Differences and similarities between guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase activities in neuroblastoma cells in culture.

There are phosphodiesterase activities in both particulate and supernatant fractions which hydrolyze guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) with an apparent Km of 2-8 muM and with an apparent Km of 44-222 muM. 4-(3-Butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl-2-imidazolidinone (RO20-1724) did not inhibit cGMP phosphodiesterase activity in homogenates of mouse neuroblastoma cells, but markedly inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase activity. Papaverine and theophylline inhibited both cGMP and cAMP phosphodiesterase activities to about the same extent. The former was more potent than the latter. The specific activity of cGMP phosphodiesterase as a function of protein concentrations first increased and then decreased. The specific activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase decreased under a similar experimental condition.     

Purification and some properties of Escherichia coli tRNA nucleotidyltransferase.

Adenylyl (cytidylyl)-tRNA nucleotidyltransferase (ATP (CTP): tRNA adenylyl (cytidylyl)transferase, EC2.7.7.25) has been purified 11,800-fold from a crude extract of Escherichia coli B in an overall yield of 23%. The key step in this purification is the use of a tRNA-Sepharose affinity column. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of approximately 280 mumol of AMP incorporated/min/mg of protein at 37 degrees and has a molecular weight of 52,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of Sephadex chromatography. The turnover number of the pure enzyme, under optimal assay conditions, is estimated as 21,000, and we believe it constitutes only o.oo6% of the total cellular protein. Both AMP- and CMP-incorporating activities have an identical isoelectric point of 5.85. The AMP-incorporating activity of the enzyme is inhibitied by some transition metal chelating agents but not by others.     

High-level overexpression, rapid purification, and properties of Escherichia coli tRNA nucleotidyltransferase

The cloned Escherichia coli cca gene, described in the accompanying paper (Cudny, H., Lupski, J. R., Godson, G. N., and Deutscher, M. P. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6444-6449), has been used to construct strains that overproduce tRNA nucleotidyltransferase, the enzyme that synthesizes the CCA terminus of tRNA. Strain UT481 (pEC4), which contains a 1.9-kilobase cca gene insert in plasmid pUC8, overproduces the enzyme by about 100-150-fold, probably under the control of the cca gene promoter. A second strain, containing a plasmid with a 1.5-kilobase insert, overproduces tRNA nucleotidyltransferase by about 650-fold, to a level of about 3-4% of the soluble cell protein. In this case, overexpression was dependent on the lac promoter of the plasmid. A rapid, two-step procedure was developed to purify large amounts of the enzyme from strain UT481 (pEC4) that was about 40% pure, free of ribonucleases, and suitable for use as a reagent for modification of tRNA molecules. Preparation of milligram quantities of homogeneous tRNA nucleotidyltransferase was accomplished by two further chromatographic steps. The structural and catalytic properties of this purified enzyme were similar to those from partially purified preparations previously described. The availability of large amounts of pure tRNA nucleotidyltransferase will not permit a variety of structural and functional studies of the enzyme that previously were not possible.     

Characterization of the 2',3' cyclic phosphodiesterase activities of Clostridium thermocellum polynucleotide kinase-phosphatase and bacteriophage lambda phosphatase

Clostridium thermocellum polynucleotide kinase-phosphatase (CthPnkp) catalyzes 5′ and 3′ end-healing reactions that prepare broken RNA termini for sealing by RNA ligase. The central phosphatase domain of CthPnkp belongs to the dinuclear metallophosphoesterase superfamily exemplified by bacteriophage λ phosphatase (λ-Pase). CthPnkp is a Ni²⁺/Mn²⁺-dependent phosphodiesterase-monoesterase, active on nucleotide and non-nucleotide substrates, that can be transformed toward narrower metal and substrate specificities via mutations of the active site. Here we characterize the Mn²⁺-dependent 2′,3′ cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity of CthPnkp, the reaction most relevant to RNA repair pathways. We find that CthPnkp prefers a 2′,3′ cyclic phosphate to a 3′,5′ cyclic phosphate. A single H189D mutation imposes strict specificity for a 2′,3′ cyclic phosphate, which is cleaved to form a single 2′-NMP product. Analysis of the cyclic phosphodiesterase activities of mutated CthPnkp enzymes illuminates the active site and the structural features that affect substrate affinity and k_cat. We also characterize a previously unrecognized phosphodiesterase activity of λ-Pase, which catalyzes hydrolysis of bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate. λ-Pase also has cyclic phosphodiesterase activity with nucleoside 2′,3′ cyclic phosphates, which it hydrolyzes to yield a mixture of 2′-NMP and 3′-NMP products. We discuss our results in light of available structural and functional data for other phosphodiesterase members of the binuclear metallophosphoesterase family and draw inferences about how differences in active site composition influence catalytic repertoire.     

