Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Characterization of a reactive lysine residue in the Pichia jadinii enzyme reveals a limited structural variation in a functionally significant segment

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from the yeast Pichia jadinii has a reactive lysine residue in a segment of amino acid sequence Ile-Asp-His-Tyr-Leu-Gly-Lys*-Glu-Met-Val-Lys. This structure differs from that of other characterized glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases, but outside yeasts the segment is invariant in known mammalian, insect and bacterial forms. Thus, limited structural variation is now defined within yeasts for a part of the protein otherwise strictly conserved, and for which stringent structural requirements probably relate to enzymic mechanisms.     

A potent specific inhibitor of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase ofCryptococcus neoformans and of certain other fungal enzymes

A particular lot of the zwitterionic buffer, 2(N-morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid (MES), contained a contaminant that inhibited a number of fungal NADP-dependent dehydrogenases. Enzymes that were particularly sensitive include 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases fromCryptococcus neoformans andSchizophyllum commune and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase fromSchizophyllum commune. A number of NADP-dependent dehydrogenases of animal origin were tested and all were completely insensitive to inhibition except for rat liver 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, which was 10-fold less sensitive than theCryptococcal enzyme. The pattern of inhibition in all cases was linear competitive versus NADP. The inhibitor has been purified and identified as an ethylenesulfonic acid oligomer. This inhibitor holds promise as a model compound for the development of a specific antifungal agent.     

Electrophoretic studies of several dehydrogenases in relation to the cold tolerance of alfalfa.

Two cultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), cold-tolerant Vernal and cold-sensitive Sonora, were grown under summer, winter, and dehardening conditions to determine the solubility characteristics and relationships of several dehydrogenases to cold tolerance.Soluble enzymatic proteins, extracted with three extractants, from lyophilized crown and root tissues, were separated by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis.Gels assayed for glutamate, NAD-malate, NADP-malate, isocitrate, lactate, 6-phosphogluconate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases showed quantitative differences in isoenzymes that were influenced by cultivar, extractant, and environmental differences.For both cultivars, enzyme activity was lowest during summer, increased in winter, and decreased during dehardening. Dehydrogenase activity, therefore, was closely associated with the fluctuations in soluble protein concentration, which were related to environmental changes and cold tolerance.Additional isoenzymes of isocitrate, lactate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases were detected in the winter samples of both cultivars; however, most of the qualitative differences observed were generally due to the differential solubilities of isoenzymes in the three extractants.Comparison of data obtained from the use of frozen and unfrozen extracts indicated differential stabilities of the dehydrogenases to freezing in the different extractants. Glutamate, NAD-malate, and NADP-malate dehydrogenases were fairly stable to freezing whereas isocitrate, lactate, 6-phosphogluconate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases were labile. Detectable levels of the latter dehydrogenases in frozen extracts were evident only in certain extracts of winter samples, indicating the importance of the nature of the extraction medium in protecting against enzyme denaturation.Since both cultivars showed similar changes in dehydrogenase activities at most times, the increased enzyme levels during winter coincided with increased levels of soluble protein and soluble sugars, which are indicative of the broad spectrum of metabolic changes involved in the attainment of the cold-tolerant state.     

Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and chemical analysis in determinations of acyl-blocked protein structures

Peptide generation and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry in combination with conventional chemical analysis was used to identify the blocking group and establish the N-terminal structure of six different proteins at the nanomole level. In this manner, the first terminal structures of three non-mammalian alcohol dehydrogenases were determined, demonstrating the presence of N-terminal acetylation in these piscine, amphibian, and avian enzymes. Similarly, two different yeast glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases and a minor variant of a human alcohol dehydrogenase were found to be acetylated. The exact end location of C-terminal structures was also established. Together, the analyses permit the definition of terminal regions and blocking groups, thus facilitating the delineation of remaining structures.     

Levels of glucose dehydrogenases with different substrate specificities in rat and beef livers

The relative substrate specificities of glucose dehydrogenases (E.C. 1.1.1.47) from beef liver and rat liver are very different. The beef enzyme oxidizes glucose more rapidly than either glucose-6-phosphate or galactose-6-phosphate. On the other hand, the dehydrogenase from rat liver prefers the hexose phosphates to glucose.A procedure for estimating the level of glucose dehydrogenase in rat and beef liver is described. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity attributed to glucose dehydrogenases is estimated to be about one-fifth and one-third that of cytoplasmic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.49) in female and male rat liver respectively.A fluorometric adaptation of the less sensitive spectrophotometric assay for glucose dehydrogenase is described.     

