ATP-citrate lyase from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola is a heteromeric enzyme composed of two distinct gene products.

The reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle functions as a carbon dioxide fixation pathway in the green sulfur bacterium, Chlorobium limicola. ATP-citrate lyase, one of the key enzymes of this cycle, was partially purified from C. limicola strain M1 and the N-terminal sequence of a 65-kDa protein was found to show similarity toward eukaryotic ATP-citrate lyase. A DNA fragment was amplified with primers designed from this sequence and an internal sequence highly conserved among eukaryotic enzymes. Using this fragment as a probe, we isolated a DNA fragment containing two adjacent open reading frames, aclB (1197 bp) and aclA (1827 bp), whose products showed significant similarity to the N- and C-terminal regions of the human enzyme, respectively. Heterologous expression of these genes in Escherichia coli showed that both gene products were essential for ATP-citrate lyase activity. The recombinant enzyme was purified from the cell-free extract of E. coli harboring aclBA for further characterization. The molecular mass of the recombinant enzyme was determined to be approximately 532--557 kDa by gel-filtration. The enzyme catalyzed the cleavage of citrate in an ATP(-), CoA- and Mg(2+)-dependent manner, where ATP and Mg(2+) could be replaced by dATP and Mn(2+), respectively. ADP and oxaloacetate inhibited the reaction. These properties suggested that ATP-citrate lyase from C. limicola controlled the cycle flux depending on intracellular energy conditions. This paper provides the first direct evidence that a bacterial ATP-citrate lyase is a heteromeric enzyme, distinct from mammalian enzymes.     

Kinetic and biochemical analyses on the reaction mechanism of a bacterial ATP-citrate lyase.

The prokaryotic ATP-citrate lyase is considered to be a key enzyme of the carbon dioxide-fixing reductive tricarboxylic acid (RTCA) cycle. Kinetic examination of the ATP-citrate lyase from the green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola (Cl-ACL), an alpha(4)beta(4) heteromeric enzyme, revealed that the enzyme displayed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics toward ATP with an apparent K(m) value of 0.21 +/- 0.04 mm. However, strong negative cooperativity was observed with respect to citrate binding, with a Hill coefficient (n(H)) of 0.45. Although the dissociation constant of the first citrate molecule was 0.057 +/- 0.008 mm, binding of the first citrate molecule to the enzyme drastically decreased the affinity of the enzyme for the second molecule by a factor of 23. ADP was a competitive inhibitor of ATP with a K(i) value of 0.037 +/- 0.006 mm. Together with previous findings that the enzyme catalyzed the reaction only in the direction of citrate cleavage, these kinetic features indicated that Cl-ACL can regulate both the direction and carbon flux of the RTCA cycle in C. limicola. Furthermore, in order to gain insight on the reaction mechanism, we performed biochemical analyses of Cl-ACL. His273 of the alpha subunit was indicated to be the phosphorylated residue in the catalytic center, as both catalytic activity and phosphorylation of the enzyme by ATP were abolished in an H273A mutant enzyme. We found that phosphorylation of the subunit was reversible. Nucleotide preference for activity was in good accordance with the preference for phosphorylation of the enzyme. Although residues interacting with nucleotides in the succinyl-CoA synthetase from Escherichia coli were conserved in AclB, AclA alone could be phoshorylated with the same nucleotide specificity observed in the holoenzyme. However, AclB was necessary for enzyme activity and contributed to enhance phosphorylation and stabilization of AclA.     

Characterization of ammonium and methylamine transport systems in phototrophic sulfur bacteria

Abstract Transport of ammonium and methylamine into the cells of green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium limicola and purple sulfur bacterium Thiocapsa roseopersicina is carried out by a common transport system. This system has (for C. limicola and T. roseopersicina , respectively) pH optimum 7.0 and 7.5; V _max 0.6 and 4.2 nmol min⁻¹ (mg protein)⁻¹; K_m 5.9 × 10⁻⁵ M and 1.3 × 10⁻⁵ M, and is capable of forming 120- and 600-fold methylamine gradients. The methylamine transport can be energized by the artificially imposed transmembrane K⁺ diffusive potential and is inhibited by tetraphenylphosphonium or valinomycin and K⁺. The data presented indicate that methylamine transport in both studied species is exclusively driven by the membrane potential gradient (ΔΨ).     

