Mannosylation of endogenous and exogenous phosphatidic acid by liver microsomal membranes. Formation of phosphatidylmannose

Hamster liver post-nuclear membranes catalyze the transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose to endogenous dolichyl phosphate and to a second major endogenous acidic lipid. This mannolipid was believed to be synthesized from endogenous retinyl phosphate and was tentatively identified as retinyl phosphate mannose (Ret-P-Man) (De Luca, L. M., Brugh, M. R. Silverman-Jones, C. S. and Shidoji, Y. (1982) Biochem. J. 208, 159-170). To characterize this endogenous mannolipid in more detail, we isolated and purified the mannolipid from incubations containing hamster liver membranes and GDP-[14C]mannose and compared its properties to those of authentic Ret-P-Man. We found that the endogenous mannolipid was separable from authentic Ret-P-Man on a Mono Q anion exchange column, did not exhibit the absorbance spectrum characteristic of a retinol moiety, and was stable to mild acid under conditions which cleave authentic Ret-P-Man. The endogenous mannolipid was sensitive to mild base hydrolysis and mannose was released from the mannolipid by snake venom phosphodiesterase digestion. These properties were consistent with the endogenous acceptor being phosphatidic acid. Addition of exogenous phosphatidic acid, but not phospholipids with a head group blocking the phosphate moiety, to incubations containing hamster liver membranes and GDP-[14C]mannose resulted in the synthesis of a mannolipid with chromatographic and physical properties identical to the endogenous mannolipid. A double-labeled mannolipid was synthesized in incubations containing hamster liver membranes, GDP-[14C]mannose, and [3H]phosphatidic acid. Mannosyl transfer to exogenous phosphatidic acid was saturable with increasing concentrations of phosphatidic acid and GDP-mannose and specific for glycosyl transfer from GDP-mannose. Class E Thy-1-negative mutant mouse lymphoma cell membranes, which are defective in dolichyl phosphate mannose synthesis, also fail to transfer mannose from GDP-mannose to exogenous phosphatidic acid or retinyl phosphate. Amphomycin, an inhibitor of dolichyl phosphate mannose synthesis, blocked mannosyl transfer to the endogenous lipid, and to exogenous retinyl phosphate and phosphatidic acid. We conclude that the same mannosyltransferase responsible for dolichyl phosphate mannose synthesis can also utilize in vitro exogenous retinyl phosphate and phosphatidic acid as well as endogenous phosphatidic acid as mannosyl acceptors.     

Retinyl phosphate mannose synthesis in rat liver membranes. Phospholipase sensitivity and phospholipid requirement.

A remarkable and immediate decrease in GDP-mannose:retinyl phosphate mannosyltransferase activity was found on pre-incubation of rat liver postnuclear membranes with phospholipase A2 or phospholipase C. Under the same conditions of pre-incubation (1 min at 37 degrees C) trypsin did not affect the enzyme activity, whereas pre-incubation for 30 min with trypsin and Pronase abolished enzyme activity. The lipid extract of untreated rat liver membranes partially restored enzyme activity after phospholipase treatment. Sphingomyelin was as active as the endogenous lipids. Other phospholipids were less active in the following order: phosphatidylcholine greater than phosphatidylethanolamine greater than phosphatidylinositol = phosphatidylserine. Dolichyl phosphate mannose synthesis was inhibited less (33%) by phospholipase C than was Ret-P-Man synthesis (98.5%) under identical conditions of incubation, which included 0.025% Triton. However, retinyl phosphate mannose synthesis by purified endoplasmic reticulum was found to be resistant to phospholipase C. Mixing experiments failed to demonstrate an inhibitory effect of the phospholipase-treated postnuclear membrane fraction on the synthetic activity of the endoplasmic reticulum, thus excluding the release of an inhibitory factor from the postnuclear membranes.     

