Isolation and characterisation of a maize cDNA that complements a 1-acyl sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase mutant of Escherichia coli and encodes a protein which has similarities to other acyltransferases

We selected cDNA plasmid clones that corrected the temperature-sensitive phenotype of Escherichia coli strain JC201, which is deficient in 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity. A plasmid-based maize endosperm cDNA library was used for complementation and a plasmid that enabled the cells to grow at 44°C on ampicillin was isolated. Addition of this plasmid (pMAT1) to JC201 restored 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity to the cells. Total phospholipid labelling showed that the substrate for the enzyme, lysophosphatidic acid, accumulated in JC201 and was further metabolised to phosphatidylethanolamine in complemented cells. Membranes isolated from such cells were able to convert lysophosphatidic acid to phosphatidic acid in acyltransferase assays. The cDNA insert of pMAT1 contains one long open reading frame of 374 amino acids which encodes a protein of relative molecular weight 42 543. The sequence of this protein is most similar to SLC1, which is thought to be able to acylate glycerol at the sn-2 position during synthesis of inositol-containing lipids. Homologies between the SLC1 protein, the 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase of E. coli (PlsC) and the maize ORF were found with blocks of conserved amino acids, whose spacing was conserved between the three proteins, identifiable.     

Towards the genetic engineering of triacylglycerols of defined fatty acid composition: major changes in erucic acid content at the sn-2 position affected by the introduction of a 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase from Limnanthes douglasii into oil seed rape

A cDNA encoding a 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase from Limnanthes douglasii was introduced into oil seed rape (Brassica napus) under the control of a napin promoter. Seed triacylglycerols from transgenic plants were analysed by reversed-phase HPLC and trierucin was detected at a level of 0.4% and 2.8% in two transgenic plants but was not found in untransformed rape seed. Total fatty acid composition analysis of seeds from these selected plants revealed that the erucic acid content was no higher than the maximum found in the starting population. Analysis of fatty acids at the sn-2 position showed no erucic acid in untransformed rape but in the selected transgenic plants 9% (mol/mol) and 28.3% (mol/mol) erucic acid was present. These results conclusively demonstrate that the gene from L. douglasii encodes a 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase which can function in rape and incorporate erucic acid at the sn-2 position of triacylglycerols in seed. Additional modifications may further increase levels of trierucin.     

Triacylglycerol biosynthesis in developing seeds of Tropaeolum majus L. and Limnanthes douglasii R. Br.

Triacylglycerols of both Tropaeolum majus L. and Limnanthes douglasii R. Br. are predominantly esterified with very long-chain acyl groups at each position of the glycerol backbone. In order to elucidate whether these acyl groups are directly chanelled into the triacylglycerols via the stepwise acylation of glycerol-3-phosphate, seed oil formation has been investigated in developing embryos of both plant species. [1-¹⁴C]Acetate labelling experiments using embryos at different stages of development, as well as the determination of the properties of the microsomal acyl-CoA:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) and acyl-CoA:sn-1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.51), revealed differences between the two plant species, especially with respect to the incorporation of very longchain acyl groups into the C2 position of the triacylglycerols. In microsomal fractions of developing embryos of L. douglasii both a glycerol-3-phosphate and a 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase were detected which utilize very long-chain acyl-CoA thioesters as substrates. Thus, in seeds of L. douglasii very long-chain acyl groups can enter not only the C1, but also the C2 position of the triacylglycerols in the course of de-novo biosynthesis. A comparison of the properties of the acyltransferases of developing embryos with those of the corresponding activities of leaves indicates an embryo specific expression of an erucoyl-CoA-dependent microsomal 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in L. douglasii. The microsomal glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase of developing embryos of T. majus displayed properties very similar to those of the corresponding activity of L. douglasii. On the other hand, the microsomal 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases of the two plant species showed strikingly different substrate specificities. Irrespective of the acyl groups of 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate and regardless of whether acyl-CoA thioesters were offered separately or in mixtures, the enzyme of T. majus, in contrast to that of L. douglasii, was inactive with erucoyl-CoA. These results of the enzyme studies correspond well with those of the [1-¹⁴C]acetate labelling experiments and thus indicate that T. majus has developed mechanisms different from those of L. douglasii for the incorporation of erucic acid into the C2 position of its triacylglycerols.Abbreviations GPAT acyl-CoA:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) - LPAT acyl-CoA:sn-1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.51) This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie (Förderkennzeichen 0316600A).     