16S ribosomal RNA analysis of Filibacter limicola indicates a close relationship to the genus Bacillus

The phylogenetic relationship of the Gram-negative, filamentous gliding bacterium Filibacter limicola was analysed by 16S rRNA oligonucleotide cataloguing. In contrast to the proposed membership of this asporogenous species in the Flexibacteriaceae, Filibacter limicola clusters phylogenetically with the Gram-positive eubacteria Bacillus pasteurii, Sporosarcina ureae and the asporogenous species Planococcus citreus. The genetic relationship is supported by several common phenotypic properties.     

Sepiapterin reductases from Chlorobium tepidum and Chlorobium limicola catalyze the synthesis of L-threo-tetrahydrobiopterin from 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin

The ORF sequences of the gene encoding sepiapterin reductase were cloned from the genomic DNAs of Chlorobium tepidum and Chlorobium limicola, which are known to produce L-threo- and L-erythro-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-N-acetylglucosamine, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequence of C. limicola consists of 241 residues, while C. tepidum SR has three residues more at the C-terminal. The overall protein sequence identity was 87.7%. Both recombinant proteins generated from Escherichia coli were identified to catalyze reduction of diketo compound 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin to L-threo-BH4. This result suggests that C. limicola needs an additional enzyme for L-erythro-BH4 synthesis to yield its glycoside. The catalytic activity of Chlorobium SRs also supports the previously proposed mechanism of two consecutive reductions of C1' carbonyl group of 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin via isomerization reaction.     

Sulfide quinone reductase (SQR) activity in Chlorobium.

Membranes of the green sulfur bacterium, Chlorobium limicola f. thiosulfatophilum, catalyze the reduction of externally added isoprenoid quinones by sulfide. This activity is highly sensitive to stigmatellin and aurachins. It is also inhibited by 2-n-nonyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, antimycin, myxothiazol and cyanide. It is concluded that in sulfide oxidizing bacteria like Chlorobium, sulfide oxidation involves a sulfide-quinone reductase (SQR) similar to the one found in Oscilatoria limnetica [Arieli, B., Padan, E. and Shahak, Y. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 104-111].     

Interactions of citrate synthases from osmoconforming and osmoregulating animals with salt: possible signs of molecular eco-adaptation?

This study considers differential sensitivity of citrate synthase (citrate oxaloacetatelyase [CoA acetylating]) EC 4.1.3.7. from an osmoconforming animal (sea anemone) and an osmoregulating animal (the pig) to salt. Attention is drawn to the fact that the osmoconforming sea anemone is in essence a sessile creature while the pig is readily mobile and able to change its ionic environment at will. It had been shown earlier that citrate synthase from another osmoconformer (oyster) is also not sensitive to ionic strength while citrate synthase from osmoregulating white shrimp is sensitive to increasing levels of salt. However, these enzymes are characteristically regulated by ATP and alpha-ketoglutarate. Both forms of citrate synthase are denatured by 6 M guanidine hydrochloride and are aided by salt levels in their refolding but the rate and extent of refolding of the osmoconformer citrate synthase are greater than those of the osmoregulator citrate synthase. Catalytic activity of both forms of citrate synthase is inhibited by incubation in distilled water; osmoconformer citrate synthase was inhibited completely in 7 h while osmoregulator citrate synthase was inhibited only 60% in this time and 80% after 22 h in distilled water. The eco-adaptive and evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.     

Light-induced generation of electric potential difference in membranes of purple and green sulfur bacteria

When associated with a planar phospholipid membrane, chromatophores isolated from photosynthetic sulfur bacteriaChromatium minutissimum, Ectothiorhodospira shaposhnikovii, andChlorobium limicola f. thiosulfatophilum were shown to generate a light-induced transmembrane electric potential difference measured by a direct method using macroelectrodes and a voltmeter. The maximal photoelectric responses were observed upon the addition of 1,4-naphthoquinone in combination with phenazine methosulfate (or TMPD) and ascorbate. The photoeffects were inhibited by CCCP and gramicidin. The data demonstrate that similar mechanisms of photoelectric generation function in membranes of the different bacteria studied.     