Comparison of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase from Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Purification of tRNa nucleotidyltransferase from Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4963 and Escherichia coli MRE 600 by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is described. Both enzymes gave a single band on analytical polyacrylamide-gel electroesis and sodium dodecylsulfate gels. Chromatography of the high speed supernatant from Lactobacillus at low salt concentrations gave three enzyme fractions of molecular weights about 45 000, 90 000, and 120 000. At 1M NaCl only the first enzyme fraction was found. Kinetic data for both enzymes are given.     

Isolation of Escherichia coli mutants (cpdB) deficient in periplasmic 2':3'-cyclic phosphodiesterase and genetic mapping of the cpdB locus

Mutants of Escherichia coli deficient in the periplasmic enzyme 2':3'-cyclic phosphodiesterase have been obtained. The gene, designated cpdB, was mapped by conjugation and transduction and found to be located about 0 . 11 min to the right of the cycA locus on the E. coli genetic map.     

Studies of the 2':3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase of Haemophilus influenzae

The 2':3'-cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase:3'-nucleotidase of Haemophilus influenzae was purified from a periplasmic preparation by affinity chromatographic techniques. The enzyme-catalysed hydrolysis of 2':3'-cyclic AMP to adenosine without accumulation of the intermediate substrate 3'-AMP was demonstrated by high performance liquid chromatography. Competitive inhibition of the enzyme by a variety of nucleosides and mononucleotides indicated the presence of either purine or pyrimidine bases to be essential for selective interactions with the enzyme, and confirmed the need for a 3'-position phosphate for the functioning of mononucleotides as substrates for the enzyme. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 79 000, was stable at low temperatures and was thermally denatured at temperatures above 50 degrees C.     

Acyl carrier protein phosphodiesterase (AcpH) of Escherichia coli is a non-canonical member of the HD phosphatase/phosphodiesterase family

The Escherichia coli AcpH acyl carrier protein phosphodiesterase (also called ACP hydrolyase) is the only enzyme known to cleave a phosphodiester-linked post-translational protein modification. AcpH hydrolyzes the link between 4'-phosphopanthetheine and the serine-36 side chain of acyl carrier protein (ACP). Although the existence of this enzyme activity has long been known, study of the enzyme was hampered by its recalcitrant properties and scarcity. We recently isolated the gene encoding AcpH and have produced the recombinant enzyme in quantity (Thomas, J., and Cronan, J. E., (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 34675-34683), thus allowing the first studies of its reaction mechanism. AcpH requires Mn2+ for activity, and thus, we focused on the metal binding ligands in order to locate the active site. Bioinformatic investigations indicated that AcpH and its homologues were weakly related to a phosphodiesterase of known structure, the hydrolyase domain of the bifunctional bacterial protein, SpoT, suggesting that AcpH is a member of the HD family of phosphatases/ phosphodiesterases despite lacking the characteristic histidine of the motif. Indeed, we found that AcpH could be convincingly modeled on the SpoT structure with acceptable parameters, which allowed the identification of putative metal binding ligands. These were then tested by site-directed mutagenesis. Mutagenic removal of any of the putative ligands resulted in a severe or total loss of phosphodiesterase activity. In two cases, the H6Q and D24N proteins, the residual activities could be markedly stimulated by addition of high Mn2+ concentrations, thereby demonstrating a role for these residues in metal binding. We conclude that AcpH is a member of the HD protein family despite the lack of the signature histidine residue.     

Adenosine 3' , 5'-cyclic monophsphate phosphodiesterase activities in the x-irradiation induced rat small bowel adenocarcinoma.

The adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities were evaluated in X-irradiation induced Holtzman rat small bowell adenocarcinoma and age-matched normal small intestine. Within normal small intestine, PDE activity was optimal at pH 7.4, and highly dependent upon the addition of Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺. Analyses of the rat small bowel adenocarcinoma revealed significantly elevated PDE activities above the normal small bowel which were found to be relatively constant throughout the length of the ileum and jejunum. These findings suggest that the diminished intracellular adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate levels observed in this lesion (1) may be the consequence of elevated PDE activities.     

