Regulation of steady state pyruvate dehydrogenase complex activity in plant mitochondria : reactivation constraints

The requirements for reactivation (dephosphorylation) of the pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaf mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) were studied in terms of magnesium and ATP effects with intact and permeabilized mitochondria. The requirement for high concentrations of magnesium for reactivation previously reported with partially purified PDC is shown to affect inactivation rather than reactivation. The observed rate of inactivation catalyzed by pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase is always greater than the reactivation rate catalyzed by PDH-P phosphatase. Thus, reactivation would only occur if ATP becomes limiting. However, pyruvate which is a potent inhibitor of inactivation in the presence of thiamine pyrophosphate, results in increased PDC activity. Analysis of the dynamics of the phosphorylation-dephosphorylation cycle indicated that the covalent modification was under steady state control. The steady state activity of PDC was increased by addition of pyruvate. PDH kinase activity increased threefold during storage of mitochondria suggesting that there may be an unknown level of regulation exerted on the enzyme complex.     

Kinetic characterization of the pyruvate and oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes from human heart

The Michaelis constant values for the highly purified pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) from human heart are 25, 13 and 50 microM for pyruvate, CoA and NAD, respectively. Acetyl-CoA produces a competitive inhibition of PDC (Ki = 35 microM) with respect to CoA, whereas NADH produces the same type of inhibition with respect to NAD (Ki = 36 microM). The oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (OGDC) from human heart has active sites with two different affinities for 2-oxoglutarate ([S]0.5 of 30 and 120 microM). ADP (1 mM) decreases the [S]0.5 values by a half. The inhibition of OGDC (Ki = 81 microM) by succinyl-CoA is of a competitive type with respect to CoA (Km = 2.5 microM), whereas that of NADH (Ki = 25 microM) is of a mixed type with respect to NAD (Km = 170 microM).     

Characterization of the kinase activity of bovine adrenal pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

In the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP the bovine adrenal pyruvate dehydrogenase complex accepts the label simultaneously and becomes inactivated. This suggests the existence of kinase in the composition of the complex as is typical of the complexes from other animal sources. The Pi is incorporated into the subunit with molecular weight of 42 000. The kinase activity of the adrenal pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is high: within the first 20 sec of incubation with ATP the inactivation is as high as 60%. The pH optimum for kinase is around 7.3. The apparent Km value for ATP with 50 mM KCl is 7 microM; that in the absence of KCl is 10 microM. ADP is a competitive inhibitor of kinase with respect to ATP (Ki = 100 microM), when K+ are present in the medium. Thiamine pyrophosphate and pyruvate decrease the rate of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex inactivation.     

Bovine heart pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase stimulation by alpha-ketoisovalerate

Purified bovine heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was used to investigate the effects of monovalent cations and alpha-ketoisovalerate on pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase inhibition by thiamin pyrophosphate. Initial velocity patterns for thiamin pyrophosphate inhibition were consistent with hyperbolic non-competitive or hyperbolic uncompetitive inhibition at various K+ concentrations between 0 and 120 mM. The Kis, Kid, and Kin for thiamin pyrophosphate were in the range of 0.009 to 5.1 microM over the range of K+ concentrations tested. In the absence of K+, 1 mM alpha-ketoisovalerate had no effect on PDH kinase inhibition by thiamin pyrophosphate, whereas in the presence of 20 mM K+, alpha-ketoisovalerate stimulated PDH kinase activity almost 2-fold over the range of 0-80 microM thiamin pyrophosphate. Half-maximal stimulation by alpha-ketoisovalerate occurred at about 200 microM in the presence of 100 microM thiamin pyrophosphate and 20 mM K+. Similar but less extensive changes occurred in the presence of 100 microM thiamin pyrophosphate and 1 mM NH4+. Initial velocity patterns for PDH kinase inhibition by thiamin pyrophosphate in the presence of 2 mM alpha-ketoisovalerate were mixed noncompetitive, but alpha-ketoisovalerate increased the Vm and Km for adenosine 5'-triphosphate in the presence of inhibitor. In the presence of thiamin pyrophosphate, PDH kinase remained stimulated after chromatography on Sephadex G-25 to remove alpha-ketoisovalerate. The results indicate that acylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by alpha-ketoisovalerate results in PDH kinase stimulation but only in the presence of monovalent cations and thiamin pyrophosphate.     