Structure of the phosphorylated N-linked oligosaccharides from the mnn9 and mnn10 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The N-linked oligosaccharides, from Saccharomyces cerevisiae mnn1 mnn9 mutant mannoprotein extracted from the cells in hot citrate buffer, were separated by ion exchange into a monophosphate diester, a monophosphate monoester, a diphosphate diester, and a diphosphate monoester diester. The structures of the major components with diesterified phosphate were assigned as follows (where M = mannose), according to a recently revised oligosaccharide structure for the mnn mutants (Hernandez, L. M., Ballou, L., Alvarado, E., Gillece-Castro, B. L., Burlingame, A. L., and Ballou, C. E. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 11849-11856). formula; see text The monoester derivatives were mixtures of the possible isomers produced by removal of one or the other phosphoglycosyl-linked mannose units, and they were shown to arise by chemical degradation during isolation. The mnn1 mnn2 mnn10 acidic oligosaccharide fraction contained a mono- and a diphosphate ester. The monophosphate consisted predominantly of a single isomer with a mannosyl phosphate unit located at the end of the outer chain in an oligosaccharide with the following structure, where x may range from 2 to 12. The diphosphate had a mannosyl phosphate in this formula; see text position as well as one on the terminal alpha 1----6-linked mannose in the core. The presence in the mnn1 mnn9 or mnn1 mnn2 mnn10 background of the mnn4 or mnn6 mutations, which are known to regulate phosphorylation in yeast, reduced phosphorylation by 90% but did not eliminate it. AI-12522     

Kinetic mechanism and metabolic role of pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Entamoeba histolytica

The kinetic mechanism and the metabolic role of pyruvate phosphate dikinase from Entamoeba histolytica were investigated. The initial velocity patterns in double reciprocal plots were parallel for the phosphoenolpyruvate/AMP and phosphoenolpyruvate/pyrophosphate substrate pairs and intersecting for the AMP/pyrophosphate pair. This suggests a kinetic mechanism with two independent reactions. The rate of ATP synthesis at saturating and equimolar concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate, AMP, and pyrophosphate was inhibited by phosphate, which is consistent with an ordered steady-state mechanism. Enzyme phosphorylation by [(32)P(i)]pyrophosphate depends on the formation of a ternary complex between AMP, pyrophosphate, and pyruvate phosphate dikinase. In consequence, the reaction that involves the AMP/pyrophosphate pair follows a sequential steady-state mechanism. The product inhibition patterns of ATP and phosphate versus phosphoenolpyruvate were noncompetitive and uncompetitive, respectively, suggesting that these products were released in an ordered process (phosphate before ATP). The ordered release of phosphate and ATP and the noncompetitive inhibition patterns of pyruvate versus AMP and versus pyrophosphate also supported the sequential kinetic mechanism between AMP and pyrophosphate. Taken together, our data provide evidence for a uni uni bi bi pingpong mechanism for recombinant pyruvate phosphate dikinase from E. histolytica. The Delta G value for the reaction catalyzed by pyruvate phosphate dikinase (+2.7 kcal/mol) determined under near physiological conditions indicates that the synthesis of ATP is not thermodynamically favorable in trophozoites of E. histolytica.     

Long - lasting synchrony of the division of enteric bacteria

Recent finding of α-N-acetylglucosamine(1)phospho(6)mannose diesters in lysosomal enzymes suggested that formation of mannose 6-phosphate residues involves transfer of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate to mannose. Using dephosphorylated β-hexosaminidase as acceptor and [β-³²P]UDP-N-acetylglucosamine as donor for the phosphate group, phosphorylation of β-hexosaminidase by microsomes from rat liver, human placenta and human skin fibroblasts was achieved. The reaction was not affected by tunicamycin. Acid hydrolysis released mannose 6-[³²P]phosphate from the phosphorylated β-hexosaminidase. Our results suggest that lysosomal enzymes are phosphorylated by transfer of N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate from UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. The transferase activity was deficient in fibroblasts from patients affected with l-cell disease. This deficiency is proposed to be the primary enzyme defect in l-cell disease.     

Inhibition and stimulation of growth of Entamoeba histolytica in culture: association with PKC activity and protein phosphorylation

We studied the role of protein kinase C (PKC) and protein threonine phosphorylation in the inhibition and stimulation of growth of the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica. PKC was activated after serum deprivation in E. histolytica and during this period proteins became threonine phosphorylated. Conversely, on serum stimulation of serum-deprived cells, PKC activation was rapidly reversed and the threonine phosphorylation of proteins quickly declined. Growth of E. histolytica was not affected by either PKC inhibitors H-7 and GF109203X or by down-regulation of PKC by Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate (PMA). Interestingly, very low doses of PMA which caused activation of PKC and were unable to down-regulate PKC after 48 h of culture, negatively influenced the growth of E. histolytica. Serine/threonine phosphatase inhibitors Okadaic acid and Calyculin A drastically inhibited growth of E. histolytica. In conclusion, the growth of E. histolytica is not adversely affected by PKC down-regulation. On the contrary, growth inhibition of E. histolytica is associated with activation of Ca(2+), Diacylglycerol (DAG)-dependent PKC, and threo nine phosphorylation of proteins.     