Substrate specificities of the membrane-bound and partially purified microsomal acyl-CoA:1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase from etiolated shoots of Pisum sativum (L.)

Membrane fractions enriched in rough endoplasmic reticulum and not contaminated with plastidial membranes were isolated from etiolated shoots of Pisum sativum (L.). From these fractions the acyl-CoA:1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.51) was solubilized by extracting the membranes with the zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethyl-ammonio]-1-propanesulfonate at high ionic strength. The subsequent separation of the solubilized fractions on a Mono Q column resulted in a tenfold enriched enzymic activity, which could be stabilized by polyethyleneglycol precipitation. A comparison of the substrate specificities and selectivities of the solubilized, enriched 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and the corresponding membrane-bound activity revealed no appreciable difference. Both enzymic forms specifically utilized acyl-CoA thioesters as acyl donors whereas the corresponding acyl-acyl carrier protein thioesters were not used. Furthermore, the membrane-bound as well as the solubilized enriched form showed not only higher activities with 1-oleoylthan with 1-palmitoylglycerol-3-phosphate but also pronounced specificities and selectivities for unsaturated C₁₈-CoA thioesters. Hence, the extraplastidial 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase which catalyses the formation of phosphatidic acid with an eukaryotic fatty-acid pattern was partially purified.Abbreviations ACP acyl carrier protein - CHAPS 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate - LPA-AT acyl-CoA:1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase - PEG polyethyleneglycol The authors are grateful to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for financial support. We wish to thank Miss Ute Hammer for the analysis of the lipid composition of the microsomal fractions.     

A translocation activating the cryptic nitrogen regulation gene areB inactivates a previously unidentified gene involved in glycerol utilisation in Aspergillus nidulans

Summary The chromosome VIII translocation breakpoint of the areB-404 translocation, selected for its ability to activate the cryptic nitrogen metabolism regulatory gene areB, and the mutation glcD-100 both lead to loss of mitochondrial FAD-dependent sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Aspergillus nidulans. These two lesions therefore define glcD, a second gene (in addition to glcB) where mutation can result in loss of this enzyme. The glcD gene has been localised to a centromere-proximal region of the right arm of chromosome VIII. Although all six known areB-activating mutations involve chromosomal rearrangements and presumably therefore gene fusions, areB-404 is the first such rearrangement where the gene involved in an areB fusion has been identified.     

Acute effects of insulin on the activity of mitochondrial GPAT1 in primary adipocytes

The mitochondrial enzyme 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (mtGPAT1) catalyzes a rate-limiting step in triacylglycerol and glycerophospholipid biosynthesis, which can be modulated by protein kinases in cell free analyses. We report that treatment of primary rat adipocytes with insulin acutely affects the activity of mtGPAT1 by increasing V_MAX and K_M for the substrates glycerol-3-phosphate and palmitoyl-CoA. Proteolytic cleavage of isolated mitochondrial membranes and mass spectrometric peptide sequencing identify in vivo phosphorylation of serine 632 and serine 639 in mtGPAT1. These phosphorylation sites correspond to casein kinase-2 consensus sequences and are highly conserved in chordate animal, but not fly, fungal or plant, mtGPAT1.     

Identification of sn-Glycerol-1-phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity from Genomic Information on a Hyperthermophilic Archaeon,Sulfolobus tokodaii Strain 7

sn-Glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase is responsible for the formation of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate, the backbone of membrane phospholipids of Archaea. This activity had never been detected in cell-free extract of Sulfolobus sp. Here we report the detection of this activity on the thermostable ST0344 protein of Sulfolobus tokodaii expressed in Escherichia coli, which was predicted from genomic information on S. tokodaii. This is another line of evidence for the general mechanism of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate formation by the enzyme.     