Study on the role of SH-groups in the activity of muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase

The kinetics of inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component of the pigeon breast muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in the presence of 5,5'-dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoate) is biphasic. The rate constants for the fast and slow phases of the inactivation reaction are close to those for modification of two classes of SH-groups differing in their reactivities towards the inhibitor. The reaction order with respect to the inhibitor concentration suggests that the two distinct SH-groups are essential for the enzyme activity. Modification of these SH-groups results in inhibition of the overall activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and of the 2-hydroxyethyl thiamine pyrophosphate - acceptor oxidoreductase activity of its decarboxylating component. Thiamine pyrophosphate exerts a protective effect on the enzyme only at the slow phase of the enzyme inactivation and SH-modification. As a result of interaction between the holoenzyme and pyruvate (or apoenzyme and 2-hydroxyethyl thiamine pyrophosphate) the rate of the enzyme inactivation is increased. This is associated with masking of non-essential SH-groups and with an increase of the accessibility of two essential SH-groups to the inhibitor. The data obtained suggest the interrelationship between the essential SH-groups and the 2-hydroxyethyl thiamine pyrophosphate-acceptor oxidoreductase activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase.     

Characteristics of thiamine thiazolone diphosphate-induced inhibition of a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in vitro and in intact mitochondria

Thiamine thiazolone diphosphate (TTPP) was capable of penetrating through the mitochondrial membrane and of inhibiting the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) in intact mitochondria. TTPP depressed the activity of mammalian PDC in a mixed manner (Ki = 5.10(-8) M) and yeast pyruvate decarboxylase (Ki = 5.10(-6) M) via a competitive mechanism with respect to thiamine diphosphate. It was shown that decarboxylation of pyruvate in intact and disrupted mitochondria of rat liver and brain is less inhibited by TTPP than the overall activity of PDC determined by the formation of acetyl-CoA. It was assumed that TTPP as a transition state analog participates only in oxidative reactions (but not in simple decarboxylation of pyruvate).     

Bromopyruvate as an active-site-directed inhibitor of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex from Escherichia coli

Bromopyruvate behaves as an active-site-directed inhibitor of the pyruvate decarboxylase (E1) component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of Escherichia coli. It requires the cofactor thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) and acts initially as an inhibitor competitive with pyruvate (Ki ca. 90 microM) but then proceeds to react irreversibly with the enzyme, probably with the thiol group of a cysteine residue. E1 catalyzes the decomposition of bromopyruvate, the enzyme becoming inactivated once every 40-60 turnovers. Bromopyruvate also inactivates the intact pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in a TPP-dependent process, but the inhibition is more rapid and is mechanistically different. Under these conditions, bromopyruvate is decarboxylated, and the lipoic acid residues in the lipoate acetyltransferase (E2) component become reductively bromoacetylated. Further bromopyruvate then reacts with the new thiol groups thus generated in the lipoic acid residues, inactivating the complex. If reaction with the lipoic acid residues is prevented by prior treatment of the complex with N-ethylmaleimide in the presence of pyruvate, the mode of inhibition reverts to irreversible reaction with the E1 component. In both types of inhibition of E1, reaction of 1 mol of bromopyruvate/mol of E1 chain is required for complete inactivation, and all the evidence is consistent with reaction taking place at or near the pyruvate binding site.     

Regulation of the phosphorylation of mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in situ: effects of respiratory substrates and calcium

The activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC), as controlled by reversible phosphorylation, was studied in situ with mitochondria oxidizing dfifferent substrates. PDCs from both plant and animal tissues were inactivated when pyruvate became limiting. The PDC did not inactivate in the presence of saturating levels of pyruvate. Calcium stimulated reactivation of PDC in chicken heart but not pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaf mitochondria. With pea leaf mitochondria oxidizing malate, inactivation of PDC was pH dependent corresponding to the production of pyruvate via malic enzyme. When pea leaf mitochondria oxidized succinate or glycine, PDC was inactivated. This inactivation was reversed by the addition of pyruvate. Reactivation by pyruvate was enhanced by the addition of thiamine pyrophosphate, as previously observed with nonrespiring mitochondria. These results indicate a major role for pyruvate in regulating the covalent modification of the PDC.     

Regulation of kinase reactions in pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex.

1. Pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is inactivated by phosphorylation (MgATP2-) of an alpha-chain of the decarboxylase component. Three serine residues may be phosphorylated, one of which (site 1) is the major inactivating site. 2. The relative rates of phosphorylation are site 1 greater than 2 greater than site 3. 3. The kinetics of the inactivating phosphorylation were investigated by measuring inactivation of the complex with MgATP2-. The apparent Km for the Mg complex of ATP was 25.5 microM; ADP was a competitive inhibitor (Ki 69.8 microM) and sodium pyruvate an uncompetitive inhibitor (Ki 2.8 microM). Inactivation was accelerated by increasing concentration ratios of NADH/NAD+ and of acetyl-CoA/CoA. 4. The kinetics of additional phosphorylations (predominantly site 2 under these conditions) were investigated by measurement of 32P incorporation into non-radioactive pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate containing 3-6% of active complex, and assumed from parrallel experiments with 32P labelling to contain 91% of protein-bound phosphate in site 1 and 9% in site 2. 5. The apparent Km for the Mg complex of ATP was 10.1 microM; ADP was a competitive inhibitor (Ki 31.5 microM) and sodium pyruvate an uncompetitive inhibitor (Ki 1.1 mM). 6. Incorporation was accelerated by increasing concentration ratios of NADH/NAD+ and of acetyl-CoA/CoA, although it was less marked at the highest ratios.     

Regulation of plant pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by phosphorylation

The ATP-dependent inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) was examined using ruptured mitochondria and partially purified pyruvate dehydrogenase complex isolated from broccoli and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) bud mitochondria. The ATP-dependent inactivation was temperature- and pH-dependent. [(32)P]ATP experiments show a specific transphosphorylation of the gamma-PO(4) of ATP to the complex. The phosphate attached to the PDC was labile under mild alkaline but not under mild acidic conditions. The inactivated-phosphorylated PDC was not reactivated by 20 mm MgCl(2), dialysis, Sephadex G-25 treatment, apyrase action, or potato acid phosphatase action. However, partially purified bovine heart PDC phosphatase catalyzed the reactivation and dephosphorylation of the isolated plant PDC. The ATP-dependent inactivation-phosphorylation of the PDC was inhibited by pyruvate. It is concluded that the ATP-dependent inactivation-phosphorylation of broccoli and cauliflower mitochondrial PDC is catalyzed by a PDC kinase. It is further concluded that the PDC from broccoli and cauliflower mitochondria is capable of interconversion between an active (dephosphorylated) and an inactive (phosphorylated) form.     

Purification of porcine liver pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and characterization of its catalytic and regulatory properties.

Procedures are described for isolating highly purified porcine liver pyruvate and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes. Rabbit serum stabilized these enzyme complexes in mitochondrial extracts, apparently by inhibiting lysosomal proteases. The complexes were purified by a three-step procedure involving fractionation with polyethylene glycol, pelleting through 12.5% sucrose, and a second fractionation under altered conditions with polyethylene glycol. Sedimentation equilibrium studies gave a molecular weight of 7.2 × 10⁶ for the liver pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. Kinetic parameters are presented for the reaction catalyzed by the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and for the regulatory reactions catalyzed by the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase. For the overall catalytic reaction, the competitive K_i to K_m ratio for NADH versus NAD⁺ and acetyl CoA versus CoA were 4.7 and 5.2, respectively. Near maximal stimulations of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase by NADH and acetyl CoA were observed at NADH:NAD⁺ and acetyl CoA:CoA ratios of 0.15 and 0.5, respectively. The much lower ratios required for enhanced inactivation of the complex by pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase than for product inhibition indicate that the level of activity of the regulatory enzyme is not directly determined by the relative affinity of substrates and products of catalytic sites in the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. In the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase reaction, K⁺ and NH⁺₄ decreased the K_m for ATP and the competitive inhibition constants for ADP and (β,γ-methylene)adenosine triphosphate. Thiamine pyrophosphate strongly inhibited kinase activity. A high concentration of ADP did not alter the degree of inhibition by thiamine pyrophosphate nor did it increase the concentration of thiamine pyrophosphate required for half-maximal inhibition.     

