Control of the phosphorylation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in higher plants

Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase is regulated by reversible phosphorylation in higher plants. Recently several genes encoding PEP carboxylase kinase have been cloned. The purpose of this article is to assess the contribution that information on the structure and expression of these genes is making to our understanding of the posttranslational control of PEP carboxylase activity.     

Actinobacillus succinogenes抗氟乙酸突变株的选育及其代谢流量分析

琥珀酸是一种用于合成树脂、可降解塑料及许多化学中间体的重要绿色化工原料。为了提高琥珀酸的发酵产率, 基于Actinobacillus succinogenes的代谢流量分布情况对其育种机制进行了研究。以Actinobacillus succinogenes CGMCC1593为原始菌株进行NTG诱变, 挑选在含有50~100 mmol/L氟乙酸平板生长较快的菌落, 经过初筛和复筛, 发现SF-9菌株产生更多琥珀酸且积累乙酸较少。以50 g/L的葡萄糖为碳源, 在5 L发酵罐上进行分批发酵, 该菌株发酵32 h时琥珀酸产量(34.8 g/L)提高了23.4%, 琥珀酸/乙酸比率为9:1, 副产物乙酸量比原始菌株降低了约50%。代谢流量分析(MFA)结果表明, PEP是影响琥珀酸合成的关键节点, PYR是影响乙酸等杂酸生成比例的关键节点, 并且这两个节点均非刚性节点。通过氟乙酸抗性诱变, 成功地筛选出了流向乙酸、甲酸和乳酸等杂酸的流量相对减少, 而流向琥珀酸的流量明显增强的突变菌株SF-9。     

Actinobacillus succinogenes抗氟乙酸突变株的选育及其代谢流量分析

琥珀酸是一种用于合成树脂、可降解塑料及许多化学中间体的重要绿色化工原料。为了提高琥珀酸的发酵产率, 基于Actinobacillus succinogenes的代谢流量分布情况对其育种机制进行了研究。以Actinobacillus succinogenes CGMCC1593为原始菌株进行NTG诱变, 挑选在含有50~100 mmol/L氟乙酸平板生长较快的菌落, 经过初筛和复筛, 发现SF-9菌株产生更多琥珀酸且积累乙酸较少。以50 g/L的葡萄糖为碳源, 在5 L发酵罐上进行分批发酵, 该菌株发酵32 h时琥珀酸产量(34.8 g/L)提高了23.4%, 琥珀酸/乙酸比率为9:1, 副产物乙酸量比原始菌株降低了约50%。代谢流量分析(MFA)结果表明, PEP是影响琥珀酸合成的关键节点, PYR是影响乙酸等杂酸生成比例的关键节点, 并且这两个节点均非刚性节点。通过氟乙酸抗性诱变, 成功地筛选出了流向乙酸、甲酸和乳酸等杂酸的流量相对减少, 而流向琥珀酸的流量明显增强的突变菌株SF-9。     

Metabolic flux maps comparing the effect of temperature on protein and oil biosynthesis in developing soybean cotyledons

Metabolic flux maps developed from ¹³C metabolic flux analysis (¹³C MFA) are effective tools for assessing the response of biological systems to genetic or environmental perturbations, and for identifying possible metabolic engineering targets. Experimental treatments were designed to distinguish between temperature effects prior to, and during incubation in vitro , on primary metabolism in developing soybeans. Biomass accumulation increased with temperature as did carbon partitioning into lipids. The flux through the plastidic oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (pgl^P) relative to sucrose intake remained fairly constant [∼56% (±24%)] when cotyledons were transferred from an optimum growth temperature to varying temperatures in in vitro culture, signifying a rigid node under these conditions. However, pgl^P flux ranged from 57 to 77% of sucrose intake when growth temperature in planta varied and were cultured in vitro at the same temperature (as the plant), indicating a flexible node for this case. The carbon flux through the anaplerotic reactions catalysed by plastidic malic enzyme (me^P), cytosolic phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase and the malate (Mal) transporter from the cytosol to mitochondrion varied dramatically with temperature and had a direct influence on the carbon partitioning into protein and oil from the plastidic pyruvate (Pyr) pool. These results of the in vitro culture indicate that temperature during early stages of development has a dominant effect on establishing capacity for flux through certain components of central carbon metabolism.     

