SLC19A3 encodes a second thiamine transporter ThTr2.

Recently, a new family of facilitative carriers has been cloned consisting of the reduced folate (SLC19A1) and the thiamine (SLC19A2) transporters. Despite a high level of sequence identity and similarity there is essentially no functional overlap between these carriers. The former transports folates and the latter thiamine. In this paper we describe the function of SLC19A3, another member of this transporter family most recently cloned, after transient transfection of the cDNA into HeLa cells. Uptake of [3H]thiamine, but not of methotrexate nor folic acid, was enhanced in SLC19A3 transfectants relative to vector control. Similarly, in the transfectants thiamine transport increased with an increase in pH with peak activity at pH approximately 7.5. While [3H]thiamine uptake was markedly inhibited by nonlabeled thiamine it was not inhibited by several organic cations in 100-fold excess. Hence this carrier has a high degree of specificity for vitamin B1. The data indicate that SLC19A3 has the characteristics of SLC19A2 (ThTr1) and represents a second thiamine transporter (ThTr2) in this family of facilitative carriers.     

Immunoaffinity purification of rat liver transketolase: evidence for multiple forms of the enzyme

Rat liver transketolase (TK) has been purified, in a single step, by immunoaffinity chromatography on specific TK antibodies covalently linked to Sepharose 4B. The procedure described also involves the raising and isolation of rabbit TK antibodies to the conventionally purified enzyme [F. Paoletti (1983) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 222, 489-496]. Affinity chromatography allows a 100-fold purification of TK from the cell cytosol and a recovery of about 70% of the original activity. The TK isolated has a specific activity of 2.7-3.2 at 25 degrees C and migrates as a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 9.1. Multiple forms of the enzyme, with distinct pI values in the range 7-8, have been detected in purified preparations by means of analytical isoelectric focusing and staining for TK. No addition of either Mg2+ or thiamine pyrophosphate is required for the activity of the enzyme which, in the native form, exhibits a molecular weight of about 139,000. Two moles of thiamine pyrophosphate can be resolved for each mole of enzyme. Affinity TK preparations are virtually free of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, pentose-phosphate epimerase, and isomerase, although slight contamination by phosphohexose isomerase may occur.     

Influence of donor substrate on kinetic parameters of thiamine diphosphate binding to transketolase

The two-step mechanism of interaction of thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) with transketolase (TK) has been studied: TK + ThDP <--> TK...ThDP <--> TK*-ThDP. The scheme involves the formation of inactive intermediate complex TK...ThDP followed by its transformation into catalytically active holoenzyme, TK*-ThDP. The dissociation and kinetic constants for individual stages of this process have been determined. The values of forward and backward rate constants change in the presence of the donor substrate hydroxypyruvate. This finally leads to an increase in the overall affinity of the coenzyme to TK.     

Activities of thiamine-dependent enzymes in two experimental models of thiamine deficiency encephalopathy: 3. Transketolase

Chronic thiamine deprivation in the rat leads to ataxia, loss of righting reflex and neuropathological damage to lateral vestibular nucleus. Before onset of neurological symptoms, transketolase (TK) activities were found to be selectively reduced by 25% in lateral vestibular nucleus and surrounding pons. Further progression of thiamine deprivation resulted in a generalized reduction in TK activity. Measurement of enzyme activity in the presence of added TPP cofactor in vitro did not lead to normalisation of enzyme activities suggesting loss of apoenzyme. Administration of thiamine to symptomatic thiamine-deprived rats resulted in reversal of neurological symptoms and to normalisation of defective TK activities in less vulnerable structures such as cerebral cortex striatum and hippocampus; reduction of TK activity, however, persisted in brainstem and cerebellar regions. Pyrithiamine treatment results, within 3 weeks, in loss of righting reflex, convulsions and more widespread neuropathological damage compared to that observed following thiamine deprivation. TK activity was found to be significantly decreased before the onset of neurological symptoms in all brain regions and appearance of symptoms was accompanied by more severe reductions of TK. In contrast to chronic thiamine deprivation, TK activities following pyrithiamine treatment were: (i) equally reduced in magnitude in vulnerable and non-vulnerable brain structures, (ii) unchanged following reversal of neurological abnormalities by thiamine administration.     

