Glutamine synthetase of pea leaves. I. Purification, stabilization, and pH optima

1. Glutamine synthetase [l-glutamate: ammonia ligase (ADP), E.C. 6.3.1.2]was purified to apparent homogeneity from the shoots of light-grown pea seedlings. It was found to be quite unstable, but. could be partially stabilized by the addition of divalent cation (Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺), and still further by the addition of sucrose (0.5–1.5 m), fructose (1–2.5 m), or ethyleneglycol (20–30%). Stability varied considerably depending on pH and whether Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺ was used. Under certain incubation conditions the inactivated enzyme could be partially reactivated. 2. The pH optimum for glutamine synthesis varied widely (5.0–8.2) depending on the type and concentration of divalent cation (Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Mg²⁺) and the ATP concentration.     

Glutamine synthetase genes of pea encode distinct polypeptides which are differentially expressed in leaves, roots and nodules.

We have characterized the distinct polypeptides, primary translation products and mRNAs encoding glutamine synthetase (GS) in the various organs of pea. Western blot analysis of soluble protein has identified five distinct GS polypeptides which are expressed at different relative levels in leaves, roots and nodules of pea. Of the two GS polypeptides in leaves (44 and 38 kd), the 44-kd GS polypeptide is predominant and is localized to the chloroplast stroma. In roots, the predominant GS polypeptide is 38 kd. Upon Rhizobium infection of roots, three 37-kd GS polypeptides increase in abundance in the nodules relative to uninfected roots. cDNA clones encoding three different GS mRNAs have been characterized. Hybrid-select translation has identified three different GS primary translation products (49, 38 and 37 kd). Two cDNA clones (pGS134 and pGS341) are homologous to GS mRNAs most abundant in nodules which encode the 38- and 37-kd GS primary translation products. A third cDNA (pGS197) corresponds to a larger GS mRNA species specific to leaf poly(A) RNA, which encodes a 49-kd putative precursor to the mature chloroplast GS polypeptide. cDNA sequence analysis and Southern blot analysis of pea nuclear DNA identifies at least three genes encoding GS in pea which are related but distinct in structure and in vivo pattern of expression.     

Anion and divalent cation activation of phosphoglycolate phosphatase from leaves

Phosphoglycolate (P-glycolate) phosphatase was purified 223-fold from spinach leaves by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and Sephadex G-200 chromatography. The partially purified enzyme had a broad pH optimum between 5.6 and 8.0 and was specific for the hydrolysis of P-glycolate with a Km (P-glycolate) of 26 microM. The enzyme was activated by divalent cations including Mg2+, Co2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+, and by anions including Cl-, Br-, NO-3, and HCOO-. Neither anions nor divalent cations activated the enzyme without the other. The P-glycolate phosphatase activities from tobacco leaves or the green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, also required Mg2+ and were activated by chloride. In addition, the enzyme was allosterically inhibited by ribose 5-phosphate. The activation of P-glycolate phosphatase by both anions and divalent cations and the inhibition by ribose 5-phosphate may be involved in the in vivo regulation of P-glycolate phosphatase activity.     

Glutamine synthetase of pseudomonads: some biochemical and physicochemical properties.

The glutamine synthetases from several Pseudomonas species were purified to homogeneity, and their properties were compared with those reported for the enzymes from Escherichia coli and other gram-negative bacteria. The glutamine synthetase from Pseudomonas fluorescens was unique because it was nearly precipitated quantitatively as a homogeneous protein during dialysis of partially purified preparations against buffer containing 10 mM imidazole (pH 7.0) and 10 mM MnCl2. The glutamine synthetases from Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were purified by affinity chromatography on Affi-blue gel. Dodecamerous forms of the E. coli and P. fluorescens glutamine synthetases had identical mobilities during polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Their dissociated subunits, however, migrated differently and were readily separated by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. This difference in subunit mobilities is not related to the state of adenylylation. Regulation of the Pseudomonas glutamine synthetase activity is mediated by an adenylylation-deadenylylation cyclic cascade system. A sensitive procedure was developed for measuring the average number of adenylylated subunits per enzyme molecule for the glutamine synthetase from P. fluorescens. This method takes advantage of the large differences in transferase activity of the adenylylated and unadenylylated subunits at pH 6.0 and of the fact that the activities of both kinds of subunits are the same at pH 8.45.     