Purification and properties of thiaminephosphate pyrophosphorylase of Escherichia coli

Thiaminephosphate pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.5.1.3) in Escherichia coli has been purified 175-fold by conventional methods of enzyme purification. General properties of the partially purified enzyme were similar to those of the yeast enzyme except for a small molecular weight of 17,000. The E. coli enzyme was inhibited by a variety of high-energy phosphate compounds. Acetyl phosphate was the most potent inhibitor and resulted in 50% inhibition at 0.5 mm concentration. ATP and acetyl phosphate were both uncompetitive inhibitors with respect to both substrates. Low-energy phosphate compounds and pyridine nucleotides were not able to inhibit the activity. These results, together with the other results obtained, indicate that these high-energy phosphate compounds did not inhibit the enzyme activity after conversion to a common compound. The physiological significance of this type of inhibition was discussed from the point of cellular energy charge.     

Synthesis of retinylphosphate mannose in yeast and its possible involvement in lipid-linked oligosaccharide formation

A membrane fraction from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as well as a mannosyltransferase purified therefrom was shown to catalyze the transfer of mannose from GDPmannose to retinyl phosphate. The product formed has chromatographic and chemical properties characteristic for retinylphosphate mannose. The enzyme requires divalent cations. Mg2+ is more effective than Mn2+ with an optimum concentration around 25 mM. Amphomycin at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml inhibits the reaction to 50%. Glycosyl transfer was specific for mannose residues from GDPmannose and did not occur with dolichylphosphate mannose nor with UDP galactose; UDPglucose is a poor donor. Formation of retinylphosphate mannose is inhibited by dolichyl phosphate. This observation as well as similarities between retinylphosphate mannose and dolichylphosphate mannose synthesis in respect to ion requirement, inhibition by amphomycin are suggestive that both reactions are catalyzed by one and the same enzyme. In experiments studying the glycosyl donor specificity in the assembly of lipid-linked oligosaccharide intermediates involved in N-glycosylation of proteins, it could be demonstrated that retinylphosphate mannose can replace dolichylphosphate mannose in the final steps of mannosylation.     

Calpain-dependent calpastatin cleavage regulates caspase-3 activation during apoptosis of Jurkat T cells induced by Entamoeba histolytica

In this study, we investigated whether there is a signalling interaction between calpain and caspase-3 during apoptosis in Jurkat T cells by Entamoeba histolytica. When Jurkat cells were co-incubated with E. histolytica, phosphatidylserine externalisation and DNA fragmentation markedly increased compared with results for cells incubated with medium alone. In addition, E. histolytica strongly induced cleavage of caspases-3, -6, -7 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. A rise in intracellular calcium levels and activation of calpain were seen in Jurkat cells after exposure to E. histolytica. Pretreatment of Jurkat cells with calpain inhibitor calpeptin effectively blocked E. histolytica-triggered cleavage of caspase-3 as well as calpain. In contrast, pan-caspase inhibitor did not affect E. histolytica-induced calpain activation. In addition, incubation with E. histolytica resulted in multiple fragmented bands of calpastatin, which is an endogenous inhibitor of calpain, in Jurkat T cells. Moreover, Entamoeba-induced calpastatin degradation was dramatically suppressed by pretreatment with calpeptin, but not by z-VAD-fmk. Entamoeba-induced DNA fragmentation was strongly retarded by z-VAD-fmk, but not calpeptin. Our results suggest that calpain-mediated calpastatin degradation plays a crucial role in regulation of caspase-3 activation during apoptosis of Jurkat T cells by E. histolytica.     

Tridecaptin stimulates the formation of lipid-linked saccharides in aorta.

The peptide antibiotic tridecaptin caused a 2--4-fold stimulation in the incorporation of mannose from GDP-[14C]mannose and glucose from UDP-[3H]glucose into lipid-linked monosaccharides by both the particulate and the soluble enzyme fractions from pig aorta. In both cases, the major products and the ones stimulated by antibiotic were dolichyl phosphate mannose and dolichyl phosphate glucose. The stimulation in activity was unaffected by increasing concentrations of dolichyl phosphate, GDP-mannose, UdP-glucose, Mn2+ or the detergent Nonidet P40. Tridecaptin stimulation was apparently not due to protection of sugar nucleotide substrate, since addition of various concentrations of sugar nucleotides did not alter the stimulation. Nor did the addition of tridecaptin result in any increase in the amount of radioactive sugar nucleotide recovered from incubation mixtures. Tridecaptin bound to the particulate enzyme and could not be removed by centrifugation of the particles.     

