Role of inosine 5'-phosphate in activating glucose-bisphosphatase

Glucose-bisphosphate (G1c-1,6-P2) phosphatase has been purified greater than 200-fold from the cytosol of mouse brain. As reported earlier, the enzyme requires inosine monophosphate (IMP) and Mg2+ for activity [Guha, S.K., & Rose, Z. B. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 6634-6637]. Kinetic parameters and the role of IMP have been further investigated. When Glc-1,6-P2 and IMP are both varied, double-reciprocal plots of the data form a parallel line pattern. With 2 mM Mg2+, the Km obtained for G1c-1,6-P2 is 20 microM and the Ka for IMP is 9 microM. Co2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+ activate less effectively than Mg2+. The apparent Ka for Mg2+ decreases with increasing G1c-1,6-P2, and the observed Km of G1c-1,6-P2 decreases with increasing Mg2+. The extrapolated value of the Ka of Mg2+ at infinite substrate is 86 microM. Mg2+ does not affect the Ka of IMP. The phosphatase activity is optimal at pH 7. The phosphatase is not completely specific since mannose 1,6-bisphosphate is hydrolyzed and guanosine monophosphate activates. However, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate is no more than a poor inhibitor, and adenine nucleotides are neither activators nor inhibitors. The products of the reaction are glucose-1-P and glucose-6-P, in a ratio of 2:3, and Pi. Both glucose-P's are competitive inhibitors with respect to IMP [Ki(glucose-1-P) = 5 microM; Ki(glucose-6-P) = 18 microM]. Neither glucose-P competes with G1c-1,6-P2. The demonstration of an exchange reaction between G1c-1,6-P2 and glucose-6-P is evidence for the phosphorylation of the enzyme by the substrate. The exchange reaction requires Mg2+ and is inhibited by IMP. The observation of the exchange reaction and its elimination by IMP indicates that the low level of phosphoglucomutase activity that remains with the phosphatase throughout purification is an inherent property of the phosphatase. The requirement of glucose-bisphosphatase for the nucleotide IMP is consistent with possible roles for both G1c-1,6-P2 and IMP in the control of the ATP level in the brain.     

Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the regulatory subunit of cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase (type II) in vivo and in vitro

A phosphorylated regulatory subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (type II) was purified to homogeneity from inorganic [32P]phosphate-injected rats. A new method of measuring the phosphorylation reaction was developed. It was found that this regulatory subunit was phosphorylated in cells and comprised 60, 82 and 55% of the total regulatory subunit in brain, heart and liver cytosol fractions from rats, respectively. Dephosphorylation was stimuated by cyclic nucleotides. The Ka values for cyclic AMP and cyclic IMP were 0.30 and 1.0 microM, respectively. Purified phosphoprotein phosphatase could dephosphorylate the regulatory subunit and this reaction was also stimulated by cyclic nucleotides with similar Ka values. The inhibitors of phosphoprotein phosphatase, NaF and ZnCl2, protected against dephosphorylation unless ADP or cyclic AMP were present.     

Diadenosine tetraphosphate activates cytosol 5'-nucleotidase

The rate of hydrolysis of IMP (0.5 mM) by cytosol 5'-nucleotidase from Artemia embryos was increased up to 7-fold by concentrations of around 10 microM diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A). Half maximal activation of the enzyme was accomplished with 5 microM Ap4A. The Km (S 0.5) values of the nucleotidase for IMP, GMP, AMP, XMP and CMP decreased about 10 fold in the presence of 10 microM Ap4A. Maximum velocity of the enzyme was not affected by Ap4A. ATP had been previously described as an activator of the enzyme. However, comparatively with Ap4A, concentrations of ATP two orders of magnitude higher are needed to elicit similar effects on the enzyme. Preliminary results indicate that Ap4A is also an activator of the cytosol 5'-nucleotidase from rat liver.     