Chromomycin dimer-DNA oligomer complexes. Sequence selectivity and divalent cation specificity

This paper reports on a solution NMR characterization of the sequence selectivity and metal ion specificity in chromomycin-DNA oligomer complexes in the presence of divalent cations. The sequence selectivity studies have focused on chromomycin complexes with the self-complementary d(A1-A2-G3-G4-C5-C6-T7-T8) duplex containing a pair of adjacent (G3-G4).(C5-C6) steps and the self-complementary d(A1-G2-G3-A4-T5-C6-C7-T8) duplex containing a pair of separated (G2-G3).(C6-C7) steps in aqueous solution. The antitumor agent (chromomycin) and nucleic acid protons have been assigned following analysis of distance connectivities in NOESY spectra and coupling connectivities in DQF-COSY spectra for both complexes in H2O and D2O solution. The observed intermolecular NOEs establish that chromomycin binds as a Mg(II)-coordinated dimer [1 Mg(II) per complex] and contacts the minor-groove edge with retention of 2-fold symmetry centered about the (G3-G4-C5-C6).(G3-G4-C5-C6) segment of the d(A2G2C2T2) duplex. By contrast, complex formation is centered about the (G2-G3-A4-T5).(A4-T5-C6-C7) segment and results in removal of the two fold symmetry of the d(AG2ATC2T) duplex. Thus, the binding of one subunit of the chromomycin dimer at its preferred (G-G).(C-C) site assists in the binding of the second subunit to the less preferred adjacent (A-T).(A-T) site. These observations suggest a hierarchy of chromomycin binding sites, with a strong site detected at the (G-G) step due to the hydrogen-bonding potential of acceptor N3 and donor NH2 groups of guanosine that line the minor groove. The divalent cation specificity has been investigated by studies on the symmetric chromomycin-d(A2G2C2T2) complex in the presence of diamagnetic Mg(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) cations and paramagnetic Ni(II) and Co(II) cations. A comparative NOESY study of the Mg(II) and Ni(II) symmetric complexes suggests that a single tightly bound divalent cation aligns the two chromomycins in the dimer through coordination to the C1 carbonyl and C9 enolate ions on the hydrophilic edge of each aglycon ring. Secondary divalent cation binding sites involve coordination to the major-groove N7 atoms on adjacent guanosines in G-G steps. This coordination is perturbed on lowering the pH below 6.0, presumably due to protonation of the N7 atoms. The midpoint of the thermal dissociation of the symmetric complex is dependent on the divalent cation with the stability for reversible transitions decreasing in the order Mg(II) greater than Zn(II) greater than Cd(II) complexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Selectivity and specificity of substrate binding in methionyl-tRNA synthetase

The accuracy of in vivo incorporation of amino acids during protein biosynthesis is controlled to a significant extent by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS). This paper describes the application of the HierDock computational method to study the molecular basis of amino acid binding to the Escherichia coli methionyl tRNA synthetase (MetRS). Starting with the protein structure from the MetRS cocrystal, the HierDock calculations predict the binding site of methionine in MetRS to a root mean square deviation in coordinates (CRMS) of 0.55 A for all the atoms, compared with the crystal structure. The MetRS conformation in the cocrystal structure shows good discrimination between cognate and the 19 noncognate amino acids. In addition, the calculated binding energies of a set of five methionine analogs show a good correlation (R(2) = 0.86) to the relative free energies of binding derived from the measured in vitro kinetic parameters, K(m) and k(cat). Starting with the crystal structure of MetRS without the methionine (apo-MetRS), the putative binding site of methionine was predicted. We demonstrate that even the apo-MetRS structure shows a preference for binding methionine compared with the 19 other natural amino acids. On comparing the calculated binding energies of the 20 natural amino acids for apo-MetRS with those for the cocrystal structure, we observe that the discrimination against the noncognate substrate increases dramatically in the second step of the physical binding process associated with the conformation change in the protein.     

