THE EFFECT OF SPERMINE AND SPERMIDINE ON THE HYDROLYSIS OF ACETYLTHIOCHOLINE IN THE PRESENCE OF RAT CAUDATE NUCLEUS HOMOGENATE OR ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE FROM ELECTROPHORUS ELECTRICUS

Abstract— The effects of spermine and spermidine tetrahydrochloride on female Agus rat brain caudate nucleus homogenates, soluble acetylcholinesterase from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus and acetylthiocholine iodide were studied. Measurements were made using an autoanalytical spectrophotometric method which measured the initial rate of reaction rapidly and accurately. Both polyamines interacted with the substrate, acetylthiocholine, causing an increase in the rate of its non-enzymatic hydrolysis. Slight inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase were also observed. Combined effect of the polyamine on the substrate and the enzyme showed an inhibition at low and activation at high (above 1 m m ) substrate concentrations.     

Immunological cross-reactivity between electric-eel acetylcholinesterase and rat-tail-tendon collagen.

Immunological cross-reactivity between acetylcholinesterase from the electric organ of the electric eel and rat tail tendon collagen was examined both on the cellular and humoral levels. 1. Guinea pigs immunized with rat tail tendon collagen displayed a strong delayed-type skin reaction when tested with the elongated acetylcholinesterase preparation (i.e. 14-S + 18-S molecular forms). However, when the glubular 11-S enzyme was tested, almost no cross-reactivity was obtained. Similarly, guinea pigs immunized with 14-S + 18-S preparation exhibited skin sensitization to rat tail tendon collagen. 2. Using a radioimmunoassay, it was observed that 125I-labeled 14-S + 18-S acetylcholinesterase binds efficiently to rabbit antiserum elicited against rat tail tendon collagen, whereas 125I-labeled 11-S enzyme does not bind at all to this antiserum. Similar results were obtained by passive hemagglutination assay. The experiments suggest that 14-S + 18-S acetylcholinesterase, but not 11-S enzyme, which is devoid of the tail structure, has antigenic determinants in common with collagen from rat tail tendon.     

Kinetics of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by spin labeled acetylcholine analogs.

A series of spin labeled acetycholine analogs, in which the number of methylene groups between the quaternary nitrogen and the alcohol oxygen ranged between 1-5, have been examined as inhibitors of electric eel acetylcholinesterase. Evidence is presented suggesting that inhibition of acetylocholinesterase by the spin labeled ACH analogs is due to the high affinity of these compounds for the enzyme, inhibition is competitive and reversible. It has been shown that complex formation is of major importance in the reaction between spin labeled ACH analogs and acetylcholinesterase. The acetylation step has been shown to occur by demonstrating that the leaving group is released as the reaction proceeds. Complex formation has been demonstrated by means of kinetic criteria. Kinetic parameter have been measured for the five compounds, and correlations with alkaline hydrolysis are disussed.     

Effect of polyamines on two types of reaction of purified poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase

The effects of polyamines on reactions catalyzed by bovine thymus poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase were examined under various conditions, and the following results were obtained. (1) Spermine and spermidine, and putrescine to a lesser degree can stimulate the synthesis of poly(ADP-ribose) covalently bound to the enzyme without Mg2+ and histones. (2) A part of the above stimulation can be explained by the Mg2+-sparing effect of polyamines. (3) The other part of the stimulation is shown to be through protection of the enzyme against the formation of an abortive complex of the enzyme and denatured DNA, which contaminates some native DNA preparations used for enzyme activation. Similar protection was shown earlier in this laboratory with histones. (4) Putrescine seems to lack this enzyme-protecting activity. (5) The polyamine effect observed in the Mg2+-dependent reaction is variable depending on the DNA preparations used. (6) Chemical analysis shows that the average chain lengths of the products synthesized with Mg2+ and spermine are similar, and the products are covalently bound to the enzyme, indicating that the reaction supported by polyamines is essentially the same as that by Mg2+. (7) Under the histone H1-dependent reaction conditions where ADP-ribosylation of histone H1 is predominant, both Mg2+ and polyamines are inhibitory on the reaction and both cations decrease the number of product molecules without affecting the size of the product. These data suggest that polyamines can at least partially replace Mg2+ in terms of effect on the ADP-ribosylation reaction. The other effect of polyamines is the protection of the enzyme from abortive binding to denatured DNA, as has also been shown to occur with histones.     

