Kinetic mechanisms of two NAD:arginine ADP-ribosyltransferases: the soluble, salt-stimulated transferase from turkey erythrocytes and choleragen, a toxin from Vibrio cholerae

A subunit of choleragen and an erythrocyte ADP-ribosyltransferase catalyze the transfer of ADP-ribose from NAD to proteins and low molecular weight guanidino compounds such as arginine. These enzymes also catalyze the hydrolysis of NAD to nicotinamide and ADP-ribose. The kinetic mechanism for both transferases was investigated in the presence and absence of the product inhibitor nicotinamide by using agmatine as the acceptor molecule. To obtain accurate estimates of kinetic parameters, the transferase and glycohydrolase reactions were monitored simultaneously by using [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD and [carbonyl-14C]NAD as tracer compounds. Under optimal conditions for the transferase assay, NAD hydrolysis occurred at less than 5% of the Vmax for ADP-ribosylation; at subsaturating agmatine concentrations, the ratio of NAD hydrolysis to ADP-ribosylation was significantly higher. Binding of either NAD or agmatine resulted in a greater than 70% decrease in affinity for the second substrate. All data were consistent with a rapid equilibrium random sequential mechanism for both enzymes.     

Enzymatic synthesis of beta-NAD+ selectively marked with tritium at adenine and its use for determining the activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase

A method of preparation of tritiated beta-HA [symbol: see text]+ from (adenine-2,8-(3)H)ATP and nicotinamide mononucleotide is suggested. This method is based on the baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) enzyme nicotinamide nucleotide adenylyltransferase. Experimental conditions for a nearly complete conversion of labeled ATP to NAD were determined. The tritiated NAD prepared by this method can be used in the quantitative assay of the chromatin enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase.     

Alterations in nicotinamide and adenine nucleotide systems during mixed-function oxidation of p-nitroanisole in perfused livers from normal and phenobarbital-treated rats

When rat liver nuclei were incubated with [adenine-3H]NAD, besides histone 1, histone 2A and especially histone 2B accepted 3H radioactivity. 3H radioactivity was also found on the non-histone proteins and on the small amounts of histones 1 and 3 released into the supernatant during incubation. [14C]Adenine uptake in vivo by liver and thymus nuclei showed radioactivity in histones 1 and 3. After digestion with Pronase and leucine aminopeptidase 14C- or 32P-labelled histone 3 released a serine phosphate-containing nucleotide, which on acid hydrolysis yielded ADP-ribose and serine phosphate. Serine phosphate was also found in the material from the nucleotide peaks from histones 2A and 2B. ADP-ribosylated histones 1 and 3 were more easily released from nuclei than their unmodified forms and showed higher [32P]Pi and [3H]lysine uptakes in vivo [Ord & Stocken (1975) FEBS Meet. Proc. 34, 113-125].     

Vectorial production of adenosine by 5'-nucleotidase in the perfused rat heart

Rat hearts were perfused simultaneously with [8-3H] AMP and [8-14C]adenosine. [8-3H] AMP was hydrolzyed by 5'-nucleotidase to produce intra- and extracellular [8-3H] adenosine. Comparison of the specific activities of [3H]- and [14C]adenosine in the heart cells with the specific activities of [3H]- and [14C]adenosine in the effluent perfusate showed that much more [3H]adenosine accumulated in the tissue than would be expected if extracellular adenosine were the immediate precursor of intracellular adenosine. Conversely, perfusion of rat hearts with [8-14C]AMP and [8-3H]adenosine led to a much greater accumulation of intracellular [14C]adenosine than would be expected from an uptake of adenosine from the perfusate. These results are interpreted to be due to hydrolysis of extracellular AMP by 5'-nucleotidase, located in the plasma membrane, and release of the resulting adenosine inside the cell. Measurements of the specific activities of 3H and 14C in ATP, ADP, AMP, and inosine support this interpretation.     

ATP nucleotidylation of creatine kinase.