L-aspartase from Escherichia coli: substrate specificity and role of divalent metal ions

The enzyme L-aspartase from Escherichia coli has an absolute specificity for its amino acid substrate. An examination of a wide range of structural analogues of L-aspartic acid did not uncover any alternate substrates for this enzyme. A large number of competitive inhibitors of the enzyme have been characterized, with inhibition constants ranging over 2 orders of magnitude. A divalent metal ion is required for enzyme activity above pH 7, and this requirement is met by many transition and alkali earth metals. The binding stoichiometry has been established to be one metal ion bound per subunit. Paramagnetic relaxation studies have shown that the divalent metal ion binds at the recently discovered activator site on L-aspartase and not at the enzyme active site. Enzyme activators are bound within 5 A of the enzyme-bound divalent metal ion. The activator site is remote from the active site of the enzyme, since the relaxation of inhibitors that bind at the active site is not affected by paramagnetic metal ions bound at the activator site.     

Asparagine synthesis in pea leaves, and the occurrence of an asparagine synthetase inhibitor

Asparagine is present in the mature leaves of young pea (Pisum sativum cv Little Marvel) seedlings, and is synthesized in detached shoots. This accumulation and synthesis is greatly enhanced by darkening. In detached control shoots, [¹⁴C]aspartate was metabolized predominantly to organic acids and, as other workers have shown, there was little labeling of asparagine (after 5 hours, 3.1% of metabolized label). Addition of the aminotransferase inhibitor aminooxyacetate decreased the flow of aspartate carbon to organic acids and enhanced (about 3-fold) the labeling of asparagine. The same treatment applied to darkened shoots resulted in a substantial conversion of [¹⁴C]aspartate to asparagine, over 10-fold greater than in control shoots (66% of metabolized label), suggesting that aspartate is the normal precursor of asparagine.

Only traces of glutamine-dependent asparagine synthetase activity could be detected in pea leaf or root extracts; activity was not enhanced by sulfhydryl reagents, oxidizing conditions, or protease inhibitors. Asparagine synthetase is readily extracted from lupin cotyledons, but yield was greatly reduced by extraction in the presence of pea leaf tissue; pea leaf homogenates contained an inhibitor which produced over 95% inhibition of an asparagine synthetase preparation from lupin cotyledons. The inhibitor was heat stable, with a low molecular weight. Presence of an inhibitor may prevent detection of asparagine synthetase in pea extracts and in Asparagus, where a cyanide-dependent pathway has been proposed to account for asparagine synthesis: an inhibitor with similar properties was present in Asparagus shoot tissue.

     

Nucleotide and divalent cation specificity of in vitro iron-molybdenum cofactor synthesis.

The nucleotide and divalent cation requirements of the in vitro iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) synthesis system have been compared with those of substrate reduction by nitrogenase. The FeMo-co synthesis system specifically requires ATP, whereas both 1,N6-etheno-ATP and 2'-deoxy-ATP function in place of ATP in substrate reduction (M. F. Weston, S. Kotake, and L. C. Davis, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 225:809-817, 1983). Mn2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+ substitute for Mg2+ to various extents in in vitro FeMo-co synthesis, whereas Ca2+ is ineffective in substrate reduction by nitrogenase. The observed differences in the nucleotide and divalent cation specificities suggest a role(s) for the nucleotide and divalent cation in in vitro FeMo-co synthesis that is distinct from their role(s) in substrate reduction.     

