Electrophoretic analyses of alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, aldehyde oxidase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase from mouse tissues.

1. Cellulose acetate zymograms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), aldehyde dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, aldehyde oxidase, "phenazine" oxidase and xanthine oxidase extracted from tissues of inbred mice were examined. 2. ADH isozymes were differentially distributed in mouse tissues: A2--liver, kidney, adrenals and intestine; B2--all tissues examined; C2--stomach, adrenals, epididymis, ovary, uterus, lung. 3. Two NAD+-specific aldehyde dehydrogenase isozymes were observed in liver and kidney and differentially distributed in other tissues. Alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde oxidase, "phenazine" oxidase and xanthine oxidase were also stained when aldehyde dehydrogenase was being examined. 4. Two aldehyde oxidase isozymes exhibited highest activities in liver. 5. "Phenazine oxidase" was widely distributed in mouse tissues whereas xanthine oxidase exhibited highest activity in intestine and liver extracts. 6. Genetic variants for ADH-C2 established its identity with a second form of sorbitol dehydrogenase observed in stomach and other tissues. The major sorbitol dehydrogenase was found in high activity in liver, kidney, pancreas and male reproductive tissues.     

Glycerol dehydrogenase. structure, specificity, and mechanism of a family III polyol dehydrogenase

BACKGROUND: Bacillus stearothermophilus glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) (glycerol:NAD(+) 2-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.6) catalyzes the oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (1,3-dihydroxypropanone) with concomitant reduction of NAD(+) to NADH. Analysis of the sequence of this enzyme indicates that it is a member of the so-called iron-containing alcohol dehydrogenase family. Despite this sequence similarity, GlyDH shows a strict dependence on zinc for activity. On the basis of this, we propose to rename this group the family III metal-dependent polyol dehydrogenases. To date, no structural data have been reported for any enzyme in this group. RESULTS: The crystal structure of B. stearothermophilus glycerol dehydrogenase has been determined at 1.7 A resolution to provide structural insights into the mechanistic features of this family. The enzyme has 370 amino acid residues, has a molecular mass of 39.5 kDa, and is a homooctamer in solution. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the crystal structures of the free enzyme and of the binary complexes with NAD(+) and glycerol show that the active site of GlyDH lies in the cleft between the enzyme's two domains, with the catalytic zinc ion playing a role in stabilizing an alkoxide intermediate. In addition, the specificity of this enzyme for a range of diols can be understood, as both hydroxyls of the glycerol form ligands to the enzyme-bound Zn(2+) ion at the active site. The structure further reveals a previously unsuspected similarity to dehydroquinate synthase, an enzyme whose more complex chemistry shares a common chemical step with that catalyzed by glycerol dehydrogenase, providing a striking example of divergent evolution. Finally, the structure suggests that the NAD(+) binding domain of GlyDH may be related to that of the classical Rossmann fold by switching the sequence order of the two mononucleotide binding folds that make up this domain.     

Distribution of aldehyde dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase in summer-acclimatized crucian carp, Carassius carassius L.

The tissue distribution of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in summer-acclimatized crucian carp showed almost the same exceptional pattern as previously found in winter-acclimatized specimens. There was a nearly complete spatial separation of ALDH and ADH; in other vertebrates these enzymes occur together. This exceptional enzyme distribution is probably an adaptation to the extraordinary ability of Carassius to produce ethanol as the major metabolic end product during anoxia. Since the crucian carp is less likely to encounter anoxia during the summer, the present results suggest that the crucian carp is unable to switch over to a 'normal' ALDH and ADH distribution in the summer. However, it is also possible that there is an advantage for the summer-acclimatized crucian carp in keeping ALDH and ADH separate, because of occasional anoxic periods.     

Influence of L-thyroxine upon enzymatic activity in the renal tubular epithelium of the rat under normal conditions and mercury-induced lesions. II. Histochemical studies of lactate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, unspecific esterase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Mercury-induced renal tubular lesions in the rat present histochemically with a decrease of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), and unspecific esterase (UE), but with an increase of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), indicating a drop of energy supply as well as a switch from oxidative to glycolytic energy production. L-thyroxine has the same effect on SDH, G-6-PD, and LDH, but an inverse effect on MDH and UE, pointing to stimulation of gluconeogenesis. However, administration of L-thyroxine to animals which have been submitted to sublimate intoxication even further decreases the MDH and UE activity while raising or partly restoring the activity of LDH, SDH, and G-6-PD. This observation is interpreted as an attempt of the damaged epithelial cell, as the gluconeogenesis ceases, to gain relatively more energy supply for the benefit of the vitally indispensable tubular Na+ reabsorption.     