Reactions at the 3' terminus of transfer ribonucleic acid. IX. tRNA nucleotidyltransferase activity in bacteriophage T4-infected Escherichia coli

There was no detectable increase in tRNA nucleotidyltransferase activity upon infection of $\text{Escherichia coli}$ A19 with bacteriophage T4. Three mutant strains which contained low levels of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase activity also showed no increase in activity after infection. tRNA nucleotidyltransferase was purified from both uninfected and T4-infected cells and examined for possible modification. It was found that enzyme purified from both types of cells eluted from DEAE cellulose at the same specific conductivity. In addition, the molecular weight of tRNA nucleotidyltransferase purified from both uninfected and T4-infected cells was approximately 45,000 daltons as determined by chromatography on Sephadex G-100. These results suggest that T4-infection does not lead to synthesis of a new virus-specific tRNA nucleotidyltransferase nor does it cause modification of the host enzyme.     

Stimulation of galactokinase synthesis in Escherichia coli by adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate

Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyAMP) stimulates the rate of synthesis of galactokinase in glycerol-grown Escherichia coli both when production of the enzyme is induced by d-fucose and when it is repressed by glucose in the presence of inducer. cyAMP also stimulates the synthesis of galactokinase in constitutive strains B78A (R(-)) and R10 (O(c)), and overcomes the transient repression of galactokinase synthesis caused by glucose.     

Cloning, sequencing, and species relatedness of the Escherichia coli cca gene encoding the enzyme tRNA nucleotidyltransferase

The Escherichia coli cca gene which encodes the enzyme tRNA nucleotidyltransferase has been cloned by taking advantage of its proximity to the previously cloned dnaG locus. A series of recombinant bacteriophages, spanning the chromosomal region between the dnaG and cca genes at 66 min on the E. coli linkage map, were isolated from a lambda Charon 28 partial Sau3A E. coli DNA library using recombinant plasmids containing regions between dnaG and cca as probes. Two of the recombinant phage isolates, lambda c1 and lambda c4, contained the cca gene. A BamHI fragment from lambda c1 was subcloned into pBR328, and cells containing this recombinant plasmid, pRH9, expressed tRNA nucleotidyltransferase activity at about 10-fold higher level than the wild type control. The cca gene was further localized to a 1.4-kilobase stretch of DNA by Bal31 deletion analysis. The nucleotide sequence of the cca gene was determined by the dideoxy method, and revealed an open reading frame extending for a total of 412 codons from an initiator GTG codon that would encode a protein of about 47,000 daltons. Southern analysis using genomic blots demonstrated that the cca gene is present as a single copy on the E. coli chromosome and that there is no homology on the DNA level between the E. coli cca gene, and the corresponding gene in the Bacillus subtilis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Petunia hybrida, or Homo sapiens genomes. Homology was found only with DNA from the closely related species, Salmonella typhimurium. These studies have also allowed exact placement of the cca gene on the E. coli genetic map, and have shown that it is transcribed in a clockwise direction.     

Exercise-induced increases in myocardial adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and phosphodiesterase activity

Numerous cellular biochemical events caused by hormones are mediated through cyclic AMP. Although many changes occur in the cell during exercise that could be attributed to this nucleotide, little evidence is available implicating it as an important regulator of exercise metabolism. In this investigation it was found that a 60 min bout of treadmill exercise caused a 2.4-fold increase in myocardial cyclic AMP immediately following the work. Rather than the immediate nucleotide hydrolysis that was expected, it was found that the elevated cyclic AMP level remained for approx. 24 h before returning to control levels. Cardiac glycogen fell to 30% of control after work but supercompensated 60% above control within 1 h following exercise. Therefore, cardiac cyclic AMP was elevated at a time when glycogen was being synthesized. Study of the temporal relationship between the exercise-induced increase in cyclic AMP and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase indicated that the work caused an increase in the hearts' capacity to hydrolyze cyclic AMP. Measurement of heart phosphodiesterase at substrate concentrations of 1.0 and 100 microM produced significant increases in enzyme activity immediately following exercise which remained elevated for 48 h and was back to control activity 96 h following work. These data present a potentially fascinating model for the study of the dissociation between cyclic AMP, glycogenesis and elevations in phosphodiesterase activity in the heart.