The role of bound thiamine pyrophosphate in the synthesis of thiamine triphosphate in rat liver.

Thiamine pyrophosphate-ATP phosphoryltransferase, the enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of thiamine triphosphate, has been found in the supernatant fraction of rat liver. The substrate for the enzyme is endogenous, bound thiamine pyrophosphate, since the addition of exogenous thiamine pyrophosphate had no effect. Thus, when a rat liver supernatant was incubated with gamma-labelled [32P]ATP, thiamine [32P]triphosphate was formed whereas the incubation of thiamine [32P]pyrophosphate with ATP did not produce thiamine [32P]triphosphate. The endogenous thiamine pyrophosphate was found to be bound to a high molecular weight protein which comes out in the void volume of Sephadex G-75, and is not dialyzable. The activity that catalyzes the formation of thiamine triphosphate has an optimum pH between 6 and 6.5, a linear time course of thiamine triphosphate synthesis up to 30 min, and is not affected by Ca2+, cyclic GMP and sulfhydryl reagents.     

A general method for the chemical synthesis of gamma-32P-labeled or unlabeled nucleoside 5(')-triphosphates and thiamine triphosphate

Several methods for the chemical synthesis of gamma-32P-labeled and unlabeled nucleoside 5(')-triphosphates and thiamine triphosphate (ThTP) have been described. They often proved unsatisfactory because of low yield, requirement for anhydrous solvents, procedures involving several steps or insufficient specific radioactivity of the labeled triphosphate. In the method described here, all these drawbacks are avoided. The synthesis of [gamma-32P]ThTP was carried out in one step, using 1,3-dicyclohexyl carbodiimide as condensing agent for thiamine diphosphate and phosphoric acid in a dimethyl sulfoxide/pyridine solvent mixture. Anhydrous solvents were not required and the yield reached 90%. After purification, [gamma-32P]ThTP had a specific radioactivity of 11Ci/mmol and was suitable for protein phosphorylation. The method can also be used for the synthesis of [gamma-32P]ATP of the desired specific radioactivity. It can easily be applied to the synthesis of unlabeled ThTP or ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside 5(')-triphosphates. In the latter case, inexpensive 5(')-monophosphate precursors can be used as reactants in a 20-fold excess of phosphoric acid. Deoxyribonucleoside 5(')-triphosphates were obtained in 6h with a yield of at least 70%. After purification, the nucleotides were found to be suitable substrates for Taq polymerase during polymerase chain reaction cycling. Our method can easily be scaled up for industrial synthesis of a variety of labeled and unlabeled triphosphoric derivatives from their mono- or diphosphate precursors.     

Cytokinin Activation of de novo Thiamine Biosynthesis in Tobacco Callus Cultures

The effect of kinetin on the de novo formation of thiamine in tobacco callus cultures was measured by following the isotope dilution of previously introduced (14)C-thiamine. Thiamine was determined by the thiochrome fluorescence assay after chromatographic purification.Morphological effects induced by high kinetin concentrations were visible within a week after tissue transfer, but thiamine synthesis was insignificant for 2 weeks both in cultures with high (1000 mug/l) and low (30 mug/l) kinetin treatments. Thiamine synthesis during the third week was observed at both kinetin levels, the high kinetin treatment supporting 2.5 times the thiamine synthesis of the low kinetin treatment. The kinetin induced increases in thiamine observed earlier by Digby and Skoog apparently resulted from stimulation of thiamine synthesis rather than from sparing its destruction. Thiamine synthesis is initiated when thiamine concentration reaches a minimum in the callus tissue. This suggests that kinetin is required for the synthesis, but that the activation of synthesis is under feedback control sensitive to the level of thiamine in the tissue.     

Synthesis and affinity purification of beta-32P-labeled [gamma-S]GTP

A method for the synthesis and purification of guanosine 5'-[gamma-S]triphosphate labeled with 32P in the beta-position is described. The first step in the synthesis involves the quantitative transfer of 32Pi from [gamma-32P]dATP to 5'-GMP catalyzed by GMP kinase. Further incubation of the beta-32P]GDP product with [gamma-S]GTP and nucleoside diphosphate kinase results in the synthesis of [beta-32P][gamma-S]GTP with a yield of 10 to 18%. The 32P-labeled [gamma-S]nucleotide is purified by binding to mercury-agarose and eluting with buffer containing beta-mercaptoethanol. Specific incorporation of 32P into the beta-position was demonstrated by treating [beta-32P][gamma-S]GTP with 7% formic acid to remove the gamma-thiophosphate and digesting the remaining [beta-32P]GDP with nucleotide pyro-phosphatase. Although 5'-GMP was released after pyrophosphatase digestion, the only 32P radioactivity detected was as inorganic phosphate.     

