Binding and protection of porphyrins by glutathione S-transferases of Zea mays L.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multi-functional enzymes, known to conjugate xenobiotics and degrade peroxides. Herein, we report on the potential of four Zea mays GST isoforms (Zm GST I–I, Zm GST I–II, Zm GST II–II and Zm GST III–III) to act as binding and protection proteins. These isoforms bind protoporphyrin IX (PPIX), mesoporphyrin, coproporphyrin, uroporphyrin and Mg-protoporpyhrin, but do not form a glutathione conjugate. The binding is non-covalent and inhibits GSTs enzymatic activity, dependent on the type of the porphyrin and GST isoform tested. I₅₀ values are in the range of 1 to 10 μM for PPIX, the inhibition by mesoporphyrin and Mg-protoporphyrin (Mg-PPIX) is two to five times less. The mode of binding is non-competitive for the hydrophobic substrate and competitive for glutathione. Binding affinities (K_D values) of the GST isoforms are between 0.3 and 0.8 μM for coproporphyrin and about 2 μM for mesoporphyrin.Zm GST III–III prevents the nonenzymatic autoxidation of protoporphyrinogen to the phytotoxic PPIX. Zm GST II–II can reduce the oxidative degradation of hemin. This points to a specific ligand role of distinct GST isoforms to protect tetrapyrroles in the plant cell.     

Purification,regulation and cloning of a glutathione transferase (GST) from maize resembling the auxin-inducible type-III GSTs

The glutathione transferases (GSTs) from maize (Zea mays L.) with activities toward the chloroacetanilide herbicide metolachlor and the diphenyl ether herbicide fluorodifen were fractionated into two pools based on binding to affinity columns. Pool 1 GSTs were retained on Orange A agarose and were identified as isoenzymes Zea mays (Zm) GST I-I, Zm GST I-II and Zm GST I-III, which have been described previously. Pool 2 GSTs selectively bound to S-hexyl-glutathione-Sepharose and were distinct from the pool 1 GSTs, being composed of a homodimer of 28.5 kDa subunits, termed Zm GST V-V, and a heterodimer of the 28.5 kDa polypeptide and a 27.5 kDa subunit, termed Zm GST V-VI. Using an antibody raised to Zm GST V-VI, a cDNA expression library was screened and a Zm GST V clone identified showing sequence similarity to the type-III auxin-inducible GSTs previously identified in tobacco and other dicotyledenous species. Recombinant Zm GST V-V showed high GST activity towards the diphenyl ether herbicide fluorodifen, detoxified toxic alkenal derivatives and reduced organic hydroperoxides. Antibodies raised to Zm GST I-II and Zm GST V-VI were used to monitor the expression of GST subunits in maize seedlings. Over a 24 h period the Zm GST I subunit was unresponsive to chemical treatment, while expression of Zm GST II was enhanced by auxins, herbicides, the herbicide safener dichlormid and glutathione. The Zm GST V subunit was more selective in its induction, only accumulating significantly in response to dichlormid treatment. During development Zm GST I and Zm GST V were expressed more in roots than in shoots, with Zm GST II expression limited to the roots.     

A ligand function of glutathione S-transferase

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are ubiquitous enzymes and abundant in plants. They are intimately involved in plant metabolism and stress defense related to reactive oxygen species. Our project assigned particular reactions including novel ones to certain GST-isoforms. Transformed E. coli was used to express recombinant GST-isoforms from maize. An N-terminal His tag allowed their purification by affinity chromatography. Three GST-monomers had a molecular weight of 26, 27, 29 kDa, and aggregated to dimers when assayed for their enzymic properties. Four dimeric isoforms were used to study how they interact with tetrapyrroles (of the chlorophyll biosynthesis pathway). It was found that protoporphyrin IX (Proto IX), Mg-protoporphyrin and other tetrapyrroles are bound non-covalently ("liganded") to GSTs but not conjugated with reduced glutathione. This binding is non-covalent, and results in inhibition of conjugation activity, the degree depends on type of the porphyrin and GST-isoform. I50-values between 1-10 microM were measured for Proto IX, the inhibition by mesoporphyrin and Mg-protoporphyrin was 2- to 5-fold less. The ligand binding is noncompetitive for the substrate 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and competitive for glutathione. The dimer GST 26/26 prevents the (non-enzymic) autoxidation of protoporphyrinogen to Proto IX, which produces phytotoxic reactive oxygen species in the light. GST 27/27 protects hemin against degradation. Protoporphyrinogen is formed in the plastid and then exported into the cytosol. Apparently binding by a suitable GST-isoform ensures that the highly autoxidizable protoporphyrinogen can safely reach the mitochondrium where it is processed to cytochrome.     