Role of adenosine deaminase, ecto-(5''-nucleotidase) and ecto-(non-specific phosphatase) in cyanide-induced adenosine monophosphate catabolism in rat polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

1. The role of adenosine deaminase (EC 3.5.4.4), ecto-(5'-nucleotidase) (EC 3.1.3.5) and ecto-(non-specific phosphatase) in the CN-induced catabolism of adenine nucleotides in intact rat polymorphonuclear leucocytes was investigated by inhibiting the enzymes in situ. 2. KCN (10mM for 90 min) induced a 20-30% fall in ATP concentration accompanied by an approximately equimolar increase in hypoxanthine, ADP, AMP and adenosine concentrations were unchanged, and IMP and inosine remained undetectable ( less than 0.05 nmol/10(7) cells). 3. Cells remained 98% intact, as judged by loss of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). 4. Pentostatin (30 microM), a specific inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, completely inhibited hypoxanthine production from exogenous adenosine (55 microM), but did not black CN-induced hypoxanthine production or cause adenosine accumulation in intact cells. This implied that IMP rather than adenosine was an intermediate in AMP breakdown in response to cyanide. 5. Antibodies raised against purified plasma-membrane 5'-nucleotidase inhibited the ecto-(5'-nucleotidase) by 95-98%. Non-specific phosphatases were blocked by 10 mM-sodium beta-glycerophosphate. 6. These two agents together blocked hypoxanthine production from exogenous AMP and IMP (200 microM) by more than 90%, but had no effect on production from endogenous substrates. 7. These data suggest that ectophosphatases do not participate in CN-induced catabolism of intracellular AMP in rat polymorphonuclear leucocytes. 8. A minor IMPase, not inhibited by antiserum, was detected in the soluble fraction of disrupted cells.     

Human placental cytoplasmic 5'-nucleotidase. Kinetic properties and inhibition

The kinetic properties of highly purified human placental cytoplasmic 5'-nucleotidase were investigated. Initial velocity studies gave Michaelis constants for AMP, IMP, and CMP of 18, 30, and 2.2 microM, respectively. The enzyme shows the following relative Vmax values: CMP greater than UMP greater than dUMP greater than GMP greater than AMP greater than dCMP greater than IMP. The activity was magnesium-dependent, and this cation binds sequentially with a Km of 14 microM for AMP and an apparent Km of 6 mM for magnesium. A large variety of purine, pyrimidine, and pyridine compounds exert an inhibitory effect on enzyme activity. IMP, GMP, and NADH produce almost 100% inhibition at 1.0 mM. Nucleoside di- and triphosphates are potent inhibitors. ATP and ADP are competitive inhibitors with respect to AMP and IMP as substrates with Ki values of 100 and 15 microM, respectively. Inorganic phosphate is a noncompetitive inhibitor with Ki values of 19 and 43 mM. Nucleosides and other compounds studied produce only a modest decrease of enzyme activity at 1 mM. Our findings suggest that the enzyme is regulated under physiological conditions by the concentrations of magnesium, nucleoside 5'-monophosphates, and nucleoside di- and triphosphates. The nucleotide pool concentration regulates the enzyme possibly by a mechanism of heterogeneous metabolic pool inhibition. These properties of human placental cytoplasmic 5'-nucleotidase may be related to the control of nucleotide degradation in vivo.     

Purification and characterization of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase from mouse mammary carcinoma FM3A cells in culture

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase has been purified to apparent homogeneity from mouse mammary tumor FM3A cells. The purified enzyme, with a specific activity of 20.6 X 10(6) units/g protein at 30 degrees C, was homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion analysis. The native enzyme had a molecular weight of 44,000 and a subunit composition of 23,000. Apparent Km values for adenine and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRib-PP) were 6.6 microM and 1.2 microM, respectively. Free Mg2+ was an essential activator with a half-maximal effect at 0.4 mM. AMP was an inhibitor, competitive with PRib-PP, and the Ki value was estimated to be 24 microM. The enzyme activity was not significantly affected by 2,6-diaminopurine, 4-carbamoylimidazolium 5-olate, 8-azaadenine, and 2-fluoro-6-aminopurine. An antibody against the purified mouse adenine phosphoribosyltransferase was raised in a rabbit. The enzyme derived from either mouse, Chinese hamster, or human cells was completely neutralized and precipitated by this antibody, indicating that these enzymes share a common antigenic determinant.     