Glucosephosphate isomerase from Trypanosoma brucei. Cloning and characterization of the gene and analysis of the enzyme

In Trypanosoma brucei the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, like most other enzymes of the glycolytic pathway, resides in a microbody-like organelle, the glycosome. Here we report a detailed study of this enzyme, involving a determination of its kinetic properties and the cloning and sequence analysis of its gene. The gene codes for a polypeptide of 606 amino acids, with a calculated Mr of 67280. The protein predicted from the gene sequence has 54-58% positional identity with its yeast and mammalian counterparts. Compared to those other glucose-6-phosphate isomerases the trypanosomal enzyme contains an additional 38-49 amino acids in its N-terminal domain, as well as a number of small insertions and deletions. The additional amino acids are responsible for the 5-kDa-larger subunit mass of the T. brucei enzyme, as measured by gel electrophoresis. The glucose-6-phosphate isomerase of the trypanosome has no excess of positive residues and, consequently, no high isoelectric point, in contrast to the other glycolytic enzymes that are present in the glycosome. However, similar to other glycosomal proteins analyzed so far, specific clusters of positive residues can be recognized in the primary structure. Comparison of the kinetic properties of the T. brucei glucose-6-phosphate isomerase with those of the yeast and rabbit muscle enzymes did not reveal major differences. The three enzymes have very similar pH profiles. The affinity for the substrate fructose 6-phosphate (Km = 0.122 mM) and the inhibition constant for the competitive inhibitor gluconate 6-phosphate (Ki = 0.14 mM) are in the same range as those of the similar enzymes. The Km shows the same strong dependence on salt as the rabbit muscle enzyme, although somewhat less than the yeast glucose-6-phosphate isomerase. The trypanocidal drug suramin inhibits the T. brucei and yeast enzymes to the same extent (Ki = 0.29 and 0.36 mM, respectively), but it had no effect on the rabbit muscle enzyme. Agaricic acid, a potent inhibitor of various glycosomal enzymes of T. brucei, has also a strong, irreversible effect on glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, while leaving the yeast and mammalian enzymes relatively unaffected.     

Fructose-6-phosphate is not a substrate for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

D-Fructose-6-phosphate was shown not to be a substrate for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases (EC. 1.1.1.49) from human erythrocytes, bovine adrenal, rat liver, three yeasts (brewer's yeast, baker's yeast, and Candida utilis), and Leuconostoc mesenteroides. These findings contrast with those of G.M. Kidder (J. Exp. Zool., 226:385-390, '83).     

A study of the in-vitro regulation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from the epidermis of Commelina communis by malate and glucose-6-phosphate

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase activity in epidermal extracts of Commelina communis has been compared in the presence of malate and glucose-6-phosphate. The activity of PEP carboxylase was inhibited by increasing malate concentrations at several substrate (PEP) concentrations and changes in both the apparent K _m (PEP) and V _max values in the presence of malate suggested the occurence of mixed-type inhibiton. In the presence of glucose-6-phosphate no increase in enzyme activity was observed, although there was a slight decrease in the K _m (PEP). However, glucose-6-phosphate appeared to alleviate the inhibition caused by malate. The possible implications of these properties in the control of malate production in guard cells is discussed.Abbreviations PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - Glc6P glucose-6-phosphate     

Bifunctional phosphoglucose/phosphomannose isomerase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pyrobaculum aerophilum</Emphasis>

ORF PAE1610 from the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon Pyrobaculum aerophilum was first annotated as the conjectural pgi gene coding for hypothetical phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). However, we have recently identified this ORF as the putative pgi/pmi gene coding for hypothetical bifunctional phosphoglucose/phosphomannose isomerase (PGI/PMI). To prove its coding function, ORF PAE1610 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme was characterized. The 65-kDa homodimeric protein catalyzed the isomerization of both glucose-6-phosphate and mannose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate at similar catalytic rates, thus characterizing the enzyme as bifunctional PGI/PMI. The enzyme was extremely thermoactive; it had a temperature optimum for catalytic activity of about 100°C and a melting temperature for thermal unfolding above 100°C.     

Release of enzymes from bakers' yeast by disruption in an industrial homogenizer

The rates of release of 7 enzymes from bakers' yeast have been measured. The disruption process did not cause loss of activity of these enzymes. The various operating pressures, temperatures, and initial yeast concentrations used did not affect the rates of enzyme release relative to protein release. The release of acid phosphatase and invertase was faster than the overall protein release. Alcohol, glucose-6-phosphate, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases were released slightly faster or at the same rate as the overall protein and alkaline phosphatase and fumarase were released more slowly. These observations correlate well with the reported locations of these enzymes in the yeast cell.     