Characterization of Cytosolic Glutathione S-Transferase in Spruce Needles

Active glutathione S-transferase (GST) has been purified from needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.). Two isoforms of the enzyme which exhibit different physico-chemical and catalytic properties were separated by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, affinity chromatography on epoxy-activated 4% cross-linked beaded agarose, using glutathione as the ligand, ion-exchange chromatography, and isoelectric focusing. The isozymes have pI values of 5.5 (GST I) and 4.3 (GST II). Both GST isozymes are homodimeric proteins with subunit sizes of 26 kD (GST I), and 23 kD (GST II). The kinetic properties of the enzymes are described and compared with other plants GSTs. Only GST II is able to conjugate the pesticides fluorodifen and alachlor.     

Inhibition of human glutathione transferases by multidrug resistance chemomodulators in vitro

Reversal of the drug-resistance phenotype in cancer cells usually involves the use of a chemomodulator that inhibits the function of a resistance-related protein. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of MDR chemomodulators on human recombinant glutathione S-transferase (GSTs) activity. IC50 values for 15 MDR chemomodulators were determined using 1-chloro-dinitrobenzene (CDNB), cumene hydroproxide (CuOOH) and anticancer drugs as substrates. GSTs A1, P1 and M1 were inhibited by O6-benzylguanine (IC50s around 30 microM), GST P1-1 by sulphinpyrazone (IC50 = 66 microM), GST Al-1 by sulphasalazine, and camptothecin (34 and 74 microM respectively), and GST M1-1 by sulphasalazine, camptothecin and indomethacin (0.3, 29 and 30 microM respectively) using CDNB as a substrate. When ethacrynic acid (for GST P1-1), CuOOH (for A1-1) and 1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (for GST M1-1) were used as substrates, these compounds did not significantly inhibit the GST isoforms. However, progesterone was a potent inhibitor of GST P1-1 (IC50 = 1.4 microM) with ethacrynic acid as substrate. These results suggest that the target of chemomodulators in vivo could be a specific resistance-related protein.     

alpha-Tocopherol inhibits human glutathione S-transferase pi

alpha-Tocopherol is the most important fat-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant. It is known that interplay between different protective mechanisms occurs. GSTs can catalyze glutathione conjugation with various electrophiles, many of which are toxic. We studied the influence of alpha-tocopherol on the activity of the cytosolic pi isoform of GST. alpha-Tocopherol inhibits glutathione S-transferase pi in a concentration-dependent manner, with an IC(50)-value of 0.5 microM. At alpha-tocopherol additions above 3 microM there was no GST pi activity left. alpha-Tocopherol lowered the V(max) values, but did not affect the K(m) for either CDNB or GSH. This indicates that the GST pi enzyme is noncompetitively inhibited by alpha-tocopherol. An inhibition of GST pi by alpha-tocopherol may have far-reaching implications for the application of vitamin E.     

The catalytic Tyr-9 of glutathione S-transferase A1-1 controls the dynamics of the C terminus

The glutathione S-transferase enzymes (GSTs) have a tyrosine or serine residue at their active site that hydrogen bonds to and stabilizes the thiolate anion of glutathione, GS(-). The importance of this hydrogen bond is obvious, in light of the enhanced nucleophilicity of GS(-) versus the protonated thiol. Several A-class GSTs contain a C-terminal segment that undergoes a ligand-dependent local folding reaction. Here, we demonstrate the effects of the Y9F substitution on binding affinity for glutathione conjugates and on rates of the order-disorder transition of the C terminus in rat GST A1-1. The equilibrium binding affinity of the glutathione conjugate, GS-NBD (NBD-Cl, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1, 3-diazole), was decreased from 4.09 microm to 0.641 microm upon substitution of Tyr-9 with Phe. This result was supported by isothermal titration calorimetry, with K(d) values of 1.51 microm and 0.391 microm for wild type and Y9F, respectively. The increase in binding affinity for the mutant is associated with dramatic decreases in rates for the C-terminal order-disorder transition, based on a stopped-flow kinetic analysis. The same effects were observed, qualitatively, for a second GSH conjugate, GS-ethacrynic acid. Apparently, the phenolic hydroxyl group of Tyr-9 is critical for orchestrating C-terminal dynamics and efficient product release, in addition to its role in lowering the pK(a) of GSH.     