Consequences of phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotranferase system and pyruvate kinase isozymes inactivation in central carbon metabolism flux distribution in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In Escherichia coli phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) is a key central metabolism intermediate that participates in glucose transport, as precursor in several biosynthetic pathways and it is involved in allosteric regulation of glycolytic enzymes. In this work we generated W3110 derivative strains that lack the main PEP consumers PEP:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS-) and pyruvate kinase isozymes PykA and PykF (PTS- pykA- and PTS- pykF -). To characterize the effects of these modifications on cell physiology, carbon flux distribution and aromatics production capacity were determined. RESULTS: When compared to reference strain W3110, strain VH33 (PTS-) displayed lower specific rates for growth, glucose consumption and acetate production as well as a higher biomass yield from glucose. These phenotypic effects were even more pronounced by the additional inactivation of PykA or PykF. Carbon flux analysis revealed that PTS inactivation causes a redirection of metabolic flux towards biomass formation. A cycle involving PEP carboxylase (Ppc) and PEP carboxykinase (Pck) was detected in all strains. In strains W3110, VH33 (PTS-) and VH35 (PTS-, pykF-), the net flux in this cycle was inversely correlated with the specific rate of glucose consumption and inactivation of Pck in these strains caused a reduction in growth rate. In the PTS- background, inactivation of PykA caused a reduction in Ppc and Pck cycling as well as a reduction in flux to TCA, whereas inactivation of PykF caused an increase in anaplerotic flux from PEP to OAA and an increased flux to TCA. The wild-type and mutant strains were modified to overproduce L-phenylalanine. In resting cells experiments, compared to reference strain, a 10, 4 and 7-fold higher aromatics yields from glucose were observed as consequence of PTS, PTS PykA and PTS PykF inactivation. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic flux analysis performed on strains lacking the main activities generating pyruvate from PEP revealed the high degree of flexibility to perturbations of the central metabolic network in E. coli. The observed responses to reduced glucose uptake and PEP to pyruvate rate of conversion caused by PTS, PykA and PykF inactivation included flux rerouting in several central metabolism nodes towards anabolic biosynthetic reactions, thus compensating for carbon limitation in these mutant strains. The detected cycle involving Ppc and Pck was found to be required for maintaining the specific growth and glucose consumption rates in all studied strains. Strains VH33 (PTS-), VH34 (PTS- pykA-) and VH35 (PTS- pykF-) have useful properties for biotechnological processes, such as increased PEP availability and high biomass yields from glucose, making them useful for the production of aromatic compounds or recombinant proteins.     

代谢酶乙酰化修饰对新陈代谢的调控

蛋白质的赖氨酸乙酰化修饰可以定义为在蛋白质的赖氨酸残基上添加或移除一个乙酰基团,这个过程是由乙酰化酶和脱乙酰酶调控的.真核生物细胞核内组蛋白和转录因子的可逆乙酰化修饰对基因表达调控的机制早已研究得比较清楚.1996年以来,一些独立的研究也陆续发现,参与到其他生命活动中的蛋白质存在着乙酰化修饰情况,表明乙酰化可能在生命活动中发挥着广泛的调节作用.然而直到2009年,高通量的蛋白质质谱分析技术才使得在蛋白质组水平上研究乙酰化修饰成为可能,并发现蛋白质乙酰化普遍存在.学者们发现,乙酰化修饰是一个在细胞核或细胞质的亚细胞器内广泛存在的翻译后修饰调控机制,可能参与了染色体重塑、细胞周期调控、细胞骨架的大分子运输、新陈代谢等多种生命活动.本文详细总结代谢酶的乙酰化修饰对新陈代谢调控的关键作用,并说明代谢酶的乙酰化修饰是一个从原核生物到真核生物进化上高度保守的调控机制.     

Evaluation of phosphorus starvation inducible genes relating to efficient phosphorus utilization in rice

Plants develop strategies to recycle phosphorus so that all organs receive adequate amounts of phosphorus, especially new growing organs. To evaluate the metabolic adaptation of rice plants under phosphorus deficient conditions, we selected several genes related to phosphorus utilization efficiency in the cell. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, triose phosphate translocator, phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate translocator (PPT), pyruvate kinase, NAD dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and NADP dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were selected because of their important roles in phosphorus utilization by the cell, and because they are part of the proposed bypass pathways by which the cells save phosphate. The most dramatic change was observed in the expression level of PPT (which transports phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) from the cytosol into the chloroplast); thus we believe that PEP may play an important role in maintaining carbon metabolism under phosphate deficient conditions.     

