Metabolism of sucrose and its five linkage-isomeric alpha-D-glucosyl-D-fructoses by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Participation and properties of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase and phospho-alpha-glucosidase

Klebsiella pneumoniae is presently unique among bacterial species in its ability to metabolize not only sucrose but also its five linkage-isomeric alpha-d-glucosyl-d-fructoses: trehalulose, turanose, maltulose, leucrose, and palatinose. Growth on the isomeric compounds induced a protein of molecular mass approximately 50 kDa that was not present in sucrose-grown cells and which we have identified as an NAD(+) and metal ion-dependent 6-phospho-alpha-glucosidase (AglB). The aglB gene has been cloned and sequenced, and AglB (M(r) = 49,256) has been purified from a high expression system using the chromogenic p-nitrophenyl alpha-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate as substrate. Phospho-alpha-glucosidase catalyzed the hydrolysis of a wide variety of 6-phospho-alpha-glucosides including maltose-6'-phosphate, maltitol-6-phosphate, isomaltose-6'-phosphate, and all five 6'-phosphorylated isomers of sucrose (K(m) approximately 1-5 mm) yet did not hydrolyze sucrose-6-phosphate. By contrast, purified sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase (M(r) approximately 53,000) hydrolyzed only sucrose-6-phosphate (K(m) approximately 80 microm). Differences in molecular shape and lipophilicity potential between sucrose and its isomers may be important determinants for substrate discrimination by the two phosphoglucosyl hydrolases. Phospho-alpha-glucosidase and sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase exhibit no significant homology, and by sequence-based alignment, the two enzymes are assigned to Families 4 and 32, respectively, of the glycosyl hydrolase superfamily. The phospho-alpha-glucosidase gene (aglB) lies adjacent to a second gene (aglA), which encodes an EII(CB) component of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar:phosphotransferase system. We suggest that the products of the two genes facilitate the phosphorylative translocation and subsequent hydrolysis of the five alpha-d-glucosyl-d-fructoses by K. pneumoniae.     

Genes malh and pagl of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 encode NAD+- and Mn2+-dependent phospho-alpha-glucosidase(s)

The genome of Clostridium acetobutylicum 824 contains two genes encoding NAD+, Mn2+, and dithiothreitol-dependent phospho-alpha-glucosidases that can be assigned to family 4 of the glycosylhydrolase superfamily. The two genes, designated malh (maltose 6-phosphate hydrolase) and pagl (phospho-alpha-glucosidase), respectively, reside in separate operons that also encode proteins of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent:sugar phosphotransferase system. C. acetobutylicum grows on a variety of alpha-linked glucosides, including maltose, methyl-alpha-d-glucoside, and the five isomers of sucrose. In the presence of the requisite cofactors, extracts of these cells readily hydrolyzed the chromogenic substrate p-nitrophenyl-alpha-d-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate, but whether hydrolysis reflected expression of enzymes encoded by the malh or pagl genes was not discernible by spectrophotometric analysis or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Resolution of this question required the cloning of the malh and pagl genes, and subsequent high expression, purification, and characterization of maltose-6'-phosphate hydrolase (MalH) and phospho-alpha-glucosidase (PagL), respectively. MalH and PagL exhibit 50% residue identity, and in solution are tetramers comprising similar sized ( approximately 50 kDa) subunits. The two proteins cross-react with polyclonal rabbit antibody against phospho-alpha-glucosidase from Fusobacterium mortiferum. Purified MalH and PagL cleaved p-nitrophenyl-alpha-d-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate with comparable efficiency, but only MalH catalyzed the hydrolysis of disaccharide 6'-phosphates formed via the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent:sugar phosphotransferase system. Importantly, analysis of the proteome of C. acetobutylicum 824 by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry confirmed expression of MalH during growth on many alpha-glucosides tested. Site-directed changes C169S and D170N yielded full-length, but catalytically inactive MalH. Of the two putative operons, our findings suggest that only proteins encoded by the mal operon participate in the dissimilation of maltose and related O-alpha-linked glucosides by C. acetobutylicum 824.     

Plasmid-mediated uptake and metabolism of sucrose by Escherichia coli K-12.