Characterization of phosphofructokinase 2 and of enzymes involved in the degradation of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in yeast

Phosphofructokinase 2 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was purified 8500-fold by chromatography on blue Trisacryl, gel filtration on Superose 6B and chromatography on ATP-agarose. Its apparent molecular mass was close to 600 kDa. The purified enzyme could be activated fivefold upon incubation in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP-Mg and the catalytic subunit of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase from beef heart; there was a parallel incorporation of 32P into a 105-kDa peptide and also, but only faintly, into a 162-kDa subunit. A low-Km (0.1 microM) fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase could be identified both by its ability to hydrolyze fructose 2,6-[2-32P]bisphosphate and to form in its presence an intermediary radioactive phosphoprotein. This enzyme was purified 300-fold, had an apparent molecular mass of 110 kDa and was made of two 56-kDa subunits. It was inhibited by fructose 6-phosphate (Ki = 5 microM) and stimulated 2-3-fold by 50 mM benzoate or 20 mM salicylate. Remarkably, and in deep contrast to what is known of mammalian and plant enzymes, phosphofructokinase 2 and the low-Km fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase clearly separated from each other in all purification procedures used. A high-Km (approximately equal to 100 microM), apparently specific, fructose 2,6-bisphosphatase was separated by anion-exchange chromatography. This enzyme could play a major role in the physiological degradation of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, which it converts to fructose 6-phosphate and Pi, because it is not inhibited by fructose 6-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate or Pi. Several other phosphatases able to hydrolyze fructose 2,6-bisphosphate into a mixture of fructose 2-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate and eventually fructose were identified. They have a low affinity for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Km greater than 50 microM), are most active at pH 6 and are deeply inhibited by inorganic phosphate and various phosphate esters.     

Purification of an insulin-sensitive cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase from rat liver

A low-Km cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase solubilised from rat liver membranes by mild proteolysis with chymotrypsin has been purified to apparent homogeneity. The purification included chromatography on cellulose phosphate, Ecteola-cellulose, hydroxyapatite, a theophylline affinity matrix and HPLC on a DEAE-substituted column. The purified enzyme has linear kinetic plots with a Km of 0.24 microM and a Vmax of 6.2 mumol mg-1 min-1 with cyclic AMP as a substrate. It also hydrolyses cyclic GMP with a Km of 0.17 microM and a Vmax which is about a third of that with cyclic AMP. Cyclic GMP is also a competitive inhibitor of cyclic AMP hydrolysis with a Ki of 0.18 microM. The proteolytically solubilised enzyme has a subunit molecular mass of 73 kDa by SDS gel electrophoresis and of 130 kDa by HPLC size-exclusion chromatography, suggesting that it exists as a dimer. A partially purified preparation of this enzyme was used to raise antiserum in a sheep. The antiserum immunoprecipitated activity from liver and adipose tissue of rat and mouse. It had little activity against phosphodiesterase from other rat tissues or other species. Insulin-activated phosphodiesterase from both adipocytes and hepatocytes was immunoprecipitated by the antiserum suggesting that the purified enzyme was an insulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase.     