Overexpression of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RER2 gene in Trichoderma reesei affects dolichol dependent enzymes and protein glycosylation

Protein secretion in Trichoderma reesei could be stimulated by overexpression of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae DPM1 gene encoding dolichyl phosphate mannose synthase (DPMS) a key enzyme in the O-glycosylation pathway. The secreted proteins were glycosylated to the wild type level. On the other hand, the elevated concentration of GDP-mannose, a direct substrate for DPMS, resulting from overexpression in T. reesei of the mpg1 gene coding for guanyltransferase, did not affect secretion of proteins but did affect the degree of their O- and N-glycosylation. In this paper, we examined the effects of dolichol, an indispensable carrier of sugar residues in protein glycosylation, on the synthesis of glycosylated proteins. An increase in dolichol synthesis was obtained by overexpression of the yeast gene encoding cis-prenyltransferase, the first enzyme of the mevalonate pathway committed to dolichol biosynthesis. We observed that, an increased concentration of dolichol resulted in an increased expression of the dpm1 gene and DPMS activity and in overglycosylation of secreted proteins.     

Glycoprotein biosynthesis: studies on thyroid mannosyltransferases. II. Characterization of a polyisoprenyl mannosyl phosphate and evaluation of its intermediary role in the glycosylation of exogenous acceptors

The transfer of mannose from GDP-mannonse to exogenous glycopeptides and simple glycosides has been shown to be carried out by calf thyroid particles (Adamany, A. M., and Spiro, R. G. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 2830-2841). The present investigation indicates that this mannosylation process is accomplished through two sequential enzymatic reactions. The first involves the transfer of mannose from the sugar nucleotide to an endogenous acceptor to form a compound which has the properties of dolichyl mannosyl phosphate, while in the properties of dolichyl mannosyl phosphate, while in the second reaction this mannolipid serves as the glycosyl donor to exogenous acceptors. The particle-bound enzyme which catalyzed the first reaction utilized GDP-mannose (Km = 0.29 microM) as the most effective mannosyl donor, required a divalent cation, preferably manganese or calcium, and acted optimally at pH 6.3. Mannolipid synthesis was reversed by addition of GDP and a ready exchange of the mannose moiety was observed between [14C]mannolipid and unlabeled GDP-mannose. Exogenously supplied dolichyl phosphate, and to a lesser extent ficaprenyl phosphate, served as acceptors for the transfer reaction. The 14C-labeled endogenous lipid had the same chromatographic behavior as synthetic dolichyl mannosyl phosphate and enzymatically mannosylated dolichyl phosphate. The mannose component in the endogenous lipid was not susceptible to reduction with sodium borohydride and was released by mild acid hydrolysis. Alkaline treatment of the mannolipid released a phosphorylated mannose with properties consistent with that of mannose 2-phosphate. The formation of this compound which can arise from a cyclic 1,2-phosphate indicated, on the basis of steric considerations, that the mannose is present in beta linkage to the phosphate of the lipid. An intermediate role of the mannolipid in the glycosylation of exogenous acceptors was suggested by the observation that addition of dolichyl phosphate to thyroid particles resulted in a marked enhancement of mannose transfer from GDP-mannose to methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside acceptor while the presence of the glycoside caused a decrease in the mannolipid level. The glycosyl donor function of the polyisoprenyl mannosyl phosphate in the second reaction of the mannosylation sequence could be directly demonstrated by the transfer of [14C]mannose from purified endogenous mannolipid to either methyl-alpha-D-mannoside or dinitrophenyl unit A glycopeptides by thyroid enzyme in the presence of Triton X-100. The mannosylation of the glycoside was not inhibited by EDTA whereas the transfer of mannose to glycopeptide was cation-dependent. While dolichyl [14C]mannosyl phosphate, prepared from exogenous dolichyl phosphate, served as a donor of mannose to exogenous acceptor, this function could not be fulfilled by ficaprenyl [14C]mannosyl phosphate. The two-step reaction sequence carried out by thyroid enzymes which leads to the formation of an alpha-D-manno-pyranosyl-D-mannose linkage in exogenous acceptors by transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose through a beta-linked intermediate appears to involve a double inversion of anomeric configuration of this sugar.     