Effects of quaternary ligands on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by arsenite.

Arsenite inhibits acetylcholinesterase in a second-order reaction. The rate and equilibrium constants depend upon pH and have values on the order of 10(2) M-1 min-1 and 10(5) M (dissociation), respectively. Some quaternary ammonium ligands completely block the arsenite inhibition of the enzyme, others decrease the rate of the reaction and some, notably pyridine-2 aldoxime methiodide, greatly accelerate the rate of the reaction, up to 220-fold. Accelerators may bind at a separate enzyme site distinct form the anionic site involved in substrate binding. Although the kinetic data are consistent with a covalent reaction between arsenite and acetylcholinesterase, chemical evidence excludes the involvement of sulfhydryl groups which are usually implicated in arsenite inhibition.     

Reciprocal Regulation of Ornithine Decarboxylase and Choline Kinase Activities by Their Respective Reaction Products in the Developing Rat Cerebellar Cortex

Changes in the activity of choline kinase were measured in the cerebellum during development. Early transient increase was found in the enzyme activity just prior to and during birth. This period of increase did not coincide with the periods of transient elevation in ornithine decarboxylase and choline acetyltransferase previously observed in the developing cerebellum. The effects of the naturally occurring polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) on choline kinase and choline acetyltransferase activities, and of phosphorylcholine (the product of the reaction catalyzed by choline kinase) on ornithine decarboxylase and choline acetyltransferase activities, were also examined. Choline acetyltransferase activity was not influenced by either polyamines or phosphorylcholine. However, choline kinase activity from 7-day-old, but not from adult, cerebellum was increased 25% in the presence of 4 mM spermine. In contrast, low spermidine concentrations (less than 2 mM) inhibited choline kinase activity selectively in 7-day-old cerebellum. Ornithine decarboxylase activity from 7-day-old cerebellum was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by phosphorylcholine. The present data together with other previous reports suggest that: (a) polyamines may play a role in choline utilization during development via their regulation of choline kinase activity, on the one hand, and of acetylcholinesterase activity on the other; and (b) during development, a reciprocal regulation of choline kinase and ornithine decarboxylase activities by their respective reaction products may exist, whereby choline kinase activity is regulated in a complex manner by polyamines and, in turn, ornithine decarboxylase is inhibited by phosphorylcholine.     

Immobilized electric eel acetylcholinesterase. I. Kinetics of acetylcholinesterase trapped in polyacrylamide membranes.

Techniques are described for the trapping of electric eel acetylcholinesterase in polyacrylamide gel. The activity of the trapped enzyme was substantially reduced, the effect being due to inhibition by acrylamide, but the emzyme immobilized in polyacrylamide was considerable more stable than that in free solutionma kinetic study was made of the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine, covering a range of membrane thicknesses, enzyme concentrations, substrate concentrations and temperatures. The results were interpreted with reference to the theoretical treatment of Sundaram, Tweedale and Laidler, and of Kobayaski and Laidler, and provided support for those treatments; Clear evidence was obtained for diffusion control with the thicker membranes. An activation energy was obtained for the diffusion of the substrate within the membrane, by combining the temperature results for thick and thin membranes at low substrate concentrations. The results lead to the conclusion that the in vivo kinetics of acetylcholinesterase are largely diffusion-free in muscle filaments, but are substantially diffusion-controlled in fibrils and fibers.     

Active-site determinations on forms of mammalian brain and eel acetylcholinesterase.