Creatine kinase (CK) will autoincorporate radiolabel from [gamma32P]ATP and has thus been reported to be autophosphorylated. Also, in contrast to normal brain enzyme, CK in Alzheimer-diseased brain homogenate shows greatly decreased activity, abolished photolabeling with [32P]8N3ATP, and no detectable autoincorporation of radiolabel by [gamma32P]ATP. Surprisingly, our studies with both human brain and purified CK showed that [alpha32P]ATP, [gamma32P]ATP, [alpha32P]ADP, [2,8H3]ATP, [gamma32P]2',3'-O-(2,4, 6-trinitrophenyl)-ATP, and [gamma32P]benzophenone-gammaATP all autoincorporate radiolabel into CK with good efficiency. This demonstrates that the gamma-phosphate and the 2' and 3' hydroxyls are not involved in the covalent linkage and that all three phosphates, the ribose and base of the ATP molecule are retained upon autoincorporation (nucleotidylation). Treatment with NaIO3 to break the 2'-3' linkage effected total loss of radiolabel indicating that nucleotidylation resulted in opening of the ribose ring at the C1' position. Nucleotidylation with increasing [alpha32P]ATP at 37 degrees C gives an approximate k0.5 of 125 microM and saturates at 340 microM nucleotide. Modification of 8-10% of the copy numbers occurs at saturation, and CK activity is inhibited to approximately the same degree. Low micromolar levels of native substrates such as ADP, ATP, and phosphocreatine substantially reduce [alpha32P]ATP nucleotidylation. In contrast, AMP, GTP, GMP, NADH, and creatine did not effectively reduce nucleotidylation. When [alpha32P]ATP-nucleotidylated or [alpha32P]8N3ATP-photolabeled CK is treated with trypsin a single, identical radiolabeled peptide (V279-R291) is generated that comigrates on reverse phase HPLC and Tris-tricine electrophoresis. Nucleotidylation into this peptide was prevented 86% by the presence of ATP. We conclude that CK is nucleotidylated within the active site by modification at the C1'position and that autophosphorylation of this enzyme does not occur.     

Extracellular hydrolysis of formyl peptides and subsequent uptake of liberated amino acids by alveolar macrophages

The mechanism of accumulation of radioactive label from fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe by guinea pig alveolar macrophages was investigated. The binding of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe to macrophages reached equilibrium within 5 min at 4 degrees C, but equilibrium could not be achieved at temperatures where fNle-Leu-Phe stimulated superoxide anion production is observed (e.g., 21-23 degrees C). At this temperature a rapid phase of initial binding of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe to its receptor was followed by continued accumulation of cell-associated radioactivity which was linear and was dependent on the extracellular pH, i.e., the rate increased as the pH was lowered from pH 8 to pH 6. Examination for possible intracellular hydrolysis of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe revealed the presence of extensive amounts of [3H]phenylalanine, both cell-associated and in the medium. The increases in cell-associated [3H]phenylalanine correlated in time and pH with cell-associated radioactivity that was accumulated after stimulation with fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe. The addition of 1 mM unlabelled phenylalanine blocked the long term accumulation of label from fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe by macrophages. 1 mM phenylalanine had no measureable effect on fNle-Leu-Phe stimulated O2- production, fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe hydrolysis or on fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe binding to its receptor. These results indicated that the long term accumulation of radioactivity by alveolar macrophages was due to extracellular hydrolysis of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe followed by transport of liberated [3H]phenylalanine into the cells. A high affinity (Km = 3.56 X 10(-8) M) transport system for phenylalanine was measured in alveolar macrophages, which was not stimulated by the addition of fNle-Leu-Phe. The extracellular hydrolysis of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe could not be attributed to release of macrophage enzymes into the medium. The responsible proteinase appears to be membrane bound and has a Km for the hydrolysis of fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe of 2.6 X 10(-7) M which is similar to the Kd (1.5 X 10(-7) M) for fNle-Leu-Phe binding. Taken together, these data suggest that for the alveolar macrophage: (1) formyl peptides are not internalized by a receptor-mediated process; (2) a surface proteinase can catalyze the hydrolysis of formyl peptides; and (3) [3H]phenylalanine formed by fNle-Leu-[3H]Phe hydrolysis is transported into the interior of the macrophage.     

ADP-ribosylation of proteins in non-infected Escherichia coli cells

Partially purified enzymatic fractions from extracts of Escherichia coli B/r catalyse transfer of the isotope label from [adenine-2,8-(3)H]NAD+ to some bacterial proteins, as well as to hen egg-white lysozyme. The radioactive group in the modified lysozyme was identified as mono(ADP-ribose). Several bacterial proteins were labelled in vivo with 32P; the presence of the label in the form of an ADP-ribosyl group was shown in one of them.     