Kinetic characteristics of glutamine synthetase from the chloroplasts of pea leaves

The kinetic properties of glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) isolated from pea chloroplasts and purified according to the previously developed procedure have been investigated. The pH optimum for the enzymatic reaction in the presence of Mg2+ and Mn2+ are 7.5-7.6 and 5.5, respectively. The corresponding values of the activation energy per enzyme monomer (Mr = 60 000) are equal to 2900 and 1190 cal/mole. With Mg2+ the values of Km(app.) for NH4+, NH2OH, L-glutamate (+NH4+), L-glutamate (+NH2OH), ATP(+NH4+ and NH2OH) and Mg-ATP (+NH4+ and NH2OH) are 0.64, 17.5, 5.6, 7.0, 1.3 and 0.74 mM, respectively.     

Maitotoxin-induced cell death cascade in bovine aortic endothelial cells: divalent cation specificity and selectivity

The maitotoxin (MTX)-induced cell death cascade in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs), a model for Ca²⁺ overload-induced toxicity, reflects three sequential changes in plasmalemmal permeability. MTX initially activates Ca²⁺-permeable, nonselective cation channels (CaNSC) and causes a massive increase in cytosolic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i). This is followed by the opening of large endogenous cytolytic/oncotic pores (COP) that allow molecules <800 Da to enter the cell. The cells then lyse not by rupture of the plasmalemma but through the activation of a "death" channel that lets large proteins (e.g., 140–160 kDa) leave the cell. These changes in permeability are accompanied by the formation of membrane blebs. In this study, we took advantage of the well-known differences in affinity of various Ca²⁺-binding proteins for Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺ vs. Ba²⁺ to probe their involvement in each phase of the cell death cascade. Using fluorescence techniques at the cell population level (cuvette-based) and at the single-cell level (time-lapse videomicroscopy), we found that the replacement of Ca²⁺ with either Sr²⁺ or Ba²⁺ delayed both MTX-induced activation of COP, as indicated by the uptake of ethidium bromide, and subsequent cell lysis, as indicated by the uptake of propidium iodide or the release of cell-associated green fluorescent protein. MTX-induced responses were mimicked by ionomycin and were significantly delayed in BAPTA-loaded cells. Experiments at the single-cell level revealed that Ba²⁺ not only delayed the time to cell lysis but also caused desynchronization of the lytic phase. Last, membrane blebs, which were numerous and spherical in Ca²⁺-containing solutions, were poorly defined and greatly reduced in number in the presence of Ba²⁺. Taken together, these results suggest that intracellular high-affinity Ca²⁺-binding proteins are involved in the MTX-induced changes in plasmalemmal permeability that are responsible for cell demise. necrosis; vital dyes; membrane blebs; time-lapse videomicroscopy; fura 2     

Glutamine synthetase from a cyanobacterium, Phormidium lapideum: purification, characterization, and comparison with other cyanobacterial enzymes

Glutamine synthetase has been purified to homogeneity from cell extracts of a non-N2-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium, Phormidium lapideum. The subunit molecular weight of the enzyme was determined as about 59,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. Electron micrographs of the Phormidium enzyme revealed a two-layered structure of regular hexagons (12 subunits per molecule), which markedly resembles the three-dimensional polypeptide backbone structure of the Salmonella typhimurium glutamine synthetase established by X-ray crystallography (Almassy, Janson, Hamlin, Xuong, & Eisenberg (1986) Nature 323, 304-309). The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the Phormidium enzyme shows very high similarity with that of the enzyme from an N2-fixing cyanobacterium, Anabaena 7120; 18 residues are common in 23 residues compared. Strong immunocross-reactions between the antibody against the purified Phormidium glutamine synthetase and other cyanobacterial enzymes except the Anacystis enzyme were observed. The apparent Michaelis constants for NH3, L-glutamate, and ATP were determined to be 0.29, 7.4, and 1.7 mM, respectively. Divalent metal ions such as Mg2+ and Mn2+ activated the enzyme in the biosynthetic reaction, whereas various amino acids and glutamate analogs strongly inhibited the enzyme.     