Metabolism of Thiamine Triphosphate in Rat Brain: Correlation with Chloride Permeability

Abstract: Our results show that a net synthesis of thiamine triphosphate (TTP) can be demonstrated in vitro using rat brain extracts. The total homogenate was preincubated with thiamine or its diphosphate derivative (TDP), centrifuged, and washed twice. With TDP (1 m M ) as substrate, a 10-fold increase in TTP content was observed in this fraction (nuclear fraction, membrane vesicles). A smaller, but significant, increase was observed in the P₂ fraction (mitochondrial/synaptosomal fraction). In view of the low TTP content of our fractions, it was carefully assessed that authentic TTP was being formed. Incorporation of radioactivity from [β-³²P]TDP and [γ-³²P]ATP in TTP suggests that these two compounds are its precursors. Furthermore, TTP synthesis was inhibited by ADP and relatively low concentrations of Zn²⁺. These results suggest that TTP synthesis is catalyzed by an ATP:TDP transphosphorylase rather than by the cytoplasmic adenylate kinase that may be present in the vesicles. After osmotic lysis of the vesicles at alkaline pH, TTP was recovered in protein-bound form. Concomitantly, a soluble thiamine triphosphatase, with alkaline pH optimum, was also released from the vesicles. No net synthesis could be obtained in the cytosolic fraction or in detergent-solubilized systems. Like TTP synthesis, chloride permeability of the vesicles was increased when the homogenate had been incubated with thiamine and particularly with TDP. Our results suggest a regulatory role of TTP on chloride permeability, but the target remains to be characterized.     

A method for the enzymatic synthesis and purification of [alpha-32P] nucleoside triphosphates.

A simplified method is described for the enzymatic synthesis and purification of [alpha-32P]ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. The products are obtained at greater than 97% radiochemical purity with yields of 50--70% (relative to 32Pi) by a two-step elution from DEAE-Sephadex. All reactions are done in one vessel as there is no need for intermediate product purifications. This method is therefore suitable for the synthesis of these radioactive compounds on a relatively large scale. The sequential steps of the method involve first the synthesis of [gamma-32P]ATP and the subsequent phosphorylation of nucleoside 3' monophosphate with T4 polynucleotide kinase to yield nucleoside 3', [5'-32P]diphosphate. Hexokinase is used after the T4 reaction to remove any remaining [gamma-32P]ATP. Nucleoside 3',[5'-32P]diphosphate is treated with nuclease P-1 to produce the nucleoside [5'-32P]monophosphate which is phosphorylated to the [alpha-32P]nucleoside triphosphate with pyruvate kinase and nucleoside monophosphate kinase. Adenosine triphosphate used as the phosphate donor for [alpha-32P]deoxynucleoside triphosphate syntheses is readily removed in a second purification step involving affinity chromatography on boronate-polyacrylamide. [alpha-32P]Ribonucleoside triphosphates can be similarly purified when deoxyadenosine triphosphate is used as the phosphate donor.     

Synthesis and purification of [1-32p]fructose-1,6-bisophosphate with high specific radioactivity.

The straightforward, rapid synthesis and purification of radiochemically pure [1-³²P]fructose-1,6-bisphosphate starting from radioactively labeled inorganic phosphate is described. The product has a relatively high specific radioactivity (2 × 10⁵ Ci/mol). Using this method, carrier-free [1-³²P]fructose-1,6-bisphosphate could be obtained. The use of [1-³²P]fructose-1,6-bisphosphate in the assay of fructose bisphosphatase is illustrated.     

Glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase-independent phosphoribosyl amine synthesis from ribose 5-phosphate and glutamine or asparagine

Phosphoribosylamine (PRA) is the first intermediate in the common pathway to purines and thiamine and is generated in bacteria by glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) amidotransferase (EC 2.4.2.14) from PRPP and glutamine. Genetic data have indicated that multiple, non-PRPP amidotransferase mechanisms exist to generate PRA sufficient for thiamine but not purine synthesis. Here we describe the purification and identification of an activity (present in both Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica) that synthesizes PRA from ribose 5-phosphate and glutamine/asparagine. A purification resulting in greater than a 625-fold increase in specific activity identified 8 candidate proteins. Of the candidates, overexpression of AphA (EC 3.1.3.2), a periplasmic class B nonspecific acid phosphatase, significantly increased activity in partially purified extracts. Native purification of AphA to >95% homogeneity determined that the periplasmic l-asparaginase II, AnsB (EC 3.5.1.1), co-purified with AphA and was also necessary for PRA formation. The potential physiological relevance of AphA and AnsB in contributing to thiamine biosynthesis in vivo is discussed.     