Nucleotide sequence and analysis of the mgl operon of Escherichia coli K12

Summary The nucleotide sequence of the Escherichia coli K12 -methylgalactoside transport operon, mgl, was determined. Primer extension analysis indicated that the synthesis of mRNA initiates at guanine residue 145 of the determined sequence. The operon contains three open reading frames (ORF). The operator proximal ORF, mglB, encodes the galactose binding protein, a periplasmic protein of 332 amino acids including the 23 residue amino-terminal signal peptide. Following a 62 nucleotide spacer, the second ORF, mglA, is capable of encoding a protein of 506 amino acids. The amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal halves of this protein are homologous to each other and each half contains a putative nucleotide binding site. The third ORF, mglC, is capable of encoding a hydrophobic protein of 336 amino acids which is thought to generate the transmembrane pore. The overall organization of the mglBAC operon and its potential to encode three proteins is similar to that of the ara FGH high affinity transport operon, located approximately 1 min away on the E. coli K12 chromosome.     

Purification and cDNA sequencing of an oleate-selective acyl-ACP:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase from pea chloroplasts

The soluble acyl-ACP:sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase from chloroplasts of chilling-sensitive and -resistant plants differ in their fatty acid selectivity. Enzymes from resistant plants discriminate against non-fluid palmitic acid and select oleic acid whereas the acyltransferase from sensitive plants accepts both fatty acids. To use this difference for improving plant chilling resistance by biotechnology the gene for an oleate-selective enzyme is required. Therefore, the oleate-selective enzyme from pea seedlings was purified to apparent homogeneity. Tryptic peptides of internal origin were sequenced. Polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits were used for an immunological screening of a pea leaf cDNA expression library in gt11. A positive clone of 1800 bp was selected showing an open reading frame which codes for 457 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence coincides perfectly with the tryptic sequences. A tentative assignment of the processing site was made which divides the preprotein into a mature protein of 41 kDa in accordance with experimental findings and a transit peptide of 88 amino acids. At present the comparison between a selective (pea) and an unselective (squash) acyltransferase sequence does not provide a clue for recognizing the structural differences resulting in different selectivities.     

Cell envelope proteins involved in the transport of maltose and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate in Escherichia coli

Two types of proteins are discussed in their role of facilitating the transport of maltose and sn-glycerol-3-phosphate in E. coli. The first protein is the receptor for phage δ, known to be an outer membrane protein. By facilitating the diffusion of maltose and the higher maltodextrins through the outer membrane the effect of the δ receptor is to decrease the K_m of the transport system without influencing the V_max of substrate flux. The second protein is a periplasmic protein that is induced by growth on glycerol and is essential for transport of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate in whole cells but not in membrane vesicles. This protein has solely been identified by the use of a two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of periplasmic proteins in wild-type and mutants defective in sn-glycerol-3-phosphate transport.     

致犊牛脑膜炎大肠杆菌新疆分离株ibeB基因的特性分析北大核心CSCD

【目的】分析致犊牛脑膜炎大肠杆菌分离株ibeB基因的分子生物学信息。【方法】以自脑炎死亡犊牛脑组织、肝组织分离鉴定的O161-K99-STa致病性大肠杆菌牛-EN株和牛-EG分离株为材料。根据GenBank中公布的脑膜炎大肠杆菌K1株RS218 ibeB基因序列设计1对引物,采用PCR方法,从分离株中成功克隆ibe B基因,比较分离株ibeB基因与不同来源大肠杆菌ibeB基因的部分生物信息学特性。【结果】分离株ibeB基因序列全长1500 bp,包含1371 bp开放阅读框,共编码457个氨基酸;生物信息学分析显示,牛-EN株与致人脑膜炎大肠杆菌K1 RS218的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为90.5%和96.9%,牛-EG株与大肠杆菌K12的核苷酸和氨基酸同源性分别为99.4%和100.0%;ibeB蛋白为亲水性蛋白,分子质量为50.26 kDa,理论等电点为6.05;该蛋白无跨膜区,但具有信号肽序列;亚细胞定位显示,分泌信号通路位点(SP)占比例为0.939,说明该蛋白属于分泌型蛋白。【结论】从致脑膜炎大肠杆菌分离株中成功克隆ibeB基因,该基因与致人脑膜炎大肠杆菌K1 RS218 ibeB基因有较高的同源性,均有相似的生物学特性,属肠外致病性大肠杆菌。     

