation of the hydroxylase that was free from homogentisate dioxygenase and could be stored at 4 C in the presence of dithioerythritol with little loss of activity was obtained by ultracentrifuging cell extracts; but when purified 18-fold by affinity chromatography the enzyme became unstable. Flavin adenine dinucleotide and Mg2+ ions were required for full activity. 4-HPA 1-hydrocylase was inhibited by KCl, which was uncompetitive with 4-HPA. Values of Ki determined for inhibitors competitive with 4-HPA were 17 muM dl-4-hydroxymandelic acid, 43 muM 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 87 muM 4-hydroxy-3-methylphenylacetic acid, and 440 muM 4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid. Apparent Km values for substrates of 4-HPA 1-hydroxylase were 31 muM 4-HPA, 67 muM oxygen, 95 muM reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH); AND 250 muM reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The same maximum velocity was given by NADH and NADPH. A chemical synthesis is described for 2-deutero-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. This compound was enzymatically hydroxylated with retention of half the deuterium in the homogentisic acid formed. Activity as substrate or inhibitor of 4-HPA 1-hydroxylase was shown only by those analogues of 4-HPA that possessed a hydroxyl group substituent at C-4 of the benze nucleus. A mechanism is suggested that accounts for this structural requirement and also for the observation that when 4-hydroxyphenoxyacetic acid was attacked by the enzyme, hydroquinone was formed by release of the side chain, probably as glycolic acid. Only one enantiometer of racemic 4-hydroxyhydratropic acid was attacked by 4-HPA 1-hydroxylase; the product, alpha-methylhomogentisic acid (2-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-propionic acid), exhibited optical activity. This observation suggests that, during its shift from C-1 to C-2 of the nucleus, the side chain of the substrate remains bound to a site on the enzyme while a conformational change of the protein permits the necessary movement of the benzene ring.     

Electrochemical regeneration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) has been characterized electrochemically by solid electrode voltammetry and controlled potential electrolysis. Photometric and enzymatic assay showed that enzymatically active nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) could be regenerated electrolytically from its reduced form without the use of so-called electron mediators. Complete regeneration of enzymatically active NAD can be expected in pyrophosphate buffers and phosphate buffers during the electrolysis. Advantages of electrochemical regeneration of coenzymes are discussed, especially with regard to immobilization of enzymes.     

Redox involvement in acid secretion in the amphibian gastric mucosa

Summary Gastric fundic metabolism was studied by spectroscopic observation in frog mucosa during transitions of secretory status in vitro and by direct measurement of pyridine nucleotides and associated metabolites in biopsies of dog fundic mucosa also during secretory oxidation of the redox components from flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) to cytochromea ₃. Addition of histamine resulted in reduction of these components with onset of secretion by about 50%. In contrast, the effect of apparently, burimamide and subsequently histamine on the ratio of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced (NAD⁺/NADH) was relatively slight. Further, the presence of burimamide substantially reduces the effect of amytal on the pyridine nucleotide spectrum and abolishes the effect of amytal on FAD and the cytochromes. Measurements of lactate, pyruvate, -ketoglutarate, NH₃ and glutamate in the dog showed that whereas the calculated NAD⁺/NADH ratio in the cytoplasm declined with onset of secretion, the calculated mitochondrial ratio rose. No change was noted in the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced (NADP⁺/NADPH) ratio. It is concluded that (1) H₂ antagonists act by blocking substrate flow into the mitochondrial respiratory chain, (2) conversely, histamine stimulation acts at the level of substrate mobilization, and (3) there may be a cross-over in the mitochondrial chain between NAD⁺ and FAD.     

Regulation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide- and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent glutamate dehydrogenases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two distinct l-glutamate dehydrogenases. These enzymes are affected in a reciprocal fashion by growth on ammonia or dicarboxylic amino acids as the nitrogen source. The specific activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) (anabolic) enzyme is highest in ammonia-grown cells and is reduced in cells grown on glutamate or aspartate. Conversely, the specific activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) (catabolic) glutamate dehydrogenase is highest in cells grown on glutamate or aspartate and is much lower in cells grown on ammonia. The specific activity of both enzymes is very low in nitrogen-starved yeast. Addition of the ammonia analogue methylamine to the growth medium reduces the specific activity of the NAD-dependent enzyme and increases the specific activity of the NADP-dependent enzyme.     

Weak coupling of ATP hydrolysis to the chemical equilibrium of human nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase

Human nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT, EC 2.4.2.12) catalyzes the reversible synthesis of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and inorganic pyrophosphate (PP i) from nicotinamide (NAM) and alpha- d-5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). NAMPT, by capturing the energy provided by its facultative ATPase activity, allows the production of NMN at product:substrate ratios thermodynamically forbidden in the absence of ATP. With ATP hydrolysis coupled to NMN synthesis, the catalytic efficiency of the system is improved 1100-fold, substrate affinity dramatically increases ( K m (NAM) from 855 to 5 nM), and the K eq shifts -2.1 kcal/mol toward NMN formation. ADP-ATP isotopic exchange experiments support the formation of a high-energy phosphorylated intermediate (phospho-H247) as the mechanism for altered catalytic efficiency during ATP hydrolysis. NAMPT captures only a small portion of the energy generated by ATP hydrolysis to shift the dynamic chemical equilibrium. Although the weak energetic coupling of ATP hydrolysis appears to be a nonoptimized enzymatic function, closer analysis of this remarkable protein reveals an enzyme designed to capture NAM with high efficiency at the expense of ATP hydrolysis. NMN is a rate-limiting precursor for recycling to the essential regulatory cofactor, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD (+)). NMN synthesis by NAMPT is powerfully inhibited by both NAD (+) ( K i = 0.14 muM) and NADH ( K i = 0.22 muM), an apparent regulatory feedback mechanism.     

