Transamination of L-cystathionine and related compounds by a bovine liver enzyme. Possible identification with glutamine transaminase

A transaminase which catalyses the monodeamination of L-cystathionine was purified 1100-fold with a yield of 15% from bovine liver. The monoketoderivative of cystathionine spontaneously produces the cyclic ketimine. Other sulfur-containing amino acids related to cystathionine such as cystine, lanthionine and aminoethylcysteine were also substrates for the enzyme. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was determined to be 94 000 with a probable dimeric structure formed of identical subunits. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was at pH 5.0 and the maximal enzymatic activity was found at pH 9.0--9.2. Kinetic parameters for cystathionine and for the other sulfur amino acids as well as for some alpha-keto acids were also determined. Among the natural amino acids tested, glutamine, methionine and histidine were the best amino donors. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity toward phenylpyruvate and alpha-keto-gamma-methiolbutyrate as amino acceptors. The broad specificity of the enzyme leads us to infer that the cystathionine transaminase is very similar or identical to glutamine transaminase.     

Inhibition of muscle actomyosin ATPase activity by mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor.

Ascites hepatoma cell line AH-130 was tested for the ability to transport various amino acids and glutathione before and after γ-glutamyl transpeptidase of the cells was affinity-labeled and inactivated by 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, a glutamine analog. The rate of uptake of alanine, glycine, leucine and glutamine by the cells remained unchanged after γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was inactivated by this affinity label. This indicated that γ-glutamyl transpeptidase of the cell was not involved in the transport process of these amino acids tested. The uptake of glutathione was also tested before and after affinity labeling the enzyme. The total amount of the radioactivity incorporated into the cells was not significantly affected by the enzyme inactivation. However, the relative amount of incorporated intact glutathione was found to be slightly but significantly increased after membraneous γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was inactivated by the affinity label, while that of component amino acid, glycine, was found to decrease. This indicated that glutathione was taken up by the cell in its intact form as well as in degraded forms into its component amino acids, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase in the ascites tumor cell AH-130 seemed to be involved in the metabolic process via the latter system.     

Regulation of the Neurospora crassa assimilatory nitrate reductase.

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-nitrate reductase from Neurospora crassa was purified and found to be stimulated by certain amino acids, citrate, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Stimulation by citrate and the amino acids was dependent upon the prior removal of EDTA from the enzyme preparations, since low quantities of EDTA resulted in maximal stimulation. Removal of EDTA from enzyme preparations by dialysis against Chelex-containing buffer resulted in a loss of nitrate reductase activity. Addition of alanine, arginine, glycine, glutamine, glutamate, histidine, tryptophan, and citrate restored and stimulated nitrate reductase activity from 29- to 46-fold. The amino acids tested altered the Km of NADPH-nitrate reductase for NADPH but did not significantly change that for nitrate. The Km of nitrate reductase for NADPH increased with increasing concentrations of histidine but decreased with increasing concentrations of glutamine. Amino acid modulation of NADPH-nitrate reductase activity is discussed in relation to the conservation of energy (NADPH) by Neurospora when nitrate is the nitrogen source.     

gamma-Glutamyltransferase in human diploid fibroblasts and other mammalian cells.

gamma-Glutamyltransferase was determined in WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts and compared to enzyme levels determined in several other mammalian cell lines including: fibroblast-like cells from human skin, tibia and foreskin; epithelial-like cells from human, bovine and monkey kidney; and transformed cells (Chinese hamster ovary, HeLa S3 and SV-40 transformed WI-38). Transformed cells had the lowest activity found followed in increasing order by fibroblasts, human and bovine epithelial cells and monkey kidney epithelial cells. The enzyme isolated from the plasma membrane of WI-38 cells, like the enzyme from kidney and brain, was found to be irreversibly inhibited by iodoacetamide, reversibly by serine-borate, and had a strong specificity for certain amino acids. The possibility exists that gamma-glutamyltransferase could be involved in transport of amino acids into cells in culture; and glutamine, used in media, is an excellent substrate for the enzyme.     