Mannose processing is an important determinant in the assembly of phosphorylated high mannose-type oligosaccharides

Phosphorylation of the high mannose-type oligosaccharides attached to newly synthesized acid hydrolases occurs in two sequential steps within the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus, and the products generated at the two sites differ with respect to the location of the phosphorylated mannose residue. To investigate the mechanism of this two-step phosphorylation, biosynthesis of the Man-6-P recognition marker was studied in class E Thy-1- and J774 cells metabolically labeled with [2-3H]mannose. Class E Thy-1- cells produce truncated high mannose oligosaccharides that lack 4 mannose residues from the alpha 1,6-branch of the core beta-linked mannose residue; three of the missing residues are potential phosphorylation sites. Acid hydrolases produced by these mutant cells were phosphorylated on the alpha 1,3-branch of the truncated oligosaccharide even when transport to the Golgi apparatus was inhibited. J774 cells produce normal high mannose oligosaccharides, but they secrete a large percentage of their newly synthesized acid hydrolases. The secreted enzymes contained primarily diphosphorylated units in which a phosphate was positioned to both the alpha 1,3- and alpha 1,6-branches of the core beta-linked mannose. J774 cells treated with deoxymannojirimycin continued to phosphorylate and to secrete acid hydrolases. The secreted hydrolases, however, contained only monophosphorylated oligosaccharides in which the phosphate was restricted to the alpha 1,6-branch. These results indicate that mannose residues within high mannose oligosaccharides impose constraints on the phosphorylation of their composite structures. We conclude that the two-step phosphorylation occurs as a result of a common phosphotransferase at both the pre-Golgi and Golgi locations and a change in the conformation of the oligosaccharides attached to the acid hydrolases through the action of Golgi-associated alpha-mannosidase I.     

Phosphatase activity of Na+/K+-ATPase. Enzyme conformations from ligands interactions and Rb occlusion experiments

The present work compares the effects of several ligands (phosphatase substrates, MgCl2, RbCl and inorganic phosphate) and temperature on the phosphatase activity and the E2(Rb) occluded conformation of Na+/K+-ATPase. Cooling from 37 degrees C to 20 degrees C and 0 degrees C (hydrolysis experiments) or from 20 degrees C to 0 degrees C (occlusion experiments) had the following consequences: (i) dramatically reduced the Vmax for p-nitrophenyl phosphate and acetyl phosphate hydrolysis but it produced little or no changes in the Km for the substrates; (ii) led to a 5-fold drop in the Km for the inorganic phosphate-induced di-occlusion of E2(Rb); (iii) reduced the K0.5 and curve sigmoidicity of the Rb-stimulated hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate and acetyl phosphate and the Rb-promoted E2(Rb) formation. At 20 degrees C, in the presence of 1 mM RbCl and no Mg2+, acetyl phosphate did not affect E2(Rb); with 3 mM MgCl2, acetyl phosphate stimulated a release of Rb from E2(Rb) both in the presence and absence of RbCl in the incubation mixture. As a function of acetyl phosphate concentration the Km for iRb release was indistinguishable from the Km found for stimulation of hydrolysis and enzyme phosphorylation under identical experimental conditions; in addition, the extrapolated di-occluded fraction corresponding to maximal hydrolysis was not different from 100%. These results indicate that although E2(K) might be an intermediary in the phosphatase reaction, the most abundant enzyme conformation during phosphatase turnover is E2 which has no K+ occluded in it. The ligand interactions associated to phosphatase activity do not support an equivalence of this reaction with the dephosphorylation step in the Na+ + K+-dependent ATP hydrolysis; on the other hand, there are similarities with the reversible binding of inorganic phosphate in the presence of Mg2+ and K+ ions.     