Regional Reductions of Transketolase in Thiamine-Deficient Rat Brain

Abstract: Thiamine deficiency impairs oxidative metabolism and causes metabolic encephalopathy. An early reduction in transketolase (TK) activity may be an important pathogenic event. To assess the role of TK, we have delineated the regional/cellular distribution of TK protein and mRNA in adult rat brain in pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency. TK activity declined in both vulnerable and spared regions. Immunoblots showed a parallel reduction of TK protein. With a few exceptions, immunocytochemistry indicated an overall decline of TK immunoreactivity and the decrease was not specific to vulnerable areas. In contrast to the pronounced, general decline of TK protein, in situ hybridization revealed a regional decrease of 0–25% of TK mRNA in thiamine deficiency. Northern blots indicated a similar level of TK mRNA in whole brain in thiamine deficiency. These results show that the decline of TK activity results from a proportional decrease of TK protein, and the deficiency may be due to an instability of TK protein or an inhibition of TK mRNA translation. The lack of correlation of the distribution, and the absence of specific alteration, of TK in affected regions suggest that the reduced TK may not be linked directly to selective vulnerability in thiamine deficiency.     

Tumor and body interrelationships in 14C-thiamine utilization

Variations in the content of 14C-thiamine, thiamine-dependent enzyme transketolase (TK), and thiamine diphosphate (TDP) in mouse tissues were studied during Ehrlich's ascites tumour growth. The concentration of TDP in the liver of tumour-bearing animals continuously drops during 10 days after inoculation, TDP level in the tumour itself decreases more abruptly by the terminal period of tumour growth (the 10th day). At the same time the tumour demonstrates sharp deficiency of the coenzyme and redundance of apoenzymatic forms of TK. The growing deficiency of thiamine in the tumour favours greater tension of thiamine metabolism and appearance of competitive tumour-host interrelationships that are most pronounced in the presence of hypovitaminosis.     

Binding of the coenzyme and formation of the transketolase active center

Transketolase (TK) is a homodimer, the simplest representative of thiamine diphosphate (ThDP)-dependent enzymes. It was first ThDP-dependent enzymes the crystal structure of which has been solved and revealed the general fold for this class of enzymes and the interactions of the non-covalently bound coenzyme ThDP with the protein component. Transketolase is a convenient model to study the structure(s) of the active center and the mechanism of action of ThDP-dependent enzymes. This review summarizes the results of studies on the kinetics of the interaction of ThDP with TK from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as well as the generation of the catalytically active form of the coenzyme within the holoenzyme and formation of the enzyme's active center.     

Thiamine deficiency caused by thiamine antagonists triggers upregulation of apoptosis inducing factor gene expression and leads to caspase 3-mediated apoptosis in neuronally differentiated rat PC-12 cells

Recent evidence suggests that alterations in oxidative metabolism induced by thiamine deficiency lead to neuronal cell death. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still under extensive investigation. Here, we report that rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells differentiated in the presence of NGF into neurons undergo apoptosis due to thiamine deficiency caused by antagonists of thiamine - amprolium, pyrithiamine and oxythiamine. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy revealed that annexin V binds to PC-12 cells in presence of thiamine antagonists after 72 h incubation. Results also show that thiamine antagonists trigger upregulation of gene expression of mitochondrial-derived apoptosis inducing factor, DNA fragmentation, cleavage of caspase 3 and translocation of active product to the nucleus. We therefore propose that apoptosis induced by amprolium, pyrithiamine or oxythiamine occurs via the mitochondria-dependent caspase 3-mediated signaling pathway. In addition, our data indicate that pyrithiamine and oxythiamine are more potent inducers of apoptosis than amprolium.     