ATP stimulation of the sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase of Escherichia coli

ATP was found to stimulate the rate of the inner membrane sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase of Escherichia coli. Stimulation required the presence of Mg²⁺ and was demonstrated with either coenzyme A or acyl carrier protein thioesters as the acyl donor. The ATP stimulation was consistently observed in freshly prepared membranes and those stored at 4 °C, but after freeze/thaw treatment, the acyltransferase no longer responded to ATP. ATP increased the maximal velocity of the reaction but did not affect the Michaelis constants of the substrates. ATP did not drastically alter the proportions or types of products formed in the reaction. The ATP effect may be a mechanism functioning to enhance the rate of the acyltransferase reaction in response to an increased supply of metabolic energy.     

High myristic acid content in the cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 results from substrate specificity of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase

Analysis of fatty acids from the cyanobacterium Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 revealed that this species contained high levels of myristic acid (14:0) and linoleic acid in its glycerolipids, with minor contributions from palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid, and oleic acid. The level of 14:0 relative to total fatty acids reached nearly 50%. This 14:0 fatty acid was esterified primarily to the sn-2 position of the glycerol moiety of glycerolipids. This characteristic is unique because, in most of the cyanobacterial strains, the sn-2 position is esterified exclusively with C16 fatty acids, generally 16:0. Transformation of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with the PCC8801_1274 gene for lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase) from Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 increased the level of 14:0 from 2% to 17% in total lipids and the increase in the 14:0 content was observed in all lipid classes. These findings suggest that the high content of 14:0 in Cyanothece sp. PCC 8801 might be a result of the high specificity of this acyltransferase toward the 14:0-acyl-carrier protein.     

Did Archaeal and Bacterial Cells Arise Independently from Noncellular Precursors? A Hypothesis Stating That the Advent of Membrane Phospholipid with Enantiomeric Glycerophosphate Backbones Caused the Separation of the Two Lines of Descent

One of the most remarkable biochemical differences between the members of two domains Archaea and Bacteria is the stereochemistry of the glycerophosphate backbone of phospholipids, which are exclusively opposite. The enzyme responsible to the formation of Archaea-specific glycerophosphate was found to be NAD(P)-linked sn-glycerol-1-phosphate (G-1-P) dehydrogenase and it was first purified from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum cells and its gene was cloned. This structure gene named egsA (enantiomeric glycerophosphate synthase) consisted of 1,041 bp and coded the enzyme with 347 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence deduced from the base sequence of the cloned gene (egsA) did not share any sequence similarity except for NAD-binding region with that of NAD(P)-linked sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (G-3-P) dehydrogenase of Escherichia coli which catalyzes the formation of G-3-P backbone of bacterial phospholipids, while the deduced protein sequence of the enzyme revealed some similarity with bacterial glycerol dehydrogenases. Because G-1-P dehydrogenase and G-3-P dehydrogenase would originate from different ancestor enzymes and it would be almost impossible to interchange stereospecificity of the enzymes, it seems likely that the stereostructure of membrane phospholipids of a cell must be maintained from the time of birth of the first cell. We propose here the hypothesis that Archaea and Bacteria were differentiated by the occurrence of cells enclosed by membranes of phospholipids with G-1-P and G-3-P as a backbone, respectively. Received: 24 March 1997 / Accepted: 21 May 1997     

Molecular cloning ofglpFKRD of a mushroom-pathogenic bacterium,Pseudomonas tolaasii strain PT814: induction of an avirulent mutant carrying a single mini-Tn5km 1 insertion inglpD

Pseudomonas tolaasii strain PT 814 causes brown blotch disease in cultivated mushrooms. A pleiotropic avirulent mutant was isolated by mini-Tn5km 1 insertion mutagenesis. The insertion was localized in an open reading frame (ORF) predicted to encodesn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (glpD). ORFs that should encode its regulator, kinase, and facilitator were also identified as theglp gene cluster in the bacterium. The data suggest that theglp system may contribute to the ecology of this pathogen.     