Citrate transport in guinea pig heart mitochondria.

Guinea pig heart mitochondria loaded with [-14C]citrate show exchanges of radioactivity at 30 degrees C with added citrate, L-malate and phosphoenolpyruvate. These exchanges are inhibited by benzene-1,2,3-tricarboxylate. Measurements of rates of citrate transport indicate that the activity of this transporting system is low in heart mitochondria compared to that observed in liver mitochondria. The K(m) values obtained indicate a similarity to those obtained in liver. Citrate oxidation by coupled mitochondria was also found to be slow at 30 degrees C but was inhibited by benzene-1,2,3-tricarboxylate. The role of mitochondrial citrate transport in control of glycolytic flux in the heart is discussed.     

Malate and malate-channel antibodies inhibit electrogenic and ATP-dependent citrate transport across the tonoplast of citrus juice cells

Citrus juice cells accumulate high levels of citric acid in their vacuoles when compared to other organic ions including malate. Uptake of citrate into tonoplast vesicles from Citrus juice cells was investigated in the presence of malate, and after incubation with antibodies raised against the vacuolar malate-specific channel of Kalancho? diagremontiana leaves. Antibodies against the vacuolar malate channel immunoreacted with a protein of similar size in tonoplast extracts from three Citrus varieties differing in citric acid content. Malate channel antibodies inhibited both delta MicroH(+)-dependent and delta MicroH(+)-independent ATP-dependent citrate transport, indicating common domains in both transport systems and to the malate-specific channel of Kalancho? diagremontiana leaves. Malate strongly inhibited electrogenic citrate transport, whereas ATP-dependent citrate uptake was less affected. Kinetic analysis of citrate transport in the presence of malate confirmed the existence of two citrate transport mechanisms and indicated that both citrate and malate share a common transport channel across the tonoplast of Citrus juice cells.     

Coordinated regulation of ammonium assimilation and carbon catabolism by glyoxylate in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The activities of citrate synthase (EC 4.1.3.7) and NADP+-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (EC 1.4.1.4) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were inhibited in vitro by glyoxylate. In the presence of glyoxylate, pyruvate and glyoxylate pools increased, suggesting that glyoxylate was efficiently transported and catabolized. Pyruvate accumulation also indicates that citrate synthase was inhibited. A decrease in the glutamate pool was also observed under these conditions. This can be attributed to an increased transamination rate and to the inhibitory effect of glyoxylate on NADP+-dependent GDH. Furthermore, the increase in the ammonium pool in the presence of glyoxylate suggests that NADP+-dependent GDH was being inhibited in vivo, since the activity of glutamine synthetase did not decrease under these conditions. We propose that the inhibition of both citrate synthase and NADP+-dependent GDH could form part of a mechanism that regulates the internal 2-oxoglutarate concentration.     

Citrate transporters play a critical role in aluminium-stimulated citrate efflux in rice bean (Vigna umbellata) roots

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Aluminium (Al) stimulates the efflux of citrate from apices of rice bean (Vigna umbellata) roots. This response is delayed at least 3 h when roots are exposed to 50 microm Al, indicating that some inducible processes leading to citrate efflux are involved. The physiological bases responsible for the delayed response were examined here. METHODS: The effects of several antagonists of anion channels and citrate carriers, and of the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHM) on Al-stimulated citrate efflux and/or citrate content were examined by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) or an enzymatic method. KEY RESULTS: Both anion channel inhibitors and citrate carrier inhibitors can inhibit Al-stimulated citrate efflux, with anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (A-9-C, an anion channel inhibitor) and phenylisothiocyanate (PI, a citrate carrier inhibitor) the most effective inhibitors. A 6 h pulse of 50 microm Al induced a significant increase of citrate content in root apices and release of citrate. However, the increase in citrate content preceded the efflux. Furthermore, the release of citrate stimulated by the pulse treatment was inhibited by both A-9-C and PI, indicating the importance of the citrate carrier on the mitochondrial membrane and the anion channel on the plasma membrane for the Al-stimulated citrate efflux. CHM (20 microm) also significantly inhibited Al-stimulated citrate efflux, confirming that de novo protein synthesis is required for Al-stimulated citrate efflux. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the activation of genes possibly encoding citrate transporters plays a critical role in Al-stimulated citrate efflux.     