Cooperative interaction of pyruvate dehydrogenase from pigeon breast muscle]

Cooperative interaction of pyruvate with the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PD) complex from pigeon breast muscle was shown. The sigmoidal dependence of the reaction rate on pyruvate concentration was observed for the PD complex. The Hill coefficient is equal to 1,5; no inhibition by the substrate (up to 2.2.10(-3) M) was found. The kinetic behaviour of the isolated pyruvate dehydrogenase component (PDH) analyzed under similar conditions, is more complex; this may be probably due to the presence of oligomeric forms with different molecular weights and specific activities. The competitive inhibitor of the PD complex--an amide of pyruvic acid (PA) (Ki=6.3-10(-6) M) activates the enzyme at low concentrations (less than 2,10(-6) M). When PA is present, the dependence of the reaction rate on pyruvate concentration gives a usual hyperbolic curve, v of [S]o. It is concluded that pyruvate may have a regulatory effect on the activity of muscle PD complex.     

The substrate-mediated inactivation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component of the pigeon breast muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

Incubation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component isolated from the pigeon breast muscle pyruvate dehydrogenase complex with Mg2+, thiamine pyrophosphate and low concentrations of pyruvic acid in the absence of electron acceptors results in irreversible time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme. The rate of the enzyme inactivation is markedly decreased in the presence of high concentrations of pyruvate; in this case acetoin and acetolactate are detected in the reaction mixture. The enzyme activity is stabilized when the artificial electron acceptor, 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, is present in the reaction mixture. The substrate-mediated inactivation of the enzyme is accompanied by incorporation of the 2-[14C]-substrate fragment and labelled thiamine pyrophosphate into the protein fraction. The enzyme reactivation by neutral hydroxylamine and the protective effect of dithiothreitol suggest that the SH-group(s) may be involved in the substrate-mediated inactivation of pyruvate dehydrogenase.     

Molecular-kinetic parameters of thiamine enzymes and the mechanism of antivitamin action of hydroxythiamine in animal organisms]

The molecula-kinetic parameters (Km, Ki) of three thiamine enzymes, e. g. thiamine pyrophosphokinase (EC 2.7.6.2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.4.1) and transketolase (EC 2.2.1.1) with respect to the effects of the thiamine antimetabolite hydroxythiamine in the whole animal organism have been compared. It has been shown that only the first two enzymes, which interact competitively with the vitamin, antivitamin or their pyrophosphate ethers, obey the kinetic parameters obtained for the purified enzymes in vitro. The anticoenzymic effect of hydroxythiamine pyrophosphate with respect to transketolase is not observed in vivo at maximal concentration of the anticoenzyme in tissues due to the absence of competitive interactions with thiamine pyrophosphate. The incorporation of the true and false coenzymes into transketolase occurs only during de novo transketolase synthesis (the apoform is absent in tissues, with the exception of erythrocytes) and proceeds slowly with a half-life time equal to 24--30 hrs. After a single injection of hydroxythiamine at a large dose (70--400 mg/kg) the maximal inhibition of the transketolase activity in tissues (liver, heart, kidney, muscle, spleen, lungs adrenal grands) manifests itself by the 48th--72nd hour, when the concentration of free hydroxythiamine and its pyrophosphate is minimal and the whole anticoenzyme is tightly bound to the protein, forming the false holoenzyme. The use of hydroxythiamine for inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase or transketolase in animal organism is discussed.     

Probing the mechanism of inactivation of human pyruvate dehydrogenase by phosphorylation of three sites

Activity of the mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is regulated by phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of three serine residues (designated site 1, Ser-264; site 2, Ser-271; site 3, Ser-203) in the alpha subunit of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) component. Substitutions of the phosphorylation sites were generated by site-directed mutagenesis. Glutamate (S1E) and aspartate (S1D) substitutions at site 1 resulted in the complete loss of PDC activity; however, these mutants were variably active in the decarboxylation and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol assays. S1Q had only 3% of wild-type PDC activity. The apparent K(m) values for pyruvate increased for the mutants of site 1 when determined in the 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol assay. The substitutions at sites 2 and 3 caused only moderate reductions in activity in the three assays. S3E had a 27-fold increase in the apparent K(m) for thiamine pyrophosphate and 8-fold increase in the K(i) for pyrophosphate. Site 3 was almost completely protected from phosphorylation by thiamine pyrophosphate. The results show that the size rather than negative charge of the substituted amino acid residue affects the active site of E1 and that modification of each of the three serine residues affect the active site in a site-specific manner for its ability to bind the cofactor and substrates.     