High Km soluble 5'-nucleotidase from human placenta. Properties and allosteric regulation by IMP and ATP

A human placental soluble "high Km" 5'-nucleotidase has been separated from "low Km" 5'-nucleotidase and nonspecific phosphatase by AMP-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The enzyme was purified 8000-fold to a specific activity of 25.6 mumol/min/mg. The subunit molecular mass is 53 kDa, and the native molecular mass is 210 kDa, suggesting a tetrameric structure. Soluble high Km 5'-nucleotidase is most active with IMP and GMP and their deoxy derivatives. IMP is hydrolyzed 15 times faster than AMP. The enzyme has a virtually absolute requirement for magnesium ions and is regulated by them. Purine nucleoside 5'-triphosphates strongly activate the enzyme with the potency order dATP greater than ATP greater than GTP. 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate activates the enzyme as potently as ATP. Three millimolar ATP decreased the Km for IMP from 0.33 to 0.09 mM and increased the Vmax 12-fold. ATP activation was modified by the IMP concentration. At 20 microM IMP the ATP-dependent activation curve was sigmoidal, while at 2 mM IMP it was hyperbolic. The A0.5 values for ATP were 2.26 and 0.70 mM, and the relative maximal velocities were 32.9 and 126.0 nmol/min, respectively. Inorganic phosphate shifts the hyperbolic substrate velocity relationship for IMP to a sigmoidal one. With physiological concentrations of cofactors (3 mM ATP, 1-4 mM Pi, 150 mM KCl) at pH 7.4, the enzyme is 25-35 times more active toward 100 microM IMP than 100 microM AMP. These data show that: (a) soluble human placental high Km 5'-nucleotidase coexists in human placenta with the low Km enzyme; (b) under physiological conditions the enzyme favors the hydrolysis of IMP and is critically regulated by IMP, ATP, and Pi levels; and (c) kinetic properties of ATP and IMP are each modified by the other compound suggesting complex interaction of the associated binding sites.     

Characterization of a retinylmonophosphatase in the plasma membrane of mouse brain.

Retinylmonophosphatase (RMPase) activity in mouse brain paralleled the subcellular distribution of the plasma-membrane marker Na+ + K+-dependent ATPase. The enzyme had a pH optimum between 5.5 and 7.0. The enzyme demonstrated linear kinetics with respect to time and both protein and substrate concentrations. RMPase was saturated by low retinyl monophosphate (RMP) concentrations and exhibited an apparent Km of 4.6 microM. The enzyme did not require MgCl2 for activity, and in fact assays were routinely run in the presence of 10 mM-Na2EDTA. In general, detergents inhibited the enzyme, with 0.05% Triton X-100 causing a 30% loss of activity. Phosphatidic acid was also inhibitory, but phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin stimulated phosphatase activity. RMPase was inhibited 35% by 5 mM concentrations of fluoride, phosphate or pyrophosphate. A series of other phosphorylated compounds, including glucose 6-phosphate, alpha-glycerophosphate, ATP, AMP, p-nitrophenyl phosphate and thiamin pyrophosphate, showed little or no inhibition. RMPase activity differed in several characteristics from that previously reported for dolichylmonophosphatase. It is concluded that RMP could play a distinct role in the plasma membrane.     

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases from rat anterior pituitary. Characterization of multiple forms and regulation by protein activator and Ca+.

Phosphodiesterase activities for adenosine and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphates (cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP) were demonstrated in particulate and soluble fractions of rat anterior pituitary gland. Both fractions contained higher activity for cyclic GMP hydrolysis than that for cyclic AMP hydrolysis when these activities were assayed at subsaturating substrate concentrations. Addition of protein activator and CaCl2 to either whole homogenate, particulate or supernatant fraction stimulated both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphadiesterase activities. Almost 80% of cyclic AMP and 90% of cyclic GMP hydrolyzing activities were localized in soluble fraction. Particulate-bound cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity was completely solubilized with 1% Triton X-100. Detergent-dispersed particulate and soluble enzymes were compared with respect to Ca2+ and activator requirements and gel filtration profiles. Particulate, soluble and partially purified phosphodiesterase activities were also characterized in relation to divalent cation requirements, kinetic behavior and effects of Ca2+, activator and ethyleneglycol-bis-(2-aminoethyl)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid. Gel filtration of either sonicated whole homogenate or the 10500 X g supernatant fraction showed a single peak of activity, which hydrolyzed both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and was dependent upon Ca2+ and activator for maximum activity. Partially purified enzyme was inhibited by 1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine and papaverine with the concentration of inhibitor giving 50% inhibition at 0.4 muM substrate being 20 muM and 24 muM for cyclic AMP and 7 muM and 10 muM for cyclic GMP, respectively. Theophylline, caffeine and theobromine were less effective. The rat anterior pituitary also contained a protein activator which stimulated both pituitary cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase(s) as well as activator-deficient brain cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases. Chromatography of the sonicated pituitary extract on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography resolved the phosphodiesterase into two fractions. Both enzyme fractions hydrolyzed cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and had comparable apparent Km values for the two nucleotides. Hydrolysis of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP by fraction II enzyme was stimulated 6--7-fold by both pituitary and brain activator in the presence of micromolar concentrations of Ca2+.     