Immobilization of fatty acyl-CoA synthetase: effect on its stability and substrate specificity

Fatty acyl-CoA synthetase purified from rat liver microsomes was immobilized on either CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B or activated CH-Sepharose 4B, and the enzymatic activities of the syntheses of CoA esters from lignoceric acid (C24:0) and palmitic acid (C16:0) were studied and compared. The ratio of activities of the synthesis of lignoceroyl-CoA to palmitoyl-CoA increased 4.5 fold with CH-Sepharose, but only slightly with CNBr-Sepharose. The effects of a detergent and chaotropic agent on both substrates were significantly altered by the immobilization. The results of this study thus indicate that the stability and fatty acid specificity of fatty acyl-CoA synthetase are significantly affected by the physical state of the enzyme.     

RNA aptamers to S-adenosylhomocysteine: kinetic properties, divalent cation dependency, and comparison with anti-S-adenosylhomocysteine antibody

To explore the potential of RNA aptamers as small-molecule discriminating devices, we have characterized the properties of aptamers selected from a library of approximately 10(14) variants through their interaction with S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH, AdoHcy). Competition studies with SAH and azaSAM analogues revealed that the Hoogsteen face of adenine is the main contributor to binding, whereas specificity for SAH is conferred by a secondary contact point at or near the sulfur/thioether of homocysteine (Hcy). Binding specificities were determined by both affinity chromatography and a novel method designed for the biosensor. The kinetic properties of individual aptamers, including the "classic" ATP aptamer that also emerged in our selection, were studied by biosensor analysis. Association rates were slow, but the complexes were stable, suggesting micro- to submicromolar affinities. A solution affinity of approximately 0.1 microM was found for the strongest binding variant under the conditions used for selection (5 mM Mg(2+)). Systematic studies of the effect of Mg(2+) and Mn(2+) on binding, however, revealed that the affinity of the aptamers could be substantially improved, and at optimized conditions of Mn(2+) the affinity of one of the aptamers approached that of an anti-SAH antibody with similar/identical binding specificity. Comparisons with the MAb suggest that the on rate is the limiting factor for high-affinity binding by these aptamers, and comparison with a truncated aptamer shows that shortening of RNA constructs may alter binding kinetics as well as sensitivity to ions.     

Staphylococcus haemolyticus lipase: biochemical properties, substrate specificity and gene cloning

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a Gram-positive bacterium which is naturally resistant to tellurite. In this study, we cloned and sequenced a homologue of the Escherichia coli tellurite resistance gene tehB from S. pneumoniae. It encoded a protein of 284 amino acids which is 86 residues longer than E. coli TehB, but similar in size to Haemophilus influenzae TehB and Eikenella corrodens hemagglutinin (Hag1) as well as homologues from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis. The S. pneumoniae TehB displayed 46-58% identity (52-68% similarity) to these proteins. The results in this study showed that the S. pneumoniae tehB alone not only conferred on E. coli high level resistance to tellurite, but also caused filamentous morphology in E. coli.     

Pig liver pyruvate carboxylase. Purification, properties and cation specificity

1. Pyruvate carboxylase was purified to apparent homogeneity from pig liver mitochondria and shown to be free of all kinetically contaminating enzymes. 2. The enzyme has a mol. wt. of 520000 and is composed of four subunits, each with a mol. wt. of 130000. 3. The enzyme can exist as the active tetramer, dimer and monomer, although the tetramer appears to be the form in which the enzyme is normally assayed. 4. For every 520000g of the enzyme there are 4mol of biotin, 3mol of zinc and 1mol of magnesium. No significant concentrations of manganese were detected. 5. Analysis by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicates three polypeptide chains per monomer unit, each with a mol. wt. of 47000. 6. The amino acid analysis, stoicheiometry of the reaction and the activity of the enzyme as a function of pH are also presented. 7. The enzyme is activated by a variety of univalent cations but not by Tris(+) or triethanolamine(+). 8. The activity of the enzyme is dependent on the presence of acetyl-CoA; the low rate in the absence of added acetyl-CoA is not due to an enzyme-bound acyl-CoA. The dissociation constant for enzyme-bound acetyl-CoA is a marked function of pH.     