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from ribbed mussel gill mitochondria

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex has been demonstrated in high speed pellet preparations from sonicated ribbed mussel gill mitochondria. The activity of the complex is inhibited by low chloride (less than 100 mM) concentrations, EDTA (1 mM), succinate, ATP, and NAD/NADH ratios below 4. Inhibition by EDTA is relieved by addition of 10 mM MgCl2-1 mM CaCl2. ATP inhibition was enhanced by NaF and reversed by high Mg++ concentrations in the absence of NaF. Pyruvate and thiamine pyrophosphate inhibited the inactivation by ATP. The nonhydrolyzable ATP analog AMP-PNP caused inhibition of the overall catalytic activity that was identical to ATP. Factors involved in the ATP inhibition and Mg++ reversal are lost with freezing or cold storage. Preliminary results using gamma-32P-ATP indicate that a protein kinase that phosphorylates the alpha subunit of E1 (pyruvate dehydrogenase) from the mammalian PDC is associated with the gill PDC. The activity of the complex may be regulated by a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation mechanism and by the relative levels of substrates, products, and other metabolites in the mitochondria.     

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity of pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex).

The pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) and acetyltransferase (E2) components of pig heart and ox kidney pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex were separated and purified. The E1 component was phosphorylated (alpha-chain) and inactivated by MgATP. Phosphorylation was mainly confined to site 1. Addition of E2 accelerated phosphorylation of all three sites in E1 alpha and inactivation of E1. On the basis of histone H1 phosphorylation, E2 is presumed to contain PDH kinase, which was removed (greater than 98%) by treatment with p-hydroxymercuriphenylsulphonate. Stimulation of ATP-dependent inactivation of E1 by E2 was independent of histone H1 kinase activity of E2. The effect of E2 is attributed to conformational change(s) induced in E1 and/or E1-associated PDH kinase. PDH kinase activity associated with E1 could not be separated from it be gel filtration or DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Subunits of PDH kinase were not detected on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gels of E1 or E2, presumably because of low concentration. The activity of pig heart PDH complex was increased by E2, but not by E1, indicating that E2 is rate-limiting in the holocomplex reaction. ATP-dependent inactivation of PDH complex was accelerated by E1 or by phosphorylated E1 plus associated PDH kinase, but not by E2 plus presumed PDH kinase. It is suggested that a substantial proportion of PDH kinase may accompany E1 when PDH complex is dissociated into its component enzymes. The possibility that E1 may possess intrinsic PDH kinase activity is considered unlikely, but may not have been fully excluded.     

1-Aminooxy-3-aminopropane, a new and potent inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis that inhibits ornithine decarboxylase, adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase

1-Aminooxy-3-aminopropane was shown to be a potent competitive inhibitor (Ki = 3.2 nM) of homogenous mouse kidney ornithine decarboxylase, a potent irreversible inhibitor (Ki = 50 microM) of homogeneous liver adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and a potent competitive (Ki = 2.3 microM) of homogeneous bovine brain spermidine synthase. It did not inhibit homogeneous bovine brain spermine synthase and it did not serve as a substrate for spermidine synthase. The compound did not inhibit tyrosine aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase, which are pyridoxal phosphate-containing enzymes like ornithine decarboxylase. The inactivation of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase was partially prevented by pyruvate, which is the coenzyme of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and by the substrate, adenosylmethionine. 1-Aminooxy-3-aminopropane at 0.5 mM concentration inhibited the growth of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells and this inhibition was prevented by spermidine but not by putrescine.     

Suicidal dephosphorylation of thiamine pyrophosphate coupled with pyruvate dehydrogenase complex

Earlier it was noted that purified pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) produced by "Sigma" usually contains almost saturating amounts of thiamine pyrophosphate (ThPP). In this communication we present the observation that the endogenous ThPP coupled to PDC is dephosphorylated while staying at -10 degrees C, because in the enzyme preparation thiamine monophosphate and un-phosphorylated thiamine appear (HPLC determination). Under the same conditions exogenous ThPP is not dephosphorylated despite contact with the PDC preparation. This may suggest that interactions of some active groups of the enzyme with molecules of endogenous ThPP leads to break-up of the phosphoesters bonds, and destruction of the coenzyme. Decrease of PDC activity during storage is not in proportion with the degree of ThPP dephosphorylation. However the observed instability of PDC activity may be a consequence of the spontaneous process of its coenzyme autodestruction.