Heterogeneous Expression of Transketolase in Rat Brain

Abstract: Transketolase (TK; EC 2.2.1.1) is a key pentose phosphate shunt enzyme that plays an important role in the production of reducing equivalents and pentose sugars. TK activity declines in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, as well as in thiamine-deficient rats. Understanding the role of TK in the pathophysiology of these neurodegenerative conditions requires knowledge of its regional, cellular, and subcellular distribution within the brain. The current study employed in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry to examine the distribution of TK mRNA and its encoded protein in adult rat brain. TK mRNA and protein were widely distributed throughout the brain. However, they were enriched in selective perikarya in the piriform cortex, nucleus of the diagonal band, red nucleus, dorsal raphe, pontine nucleus, locus coeruleus, trapezoid, inferior olive, and several cranial nerve nuclei. Lower expression of TK mRNA and protein occurred in layer V of cortex, olfactory tubercle, ventral pallidum, medial septal nucleus, hippocampus, thalamic and hypothalamic nuclei, mammillary body, central gray, and the substantia nigra. TK immunoreactivity also occurred in the nuclei of ubiquitously distributed glial cells, as well as ependymal cells. The heterogeneous distribution of TK may reflect a variety of metabolic activities among different brain regions but does not provide a simple molecular explanation for selective cell death in either thiamine deficiency or other conditions where TK is reduced.     

LIGHT EMISSION FROM THE LUMINOUS FUNGUS COLLYBIA VELUTIPES UNDER DIFFERENT NUTRITIONAL CONDITIONS

Light emission from the luminous fungus Collybia velutipes has been studied under various nutritional conditions and in no instance has growth been obtained with the complete absence of light emission. The effect of varying pH, various nitrogen and carbon sources and the response to different vitamins has been considered. Ammonium-nitrogen or aspartic acid, glucose and pH 6.0 were shown to be most effective for optimal light emission. This isolate requires the thiazole moiety of the thiamine molecule for light emission; the effects of the thiamine antagonists pyrithiamine and oxythiamine were also studied.     

Transfer of Thymidine Kinase to Thymidine Kinaseless L Cells by Infection with Ultraviolet-Irradiated Herpes Simplex Virus

L cells lacking thymidine kinase (TK) activity (Ltk(-) cells) have been stably transformed to a TK-positive phenotype by infection with ultraviolet-irradiated herpes simplex virus (HSV-UV). The highest frequency of the Ltk(-) to Ltk(+) transformation observed in these experiments was approximately 10(-3), whereas no measurable transformation was observed (less than 10(-8)) in the absence of HSV-UV infection. Cell lines of HSV-transformed Ltk(+) cell lines contain 7 to 24 times as much TK activity as do the parental Ltk(-) cells, and they have been maintained in culture for a period exceeding 8 months. The kinetics of thermal inactivation of the TK activity derived from an Ltk(+) HSV-transformed cell line and the TK activity from Ltk(-) cells lytically infected with infectious HSV are similar. Both of these TK activities are much more thermolabile than the TK activity present in wild-type L cells. A mutant strain of HSV which does not induce TK activity during lytic infection does not cause the Ltk(-) to Ltk(+) transformation. These data suggest that either an HSV TK gene has been transferred to Ltk(-) cells or that an HSV gene product has caused the expression of a previously repressed cellular enzyme.     

Cytogenetic characterization of the L5178Y TK+/-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cell line

The cytogenetic characterization of the L5178Y TK+/-3.7.2C mouse lymphoma cell line was carried out, utilizing G-banded metaphase chromosomes, to provide a karyotypic basis for the precise delineation of induced rearrangements in TK-/- mutants. Band-pattern measurements were used to construct ideograms which represent the position, number, size and staining intensity of the chromosome bands. The TK+/-3.7.2C cell line has been shown to provide quantitation of forward mutations induced at the autosomal thymidine kinase (TK) locus in this cell line. Chromosome analysis of the TK+/-3.7.2C cell line and derived TK-/- mutants has become important in demonstrating that the TK+/-----TK-/- assay may detect and distinguish between chromosomal events and smaller, perhaps point-mutation, events in mutant colonies.     