Interaction of Leuconostoc mesenteroides glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase with pyridoxal 5'-diphospho-5'-adenosine. Affinity labeling of Lys-21 and Lys-343

Pyridoxal 5'-diphospho-5'-adenosine (PLP-AMP) inhibits glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides competitively with respect to glucose 6-phosphate and noncompetitively with respect to NAD+ or NADP+, with Ki = 40 microM in the NADP-linked and 34 microM in the NAD-linked reaction. Incubation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase with [3H]PLP-AMP followed by borohydride reduction shows that incorporation of 0.85 mol of PLP-AMP per mol of enzyme subunit is required for complete inactivation. Both glucose 6-phosphate and NAD+ protect against this covalent modification. The proteolysis of the modified enzyme and isolation and sequencing of the labeled peptides revealed that Lys-21 and Lys-343 are the sites of PLP-AMP interaction and that glucose 6-phosphate and NAD+ protect both lysyl residues against modification. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) also modifies Lys-21 and probably Lys-343. Lys-21 is part of a highly conserved region that is present in all glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases that have been sequenced. Lys-343 corresponds to an arginyl residue in other glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases and is in a region that is less homologous with those enzymes. PLP-AMP and PLP are believed to interact with L. mesenteroides glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase at the glucose 6-phosphate binding site. Simultaneous binding of NAD+ induces conformational changes (Kurlandsky, S. B., Hilburger, A. C., and Levy, H. R. (1988) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 264, 93-102) that are postulated to interfere with Schiff's-base formation with PLP or PLP-AMP. One or both of the lysyl residues covalently modified by PLP or PLP-AMP may be located in regions of the enzyme undergoing the NAD(+)-induced conformational changes.     

Dietary induction of hepatic malic enzyme activity: differentiation of the induction process

The activity of rat liver malic enzyme shows a marked increase when the animals are maintained on a restricted protein diet. Of the NADP-linked dehydrogenases tested (malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase), the response is confined only to malic enzyme. Dietary sucrose is not required for the increase in activity, but elevated dietary levels of this disaccharide increase hepatic malic enzyme regardless of dietary protein. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity is increased by dietary sucrose provided adequate dietary protein is supplied. The specificity of the response to lowered dietary protein shown by malic enzyme suggests that the control of the hepatic enzyme is mediated by processes different from those controlling the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.     

Determination of the hydride transfer stereospecificity of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked oxidoreductases by proton magnetic resonance.

A facile proton magnetic resonance technique is described for the determination of the coenzyme stereospecificity during hydride transfer reactions catalyzed by pyridine nucleotide dependent oxidoreductases. The reliability of this technique was demonstrated by examining the coenzyme stereospecificity of lactate, malate, and 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenases, which are known to be A-stereospecific enzymes, as well as triosephosphate and octopine dehydrogenases, which are known to be B-stereospecific enzymes. Furthermore, by applying this technique, it was shown that the previously unstudied enzymes D-beta-hydroxybutyrate and 4-aminobutanal dehydrogenases are B- and A-stereospecific enzymes, respectively. In addition, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide linked reaction of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides was found to be B stereospecific, like the reaction of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate linked yeast enzyme.     

Different segment similarities in long-chain dehydrogenases

Long-chain dehydrogenases were scrutinized for common patterns. Overall molecular similarities are not discerned, in contrast to the situation for several short-chain and medium-chain dehydrogenases, but coenzyme-binding segments are discernible. Species variants of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase reveal about 20% strictly conserved residues, grouped into three segments and supporting assignments of sites for coenzyme-binding and catalysis. Glycine is overrepresented among the residues conserved, typical of distantly related proteins. Two of the enzymes within the pentose phosphate pathway reveal a distant similarity of interest for further evaluation, between a C-terminal 178-residue segment of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the N-terminal part of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase.     

Changes in the activity of selected enzymes during starvation of Physarum polycephalum

The levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and cyclic phosphodiesterase activities were examined in growing and starving plasmodia of Physarum polycephalum. The activities of lactate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased whereas that of cyclic phosphodiesterase increased. The change in activity of lactate dehydrogenase was the result of the variation of the activity of a single enzyme quite similar to the lactate dehydrogenases of higher animals.     

Radioimmunoassay and chemical properties of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and of a specific NADP(H)-binding protein (FX) from human erythrocytes