A novel glutathione transferase from Haemophilus influenzae which has high affinity towards antibiotics

Cytosolic glutathione transferase (GSTs) are a family of multi-functional proteins which catalyse the conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to a large variety of endogenous and exogenous electrophilic compounds. Much is known about cytosolic mammalian GSTs, however, the presence of GSTs in several aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms has also been demonstrated. Several findings seem to suggest that bacterial GSTs are involved in processes of biodegradation of xenobiotics, including antibiotics. However, the function played by these enzymes in the bacterial cell still remains to be clarified. At present, it is ill-defined whether bacterial GST can be classified, as in the case of mammalian enzymes, into several distinct classes.Here we report the purification of a GST isoform from Haemophilus influenzae using GSH-affinity chromatography. The purified protein was characterised by immunological and kinetic properties different from other known GSTs. The dissociation constants of chloramphenicol, ampicillin, rifampicin and tetracycline to the purified enzyme were 0.62, 9.06, 4.08 and 1.77 microM, respectively, as determined by following the quenching of the protein intrinsic fluorescence. These values were much lower than those previously determined for the same drugs with other mammalian or bacterial GSTs.The present results indicate that the enzyme purified from H. influenzae is a novel GST isoform well distinguished from other known mammalian or bacterial GSTs.     

Bivalent inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase: the effect of spacer length on isozyme selectivity

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are cytosolic enzymes that catalyze the conjugation of glutathione with a variety of exogenous and endogenous electrophiles. High affinity, isozyme-specific inhibitors of GST are required for use as pharmacological tools as well as potential therapeutics. The design of selective inhibitors is hindered due to the broad substrate binding capabilities of the GST enzymes. GSTs are dimeric enzymes, and therefore offer a unique discriminator for achieving inhibitor selectivity: the distance between binding sites on each monomer unit as a function of its quaternary organization. Bivalent analogs of the non-selective GST inhibitor ethacrynic acid were prepared, and selectivity for the GST A1-1 isozyme over GST P1-1 (IC50 values of 13.7 vs 1022 nM, respectively) was achieved through the optimization of the spacer length between the ethacrynic acid ligand domains.     

Single chain antibody displays glutathione S-transferase activity

Substrate binding and the subsequent reaction are the two principal phenomena that underlie the activity of enzymes, and many enzyme-like catalysts were generated based on the phenomena. The single chain variable region fragment of antibody 2F3 (scFv2F3) was elicited against hapten GSH-S-DN2phBu, a conjugate of glutathione (GSH), butyl alcohol, and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB); it can therefore bind both GSH and CDNB, the substrates of native glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). It was shown previously that there is a serine residue that is the catalytic group of GST in the CDR regions of scFv2F3 close to the sulfhydryl of GSH. Thus, we anticipated that scFv2F3 will display GST activity. The experimental results showed that scFv2F3 indeed displayed GST activity that is equivalent to the rat-class GST T-2-2 and exhibited pH- and temperature-dependent catalytic activity. Steady-state kinetic studies showed that the Km values for the substrates are close to those of native GSTs, indicating that scFv2F3 has strong affinities for the substrates. Compared with some other GSTs, its kcat value was found to be low, which could be caused by the similarity between the GSH-S-DN2phBu and the reaction product of GSH and CDNB. These results showed that our approach to imitating enzymes is correct, which is that an active site may catalyze a chemical reaction when a catalytic group locates beside a substrate-binding site of a receptor. It is important to consider product inhibition in hapten design in order to obtain a mimic with a high catalytic efficiency.     

Inhibition of rat liver glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes by peptides stabilized against degradation by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.