Thiamine Triphosphatase in the Membranes of the Main Electric Organ of Electrophorus electricus: Substrate-Enzyme Interactions

The main electric organ of Electrophorus electricus is particularly rich in thiamine triphosphate (TTP). Membrane fractions prepared from this tissue contain a thiamine triphosphatase that is strongly activated by anions and irreversibly inhibited by 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), an anion transport inhibitor. Kinetic parameters of the enzyme are markedly affected by the conditions of enzyme preparation: In crude membranes, the apparent Km is 1.8 mM and the pH optimum is 6.8, but trypsin treatment of these membranes or their purification on a sucrose gradient decreases both the apparent Km (to 0.2 mM) and the pH optimum (to 5.0). Anions such as NO3- (250 mM) have the opposite effect, i.e., even in purified membranes, the pH optimum is now 7.8 and the Km is 1.1 mM; at pH 7.8, NO3- increases the Vmax 24-fold. TTP protects against inhibition by DIDS, and the KD for TTP could be estimated to be 0.25 mM, a value close to the apparent Km measured in the same purified membrane preparation. Thiamine pyrophosphate (0.1 mM) did not protect against DIDS inhibition. At lower (10(-5)-10(-6) M) substrate concentrations, Lineweaver-Burk plots of thiamine triphosphatase activity markedly deviate from linearity, with the curve being concave downward. This suggests either anticooperative binding or the existence of binding sites with different affinities for TTP. The latter possibility is supported by binding data obtained using [gamma-32P]TTP. Our data suggest the existence of a high-affinity binding site (KD of approximately 0.5 microM) for the Mg-TTP complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A constitutive thiamine metabolism mutation, thi80, causing reduced thiamine pyrophosphokinase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We identified a strain carrying a recessive constitutive mutation (thi80-1) with an altered thiamine transport system, thiamine-repressible acid phosphatase, and several enzymes of thiamine synthesis from 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine and 4-methyl-5-beta-hydroxyethylthiazole. The mutant shows markedly reduced activity of thiamine pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.2) and high resistance to oxythiamine, a thiamine antagonist whose potency depends on thiamine pyrophosphokinase activity. The intracellular thiamine pyrophosphate content of the mutant cells grown with exogenous thiamine (2 x 10(-7) M) was found to be about half that of the wild-type strain under the same conditions. These results suggest that the utilization and synthesis of thiamine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled negatively by the intracellular thiamine pyrophosphate level.     

A simple method for synthesizing [γ-32P]nucleoside triphosphates using [32P]acetylphosphate and acetate kinase

A simple, rapid, and inexpensive method is described for the synthesis of γ-³²P-labeled ribo- or deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates. The procedure involves chemical synthesis of [³²P]acetylphosphate and subsequent phosphorylation of nucleoside diphosphates using acetate kinase (EC 2.7.2.1) and a final purification step. The entire procedure is performed 8 h or less.     

Enzymatic synthesis of 32P-labeled coenzyme A

A method for the enzymatic synthesis and purification of [3′-³²P]coenzyme. A is described.     

Improved synthesis of 32P-labelled 3′,5′-cyclic AMP, 3′,5′-cyclic GMP and other 3′,5′cyclic ribo- and deoxyribonucletodies of high specific activity

A general procedure is described for the two-step chemical synthesis from [³²P]orthophosphoric acid of the eight common ribo- and deoxyribonucleoside 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphates. The method is simple and reliable and both steps are carried out in the same reaction flask without an intermediate purification step. ³²P-labelled cyclic nucleotides are obtained after paper chromatography in yields of 20–60% relative to starting [³²P]orthophosphoric acid and with a specific activity of greater than 1 mCi/μmole. Alternative methods for the purification of reaction mixtures and for the preparation of ³²P-labelled 3′,5′-cyclic AMP and 3,′,5′-cyclic GMP are described.     