Three forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were purified from bovine caudate-nucleus tissue and determined by calibrated gel filtration to have mol.wts. of approx. 120 000 (C), 230 000 (B) and 330 000 (A). [3H]Di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate (isopropyl moiety labelled) was purified from commercial preparations and its concentration estimated by an enzyme-titration procedure. Brain acetylcholinesterase preparations and enzyme from eel electric tissue were allowed to react with [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluridate in phosphate buffer until enzyme activity was inhibited by 98%. Excess of [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate that had not reacted was separated from the labelled enzyme protein by gel filtration, or by vacuum filtration or by extensive dialysis. The specificity of active-site labelling was confirmed by use of the enzyme reactivator, pyridine 2-aldoxime. The forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were calculted to contain approximately two (C) four (B) and six (A) active sites per molecule respectively. Acetylcholinesterase (mol.wt. 250 000) from electric-eel tissue was estimated to contain two active sites per molecule. Gradient-gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the estimation of molecular weights of brain acetylcholinesterase forms made by gel filtration. Under the conditions of electrophoresis acetylcholinesterase form A was stable, but form B was converted into a species of approx. 120 000 mol. wt. Similarly, form C of the brain enzyme was converted into a 60 000-mol.wt. form during electrophoresis. These results are in general accord with the suggestion that the multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase may be related to the aggregation of a single low-molecular-weight species.     

Kinetic characterization of all steps of the interaction between acetylcholinesterase and eserine

The three-step carbamylenzyme mechanism of the action of eserine on acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) has been known for a long time, but its complete kinetic characterization has never been done. Some of our investigations indicated that the determination of missing kinetic parameters should include the inspection of the enzyme-eserine interaction in a very wide range of eserine concentrations. Therefore, the activity of acetylcholinesterase as a function of time in the presence of low concentrations of eserine comparable to the enzyme concentration was followed. The reaction mechanism was analysed by fitting numerically integrated differential equations that describe the time dependences of all reactants and reaction intermediates to these data. Additionally, the progress curve measurements at higher eserine concentrations were carried out on a stopped-flow apparatus. The corresponding progress curve equations were derived and the kinetic parameters evaluated by non-linear regression treatment. The complex analysis confirmed the three-step mechanism. The values of the constants showed that the very high affinity of eserine for binding into the active centre of the enzyme is not so much a consequence of the fast initial complex formation but rather a consequence of its slow dissociation. The subsequent covalent bonding of eserine is also slow, but faster than the dissociation of the initial complex. In this manner, the decarbamoylation is the only process responsible for the reactivation of acetylcholinesterase after removal of eserine.     

Kinetic, equilibrium, and spectroscopic studies on dealkylation ("aging") of alkyl organophosphonyl acetylcholinesterase. Electrostatic control of enzyme topography

The mechanism of dealkylation ("aging") of branched-alkyl organophosphonyl conjugates of acetylcholinesterase and the consequence of this reaction on enzyme conformation were examined by employing kinetic, equilibrium, and spectroscopic techniques. Aging of cycloheptyl methylphosphono-acetylcholinesterase proceeded as a unimolecular reaction in which the enzyme became refractory to oxime reactivation and was accelerated with increases in temperature and decreases in pH and ionic strength of the medium. While aging occurred in a manner invariant with the nature of the salt in buffers containing Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, Cl-, CH3COO-, SO2-(4), and PO3-(4), the influence of ionic strength on aging was opposite to that predicted for a mechanism requiring charge separation during formation of the polar transition state. Examination of the equilibrium enzyme conformation with decidium, a fluorescent active center-selective ligand, revealed marked alterations in ligand association and a greater ionic strength dependence for binding after aging. The explanation for this behavior focuses on the high net negative surface charge of the enzyme and proposes that acetylcholinesterase topography is governed by the strength of electrostatic interactions between charged, contiguous, mobile protein regions within the subunit. As such, these studies reveal a reciprocal relationship between acetylcholinesterase topography, surface charge, and ionic strength of the medium.     

Sodium and ATP affinities of the cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase in spontaneously hypertensive rats

The Na(+),K(+)-ATPase is postulated to be involved in systemic vascular hypertension through its effects on smooth muscle reactivity and cardiac contractility. Investigating the kinetic properties of the above enzyme we tried to assess the molecular basis of alterations in transmembrane Na(+)-efflux from cardiac cells in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the investigated group of SHR the systolic blood pressure and the heart weight were increased by 48% and by 60%, respectively. Upon activating the cardiac Na(+),K(+)-ATPase with substrate, its activity was lower in SHR in the whole concentration range of ATP. Evaluation of kinetic parameters revealed a decrease of the maximum velocity (Vmax) by 28% which was accompanied with lowered affinity of the ATP-binding site as indicated by the increased value of Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) by 354% in SHR. During activation with Na(+), we observed an inhibition of the enzyme in hearts from SHR at all tested Na(+) concentrations. The value of Vmax decreased by 37%, and the concentration of Na(+) that gives half maximal reaction velocity (KNa) increased by 98%. This impairment in the affinity of the Na(+)-binding site together with decreased affinity to ATP in the molecule of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase are probably responsible for the deteriorated efflux of the excessive Na(+) from the intracellular space in hearts of SHR.     