Inhibition of pea leaf glutamine synthetase by methionine sulphoximine,phosphinothricin and other glutamate analogues

The kinetics of the inhibition of glutamine synthetase from Pisum sativum leaves by l-methionine sulphoximine and dl-phosphinothricin were determined. Inhibition by both compounds was mixed-competitive, and apparent K_i values of 0.16 mM and 0.073 mM respectively were determined. dl-5-Hydroxylysine, dl-glutamate-4-tetrazole and l-4-methyleneglutamic acid were also strong inhibitors. Analogues of methionine sulphoximine, dl-ethionine sulphoximine and dl-prothionine sulphoximine were poor inhibitors of glutamine synthetase. Other glutamine and glutamate analogues e.g. azaserine, albizziine, asparagine and kainic acid had no inhibitory action.     

Some regulatory properties of pea leaf carbamoyl phosphate synthetase

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase of pea shoots (Pisum sativum L.) was purified 101-fold. Its stability was greatly increased by the addition of substrates and activators. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by micromolar amounts of UMP (Ki less than 2 mum). UDP, UTP, TMP, and ADP were also inhibitory. AMP caused either slight activation (under certain conditions) or was inhibitory. Uridine nucleotides were competitive inhibitors, as was AMP, while ADP was a noncompetitive inhibitor. Enzyme activity was increased manyfold by the activator ornithine. Ornithine acted by increasing the affinity for Mg.ATP by a factor of 8 or more. Other activators were IMP, GMP, ITP, and GTP, IMP, like ornithine, increased the Michaelis constant for Mg.ATP. The activators ornithine, GMP, and IMP (but not GTP and ITP) completely reversed inhibition caused by pyrimidine nucleotides while increasing the inhibition caused by ADP and AMP.     

Influence of monovalent cation identity on parvalbumin divalent ion-binding properties

Rat alpha- and beta-parvalbumins have distinct monovalent cation-binding properties [Henzl et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 5859-5867]. Beta binds two Na(+) or one K(+), and alpha binds one Na(+) and no K(+). Ca(2+) abolishes these binding events, suggesting that the monovalent ions occupy the EF-hand motifs. This study compares alpha and beta divalent ion affinities in Na(+) and K(+) solutions. Solvent cation identity seriously affects alpha. In Hepes-buffered NaCl, at 5 degrees C, the macroscopic Ca(2+)-binding constants are 2.6 x 10(8) and 6.4 x 10(7) M(-1) and the Mg(2+) constants, 1.8 x 10(4) and 4.3 x 10(3) M(-1). In Hepes-buffered KCl, the Ca(2+) values increase to 2.9 x 10(9) and 6.6 x 10(8) M(-1) and the Mg(2+) values to 2.2 x 10(5) and 3.7 x 10(4) M(-1). Monte Carlo simulation of alpha binding data-employing site-specific constants and explicitly considering Na(+) binding-yields a K(Na) of 630 M(-1) and indicates that divalent ion-binding is positively cooperative. NMR data suggest that the lone Na(+) ion occupies the CD loop. Solvent cation identity has a smaller impact on beta. In Na(+), the Ca(2+) constants for the EF and CD sites are 2.3 x 10(7) and 1.5 x 10(6) M(-1), respectively; the Mg(2+) constants are 9.2 x 10(3) and 1.7 x 10(2) M(-1). In K(+), these values shift to 3.1 x 10(7) and 3.8 x 10(6) M(-1) and the latter to 1.4 x 10(4) and 2.9 x 10(2) M(-1). These data suggest that parvalbumin divalent ion affinity, particularly that of rat alpha, can be significantly attenuated by increased intracellular Na(+) levels.