Post-translational modification of bovine pro-opiomelanocortin. Tyrosine sulfation and pyroglutamate formation, a mass spectrometric study

The amino-terminal fragment of beta-lipotropin (i.e. beta-lipotropin (1-40)) and joining peptide portions of pro-opiomelanocortin have been purified from extracts of bovine posterior pituitaries. Peptides were purified using a combination of reversed-phase and ion-exchange batch extraction procedures followed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. beta-Lipotropin (1-40) was found to consist of four major components while joining peptide was found to consist of two major components. Fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometric analysis of the tryptic fragments of both peptides revealed that the observed heterogeneity could be explained in terms of post-translational modifications. beta-Lipotropin (1-40) was found to be sulfated at tyrosine residue 28 to an extent of about 50%. The tyrosine residue in beta-lipotropin (1-40) is situated within an amino acid sequence with a preponderance of glutamate residues. Sulfation of this amino acid residue is entirely compatible with the known primary structure requirements of the sulfotransferase enzyme located in the trans-Golgi fraction. Both beta-lipotropin (1-40) and joining peptide were found to have pyroglutamate at their amino termini to an extent of about 50%. The cDNA sequence for bovine pro-opiomelanocortin predicts the presence of glutamic acid at position 1 of both peptides. Pyroglutamate is normally formed through the cyclization of glutamine. This reaction is thought to be catalyzed by a pyroglutamate forming enzyme located within the secretory granule fraction. Under certain circumstances peptides with glutamate at their amino termini may act as substrates for this enzyme.     

Inactivation of Bacillus subtilis glutamine synthetase by metal-catalyzed oxidation.

Instability of Bacillus subtilis glutamine synthetase in crude extracts was attributed to site-specific oxidation by a mixed-function oxidation, and not to limited proteolysis by intracellular serine proteases (ISP). The crude extract from B. subtilis KN2, which is deficient in three intracellular proteases, inactivated glutamine synthetase similarly to the wild-type strain extract. To understand the structural basis of the functional change, oxidative modification of B. subtilis glutamine synthetase was studied utilizing a model system consisting of ascorbate, oxygen, and iron salts. The inactivation reaction appeared to be first order with respect to the concentration of unmodified enzyme. The loss of catalytic activity was proportional to the weakening of subunit interactions. B. subtilis glutamine synthetase was protected from oxidative modification by either 5 mM Mn2+ or 5 mM Mn2+ plus 5 mM ATP, but not by Mg2+. The CD-spectra and electron microscopic data showed that oxidative modification induced relatively subtle changes in the dodecameric enzyme molecules, but did not denature the protein. These limited changes are consistent with a site-specific free radical mechanism occurring at the metal binding site of the enzyme. Analytical data of the inactivated enzyme showed that loss of catalytic activity occurred faster than the appearance of carbonyl groups in amino acid side chains of the protein. In B. subtilis glutamine synthetase, the catalytic activity was highly sensitive to minute deviations of conformation in the dodecameric molecules and these subtle changes in the molecules could be regarded as markers for susceptibility to proteolysis.     

Role of glutamine synthetase activity in the uptake and metabolism of arginine and proline in the cyanobacterium Anabaena cycadeae

Abstract The uptake of arginine and proline and their assimilation as nitrogen source have been studied in the cyanobacterium Anabaena cycadeae and its glutamine auxotropic mutant lacking glutamine synthetase activity. The uptake pattern of arginine and proline was found to be biphasic in both wild-type and mutant strains, consisting of an initial fast phase lasting up to 60 s followed by a slower second phase. The uptake activities of both the amino acids were also found to be similar in both the strains. The wild-type strain, having normal glutamine synthetase activity, utilized arginine and proline as sole nitrogen source, whereas the mutant strain lacking glutamine synthetase activity could not do so. These results suggest that: (1) glutamine synthetase activity is necessarily required for the assimilation of arginine and proline as nitrogen source, but it is not required for the uptake of these amino acids; and (2) glutamine synthetase serves as the sole ammonia-assimilating enzyme as well as glutamine-forming route in heterocystous cyanobacteria.     

Transport of the large-neutral amino acids by the gamma-glutamyl cycle: a proposal.