Transport of AMP by Rickettsia prowazekii.

Rickettsia prowazekii possesses an exchange transport system for AMP. Chromatographic analysis of the rickettsiae demonstrated that transported AMP appeared intracellularly as AMP, ADP, and ATP, and no hydrolytic products appeared in either the intracellular or extracellular compartments. The phosphorylation of AMP to ADP and ATP was prevented by pretreatment of the cells with 1 mM N-ethylmaleimide without inhibiting the transport of AMP. Although no efflux was demonstrable in the absence of nucleotide in the medium, the intracellular adenine nucleotide pool could be exchanged with external unlabeled adenine nucleotides. Both ADP and ATP were as effective as AMP at inhibiting the uptake of [3H]AMP. Although this transport system was inhibited by low temperature (0 degrees C) and partially inhibited by the protonophore carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (1 mM), it was relatively insensitive to KCN (1 mM). The uptake of AMP at 34 degrees C had an apparent Kt for influx of 0.4 mM and a Vmax of 354 pmol min-1 per mg. At 0 degrees C there was a very rapid and unsaturable association of AMP with these organisms. Correction of the uptake data at 34 degrees C for the 0 degrees C component lowered the apparent Kt to 0.15 mM. Both magnesium and phosphate ions are required for optimal transport activity. Chemical measurements of the total intracellular nucleotide pools demonstrated that this system was not a net adenine nucleotide transport system, but that uptake of AMP was the result of an exchange with internal adenine nucleotides.     

Changes in histone phosphorylation and associated early metabolic events in pig lymphocyte cultures transformed by phytohaemagglutinin or 6-N,2′-O-dibutyryladenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate

1. Pig lymphocytes were transformed by dibutyryl cyclic AMP (6-N,2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate) at concentrations of 0.01-0.1mum. The pattern of incorporation of label from [5-(3)H]uridine and [6-(3)H]thymidine into RNA and DNA respectively was identical with that obtained with unpurified phytohaemagglutinin. 2. Chlorpromazine (0.1mum) prevented the stimulation of [5-(3)H]uridine incorporation into RNA by phytohaemagglutinin, but only slightly lowered the lymphocyte response to dibutyryl cyclic AMP. 3. An increase in the size and specific radioactivity of the intracellular P(i) pool was found immediately after stimulation by both phytohaemagglutinin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP. This was followed after some 30min by a rise in the specific radioactivity and concentration of ATP. 4. There was an immediate increase in the specific radioactivity of phosphate groups of histones; by about 45min after stimulation only the histones remaining after extraction of histone fraction F1 continued to incorporate (32)P from [(32)P]P(i). 5. Histone kinase activity increased in the first 30min after stimulation; subsequently histone F1 kinase activity decreased, but activity with the other histones as substrate continued to increase for a further 30min. Kinase activation was effected by cyclic AMP (adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate). 6. Histone phosphatase activity behaved similarly to that of the kinase.     

Uridine diphosphate galactose 4-epimerase. Alkylation of enzyme-bound diphosphopyridine nucleotide by p-(bromoacetamido)phenyl uridyl pyrophosphate, an active-site-directed irreversible inhibitor.

When UDP-galactose 4-epimerase is inactivated by p-(bromoacetamido)phenyl uridyl pyrophosphate (BUP), the diphosphopyridine nucleotide (DPN) associated with this enzyme as a tightly bound coenzyme cannot be reduced by substrates or by UMP-activated reduction by glucose. Upon acid denaturation of the inactivated enzyme, the DPN released corresponded to 15-30% of that released from the native enzyme. When the enzyme is inactivated by [14C]BUP, about 80% of the radioactivity bound at the active site is released from the protein upon acid denaturation. When epimerase-[3H]DPN is inactivated with [14C]BUP, the 3H and 14C released from the protein upon denaturation of the complex cochromatograph on DEAE-Sephadex. Experiments with [nicotinamide-4-3H]DPN and [adenine-2,8-3H]DPN show that it is the adenine ring that is alkylated. The data suggest that the adenine ring of DPN in epimerase-DPN may be oriented near the glycosyl-binding subsite of this enzyme. Since the nicotinamide ring must also be near this site, it appears that the DPN may not be in an extended conformation when it is bound at the active site of UDP-galactose 4-epimerase from Escherichia coli.     