Pathway of thiamine pyrophosphate synthesis in Micrococcus denitrificans.

The pathway of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) biosynthesis, which is formed either from exogeneously added thiamine or from the pyrimidine and thiazole moieties of thiamine, in Micrococcus denitrificans was investigated. The following indirect evidence shows that thiamine pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.2) catalyzes the synthesis of TPP from thiamine: (i) [35S]thiamine incubated with cells of this microorganism was detected in the form of [35S]thiamine; (ii) thiamine gave a much faster rate of TPP synthesis than thiamine monophosphate (TMP) when determined with the extracts; and (iii) a partially purified preparation of the extracts can use thiamine, but not TMP, as the substrate. The activities of the four enzymes involved in TMP synthesis from pyrimidine and thiazole moieties of thiamine were detected in the extracts of M. denitrificans. The extracts contained a high activity of the phosphatase, probably specific for TMP. After M. denitrificans cells were grown on a minimal medium containing 3 mM adenosine, which causes derepression of de novo thiamine biosynthesis in Escherichia coli, the activities of the four enzymes involved with TMP synthesis, the TMP phosphatase, and the thiamine pyrophosphokinase were enhanced two- to threefold. These results indicate that TPP is synthesized directly from thiamine without forming TMP as an intermediate and that de novo synthesis of TPP from the pyrimidine and thiazole moieties involves the formation of TMP, followed by hydrolysis to thiamine, which is then converted to TPP directly. Thus, the pathway of TPP synthesis from TMP synthesized de novo in M. denitrificans is different from that found in E. coli, in which TMP synthesized de novo is converted directly to TPP without producing thiamine.     

Thiamine-auxotrophic mutants of Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 are defective in cell-cell signaling and biocontrol factor expression

In the biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0, the Gac/Rsm signal transduction pathway positively controls the synthesis of antifungal secondary metabolites and exoenzymes. In this way, the GacS/GacA two-component system determines the expression of three small regulatory RNAs (RsmX, RsmY, and RsmZ) in a process activated by the strain's own signal molecules, which are not related to N-acyl-homoserine lactones. Transposon Tn5 was used to isolate P. fluorescens CHA0 insertion mutants that expressed an rsmZ-gfp fusion at reduced levels. Five of these mutants were gacS negative, and in them the gacS mutation could be complemented for exoproduct and signal synthesis by the gacS wild-type allele. Furthermore, two thiamine-auxotrophic (thiC) mutants that exhibited decreased signal synthesis in the presence of 5 x 10(-8) M thiamine were found. Under these conditions, a thiC mutant grew normally but showed reduced expression of the three small RNAs, the exoprotease AprA, and the antibiotic 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol. In a gnotobiotic system, a thiC mutant was impaired for biological control of Pythium ultimum on cress. Addition of excess exogenous thiamine restored all deficiencies of the mutant. Thus, thiamine appears to be an important factor in the expression of biological control by P. fluorescens.     

The rapid, simple and improved preparation of high specific activity alpha-[32P]dATP and alpha-[32P]ATP.

An improved method is described for the rapid and simple preparation of alpha-[32P]dATP and alpha-[32P]ATP from 32Pi in good yields and with specific activities from 20 - 150 Ci/mmol. The two-step procedure involves the chemical synthesis of the mononucleotide followed by its enzymic conversion to the triphosphate with myokinase (EC 2.7.4.3) and pyruvate kinase (EC 2.7.1.40) in the presence of trace amounts of dATP or ATP to prime the reaction. The two steps are carried out in the same reaction flask and the only purification step required is a step-wise elution from a column of DEAE-cellulose.     

Synthesis,physico-chemical properties and effect of adenosine thiamine triphosphate on vitamin B1 metabolism in the liver of alloxan diabetic rats