Activity patterns of phosphofructokinase, glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase in microdissected fast and slow fibres from rabbit psoas and soleus muscle.

Methods for standardized determination of phosphofructokinase (PFK), glyceraldehydephosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activities in nanogram samples of microdissected single fibres of rabbit psoas and soleus muscle are described. Fast and slow fibres in soleus muscle show lower absolute activities of these enzymes than the respective fibre types in psoas muscle. Slow fibres represent a more uniform population in the two muscles according to absolute and relative activities of the enzymes investigated. Slow fibres are characterized by high activities of MDH and relatively low activities of glycolytic enzymes. Fast fibres in the soleus muscle represent a population with high activities of MDH and glycolytic enzymes. Fast fibres in psoas muscle represent a heterogeneous population with high activities of glycolytic enzymes and extremely variable activity of MDH. More than 10-fold differences exist in the MDH activities of the extreme types of this fibre population. Differences in the activity levels of MDH in single fast type fibres but also in the activities of glycolytic enzymes between fast and slow fibres are greater than those reported between extreme white and red rabbit muscles.     

Differential energetic metabolism during Trypanosoma cruzi differentiation. I. Citrate synthase, NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase

The activities of the mitochondrial enzymes citrate synthase (citrate oxaloacetatelyase, EC 4.1.3.7), NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase (threo-Ds-isocitrate:NADP+ oxidoreductase (decarboxylating), EC 1.1.1.42), and succinate dehydrogenase (succinate: FAD oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.99.1) as well as their kinetic behavior in the two developmental forms of Trypanosoma cruzi at insect vector stage, epimastigotes and infective metacyclic trypomastigotes, were studied. The results presented in this work clearly demonstrate a higher mitochondrial metabolism in the metacyclic forms as is shown by the extraordinary enhanced activities of metacyclic citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and succinate dehydrogenase. In epimastigotes, the specific activities of citrate synthase at variable concentrations of oxalacetate and acetyl-CoA were 24.6 and 26.6 mU/mg of protein, respectively, and the Michaelis constants were 7.88 and 6.84 microM for both substrates. The metacyclic enzyme exhibited the following kinetic parameters: a specific activity of 228.4 mU/mg and Km of 3.18 microM for oxalacetate and 248.5 mU/mg and 2.75 microM, respectively, for acetyl-CoA. NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase specific activities for epimastigotes and metacyclics were 110.2 and 210.3 mU/mg, whereas the apparent Km's were 47.9 and 12.5 microM, respectively. No activity for the NAD-dependent isozyme was found in any form of T. cruzi differentiation. The particulated succinate dehydrogenase showed specific activities of 8.2 and 39.1 mU/mg for epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes, respectively, although no significant changes in the Km (0.46 and 0.48 mM) were found. The cellular role and the molecular mechanism that probably take place during this significant shift in the mitochondrial metabolism during the T. cruzi differentiation have been discussed.     

Regulation, purification, and properties of xanthine dehydrogenase in Neurospora crassa.