Only one gene is required for the glpT-dependent transport of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate in Escherichia coli

Summary Deletion and point mutants defective in the glpT-dependent sn-glycerol-3-phosphate transport system were isolated and located on the Escherichia coli chromosome. They mapped in glpT in the clockwise order gyrA, glpA, glpT at around 48 min on the Escherichia coli linkage map. The mutations within glpT were ordered by deletion mapping, three factor crosses, and by crosses involving transducing bacteriophages carrying glpT-lac operon fusions. Results obtained using these fusion phages indicated that glpT is transcribed in the counterclockwise direction on the E. coli linkage map.Complementation analysis using these mutants revealed only one complementation group. Thus, one gene is necessary and sufficient for the proton motive force-dependent sn-glycerol-3-phosphate transport system.     

Analysis of yeast prp20 mutations and functional complementation by the human homologue RCC1, a protein involved in the control of chromosome condensation

Summary A DNA fragment that codes for the 364 amino-terminal amino acid residues of a putative Bacillus subtilis SecA homologue has been cloned using the Escherichia coli SecA gene as a probe. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 58% identity to the aminoterminus of the E. coli SecA protein. A DNA fragment which codes for 275 amino-terminal amino acid residues of the B. subtilis SecA homologue was expressed in E. coli and the corresponding gene product was shown to be recognized by anti-E. coli SecA antibodies. This polypeptide, although only about 30% the size of the E. coli SecA protein, also restored growth of E. coli MM52 (secA ^ts) at the non-permissive temperature and the translocation defect of proOmpA in this mutant was relieved to a substantial extent.     

Identification of two new genes,mukE andmukF, involved in chromosome partitioning inEscherichia coli

We have previously reported that the MukB protein is essential for chromosome partitioning inEscherichia coli and thatmukB mutants produce anucleate cells and are temperature-sensitive for colony formation. ThemukB gene maps at 21 min on theE. coli chromosome andsmtA-mukF-mukE-mukB genes might comprise an operon, which is transcribed in a clockwise direction. Here, we report thatmukF andmukE null mutants are both temperature-sensitive for colony formation and produce anucleate cells even at the permissive temperature. These phenotypes are the same as those observed in themukB null mutant. The primary sequence of MukF includes a leucine zipper structure and an acidic domain. Mutational analysis revealed that both are required for MukF function. When the MukF protein was overproduced in the wild-type strain, anucleate cells were produced. In contrast, overproduction of either MukE or MukB did not cause the defect. In null mutants for themukF, mukE, andmukB genes, the synchronous initiation of chromosome replication was not affected. The mini-F plasmid was as stably maintained in these mutants as in the wild-type strain. These results indicate that the MukF, MukE, and MukB proteins are involved in the chromosome partitioning steps, but are not required for mini-F plasmid partitioning.     

纤枝短月藓LEA5基因表达及耐盐性分析

该研究以纤枝短月藓为材料,利用RT-PCR和HiTail-PCR技术分别克隆得到纤枝短月藓LEA5基因的ORF和启动子序列,并进行生物信息学、基因表达及耐盐性分析,为进一步研究LEA5蛋白的保护机制奠定基础。结果显示:(1)LEA5基因包含267 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码88个氨基酸。(2)LEA5基因启动子序列为1 053 bp,利用PlantCARE在线工具预测顺式作用元件显示,该启动子不仅具有典型的CAAT box元件,还含有ABRE、MYB、MYC、MYB结合位点(MBS)等其他元件。(3)荧光定量分析表明,LEA5基因在纤枝短月藓不同时期和不同组织中都有表达。(4)LEA5蛋白的异源表达提高了大肠杆菌对盐胁迫的耐受性,表明LEA5蛋白可能在耐盐性中起重要作用。