Pro-inflammatory Macrophages Sustain Pyruvate Oxidation through Pyruvate Dehydrogenase for the Synthesis of Itaconate and to Enable Cytokine Expression

Upon stimulation with Th1 cytokines or bacterial lipopolysaccharides, resting macrophages shift their phenotype toward a pro-inflammatory state as part of the innate immune response. LPS-activated macrophages undergo profound metabolic changes to adapt to these new physiological requirements. One key step to mediate this metabolic adaptation is the stabilization of HIF1α, which leads to increased glycolysis and lactate release, as well as decreased oxygen consumption. HIF1 abundance can result in the induction of the gene encoding pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1), which inhibits pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) via phosphorylation. Therefore, it has been speculated that pyruvate oxidation through PDH is decreased in pro-inflammatory macrophages. However, to answer this open question, an in-depth analysis of this metabolic branching point was so far lacking. In this work, we applied stable isotope-assisted metabolomics techniques and demonstrate that pyruvate oxidation is maintained in mature pro-inflammatory macrophages. Glucose-derived pyruvate is oxidized via PDH to generate citrate in the mitochondria. Citrate is used for the synthesis of the antimicrobial metabolite itaconate and for lipogenesis. An increased demand for these metabolites decreases citrate oxidation through the tricarboxylic acid cycle, whereas increased glutamine uptake serves to replenish the TCA cycle. Furthermore, we found that the PDH flux is maintained by unchanged PDK1 abundance, despite the presence of HIF1. By pharmacological intervention, we demonstrate that the PDH flux is an important node for M(LPS) macrophage activation. Therefore, PDH represents a metabolic intervention point that might become a research target for translational medicine to treat chronic inflammatory diseases.     

Subcellular localization suggests novel functions for prolyl endopeptidase in protein secretion

For a long time, prolyl endopeptidase (PEP) was believed to inactivate neuropeptides in the extracellular space. However, reports on the intracellular activity of PEP suggest additional, as yet unidentified, physiological functions for this enzyme. Here, we demonstrate using biochemical methods of subcellular fractionation, immunocytochemical double-labelling procedures and localization of PEP-enhanced green fluorescent protein fusion proteins that PEP is mainly localized to the perinuclear space, and is associated with the microtubulin cytoskeleton in human neuroblastoma and glioma cell lines. Disassembly of the microtubules by nocodazole treatment disrupts both the fibrillar tubulin and PEP labelling. Furthermore, in a two-hybrid screen, PEP was identified as binding partner of tubulin. These findings indicate novel functions for PEP in axonal transport and/or protein secretion. Indeed, a metabolic labelling approach revealed that both PEP inhibition and PEP antisense mRNA expression result in enhanced peptide/protein secretion from human U-343 glioma cells. Because disturbances in intracellular transport and protein secretion mechanisms are associated with a number of ageing-associated neurodegenerative diseases, cell-permeable PEP inhibitors may be useful for the application in a variety of related clinical conditions.     

The mitochondrial isoform of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-M) and glucose homeostasis: Has it been overlooked?

Background

Plasma glucose levels are tightly regulated within a narrow physiologic range. Insulin-mediated glucose uptake by tissues must be balanced by the appearance of glucose from nutritional sources, glycogen stores, or gluconeogenesis. In this regard, a common pathway regulating both glucose clearance and appearance has not been described. The metabolism of glucose to produce ATP is generally considered to be the primary stimulus for insulin release from beta-cells. Similarly, gluconeogenesis from phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) is believed to be the primarily pathway via the cytosolic isoform of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-C). These models cannot adequately explain the regulation of insulin secretion or gluconeogenesis.