Inhibitors for glutathione S-transferase (GST) iso-enzymes from rat liver with high affinity for the glutathione-binding site (G-site) have been developed. In previous studies, a model was described for the G-site of GST (Adang, A. E. P., Brussee, J., van der Gen, A., and Mulder, G. J. (1990) Biochem. J. 269, 47-54) in terms of essential and nonessential interactions between groups in glutathione (GSH) and the G-site. Based on this model, compounds were designed that have high affinity for the G-site but cannot be conjugated. In the dipeptide gamma-L-glutamyl-D-aminoadipic acid (gamma-L-Glu-D-Aad), the L-cysteinylglycine moiety is replaced by D-aminoadipic acid. This dipeptide is an efficient competitive inhibitor (toward GSH) of mu class GST isoenzymes with Ki values of 34 microM for GST isoenzyme 3-3 and 8 microM for GST isoenzyme 4-4. Other GSH-dependent enzymes, such as gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase, were not inhibited by 1 mM of gamma-L-Glu-D-Aad. Inhibition is also highly stereospecific since gamma-L-Glu-L-Aad is only a poor inhibitor (Ki = 430 microM for GST 3-3). Gamma-L-Glutamyl-D-norleucine also had a much higher Ki value for GST 3-3. Thus, the presence of a delta-carboxylate group in D-Aad appears to be essential for a high affinity inhibitor. An additional hydrophobic group did not result in increased inhibitory potency. In a different approach, the gamma-L-glutamyl moiety in GSH was replaced by delta-L-aminoadipic acid; delta-L-Aad-L-Cys-Gly is an efficient cosubstrate analogue for GSTs with Km values comparable to GSH and Vmax values ranging from 0.24 to 57 mumol/min/mg for the different GSTs. The structures of the efficient inhibitor and the cosubstrate analogue were combined in delta-L-Aad-D-Aad, which had a Ki value of 68 microM with GST 3-3. In order to investigate their possible use in vivo studies, the degradation of gamma-L-Glu-D-Aad and delta-L-Aad-L-Cys-Gly by gamma-GT was investigated. The peptides showed no measurable hydrolysis rates under conditions where GSH was rapidly hydrolyzed. Thus, an efficient, mu class-specific GST inhibitor and a gamma-glutamyl-modified cosubstrate analogue of GSH were developed. Their gamma-GT stability offers the possibility to use these peptides in in vivo experiments.     

Multiple glutathione S-transferase isoforms are present on male germ cell plasma membrane.

Phase II detoxification enzymes, the glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) of 24 kDa are known to be cytosolic enzymes. This study shows that multiple GST isoforms that are 24 kDa in size are present on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane of rat male germ cells. The GST activity of male germ cell plasma membranes is several folds higher than somatic cell plasma membrane GST activity. Isoform composition of the germ cell plasma membrane and the cytosolic pool differ, GSTM5 and GSTPi being absent on the plasma membranes. The molecular masses of the common isoforms are comparable between the two pools and both pools show GST and glutathione peroxidase activity.     

Glutathione S-transferase-catalyzed conjugation of 9,10-epoxystearic acid with glutathione

The possible role of glutathione S-transferases (GST) in detoxification of fatty acid epoxides generated during lipid peroxidation has been evaluated. Present studies showed that cytosolic human glutathione S-transferases belonging to alpha, mu, and pi classes isolated from human liver and lung catalyzed the conjugation of glutathione and 9,10-epoxystearic acid. The product of enzymatic reaction, i.e., conjugate of GSH and epoxystearic acid, was isolated and characterized. The Michaelis constant (Km) values of the alpha, mu, and pi classes of GSTs for 9,10-epoxystearic acid were found to be 0.47, 0.32 and 0.80 mM, respectively, whereas the maximal velocity (V max) values for the alpha, mu, and pi classes of GSTs were found to be 142, 256, and 52 mol/min/mol, respectively. These results indicate that even though 9,10-epoxystearic acid is a substrate for all the three classes of GSTs, the mu class isozymes have maximum activity toward this substrate and may preferentially metabolize fatty acid epoxides more effectively as compared to the other classes of GSTs.     

High-affinity binding of fatty acyl-CoAs and peroxisome proliferator-CoA esters to glutathione S-transferases effect on enzymatic activity.