Uptake and metabolism of 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate and N,O′-dibutyryl 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate in isolated bovine thyroid cells

1.

1. Accumulation of intracellular radioactivity was measured during incubation of isolated bovine thyroid cells with cyclic [³²P]AMP, cyclic [8-³H]AMP and dibutyryl cyclic [8-³H]AMP. With cyclic [³²P]AMP, ³²P cell/medium ratios ranged from 0 to to 0.04 compared to a maximum ³H cell/medium ratio of 0.29 with cyclic [³H]AMP and 0.16 with dibutyryl cyclic [³H]AMP. The excess of intracellular cyclic [³H] over cyclic [³²P]AMP radioactivity was due to extracellular formation of more penetrable dephosphorylated cyclic AMP metabolites which probably served as precursor of intra-cellular cyclic AMP.     

Evidence that muscarinic receptors in islet cells are not coupled functionally to adenylate cyclase through the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Ni)

The effect of muscarinic agonist on adenylate cyclase was investigated in neonatal islet cells and in a clonal pituitary cell line (GH4C1) following labelling of the intracellular ATP pool with [2,8 3H]adenine. In islet cells carbamylcholine was without effect on basal or glucagon-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity, measured as 3H cyclic AMP production, but inhibited 3H cyclic AMP production in the clonal pituitary cells. The involvement of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein of adenylate cyclase (Ni) was investigated by the use of the Bordetella pertussis exotoxin, islet activating protein (IAP). Pre-treatment of islet cells with IAP was without effect on adenylate cyclase following carbamylcholine but in the clonal pituitary line abolished the inhibition of 3H cyclic AMP production. It is concluded that in the islet cell, in contrast to the clonal pituitary cell, muscarinic receptors are not effectively coupled through Ni to inhibit adenylate cyclase.     

A 3-aminobenzamide-resistant labeled protein in [32P]NAD+-labeled cells

A series of proteins are covalently labeled when human lymphocytes are incubated with [32P]NAD+. The majority of this labeling is effectively inhibited when the lymphocytes are coincubated with 3-aminobenzamide, a potent inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. However, labeling of a 72 000 molecular weight protein was resistant to the inhibitory effect of 3-aminobenzamide. Labeling of this protein from [32P]NAD+ was shown to be Mg2+-dependent. The 72 000 molecular weight protein could also be labeled on incubation with [alpha-32P]ATP, [gamma-32P]ATP and [32P]orthophosphate, but not from [3H]NAD+ or [14C]NAD+. In the present study, we show that the 72 000 molecular weight protein is not ADP-ribosylated but rather, phosphorylated on incubation with [32P]NAD+. This phosphorylation appears to occur via an Mg2+-dependent conversion of NAD+ to AMP with the eventual utilization of the alpha-phosphate for phosphorylation of the 72 000 molecular weight protein.     

Binding of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide by the renal brush border membrane from rat kidney cortex

The characteristics of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) binding on brush border membranes prepared from rat renal cortex were investigated with the use of radioactively labelled NAD, [adenine-2,8-3H]NAD+, as a ligand. (1) We found that NAD binds on brush border membrane and that the extent of NAD binding is linearly proportional to the brush border membrane protein, and progressively increases with concentration of NAD in the medium. (2) The rate of NAD binding was dependent on temperature. At 20 degrees C, the equilibrium binding was obtained at 15 min, while NAD binding at 0 degree C was slower, but the final level of binding reached at 120 min was similar to that plateau of binding observed at 20 degrees C. Brush border membrane inactivated by heating at 95 degrees C for 3 min did not bind NAD. Binding of NAD on brush border membranes was reversed by simple dilution or by the addition of unlabelled NAD. Both alpha-NAD and beta-NAD stereoisomers displaced bound [3H]NAD. Reduced NAD (NADH) caused less displacement of bound NAD than oxidized NAD+. Adenine, nicotinamide, pyrophosphate, of 5'-AMP did not displace bound NAD. (3) The NAD binding to brush border membranes was nearly saturable, approximating saturation at 10(-4) M NAD. Kinetic analysis by Scatchard plot indicates two sets of NAD binding sites in brush border membranes: a high-affinity binding site (Kd = 1.9 . 10(-5) M) and a low-affinity binding site (Kd = 2.2 . 10(-3) M). (4) Unlike concentrative uptake of D-[14C]glucose by brush border membrane vesicles, binding of NAD was not dependent on the presence of an outside-in sodium gradient [Na+0 greater than Na+i], nor was it abolished by repeated freezing and thawing of brush border membranes. Unlike D-[14C]glucose uptake, NAD binding by brush border membranes did not change upon decrease of intravesicular volume in hypertonic media. These observations indicate that NAD association with brush border membranes is true binding rather than intravesicular uptake of this compound. (5) The presence of specific binding sites in renal brush border membrane capable of binding of NAD with a high degree of affinity suggests that such sites may be involved in previously observed (Kempson, S.A., Colon-Otero, G., Ou, S.L., Turner, S.T. and Dousa, T.P. (1981) J. Clin. Invest. 67, 1347) modulatory effect of NAD on sodium-gradient-dependent uptake of phosphate across luminal brush border membrane of proximal tubules.     