Scope of review

A metabolic sensing pathway involving mitochondrial GTP (mtGTP) and PEP synthesis by the mitochondrial isoform of PEPCK (PEPCK-M) is associated with glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells. Here we examine whether there is evidence for a similar mtGTP-dependent pathway involved in gluconeogenesis. In both islets and the liver, mtGTP is produced at the substrate level by the enzyme succinyl CoA synthetase (SCS-GTP) with a rate proportional to the TCA cycle. In the beta-cell PEPCK-M then hydrolyzes mtGTP in the production of PEP that, unlike mtGTP, can escape the mitochondria to generate a signal for insulin release. Similarly, PEPCK-M and mtGTP might also provide a significant source of PEP in gluconeogenic tissues for the production of glucose. This review will focus on the possibility that PEPCK-M, as a sensor for TCA cycle flux, is a key mechanism to regulate both insulin secretion and gluconeogenesis suggesting conservation of this biochemical mechanism in regulating multiple aspects of glucose homeostasis. Moreover, we propose that this mechanism may be important for regulating insulin secretion and gluconeogenesis compared to canonical nutrient sensing pathways.

Major conclusions

PEPCK-M, initially believed to be absent in islets, carries a substantial metabolic flux in beta-cells. This flux is intimately involved with the coupling of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. PEPCK-M activity may have been similarly underestimated in glucose producing tissues and could potentially be an unappreciated but important source of gluconeogenesis.

General significance

The generation of PEP via PEPCK-M may occur via a metabolic sensing pathway important for regulating both insulin secretion and gluconeogenesis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Frontiers of Mitochondrial Research.     

Ultrasensitive regulation of anapleurosis via allosteric activation of PEP carboxylase

Anapleurosis is the filling of the tricarboxylic acid cycle with four-carbon units. The common substrate for both anapleurosis and glucose phosphorylation in bacteria is the terminal glycolytic metabolite phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP). Here we show that Escherichia coli quickly and almost completely turns off PEP consumption upon glucose removal. The resulting buildup of PEP is used to quickly import glucose if it becomes available again. The switch-like termination of anapleurosis results from depletion of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), an ultrasensitive allosteric activator of PEP carboxylase. E. coli expressing an FBP-insensitive point mutant of PEP carboxylase grow normally when glucose is steadily available. However, they fail to build up PEP upon glucose removal, grow poorly when glucose availability oscillates and suffer from futile cycling at the PEP node on gluconeogenic substrates. Thus, bacterial central carbon metabolism is intrinsically programmed with ultrasensitive allosteric regulation to enable rapid adaptation to changing environmental conditions.     

神经退行性疾病的早期信号:线粒体功能障碍

线粒体是广泛存在于各种真核细胞中,可以进行独立复制的特殊的细胞器,它既能提供细胞内各种生命活动所需要的能源,也参与多种其他极为重要的生理活动。线粒体呼吸功能的障碍是许多神经退行性疾病发病早期共识的病理现象,探索线粒体在疾病发生过程中的变化,不仅对研究AD等神经退行性疾病的发病机理,对设计和开发创新药物也具有重要的指导意义。本文就线粒体的结构功能及其在神经退行性疾病发病过程中出现功能障碍的证据、诱因和可能的治疗方案作一简要综述。     

The PEP-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node as the switch point for carbon flux distribution in bacteria

In many organisms, metabolite interconversion at the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node involves a structurally entangled set of reactions that interconnects the major pathways of carbon metabolism and thus, is responsible for the distribution of the carbon flux among catabolism, anabolism and energy supply of the cell. While sugar catabolism proceeds mainly via oxidative or non-oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA, anaplerosis and the initial steps of gluconeogenesis are accomplished by C3- (PEP- and/or pyruvate-) carboxylation and C4- (oxaloacetate- and/or malate-) decarboxylation, respectively. In contrast to the relatively uniform central metabolic pathways in bacteria, the set of enzymes at the PEP-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node represents a surprising diversity of reactions. Variable combinations are used in different bacteria and the question of the significance of all these reactions for growth and for biotechnological fermentation processes arises. This review summarizes what is known about the enzymes and the metabolic fluxes at the PEP-pyruvate-oxaloacetate node in bacteria, with a particular focus on the C3-carboxylation and C4-decarboxylation reactions in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium glutamicum. We discuss the activities of the enzymes, their regulation and their specific contribution to growth under a given condition or to biotechnological metabolite production. The present knowledge unequivocally reveals the PEP-pyruvate-oxaloacetate nodes of bacteria to be a fascinating target of metabolic engineering in order to achieve optimized metabolite production.     