Xanthine dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.37) is the first enzyme in the degradative pathway by which fungi convert purines to ammonia. In vivo, the activity is induced 6-fold by growth in uric acid. Hypoxanthine, xanthine, adenine, or guanine also induce enzyme activity but to a lesser degree. Immunoelectrophoresis using monospecific antibodies prepared against Neurospora crassa xanthine dehydrogenase shows that the induced increase in enzyme activity results from increased numbers of xanthine dehydrogenase molecules, presumably arising from de novo enzyme synthesis. Xanthine dehydrogenase has been purified to homogeneity by conventional methods followed by immunoabsorption to monospecific antibodies coupled to Sepharose 6B. Electrophoresis of purified xanthine dehydrogenase reveals a single protein band which also exhibits enzyme activity. The average specific activity of purified enzyme is 140 nmol of isoxanthopterine produced/min/mg. Xanthine dehydrogenase activity is substrate-inhibited by xanthine (0.14 mM), hypoxanthine (0.3 mM), and pterine (10 micron), is only slightly affected by metal binding agents such as KCN (6 mM), but is strongly inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents such as p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (2 micron). The molecular weight of xanthine dehydrogenase is 357,000 as calculated from a sedimentation coefficient of 11.8 S and a Stokes radius of 6.37 nm. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis of the enzyme reveals a single protein band having a molecular weight of 155,000. So the xanthine dehydrogenase protein appears to be a dimer. In contrast to xanthine dehydrogenases from animal sources which typically possess as prosthetic groups 2 FAD molecules, 2 molybdenum atoms, 8 atoms of iron, and 8 acid-labile sulfides, the Neurospora enzyme contains 2 FAD molecules, 1 molybdenum atom, 12 atoms of iron, and 14 eq of labile sulfide/molecule. The absorption spectrum of the enzyme shows maxima between 400 and 500 nm typical of a non-heme iron-containing flavoprotein.     

CoA-dependent methylmalonate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, a unique member of the aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily. cDNA cloning, evolutionary relationships, and tissue distribution.

Three overlapping cDNA clones encoding methylmalonate-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (MMSDH; 2-methyl-3-oxopropanoate:NAD+ oxidoreductase (CoA-propanoylating); EC 1.2.1.27) have been isolated by screening a rat liver lambda gt 11 library with nondegenerate oligonucleotide probes synthesized according to polymerase chain reaction-amplified portions coding for the N-terminal amino acid sequence of rat liver MMSDH. The three clones cover a total of 1942 base pairs of cDNA, with an open reading frame of 1569 base pairs. The authenticity of the composite cDNA was confirmed by a perfect match of 43 amino acids known from protein sequencing. The composite cDNA predicts a 503 amino acid mature protein with M(r) = 55,330, consistent with previous estimates. Polymerase chain reaction was used to obtain the sequence of the 32 amino acids corresponding to the mitochondrial entry peptide. Northern blot analysis of total RNA from several rat tissues showed a single mRNA band of 3.8 kilobases. Relative mRNA levels were: kidney greater than liver greater than heart greater than muscle greater than brain, which differed somewhat from relative MMSDH protein levels determined by Western blot analysis: liver = kidney greater than heart greater than muscle greater than brain. A 1423-base pair cDNA clone encoding human MMSDH was isolated from a human liver lambda gt 11 library. The human MMSDH cDNA contains an open reading frame of 1293 base pairs that encodes the protein from Leu-74 to the C terminus. Human and rat MMSDH share 89.6 and 97.7% identity in nucleotide and protein sequence, respectively. MMSDH clearly belongs to a superfamily of aldehyde dehydrogenases and is closely related to betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, 2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, and class 1 and 2 aldehyde dehydrogenases.     

D-lactate dehydrogenase is a member of the D-isomer-specific 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase family. Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of the D-lactate dehydrogenase gene of Lactobacillus plantarum.

The gene encoding D-lactate dehydrogenase (D-lactate: NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.28) of Lactobacillus plantarum has been sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli cells with an inducible expression plasmid, in which the 5'-noncoding region of the gene was replaced with the tac promoter. Comparison of the sequence of D-lactate dehydrogenase with L-lactate dehydrogenases, including the L. plantarum L-lactate dehydrogenase, showed no significant homology. In contrast, the D-lactate dehydrogenase is homologous to E. coli D-3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and Lactobacillus casei D-2-hydroxyisocaproate dehydrogenase. This indicates that D-lactate dehydrogenase is a member of a new family of 2-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases recently proposed, being distinct from L-lactate dehydrogenase and L-malate dehydrogenase, and strongly suggests that the new family consists of D-isomer-stereospecific enzymes. In the reductive reaction, the enzyme showed a broad substrate specificity, although pyruvate was the most favorable of all 2-ketocarboxylic acids tested. In particular, hydroxypyruvate is effectively reduced by the enzyme, the reaction rate, and Km value being comparable to those in the case of pyruvate, indicating that the enzyme has not only D-lactate dehydrogenase activity but also D-glycerate dehydrogenase activity. The conserved residues in this family appear to be the residues involved in the substrate binding and the catalytic reaction, and thus to be targets for site-directed mutagenesis.