The conjugative plasmid pUR400 determines tetracycline resistance and enables cells of Escherichia coli K-12 to utilize sucrose as the sole carbon source. Three types of mutants affecting sucrose metabolism were derived from pUR400. One type lacked a specific transport system (srcA); another lacked sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase (scrB); and the third, a regulatory mutant, expressed both of these functions constitutively (scrR). In a strain harboring pUR400, both transport and sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase were inducible by fructose, sucrose, and raffinose; if a scrB mutant was used, fructose was the only inducer. These data suggested that fructose or a derivative acted as an endogenous inducer. Sucrose transport and sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase were subject to catabolite repression; these two functions were not expressed in an E. coli host (of pUR400) deficient in the adenosine 3-,5'-phosphate receptor protein. Sucrose uptake (apparent Km = 10 microM) was dependent on the scrA gene product and on the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar:phosphotransferase system (PTS) of the host. The product of sucrose uptake (via group translocation) was identified as sucrose-6-phosphate, phosphorylated at C6 of the glucose moiety. Intracellular sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase catalyzed the hydrolysis of sucrose-6-phosphate (Km = 0.17 mM), sucrose (Km = 60 mM), and raffinose (Km = 150 mM). The active enzyme was shown to be a dimer of Mr 110,000.     

Thermodynamics of the hydrolysis of sucrose

A thermodynamic investigation of the hydrolysis of sucrose to fructose and glucose has been performed using microcalorimetry and high-pressure liquid chromatography. The calorimetric measurements were carried out over the temperature range 298-316 K and in sodium acetate buffer (0.1 M, pH 5.65). Enthalpy and heat capacity changes were obtained for the hydrolysis of aqueous sucrose (process A): sucrose(aq) + H2O(liq) = glucose(aq) + fructose (aq). The determination of the equilibrium constant required the use of a thermochemical cycle calculation involving the following processes: (B) glucose 1-phosphate2-(aq) = glucose 6-phosphate2-(aq); (C) sucrose(aq) + HPO4(2-)(aq) = glucose 1-phosphate2-(aq) + fructose(aq); and (D) glucose 6-phosphate2-(aq) + H2O(liq) = glucose(aq) + HPO4(2-)(aq). The equilibrium constants determined at 298.15 K for processes B and C are 17.1 +/- 1.0 and 32.4 +/- 3.0, respectively. Equilibrium data for process D was obtained from the literature, and in conjunction with the data for processes B and C, used to calculate a value of the equilibrium constant for the hydrolysis of aqueous sucrose. Thus, for process A, delta G0 = -26.53 +/- 0.30 kJ mol-1, K0 = (4.44 +/- 0.54) x 10(4), delta H0 = -14.93 +/- 0.16 kJ mol-1, delta So = 38.9 +/- 1.2 J mol-1 K-1, and delta CoP = 57 +/- 14 J mol-1 K-1 at 298.15 K. Additional thermochemical cycles that bear upon the accuracy of these results are examined.     

Molecular analysis of two fructokinases involved in sucrose metabolism of enteric bacteria

Sucrose-positive derivatives of Escherichia coli K-12, containing the plasmid pUR400, and of Klebsiella pneumoniae hydrolyse intracellular sucrose 6-phosphate by means of an invertase into D-glucose 6-phosphate and free D-fructose. The latter is phosphorylated by an ATP-dependent fructokinase (gene scrK of an scr regulon) to D-fructose 6-phosphate. The lack of ScrK does not cause any visible phenotype in wild-type strains of both organisms. Using genes and enzymes normally involved in D-arabinitol metabolism from E. coli C and K. pneumoniae, derivatives of E. coli K-12 were constructed which allowed the identification of scrK mutations on conventional indicator plates. Cloning and sequencing of scrK from sucrose plasmid pUR400 and from the chromosome of K. pneumoniae revealed an open reading frame of 924 bp in both cases--the equivalent of a peptide containing 307 amino acid residues (Mr 39 and 34 kDa, respectively, on sodium dodecyl sulphate gels). The sequences showed overall identity among each other (69% identical residues) and to a kinase from Vibrio alginolyticus (57%) also involved in sucrose metabolism, lower overall identity (39%) to a D-ribose-kinase from E. coli, and local similarity to prokaryotic, and eukaryotic phosphofructokinases at the putative ATP-binding sites.     

Transposon-encoded sucrose metabolism in Lactococcus lactis. Purification of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase and genetic linkage to N5-(L-1-carboxyethyl)-L-ornithine synthase in strain K1.

Sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis K1-23 (formerly Streptococcus lactis K1-23) has been purified 600-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity. Purification of the enzyme was achieved by DEAE-Sephacel, phosphocellulose P-11, and gel exclusion (Ultrogel AcA 54) chromatography. The purified enzyme (specific activity 31 units/mg) catalyzed the hydrolysis of both 6-O-phosphoryl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-1,2-beta-D-fructofuranoside (sucrose 6-phosphate) and sucrose (Km = 0.1 and 100 mM, respectively). Ultracentrifugal analysis of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase indicated an Mr = 52,200. The purified enzyme migrated as a single protein during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Mr = 52,000). However, four distinct polypeptides were detected by analytical electrofocusing, and all four species hydrolyzed sucrose and sucrose 6-phosphate. The amino acid composition of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase, and the sequence of the first 12 amino acids from the NH2 terminus, have been determined. Hybridization studies with oligonucleotide probes show that the genes for sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase (scrB), Enzyme IIScr of the phosphoenolypyruvate-dependent sucrose:phosphotransferase system (scrA), and N5-(carboxyethyl)ornithine synthase (ceo) are encoded by the same approximately 20-kilobase EcoRI fragment. This fragment is part of a large transposon Tn5306 that also encodes the nisin precursor gene, spaN, and IS904. In L. lactis ATCC 11454, spaN, IS904, scrA, and scrB (but not ceo) are encoded on a related transposon, Tn5307.     

Initial characterization of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase from Streptococcus mutans and its apparent identity with intracellular invertase.

An intracellular enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of sucrose-6-phosphate to glucose-6-phosphate and fructose has been identified in extracts of $\text{Streptococcus}\text{mutans}$ 6715-10. The preparation was purified chromatographically and found to have an apparent molecular weight of 42,000. The enzyme has as a K_m for sucrose-6-phosphate of 0.21 mM, a pH optimum of 7.1, is quite stable and requires no added cofactors or metal ions. Sucrose is a competitive inhibitor of sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolysis (K_i = 8. 12 mM). A previously described intracellular invertase copurifies with the enzyme and could not be separated from it by disc gel electrophoresis. It is concluded that intracellular invertase is a sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase with a low catalytic activity for hydrolysis of sucrose.     

Genetic requirements for growth of Escherichia coli K12 on methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside and the five alpha-D-glucosyl-D-fructose isomers of sucrose

Strains of Escherichia coli K12, including MG-1655, accumulate methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside via the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent glucose:phosphotransferase system (IICB(Glc)/IIA(Glc)). High concentrations of intracellular methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate are toxic, and cell growth is prevented. However, transformation of E. coli MG-1655 with a plasmid (pAP1) encoding the gene aglB from Klebsiella pneumoniae resulted in excellent growth of the transformant MG-1655 (pAP1) on the glucose analog. AglB is an unusual NAD+/Mn2+-dependent phospho-alpha-glucosidase that promotes growth of MG-1655 (pAP1) by catalyzing the in vivo hydrolysis of methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate to yield glucose 6-phosphate and methanol. When transformed with plasmid pAP2 encoding the K. pneumoniae genes aglB and aglA (an alpha-glucoside-specific transporter AglA (IICB(Agl))), strain MG-1655 (pAP2) metabolized a variety of other alpha-linked glucosides, including maltitol, isomaltose, and the following five isomers of sucrose: trehalulose alpha(1-->1), turanose alpha(1-->3), maltulose alpha(1-->4), leucrose alpha(1-->5), and palatinose alpha(1-->6). Remarkably, MG-1655 (pAP2) failed to metabolize sucrose alpha(1-->2). The E. coli K12 strain ZSC112L (ptsG::cat manXYZ nagE glk lac) can neither grow on glucose nor transport methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside. However, when transformed with pTSGH11 (encoding ptsG) or pAP2, this organism provided membranes that contained either the PtsG or AglA transporters, respectively. In vitro complementation of transporter-specific membranes with purified general phosphotransferase components showed that although PtsG and AglA recognized glucose and methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, only AglA accepted other alpha-D-glucosides as substrates. Complementation experiments also revealed that IIA(Glc) was required for functional activity of both PtsG and AglA transporters. We conclude that AglA, AglB, and IIA(Glc) are necessary and sufficient for growth of E. coli K12 on methyl-alpha-D-glucoside and related alpha-D-glucopyranosides.     