Virus Type-Specific Thymidine Kinase in Cells Biochemically Transformed by Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2

Transformation of mouse cells (Ltk(-)) and human cells (HeLa Bu) from a thymidine kinase (TK)-minus to a TK(+) phenotype (herpes simplex virus [HSV]-transformed cells) has been induced by infection with ultraviolet-irradiated HSV type 2 (HSV-2), as well as by HSV type 1 (HSV-1). Medium containing methotrexate, thymidine, adenine, guanosine, and glycine was used to select for cells able to utilize exogenous thymidine. We have determined the kinetics of thermal inactivation of TK from cells lytically infected with HSV-1 or HSV-2 and from HSV-1- and HSV-2-transformed cells. Three hours of incubation at 41 C produces a 20-fold decrease in the TK activity of cell extracts from HSV-2-transformed cells and Ltk(-) cells lytically infected with HSV-2. The same conditions produce only a twofold decrease in the TK activities from HSV-1-transformed cells and cells lytically infected with HSV-1. This finding supports the hypothesis that an HSV structural gene coding for TK has been incorporated in the HSV-transformed cells.     

Control of the expression of a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene incorporated into thymidine kinase-deficient mouse cells.

When thymidine kinase-deficient mouse cells "transformed" by in activated herpes simplex virus and expressing the viral thymidine kinase (TK) are grown in nonselective medium, there is an exponential decay in the proportion of cells that continue to express the viral enzyme. However, the viral TK can be reactivated at a frequency of approximately 1 cell in 10(6) in every population that has lost TK activity. When cells in which the viral TK has been reactivated are grown in nonselective medium, a decay in the expression of the viral enzyme occurs again at the same rate as in the initial transformed population. Studies on the reactivation of viral TK indicate that reappearance of the enzyme is not induced by the selective medium (HAT) used to detect cells in which the enzyme has reappeared. Furthermore, treatments known to induce latent viruses in other systems--eg, exposure of the cells to mutagens or cell fusion--do not affect the frequency with which viral TK is reactivated.     

Mechanism of Folate Transport in Lactobacillus casei: Evidence for a Component Shared with the Thiamine and Biotin Transport Systems

Lactobacillus casei cells have been shown previously to utilize two separate binding proteins for the transport of folate and thiamine. Folate transport, however, was found to be strongly inhibited by thiamine in spite of the fact that the folate-binding protein has no measurable affinity for thiamine. This inhibition, which did not fluctuate with intracellular adenosine triphosphate levels, occurred only in cells containing functional transport systems for both vitamins and was noncompetitive with folate but competitive with respect to the level of folate-binding protein. Folate uptake in cells containing optimally induced transport systems for both vitamins was inhibited by thiamine (1 to 10 muM) to a maximum of 45%; the latter value increased to 77% in cells that contained a progressively diminished folate transport system and a normal thiamine system. Cells preloaded with thiamine could transport folate at a normal rate, indicating that the inhibition resulted from the entry of thiamine rather than from its presence in the cell. In a similar fashion, folate (1 to 10 muM) did not interfere with the binding of thiamine to its transport protein, but inhibited thiamine transport (to a maximum of 25%). Competition also extended to biotin, whose transport was strongly inhibited (58% and 73%, respectively) by the simultaneous uptake of either folate or thiamine; biotin, however, had only a minimal effect on either folate or thiamine transport. The nicotinate transport system was unaffected by co-transport with folate, thiamine, or biotin. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the folate, thiamine, and biotin transport systems of L. casei each function via a specific binding protein, and that they require, in addition, a common component present in limiting amounts per cell. The latter may be a protein required for the coupling of energy to these transport processes.     

Rescue of marker phenotypes: effects of BUdR sensitization, hypoxia and high LET.