Transient kinetic approach to the study of acetylcholinesterase reversible inhibition by eseroline

The kinetic rate constants for interaction of (-)-eseroline-(3aS-cis)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-1,3a,8-trimethylpyrrolo-[2,3-b]indol-5-ol with electric eel acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7, acetylcholine acetylhydrolase) were measured at a low substrate concentration according to a transient kinetic approach by using a rapid experimental technique. The measurements were carried out on a stopped-flow apparatus where pre-incubated samples of enzyme with various inhibitor concentrations were diluted with a buffer solution containing the substrate. The experimental data in the form of sigmoid-shaped progress curves were analysed by applying an explicit progress curve equation that described the time dependence of product released during the reaction. The kinetic parameters were evaluated by non-linear regression treatment and the values of the corresponding constants showed approximately the equal affinities of eseroline and eserine (cf. Stojan, J. and Zorko, M. (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1337, 75-84.) for binding into the active centre of the enzyme. On the other hand, the kinetic rates for association and dissociation of eseroline were two grades of magnitude higher than those of eserine. The explanation appears to be a substantionally impaired gliding of eserine into the active site gorge by the great mobility of the carbamoyl tail as well as by its numerous possible interactions with the residues lining the gorge. Additionally, a study of the dependence of the transition phase information on the inhibitor concentration was carried out using our experimental data.     

Kinetic attributes of rat liver microsomal adenosine 5' triphosphate phosphohydrolase (ATPase)

The kinetic properties of the rat liver microsomal ATPase, with respect to Na(+), K(+) and AT P requirements were examined. Presence of Na(+) and K(+), or both hardly caused any stimulation of the enzyme activity. The Km values for Na(+) and K(+) were substantially low (0.32 and 0.05 mM, respectively), compared to those reported for the Na(+), K(+) ATPasesfrom different tissues. Substrate kinetics studies revealed that in the absence of Na(+) and K(+), ATP is an activator of the enzyme. The enzyme displayed increased activity with increase in the energy of activation in the absence of Na(+) and K(+). The activity was partially inhibited by ouabain only in the presence of Na(+) and K(+). The results suggest that the liver microsomal enzyme is not a Na(+), K(+) ATPase, but has requirement of monovalent cations for the regulation of its activity. Also, the beta3 subunit of the enzyme has a Km lowering effect.     

Enzymatic synthesis of [U-14C] ribose-labeled inosine.

A very potent anticholinesterase compound, 7-(diethoxyphosphinyloxy)-N-methylquinolinium fluorosulfate, has been used to determine the normality of acetylcholinesterase solutions. The inhibitor reacts rapidly and completely with acetylcholinesterase. The bimolecular rate constant is 2.5 × 10⁸m^?1 min^?1 and the equilibrium constant is about 10⁶. The reaction produces an inactive diethylphosphoryl enzyme in which the active serine is phosphorylated. The reaction produces the highly fluorescent 1-methyl-7-hydroxyquinolinium dipolar ion as a leaving group. The inhibited enzyme is quite stable and hydrolyzes to produce active enzyme only at the rate of 0.04%/min. The inhibitor was used in two ways for measuring the normality of acetylcholinesterase solutions: (1) The very fast reaction of the inhibitor with cholinesterase makes it convenient to determine the normality of enzyme solutions by measuring the decrease in enzyme activity caused by the addition of an accurately known quantity of the inhibitor. (2) The highly fluorescent nature of the leaving group makes it possible to measure the low concentration that is produced by the reaction of excess inhibitor with the enzyme. The two methods yielded activities per site of 6.9 × 10⁵ min^?1 and 7.3 × 10⁵ min^?1 using enzyme normalities of 1–2 × 10^?8m and 1–5 × 10^?m, respectively, using a commercial 11 S enzyme preparation from electric eel and acetylthiocholine as the enzyme substrate.     