The γ-glutamyl cycle has been proposed by Meister (1973) as one possible mechanism for the mediation of amino acid transport. The high energy requirement of the pathway, the very low specificity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and the inability to account for trans membrane stimulation of amino acid entry are but three criticisms of this hypothesis. It is proposed that the various objections can be overcome by postulating that the soluble form of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase transfers the γ-glutamyl moiety from gluthathione to glutamine (in the case of brain) and that the membrane sequestered form of this enzyme catalyzes the exchange of the γ-glutamyl group between γ-glutamyl glutamine and an entering neutral amino acid. The released glutamine leaves the cell. The γ-glutamyl amino acid then passes into the cytoplasm where it is acted upon by either γ-glutamyl cyclotransferase or the soluble γ-glutamyl transpeptidase which transfers the γ-glutamyl group to another molecule of glutamine. It is postulated that access to the membrane-bound enzyme is dependent on the relative lipophilia of the entering large-neutral amino acids. The available data support this mechanism. By regeneration of γ-glutamyl glutamine, a low expenditure of energy is required for the transport process. Specificity of transpeptidation is attained by the constraints of access to the membrane bound enzyme site.     

Changes in adenosine receptors during differentiation of 3T3-F442A cells to adipocytes.

We measured the amino acid concentrations in the afferent and efferent vessels of the liver in anaesthetized fed adult rats and in fed suckling rat pups. A much higher content of glutamine in the portal vein and the aorta than in hepatic veins suggests that this amino acid is actively taken up by the liver of fed suckling rat pups, conversely to what is found in adult rats. In an attempt to characterize further the mechanism(s) contributing to this enhanced glutamine uptake, we monitored the time course of 1 mM-glutamine transport into plasma-membrane vesicles purified from the livers of either adult or suckling rats. The concentrative Na+-dependent uptake of glutamine was lower in those vesicles obtained from pups than in those obtained from adult rats. Glutaminase and glutamine synthetase activities in livers from both experimental groups were also measured. Glutaminase and glutamine synthetase activities in suckling rats were about 3-fold higher and 2-fold lower respectively than those in adult rats. It is concluded that glutamine is a main nitrogen carrier to the liver in fed suckling rats. A high availability of this amino acid and an enzyme imbalance between glutamine-synthesizing and -degrading activities may account for the net uptake found in vivo.     

Distribution of some enzymes associated with the metabolism of glutamate, aspartate, gamma-aminobutyrate and glutamine in cat spinal cord

The activities of glutamine synthetase, glutaminase, glutamate decarboxylase, GABA aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase were measured in four areas of the cat spinal cord and in dorsal and ventral roots. Five of the six enzymes showed identical distribution patterns; i.e. the activities in the dorsal and ventral gray matter were equal and those of dorsal and ventral white matter were equal. No statistical differences in the mean enzyme activities in the dorsal and ventral roots were found. Glutamate decarboxylase was the only enzyme which had a different pattern. The enzyme activity in dorsal gray was twice that of ventral gray; the same pattern as the GABA concentration in both these areas. The glutamine synthetase activities in the cord areas and roots correlated with the glutamine distribution reported earlier. Thus, the distribution of glutamine (not a transmitter) and GABA (questionable transmitter) in gray matter are dictated by their synthesizing enzymes, whereas the distribution of glutamate and aspartate (likely transmitter suspects) cannot be explained on the basis of enzyme activities. Therefore, the enzyme activities may be related to the amino acid levels primarily in metabolic compartments, whereas the excess of certain amino acids in specific areas of the cord and roots may be related to functional compartments accumulated for use in synaptic transmission.     

Transglutaminase-catalyzed cross-linking through diamines and polyamines.

Transglutaminases were found to catalyze the formation of cross-links between peptide chains by means of a transfer reaction between the carboxamide group of a glutamine residue in each chain and both primary amino groups of a diamine or a polyamine. Production of this heretofore undescribed linkage by guinea pig liver transglutaminase was demonstrated by the use of high performance liquid chromatography in a model system using glutamine peptide derivatives and a variety of diamines and polyamines. Evidence for intermolecular cross-linking through polyamines with both the liver enzyme and thrombin-activated human plasma blood coagulation factor XIII was obtained by the use of a guanidinated derivative of beta-casein.     

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase in rat ascites tumor cell LY-5. Lack of functional correlation of its catalytic activity with the amino acid transport.