On the mechanism of activation of the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by ATP and acidic phospholipids

The activation of purified and phospholipid-depleted plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by phospholipids and ATP was studied. Enzyme activity increased with [ATP] along biphasic curves representing the sum of two Michaelis-Menten equations. Acidic phospholipids (phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylserine (PS)) increased Vmax without affecting apparent affinities of the ATP sites. In the presence of 20 microm ATP, phosphorylation of the enzyme preincubated with Ca2+ (CaE1) was very fast (kapp congruent with 400 s-1). vo of phosphorylation of CaE1 increased with [ATP] along a Michaelis-Menten curve (Km of 15 microm) and was phospholipid-independent. Without Ca2+ preincubation (E1 + E2), vo of phosphorylation was also phospholipid-independent, but was slower and increased with [ATP] along biphasic curves. The high affinity component reflected rapid phosphorylation of CaE1, the low affinity component the E2 --> E1 shift, which accelerated to a rate higher than that of the ATPase activity when ATP was bound to the regulatory site. Dephosphorylation of EP did not occur without ATP. Dephosphorylation increased along a biphasic curve with increasing [ATP], showing that ATP accelerated dephosphorylation independently of phospholipid. PI, but not phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), accelerated dephosphorylation even in the absence of ATP. kapp for dephosphorylation was 57 s-1 at 0 microM ATP; that rate was further increased by ATP. Steady-state [EP] x kapp for dephosphorylation varied with [ATP], and matched the Ca2+-ATPase activity measured under the same conditions. Apparently, the catalytic cycle is rate-limited by dephosphorylation. Acidic phospholipids stimulate Ca2+-ATPase activity by accelerating dephosphorylation, while ATP accelerates both dephosphorylation and the conformational change from E2 to E1, further stimulating the ATPase activity.     

Inhibition of pear fruit ripening by mannose

Softening of the flesh and the rise in ethylene evolution and respiration associated with ripening in pear (Pyrus communis L.) fruit was delayed when mannose was vacuum infiltrated into intact fruit. The extent of delay could be modified by altering the concentration or the volume of mannose applied to the fruit. Inhibition of ripening was associated with phosphorylation of mannose to mannose 6-phosphate (M6P), and accumulation of M6P was associated with lowered levels of inorganic phosphate (Pi), glucose 6-phosphate (G6P), and ATP in the fruit tissue. Subsequently, however, as the M6P was metabolized, the levels of Pi, G6P, and ATP increased and ripening processes were concomitantly released from inhibition. Hence, the degree of inhibition by mannose or the release from inhibition was related to the level of M6P in the fruit and its rate of metabolism. The data provide correlative evidence to support a view that one inhibitory effect of mannose is depletion of Pi in the cell as a result of phosphorylation of mannose to M6P. Inhibition of ripening by mannose was not alleviated by co-application of glucose as a competitive substrate for the hexokinase(s), or by Pi, presumably the depleted metabolite. Also, incubation of tissue disks with M6P resulted in inhibition of ethylene production and respiration. The structural analogs of mannose, glucosamine, and 2-deoxyglucose, which have been shown to mimic mannose action in several plant tissues, did not cause inhibition of ripening of pear fruit comparable with that associated with mannose. Both analogs stimulated respiration, and glucosamine caused only a small inhibition of softening and ethylene evolution. Another mannose analog, α-methylmannoside, did inhibit fruit ripening though to a lesser extent than mannose. Its influence was also associated with accumulation of M6P and a decrease of Pi levels. We conclude that the mannose effect may, in part, be due to M6P toxicity, as well as by depletion of Pi.     

A phospholipid requirement for dolichol pyrophosphate N-acetylglucosamine synthesis in phospholipase A2-treated rat lung microsomes

The role of phospholipids in the activity of UDP-Glc-NAc:dolichol phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphate transferase of rat lung microsomes has been investigated. Treatment of microsomes with phospholipase A2 in the presence of delipidated bovine serum albumin resulted in a time-dependent loss of 65 to 75% of the enzyme activity and approximately 30% of the phospholipids. Addition of phosphatidylglycerol to the enzyme assay system containing phospholipase A2-treated microsomes restored activity to that obtained with native microsomes and phosphatidylglycerol. Addition of phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine, or cardiolipin resulted in only partial restoration of activity, whereas phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine were without effect. Triton X-100 was not by itself capable of restoring activity, but was required for the phospholipid effect. Measurements of the phospholipase A2 hydrolysis products released from the microsomes during digestion, and other control experiments of adding fatty acids and lysophospholipids to the enzyme assay system, indicated that the loss of UDP-GlcNAc:dolichol phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphate transferase activity was not due to product inhibition.     