Transient Kinetic Approach to the Study of Acetylcholinesterase Reversible Inhibition by Eseroline

The kinetic rate constants for interaction of (?)-eseroline-(3aS-cis)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-1,3a,8-trimethylpyrrolo-[2,3-b]indol-5-ol with electric eel acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7, acetylcholine acetylhydrolase) were measured at a low substrate concentration according to a transient kinetic approach by using a rapid experimental technique. The measurements were carried out on a stopped-flow apparatus where pre-incubated samples of enzyme with various inhibitor concentrations were diluted with a buffer solution containing the substrate. The experimental data in the form of sigmoid-shaped progress curves were analysed by applying an explicit progress curve equation that described the time dependence of product released during the reaction. The kinetic parameters were evaluated by non-linear regression treatment and the values of the corresponding constants showed approximately the equal affinities of eseroline and eserine (cf. Stojan, J. and Zorko, M. (1997) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1337, 75-84.) for binding into the active centre of the enzyme. On the other hand, the kinetic rates for association and dissociation of eseroline were two grades of magnitude higher than those of eserine. The explanation appears to be a substantionally impaired gliding of eserine into the active site gorge by the great mobility of the carbamoyl tail as well as by its numerous possible interactions with the residues lining the gorge. Additionally, a study of the dependence of the transition phase information on the inhibitor concentration was carried out using our experimental data.     

Inactivation of acetylcholinesterase by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride

The neurotoxicant 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has been shown to reversibly inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase. The inactivation of the enzyme was detected by monitoring the accumulation of yellow color produced from the reaction between thiocholine and dithiobisnitrobenzoate ion. The kinetic parameter, K _m for the substrate (acetylthiocholine), was found to be 0.216 mM and K _i for MPTP inactivation of acetylcholinesterase was found to be 2.14 mM. The inactivation of enzyme by MPTP was found to be dose-dependent. It was found that MPTP is neither a substrate of AChE nor the time-dependent inactivator. The studies of reaction kinetics indicate the inactivation of AChE to be a linear mixed-type inhibition. The dilution assays indicate that MPTP is a reversible inhibitor for AChE. These data suggest that once MPTP enters the basal ganglia of the brain, it can inactivate the acetylcholinesterase enzyme and thereby increase the acetylcholine level in the basal ganglia of brain, leading to potential cell dysfunction. It appears that the nigrostriatal toxicity by MPTP leading to Parkinson's disease-like syndrome may, in part, be mediated via the acetylcholinesterase inactivation.     

Electrocyte (Na(+),K(+))ATPase inhibition induced by zinc is reverted by dithiothreitol

The Mg(2+)-dependent (Na(+),K(+))ATPase maintains several cellular processes and is essential for cell excitability. In view of the importance of the enzyme activity, the interaction and binding affinities to substrates and metal ions have been studied. We determined the effect of Zinc ion (Zn(2+)) on the (Na(+),K(+))ATPase activity present in both conducting (non-innervated) and post-synaptic (innervated) membranes of electrocyte from Electrophorus electricus (L.). Zn(2+) is involved in many biological functions and is present in pre-synaptic nerve terminals. This metal, which has affinity for thiol groups, acted as a potent competitive inhibitor of (Na(+),K(+))ATPase of both membrane fractions, which were obtained by differential centrifugation of the E. electricus main electric organ homogenate. We tried to recover the enzyme activity using dithiothreitol, a reducing agent. Kinetic analysis showed that dithiothreitol acted as a non-essential non-competitive activator of (Na(+),K(+))ATPase from both membrane fractions and was able to revert the Zn(2+) inhibition at mM concentrations. In the presence of dithiothreitol, this metal behaved as a competitive inhibitor of (Na(+),K(+))ATPase in the non-innervated membrane fractions and presented a non-competitive inhibition of (Na(+),K(+))ATPase in innervated membrane fractions. This difference may be attributed to formation of a Zn-dithiothreitol complex, as well as the involvement of other binding sites for both agents. The consequences of the enzyme inhibition by Zn(2+) may be considered in regard to its neurotoxic effects.     