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase activity was detected in rat ascites tumor cells (LY-5) suspended in Hanks' balanced saline solution using L-gamma-glutamyl-p-nitroanilide as a substrate. Whole-cell suspension of the tumor cells exhibited full activity of the enzyme without detectable cell disruption under the conditions examined. Various amino acids, transported through specific membrane carriers, did not affect the accessibility of substrate for the enzyme. An inhibitor of sodium-dependent transport systems of amino acids caused no significant change in the rate of enzyme catalysis. Like glutathione or S-methylglutathione, S-acetyldextran (mol. wt 215000) derivative of glutathione, which is believed to be unable to penetrate into intact cells, caused marked inhibition of the rate of p-nitroaniline release from the synthetic substrate by the tumor cells. These data indicated that the active site of the enzyme faced to the outer surface of the cells. gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase of the tumor cells was successfully affinity-labeled by 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine, a glutamine analog, without causing detectable change in the viability of the cells under the conditions examined. The rate of transport of alanine, leucine, glycine and glutamine into cells was not affected by the inactivation of this enzyme with the affinity label. Thus, the activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase located on the outer surface of tumor cell membrane does not seem to be requisite for the transport process of amino acids.     

Mirror image mutations reveal the significance of an intersubunit ion cluster in the stability of 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase

The comparison of the three-dimensional structures of thermophilic (Thermus thermophilus) and mesophilic (Escherichia coli) 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenases (IPMDH, EC 1.1.1.85) suggested that the existence of extra ion pairs in the thermophilic enzyme found in the intersubunit region may be an important factor for thermostability. As a test of our assumption, glutamine 200 in the E. coli enzyme was turned into glutamate (Q200E mutant) to mimic the thermophilic enzyme at this site by creating an intersubunit ion pair which can join existing ion clusters. At the same site in the thermophilic enzyme we changed glutamate 190 into glutamine (E190Q), hereby removing the corresponding ion pair. These single amino acid replacements resulted in increased thermostability of the mesophilic and decreased thermostability of the thermophilic enzyme, as measured by spectropolarimetry and differential scanning microcalorimetry.     

The purine nucleotide cycle and ammonia formation from glutamine by rat kidney slices.

To test the significance of the purine nucleotide cycle in renal ammoniagenesis, studies were conducted with rat kidney cortical slices using glutamate or glutamine labelled in the alpha-amino group with 15N. Glucose production by normal kidney slices with 2 mM-glutamine was equal to that with 3 mM-glutamate. With L-[15N]glutamate as sole substrate, one-third of the total ammonia produced by kidney slices was labelled, indicating significant deamination of glutamate or other amino acids from the cellular pool. Ammonia produced from the amino group of L-[alpha-15N]glutamine was 4-fold higher than from glutamate at similar glucose production rates. Glucose and ammonia formation from glutamine by kidney slices obtained from rats with chronic metabolic acidosis was found to be 70% higher than by normal kidney slices. The contribution of the amino group of glutamine to total ammonia production was similar in both types of kidneys. No 15N was found in the amino group of adenine nucleotides after incubation of kidney slices from normal or chronically acidotic rats with labelled glutamine. Addition of Pi, a strong inhibitor of AMP deaminase, had no effect on ammonia formation from glutamine. Likewise, fructose, which may induce a decrease in endogenous Pi, had no effect on ammonia formation. The data obtained suggest that the contribution of the purine nucleotide cycle to ammonia formation from glutamine in rat renal tissue is insignificant.     

Immunochemical evidence for glutamine-mediated degradation of glutamine synthetase in cultured Chinese hamster cells.

The specific activity of glutamine synthetase in cultured Chinese hamster cells is inversely related to the concentration of glutamine in the surrounding solution. Enzyme specific activity increases 8- to 10-fold when glutamine is removed from serum-free F12 growth media. The induction of glutamine synthetase activity occurs only after glutamine removal and not after the removal of other amino acids (methionine, leucine, or isoleucine). The analysis of the glutamine-mediated decrease in glutamine synthetase activity has been simplified by the finding that depression proceeds in nutrient-free buffered saline solution (141 mM NaCl, 5.4 mM KCl and 30 mM Tricine (pH 7.4). Under these conditions, 0.1 mM cyanide blocks glutamine-mediated depression. The cyanide inhibition is reversed by the addition of 1.0 mM glucose which suggests that ATP is required for depression. Glutamine-mediated depression is temperature-dependent, occurring between 25 and 45 degrees with an optimum rate at 37 degrees. Studies of the time course of induction and depression as a function of glutamine concentration suggest that glutamine regulates the rate at which the enzyme is either modified or degraded. We have employed an antibody prepared against homogeneous Chinese hamster liver glutamine synthetase to measure the amount of glutamine synthetase protein in extracts of cells containing induced or depressed levels of enzyme activity. A highly sensitive immunoprecipitation procedure enables quantitation of nanogram amounts of glutamine synthetase protein. Glutamine synthetase in cell extracts containing induced levels of enzyme activity possesses the same molecular specific activity (ratio of activity to antigenicity) as homogeneous Chinese hamster liver glutamine synthetase. The molecular specific activity of glutamine synthetase is almost the same in extracts of cells with depressed levels of enzyme obtained by growth for short (2 hours) and long (24 hours) times in the presence of glutamine. These data suggest that glutamine-mediated depression of glutamine synthetase results from degradation of enzyme molecules.     