Vanadate inhibits fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase and leads to an inhibition of sucrose synthesis in barley leaves

Vanadate (0.1–1 mM) was supplied to leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare var. Roland) via the transpiration stream. It led to a selective inhibition of the rate of photosynthesis at high light without altering the initial slope of the light response curve, produced markedly biphasic photosynthesis induction kinetics, and selectively decreased sucrose synthesis compared to starch synthesis. There was a 3-fold increase of the steady state level of the signal metabolite fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in near saturating light. Fructose-2,6-bisphosphate is a potent inhibitor of cytosolic fruc-tose-l,6-bisphosphatase and, in agreement, the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatc level doubled. The increase of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate could not be accounted for by the known regulation of fructose-6-phosphate,2-kinase and fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase by 3-phosphoglycerate and fiuctose-6-phosphate, because these metabolites remained constant or even changed in the opposite direction to that required to generate an increase of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate. Instead, vanadate strongly inhibited the hydrolysis of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in extracts, producing a half maximal inhibition at 2 \nM and 50 \iM in assays designed to preferentially measure the high-and low-affinity forms of fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase, respectively. Vanadale had no effect on fructosc-6-phosphate,2-kinase activity at these concentrations. Vanadate also led to a deactivation of sucrose phosphate synthase. The results are discussed in relation to the role of fructose-2,6-bisphosphate in regulating sucrose synthesis, and its interaction with the 'coarse' control of sucrose phosphate synthase.     

Inorganic pyrophosphate content and metabolites in potato and tobacco plants expressing E. coli pyrophosphatase in their cytosol

Metabolite levels and carbohydrates were investigated in the leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) and leaves and tubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants which had been transformed with pyrophosphatase from Escherichia coli. In tobacco the leaves contained two- to threefold less pyrophosphate than controls and showed a large increase in UDP-glucose, relative to hexose phosphate. There was a large accumulation of sucrose, hexoses and starch, but the soluble sugars increased more than starch. Growth of the stem and roots was inhibited and starch, sucrose and hexoses accumulated. In potato, the leaves contained two- to threefold less pyrophosphate and an increased UDP-glucose/ hexose-phosphate ratio. Sucrose increased and starch decreased. The plants produced a larger number of smaller tubers which contained more sucrose and less starch. The tubers contained threefold higher UDP-glucose, threefold lower hexose-phosphates, glycerate-3-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate, and up to sixfold more fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase than the wild-type tubers. It is concluded that removal of pyrophosphate from the cytosol inhibits plant growth. It is discussed how these results provide evidence that sucrose mobilisation via sucrose synthase provides one key site at which pyrophosphate is needed for plant growth, but is certainly not the only site at which pyrophosphate plays a crucial role.Abbreviations Fru2,6bisP fructose-2,6-bisphosphate - Fru6P fructose 6-phosphate - FW fresh weight - Glc1P glucose-1-phosphate - Glc6P glucose-6-phosphate - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - 3PGA glycerate-3-phosphate - PFK phosphofructokinase - PFP pyrophosphate: fructose-6-phosphate phosphotransferase - Pi inorganic phosphate - PPi inorganic pyrophosphate - UDPGlc UDP-glucose This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein-Schaft (SFB 137) and Sandoz AG (T.J., M.H., M.S.) and by the Bundesminister für Forschung und Technologie (U.S., L.W.).     

6-phospho-alpha-D-glucosidase from Fusobacterium mortiferum: cloning, expression, and assignment to family 4 of the glycosylhydrolases.

The Fusobacterium mortiferum malH gene, encoding 6-phospho-alpha-glucosidase (maltose 6-phosphate hydrolase; EC 3.2.1.122), has been isolated, characterized, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The relative molecular weight of the polypeptide encoded by malH (441 residues; Mr of 49,718) was in agreement with the estimated value (approximately 49,000) obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for the enzyme purified from F. mortiferum. The N-terminal sequence of the MalH protein obtained by Edman degradation corresponded to the first 32 amino acids deduced from the malH sequence. The enzyme produced by the strain carrying the cloned malH gene cleaved [U-14C]maltose 6-phosphate to glucose 6-phosphate (Glc6P) and glucose. The substrate analogs p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate (pNP alphaGlc6P) and 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside 6-phosphate (4MU alphaGlc6P) were hydrolyzed to yield Glc6P and the yellow p-nitrophenolate and fluorescent 4-methylumbelliferyl aglycons, respectively. The 6-phospho-alpha-glucosidase expressed in E. coli (like the enzyme purified from F. mortiferum) required Fe2+, Mn2+, Co2+, or Ni2+ for activity and was inhibited in air. Synthesis of maltose 6-phosphate hydrolase from the cloned malH gene in E. coli was modulated by addition of various sugars to the growth medium. Computer-based analyses of MalH and its homologs revealed that the phospho-alpha-glucosidase from F. mortiferum belongs to the seven-member family 4 of the glycosylhydrolase superfamily. The cloned 2.2-kb Sau3AI DNA fragment from F. mortiferum contained a second partial open reading frame of 83 residues (designated malB) that was located immediately upstream of malH. The high degree of sequence identity of MalB with IIB(Glc)-like proteins of the phosphoenol pyruvate dependent:sugar phosphotransferase system suggests participation of MalB in translocation of maltose and related alpha-glucosides in F. mortiferum.     