Two sensitive radioimmunoassays, based on a double-antibody technique, were developed which allow detection of nanogram amounts of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) and of a so far unknown NADP(H)-binding protein present in human erythrocytes (designated FX).The two proteins isolated in homogeneous form from human erythrocytes were iodinated with ¹²⁵I by means of lactoperoxidase. Antisera to both purified proteins were raised in rabbits and sequentially adsorbed on human erythrocytes and on human serum before use. No cross-reaction between the two proteins was apparent.Hemolysates from normal as well as from glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase-deficient subjects were investigated for their content in both immunoreactive proteins using the two radioimmunoassay methods. This preliminary study showed significantly lowered levels of immunoreactive glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in erythrocytes from subjects carrying the Mediterranean variant of this enzyme (characterized by severe deficiency of catalytic activity), compared with normal subjects. This figure was reversed as concerns the content of immunoreactive FX which was found to be twice as high in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase Mediterranean erythrocytes as in normal ones.The two purified proteins were submitted to a comparative analysis of their chemical properties including NH₂-terminal residues, CNBr peptides and tryptic fingerprints. These studies revealed significant differences in the primary structures of the two proteins and therefore tend to exclude FX'x being a discrete product arising from degradation of native glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Moreover, amino axid analysis and tryptic fingerprints indicated that FX, as well as glucose-6-phosphatase dehydrogenase, is composed of very similar and possibly identical polypeptide chains.     

Dehydrogenases of the pentose phosphate pathway in rat liver peroxisomes

Subcellular distribution of pentose-phosphate cycle enzymes in rat liver was investigated, using differential and isopycnic centrifugation. The activities of the NADP+-dependent dehydrogenases of the pentose-phosphate pathway (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) were detected in the purified peroxisomal fraction as well as in the cytosol. Both dehydrogenases were localized in the peroxisomal matrix. Chronic administration of the hypolipidemic drug clofibrate (ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate) caused a 1.5-2.5-fold increase in the amount of glucose-6-phosphate and phosphogluconate dehydrogenases in the purified peroxisomes. Clofibrate decreased the phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, but did not alter glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the cytosolic fraction. The results obtained indicate that the enzymes of the non-oxidative segment of the pentose cycle (transketolase, transaldolase, triosephosphate isomerase and glucose-phosphate isomerase) are present only in a soluble form in the cytosol, but not in the peroxisomes or other particles, and that ionogenic interaction of the enzymes with the mitochondrial and other membranes takes place during homogenization of the tissue in 0.25 M sucrose. Similar to catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase are present in the intact peroxisomes in a latent form. The enzymes have Km values for their substrates in the millimolar range (0.2 mM for glucose-6-phosphate and 0.10-0.12 mM for 6-phosphogluconate). NADP+, but not NAD+, serves as a coenzyme for both enzymes. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was inhibited by palmitoyl-CoA, and to a lesser extent by NADPH. Peroxisomal glucose-6-phosphate and phosphogluconate dehydrogenases have molecular mass of 280 kDa and 96 kDa, respectively. The putative functional role of pentose-phosphate cycle dehydrogenases in rat liver peroxisomes is discussed.     

Catalases protect cellular proteins from oxidative modification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells had higher antioxidant enzyme activities under growth in ethanol than that in glucose as a carbon and energy source. The correlations between catalase activity and protein carbonyl level (r(2)=0.857), between catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities (r(2)=0.924) and between protein carbonyl levels and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity (r(2)=0.988) under growth in ethanol were found. Growing in ethanol the strain deficient in cytosolic and peroxisomal catalases had 7.1-fold higher level of carbonyl proteins than that of wild-type strain. Our data suggest that in vivo catalases may protect glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase against oxidative inactivation.     

The complex of Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461 glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase with glucose-1-phosphate reveals a novel quaternary structure, unique among nucleoside diphosphate-sugar pyrophosphorylase members

Gellan gum is a widely used commercial material, available in many different forms. Its economic importance has led to studies into the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide gellan gum, which is industrially prepared in high yields using Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461. Glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase mediates the reversible conversion of glucose-1-phosphate and UTP into UDP-glucose and pyrophosphate, which is a key step in the biosynthetic pathway of gellan gums. Here we present the X-ray crystal structure of the glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase from S. elodea. The S. elodea enzyme shares strong monomeric similarity with glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase, several structures of which are known, although the quaternary structures of the active enzymes are rather different. A detailed comparison between S. elodea glucose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase and available thymidylyltransferases is described and shows remarkable structural similarities, despite the low sequence identities between the two divergent groups of proteins.     

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Dicentrarchus labrax liver: kinetic mechanism and kinetics of NADPH inhibition

The kinetic mechanism of the reaction catalyzed by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) from Dicentrarchus labrax liver was examined using initial velocity studies,NADPH and glucosamine 6-phosphate inhibition and alternate coenzyme experiments. The results are consistent with a steady-state ordered sequential mechanism in which NADP⁺ binds first to the enzyme and NADPH is released last. Replots of NADPH inhibition show an uncommon parabolic pattern for this enzyme that has not been previously described. A kinetic model is proposed in agreement with our kinetic results and with previously published structural studies (Bautista et al. (1988) Biochem. Soc. Trans. 16, 903–904). The kinetic mechanism presented provides a possible explanation for the regulation of the enzyme by the [NADPH]/[NADP⁺] ratio.