Adenylosuccinate synthetase from Dictyostelium discoideum: effects of hadacidin analogs and binding of [14C]hadacidin

The enzyme adenylosuccinate (sAMP) synthetase has been partially purified from Dictyostelium discoideum using hadacidin-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography, anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and gel-filtration HPLC, resulting in a 2600-fold purification. Using a newly developed HPLC procedure to assay activity, it has been found that D. discoideum adenylosuccinate synthetase activity has apparent Km values for the substrates IMP, GTP, and aspartate of 36, 23, and 714 microM, respectively. The analog guanosine-5'-(beta, gamma-imino)triphosphate was found to be an inhibitor of GTP with a Ki of 15 microM, and IMP was competitively inhibited by its analog formycin B monophosphate with a Ki of 80 microM. An analysis of these kinetic data showed a pattern consistent with a fully random terter mechanism. Hadacidin, an analog of aspartate, was an inhibitor of that substrate at 86 microM. Other analogs of hadacidin were synthesized and examined for their effect on the sAMP synthetase activity. Compared to hadacidin, which produced 100% inhibition at 5 mM, it was observed that N-acetyl-N-hydroxyglycine, N-formylglycine, N-acetylglycine, and N-hydroxyglycine all inhibited between 50 and 75%, with N-(thiocarboxy)-L-aspartic anhydride less effective at 27%, and N-benzoylglycine at only 6%. N-Formylsarcosine, N-acetylmethionine, O-methylpyruvate oxime, and hadacidin methylester had no effect at this concentration. The adenylosuccinate synthetase activity was dependent on metal ions with maximum activity being obtained with Mg2+. The ability of the aspartate analog hadacidin to bind to the purified adenylosuccinate synthetase was demonstrated using anion-exchange HPLC and [formyl-14C]hadacidin. The radioactivity coeluted with the adenylosuccinate synthetase and the bound, radiolabeled hadacidin was displaced by excess aspartate.     

Intermediary purine-metabolizing enzymes from the cytosol of Dictyostelium discoideum monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography

The use of high-performance liquid chromatography to identify and quantitate five purine-metabolizing enzymes from a partially purified subcellular fraction of the eucaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum is described. All HPLC separations were carried out in an isocratic manner using reverse-phase C18 as the stationary phase. The mobile phase consisted of a phosphate buffer with either methanol or acetonitrile as cosolvent, and optimal separation conditions were attained by varying the organic concentration or the pH of the buffer or by employing paired-ion chromatographic techniques. Substrates and products were detected at either 254 nm for the purines or 295 nm for the formycin analogs. An adenosine kinase activity was identified, and it was demonstrated that formycin A (FoA) could be substituted for adenosine as the phosphate acceptor, yielding FoAMP as the product. With FoA as the substrate an apparent Km of 18.2 microM and an apparent Vmax of 32.4 mmol min-1 mg-1 were observed for the activity. A purine-nucleoside phosphorylase activity was found to cleave adenosine to adenine and ribosylphosphate. FoA was not found to be a substrate for this activity due to the unusual formycin C-glycosyl bond which was not hydrolyzed by enzymes or chemically with either HCl or NaOH. An adenylate deaminase activity was found to be present in the cytosolic S-100 of cells harvested during the onset of development, and this deaminase activity was greatly stimulated by ATP. With FoAMP as the substrate, an apparent Km of 236 microM and Vmax of 2.78 mumol min-1 mg-1 were observed. The deamination of FoAMP could be inhibited by the addition of the natural substrate AMP. An apparent Ki value of 136 microM was determined from initial rate data. An adenylosuccinate synthetase activity was observed to have a Km value for GTP, IMP, and aspartic acid of 23, 34, and 714 microM, respectively. The formycin analog FoIMP was not a substrate with this activity but was a competitive inhibitor of IMP. Finally hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase was found to have Km and Vmax values for hypoxanthine of 55.5 microM and 34.3 nmol-1 min-1 mg-1. When guanine was used as the substrate, the rate of nucleotide formation was 50% that with hypoxanthine as the substrate. The advantages of using HPLC to examine the interconnecting activities of a multienzyme complex in subcellular fractions are discussed, including the increased sensitivity obtained by using formycin analogs in the assay procedures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Effect of Mn2+ on fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibition of mouse liver, intestinal, and muscle fructose-1,6-bisphosphatases

Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate inhibited all three fructose-1,6-bisphosphatases from the liver, intestine, and muscle of the mouse. The sensitivity of the liver enzyme to the inhibitor was significantly diminished when Mg2+ was replaced by Mn2+ as the activating cation. Inhibition of the liver enzyme by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate decreased as the concentration of the metal activator, Mn2+ or Mg2+, increased. The respective I50 values obtained by extrapolation of metal ion concentrations to zero were 40 microM with Mn2+ and 0.25 microM with Mg2+. The extent of desensitization to either fructose 2,6-bisphosphate or AMP inhibition by Mn2+ decreased in the order of the liver, intestine, and muscle enzyme. Only in the case of the liver enzyme was the substrate cooperativity induced by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in the presence of Mg2+. In all three isoenzymes from the mouse, fructose 2,6-bisphosphate greatly potentiated the AMP inhibition of the enzyme in the presence of either Mg2+ or Mn2+. The liver enzyme with Mn2+ in addition to Mg2+ was still active in the presence of less than 1 microM fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, even though AMP was present at 100-200 microM.     

A kinetic analysis of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase regulation by the endogenous protein activator. A study of rat brain and frog sympathetic chain.

The effect of the endogenous protein activator on the kinetic characteristics of a highly purified, activator-deficient rat brain phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.-) of a highly purified, activator-deficient rat brain phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4-) was studied. This enzyme preparation has only a high Km for cyclic AMP and a low Km for cyclic GMP. In the presence of 20 muM Ca2+, saturating concentrations of the activator decreased the Km of this enzyme for cyclic AMP from 350 muM to about 80 muM, without changing the V. The phosphodiesterase activator did not change the Km of phosphodiesterase for cyclic GMP; however, amoderate increase of V was seen. The activator lacks species specificity; the activator isolated from the bullfrog sympathetic chain produced the same qualitative and comparable quantitative changes in the kinetic properties of the purified rat brain phosphodiesterase. Cyclic GMP is a potent competitive inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase activation by the activator (Ki=1.8 muM), using cyclic AMP as a substrate. Cyclic AMP inhibits slightly the hydrolysis of cyclic GMP by phosphodiesterase in the presence of activator (Ki=155 muM) only.     

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate is a selective inhibitor of the brown adipocyte nonselective cation channel