RESPIRATION AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI MEMBRANE-ENVELOPE FRAGMENTS : I. Oxidative Activities with Soluble Substrates

This paper describes experiments conducted with membranous and soluble fractions obtained from Escherichia coli that had been grown on succinate, malate, or enriched glucose media. Oxidase and dehydrogenase activities were studied with the following substrates: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form (NADH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, reduced form (NADPH), succinate, malate, isocitrate, glutamate, pyruvate, and α-ketoglutarate. Respiration was virtually insensitive to poisons that are commonly used to inhibit mitochondrial systems, namely, rotenone, antimycin, and azide. Succinate dehydrogenase and NADH, NADPH, and succinate oxidases were primarily membrane-bound whereas malate, isocitrate, and NADH dehydrogenases were predominantly soluble. It was observed that E. coli malate dehydrogenase could be assayed with the dye 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol, but that porcine malate dehydrogenase activity could not be assayed, even in the presence of E. coli extracts. The characteristics of E. coli NADH dehydrogenase were shown to be markedly different from those of a mammalian enzyme. The enzyme activities for oxidation of Krebs cycle intermediates (malate, succinate, isocitrate) did not appear to be under coordinate genetic control.     

Uncovering rare NADH-preferring ketol-acid reductoisomerases

All members of the ketol-acid reductoisomerase (KARI) enzyme family characterized to date have been shown to prefer the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydride (NADPH) cofactor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride (NADH). However, KARIs with the reversed cofactor preference are desirable for industrial applications, including anaerobic fermentation to produce branched-chain amino acids. By applying insights gained from structural and engineering studies of this enzyme family to a comprehensive multiple sequence alignment of KARIs, we identified putative NADH-utilizing KARIs and characterized eight whose catalytic efficiencies using NADH were equal to or greater than NADPH. These are the first naturally NADH-preferring KARIs reported and demonstrate that this property has evolved independently multiple times, using strategies unlike those used previously in the laboratory to engineer a KARI cofactor switch.     

Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutants lacking glutamate synthase activity.

Mutant strains SU1, SU4, and US1 lacking glutamate synthase (GOGAT) activity were isolated from strains of P. aeruginosa for which histidine is a growth rate-limiting source of nitrogen. Strains SU1 and SU4 were unable to grow when a low concentration of ammonia and a variety of compounds, including histidine, were supplied as sole sources of nitrogen. A revertant of strain SU1, strain 39, produced no GOGAT but high levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase and had restored ability to grow on a limited number of nitrogen sources. Strain US1 grew at the same rate in histidine medium as did its parent; it was derepressed for glutamine synthase synthesis, and histidase was less sensitive to repression by ammonia than in the parent strain. We conclude that GOGAT is not essential for growth on histidine but high levels of glutamine synthase are required nd high levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase can sustain growth at low concentrations of ammonia in the absence of GOGAT.     

Energy-dependent incorporation of sphingolipid precursors and fatty acids in Bacteriodes melaninogenicus.

Washed cells of Bacteroides melaninogenicus are unable to incorporate the sphingolipid precursor 3-ketodihydrosphingosine (3KDS) or dihydrosphingosine into the complete sphingolipids ceramide phosphorylethanolamine (CPE) and ceramide phosphorylglycerol (CPG), whereas growing cultures are able to do so. This result suggested that an energy source was required by washed cells to initiate the incorporation of 3KDS. Investigation of a number of energy sources for B. melaninogenicus showed that glutamine was active in driving the incorporation of 3KDS. This system shows saturation kinetics. Besides glutamine, only asparagine and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) are effective; glutamate and other compounds are inactive. The glutamine-driven system is sensitive to 2,4-dinitrophenol, azide, N,N'- dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Asparagine plus NADH shows a synergistic effect in stimulating the incorporation of 3KDS into CPE and CPG in washed cells. However, glutamine plus NADH and glutamine plus asparagine show no such synergy. The cytochrome-free mutant of B. melaninogenicus, strain S, incorporates 3KDS in a manner similar to the parent strain when glutamine is used to drive the reaction; NADH or asparagine, however, are ineffective when used with strain S. Vitamin K-depleted cells of B. melaninogenicus are similar to vitamin K-grown cells, when glutamine or NADH is used to drive the 3KDS incorporation. Glutamine and NADH are also effective in stimulating the incorporation of palmitate and acetate by washed cells of B, melaninogenicus. Increased incorporation of these fatty acids into CPE, CPG, 3KDS, and other phospholipids is significantly increased by the presence of glutamine or NADH. Thus, energization of the membrane of B. melaninogenicus by glutamine or the electron transport system by NADH or asparagine is required for sphingolipid and other phospholipid synthesis. The relationship of this energization to possible transport of sphingolipid precursors is discussed.     

Glutamate dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli: purification and properties.

Glutamate dehydrogenase (L-glutamate:NADP+ oxidoreductase [deaminating], EC 1.4.1.4) has been purified from Escherichia coli B/r. The purity of the enzyme preparation has been established by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ultracentrifugation, and gel filtration. A molecular weight of 300,000 +/- 20,000 has been calculated for the enzyme from sedimentation equilibrium measurements. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate and sedimentation equilibrium measurements in guanidine hydrochloride have revealed that glutamate dehydrogenase consists of polypeptide chains with the identical molecular weight of 50,000 +/- 5,000. The results of molecular weight determination lead us to propose that glutamate dehydrogenase is a hexamer of subunits with identical molecular weight. We also have studied the stability and kinetics of purified glutamate dehydrogenase. The enzyme remains active when heat treated or when left at room temperature for several months but is inactivated by freezing. The Michaelis constants of glutamate dehydrogenase are 1,100,640, and 40 muM for ammonia, 2-oxoglutarate, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, respectively.