BackgroundAdenosine thiamine triphosphate (AThTP) is a nucleotide discovered in bacteria and some other living organisms more than a decade ago. No biochemical function for AThTP has been established yet, however, experimental data available indicate its possible involvement in metabolic regulation or cell signaling. Metabolism of AThTP in mammals, as well as the feasibility of its pharmacological application, is essentially unstudied.MethodsPreparative low-pressure chromatography was employed to purify chemically synthesized AThTP with its further analysis by mass spectrometry, HPLC, UV and fluorescence spectroscopy. Enzyme activity assays along with HPLC were used to examine the effects of AThTP and thiamine on vitamin B₁ metabolism in the liver of alloxan-induced diabetic rats.ResultsAn improved procedure for AThTP synthesis and purification is elaborated. Solution stability, optical spectral properties and the molar absorption coefficient for AThTP were determined. The levels of thiamine compounds were found to be increased in the liver of diabetic rats. Neither AThTP nor thiamine treatment affected hepatic vitamin B₁ metabolism. Fasting blood glucose concentration was also unchangeable after AThTP or thiamine administration.General significanceContrast to the widespread view about thiamine deficiency in diabetes, our results clearly shows an adaptive increase in the level of B₁ vitamers in the liver of alloxan diabetic rats with no further rising after AThTP or thiamine treatment at a moderate dose. Neither AThTP nor thiamine is effective in glycaemic control. These findings are to be considered in future studies dealing with thiamine or its analogues application to correct metabolic disturbances in diabetes.     

A Nuclear Mutation in Nicotiana sylvestris Causing a Thiamine-Reversible Defect in Synthesis of Chloroplast Pigments

We report the recovery of a nuclear recessive mutation in Nicotiana sylvestris (Spegazzini and Comes) producing a conditional disruption in the pathway for synthesis of chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids which is fully reversible by exogenous thiamine (0.3 micromolar). In the absence of supplemental thiamine, chlorophyll levels declined by 50% after 5 days, and fell to undetectable levels by 11 days. Mitochondrial (KCN sensitive) respiration rates remained normal in albino leaves (80% loss of chlorophyll), suggesting that chlorosis results primarily from a deficiency of thiamine in the chloroplasts. After thiamine removal, mutant plants produced at least 10 albino leaves with a substantial capacity for growth (0-15 centimeters; 70-fold increase in area), demonstrating sustained operation of many cellular functions in spite of chloroplast disruption. Activities of the plastid isozymes of phosphoglucomutase and phosphoglucoisomerase in albino leaves indicated that the decline in pigment synthesis does not result from a general loss of metabolic activity in chloroplast. Plastid pyruvate dehydrogenase from mutant and wild-type plants displayed a similar affinity for thiamine pyrophosphate, showing that chlorosis does not result from an alteration in this enzyme. Growth of albino leaves and ultrastructural evidence for thylakoid membranes in the chloroplasts suggest that a certain level of fatty acid synthesis is maintained after the interruption of pigment synthesis. Since thiamine deprivation is expected to block production of acetyl-coenzyme A from pyruvate by pyruvate dehydrogenase, acetyl-coenzyme A supporting fatty acid synthesis in albino leaves may be derived solely from mitochondrial acetate.     

Kinetics and mechanism of DNA repair. Preparation, purification and some properties of caged dideoxynucleoside triphosphates.

Caged dideoxyribosylthymine triphosphate, dideoxyadenosine triphosphate and arabinosylcytosine triphosphate were prepared in high yield by reaction with 1-(2-nitrophenyl)diazoethane at pH 4 and room temperature for 24 h. Synthesis of caged alpha-32P-labelled dideoxyadenosine triphosphate (approx. 5000 Ci/mmol) in 85% yield was achieved by a modification of the method used for the synthesis of the unlabelled compounds. ATP was shown to be an excellent buffer in the synthesis of alpha-32P-labelled material, and in caged form to be an effective carrier in h.p.l.c. purification. Preparative h.p.l.c. was used to achieve purification of unlabelled caged compounds to greater than 98% purity and 32P-labelled material to 97% purity. Photolysis of unlabelled and 32P-labelled caged compounds by using XeF-excimer laser irradiation at 351 nm was characterized by using difference spectrophotometry and h.p.l.c. analysis. The stability of caged dideoxyadenosine [a-32P]triphosphate in the presence of cultured mammalian cells was evaluated; the adenosine derivative is essentially stable for 1 h.     

Regulation of thiamine biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

A pho6 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, lacking a regulatory gene for the synthesis of periplasmic thiamine-repressible acid phosphatase activity, was found to be auxotrophic for thiamine. The activities of four enzymes involved in the synthesis of thiamine monophosphate were hardly detectable in the crude extract from the pho6 mutant. On the other hand, the activities of these enzymes and thiamine-repressible acid phosphatase in a wild-type strain of S. cerevisiae, H42, decreased with the increase in the concentration of thiamine in yeast cells. These results suggest that thiamine synthesis in S. cerevisiae is subject to a positive regulatory gene, PHO6, whereas it is controlled negatively by the intracellular thiamine level.