Metabolic fate of extracellular NAD in human skin fibroblasts

Extracellular NAD is degraded to pyridine and purine metabolites by different types of surface-located enzymes which are expressed differently on the plasmamembrane of various human cells and tissues. In a previous report, we demonstrated that NAD-glycohydrolase, nucleotide pyrophosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase are located on the outer surface of human skin fibroblasts. Nucleotide pyrophosphatase cleaves NAD to nicotinamide mononucleotide and AMP, and 5'-nucleotidase hydrolyses AMP to adenosine. Cells incubated with NAD, produce nicotinamide, nicotinamide mononucleotide, hypoxanthine and adenine. The absence of ADPribose and adenosine in the extracellular compartment could be due to further catabolism and/or uptake of these products. To clarify the fate of the purine moiety of exogenous NAD, we investigated uptake of the products of NAD hydrolysis using U-[(14)C]-adenine-NAD. ATP was found to be the main labeled intracellular product of exogenous NAD catabolism; ADP, AMP, inosine and adenosine were also detected but in small quantities. Addition of ADPribose or adenosine to the incubation medium decreased uptake of radioactive purine, which, on the contrary, was unaffected by addition of inosine. ADPribose strongly inhibited the activity of ecto-NAD-hydrolyzing enzymes, whereas adenosine did not. Radioactive uptake by purine drastically dropped in fibroblasts incubated with (14)C-NAD and dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine transport. Partial inhibition of [(14)C]-NAD uptake observed in fibroblasts depleted of ATP showed that the transport system requires ATP to some extent. All these findings suggest that adenosine is the purine form taken up by cells, and this hypothesis was confirmed incubating cultured fibroblasts with (14)C-adenosine and analyzing nucleoside uptake and intracellular metabolism under different experimental conditions. Fibroblasts incubated with [(14)C]-adenosine yield the same radioactive products as with [(14)C]-NAD; the absence of inhibition of [(14)C]-adenosine uptake by ADPribose in the presence of alpha-beta methyleneADP, an inhibitor of 5' nucleotidase, demonstrates that ADPribose coming from NAD via NAD-glycohydrolase is finally catabolised to adenosine. These results confirm that adenosine is the NAD hydrolysis product incorporated by cells and further metabolized to ATP, and that adenosine transport is partially ATP dependent.     

Modulation of Neuronal Signal Transduction Systems by Extracellular ATP

The secretion of ATP by stimulated nerves is well documented. Following repetitive stimulation, extracellular ATP at the synapse can accumulate to levels estimated to be well over 100 microM. The present study examined the effects of extracellular ATP in the concentration range of 0.1-1.0 mM on second-messenger-generating systems in cultured neural cells of the clones NG108-15 and N1E-115. Cells in a medium mimicking the physiological extracellular environment were used to measure 45Ca2+ uptake, changes in free intracellular Ca2+ levels by the probes aequorin and Quin-2, de novo generation of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP from intracellular GTP and ATP pools prelabeled with [3H]guanosine and [3H]adenine, respectively, and phosphoinositide metabolism in cells preloaded with [3H]inositol and assayed in the presence of LiCl. Extracellular ATP induced a concentration-dependent increase of 45Ca2+ uptake by intact cells, which was additive with the uptake induced by K+ depolarization. The increased uptake involved elevation of intracellular free Ca2+ ions, evidenced by measuring aequorin and Quin-2 signals. At the same concentration range (0.1-1.0 mM), extracellular ATP induced an increase in [3H]cyclic GMP formation, and a decrease in prostaglandin E1-stimulated [3H]cyclic AMP generation. In addition, extracellular ATP (1 mM) caused a large (15-fold) increase in [3H]inositol phosphates accumulation, and this effect was blocked by including La3+ ions in the assay medium. In parallel experiments, we found in NG108-15 cells surface protein phosphorylation activity that had an apparent Km for extracellular ATP at the same concentration required to produce half-maximal effects on Ca2+ uptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dependence of gluconeogenesis, urea synthesis, and energy metabolism of hepatocytes on intracellular pH