Anticonvulsant activity of glycylglycine and delta-aminovaleric acid: evidence for glutamine exchange in amino acid transport

We have proposed that glutamine serves in a facilitated diffusion process, mediated by the enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; gamma GT) and that it leaves the brain in exchange for entering amino acids. Glutamine is also a precursor of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Thus, providing an alternate substrate for gamma GT should spare brain glutamine, raise GABA, and cause an anticonvulsant effect. We have found that glycylglycine, the best-known substrate for gamma GT, and delta-aminovaleric acid (DAVA), a structural analog, have anticonvulsant activity in DBA/2J mice. Both compounds can decrease the incidence and severity of seizures induced by L-methionine-RS-sulfoximine or electroconvulsive shock. DAVA was also tested and found to be active against seizures caused by pentylenetetrazol or picrotoxin. [14C]DAVA entered the brain at the rate of 18.7 nmol/g/min. The activity of DAVA as a substrate of gamma GT was intermediate to that of glycylglycine and glutamine. Preliminary studies have shown that brain glutamine and perhaps GABA are elevated 3 h after administration of DAVA (7.5 mmol/kg). These findings support the theory that glutamine exchange plays a role in amino acid transport across the blood-brain barrier and suggests a new concept in anticonvulsant therapy.     

Structural features of glutamine substrates for transglutaminases. Role of extended interactions in the specificity of human plasma factor XIIIa and of the guinea pig liver enzyme

Amino acid residues at several locations in close primary vicinity to a substrate glutamine residue have been recognized as important determinants for the specificities of human plasma factor XIIIa and guinea pig liver transglutaminase (Gorman, J. J., and Folk, J. E. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 2712-2715). The present studies measure the influence on transglutaminase specificity of some changes in amino acid side chains in a small synthetic glutamine peptide amide, Leu-Gly-Leu-Gly-Gln-Gly-Lys-Val-Leu-GlyNH2, which was designed to contain most of the known elements needed for enzyme recognition. The results are in agreement with previous findings and show that full catalytic activity of each enzyme may be retained upon replacement of the lysine residue by certain other amino acid residues. Evidence is provided that serine in place of glycine at one or more positions causes a significant increase in specificity with factor XIIIa, but not with liver enzyme. The effective substrate property for factor XIIIa seen with the model peptide amide is lost upon reversal of the sequence Val-Leu. This is not the case with the liver enzyme even though replacement of either of these amino acids by alanine causes a pronounced loss in activity with this enzyme. These differences and the effects of various other substitutions in the model peptide amide on the enzymes' specificities points up the relatively stringent structural requirements of factor XIIIa and the rather broad requirements for liver transglutaminase.     

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.     

Purification and characterization of GMP synthetase from Yoshida sarcoma ascites cells

GMP synthetase was found in the cytosolic fraction of Yoshida sarcoma ascites cells. However, prolonged centrifugation resulted in precipitation of the enzyme. On sucrose density gradient centrifugation of a crude extract of Yoshida sarcoma ascites cells, a part of this enzyme showed high sedimentability at low ionic strength. On the basis of these observations, GMP synthetase was purified from Yoshida sarcoma ascites cells by means of procedures including centrifugal fractionation. The purified enzyme was shown to be homogeneous on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gel. The molecular weight of the GMP synthetase was estimated to be 78,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration on Sephadex G-150. Its isoelectric point was estimated to be 5.6. The Km values of this enzyme for XMP, ATP, and glutamine were calculated to be 4.6, 120, and 300 microM, respectively. Although ammonia could substitute for glutamine as a donor of the amino group, the Km value was as high as 120 mM, indicating that it cannot be considered to be a physiological substrate. This enzyme showed high activity only in the presence of Mg2+, and very low activity in the presence of other divalent cations. Inhibition by nucleoside monophosphates was not significant. The enzyme required reduced sulfhydryl compounds for its activity.