Physical and Kinetic Evidence for an Association between Sucrose-Phosphate Synthase and Sucrose-Phosphate Phosphatase

The possible formation of a multienzyme complex between sucrose (Suc)-phosphate synthase (SPS) and Suc-phosphate phosphatase (SPP) was examined by measuring the rates of Suc-6-phosphate (Suc-6-P) synthesis and hydrolysis in mixing experiments with partially purified enzymes from spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and rice (Oryza sativa) leaves. The addition of SPP to SPS stimulated the rate of Suc-6-P synthesis. SPS inhibited the hydrolysis of exogenous Suc-6-P by SPP when added in the absence of its substrate (i.e. UDP-glucose) but stimulated SPP activity when the SPS substrates were present and used to generate Suc-6-P directly in the reaction. Results from isotope-dilution experiments suggest that Suc-6-P was channeled between SPS and SPP. A portion of the SPS activity comigrated with SPP during native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, providing physical evidence for an enzyme-enzyme interaction. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that SPS and SPP associate to form a multienzyme complex.     

L-Sorbose metabolism in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Sor+ derivatives of Escherichia coli K-12 and chemotaxis toward sorbose.

L-Sorbose degradation in Klebsiella pneumoniae was shown to follow the pathway L-sorbose leads to L-sorbose-1-phosphate leads to D-glucitol-6-phosphate leads to D-fructose-6-phosphate. Transport and phosphorylation of L-sorbose was catalyzed by membrane-bound enzyme IIsor of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent carbohydrate:phosphotransferase system, specific for and regulated by this ketose and different from all other enzymes II described thus far. Two soluble enzymes, an L-sorbose-1-phosphate reductase and a D-glucitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, were involved in the conversion of L-sorbose-1-phosphate to D-fructose-6-phosphate. This dehydrogenase was temperature sensitive, preventing growth of wild-type strains of K. pneumoniae at temperatures above 35 degrees C in the presence of L-sorbose. The enzyme was distinct from a second D-glucitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase involved in the metabolism of D-glucitol. The sor genes were transferred from the chromosome of nonmotile strains of K. pneumoniae by means of a new R'sor+ plasmid to motile strains of Escherichia coli K-12. Such derivatives not only showed the temperature-sensitive Sor+ phenotype characteristic for K. pneumoniae or Sor+ wild-type strains of E. coli, but also reacted positively to sorbose in chemotaxis tests.     

Thermodynamics of hydrolysis of sugar phosphates

Thermodynamics of the enzyme-catalyzed (alkaline phosphatase, EC 3.1.3.1) hydrolysis of glucose 6-phosphate, mannose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, ribose 5-phosphate, and ribulose 5-phosphate have been investigated using microcalorimetry and, for the hydrolysis of fructose 6-phosphate, chemical equilibrium measurements. Results of these measurements for the processes sugar phosphate2- (aqueous) + H2O (liquid) = sugar (aqueous) + HPO2++-(4) (aqueous) at 25 degrees C follow: delta Ho = 0.91 +/- 0.35 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -48 +/- 18 J.mol-1.K-1 for glucose 6-phosphate; delta Ho = 1.40 +/- 0.31 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -46 +/- 11 J.mol-1.dK-1 for mannose 6-phosphate; delta Go = -13.70 +/- 0.28 kJ.mol-1, delta Ho = -7.61 +/- 0.68 kJ.mol-1, and delta Cop = -28 +/- 42 J.mol-1.K-1 for fructose 6-phosphate; delta Ho = -5.69 +/- 0.52 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -63 +/- 37 J.mol-1.K-1 for ribose 5-phosphate; and delta Ho = -12.43 +/- 0.45 kJ.mol-1 and delta Cop = -84 +/- 30 J.mol-1.K-1 for the hydrolysis of ribulose 5-phosphate. The standard state is the hypothetical ideal solution of unit molality. Estimates are made for the equilibrium constants for the hydrolysis of ribose and ribulose 5-phosphates. The effects of pH, magnesium ion concentration, and ionic strength on the thermodynamics of these reactions are considered.     