Pre-ejection period controlled cardiac pacemaker

Numerous investigations have been performed in search for suitable parameters for physiologic adaptation of the pacing rate. In case of chronotropic incompetence corporeal as well as cardiac control parameters permit open or closed loop control of the pacing rate. Criteria to be considered are the patient's condition, the response time of the system, the proportionality to the oxygen uptake and the susceptibility to interference. A high specificity of the rate response is particularly important for the patient with a low cardiac reserve. The use of a parameter relating to the central hemodynamics, such as the systolic time intervals, particularly the pre-ejection period (PEP), as input signal for rate control is, therefore, of special interest. The concept presented of a PEP-controlled rate adaptive pacemaker is based on the linear proportionality between PEP and the cardiac cycle length. Changing with the sympathetic tone, the PEP permits adaptation of the pacing rate in response to physical as well as emotional stress. The right ventricular PEP parallels the left ventricular one and is measured between the electrode tip and the pacemaker housing. Clinical results obtained confirm the high sensitivity and specificity of this control parameter with respect to the metabolic demand. Technical details of an implantable multiprogrammable device are dealt with.     

耐温谷氨酸棒杆菌的选育及其高温谷氨酸发酵代谢流量分析

采用基因组改组的方法选育获得的一株耐温谷氨酸棒杆菌F343,并比较了F343与其出发菌株S9114在39℃发酵谷氨酸时的发酵特性和代谢流量。结果表明:耐温菌F343的比生长速率、比谷氨酸积累速率可维持在较高的水平;通过发酵中后期代谢流量分析发现耐温菌F343在磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸(PEP)节点处,磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸羧化酶(PEPc)催化的CO_2回补支路反应代谢流增加;α-酮戊二酸(KG)节点处,谷氨酸氢酶(GDH)催化的产生谷氨酸的支路代谢通量增加。此外,高温发酵谷氨酸时,耐温菌F343高温发酵谷氨酸过程产生的乳酸等副产物较出发菌株S9114少。通过改善种子质量,F343在高温发酵30 h产酸达到10.1%,较出发菌株提高67%。     

Regulation of pyruvate kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity in adult Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda).

F. hepatica pyruvate kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase were found to have properties of regulatory enzymes in the dissimilation of PEP and the control of metabolic flow. Mn²⁺ and K⁺ were required for pyruvate kinase activity. In the presence of fructose-1, 6-diphosphate (FDP), Mg²⁺ could substitute for Mn²⁺. FDP caused a 4-fold increase in the Mn²⁺ activated pyruvate kinase activity. This was accompanied by a 12-fold decrease in apparent K_m(PEP) and a 3-fold decrease in apparent K_{m (ADP)}. ATP markedly inhibited F. hepatica pyruvate kinase, but this inhibition was relieved by FDP. Estimates of metabolic levels indicated that the pyruvate kinase is saturated with PEP and ADP in vivo, but will be highly sensitive to fluctuations in the physiological concentrations of FDP and ATP. NADH doubled the activity of the PEP carboxykinase reaction and decreased the apparent K_{m (PEP)} for this enzyme 3-fold. While the maximal activity of the PEP carboxykinase reaction was substantially higher than the pyruvate kinase reaction, the steady state concentration of PEP suggests that the PEP carboxykinase will not be saturated with this substrate.     

Analysis of Escherichia coli anaplerotic metabolism and its regulation mechanisms from the metabolic responses to altered dilution rates and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase knockout

The gluconeogenic phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxykinase is active in Escherichia coli during its growth on glucose. The present study investigated the influence of growth rates and PEP carboxykinase knockout on the anaplerotic fluxes in E. coli. The intracellular fluxes were determined using the complementary methods of flux ratio analysis and metabolic flux analysis based on [U-(13)C(6)]glucose labeling experiments and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of cellular amino acids and glycerol. Significant activity of PEP carboxykinase was identified in wild-type E. coli, and the ATP dissipation for the futile cycling via this reaction accounted for up to 8.2% of the total energy flux. Flux analysis of pck deletion mutant revealed that abolishment of PEP carboxykinase activity resulted in a remarkably reduced flux through the anaplerotic PEP carboxylase and the activation of the glyoxylate shunt, with 23% of isocitrate found being channeled in the glyoxylate shunt. The changes in intracellular metabolite concentrations and specific enzyme activities associated with different growth rates and pck deletion, were also determined. Combining the measurement data of in vivo fluxes, metabolite concentrations and enzyme activities, the in vivo regulations of PEP carboxykinase flux, PEP carboxylation, and glyoxylate shunt in E. coli are discussed.