Calcium-activated nonselective cation channels (NSC(Ca)) in brown adipocytes are inhibited by several nucleotides acting on the cytosolic side of the membrane. We used excised inside-out patches from rat brown adipocytes to identify important nucleotide structures for NSC-channel inhibition. We found that 100 microM 5'-AMP inhibited NSC-channel activity more than did ATP or ADP. Adenosine was a weak inhibitor, whereas adenine and ribose-5-phosphate had no effect. The channel activity was effectively blocked by 10 microM AMP, but it was unaffected by 10 microM cAMP, CMP, GMP, IMP, TMP or UMP. Dose-response studies yielded IC(50)-values of 4 microM for AMP and 32 microM for cAMP. dAMP was as effective as AMP, but all 5'-phosphate group modifications on AMP dramatically lowered the inhibitory effect. 10 microM of the AMP precursor adenylosuccinate weakly inhibited the channel activity. An increase in AMP concentration from 1 to 10 microM shifted the EC(50) for Ca(2+) activation almost 1 order of magnitude; a Schild plot analysis yielded a K(B) value of 0.3 microM for AMP. We conclude that AMP is the most efficacious endogenous nucleotide inhibitor of the brown adipocyte nonselective cation channel (NSC(Ca/AMP)) yet identified and that there is functional competition between Ca(2+) and AMP. The brown adipocyte NSC(Ca/AMP) thus appears to be functionally different from the NSC(Ca,PKA) in the exocrine pancreas and the NSC-(Ca,cAMP) in the endocrine pancreas, but similar to the NSC(Ca/AMP) in the endocrine pancreas.     

An adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate-adenosine binding protein from mouse liver.

A cyclic AMP-adenosine binding protein from mouse liver has been purified to apparent homogeneity as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the absence and presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and by analytical ultracentrifugation. The binding protein had a Stokes radium of 48 A based on gel chromatography. Both the purified binding protein and the binding activity in fresh cytosol sedimented as 9 S on sucrose gradient centrifugation. The homogeneous protein had a sedimentation coefficient (S20, w) of 8.8 x 10-13 s, as calculated from sedimentation velocity experiments. By use of the Stokes radius and S20, w', the molecular weight was calculated to be 180,000. The protein was composed of polypeptides having the same molecular weight of 45,000 as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and thus appeared to consist of four subunits of equal size. The isoelectric point, pI = 5.7. The binding capacity for cyclic AMP increased by preincubating the receptor protein in the presence of Mg2+ ATP. This process, tentatively termed activation, was studied in some detail and was shown not be be be accompanied by dissociation, aggregation, or phosphorylation of the binding protein. Cyclic AMP was bound to the protein with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 1.5 x 10-7 M. The binding of cyclic AMP was competitively inhibited by adenosine, AMP, ADP, and ATP whose inhibition constants were 8 x 10-7 M, 1.2X 10-6 M, 1.5 X 10-6 M, and higher than 5 x 10-6 M respectively. A hyperbolic Scatchard plot was obtained for the binding of adenosine to the activated binding protein, indicating more than one site for adenosine. The binding of adenosine to the site with the highest affinity (Kd=2 x 10-7 M) for this nucleoside was not suppressed by excess cyclic AMP and was thus different from the aforementioned cyclic AMP binding site. Cyclic GMP, GMP, guanosine, cyclic IMP, IMP, and inosine did not inhibit the binding of either cyclic AMP or adenosine. The binding protein had no cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, adenosine deaminase, phosphofructokinase, or protein kinase activities, nor does it inhibit the catalytic subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

Characterization of a calmodulin-dependent high-affinity cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase from male mouse germ cells.

Two cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activities were separated by ion-exchange chromatography of cytosol from male mouse germ cells. A form eluted at low salt concentration showed high affinity (Km congruent to 2 microM) and low affinity (Km congruent to 20 microM) for cyclic AMP, and high affinity (Km congruent to 3.5 microM) for cyclic GMP. A second form, eluted at high salt concentration, showed high affinity (Km congruent to 5 microM) for cyclic AMP and was similar to a phosphodiesterase activity described in rat germ cells. The present study was performed to characterize the first form, which represents most of the phosphodiesterase activity in mouse germ cells. The enzyme was sensitive to Ca2+ and calmodulin stimulation, which increased its activity 3-4-fold. Calmodulin stimulation depended on direct interaction of the activator with the enzyme, as indicated by the reversible changes in the chromatographic elution pattern in the presence of Ca2+, as well as by the increase in the sedimentation coefficient in the presence of calmodulin. Reciprocal inhibition kinetics between cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP for the calmodulin-dependent form demonstrated a non-competitive inhibition between the two substrates, suggesting the presence of separate catalytic sites. This is in agreement with kinetic parameters and different thermal stabilities of cyclic AMP- and cyclic GMP-hydrolysing activities. Furthermore, the relevant change in s value, depending on the absence or presence of Ca2+ and calmodulin, suggested that the enzyme is composed of subunits, which aggregate in the presence of the activator. A model for catalytic site composition and reciprocal interaction is also proposed.     