Sucrose fermentation by Fusobacterium mortiferum ATCC 25557: transport, catabolism, and products.

Studies of sucrose utilization by Fusobacterium mortiferum ATCC 25557 have provided the first definitive evidence for phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar:phosphotransferase activity in the family Bacteroidaceae. The phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sucrose:phosphotransferase system and the two enzymes required for the dissimilation of sucrose 6-phosphate are induced specifically by growth of F. mortiferum on the disaccharide. Monomeric sucrose 6-phosphate hydrolase (M(r), 52,000) and a dimeric ATP-dependent fructokinase (subunit M(r), 32,000) have been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The physicochemical and catalytic properties of these enzymes have been examined, and the N-terminal amino acid sequences for both proteins are reported. The characteristics of sucrose 6-phosphate hydrolase and fructokinase from F. mortiferum are compared with the same enzymes from both gram-positive and gram-negative species. Butyric, acetic, and D-lactic acids are the end products of sucrose fermentation by F. mortiferum. A pathway is proposed for the translocation, phosphorylation, and metabolism of sucrose by this anaerobic pathogen.     

Subcellular localization and tissue distribution of sialic acid-forming enzymes. N-acetylneuraminate-9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase.

The activities of N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase, the two enzymes involved in the final steps of the biosynthetic pathway of N-acetylneuraminic acid, were measured with the substrates N-acetyl[14C]mannosamine 6-phosphate and N-acetyl[14C]neuraminic acid 9-phosphate respectively. Subcellular localization studies in rat liver indicated that both enzymes are localized in the cytosolic fraction after homogenization in sucrose medium. To test the possibility of misinterpretation due to the hydrolysis of N-acetylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate by non-specific phosphatases, the hydrolysis of various phosphate esters by the cytosolic fraction was tested. Only p-nitrophenyl phosphate was hydrolysed; however, competition studies with N-acetylneuraminic acid 9-phosphate and p-nitrophenyl phosphate indicated that two different enzymes were involved and that no competition existed between the two substrates. In various other rat tissues N-acetylneuraminate-9-phosphate synthase and N-acetylneuraminate 9-phosphatase activities were detected, suggesting that N-acetylmannosamine 6-phosphate is a general precursor for N-acetylneuraminic acid biosynthesis in all the tissues studied.     

Identification of free mannose and partial characterization of a mannose-6-phosphate isomerase from Lilium longiflorum bulbs

The existence of free mannose in storage bulbs of Lilium longiflorum Thunb, was established using preparative high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Free mannose was not detected in developing (importing) bulb tissues. Mannose, a relatively rare hexose in plant tissue, probably arises from the hydrolysis of glucomannan, a hemicellulosic carbohydrate polymer known to be present in Lilium storage tissues. A calculation of total mannose residues per bulb (prior to versus after reserve hydrolysis and export) indicated that mannose is metabolized, probably in sucrose biosynthesis. A mannose-6-phosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.8) was isolated from Lilium bulbs and purified 155-fold with 29% yield. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated by gel filtration to be 64 kDa, and the K_m for mannose-6-phosphate was 0.42 m M . It is concluded that glucomannan is functioning as a reserve carbohydrate in Lilium storage tissues and that the mannose-6-phosphate isomerase is responsible for the entry of mannose into the sucrose biosynthetic pathway.     

Some Properties of Potato Tuber UDPGd-fructose-2-glucosyltransferase (E.C. 2.4.1.14) and UDPGd-fructose-6-phosphate-2-glucosyltransferase (E.C. 2.4.1.13)

Sucrose and sucrose 6-phosphate synthetase were isolated from potato tubers, partially purified and their properties studied. The sucrose synthetase showed optimum activity at 45° and was inhibited competitively by ADP and some phenolic glucosides. The Ki′s for these inhibitors were determined. Mg²⁺ was found to activate this enzyme. Activity toward UDP-glucose or ADP-glucose formation was measured. The optimum conditions for sucrose and UDP-glucose formation were found to differ. The specificity for the glucosyl donor and acceptor were determined.