Effect of anthracycline antibiotics on the reconstituted mitochondrial tricarboxylate carrier

The effect of anthracycline antibiotics on the activity of the partially purified and reconstituted tricarboxylate carrier system of the rat liver mitochondria was studied. It was found that the citrate/citrate exchange activity is inhibited by Br-daunomycin and with less potency by doxorubicin, daunomycin, epirubicin and idarubicin. The inhibition of the citrate transport activity is concentration and time-dependent. Cardiolipin protects against the inhibition by Br-daunomycin and the reconstituted citrate transport activity depends upon the ratio of cardiolipin/Br-daunomycin.     

Studies on the Metabolism of Fluoroacetate in the Liver of a Rat

In a rat poisoned with sodium fluoroacetate no accumulation of citrate was found in the liver, while in that of a frog fluoroacetate adtninistration was found to cause a marked increase of citrate. In this paper, it was shown that even in a rat when it was treated with insulin before fluoroacetate administration, citrate accuillulation could be found in the liver. In the experiments in vitro using slices of a rat liver it was also shown that fluoroacetate could cause an accumulation of citrate and inhibited the oxidation of malate in the slices of a normal as well as an insulinized liver.     

Comparative studies on the effect of a protein-synthesis inhibitor on aluminium-induced secretion of organic acids from Fagopyrum esculentum Moench and Cassia tora L. roots

Aluminium (Al)-induced secretion of organic acids from plant roots is considered a mechanism of Al resistance, but the processes leading to the secretion of organic acids are still unknown. In the present study, a protein-synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide (CHM), was used to investigate its effect on Al-induced organic acid secretion in a pattern I (rapid exudation of organic acids under Al stress) plant buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and a pattern II (exudation of organic acids was delayed by several hours under Al stress) plant Cassia tora L. A dose-response experiment showed that the secretion of oxalate by buckwheat roots was not affected by CHM when added in the range from 0 to 50 microM, with or without exposure to 100 microm Al, but the secretion of citrate was completely inhibited by 30 microM CHM in C. tora. A time-course experiment showed that even prolonged exposure to 20 microM CHM did not affect oxalate secretion in buckwheat, but significantly inhibited citrate secretion in C. tora. However, citrate synthase (CS) activity in C. tora was not affected during 12 h exposure to 100 microM Al when compared with that in control roots, although CHM can inhibit CS activity effectively. These results indicated that CS activity was not related to Al-regulated citrate efflux in C. tora. The total protein was decreased by 14.0% and 32.3% in C. tora and buckwheat root tip, respectively, after 3-h treatment with 20 microM CHM. A 3-h pulse with 20 microM CHM completely inhibited citrate efflux in C. tora during the next 6-h exposure to Al, although a small amount of citrate was exuded after 9-h exposure. However, oxalate efflux in buckwheat was not influenced by a similar treatment. In buckwheat, a 3-h pulse with 100 microM Al maintained oxalate secretion at a high level during the next 9 h, with or without CHM treatment. Conversely, in C. tora a 6-h pulse with 100 microM Al induced significant secretion of citrate which was inhibited by the CHM. Taken together, these findings suggest that both de novo synthesis and activation of an anion channel are needed for Al-induced secretion of citrate in C. tora, but in buckwheat the plasma membrane protein responsible for oxalate secretion pre-exists.     

AMP deaminase as a control system of glycolysis in yeast. Mechanism of the inhibition of glycolysis by fatty acid and citrate