Kinetic characterization of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase ab hybrid

Phosphorylase ab was prepared in vitro by partial phosphorylation of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase b and was isolated by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography. Its phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated subunits could not be distinguished by different affinity to substrates, activators or inhibitors, indicating their coordinated function. In the absence of nucleotide activators, the Km values for Pi and glucose-1-P were 28 mM and 18 mM, respectively. Activity in the presence of 16 mM glucose-1-P was doubled by 10(-4) M AMP or 10(-3) M IMP, mainly by lowering the Km for glucose-1-P. Half-maximum activation was exerted by 2 microM AMP or 0.1 mM IMP. Activation by these nucleotides showed no cooperativity. Glucose exerted competitive inhibition with respect to glucose-1-P, while for the inhibition by glucose-6-P an allosteric mechanism is suggested; the appropriate Ki values were 4.5 mM and 1.5 mM, respectively. The Hill coefficient for glucose-1-P binding was about 1.0, even in the presence of glucose (up to 10 mM), but 10 mM glucose-6-P lowered it to 0.47, indicating a negative heterotropic cooperativity. Effective regulation of the activity of phosphorylase ab by physiological concentrations of Pi, AMP, IMP and glucose-6-P suggests its metabolic control under in vivo condition.     

Dephosphorylation of neuromodulin by calcineurin

Neuromodulin (p57, GAP-43, F1, B-50) is a major neural-specific, calmodulin binding protein found in brain, spinal cord, and retina that is associated with membranes. Phosphorylation of neuromodulin by protein kinase C causes a significant reduction in its affinity for calmodulin (Alexander, K. A., Cimler, B. M., Meirer, K. E., and Storm, D. R. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 6108-6113). It has been proposed that neuromodulin may function to bind and concentrate calmodulin at specific sites within neurons and that activation of protein kinase C causes the release of free calmodulin at high concentrations near its target proteins. It was the goal of this study to determine whether bovine brain contains a phosphoprotein phosphatase that will utilize phosphoneuromodulin as a substrate. Phosphatase activity for phosphoneuromodulin was partially purified from a bovine brain extract using DEAE-Sephacel and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration chromatography. The neuromodulin phosphatase activity was resolved into two peaks by Affi-Gel Blue chromatography. One of these phosphatases, which represented approximately 60% of the total neuromodulin phosphatase activity, was tentatively identified as calcineurin by its requirement for Ca2+ and calmodulin (CaM) and inhibition of its activity by chlorpromazine. Therefore, bovine brain calcineurin was purified to homogeneity and examined for its phosphatase activity against bovine phosphoneuromodulin. Calcineurin rapidly dephosphorylated phosphoneuromodulin in the presence of micromolar Ca2+ and 3 microM CaM. The apparent Km and Vmax for the dephosphorylation of neuromodulin, measured in the presence of micromolar Ca2+ and 2 microM CaM, were 2.5 microM and 70 nmol Pi/mg/min, respectively, compared to a Km and Vmax of 4 microM and 55 nmol Pi/mg/min, respectively, for myosin light chain under the same conditions. Dephosphorylation of neuromodulin by calcineurin was stimulated 50-fold by calmodulin in the presence of micromolar free Ca2+. Half-maximal stimulation was observed at a calmodulin concentration of 0.5 microM. We propose that phosphoneuromodulin may be a physiologically important substrate for calcineurin and that calcineurin and protein kinase C may regulate the levels of free calmodulin available in neurons.