A study of the subunit structure and the thiol reactivity of bovine liver uridine diphosphate glucose dehydrogenase

1. The amino acid analysis of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase is reported. 2. N-Terminal-group analysis indicates only one type of N-terminal amino acid, methionine, to be present. 3. Peptide ;mapping' in conjunction with the amino acid analysis indicates that the subunits of the enzyme are similar if not identical. 4. The various kinetic classes of thiol group were investigated by reaction with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate). 5. NAD(+), UDP-glucose and UDP-xylose protect the two rapidly reacting thiol groups of the hexameric enzyme. 6. Inactivation of the enzyme with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) indicates the involvement of six thiol groups in the maintenance of enzymic activity. 7. The pH-dependence of UDP-xylose inhibition of the enzyme was investigated. 8. The group involved in the binding of UDP-xylose to the protein has a heat of ionization of about 33kJ/mol and a pK of 8.4-8.6. 9. It is suggested that UDP-xylose has a cooperative homotropic effect on the enzyme.     

Identification of potential regulatory sites of the Na+,K+-ATPase by kinetic analysis

Kinetic models are presented that allow the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase steady-state turnover number to be estimated at given intra- and extracellular concentrations of Na(+), K(+), and ATP. Based on experimental transient kinetic data, the models utilize either three or four steps of the Albers-Post scheme, that is, E(2) --> E(1), E(1) --> E(2)P (or E(1) --> E(1)P and E(1)P --> E(2)P), and E(2)P --> E(2), which are the major rate-determining steps of the enzyme cycle. On the time scale of these reactions, the faster binding steps of Na(+), K(+), and ATP to the enzyme are considered to be in equilibrium. Each model was tested by comparing calculations of the steady-state turnover from rate constants and equilibrium constants for the individual partial reactions with published experimental data of the steady-state activity at varying Na(+) and K(+) concentrations. To provide reasonable agreement between the calculations and the experimental data, it was found that Na(+)/K(+) competition for cytoplasmic binding sites was an essential feature required in the model. The activity was also very dependent on the degree of K(+)-induced stimulation of the reverse reaction E(1) --> E(2). Taking into account the physiological substrate concentrations, the models allow the most likely potential sites of short-term Na(+),K(+)-ATPase regulation to be identified. These were found to be (a) the cytoplasmic Na(+) and K(+) binding sites, via changes in Na(+) or K(+) concentration or their dissociation constants, (b) ATP phosphorylation (as a substrate), via a change in its rate constant, and (c) the position of the E(2)<==>E(1) equilibrium.     

Putrescine Aminopropyltransferase Is Responsible for Biosynthesis of Spermidine,Spermine, and Multiple Uncommon Polyamines in Osmotic Stress-Tolerant Alfalfa

The biosynthesis of polyamines from the diamine putrescine is not fully understood in higher plants. A putrescine aminopropyltransferase (PAPT) enzyme activity was characterized in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). This enzyme activity was highly specific for putrescine as the initial substrate and did not recognize another common diamine, 1,3-diaminopropane, or higher-molecular-weight polyamines such as spermidine and spermine as alternative initial substrates. The enzyme activity was inhibited by a general inhibitor of aminopropyltransferases, 5[prime]-methylthioadenosine, and by a specific inhibitor of PAPTs, cyclohexylammonium sulfate. The initial substrate specificity and inhibition characteristics of the enzyme activity suggested that it is a classical example of a PAPT. However, this enzyme activity yielded multiple polyamine products, which is uncharacteristic of PAPTs. The major reaction product of PAPT activity in alfalfa was spermidine. The next most abundant products of the enzyme reaction using putrescine as the initial substrate included the tetramines spermine and thermospermine. These two tetramines were distinguished by thin-layer chromatography to be distinct reaction products exhibiting differential rates of formation. In addition, the uncommon polyamines homocaldopentamine and homocaldohexamine were tentatively identified as minor enzymatic reaction products but only in extracts prepared from osmotic stresstolerant alfalfa cultivars. PAPT activity from alfalfa was highest in meristematic shoot tip and floral bud tissues and was not detected in older, nonmeristematic tissues. Product inhibition of the enzyme activity was observed after spermidine was added into the in vitro assay for alfalfa PAPT activity. A biosynthetic pathway is proposed that accounts for the characteristics of this PAPT activity and accommodates a novel scheme by which certain uncommon polyamines are produced in plants.