The survival curve of colony-forming ability of Chinese hamster wg3h cells has been compared with the dose-response curve for the expression of an active thymidine kinase (TK) gene from these cells. The TK+ phenotype was measured by hybrid colony formation after fusion of wg3h (TK+) cells with Chinese hamster A23 (TK-) cells. The TK+ survival data fitted a multi-target curve up to 3 krad of 137 Cs irradiation, when a highly resistant fraction of hybrid colonies was seen at about 1 per cent survival. The Do of TK+ survival for the multi-target region was 3.1-4.0 times greater, than that of wg3h survival, even when the Do for cell survival varied between 136 and 545 rad by 14 MeV neutrons and hypoxia respectively. This parallel modification of cell and TK+ sensitivities suggests that the lesions causing cell inactivation are of the same type as those that cause marker inactivation. Using 14 MeV neutron data the approximate target size for TK inactivation was calculated to be 0.54-0.91 per cent of the DNA content of the cell (or about one-fifth to one-tenth of a chromosome). The data support the idea that marker inactivation results primarily from damage occurring outside the marker gene. BUdR labelling of wg3h cells before irradiation caused slight toxicity (30 per cent reduction in plating efficiency) and a twofold increase in cell sensitivity. However, the sensitivity of the TK+ phenotype increases by only 30 per cent. The increased cell sensitivity thus appeared to result from synergism between increased sensitivity of DNA to strand breakage and metabolic toxicity, the latter being largely overcome by fusion with normal cells.     

Which stage of the process of apotransketolase interaction with thiamine diphosphate is affected by the regulatory activity of the donor substrate?

The interaction of thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) with transketolase (TK) involves at least two stages: [formula: see text] During the first stage, an inactive intermediate complex (TK...ThDP) is formed, which is then transformed into a catalytically active holoenzyme (TK* - ThDP). The second stage is related to conformational changes of the protein. In the preceding publication (Esakova, O. A., Meshalkina, L. E., Golbik, R., Hübner, G., and Kochetov, G. A. Eur. J. Biochem. 2004, 271, 4189 - 4194) we reported that the affinity of ThDP for TK considerably increases in the presence of the donor substrate, which may be a mechanism whereby the activity of the enzyme is regulated under the conditions of the coenzyme deficiency. Here, we demonstrate that the substrate affects the stage of the reverse conformational transition, characterized by the constant k(-1): in the presence of the substrate, its value is decreased several fold, whereas K(d) and k(+1) remain unchanged.     

Structure and properties of an engineered transketolase from maize

The gene specifying plastid transketolase (TK) of maize (Zea mays) was cloned from a cDNA library by southern blotting using a heterologous probe from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). A recombinant fusion protein comprising thioredoxin of Escherichia coli and mature TK of maize was expressed at a high level in E. coli and cleaved with thrombin, affording plastid TK. The protein in complex with thiamine pyrophoshate was crystallized, and its structure was solved by molecular replacement. The enzyme is a C2 symmetric homodimer closely similar to the enzyme from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Each subunit is folded into three domains. The two topologically equivalent active sites are located in the subunit interface region and resemble those of the yeast enzyme.     

Derivation of Tk- Clones from Revertant Tk+ Mammalian Cells

In order to obtain a large collection of Chinese hamster cell clones defective in thymidine kinase (TK(-)), BrdU(r) selection experiments have been performed on wild-type and revertant TK(+) cell lines. No clones (< 10(-9)) were obtained from the wild-type TK(+) cell line by single-step selection. In contrast, revertant TK(+) clones readily gave rise to stable TK(-) derivatives (1 - 2 x 10(-4)). Both wild-type and revertant TK(+) clones spontaneously yielded 8-AG(r) colonies with the same frequency (1 - 5 x 10(-6)), suggesting that the differences between wild-type and revertant cell lines specifically affected selection of the TK(-) phenotype. The increased frequency of TK(-) clones reflects perhaps the number (ploidy) or character of the autosomal TK loci in TK(+) revertants, or perhaps the mechanisms which regulate expression of the TK genes. Several mutagens, EMS, MNNG and UV, stimulated the TK(+) revertants' frequency of TK(-) subclones only slightly (< 3-fold). Biochemical and genetic data indicated that the TK(-) clones derived from one revertant are phenotypically different. The phenotypes displayed by these cell lines are stable and do not depend upon the continued presence of the selective agent.