Acyl-CoAs are present at high concentrations within the cell, yet are strongly buffered by specific binding proteins in order to maintain a low intracellular unbound acyl-CoA concentration, compatible with their metabolic role, their importance in cell signaling, and as protection from their detergent properties. This intracellular regulation may be disrupted by nonmetabolizables acyl-CoA esters of xenobiotics, such as peroxisome proliferators, which are formed at relatively high concentration within the liver cell. The low molecular mass acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) and fatty acyl-CoA binding protein (FABP) have been proposed as the buffering system for fatty acyl-CoAs. Whether these proteins also bind xenobiotic-CoA is not known. Here we have identified new liver cytosolic fatty acyl-CoA and xenobiotic-CoA binding sites as glutathione S-transferase (GST), using fluorescent polarization and a acyl-etheno-CoA derivative of the peroxisome proliferator nafenopin as ligand. Rat liver GST and human liver recombinant GSTA1-1, GSTP1-1 and GSTM1-1 were used. Only class alpha rat liver GST and human GSTA1-1 bind xenobiotic-CoAs and fatty acyl-CoAs, with Kd values ranging from 200 nM to 5 microM. One mol of acyl-CoA is bound per mol of dimeric enzyme, and no metabolization or hydrolysis was observed. Binding results in strong inhibition of rat liver GST and human recombinant GSTA1-1 (IC50 at the nanomolar level for palmitoyl-CoA) but not GSTP1-1 and GSTM1-1. Acyl-CoAs do not interact with the GSTA1-1 substrate binding site, but probably with a different domain. Results suggest that under increased acyl-CoA concentration, as occurs after exposure to peroxisome proliferators, acyl-CoA binding to the abundant class alpha GSTs may result in strong inhibition of xenobiotic detoxification. Analysis of the binding properties of GSTs and other acyl-CoA binding proteins suggest that under increased acyl-CoA concentration GSTs would be responsible for xenobiotic-CoA binding whereas ACBP would preferentially bind fatty acyl-CoAs.     

Structure-guided activity restoration of the silkworm glutathione transferase Omega GSTO3-3

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are ubiquitous detoxification enzymes that conjugate hydrophobic xenobiotics with reduced glutathione. The silkworm Bombyx mori encodes four isoforms of GST Omega (GSTO), featured with a catalytic cysteine, except that bmGSTO3-3 has an asparagine substitution of this catalytic residue. Here, we determined the 2.20-Å crystal structure of bmGSTO3-3, which shares a typical GST overall structure. However, the extended C-terminal segment that exists in all the four bmGSTOs occupies the G-site of bmGSTO3-3 and makes it unworkable, as shown by the activity assays. Upon mutation of Asn29 to Cys and truncation of the C-terminal segment, the in vitro GST activity of bmGSTO3-3 could be restored. These findings provided structural insights into the activity regulation of GSTOs.     

Glutathione S-transferases of human lung: characterization and evaluation of the protective role of the alpha-class isozymes against lipid peroxidation.

Glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozymes of human lung have been purified, characterized, quantitated, and, based on their structural and immunological profiles, identified with their respective classes. The tau-, mu-, and alpha-class GSTs represented 94, 3, and 3% activities of total human lung GSTs toward CDNB, respectively, and 60, 10, and 30% of total GST protein, respectively. Both the mu- and the alpha-class GSTs of human lung exhibited heterogeneity. The two mu-class GSTs of human lung had pI values of 6.5 and 6.25 and were differentially expressed in humans. Significant differences were seen between the kinetic properties of these two isozymes and also between the lung and liver mu-class GSTs. The alpha-class GST isozymes of lung resolved into three peaks during isoelectric focusing corresponding to pI values of 9.2, 8.95, and 8.8. All three alpha-class GSTs isozymes had blocked N-termini and were immunologically similar to human liver alpha-class GSTs. Peptide fingerprints generated by SV-8 protease digestion and CNBr cleavage indicated minor structural differences between the liver and the lung alpha-class GSTs. The three alpha-class GSTs of lung expressed glutathione peroxidase activities toward the hydroperoxides of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol, with Km values in the range of 22 to 87 microM and Vmax values in the range of 67-120 mol/mol/min, indicating the involvement of the alpha-class GSTs in the protection mechanisms against peroxidation. All three classes of lung GSTs expressed activities toward leukotriene A4 methyl ester and epoxy stearic acid but the mu-class GSTs had relatively higher activities toward these substrates.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls and their different level metabolites as inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes

Research on the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) toxicity tends to focus on commercial PCB congeners and parent PCBs themselves. However, studies have suggested that PCB metabolites may be more interesting than the parent compounds because of their high reactivity. As a key metabolic enzyme, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are responsible for detoxification by catalyzing the conjugation reaction of glutathione (GSH) to xenobiotics. Inhibition of GST activity indicates reduced detoxification ability. We investigated the inhibition of chicken liver GSTs by parent PCBs and their metabolites and observed dose-dependent inhibition in vitro; inhibitory efficiency declined in the order GSH-conjugate > mono-hydroxyl ≈ quinone ≈ hydroquinone > parent PCB. Structure-inhibitory activity relationship studies indicated that with the inhibitory activity greatly increases with the number of GSH moieties or chlorine substituents on the quinone ring. However, no significant linear relationship was observed for chlorine pattern changes on the phenyl ring. The reversibility of PCB metabolite inhibition of GSTs is discussed. PCB mono-hydroxyl, hydroquinone and quinone forms showed irreversible inhibition of GSTs, which suggests a mechanism involving covalent binding to cysteine residues in the GST active site. PCB glutathionyl conjugates showed reversible GST inhibition, implying non-covalent binding. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species did not significantly affect GST activity.     

Induction of glutathione-S-transferase in the Northern quahog Mercenaria mercenaria after exposure to the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture Aroclor 1248

The glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs) from the Northern quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) were examined after an injection of a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture, Aroclor 1248, to a concentration of ~50 ppm. Enzymatic analysis indicated a fourfold increase in the GST activity of quahogs injected with PCBs compared with that of the control. An electrophoretic analysis of the GST from the PCB-exposed quahogs showed a 1.5-fold increase in the concentration over that of the control. Purification of the GST on a glutathione affinity column yielded a glutathione binding protein, in addition to the GSTs. However, the amount of the glutathione binding protein in the PCB-injected quahogs was found to decrease by ~50% in comparison to the glutathione binding protein in the control quahogs.     

Inhibitory effects of auxins and related substances on the activity of an Arabidopsis glutathione S-transferase isozyme expressed in Escherichia coli

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs; EC 2.5.1.18) are encoded by a gene family. Some GSTs have the capacity to bind to indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), whereas the gene expression of other GSTs is regulated by auxin. In order to assess a possible physiological significance of the auxin binding of GST, we investigated effects of auxins on the activity of GST expressed in Escherichia coli. cDNA cloning was carried out for the fifth gene ( GST5 ) of GST in Arabidopsis. Although the deduced amino acid sequence of GST5 was remotely related to that of the other Arabidopsis GSTs (less than 20% identical), the GST5 protein (GST5) expressed in E. coli showed GST activity. Apparent K_m values of GST5 are 0.86 and 1.29 m M for glutathione (GSH) and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, respectively. IAA, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA) and 2-NAA inhibited the enzyme activity competitively with respect to GSH. The apparent K_i of IAA is 1.56 m M . Salicylic acid inhibited GST activity in a noncompetitive manner. 2,4-D was the most inhibitory among the tested chemicals. GST5 bound to GSH-immobilized agarose gel was effectively eluted by IAA. These results indicate that IAA and the related substances bind to GST5 at the GSH-binding site, and exclude the possibility that the compounds could be substrates for GST5. Although the K_i value of IAA is too high for any physiological consequences, it might be assumed that GST activity is modulated in vivo by an auxin-related substance(s). The steady-state level of the GST5 mRNA was increased by wounding, heat shock, and spraying buffer on the plant, but was not influenced by auxin treatment.     

Developmental studies on the Sigma and Delta-1 glutathione transferases of Lucilia cuprina

The glutathione transferases (GSTs) are a large group of enzymes having both detoxication roles and specialist metabolic functions. The present work represents an initial approach to identifying some of these roles by examining the variation of specific members of the family under differing conditions. The GSTs from Lucilia cuprina have been partially purified, members of two families being isolated, by the use of glutathione immobilised on epichlorhydrin-activated Sepharose 6B. The GSTs were separated by 2D SDS-PAGE and characterised by MALDI-TOF analysis of tryptic peptides. The mass fragments were then matched against the corresponding Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica sequences. GSTs were identified as coming from only the Sigma and Delta classes. The multiple Delta zones appear all to be derived from the Lucilia GSTD1 isoform. The distribution of these GST proteins has been studied during different developmental stages of the insect. Delta isoforms were present in all developmental stages of L. cuprina. The Sigma GST was not detectable in the egg, was just detectable in the larval and pupal stages and was the major GST isolated in the adult. Sigma and Delta isoforms were both found in all body segments of the insect. Both isoforms appear to undergo extensive post-translational modification. Activities of the two types of protein with model substrates have been determined.