Functional consequences of mutations in the beta-strand sector of the Ca2(+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

Kinetic studies of the phosphoenzyme intermediates of site-specific mutants were used to examine the role of Gly233 in the reaction mechanism of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2(+)-ATPase. When this glycine residue, which is highly conserved among cation-transporting ATPases, was replaced by valine, arginine, or glutamic acid, a complete loss of the ability to pump Ca2+ was observed. The mutant enzymes were able to form an ADP-sensitive phosphoenzyme intermediate (E1P) by reaction with ATP in the presence of Ca2+, but this intermediate decayed to the ADP-insensitive form (E2P) very slowly, relative to the wild-type enzyme. The mutant phosphoenzyme intermediate remained ADP-sensitive, even when phosphorylation from ATP was performed under conditions which permitted accumulation of the ADP-insensitive phosphoenzyme intermediate in the wild type. The mutants were also defective in their ability to form the ADP-insensitive phosphoenzyme intermediate by phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate. In addition, they displayed a higher affinity for Ca2+ and a lower cooperativity in Ca2+ binding than did the wild-type enzyme, as measured through the phosphorylation reaction with ATP. These findings can be rationalized either in terms of a parallel shift of E1 to E2 and E1P to E2P conformational equilibria toward the E1 and E1P forms, respectively, or in terms of destabilization of the phosphoryl-protein interaction in the E2P form. The roles of 7 other residues located in the vicinity of Gly233 were also examined by mutation. Although the side chains of these residues are potential Ca2+ ligands, their replacement did not affect the Ca2+ affinity of the enzyme, suggesting the lack of a role of this region of the peptide in formation of Ca2(+)-binding sites.     

Psicose inhibits lettuce root growth via a hexokinase-independent pathway

Fructose analog, psicose, and glucose analog, mannose, inhibited root growth of lettuce seedlings. Psicose is phosphorylated by hexokinase and fructokinase (EC 2.7.1.4) to psicose-6-phosphate with no known capacity for further metabolism. Mannose is phosphorylated by hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1) to mannose-6-phosphate which is further metabolized very slowly. Hexokinase is known to have a sugar-sensing function and possibly triggers a signal cascade resulting in changes of several gene expressions. It was determined, compared with the behaviour of mannose, whether psicose inhibits the root growth through this system. The addition of phosphate into the growth medium of lettuce seedlings did not affect the inhibition by psicose and mannose, and both sugars did not reduce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level in the roots, suggesting that the inhibition is not due to phosphate starvation and ATP depletion. The inhibiting effects of psicose and mannose were overcome by adding sucrose into the medium, which suggests that the inhibition is not caused by accumulation of psicose-6-phosphate or mannose-6-phosphate in the seedlings. Mannoheptulose, a specific competitive inhibitor of hexokinase, defeated the mannose-induced inhibiting but was not able to relieve the psicose-induced inhibition. Thus, the phosphorylation of mannose by hexokinase may trigger a signal cascade resulting in the growth inhibition of lettuce roots, which is consistent with the hypothesis established in Arabidopsis . However, psicose cannot inhibit the growth of lettuce roots via a hexokinase-mediated pathway, and the phosphorylation of psicose by fructokinase might trigger a hexokinase-independent signal cascade resulting in the growth inhibition.     

Phosphorylation of recombinant human ATP:citrate lyase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase abolishes homotropic allosteric regulation of the enzyme by citrate and increases the enzyme activity. Allosteric activation of ATP:citrate lyase by phosphorylated sugars

Recombinantly expressed human ATP:citrate lyase was purified from E. coli, and its kinetic behavior was characterized before and after phosphorylation. Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase catalyzed the incorporation of only 1 mol of phosphate per mole of enzyme homotetramer, and glycogen synthase kinase-3 incorporated an additional 2 mol of phosphate into the phosphorylated protein. Isoelectric focusing revealed that all of the phosphates were incorporated into only one of the four enzyme subunits. Phosphorylation resulted in a 6-fold increase in V(max) and the conversion of citrate dependence from sigmoidal, displaying negative cooperativity, to hyperbolic. The phosphorylated recombinant enzyme is more similar to the enzyme isolated from mammalian tissues than unphosphorylated enzyme with respect to the K(m) for citrate, CoA, and ATP, and the specific activity. Fructose 6-phosphate was found to be a potent activator (60-fold) of the unphosphorylated recombinant enzyme, with half-maximal activation at 0.16 mM, which results in a decrease in the apparent K(m) for citrate and ATP, as well as an increase in the V(max) of the reaction. Thus, human ATP:citrate lyase activity is regulated in vitro allosterically by phosphorylated sugars as well as covalently by phosphorylation.