The relationship of intracellular pH to extracellular pH has been measured in suspensions of isolated hepatocytes at 25 degrees C. The internal pH was found to be a linear function of external pH and it changed by 0.45 pH unit per 1.0 unit change in external pH. The internal [H+] was equal to the external [H+] at approximately pH 7.1. Gluconeogenesis, urea synthesis, and oxidative phosphorylation showed different dependencies on the intracellular pH. Gluconeogenesis was the most sensitive to changes in [H+] and it declined by 80% when the intracellular pH decreased from 7.1 to 6.9. Urea synthesis was less pH-dependent, decreasing by about 30% for the same change in the intracellular [H+] whereas respiratory rate showed very little dependence on pH at this temperature. Intracellular [ATP]/[ADP] decreased linearly from 8.5 to 1.5 as the intracellular pH increased from 6.8 to 7.6, while intracellular [Pi] was essentially constant at 3.2 nmol/mg of cells, wet weight. Cytochrome c became more reduced with increasing intracellular pH, from less than 10% at pH 6.8 to 35% at pH 7.7. The calculated free energy of hydrolysis of ATP was nearly independent of pH as was the free energy of electron transfer from the intramitochondrial NAD couple (calculated from the [acetoacetate]/[3-OH-butyrate] ratio) to cytochrome c.     

Reaction mechanism for automodification of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase

The reaction mechanism of automodification of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase was studied. The synthetase, bound to nicked DNA-cellulose in a small column, was pulse-labelled with [3H]NAD in the presence of Mg2+, and then chased with [14C]NAD under the same conditions after complete washing of [3H]NAD. The poly(ADP-ribose), synthesized on the synthetase molecule, was digested with snake venom phosphodiesterase and analyzed. The [3H]-labeled product (35% of the total product) was identified as isoADP-ribose but [3H]-labelled AMP was not detected. The average chain length was 16.0 and the terminal AMP was detected as [14C]-labelled AMP. These results indicate that the initially attached ADP-ribose unit at an automodification site was successively elongated by the addition of a new ADP-ribose unit to the terminal AMP moiety.     

Radiolabelling of Mycobacterium avium oligosaccharide determinant and use in macrophage studies

Internal radiolabelling procedures were used to radiolabel the oligosaccharide determinant of the glycopeptidolipids (GPL) from serovars 4 and 20 of the Mycobacterium avium complex. Mycobacteria were cultured in the presence of [6-3H]fucose, [2-3H]mannose or [methyl-3H]methionine, after which radiolabelled native lipid was extracted and distribution of radioactivity in native and deacetylated lipid was determined by thin-layer chromatographic methods. Incorporation of radiolabel was confirmed by examining acid hydrolysates of purified GPL for 3H-labelled sugars on cellulose thin-layer plates. Least incorporation of radiolabel into GPL was observed with [6-3H]fucose, whereas better incorporation was obtained with [2-3H]mannose and [methyl-3H]methionine. Use of [methyl-3H]methionine resulted in the radiolabelling of the methylated sugars in both the oligosaccharide determinant and the 3,4-di-O-methylrhamnose located at the terminus of the peptide core. Use of [2-3H]mannose resulted in the incorporation of radioactivity into the oligosaccharide determinant as 2-O-methylfucose, found in the GPL of both serovars 4 and 20. GPL radiolabelled with [2-3H]mannose were subsequently examined in macrophage cultures and found to be relatively inert to degradation by those phagocytic cells. These results substantiate earlier findings with the GPL of serovar 20 and indicate that these mycobacterial components may play a role in pathogenesis.