The role of fatty acid and citrate on the interaction of the AMP deaminase (EC 3.5.4.6) reaction with glycolysis was investigated using permeabilized yeast cells. (a) Linolenate and citrate inhibited glycolytic flux and the recovery of the adenylate energy charge; however, linolenate remarkably retarded the depletion of the total adenylate pool, which was not at all affected by the addition of citrate. (b) Linolenate inhibited AMP deaminase activity in situ, resulting in the subsequent decrease in ammonium production, which reduced the activity of 6-phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11), whereas linolenate itself had no ability to inhibit the phosphofructokinase activity in the presence of excess ammonium concentration. (c) Citrate inhibited the activity of phosphofructokinase in situ in the presence and absence of ammonium ion, followed by an inhibition of glycolysis; however, AMP deaminase activity was not inhibited by citrate. The inhibition of glycolysis by fatty acids can be accounted for by the lowered activity of phosphofructokinase as a result of the decreased level of ammonium ion through the inhibition of the AMP deaminase reaction by these ligands, whereas the effect of citrate on glycolysis is a direct inhibition of phosphofructokinase without affecting the activity of AMP deaminase. Fatty acid and citrate, a principal metabolic product of fatty acid oxidation, can be responsible for the control of glycolysis in two different manners.     

Susceptibility of various purple and green sulfur bacteria to different antimicrobial agents

Abstract Several purple and green sulfur bacteria (genera Chromatium, Thiocapsa and Chlorobium ) were tested for their sensitivity to different antimicrobial agents by a disc diffusion assay, using thioacetamide as a source of hydrogen sulfide for plate growth. Chlorobium limicola strains were more sensitive to amoxicillin, erythromycin and nalidixic acid, whereas gentamicin and netilmicin were more active against the purple bacteria tested. None of the organisms were sensitive to oxacillin and trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole. The critical concentrations at the edge of the inhibition zone were also calculated for three organisms and the antimicrobials colistin, mitomycin C, penicillin G, rifampicin, and streptomycin. The results obtained suggest that colistin, mitomycin C, penicillin G would provide selective conditions against the growth of Chlorobium limicola strains, while streptomycin and other aminoglycoside antibiotics would select against purple bacteria.     

Conversion of Citrate to Extracellular Glutamate by Penicillin-treated Resting Cells of Corynebacterium glutamicum

Triggering of glutamate excretion by penicillin is thought to occur by increasing cell permeability. It seemed odd that glucose-grown resting cells, after penicillin treatment, would not convert citrate to extracellular glutamate especially since citrate had been reported to be a substrate for the glutamate fermentation. Citrate was not even taken up by such cells. Upon addition of at least 2 percent glucose, citrate was converted to extracellular glutamate. Both glucose and citrate were used simultaneously and citrate metabolism continued even after sugar was exhausted. It was suspected that glucose was required as energy source for induction of a citrate-transport system. Resting cells pregrown in glucose plus citrate, were indeed found to take up citrate and convert it to extracellular glutamate even in the absence of sugar. In line with the induction hypothesis, chloramphenicol inhibited the metabolism of citrate by glucose-grown resting cells but had no such effect on the citrate-adapted cells. The antibiotic did not inhibit glucose utilization by citrate-adapted or unadapted resting cells.     

Inhibition by oxalomalate of rat liver mitochondrial and extramitochondrial aconitate hydratase

1. The effect of oxalomalate on the oxidation of citrate and cis-aconitate in rat liver mitochondria, and on the activity of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic aconitate hydratase, has been investigated. 2. Oxalomalate that was added to intact rat liver mitochondria at high concentrations (2mm) produced complete inhibition of citrate and cis-aconitate oxidation, but lower concentrations (0.1-0.25mm) inhibited oxidation of citrate more than that of cis-aconitate. 3. Aconitate hydratase that was either extracted from mitochondria or soluble in the cytoplasm, was strongly inhibited by low concentrations of oxalomalate (0.01-0.2mm), the mitochondrial enzyme being more sensitive than the soluble one. 4. Oxalomalate, when added together with citrate, produced competitive inhibition; the K(i) values calculated were 1x10(-6)m for the mitochondrial and 2.5x10(-6)m for the cytoplasmic enzyme. 5. With both the enzymic preparations oxalomalate added together with the substrates inhibited the initial rate of the reaction citrate-->cis-aconitate more than that of the reaction isocitrate-->cis-aconitate. 6. After 2min of preincubation of the inhibitor with either of the enzymic preparations the inhibition increased tenfold and became irreversible; under these conditions both the reactions were inhibited to the same extent. 7. The inhibition by oxalomalate of aconitate hydratase appeared to be similar in many respects to that produced by fluorocitrate on the same enzyme.