The optimum conditions for sucrose 6-phosphate synthetase activity were studied. This enzyme was not inhibited by either ADP or phenolic glucosides; UDP-glucose was the only glucosyl donor for sucrose 6-phosphate formation.

     

Sugar Transport in Immature Internodal Tissue of Sugarcane: II. Mechanism of Sucrose Transport

The mechanism by which sucrose is transported into the inner spaces of immature internodal parenchyma tissue of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L. var. H 49-5) was studied in short term experiments (15 to 300 seconds). Transport of sucrose, glucose, and fructose was each characterized by a V_max of 1.3 μmoles/gram fresh weight·2 hours, and each of these three sugars mutually and competitively inhibited transport of the other two. When ¹⁴C-glucose was supplied exogenously, ¹⁴C-glucose 6-phosphate and ¹⁴C-glucose were the first labeled compounds to appear in the tissue; no ¹⁴C-sucrose was detected until after 60-second incubation. After 15-second incubation in ¹⁴C-sucrose, all intracellular radioactivity was in glucose, fructose, glucose 6-phosphate, and fructose 6-phosphate; trace amounts of ¹⁴C-sucrose were found after 30 seconds and after 5 minutes, 71% of the intracellular radioactivity was in sucrose. Although it was possible that sucrose was transported intact into the inner space and then immediately hydrolyzed, it was shown that the rate of hydrolysis under these conditions was too low to account for the rate of hexose accumulation. Pretreatment of the tissue with rabbit anti-invertase antiserum eliminated sucrose transport, but had no effect on glucose transport. Since the antibodies did not penetrate the plasmalemma, it was concluded that sucrose was hydrolyzed by an invertase in the free space prior to transport. The glucose and fructose moieties, or their phosphorylated derivatives, were then transported into the inner space and sucrose was resynthesized. No evidence for the involvement of sucrose phosphate in transport was found in these experiments.     

Beta-glucoside kinase (BglK) from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Purification,properties, and preparative synthesis of 6-phospho-beta-D-glucosides

ATP-dependent beta-glucoside kinase (BglK) has been purified from cellobiose-grown cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In solution, the enzyme (EC ) exists as a homotetramer composed of non-covalently linked subunits of M(r) approximately 33,000. Determination of the first 28 residues from the N terminus of the protein allowed the identification and cloning of bglK from genomic DNA of K. pneumoniae. The open reading frame (ORF) of bglK encodes a 297-residue polypeptide of calculated M(r) 32,697. A motif of 7 amino acids (AFD(7)IG(9)GT) near the N terminus may comprise the ATP-binding site, and residue changes D7G and G9A yielded catalytically inactive proteins. BglK was progressively inactivated (t(12) approximately 19 min) by N-ethylmaleimide, but ATP afforded considerable protection against the inhibitor. By the presence of a centrally located signature sequence, BglK can be assigned to the ROK (Repressor, ORF, Kinase) family of proteins. Preparation of (His6)BglK by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid-agarose chromatography provided high purity enzyme in quantity sufficient for the preparative synthesis (200-500 mg) of ten 6-phospho-beta-d-glucosides, including cellobiose-6'-P, gentiobiose-6'-P, cellobiitol-6-P, salicin-6-P, and arbutin-6-P. These (and other) derivatives are substrates for phospho-beta-glucosidase(s) belonging to Families 1 and 4 of the glycosylhydrolase superfamily. The structures, physicochemical properties, and phosphorylation site(s) of the 6-phospho-beta-d-glucosides have been determined by fast atom bombardment-negative ion spectrometry, thin-layer chromatography, and (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The recently sequenced genomes of two Listeria species, L. monocytogenes EGD-e and L. innocua CLIP 11262, contain homologous genes (lmo2764 and lin2907, respectively) that encode a 294-residue polypeptide (M(r) approximately 32,200) that exhibits approximately 58% amino acid identity with BglK. The protein encoded by the two genes exhibits beta-glucoside kinase activity and cross-reacts with polyclonal antibody to (His6)BglK from K. pneumoniae. The location of lmo2764 and lin2907 within a beta-glucoside (cellobiose):phosphotransferase system operon, may presage both enzymatic (kinase) and regulatory functions for the BglK homolog in Listeria species.